Chapter 7 The road towards School (Patreon)

*Klopp, *Klopp, with the rhythmical sound of horses galloping, the Goudenbert family's carriage is travelling at a steady pace.

Seemingly blessing the two of them with a safe journey are the clear blue sky and the swigging evergreen grass field.

「 Waa~, Waa~, Waa~, this, is my first time, on a carriage! It's so fast!」

With the smell of flowery fragrance and light breeze blowing on her fringe, Ferris shouted excitedly while leaning half of her body over the carriage's window.

「 F, Ferris! It is dangerous leaning your body out!」

Alicia noticed this and became worried.

Making everyone worried, Ferris felt apologetic and sat on her seat obediently. However, her line of sight would not move away from the scenery.

This is the first time she is seeing the scenery changing so quickly, so her heart is beating rapidly.

Their escort, the sword-women, laughed heartily.

「 Wahaha, Ojou-sama, seems like Ferris's elder sister. You are usually the youngest around, but now that there is someone younger than you, you felt a sense of responsibility swelling up right?」

「 That, that is not the case! It is just, I felt that I could not leave Ferris alone!」

Alicia's cheek is dyed red.

As she usually acts like an adult, Ferris suddenly felt her gap to Alicia being closer, looking at such an unexpected youthful expression.

Alicia then happily brought out a parcel from within a bamboo basket. After opening the parcel, neatly cut and arranged bread stuffed with meats and vegetables could be seen.

「 Although it is still slightly early, let's have our meal. This is something the head maid rarely made, her special sandwich!」

「 Wa~! Sandwich, my first time eating!」

Looking at such delicious looking bread, Ferris stomach started grumbling.

Observing Ferris, Alicia smiled faintly at her.

「 Fufuu~, Ferris, really have many first time 」

「 Yes! I have a lot of first time in this world 」

Ferris held the sandwich with both her hand, and reveals her smile.

————————————————————————————————————————–

After Goudenbert's family carriage travelled for three days, a fault appeared.

The right wheel of the carriage abruptly fell loose, rolling down the grass patch,

The coachman hurriedly stopped the horses, threw his hat away and chased after the wheel, but is unable to catch it.

The coachman then looked at the wheel that finally fell into the bottom of the valley with and showed an expression as if the world is ending.

The group then travel by foot to the nearest city, but all the carriage sold in the city appears to damage as well, and would take at least 1 week to repair.

As they would not be able to make it in time for the school opening ceremony if they wait any longer, the group decide to search for a public used carriage.

「 This is weird... I double-check the day before we depart, so there should not be any fault...」

Holding a walking stick while shaking his head, the coachman would remain in the city, while Ferris, Alicia and the guard sword-women would continue the journey.

By the time they managed to find a public carriage on the busy street, it is already late in the evening.

With the help of Alicia, Ferris climbed into the carriage and sat down.

There were also other travelers in the carriage and the two of them were being observed by them.

「 Oya~, such a young traveler. Are you not with your parents...?」

An obaa-san with face full of wrinkle asked Ferris with a coarse voice.

「 P, parent, not here but...」

Ferris felt afraid. This is her first time seeing an elderly woman, so she thought that she saw a monster.

「 It is not good running away from home. Should I bring you to the guard?」

「 No, no I don’t want to be brought there but...」

Being forced to go somewhere else by someone, hate it. At long last, found a place I like.

Appearing from behind Ferris, the guard sword-women also sat down.

「 You do not have to be worried, Obaa-san. These children are in the middle of travelling to their school. I will supervise them carefully so as not to cause anyone trouble 」

After hearing that, a man sitting next to the Obaa-san clicked his tongue.

「 What, some rich people. Why even use public transport? The smell of your gold coin is unpleasant 」

「 M, meeeeeeeeee, weird smell!?」

Ferris hurriedly smell the sleeve of her clothes.

Alicia then placed her hand on Ferris's shoulder.

「 Please calm down, Ferris. This is not what he meant 」

「 What does he mean then...?」

Ferris still does not know the answer.

Later on, all the passenger in the carriage look towards her direction with icy cold gaze.

Ferris desperately tried to think of the bad things that she did, but is unable to come up with an answer.

The only thing that she could do now, is to curl up her body as small as possible next to Alicia.

The public carriage then departs and left the street.

