Arc 1 - Ch 28: "The Road Less Traveled"

CHAPTER 28 "The Road Less Traveled"

This web novel is a draft of the story. Please expect frequent changes and updates as I see fit. Enjoy! -Cloki

Ch. 28/50 (tentative estimate of Arc 1)

Quick Author's Note: "From now on, I will be referring to Siegfried's commentary using "I" and other first-person pronouns, in order to help with the fluidity of the dialogue, and to connect with Siegfried on a deeper level."

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

-The restaurant was booming throughout its final hour of Aubrey's service. General chatter roared throughout the building, inside and out. Despite Oakheart being seemingly empty a few hours prior, it seemed as if more and more people were showing up strictly to eat here~

-I glanced down at my half-eaten dish, captivated by its exquisite features. It was vastly different from the traditional seafood that I enjoyed back on Earth. It had some ingredients which I had never seen before, and a specific, unidentifiable flavor to it, and yet, it was delicious~

-Azure seemed to be enjoying her dish just as much. Perhaps Aubrey had enchanted it with some kind of flavorful magic or something before serving it to us. Regardless, I continued to indulge~

Azure: "Seigi-kun, you should slow down your eating, you'll give yourself an upset stomach."

-I hadn't realized how quickly I had been eating my meal. I was starving, considering I hadn't eaten since arriving in Oakheart. But, I adhered to Azure's words, and slowed down~

Siegfried: "You're probably right. If I eat too fast, there won't be anything left to enjoy!"

Siegfried: "Speaking of enjoyment, how's that Skime of yours treating ya? Feeling drunk yet?"

Azure: "Heh heh, unlike last time, I'm drinking with a bit more moderation."

Siegfried: "Well, just because you're drinking slower doesn't mean you won't end up clearing the entire bottle tonight, Azure-san."

-Azure giggled and placed the Skime down. She took a bite of her food, and looked around the restaurant, she seemed to be lost in thought~

-Furthermore, it seemed as if Provincia had no legal drinking age. Azure and I are both 18, and considering the drinking age back in Japan was 20, I had to assume it was different, or non-existent here~

Klaus: "You two seem to be getting along quite well. How long have you known Azure for, Siegfried?"

Siegfried: "Well, to be honest, we met a few days ago. But I think Azure can attest to the fact that a lot has happened in those last few days..."

Azure: "Indeed. Despite only knowing Siegfried for a few days, I feel a strange connection with him. Almost as if I've known him for a very long time... it's strange really, but I don't mind!"

-Hearing those words come out of Azure's mouth was like a breath of fresh air to me. I was always apprehensive around Azure, as I wasn't sure if she had ever fully trusted me. But it seemed like she was starting to feel more comfortable around me~

-As our conversation went along, Azure explained how we met, and how she felt threatened at first, and then proceeded to explain most of our adventure to Klaus. He listened attentively and gave his input~

Klaus: "You two have been through a hell of an adventure already. I'm surprised you two haven't died yet, going against such a strong opponent such as Rigel. You are aware of his status right?"

Siegfried: "Well, we're aware that he is a shaman and member of the Dark Mage's Cult. That's about all that we know."

Klaus: "I see. Well, allow me to inform you on who exactly you just fought, Siegfried."

-Klaus chuckled to himself. He seemed excited, as he knew the true identity of Rigel. He knew that if Siegfried could easily apprehend Rigel, then he could defeat anyone with the proper training~

Klaus: "Rigel is indeed a member of the Dark Mage's Cult, however, he is a high-ranking member. There is a group known as the Void Stars, who are in charge of commanding Hasher's troops that he sends from Eldra. They have made themselves known to Provincia, and are directly responsible for the many raids that take place."

Klaus: "Rigel is among the Void Stars. Siegfried, you not only defeated a cultist, but you defeated one of Hasher's highest-ranking cultists. That alone is worthy of being a Class-S quest."

-At this moment, I got to thinking. If what Klaus said was true, and the man I had just brought to submission was one of Hasher's highest-ranking members, then perhaps Hasher's Cult isn't as bad as I had thought it out to be~

-I assumed Gurix and Rigel were regular cultists just looking to cause trouble. I had no idea that they held such high statuses~

Klaus: "Gurix on the other hand, is a mystery to me. From what you said Azure-sama, Gurix appears to be a sadistic assassin, with incredible skill."

