Chapter 111 - Meeting Glasy again

As we arrived at the city gate, we were greeted by Adya's group, who were standing near a wagon. Immediately, I assumed that was the wagon we needed to escort safely to the kingdom of Arclight.

"Hey, good to see you guys made it" 

Adya said as she noticed us approaching. It was still quite early, and Ana and Fujiwara were yawning since they aren't used to waking up this early. On the other hand, Aoi-sensei and Saemi seemed relatively accustomed to it, and both were in good spirits. As for me, my new race probably makes me need much less sleep than before. I rarely feel tired, even if I only sleep for a couple of hours a day. Besides, I can probably stay awake for almost a whole week without feeling a hint of exhaustion.

Once we finished approaching, a short, chubby, bald man came up to us, smiling from ear to ear, although I couldn't understand the reason behind his enthusiasm.

"Are you the other team that will escort me? Pleasure to meet all of you. I hope you take good care of my precious babies" 

The man extended his hand for a handshake while smiling and saying those words, which made me raise an eyebrow in surprise.

(Did I just hear him call the goods "babies"?)

I quickly brushed that thought aside and accepted the man's handshake, responding with a greeting. 

"Yes, we are the assigned team for the escort. Pleasure to meet you" 

I said, shaking the man's hand. Then, he took the reins of the wagon, and we were ready to depart. As we left the city behind, I turned for a few seconds to look at it. I had the chance to bid farewell to Eldric and his family, as well as some adventurers I had befriended to some extent. Of course, I also said goodbye to Flora, who had been a great help during my time in the city.

As we walked along the dirt road, I began to ponder about my next steps. Once we arrive in Arclight, I'll focus all my efforts on finding the dungeon. If I'm correct, Aurora-sama mentioned that each country has a fourteen-floor dungeon. While these thoughts filled my mind, Aurora-sama's voice echoed in my head after a while.

"Oh, I see you're heading to the kingdom of Arclight. Fufufu, you're truly wonderful, Makoto. Well, I wouldn't expect any less from the one I chose to be my apostle. Unlike Artena, I have high hopes for you"

Aurora-sama said as she let out a haughty laugh. I could even imagine the expression on her face.

(Aurora-sama? It's been a while since we last talked. Did something happen that kept you from contacting me?)

With my question, Aurora-sama made a noise in my mind, indicating that she seemed to be pondering. Soon after, her voice echoed again.

"It was nothing major. I had a somewhat unexpected visitor, to be honest. And since the other party didn't want to leave, I ended up having to take care of them for a while"

Aurora-sama said as she let out a sigh. Hearing her words, I wondered what the heck had happened during the time we hadn't spoken. In the end, our conversation with Aurora-sama didn't last long; she bid farewell again, mentioning that she would "rest." That made me wonder if gods needed to sleep. The answer I received was that, although gods didn't sleep in the same way mortals did, it didn't mean they didn't appreciate moments of tranquility and introspection.

After some time walking on the road, I started feeling a presence approaching rapidly from where we were. I glanced at the forest, but I didn't feel the need to act because I knew whose aura that belonged to. Keeping that in mind, I approached Adya to warn her.

"Adya, there's one last companion I forgot to introduce to you and your friends. Although I think it might be difficult, I ask you not to be alarmed when you see him"

With a serious tone, I said as I walked alongside Adya. Hearing my words, she became visibly confused, but her expression quickly changed to concern as she looked towards the forest. I also turned my gaze in the same direction. In a matter of seconds, a huge white wolf with black stripes and two tails leaped out of the forest, continuing to run in our direction.

"W-What kind of monster is that?"

Exclaimed Adya, with a visibly frightened expression on her face. Before I knew it, Adya and her friends were already holding their weapons, preparing for combat. The wagon's owner was also trembling with fear, observing Glasy running towards us. Without wasting time, I positioned myself in front of Adya and her companions, with my hands open in a sign of peace.

"Wait! She's the companion I mentioned earlier. You don't need to worry; she's very friendly"

As I said this, I could hear Glasy's steps getting closer to us with each passing second, but I remained steadfast in my position, confident that she didn't pose a threat. I tried to convey my confidence to Adya and her friends, hoping they would understand that Glasy wouldn't harm us.

"M-Makoto, behind you!"

Adya exclaimed urgently, her wide eyes pointing behind me. As I turned around, the only thing I saw was Glasy jumping on me, mouth wide open, her was just eager to greet me. Before I realized it, I was lying on the ground with Glasy on top of me, lovingly licking me non-stop. It seemed she was truly happy to see me.

"Hahaha, hey girl, did you have fun on your own during the time we were apart?"

I joked with Glasy as I petted her and laughed at her excitement. Hearing my words, Glasy just let out a brief howl, which I interpreted as a yes, and continued to stroke her fur. Saemi, Fujiwara, Aoi-sensei, and Ana also approached, and soon they all started petting Glasy, who expressed her happiness by returning the favor with several licks on each of the girls' faces. It was evident that Glasy was delighted to be together again.