Chapter 5: Departure

On the morning of their departure, the gentle sunlight illuminated the scenery around the temple with exceptional clarity.

The early morning air carried a touch of chill, and the temperature was not too high—perfect weather for travel.

 

For Solya, who was traveling far to investigate something for the first time, the unknown journey and potential dangers still made her feel somewhat nervous.

However, the thought of having Vela by her side eased much of the unease in her heart.

 

Vela and Romy led Solya to the temple's Ibecsaur stables, preparing to lead out the mounts needed for this trip.

 

"Vela, even though we chose to ride Ibecsaurs for stealth and mobility..." Solya looked at Vela with some unease.

 

"I only know how to ride horses. Although I've read about Ibecsaurs in books, I have never actually ridden one..."

 

"Don't worry, My Lord." Vela smiled. "Knowing how to ride a horse is enough."

 

Solya frowned slightly, not quite understanding why Vela said that, but she still followed them into the stables.

 

The Ibecsaur was a large, bipedal reptile with many sharp fangs in its mouth; even when its mouth was closed, its teeth could still be seen slightly protruding.

The species had relatively small forelimbs but thick, powerful hind legs, along with a long tail to maintain balance. They were not only capable of running at high speeds for long periods but could also easily navigate various rugged terrains, making them ideal mounts for long journeys.

Adult males grew a pair of spectacular horns on their heads, and long, thick beard-like hair under their necks, making them look somewhat similar to wild mountain goats.

Females had shorter horns and sparser neck hair.

 

The temple's Ibecsaur stables were tended to by dedicated caretakers, and the environment was kept exceptionally clean. There was almost no noticeable animal odor, with only a faint scent of feed in the air.

 

"My Lord, please wait for me here," Vela said, opening the door to one of the pens and stepping inside.

 

Before long, she led out an Ibecsaur.

It was an Ibecsaur with almost entirely pure white scales and hair. Its two deep blue eyes looked ahead, its expression calm and composed, as if it were long accustomed to being led in and out.

 

Solya, whose brow had been slightly furrowed in anxiety, widened her eyes the moment she saw it, her gaze instantly lighting up.

 

"Wow... this one is actually pure white!" She couldn't help but draw closer, looking at the Ibecsaur with delight. "It's so beautiful!"

 

"My Lord, this is Milk."

 

"Milk? ...Is that its name?" Solya was taken aback; the name was so casual that she was momentarily unsure what Vela meant.

 

"Yes," Vela said, reaching out to gently stroke Milk's neck. "Milk is a shared mount for the Guard, mainly used by rookies for practice, and its temperament is very stable."

 

"Since you don't have any experience riding an Ibecsaur, Milk is perfect for you. Just give it the command to follow, and it'll follow the group. As for controlling it, it's much the same as riding a horse."

 

"I see..."

Only then did Solya feel somewhat relieved.

 

"Looking at these short, cute horns... It's a girl." Solya smiled, gently petting Milk's head.

 

Next, Vela and Romy also led out the Ibecsaurs they usually rode.

Vela's mount was black and white with a pair of massive horns and a noticeably sturdier build. Romy's was a greyish-brown Ibecsaur with a much simpler appearance.

 

Standing together, the three Ibecsaurs formed a striking contrast in appearance alone.

 

Once they confirmed the mounts were ready, they left the temple and set off on their journey to the western snowy mountains.

 

"Solrevenn," the city where the temple was located, was the capital of Lunatia, situated right in the center of Lunatia's Central Region and serving as the political center of the entire country.

The Central Region was a vast plain surrounded by expansive mountain ranges and forests, with multiple rivers flowing through it. This made the region fertile and accessible, fostering frequent commercial trade with other areas.

At the same time, the surrounding mountains and forests acted as natural barriers, making the Central Region easy to defend and difficult to attack.

 

Solya, who had not walked the streets in quite some time, could not help but look around in excitement the moment she stepped into the bustling commercial district.

