Chapter 140

“Hey there, Cohral. Short time no see!” “Huh, Cayna? You’re coming, too? Guess we’ve got nothing to worry about now.” “I’m only one person, y’know. Don’t get too comfortable.” Besides, Cayna was mainly the princess’s chaperone. It wasn’t that she couldn’t protect the other students, but in truth, she wanted to avoid unleashing her (largely destructive) powers on the front lines. That kind of damage was nothing to sneeze at. Members of Cohral’s adventurer party, the Armor of Victory, also greeted her. “Miss Cayna is joining us?” “Yeah. It was a personal request from her daughter, who runs the Academy.” “Wow, that sounds rough.” Their party leader—a male mage—smirked. Cayna couldn’t help but wonder what adventurers thought of Mai-Mai. She got the impression from this trio’s reactions that the Academy headmistress wasn’t their cup of tea, although she’d probably need to take a survey to be totally sure. The next group to shake Cayna’s hand was a second adventurer party known as the Swift Horses. There were two men and two women who appeared to be in their thirties, and they specialized in exploring and scouting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady River-Crosser.” “Lady River-what…?!” Cayna froze as they shook hands. Apparently, that nickname was well-known in adventurer circles. Cohral reflexively spluttered, his shoulders trembling in silent laughter. Cayna shot him a death glare, and he crumpled when a comrade jabbed him in the side. The male leader of the Swift Horses didn’t get away scot-free, however. The two women in his party yelled “Hey!” and smacked him. “Sorry, sorry,” he said. “There are lot of rumors floatin’ around about you, like how you’re the High Priest’s mother and you saved the city from a monster invasion. I wasn’t sure how to approach you.” “Not calling her River-Crosser would be a good start!” “Show a little sensitivity, Jild!” His female comrades scolded him on Cayna’s behalf. “Umm…?” said Cayna. “Oh, sorry. I’ll watch my mouth next time. Let me start over. I’m Jild, leader of the Swift Horses. I know this is just a quick trip, but we’re glad to have you.” The two women behind him waved briefly and winked. “Hi, I’m Cayna. It’s nice to meet you.” Although shocked at first, Cayna put Jild’s comment behind her and told him she wasn’t offended. After all, he wasn’t wrong about her antics. She’d take River-Crosser over Silver Ring Witch any day. Cayna breathed a sigh of relief, and Cohral lightly tapped her shoulder. “Hey there, Lady River-Crosser. How you feelin’?” “I’m starting to think the students would be a lot better off with the Supreme Swordsman instead of li’l old me.” “Gweh…” She hit a nerve. This time it was Cohral who fell into bitter silence. Cayna smirked, and Cohral raised both hands in surrender. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you to treat others the way you’d want to be treated?” she asked him. “Look, I’m sorry. Forgive me, would ya?” “Is now a good time?” Jild ventured as his party approached. Cohral quickly took the hint and called over his own party. “What’s up?” “I’d like to more or less determine our rotation schedule while we still can. Keeping guard will be our top priority once we arrive, so there won’t be time to talk.” “Yes, that’s true,” Cohral replied. “We need to make sure we’re on the same page, since Cayna will be with us. We can keep the same arrangements as last time if that works for you.” The Armor of Victory and the Swift Horses had apparently been working together for a while. Thinking she should probably clarify her own mission first, Cayna meekly raised one hand. “Just FYI, I’m only here to protect one person in particular.” “Right, we heard. One of those royals lost her mind and decided to join in. Anyway, can you take the night shift?” “Jild, that kind of talk is treasonous,” one of his female party members chided. “Let’s keep it between us, then,” he said, waving apologetically. “No harm, no foul.” The Armor of Victory members, who had heard every word, nodded wryly. Not a big fan of royals herself, Cayna also played dumb. “I should first ask Mye—I mean, the person I’m escorting, right?” she asked. “…You two know each other?” “She’s sort of a friend, I guess? Also, I doubt your treasonous comment just now would upset her.” Cayna’s speculation made everyone put a hand to their chests in relief. Granted, she’d never seen Myleene get angry. Therefore, she was really just guessing. “At any rate, I can summon something if you need a night guard.” “““…What?””” Cayna’s casual offer produced a wave of question marks over the heads of everyone present, except for one. Unlike the rest of the group, Cayna had no idea that the word summon didn’t come up in normal conversation. “Hold it, hold it! Whatever you summon is gonna be insane!” shouted Cohral, the only person who understood the gravity of the situation. He stopped Cayna (who looked mystified by their reactions) in her tracks, then briefly pulled her aside and whispered in her ear. “No one just whips out a summons. Try to control yourself.” “Really? But I’ve gotta step