Chapter 208: The Two Who Leave and the Bandits’ Attack

"Hiroyuki-sama! Thea-sama’s mother has returned consciousness."

"Got it, I’ll go now."

I answered Sheena then lowered Gejia right beside Birga and headed to the carriage.

Lifting the carriage cover and entering inside Thea’s mother raised her upper body helped by Thea.

"Are you this Dules’ master. Thank you for saving us."

"No, glad you’re safe."

To Thea’s mother bowing her head I called out.

"Ano, the money for this treatment..."

"Hahaha, as expected parent and child. Thea asked the same thing. No fee needed. This side did it on our own."

Thea’s mother asked looking anxious and I answered that laughing.

"Is that so. Thank you. Then with this we take our leave. Thea, let’s go."

Thea’s mother thanked again this time plainly then called Thea and tried to stand.

"No good! You still have to rest..."

"That’s right~. You’ll collapse again~."

Sheena and Rosina hurriedly stopped Thea’s mother.

"Noisy! I won’t listen to what you Dules say. ...Uu!"

Thea’s mother whose tone suddenly changed slapped the two’s stretched hands and stood but perhaps dizzy she staggered.

"Mom!"

Thea stretched her hand and supported her mother.

"Mom, you still can’t force it. You have to stay still for a while."

Saying that Thea tried to lay her mother down.

"And it’s rude. These people examined you."

"I don’t want to be examined by Dules. And I already thanked the master. That’s fine right?"

Thea’s mother brushed off supporting Thea’s hand and while staggering stood.

"I won’t make Thea a slave. This girl will survive with her own power. And... and grasp happiness with her own hands... u!"

Saying that like delirium she took Thea’s arm and with staggering steps walked to the back of the carriage.

But there she grabbed the cover frame and squatted.

"Mom!"

Again Thea supported her mother.

This time I nearby also supported the opposite side from Thea.

Though I who have many Dules saying it is something I understand what this person wants to say.

But if we part like this and she dies I will sleep badly.

That said forcing these people to act together with us is useless.

For now we have to quickly leave this country so there is no time to send Thea and the others to the previous village and no obligation either.

Therefore I decided to let Thea’s mother choose what to do from here.

"You, you’re misunderstanding something. As I said earlier no return for treatment is needed. I didn’t even do something that can be called treatment. So. As that Dule there said you have to rest. And here is about half a day from the village toward Lübeck town. We have to hurry to Lübeck town. So then."

I talked this far in one breath and took a breath.

My words became bad because the Rosina and the others nursing showed disgust openly and they do not have a good impression of us.

Well but in this age you cannot live having a good impression of unknown people you first meet.

And I understand this mother’s love toward Thea.

On that I stood two fingers toward Thea’s mother.

"I’ll let you choose one of two. First is parting with us here. Go to the previous village or the next village. Second is resting and following us. We are in a hurry for now so we cannot spare time for you. Now, what will you do?"

"Mom, let’s follow these people. If Mom collapses again I..."

After my talk Thea said that to her mother and got stuck for words.

"...I cannot trust. Examined the body but no money needed, such a sweet talk cannot roll. That’s it, put on the carriage and squeeze money right. If none sell this child right. Anyway I cannot trust."

But the mother’s suspicion dark-ghost does not seem to enter even her daughter’s words.

"Got it. Then parting here."

I lifted the cover.

"What, after all a slave merchant."

The instant she looked outside Thea’s mother said to me.

When I also looked outside there the Dules wiped their bodies or put on clothes coming up from the river.

Those Dules all looked this way at once.

"My Dules."

When I said that to Thea’s mother Muriel hurriedly approached this way.

A little late the other Dules also gathered behind Muriel.

Among them there are those not even To-Dules who still do not wear clothes.

Confirming everyone gathered I greeted from under the carriage.

"I am Muriel, Hiroyuki-sama’s A-Dule. These are all Hiroyuki-sama’s Dules. Thea’s mother, is your condition already fine?"

Thea’s mother floated a surprised expression and leaned back.

