Foreigner Volume 8, Chapter 165

Volume 8 Chapter 165, Steady Advance ~ 18

　Satoru slowly woke up when he felt the buzz of people around. He smells the cool, humid morning air. The thick, dust-colored hood, which used to be white, does not seem to be letting the sun's rays shine through. The sun had probably not yet risen.

　He turns his head around. The sunrise was not far off. The outside seen through the gap in the hood is a light grayish smoke. He looks at his watch - 5:45. Satoru wakes up with a start, muttering to himself, "I feel like sleeping a little longer, but okay, I'll get up". The bed, which was made of straw on the floorboards of the carriage with a thick leather mattress on top of it, seemed to be comfortable enough. He woke up more refreshed than usual.

「Ah, good morning.」

「Good morning, milord.」

　Satoru scratched his skin in response to Rico and Isolde's voice. Minerva was sleeping soundly with Liz in her arms, and Liz was also sleeping peacefully with her face buried in Minerva's breast.

　No matter what time he wakes up, Rico always wakes up before Satoru. The two of them have already changed their clothes and are packing their belongings. They are probably getting ready for breakfast.

　Leia, who was writing on parchment in the corner of the carriage, rolled up the parchment and shrugged her shoulders at the Satoru. When the sun came up, her place would be in Satoru's shadow. After lightly patting her on the head and placing the 【Immortal King】 in the shadow, Satoru leaned outside. The cold morning air stings his skin.

「Thanks for keeping watch.」

　After placing his hand on Solor's shoulder, who was sitting on the driver's seat, Satoru hopped down from the driver's seat with a flutter. He smiled back at Solor's good morning greeting, and then stretched out with a big "hmmm".

　The slight mist was probably due to the river running through the valley floor. The valley was quite wide, but it also seemed to be quite deep. The line of people around him was about half awake and half asleep, and those who were awake were all getting ready for breakfast.

　The smell of grass is wet with dew. Birds can be heard chirping in the distance. In the distance is a steep mountain range. There is no electricity, no tools to use it, and no sign of anything. Once again, this is another world.

　Rico and Isolde also come out of the carriage and immediately start preparing breakfast. Satoru thought that Isolde was not a good cook. She can process a bird, but only to the extent that she can kill it and bleed it, and the rest is just grilling it. She doesn't even separate the parts or removes the skin. He remembers Rico's anger at Isolde for being too rough.

　Isolde must not have found pleasure in food in her life. Isolde, who had lived a life of eating anything that was not poisonous, even if it tasted bad, simply did not have the concept of preparing a meal to enjoy it like Rico did.

「Satoru, give me some water.」

「Mmm.」

　While stocking up on cell phone charges in the top, he uses sorcery three pails of water into the tub at Rico's request. Two of them are for the horses. Isolde went out to pick up firewood at Rico's request. If there is room, grass to be used as feed for the horses, but only after morning training, she has been reminded by Rico.

「Liz is ......She's still trapped under Minerva's spell」

「Well, once Minerva holds you in her arms, you'll become like Liz, too.」

　The softness of Minerva's fluffy breasts is supreme. Everyone feels at ease when wrapped in that softness and is captured by its magic power. There is no danger even if it is called magical power.

　The main dish for today's breakfast seems to be dumpling soup made from the entrails of the bird Isolde had hunted down yesterday. The guts are soaked in fresh water for half a day to drain the blood, minced finely, and mixed with wheat flour and herbs to make dumplings. Rico's culinary repertoire is truly extensive. Even when it comes to cooking something as simple as roasting meat, she has an excellent eye for seasonings.

　Satoru would like to try his hand at cooking someday, but when will that be?

　Satoru and Rico heard the girl's panicked voice from inside the carriage, and Satoru and Rico laughed. Liz must have realized that she had overslept. In her smock, she hurriedly flips up the hood and looks outside, her face paling as she recognizes Satoru and Rico.

「Morning-sorry! I slept too much!」 (おはみません/Ohamimasen)

　She's still half-asleep.

　Good morning and I'm sorry together is a novel greeting.

「Good morning. First of all, wake up properly.」

「That's right. I'm not going to let you walk out of the carriage looking like that.」

　Liz's smock is a one-piece dress with a round collar, long sleeves that are loosely fastened at the ends, and that reaches down to her knees. It is underwear, though it does not show anybody's lines. Satoru is jealous and does not allow others to see the skin of his magical slave.

「I-I'm sorry, I'm gonna change right away!」

　Liz flapped around in the carriage with the hood closed. Minerva must have woken up, too, because Satoru hears a voice.