out for a bit while we’re on the road and thought I’d ask it to protect Mye for me.” “Why do you have to leave halfway?” “The Brown Kingdom barrier is nearby, and it seems to be deteriorating. I want to go check up on it— Oops. Was I not supposed to say that?” Opus was partly to blame, since he hadn’t sworn her to silence, but Cayna had dropped her guard and let a few facts accidentally slip because Cohral was a fellow player. In any case, she assumed Cohral would find out sooner or later, thanks to Opus’s planned event, and she gave up trying to backpedal. Cohral, meanwhile, was dumbstruck. He gasped at this momentous revelation, and his face went pale. He’d known about the barrier around the Brown Kingdom but had never heard any news about it failing. The uncertain situation inside the Abandoned Capital made him even more anxious. “D-don’t leak critical info like that!” “My bad. We were talking and it just slipped out.” “You’re not sorry at all!” “Hey, you would’ve found out eventually. Everything’s gonna work out, so no worries.” “You’re being way too optimistic here! Seriously, this is exactly why I can’t deal with Limit Breakers!” “Relax! It’s all good. Look, everyone’s staring at us. We’d better head back.” Their private conversation had turned into a full-blown argument, and the spotlight was suddenly on them. Turning on the charm, Cayna and Cohral waved off the circle of onlookers with “Nothing to see here!” and then returned to Jild and the others. “That sounded like a pretty intense one-on-one,” said Jild. “Not at all. I was hoping to drill some common sense into her, but no luck, I’m afraid,” Cohral replied with disappointment as he patted Cayna’s head. Hollow laughter rose from his audience. “She is Lady River-Crosser, after all.” “Yep. She cut right across it.” “Nothing sensible about walking on water, that’s for sure. Any adventurer in Felskeilo could tell you that.” “Yeah, no need to remind us.” Everyone unanimously agreed that Cayna’s behavior was absurd. She curled up on the ground in defeat. I told you so, Cohral’s smug expression seemed to say. He continued patting her head with a falcon-like grip. “Gyah!” she yelled. “My hair’s getting all messed up!” The crowd burst into hysterics. Cohral thought Cayna’s lack of common sense was no laughing matter, but he didn’t say another word. Everyone would realize their folly whether they liked it or not. As for the night shift, it was decided they would discuss it with the Imperial Knights, since they were also coming as escorts. “Do we really need Cayna if the Imperial Knights are here?” Cohral muttered. “There is no safer place than by Mother’s side!” a voice responded from behind Cayna. “Mai-Maiii?!” “Eeee! Mother! It’s been days!” A harried cry escaped Cayna’s throat when she turned around and saw the person standing there. The sunny Academy headmistress Mai-Mai Harvey squeezed her tight, and suddenly the students, teachers, adventurers, and even the gatekeeper stared in shock at what looked like a tearful reunion between sisters. “Just hold your horses. A hug after only a few days loses all impact.” “But Motherrrr!” Cayna peeled off Mai-Mai through sheer force as every last shred of energy drained from her expression. “Umm, Headmistress?” “Yes, I’m coming.” Although she was reluctant at first and wriggled in anguish, Mai-Mai answered her instructors’ calls. In a split second, she was like a different person. Her expression turned serious, and she put on a mask of flawless elegance and professionalism. Adventurers and students alike had to rub their eyes and do a double take. “Agh, geeeez!” Cayna couldn’t afford to relax now that this little surprise had shown up out of nowhere. She slumped over once more. Mai-Mai didn’t mind her slack-jawed audience at all. Cayna could’ve learned a thing or two from that bold attitude but lacked the gumption. “That one of your foster kids?” Cohral asked. “Yeaaah. You probably know by now, but Mai-Mai’s my daughter.” “Bit late to take back that relationship, huh?” “…You don’t have to spell it out.” As much as Cayna wanted to mourn her luck, Mai-Mai was her own creation. Still, it wasn’t inconceivable to think she’d purposefully made her daughter a bit of a mommy’s girl. Two more people made eye contact with Cayna and rushed over to her. “It’s been a while, Cayna!” “Good morning, Cayna.” Upon closer inspection, the two young ladies were accompanied by a small, single-horse carriage and three female knights in full armor. Cayna used Search to check the knights’ stats and felt an odd sensation. She tilted her head curiously. “What’s wrong, Cayna?” “Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. Right—morning, Lonti. Long time no see, Mye.” “Good morning,” said Lonti. “It’s been quite a while,” said Myleene, who offered an exceptionally deep bow. Cayna met this with a strained smile. The princess was being far too modest for royalty; Cayna was extremely concerned for the future. “Thank you for accepting my request,” Myleene told her. “I was pretty surprised. I didn’t have much choice, though, since I said I’d help as