Under the moonless night sky, the carriage moves forward in the deserted waste field.

The sound of snoozing coming from other travelers could be heard soon after departure, but Ferris could not sleep no matter how much she tried.

First, she could not calm down with so many strangers beside her.

Also, different from the Goudenbert family's carriage, this is a public-used carriage so cold air continuously seep in.

With a thick blanket over her body, Ferris still felt cold as her small body is unable to produce sufficient heat.

Alicia looked at Ferris with worrying eyes.

「 Ferris... do you still feel cold?」

「 I, am fine! The winter in the mine is even colder! Achoo!」

Although she could still bear with it, she however could not control her body.

「 Really, you are not fine at all. Come over here. It would not be cold anymore if we stick to one another 」

Saying that, Alicia invited Ferris into her own blanket and stick their body together.

It's warm. A wonderful sweet feeling.

The two cover themselves with the blanket up to their nose, and Ferris begun to feel warm.

「 Really...not cold...anymore...Hehehe...」

She felt at ease.

And not long after, Ferris felt into a deep sleep.

「 Hey, hey! That, what is that!?」

「 Such a ridiculous number! Why would they appear at such a place!?」

Ferris open her eyes after being abruptly woken up by people screaming.

The sound of rapid swinging of the whip could be heard. The carriage then speeds up even faster.

The sword-women peak over the window to look at the situation while gripping the sword hanging over her waist.

Ferris inquired Alicia with an anxiety plaster over her face.

「 A, Ano, what happen...?」

「 Just a few demons appeared, ne~. It would be fine, so Ferris do not have anything to worry」

Despite reassuring Ferris, Alicia voice still sounded stiff.

「 D, demon...」

That simple word, is something that even Ferris have heard of.

Even when working in the mine, her masters and the miners would often speak about the terrifying 「 demon 」.

That is something different from human or beast, an existence of pure evil. Attacking animals, eating human beings and always committing cruel acts.

Ordinary human would not have the ability to fight against them, and even trained soldiers could still be easily killed by them. They possess such a frightening ability.

And there are many of such demons...?

Ferris took a peak over the window while feeling frighten.

「 Hii....!?」

Over there.

Skeletons wielding sword, a total of ten body chasing after the carriage.

They are running as fast as the horses, no, they are rapidly closing on the carriage.

「 We can't make it; they will catch us!」

After the coachman cried bitterly, a rapid commotion occurs within the carriage.

This cause the horse to stop abruptly, and the carriage came to a halt.

All the passenger in the carriage got knocked down onto the floor, and Ferris desperately held onto the rolling Alicia.

「 The two of you, please stay hidden in the carriage! I will do something about it!」

The sword-women then jumped out of the carriage.

The skeleton raises their sword around and charge head-on to her.

The clashing of swords causes a bright spark in the darkness.

The sword-women is swinging her sword at a speed that is fast even to the naked eye.

One of the skeleton then pierces her shoulder and blood could be seen dripping down.

The ten skeleton surrounds the sword-women and continuously attack her.

The sound of blood splattering causes Ferris to shiver in fear and cover her ears with both hands.

However, the sound of battle still heartlessly seeps into flow into her eardrum.

「 Dammit, I would not let you do as you please... also, I owe Robert a favor! I would not like you touch the girls!」

The sword-woman shriek a battle cry, and swung her sword from overhead with all her strength.

The skeleton got sliced into two.

Screaming like a wild beast, the sword-woman destroy the skeleton one after another.

In a blink of an eye, all the skeleton got smashed into pieces and fell onto the ground and stopped moving.

「 Amazing...」

Ferris became speechless after witnessing the strength of the sword-woman.

She thought that the sword-woman looked cool. Although she felt that she would be unable to become an adult as reliable as her, she still looked up to be like her.

She felt relieve now.

However,

Out of the blue, the ground trembled after a huge purple-coloured magic formation appears.

The ground is sliced open, and after all the dust cleared up... as a giant skeleton demon appears.

Its hollow eye socket is glowing with a faint light, and purple mist are emitting from its mouth.

And in its hand, it is holding onto a club as thick as the truck of a tree.

「 Oh my oh my... Seriously.... This is not something to laugh at 」

At the same time the sword-woman is biting her lips, the giant skeleton charge forward.

The skeleton howled and swung its bat horizontally, knocking the sword-women into the air.

