Chapter 150: Travel in Style

An hour later, we were finally on the road to the Holy City.

Six Holy Guardians rode their horses in a neat formation, their silver armor gleaming beneath the morning sunlight. Their white cloaks fluttered behind them, occasionally revealing the Light Temple’s golden insignia.

And then there was me... One of the five heroes who had defeated the Dark Lord, currently lounging on a long magical staff.

Yes. A staff. Not a horse.

Well, technically, it was a C-Rank magic item designed for beginner magi who had just learned Wind Manipulation. The staff was nearly two meters long, reinforced with lightweight enchanted wood and several small wind crystals. Its original purpose was to help inexperienced magi practice controlling their wind magic.

Unfortunately, its limitations were rather pathetic.

[Name: Beginner’s Floating Staff]

[Rank: C]

[Maximum Floating Height: 150 cm]

[Limitation: Requires continuous Wind Mana input. Limited carrying capacity and movement speed.]

I could manipulate six elements and create forbidden magical formations. Yet here I was, using equipment intended for students who were still learning to control their own mana. How far the mighty had fallen.

Naturally, the staff wasn’t particularly expensive. We’d purchased it from a small magical equipment shop after discovering that Lumenford’s residents were apparently more attached to their horses than to their own relatives.

The shopkeeper had recommended a more expensive flying artifact. Unfortunately, Vera had immediately objected. Apparently, the entire purpose of this ridiculous arrangement was to ensure I traveled alongside them. So I settled for the beginner’s staff. I’d reinforced its internal formations with my own mana before leaving.

The original enchantments were rather crude, and the wind crystals had barely enough capacity to support a grown man for an extended journey. A few adjustments solved that problem.

Now the staff could maintain a perfectly stable position without requiring much attention. I had also added a subtle layer of Voidwind Manipulation around my body, allowing me to maintain my balance regardless of how I moved.

Which meant... I could lie down and that was precisely what I was doing.

I reclined along the floating staff with one leg stretched out and the other slightly bent, my arms folded comfortably behind my head. The wind beneath me formed an invisible cushion, supporting my back and preventing me from rolling off. The staff floated roughly a meter above the road, keeping pace with the horses without the slightest difficulty.

Who needed a horse when they could travel like a lazy bastard being carried by the wind?

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the gentle breeze. Unfortunately, there was one small problem. The sun. I opened one eye and glanced toward the bright sky.

"Hmm. We should’ve bought an umbrella too."

Then I heard Tessa laugh. "An umbrella?"

I tilted my head toward her. "Something large enough to block the sunlight. Preferably with a cooling enchantment."

Maeve looked down from her horse, studying my comfortable position with obvious envy. "Can that thing carry two people?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Interested?"

"Very."

"Unfortunately, it’s designed for one."

Technically, I could reinforce it enough to support several people. But why would I volunteer that information? I was perfectly comfortable.

Besides, watching six elite Holy Guardians slowly realize that their prisoner, correction, honored guest, was enjoying a far more relaxing journey than his escorts was rather entertaining.

Syl sighed. "I should’ve bought one too."

Vera immediately looked at her. "Syl."

"I’m just saying."

"We’re supposed to maintain a proper escort formation."

"Captain, he’s practically taking a nap."

"I can hear you," I remarked.

"We know," Rina answered.

I chuckled and settled more comfortably against my invisible wind cushion.

The staff continued floating along the road. Honestly, this arrangement was far better than I’d expected. I didn’t have to worry about saddle soreness, horse sweat, or the constant bouncing that came with riding over uneven ground. My magical staff simply glided above everything. Occasionally, the horses stepped around rocks or shallow holes in the road. I floated straight over them.

By midday, we’d covered a considerable distance.

The coastal landscape gradually gave way to rolling hills and open grasslands, while the road became wider and better maintained.

Travelers occasionally passed us, most of them bowing respectfully upon recognizing the Light Temple’s insignia. Some looked rather confused when they noticed me floating beside the horses. It wasn’t every day someone witnessed six heavily armed Holy Guardians escorting a man who looked as though he were enjoying a leisurely afternoon in his bedroom.

Eventually, Vera raised her hand. "We’ll stop here for lunch."

The horses were guided toward a shaded area beside the road, where several large trees provided shelter from the afternoon sun. I rolled off, landed on my feet, and stretched. "Ah. Finally, a chance to rest."

Rina stared at me. Her expression became completely blank. "Rest? You’ve been lying down for hours!"

"Maintaining such an elegant posture is surprisingly demanding."

Tessa burst into laughter. Vera rubbed her forehead.

While the women tended to their horses, I reached into my dimensional ring and retrieved several packages. The buttered shrimp I’d purchased earlier. Seafood sandwiches. And several bottles of chilled drinks.

I arranged the food on a clean cloth beneath the tree. "Anyone hungry?"

Six heads turned.

Tessa blinked. "You brought lunch?"

Nora approached, looking at the food with interest. "Wait. Are those Lumenford’s buttered shrimp?"

"Yes." I gestured toward the food. "Help yourselves. I bought more than enough."

For a moment, the women hesitated. Vera looked particularly conflicted. They were supposed to be escorting me under suspicious circumstances. Accepting lunch from their potentially dangerous target probably wasn’t covered in their training manuals.

I smiled. "Relax, Captain. I haven’t poisoned anything."

Her eyes widened slightly. "I wasn’t suggesting—"

"Besides, if I wanted to harm six S-Rank Holy Guardians, I could think of considerably more efficient methods than poisoning seafood sandwiches."

Tessa stared at me. Then laughed. "That’s... oddly reassuring."

Vera sighed. "Thank you for the food, Lord Valen."

"You’re welcome."

Once she accepted a sandwich, the others followed.

Rina immediately reached for the shrimp. Syl selected a seafood sandwich, while Maeve examined the drinks before choosing a chilled fruit beverage. Tessa, naturally, took a little of everything. We settled beneath the trees, enjoying our lunch while the horses rested nearby.

For several minutes, the only sounds were the rustling leaves, distant birdsong, and the occasional appreciative comment about the food.

Syl took another bite of her sandwich. "You’re surprisingly considerate, Lord Valen. You bought enough food for everyone."

I shrugged. "There’s no reason to let people go hungry when I have plenty."

Tessa studied me over her drink. "You really don’t act like the rumors suggest."

I made a faint smile. "How disappointing. Should I start laughing maniacally and threatening to destroy the kingdom?"

"Please don’t," Vera said immediately.

"Very well. I’ll save that for another occasion."

Rina laughed so hard she nearly spilled her drink.

After lunch, we resumed our journey. The afternoon passed without incident. I returned to my floating staff and spent most of the remaining journey watching the scenery drift past. Occasionally, I adjusted the wind currents around the staff to maintain our pace.

As the afternoon wore on, the landscape began changing.

The road grew wider.

More travelers appeared.

Then, sometime in the late afternoon, the distant horizon revealed something familiar. Tall white walls. Golden rooftops. Magnificent towers rising above the surrounding landscape. And at the center, a colossal cathedral whose spires seemed to pierce the heavens.

The Holy City.

I slowly sat upright on my floating staff. There it was. The city where the original Rey Valen had fought alongside the other heroes.

Vera slowed her horse beside me. "We’re almost there."

I looked toward the magnificent city glowing beneath the afternoon sunlight. "Yes." My lips slowly curved upward. "I can see that."