 

"Vela! Can we go look at that shop first? It seems really interesting!" Walking ahead, Solya looked back at Vela, holding her mount's lead in one hand while pointing at a shop across the street.

 

"Well..." Vela watched Solya, who had already run ahead, with a helpless expression.

 

Clearly, Solya seemed to have forgotten exactly why they had set out in the first place.

Yet, seeing her looking so happy and relaxed—a rare sight indeed—Vela could not bear to stop her.

 

"Captain... what do we do now? The Wolf God has run straight into the crowd," Romy asked in a low voice.

 

Vela sighed softly, her gaze landing on Solya, who was bubbling with excitement in the distance.

 

"Never mind. Just let her be."

 

"It's not a bad thing to let the Wolf God relax for once. We just need to stay close. You get ahead of the Wolf God, and I'll cover the rear."

 

"Yes, Captain." Romy bowed her head slightly, then jogged with her mount to catch up to Solya, taking up a protective position ahead of her.

 

With the speed and endurance of Ibecsaurs, traveling over six hundred kilometers a day would not be difficult if they were pushing ahead.

However, because they stopped frequently to wander the streets with Solya, they had only reached Kalmok, a town about one hundred and fifty kilometers away from the temple.

Kalmok was sparsely populated and famous for its livestock farming and tourism.

 

By now, night had long since fallen, and only one or two pedestrians could occasionally be seen on the streets.

Vela pinched the back of her neck to refresh herself, and Romy also raised a hand to cover her mouth, yawning slightly.

 

Even Solya, who had been excitedly looking around all day, was now so tired that she slumped against Milk's thick neck.

She did not even bother to control her mount anymore, simply letting Milk follow Vela's mount ahead.

 

"Milk... your fur is so soft and nice to touch, I'm almost asleep..."

Solya closed her eyes, stroking the soft neck hair of Milk as she spoke listlessly.

 

"Rrrr..."

Milk opened her mouth slightly and made a low rumbling sound, seemingly enjoying Solya's touch.

 

"My Lord, the Ibecsaur wool from Kalmok is actually quite famous," Vela said with a smile from ahead.

 

"Yes! I know!" Solya lifted herself up slightly. Though her body was limp with exhaustion, she could not hide the excitement in her voice. "I want to see it tomorrow!"

 

Suddenly, a commotion broke out behind them.

On the quiet night road, any sound was exceptionally clear. The three of them turned their heads in unison.

 

"Help! I'm being robbed!" an elderly woman cried out in panic.

The roar of a motorcycle revving its engine came from behind, rapidly approaching them.

 

Solya, who had been slumped over Milk's back moments earlier, instantly sharpened, her gaze locking onto the road behind them.

 

In the next second, as the robber sped past her on his motorcycle, Solya leapt from Milk's back and kicked him off the bike.

Combined with the high speed of the motorcycle, Solya's force sent the robber crashing to the ground, rolling several times before finally coming to a halt.

 

The robber was in too much pain to get up immediately. Only after a few seconds did he manage to raise his head.

Seeing Solya standing not far in front of him, he finally realized how he had been thrown off his vehicle.

 

"...You damn woman...!" The robber glared at Solya viciously.

 

However, in less than two seconds, Vela and Romy stepped forward and pinned him down, rendering him completely unable to move.

 

"Ah—!!"

 

Almost at the same time, the robber suddenly shrieked in pain.

His hands were pinned behind his back by Vela with such force that his arms were on the verge of snapping.

 

"...Who did you just call a damn woman?"

Vela's face was nearly expressionless, but her icy tone and gaze sent a shiver down the spine of the robber, who caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye.

 

Only then did the robbed woman catch up, gasping for breath.

 

"Huff... huff... thank you so much, little girl!" The woman looked at Solya, thanking her with a face full of gratitude.

