“Right. Guess we should get going,” Ado said.
“When we get there, you’re all free to stay at my place for a while instead of an inn,” Zelos offered. “I’ve got plenty of room.”
“Thanks, Zelos. We appreciate it,” said Ado, Shakti, Lisa, and Yui in unison.
Zelos’s three coccos joined the four of them in Ado’s kei car. Meanwhile, Zelos took point in his Harley-Sanders Model 13 and led them straight to Santor.
Everything that came next would hinge on how Ado’s negotiations with Duke Delthasis went.
Ado sighed. “I wonder what’s gonna happen to us?”
“You’ve been working in some pretty important governmental roles, so I’d guess you’ll get the VIP treatment, for starters,” Zelos said. “After that—well, who knows? I suppose it’ll depend on how your talks with the duke go, eh?”
“Must be nice to be as carefree as you, Zelos,” Ado groaned. “Ever since the king summoned us to his castle, we haven’t been able to decide anything for ourselves. We messed up, huh?”
“I think your big mistake was that you panicked; you didn’t start by giving where you should set yourselves up a proper think,” Zelos said. “You shouldn’t have defaulted to helping out the first people you came across, regardless of how big a pickle they were in. You should’ve laid out clear goals for yourselves before anything else.”
Shortly after arriving in this world, Ado, Shakti, and Lisa had decided to help villagers living pitiful lives.
Their benevolence had earned them the unwanted label of important state guests. If, instead, Zelos had been in Ado’s position, his top priority would’ve been to immediately search for Yui.
Even if he’d come across impoverished villagers or townsfolk along the way, he wouldn’t have looked to act entirely out of the kindness of his heart. After all, he knew that kind of thing would get him caught up in trouble.
That was the difference between Zelos and Ado. That was how they’d ended up in such different positions.
“What should I even do with myself in Solistia?” Ado sighed.
“Hmm... Well, like we were saying—probably something that shows Isalas you can help them out even while you’re here, right? Food logistics, industrial development, or anything else that could improve things in Isalas even a little. Show them that, and I reckon they’ll let you do what you want.”
“The war hawks there kept trying to make me develop weapons for them. In the end, I only made one worth worrying about, but...”
“Oh? Mind telling me more?”
“No way! I know it’s you, Zelos, but I can’t just blab about that!”
“Mmm... Well, I suppose that’s fine. It’s not like I haven’t been getting up to some shenanigans of my own. Let’s agree to keep our mouths shut about a few things.”
Having reached that agreement, the group set off down the Far-Flung Highway.
As they left Hasam behind, their two vehicles—decidedly out of place in this fantasy countryside—kicked up a cloud of dust.
It seemed like they’d stopped caring about merchants seeing them along the road.