After tumbling on the ground, the sword-woman stopped moving.

「 No, no way...!」

Alicia quickly took out her magic rod from the luggage.

She immediately tumbles out of the carriage, and pointed the beautifully craved rod at the giant skeleton.

A mysterious chant could then be heard from Alicia.

「 Flame of purification, destroy the evil being —Spirit Fire!」

A ball of fire flew out from her rod.

The ball of fire hit the skeleton.

However, no damage had been dealt, and the skeleton then approaches the carriage.

The skeleton kept cranking of its teeth while swinging its club.

All the passenger huddle in a corner of the carriage, some with shivering in fear.

「 It’s the end... it's already the end... we will all die...」

「 No! I don't want to become the demon's food! I don't wanttttttt!」

「 Kami-sama... Kami-sama...」

Some people accepted their fate, some fell into a state of panic, while the rest kept mumbling to themselves.

The sword-woman which everyone was depending on is now lying on the ground, bleeding dripping from her forehead.

Ferris is also shivering uncontrollably.

Extremely afraid.

Will be beaten to death by the skeleton. Hate it.

Definitely be painful. Tear started flowing as she thought of the scene.

「 Ferris...!」

Alicia hugged Ferris tightly.

As though trying to shield Ferris from the giant skeleton, Alicia used her own body and cover over Ferris.

Ferris realized, that Alicia was also shivering.

That's right. Alicia is also just as afraid. No matter how excellent she is, she is still just a small girl.

But, such a small is trying to protect her at all cost.

Ferris desperately tried to control her fear.

And at this moment, Ferris felt something hot igniting in her body.

Ferris broke free from Alicia's arm and climbed out.

「 F, Ferris...?」

The troubled Alicia then stood up after Ferris.

Forcefully stepping forward with a figure that look like she would collapse.

With shaking arms, her palm pointed towards the giant skeleton.

While fighting her fear, she chanted the same aria which Alicia just used.

「 F, Flame of purification, destroy the evil being —Spirit Fire!」

It felt as though all the voice in this world is silenced.

Even the grass stopped swaying as the time temporary freezes.

Immediately afterwards, a huge flame spewed out from Ferris's palm.

It is then gathering into a huge ball of swirling fire, dying the night sky bright.

The flame then hit the giant skeleton head on.

Burning in crimson flames.

Then came the last scream of the giant skeleton.

The flame burned the giant skeleton into nothingness, not even the ash remains.

Nothing except the heat from the flames remains after that instant.

The enemy is gone, and there is nothing threatening her life.

Ferris fell and sat on the ground.

Alicia ran over in a panic.

「 Are, are you okay!?」

「 My waist, is wobbling...」

Ferris looked at Alicia and laughed heartedly.

————————————————————————————————————————–

「 I am very sorry for all the various trouble!」

Ferris ran back into the carriage and lowered her head and apologized to all the passengers.

「 Eh...? Eh...?」

Ferris felt troubled next.

「 We got saved all thanks to ojou-chan! I am sorry that I said some bad things about you... So, thank you very much!」

The man that she felt was a bad person is now thanking her passionately.

「 I am still alive to see my grandchild after this. Really thank you, thank you 」

The obaa-san full of wrinkles was thanking Ferris while holding both of her hands/

「 You, are an amazing magician! You are my benefactor!」

A youth with a good physical body is laughing cheerfully.

「 It surprised me that the one I am supposed to protect, save my life instead 」

The sword-woman laughed bitterly while being treated by Alicia. She did not suffer any lethal injuries and only lost conscious for a short period of time.

It seems, that everyone is thanking Ferris.

However, she was at a lost on how she should respond after being swarmed with so much gratitude.

「 Ojou-chan, you must be hungry after using such a powerful magic. There is some ham that my wife made, if you don't mind... please eat some 」

「 This biscuit, have some too!」

「 I have some delicious chiffon cakes! Since you are still growing, you should eat more!」

「 This dress is tailored made for my grandchild, but... she could wait this time round! Please take this dress too 」

The travelers kept on giving Ferris stuff.

「 W, waitttt! Stop stuffing food into Ferris's mouth! She will explode!」

And Alicia that is trying to stop them.

「 Muguuuuuuuuuu!?」

Because Ferris's mouth was stuff and overloaded with delicious food, her eyes rolled white, and she fainted.