"...Hiroyuki is you."

Then she asked me.

"Aa. That’s right."

I answered shortly.

"I see... Then we with this. Thea! Let’s go!"

"Mom!"

Thea’s mother got off the carriage and advanced the road as is.

"Ano, thank you."

Thea also got off the carriage then bowed her head to us once and followed after her mother.

"Haa."

When I looked at Rosina and shrugged my shoulders Rosina floated a wry smile.

"Master, what happened?"

Under the carriage Muriel and the others who looked at Thea and the others leaving looking blank when Thea and the others disappeared turned toward me with that expression as is.

"No, they recovered so already fine they said. ...Haa. Now let’s pull ourselves together and take lunch."

"Yes!"

The Dules answered energetically then helped Yuki who prepared lunch and started each work.

...

From after that until midway the road to Lübeck town had no particular problems.

If any the lodging fees everywhere were abnormally high.

Though our money on hand did not run out.

But many people camped because they cannot pay lodging fees.

And many of them camped outside rather than inside the village.

Inside the village there are many thieves so dangerous they say.

Quite an ironic talk.

Now we passed 10 villages in 10 days since leaving the royal capital and headed to the 11th village.

If we pass the remaining 3 villages it is Lübeck town.

"Master, shall we have lunch soon?"

Cathy looking at the "Time Bracelet" talked to me.

"That’s right."

Now is... 11:42:35.

"Then that ahead...!"

"Master!"

I "seeing" around the carriage noticing and Sara walking watching around the carriage shouting were simultaneous.

Rosina driving hurriedly stopped the carriage.

At the same time an earth rumble occurred and a sound of something huge rolling.

I took the greatsword Destroyer and Bastard Sword lying beside and went outside from the front of the carriage.

In the carriage’s advance direction about three huge rocks rolled blocking the way.

I stood beside Rosina and "saw" the surroundings.

The place we stopped the carriage has forest on the right and a high cliff on the left.

In that forest 23 people, on the cliff 15 people someones peered this way.

Bandits perhaps?

I without carelessness peered at their way of coming out.

Immediately from inside the forest more than ten humans appeared preparing weapons.

Sara outside silently drew two One-Hand Swords from sheaths and prepared them in both hands and Birga who volunteered surrounding watch because her arms get rusty also prepared a huge iron hammer.

"...Is this Dules’ master inside the carriage?"

One of them the large-built leader-like human at the very back called out to no one.

That person wearing black half-plate armor seems a woman.

She roughly tied long flaxen hair behind and stared this way with similarly flaxen eyes.

"It’s me."

I jumped down beside the carriage and came out in front of the two horses pulling the carriage.

"Master!"

Muriel who came out of the carriage after me shouted and came out even further in front of me.

The other fightable Dules also come out of the carriage holding weapons.

"Hoo. Today is a large amount."

The large-built woman seeming the head leader raised her hand.

At the same time from the cliff, from inside the forest human shadows appeared one after another.

"Keep the women alive. Kill the men."

The woman said that then lowered her raised hand.

From the cliff arrows were released all at once and from the forest those holding swords ran toward us.

I grasped the situation in an instant...

"Muriel! Rely on after!"

I left it to Muriel and ran toward the head-like woman.

When surrounded taking the first move and taking the head is best.

Before those in front of the woman start moving I weaved between them and came out in front of the woman.

Then I pointed the Bastard Sword I hold in my right hand at the woman’s throat.

"Ku!"

The woman helplessly froze without even being able to put her hand on the sword handle she carries on her back and draw.

"「Ane-san!」"

Those in front of the woman turned around and prepared their swords again.

"Don’t move! Drop your weapons!"

Spitting a line I cannot tell which is the villain I looked around them.

Those confronting Muriel and the others and those drawing bows on the cliff also while hesitating threw their weapons.

"Alright, then for now you guys come down this way..."

So I cannot be shot with bows taking a gap from on the cliff I first shouted at those taking position on the cliff.

Then a voice came from on that cliff.

"Hiroyuki!"