「Mi-Minerva-san! If you go outside dressed like that, Onii-san will get angry with you!」

　What does she look like?―Satoru unintentionally retorts in his mind

　Minerva usually sleeps in the nude or, at most, in a shirt. Yesterday, she was wearing a shirt―Well, Minerva's shirtless appearance is certainly too sensational.

「If you're going to go out in the open, make sure you're properly dressed, Minerva-san.」

「'kay~~~~~~~ ......」

　A half-asleep reply can be heard from inside the carriage.

　Liz would like to get out as soon as possible to help prepare breakfast, but Minerva is taking a long time to get dressed, so she is yelling inside the carriage. Rico, unable to look, told Liz to put aside her help and concentrate on getting Minerva dressed.

　Isolde came back with leather straps to tie up some firewood and grass that could be used as fodder. Satoru quickly lit the firewood with sorcery and went to heat up the bird-dumpling soup for breakfast.

　Isolde places a manger and a tub of water in front of the horses and takes care of them. The two horses munching on the manger. As Minerva had said, they seem to be gentle and industrious horses.

　By the time Minerva was finally ready, breakfast was completely prepared. Liz apologized for not being able to help Rico, and Rico laughed and said it could not be helped.

　It was a scene from a peaceful morning in another world.

　Satoru was almost at peace with the peaceful scene. He was tempted to settle down in a suitable town with the members of the group and sit back in this world.

　However, Satoru immediately shook his head to rid himself of this fantasy.

　He could not say such a thing when he thought of his sister Alice, who was probably waiting for his return and looking for him when he suddenly disappeared in front of her during Christmas.

　But on the other hand, it is hard to say whether he can easily part with them now that he has been summoned to this world and has formed a friendship with them.

　Satoru is lost in thought as he sips the black bread and Rico's soup, which tastes exquisite today as well. He is sure that he has to come to terms with the situation somewhere.

「......Ah, um, Satoru?」

「Hmm?」

「Was today's soup not to Satoru's taste?」

　Rico must have been concerned that the meal was not going as well as she had expected. Satoru, while reminding himself of not being able to stop thinking about it, stroked Rico's hair.

「No, it's nothing. I was just thinking something.」

　Rico smiled a little while fixing her messy hair.

　Suddenly, Satoru heard someone's voice coming from the direction of the checkpoint and looked back. Looking closely, he could see a small drawbridge coming down.

「Who wants some black bread!? It's just 3d!」

　Three soldiers walk down the line of people waiting at the checkpoint, calling out loudly. It is not uncommon for the checkpoint officials to sell food and other consumable goods to those waiting at the checkpoint. But.

「......It's very expensive」

　3d for black bread is usually expensive. Satoru doesn't know how much it is, but usually, the black bread sold in town is about 1d for 5 pieces, which is about one size bigger than a person's fist. The only time people like Satoru would pay as much as 3d for a loaf of black bread is when they travel for a long period of time and buy in bulk.

「Some say that they simply make money from the marginal profit, but I hear that they also give someone preferential treatment when someone gives them bribes when the soldiers come to check on them in the morning」(?)

「......that's the worst.」

　At Rico's earful, Satoru frowned without hiding it.

　It may be that the border checkpoint has no choice but to do so, but the overly self-serving way in which they are handled is wrong for a national institution. It may be that the government is not disciplined enough, but it would be foolish to wait honestly.

「Oh, um ......」

　Satoru saw an old man waddling up to the soldier.

「What the hell, old man?」

「I-I don't have any money, but my grandchildren are at their limits. I was wondering if you could somehow share it with me.」

　The soldier laughed derisively at the old man's clinging voice and then raised the sword sheathed at his waist.

「Shut up. I can't afford to give to those who have no money!」

「Ugagh!」

　The sword swung down and hit the old man in the shoulder. The sword was sheathed, so it didn't kill him, but the old man, who looked like a dead tree, took a merciless blow from the soldier and fell down.

　Someone stood up noisily not far from Satoru. Satoru immediately shouted at her.

「Isolde!」

「Milord ......!」

　Isolde has a sword in her hand. It is a magic sword called Rahgulf, which Sheryl had given her. Her hand is trembling, perhaps from anger. Satoru smiles at Isolde, who is looking at Satoru with a lost expression on her face.

「Go for it!」

　Isolde's expression brightens.

「Yes, sir!」

　She replied loudly but no sooner had she done so, than a gust of wind moved. The soldier who was about to trample the fallen old man suddenly collapsed on the spot without a word. Almost simultaneously, two other soldiers also fell to the ground.

　A murmur went up from the people waiting at the checkpoint.

「Are you all right, old man?」

　The soldier was struck down by a young female swordsman with sharp good looks. While reflexively taking the hand of the beautiful female swordsman who held out her hand toward the old man who was struck down by the soldier, the old man raised his voice as if he were confused.