Azure: "Well, I'm going based on what Seigi-kun told me. I was asleep during the battle due to a sporae spell, but Siegfried protected me from harm."

-Azure looked at me and smiled. While it was true that I had assisted in protecting her from harm, it was Koh and his men who did the real damage. Azure herself even delivered the final blow. I practically acted as a distraction during the altercation~

-Regardless, she seemed to want to give me the credit, and I humbly accepted it. To be honest, my battle with Rigel greatly overshadowed the one with Gurix, so I felt that her reactions were justifyable~

Klaus: "Well, although you drove them away, they're still alive, as far as I'm understanding, correct?"

Siegfried: "Yeah, they're still alive. Both of them teleported away before they died, almost as if they had a backup plan, were things to go wrong for them."

-Things definitely DID go wrong for them. Both of them were on the brink of death. Gurix's heart was pierced, and Rigel's body was vaporizing before my eyes. The true power of Camriel was terrifying~

-Speaking of Camriel, I hadn't contacted her in quite some time. I still had some burning questions that I had to ask. I opted to ask them later, though~

Klaus: "Well, assuming they're out there somewhere, next time you encounter them, you must kill them. Do not hold back. Wiping out the void stars is a key element to defeating Hasher, as they're some of the most powerful dark mages in existence."

-I was unaware of how many void stars existed, as this was the first time I had ever heard about them. But, I was ready to assume that the rest of them would be just as powerful, if not more so than Rigel~

Siegfried: "Understood. Hey, it looks like we've basically finished our food. The time is approaching 6:00, and Aubrey-sama said she'd be getting off work soon. Perhaps we should wait outside for her?"

Klaus: "That sounds like a good idea. Come on, let's go pay at the front desk and then wait for Aubrey-san. If you have to use the bathroom or freshen up, I'd do that too, our journey could be a long one depending on who we encounter on the road."

-Klaus and Azure got up and exited the booth. I followed suit. We walked through the endless stream of people bustling throughout the restaurant until we reached the door. When we did, Aubrey popped up behind the counter~

-I jumped, and so did Klaus and Azure. It was almost as if Aubrey had been hiding, waiting for us to come to the counter to pay, before jumping out and scaring us. If that was her goal, she definitely succeeded~

Aubrey: "Heyo! Did you three enjoy your food?"

Azure: "WHA- WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?"

Aubrey: "Ah, I was simply shuffling menus around under the counter! I gotta re-organize things before Louis shows up to take over for me! Anyway, how were your meals?"

Siegfried: "They were delicious! What did you put in them? I recognized flavors that I've never tasted before, and it was magical."

Aubrey: "You said it yourself! It was magical! I put magic in it!"

Siegfried: "-- -!"

-I was partly joking when I said that it seemed as if Aubrey had put some flavorful magic into her food, but it turned out to be the truth~

Aubrey: "It's an industry secret though, so I can't share it! I'm glad you enjoyed your food though!"

Klaus: "How much will these meals cost us?"

Aubrey: "Well, considering it's you, Klaus-chan, I'll cut you a discount. Altogether, that comes out to around 1,870 Provi!"

-Klaus and Azure paid for their own meals. However, it was at this moment that I realized that I was dirt poor! I hadn't been summoned with any initial funding!"

Siegfried: "Shit, Klaus, I'm broke. If I promise to repay you-"

-Klaus interrupted me and grabbed some extra Provi from his pouch. He glanced at me, almost as if striking a contract through a gaze~

Klaus: "No worries, Siegfried-sama. Just make sure to pay me back soon."

-Klaus slid over some extra Provi to Aubrey, and she counted it. When it was counted, she put the money away and thanked us for coming in to see her~

Aubrey: "Thanks as always, Klaus-chan! I'm glad you all came in to eat here tonight. Oh! it looks like Louis is here to take over! That means I can come with you guys!"