long as there was a reward involved,” Cayna replied apathetically with a wag of her finger. Myleene puffed out her cheeks. “You could have refused if you were busy…” “No way. I could never just leave you to the elements. I’ll protect you with everything I’ve got!” Cayna declared with boundless pride. Myleene and Lonti looked worried. “Um, Cayna,” Myleene began. “There will be a lot of people around this time, so please don’t summon your White Dragon again.” “Nor the giant wolves either, if possible…,” Lonti added. “No worries! Just leave everything to me. I’ll stay well within the realm of reason!” Cayna thumped her chest to emphasize this loose promise. The girls were visibly aghast. ““You, reasonable??”” They recalled the many outlandish feats Cayna had performed and failed to come up with a less dubious response. The two girls let out heavy sighs and prayed this outing would conclude without incident. They couldn’t do much more than offer the heavens a tiny prayer. “…At any rate, will you be okay, Lonti? Want me to carry that?” Cayna pointed to Lonti’s massive backpack. Myleene had on a traveling cloak and carried a wand. She wore light leather armor, and there was a rapier and small pouch at her side. Lonti, on the other hand, carried enough equipment for a snowy mountain expedition. She was the daughter of a marquis, yet she was dressed like a porter. “Oh, I’ll be fine. This backpack has weight-reduction attributes.” “Seriously? It must be a national treasure.” “Heh-heh. This is a first-rate product my grandfather found during his travels in his youth.” “Agaido was an adventurer, too?! What’s with these nobles?!” The students watched in shock as Cayna engaged in friendly banter with the princess and a noble lady. They were well aware of Myleene’s and Lonti’s social standing and couldn’t hide their surprise that an adventurer both knew the princess and spoke to her with such familiarity. “My, I thought princesses rode in fancy carriages and had a dozen attendants!” “They travel in style on occasion, yes, but the forest is no place for such transportation, is it?” “Your bottom would never stop hurting if you took a carriage on that kind of terrain.” “So that’s the issue here…” Cayna had heard enough aristocratic opinions for one day. One of the female Imperial Knights stepped in and said, “We shall serve as the princess’s ladies-in-waiting for the time being. I assure you she will want for nothing.” “Right,” Cayna replied. “Please talk to the adventurers about night patrol later as well.” “Will do, although it’s unlikely our schedules will line up, since the three of us alternate in shifts.” “I don’t think you can team up with them like that, but it’ll all work out regardless. I’ll get a night watch, too.” “A…night watch?” The Imperial Knights were visibly confused, but Myleene and Lonti slightly grimaced. “Cayna? Please try your best not to cause trouble for everyone.” “Hey, no worries. I’ll show you later, so don’t knock it just yet.” “Is this really going to work out, I wonder?” Unfathomable anxiety struck the two girls as Cayna brimmed with confidence. Meanwhile, Mai-Mai had finished her basic prep meeting with the faculty. Now standing before the students, she clapped to grab their attention for the morning assembly. “All righty, everyone! Let’s go over some final tips before you start training!” “Is this in the headmaster job description?” Cayna pondered. “Lady Mai-Mai is a marvelous leader,” Myleene replied. Mai-Mai explained each point to the attentive students as if she was a close friend. As Cayna considered what it meant to be a true leader, Myleene nodded in satisfaction. “Still, is this really everyone…?” Cayna looked around and saw there were only sixty participants in this survival boot camp. To be more precise, thirty-five (including Myleene and Lonti) were Academy students who all wore either blue or green robes. There were about eight instructors dressed in brown robes and cloaks. One battle veteran priest and four monks sent by the church were also present, in addition to three Imperial Knights. There were four adventurers in the Swift Horses party and five in the Armor of Victory. And finally, Cayna had come alone. Three covered wagons driven by capable students would hold their camp luggage and double as medical rooms in the event of an emergency. The rest had to walk to the training ground. “That is all! Please be careful and continue to grow step by step!” Mai-Mai concluded her cautious yet inspirational morning assembly, then gathered the staff together for one final check. Afterward, a faculty member who acted as general supervisor ordered everyone to head out. Mai-Mai later pattered over to the tail end where Cayna and the others waited to move. “Thank you again for all your help, Mother,” she said with a wink. “Mai-Mai, there are some things even I’m not capable of. You know that, right?” “Yes, but your very presence is so reassuring!” “Well, I’ll do whatever I can. Even if worse comes to worst and I gotta use Revival Magic.” “Stop right there!” “Don’t even think about it, idiot!” As soon as