Side Story:
One More Thing
THE WOLFSBROOK MOUNTAIN RANGE WAS A SERIES OF mountains connected to one another, some large and some small. The center of the range had high elevation, of course, but even on the edges you periodically found tall mountains shooting into the sky like spikes. The military march was already a quarter of the way through the mountains, but we were only two days into our journey.
Thanks to the large monsters that frequented the area, the game trail was wide enough for two carriages to pass through side by side. For the most part, the tall trees and steep mountains obstructed the wide blue sky, but it was visible just beyond the sloped road. As soon as travelers saw it, their dispositions grew bright to match.
“The Wolfsbrook Mountain Range doesn’t end after that hill, does it?” I asked, half joking.
Till grimaced and shook her head. “I do not believe it does.”
“Yeah, I figured,” I said with a dry laugh.
Despite our march having only just begun, little Van was fed up with the whole endeavor. After all, my butt hurt, and the only things to look at were trees, mountains, and cliffs. Thanks to Till and the others, the food was delicious, but I was getting bored. I thought about making some weapons, but producing more luggage would only make things harder on the horses, and it would slow down the march.
I looked up at the bajillionth tree before turning my gaze to the sky over the hill. “Well, this is our first time seeing the sky in a day, so if we find a good spot, let’s take a break.”
Arte nodded happily. “That is a wonderful idea. It would be fun to stop for some rest with such a nice view.”
Khamsin nodded too. Seemed like everyone was of one mind. Till watched our reactions and smiled warmly. “It might take some time, but I can prepare some delicious black tea.”
That prompted Khamsin to stand. “Then I’ll inform Commander Dee that we will take a break.”
As we crested the hill, we saw a perfect spot to set up our tents. Based on the terrain, it seemed like a large dragon or crocodile might have used the space as a bed, but I decided not to let that get to me. For now, I just had to set up some accommodations, and then we could rest once I did that.
More important than any of that was the sight unfolding before me. “Talk about a panoramic view…” I whispered, my entire field of vision encompassed by the sky.
There were no mountains ahead of us that were taller than the hill on which we stood. It felt tremendous to be able to look down on the mountain range. At the farthest visible point was a dark green horizon and a thin river. This was nature at its most beautiful. If I turned around, I’d see the mountain slope and even taller mountains sprawling out beyond it, but the view looking outward was unbeatable.
This was the view facing the members of the Seatoh Village Chivalric Order as they set up the tents. These were little Van’s special-made basic rest tents, by the way. Since my goal for them was to create fast shade, they weren’t exactly the sturdiest structures, but they were quick and simple to put up. Surprisingly so, in fact.
Whoops. Guess I went and made another great product!
Dee approached me while I was tooting my own horn, a stern look on his face. When he reached me, he turned to look at the campgrounds. “Large monsters frequent open areas like this. Judging by the scars on the ground, a beast might be resting here during the night. I don’t think we should stay for long.”
I winced. “Ugh, I thought that might be the case. We could always kill the monster, but we wouldn’t be able to bring back its parts. I guess we’ll keep this break brief.”
Dee folded his arms. “It is true that our Seatoh Chivalric Order can take down a large dragon, but the geography is bad. There are no walls to protect us, and there is no guarantee we will be dealing with only a single monster. In my experience, it is best to avoid fighting monsters in the mountains as much as possible. Facing beasts in a location like this, you often find yourself dealing with unforeseen disadvantages.”
He explained all of this in the same tone he used when he was teaching me the ways of the sword. This was his way of trying to impart important knowledge, so I needed to listen closely. “What should we do if we encounter a large monster out of nowhere?”
Dee smirked. “If I am with you, then I will stop the beast myself. If not, please flee immediately. You need to confirm the enemy’s numbers, then create a situation in which you can fight them one by one. Never forget: fighting monsters on a road and fighting them in the woods are two very different things.”
“Okay, got it.” I glanced around. Suddenly I was afraid of a monster ambushing us.
Dee must have noticed this because he smiled broadly. “Ha ha ha! Fear not! My men are keeping an eye on things, and more importantly, I am right here!” He pointed at his chest. This was the posture of a commanding knight who had gained both experience and skill through real combat.
“I’m counting on you, Dee,” I said. He boomed another laugh and waved me off.
It was then that Till and Arte approached with tea and snacks. Trailing them was Khamsin, whose eyes were narrow as he scanned our surroundings.
“I have tea!” announced Till. “Sir Dee, would you like some as well?”
Dee waved a hand at her. “No, I’m fine. A middle-aged man like me would just be getting in the way. I’ll get back to patrolling the area.”
“Oh? I think everyone would love it if you joined them,” Till said, smiling gently.
A shy smile crossed Dee’s face. He turned away. “I appreciate it, but perhaps some other time.”
“All right. I understand.”
With that, Dee was gone. I encouraged Arte and the others to sit down. “C’mon, guys, take a seat and let’s enjoy all of this.” I’d prepared some impromptu wood block benches for us all.
“Thank you very much,” said Arte, taking a seat.
Till was next to her, setting down the tea and a wooden basket filled with cookies and other assorted snacks. I had a bunch of the same treats next to me. When she was done setting everything up for me and Arte, I realized that she and Khamsin were still standing and that they’d moved away from us.
“Why don’t the two of you take a seat?” I asked. But they wouldn’t budge.
“I am fine right where I am,” Till insisted, smiling. “Lord Van, please enjoy your tea before it gets cold.” Next to her, Khamsin nodded seriously.
What were they up to? They hadn’t done this out of consideration for us; I didn’t ask for that. Despite my suspicions, though, I knew that if I tried to confront them, I’d never win against Till.
With resignation in my heart, I looked over at Arte. “They’re kind of distracting, but since we have all these goodies, let’s enjoy ourselves.”
“R-right.”
Feeling a little self-conscious, we faced each other and sipped our tea. Because we were at such a high altitude, the temperature had dropped significantly, meaning the breeze was chilly. The wind rustled through the trees around us. Combined with the wide blue sky above, it created a wonderful environment for a break.