-In stepped a middle-aged man, shorter than Klaus and I, but taller than Azure and Aubrey. He had blond hair and glasses. He wore a chef's outfit that said "Louis, Head Chef" on it. He was the owner of the restaurant~

Aubrey: "Good evening, Louis-sama!"

Louis: "Ah! Aubrey-sama. How was the restaurant today? I'm here, as usual, to take over for the evening."

Aubrey: "Everything went well, Louis! We're a bit more busy than usual tonight, so just a heads up, but I'm sure you'll handle it just as well as you have all the previous nights!"

Louis: "Thank you for the warning. Also, aside from Klaus, who are these two with you? They look as if they know you."

-Even Louis knew who Klaus was simply by seeing him. As of now, everyone who Klaus had spoken with knew who he was. I guess that's the perk of being the No. 1 knight in the world~

Aubrey: "This is Siegfried, and this is Azure! I'm going to go with them back to Formai, and introduce Siegfried to the League of Knights!"

Louis: "Ah? That sounds exciting. I was never a part of the league, as I spent most of my life as a chef, but it's good to see people still offering their services to Provincia in these tough times."

-Louis looked me up and down, analyzing my features as he went. He looked at me and smiled. His expression wasn't entirely optimistic, but I could tell he meant no malice toward me.

Louis: "You're not from around here, are ya?"

Siegfried: "Nope."

Louis: "Well then, where are ya from lad?"

-I couldn't answer this question honestly with the time I had left. Klaus and Azure glanced at me, seemingly in agreement with what I was about to say, without me actually telling them what I would say~

-Regardless, they both knew. A simple, but a believable lie, as I had always done. Lie now, explain the truth later. That was my philosophy as of this moment~

Siegfried: "I'm from a place, far far away..."

-I couldn't bring myself to choose another fake town. So instead, I opted for a more broad approach to the question. I was also quietly relying on Klaus and Azure to back me up, were I to be questioned~

Louis: "I see. Well, an adventurer's roots are their own secret I assume. Regardless, it's nice to meetcha Siegfried-sama. My name's Louis, I'm the head chef here. It's nice to meet you too Azure-sama."

Azure: "Pleasure to meet you, Louis!"

Louis: "I'd stay around and chat with you guys, but I have to get to work if I'm gonna keep this place on schedule. Aubrey, you're done for the night, go do whatever it is you do, I'm still not quite sure what it is."

Aubrey: "Thanks, Louis! Alright guys, I think we can go now. It's almost 6:10, so we should probably get on the road if we're going to make it back to Formai before tomorrow."

Klaus: "Sounds good, follow me, guys."

-The four of us left the restaurant. The place was getting busy, considering it served as both a restaurant and a bar. It only made sense that it would have activity through the night~

-The four of us made our way to the carriage, Theresia squawking at us upon arrival. She seemed to have missed our presence~

Theresia: "RAW!"

Aubrey: "Oh! You guys already have a Vilstra! The carriage looks like it will have enough room to carry us too!"

Siegfried: "Yep! There are some supplies in the back, so I'll just shift those over, and we can hit the road. Remind me again of the path we're taking, Klaus?"

Klaus: "The Jasper Path. The road less traveled..."

Aubrey: "ooo, I haven't been on the Jasper Path in months, Klaus-chan! Is it still as dangerous as it's always been?"

Klaus: "I believe so. I actually haven't been on the path myself for a while, so I'm going to take the safe route and assume that it's still overrun with bandits. However, you and I together should have zero problems making it through."

Aubrey: "Hah, I'd be damned if any bandits even approached us, seeing who's sitting in the carriage! But, that doesn't mean it couldn't happen."

-Aubrey's aura was shifting. She seemed to be exiting "waitress mode" and entering "knight mode". Her physical aura shifted from that of a hunter to that of a phoenix, representative of a powerful fire-air hybrid mage. It matched her auburn hair almost perfectly~

Aubrey: "Well then, if you don't mind, I need to change. This uniform gets a bit restricting at times. I'll be right back you three."

Klaus: "We will await your return, Aubrey-san!"

-Aubrey winked at Klaus and retreated into a house. I could only assume that it was her house. She entered through the front door, but before it closed, out walked a black cat. Provincia seemed to have house pets, similar to Earth~

Cat: "Meow"

~~INSIDE THE HOUSE~~

Aubrey: "Ah, it's been a while since I've been on an adventure with Klaus-chan. I should dress nicely for the occasion."