「Eh, ah ...... b-but the soldier was ......」

　It is true that he was saved. However, it was an unforgivable crime to beat the soldiers at the checkpoint. And if she was such a young and beautiful woman, she would be caught by the soldiers and violently attacked(raped). The old man was more worried about the woman who had saved him than about himself.

　Isolde, however, did not seem to care. She smiled, pulled the old man's hand to help him up, and turned around with a fresh expression on her face.

「Milord!」

「Rico! Liz! Evacuate the people around us!」

「Roger that!」「Okay!」

　Satoru stood up quickly and raised his voice. The two young slaves quickly followed his instructions, smiles on their faces.

　Satoru is kind. These two, who have traveled together, know very well that he is not the kind of man who would overlook an oppressed old man like that.

　Satoru looks away from Liz and Rico, who is running with a ta-ta-ta and shouting to get people away from him, and grabs his beloved sword, 『Giant Killer』, from the back of the carriage.

『In the end, this is how it ends up』

　Leia's voice echoed from within Satoru's shadow as if she were dumbfounded. However, there is no sign of blame. It was as if she had anticipated this, and that is why she sounded so stunned.

　Satoru laughs through his nose.

「Because they were standing in front of me, you know. Besides, an army in which a low-ranking officer can act in such a violent manner is not a good thing.」

　It was Isolde who stood up in a fit of righteous indignation. However, Satoru ordered Isolde to go ahead and do it. He no longer found it necessary to endure any longer.

　Helping the weak―Satoru had always tried not to have too much contact with the world. Although his heart ached every time he saw people being enslaved and oppressed, he had tolerated it and overlooked it because it was one of the elements that made up the society of this world.

　But this time, the response of the checkpoint officials is at a level that is too much even for common sense. It would be a good thing to at least correct it.

　The drawbridge at the checkpoints was lowered with a blast of a horn and a rattle of chains, and about 30 strong soldiers could be seen coming toward Satoru with weapons.

　A man, who is probably the commander of the soldiers, shouts out to a man of huge stature who is carrying a large sword-like no one has ever seen before, standing fearlessly and arrogantly next to a sharp and good-looking female swordsman, 

「You bastard! You're trying to break through the checkpoint, huh!」

　Neither Satoru nor Isolde lost any of their composure in the face of the intimidating voice of the soldier who seemed to be their platoon leader. They could never expect to be able to handle themselves with the kind of soldiers who would be assigned to such a checkpoint.

　Satoru deliberately swung the large sword in his hand and thrust it into the ground. The soldiers all yanked back as the earth was gouged out with the sound of the explosion.

「What you guys are doing is not the behavior of a checkpoint's soldiers. You are just bandits, no, worse than bandits!」

「Grrr! All troops, take position!」

　The platoon commander easily took up Satoru's cheap provocation. It's true that his sword is of tremendous size, and even a fluke hit would cause tremendous damage. However, the difference in the number of people in the platoon was a confidence booster for the platoon commander. However, this level was not even a handicap for Satoru or Isolde.

「Your job is not to bully the weak!」

　Satoru shouted angrily and at the same time swung his greatsword widely. The great sword with the wind art on it pierced the ground again.

「Gyaaahhh!」

「Uro!」

「Hongyaraaah!」

　Instantly, huge tornado dances, and all the soldiers in metal armor are blown away. The destination of the blowout is a valley. If they are lucky, they may fall into the river and be saved.

　The people waiting at the checkpoint, who had been evacuated by Rico and Liz, were blindsided by the advanced art unleashed by the hulking warrior. Some knight-class warriors use magic power on their swords, but it is a powerful art that is not often seen, such as blowing away all the armored soldiers at once.

「Isolde! Go see if they can't harm a civilian!」

「Understood!」

「Minerva, stay here. If they come, kick them out.」

「Minerva got it」

「Solor, protect Rico and Liz.」

「I understand」

「Liz, get ready to leave. Rico, check the perimeter.」

「Okay.」

「Got it」

　Satoru gives orders to his magical slaves one after another. It is not his imagination that they seem to be somewhat energetic.

『It's not a very commendable act, but ...... well, it had to be done. No instructions for me?』

　Satoru chuckles at the sulky voice of Leia echoing in his head.

(I'll leave it to you. I trust you the most, after all.)

『Fufu......You say the nicest things. Well, I guess you're in good hands then.』

　Satoru smiles wryly as he carries a large sword on his shoulder. He looks at Haivan's gate, where 30 soldiers have been easily handled and seem to be in a beehive of commotion.

「Now then, let's go have a little rampage!」

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