 

Hearing the sovereign of the nation referred to as a "little girl" for the first time left Vela and Romy a little taken aback.

The two exchanged a look, but neither could say anything without revealing Solya's identity.

 

"It's nothing. Are you hurt?"

Solya picked up the bag from the ground and handed it back to the woman.

 

While Solya was talking with the woman, Vela lowered her voice and instructed Romy:

"Hand this robber over to the police first. We cannot let the Wolf God be seen by any government authorities."

 

Romy nodded, then quietly led the robber—already bound with his hands behind his back—away from the scene.

 

"From the looks of you... and riding Ibecsaurs, you must be on a long journey?" the woman said to Solya with a smile. "How about resting at my farm tonight? It's just nearby. Consider it my thanks to you."

 

"Eh? Well..." Solya turned her head to look at Vela.

 

"Is it... Suka Farm?" Vela asked the woman.

 

"Yes, I'm Martha, the farm owner."

 

"Huh? Vela, how did you know?" Solya looked at her in confusion.

 

"Suka Farm is one of the largest tourist farms in Kalmok. I've heard of it."

As Vela spoke, she took a watch out of her pocket, glanced at it, and pondered for a moment.

 

"Then... Martha, thank you. We'll take you up on your offer for tonight."

 

"So we're staying at a farm...!"

Hearing Vela agree, Solya raised both hands, her fists curled in excitement..

She had never stayed at a privately owned farm before. To her, it felt like going on an adventure.

 

After Romy returned, the group followed Martha to Suka Farm.

 

The farm was dark under the night sky, making it difficult to see its surroundings.

The only sounds were the chirping of insects from all around, which seemed especially clear in the quiet of the night.

 

Martha led the three of them to stable their mounts in a clean shelter, preparing water and feed for them.

Since it was late, Martha handed the keys to the two guest rooms to Vela, who looked the most like an elder sister among the three, and then took her leave.

 

"So this is what a farm guest room looks like. It's awesome!"

As soon as she entered the guest room, Solya happily threw herself onto one of the single beds, then got back up and wandered around the room, poking around and checking everything out.

 

"This tiny bed is just right for one person—it feels so much cozier than the bed in my chambers!" Solya jumped onto the bed again, rolling around while hugging the soft white blanket.

 

Hearing Solya say this, Vela couldn't help but show a helpless smile, a pang of heartache rising in her chest.

She knew only too well that Solya actually disliked life at the temple.

 

"My Lord, I'll sleep on the bed by the door tonight and keep watch. Romy is also in the next room, so please rest easy."

 

"Oh, don't be so tense! Just sleep as you normally would~" Solya laughed, waving her hand at Vela.

 

After the lights were turned off, Vela closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

A full day of travel and guard duty had already left her exhausted. Now that she could finally lie down and rest, she quickly relaxed.

 

After a moment, a slight movement came from the side of the bed.

 

Vela opened eyes.

 

What met her eyes was Solya, who had already laid down beside her.

The silver-blue moonlight spilled in from the balcony, outlining her figure dressed in a form-fitting, sleeveless top and making those blue eyes gazing at her appear even brighter.

 

"I'm sorry... um..." Solya whispered. "You're here tonight... I'd like to sleep next to you... is it okay?"

 

Vela's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Solya.

 

 

"...You'll catch a cold like that."

Without hesitation, she moved over, then lifted the blanket to make space for Solya.

 

Solya slipped carefully under Vela's blanket and rested her head on her shoulder.

 

Vela looked down at Solya snuggled beside her and leaned her cheek against her.

"Go to sleep... It's a big farm. I'm sure there'll be plenty more for you to explore tomorrow," Vela said, closing her eyes.

 

"...Mm."

 

Solya also closed her eyes, wrapping her arms gently around Vela's arm, a reassuring smile unconsciously spreading across her face.

 

The two of them slept quietly like this, accompanied by the chirping of insects outside the window, spending the first night of their journey.