-Aubrey walked through her house and entered her bedroom. She opened her wardrobe, and scanned through the numerous outfits, before deciding on a nice set of agility armor. It was your average set of knight's armor, an undershirt, pants, and breastplate~

-However, this armor seemed to glow with silver light, representative of its air capabilities. It boosted agility, which helps you dodge attacks easier, but Aubrey wasn't concerned about stats. She simply wanted something light and breathable to wear~

Aubrey: "Yes, this will do nicely. I don't want to keep them waiting, so let's change!"

-Aubrey removed her uniform. Before anything else, she laid on her bed and stretched. She had been working all day, so a stretch was much needed. She then got back up, and walked over to her wardrobe once more~

-Her wardrobe was filled with all kinds of magical clothing, enchanted with numerous types of magical boosting properties. She decided to wear a red shirt and some nice leggings under her armor, to boost her HP slightly, as well as provide move movement~

-Aubrey put on a new set of clothes and put her armor on overtop. She walked over to her mirror and struck a few poses. She seemed to be solely interested in impressing Klaus~

Aubrey: "Hehe, yeah, this looks good. Well then, I think it's time to go. I hope Klaus-chan likes my outfit."

-Aubrey exited her room and walked to her front door. She opened it and left the house. Upon returning to the carriage, she caught the attention of Klaus, as she had hoped~

Aubrey: "I'm baaaack Klaus-chan! Are we ready to go?"

-Klaus gazed at Aubrey and his face began to turn red. Aubrey went all out with her outfit. Of course, she was wearing a knight's outfit, but it wasn't the standard protocol, as she was *intentionally* missing a few pieces of her armor set~

Klaus: "*ahem*, yeah Aubrey, looks great! -erm. Heh."

Aubrey to herself: "heh heh, checkmate."

-I too caught notice of Aubrey's outfit. However, Azure grabbed my arm and pulled me away. The two of us entered the carriage and took our seats. Azure then gave me a stern look~

-It was almost as if she was worried that I was checking out Aubrey. Aubrey seemed to be entirely focused on Klaus though, so even if I was, it would be fruitless~

Azure: "Okay, Seigi-kun. We're going to be on a very dangerous road according to Klaus. If any trouble comes our way, I'd personally let the two of them handle it, okay?"

Azure to herself: "Just what does Aubrey think she's doing? And to think she's one of the top knights in Provincia? She completely outclasses me!"

Siegfried: "Understood, Azure-san! But who knows, the road could just be empty for all we know. Neither of us has ever been on it, and Klaus and Aubrey both said they hadn't traveled on it in some time either."

Azure: "Still, it feels reassuring to know that these precautions are being taken. Here they come, Seigi-kun."

-Klaus and Aubrey finished their short interaction and entered the carriage. Klaus took the reigns, and Aubrey took a seat in the back next to Siegfried. Siegfried was now in between Azure and Aubrey.

-Azure and Aubrey seemed to be glancing at each other. Azure had a look of malice, but it was immediately overshadowed by Aubrey's genuine gaze of optimism. It was then, that Klaus began to speak~

Klaus: "Alright you three. Are you all ready to go? I wanna make sure nobody forgets anything before we set off for the Jasper Path."

Siegfried: "I'm good!"

Aubrey: "All good over here, Klaus-chan!"

Azure: "Yep, I'm good."

Klaus: "Excellent! Now, before we head out, I want to remind you guys that this road is barely ever traveled on. As I'm sure you're all aware, it's said to be inhabited by bandits and criminals. If anything were to arise, Aubrey and I will step in and take care of it. Just relax back there!"

-Azure was right, these precautions were reassuring, despite how overkill they seemed to be. Regardless, the three of us took our places in the carriage, and Klaus directed Theresia out of Oakheart~

-He gave a firm yell into the air, and we were off. Light a gust of wind, Theresia took off, and the three of us began our journey through the Jasper Path~

Klaus: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and us - we're taking the one less traveled by, and we shall see, if that makes all the difference..."

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※