Cayna proudly hinted at invoking an art lost to the modern world, Mai-Mai and Cohral protested in unison. Mai-Mai shot her mother a reproachful look. “I’m joking,” Cayna insisted with a smirk. Mai-Mai, however, felt a pang of fear. “We’re not going off the beaten path just yet, right?” Cayna asked Lonti. “Yes. In addition to the Academy, the Adventurers Guild also uses this road for their own exercises.” “Gotcha.” Cayna had assumed they’d continue down the main road, but the survivalists suddenly veered out of the western gate and entered the forest to the southwest. As Lonti explained, it was a well-trodden road that didn’t present too many challenges. Since a high elf like Cayna enjoyed the blessings of the forest, the bumpy terrain was even easier for her than for most. She’d heard that the spacious campground the Academy used each year was over a half day’s walk from the capital. Despite such close proximity, one couldn’t be too careful, since visibility in the forest was limited. There had been many vicious monster attacks in the past, so the adventurers and every able-bodied instructor formed a tight, defensive circle. This tense atmosphere weighed heavily on the students. The Swift Horses handled security and reconnaissance at the forefront, while the Armor of Victory stayed in the center and stood poised to jump into battle at any moment. The only relaxation to be found was in the very back, where Cayna protected Myleene and the others. The three Imperial Knights were present as well, but anyone would agree they seemed more like eye candy as opposed to a combat unit. This wasn’t an issue, since the women actually could fight, but it certainly didn’t look that way. Cayna promptly sent three Wind Spirits into the area and cast a surveillance net wider than anyone else’s. As a high elf, she’d be directly informed by the forest of any threats lurking nearby. Incidentally, Kee’s incredible range vastly outmatched even a player’s skills. If trouble did find the students, the Wind Spirits would deal with it first. One might call it a safety lineup. Still, there was a flip side; Cohral lost his cool when he learned about Cayna’s actions after the fact and shouted, “You’re gonna hinder the students’ progress!” The oblivious students eyed Cayna doubtfully, unsure of whether she would be able to manage okay. The knights, however, knew their captain’s “girlfriend” was no ordinary person. The other adventurers recognized her abilities as well, so no one was particularly concerned. Rather, they had an unusual amount of faith and felt no need to panic unless she did. In truth, Cayna herself didn’t realize this for a single second. Furthermore, several students had witnessed the altercation between Cayna and the nobleman during the River Festival and told their friends all about the adventurer who also happened to be the mother of their headmistress. Thanks to this, everyone and their mother were aware of her status before they’d even reached the halfway point… Like how she was the mother of both the High Priest and the Academy’s headmistress, and that she was a skilled adventurer whose talents were even recognized by the royal family… This was an undeniable fact, but Cayna also considered it an utter nuisance. “Ah!” she cried. “I can feel Opus whining about me from afar!” “What’s gotten into you all of a sudden…?” Lonti asked. Cayna poked fun at Opus to gloss over the sudden chill she felt. Shivering, she checked their surroundings with her Intuition skill and Kee’s surveillance capabilities. The Wind Spirits were in good condition and sensed no abnormalities. She’d instructed them to return if they discovered anything odd outside of battle and patrol, so Cayna wondered if this chill was only her imagination. “What’s the matter, Cayna?” “Oh, it’s nothing. I got a bad feeling, but there doesn’t seem to be anything weird in the area…” “Are you coming down with something?” Lonti and Myleene looked concerned, but Cayna waved them off cheerfully. She decided Opus must be up to no good somewhere and mentally saved several jabs for later. Far away, Opus felt a similar chill. However, that had nothing to do with the story at hand. “Oh, Cayna. Allow me to introduce you.” As they walked and chatted, Myleene introduced the three Imperial Knights. “I pestered my mother to let me bring some of our most elite knights. This dragoid is…” “I’m Helau. It’s nice to meet you.” “A pleasure, milady. I am Sfult.” “Oh, uh, I’m Ark. Nice to meet you.” The gray dragoid Helau carried a huge two-handed sword on her back and quietly bowed to Cayna as if the blade were light as a feather. Sfult was a brown-haired, blue-eyed elf. She lifted the hem of her skirt and offered a ladylike curtsy. Elves seemed to know that Cayna was a high elf, as this was the most reverent gesture one could give. The knight named Ark was a black-haired, dark-eyed human who seemed to stumble over her words. She hurriedly pressed one hand to her chest and bowed to Cayna. “If you’re all elites, are you fine with being called out here? Don’t you usually prioritize people in the castle?”