Our wagon's rate was indeed impressive, at least when compared to how I had traveled before. Without the slow-moving oxen or the walking guards, we doubled the speed that the caravan had shown.
And as Aison said, we approached the crossroads as the sun began to set, completing the over-a-day journey in half of one.
"Are we stopping near here?" Deep inside, I hoped to hear that we would sleep in the inn, but Aison's answer destroyed my hope.
"No, we will continue forward until the next well and stop there for dinner."
"Not for the night?" Surprised by his choice of words, I could not help but ask.
"Mmm, you will see." As I have been finding out, Aison tended to mystify things, which he did again.
Said well was about one primordial step from the Crossroads inn in Bigradh's direction. Reaching it, as Aison reined the horses, making the wagon stop, I recalled that the caravan planned to stop here after the incident.
In the end, we had not, as Reuben and the Count decided to speed up, but as I looked around, we had not lost anything. The same simple stone well, a paved square area, and a few bushes on the side. Indeed, nothing to see, the same rest area as any other on this type of the Kingdom's roads.
"So, where's the promised surprise?" Decided to get back at Aison, I examined everything, even used [Life Radar], before asking him with the acridest tone I could.
"Patience is a goodness, ya' know? Travels and swordsmanship aren't so different. One should be calm, collected, and patient. All while expecting the unexpected." But he answered with a blatantly faked gravity as his eyes concealed laughter.
"Uhm, yes, great instructor."
*Thump*
Probably deciding I was a lost cause, Aison half-turned away from me. And then knocked on the wagon's front wall, "Craftmaster, time to get up."
***
With Weral out of the wagon, looking far better than before, I supposed there would be some discussion about what would follow, but I was mistaken.
I can not say that I am enjoying the constant feeling of being left out of all the talks, suspiciously all related to anything I do happen behind my back, but I will not complain either. After all, if they do not inform me of shit, then I don't do shit, right?
Anyway, while Weral attended the call of nature, and Aison decided to draw the water, I was designated as a cook with the words, "Cook something replenishing. We have nearly an hour."
The assignment had come with Aison near magically appearing ingredients and stuff after touching a few panels on the right side of the wagon. After only asking him to prepare a campfire, I nodded, "Will do."
As they say, if you have to do something, do it well. And I wasn't planning to do the opposite. Thus, after examining nearly every sack, box, and barrel, for a total of 13 pieces, I selected a few things and moved the rest to the side.
My selection consisted of a small sack with nearly a kilogram of [Dra'r Ferd] (akin to rice but brown and longer, but tastes the same) from the grains. Then a few onions and carrots from the vegetable sack. A smoked chicken from a box that contained it and some bacon and sausages. And for the flavor, my only choice was some salt and a small pot with lard from the smallest box. My idea was a rice stir-fry, except I would try to balance or water down the salt as there was nothing like soy or other sauces.
Funnily, I was given the ingredients but did not find any tools for cooking. But as my [Inventory] had a portable kitchen set, I did not ask, just took out the cauldron, spit, and bakestone.
After drawing some water and putting the local rice to cook, I started cutting the vegetables, using a [Shaped Mana] box to avoid crying from the onions and [Cut] in place of a knife.
"I wonder what will our Maester cook." I overheard Aison talking with Weral but decided to ignore them and concentrate on cooking.
Using a bakestone and not a pan turned out to be difficult, as I could not move it without something falling off. Thankfully I could cheat, which I did with no remorse, using [Shaped Mana] to create a flat spoon and even placing borders around the stone when I was stirring my dish.
***
It took me nearly 40 minutes to finish, but as I ate a spoonful, I found it was worth it. The lack of spices and soy sauce did affect the flavor. Still, between the lard and salt, combined with the herbs used to smoke the chicken, it tasted far better than one could expect.
"Food's ready." With all confirmed, I turned around to call the two men that had been silent for about half of the time I spent cooking and felt the urge to curse at them.
It wasn't strange that the two bastards were silent or did not even approach me while I was busying myself. After all, they had unloaded a barrel (the actual +30 liters one!) from the wagon's cargo and had two enormous wooden cups in hand, obviously filled with its contents. And judging from their smiles and what faces they made as they noticed my grimace, it wasn't the first cup they shared.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Well, screw you then." I shrugged before intoning [Storage] for them to hear, disappearing all the food and utensils.
"Noooooo!" Weral wailed in the most dramatic manner possible, nearly kneeling.
"There's a cup waiting for you, so maybe we should sit and eat what you cooked?" Aison stood up and attempted to negotiate.
"I was planning to do so with my travel companions. And companions do not drink while leaving one outside." Recalling some line I heard somewhere, I theatrically shrugged.
Neither I enjoyed drinking wine, which they were drinking, nor I would leave them without food, but at last, I got you, Aison!
Three rounds of apologies later, I summoned the bakestone back, with my stir-fry having not lost anything from the process.
***
"It was delicious! I never expected you to be a cook." Having finished over a kilogram between the three of us, Aison commented.
{Then why the fuck did you ask me to cook?!} I decided to keep the question inside, simply nodding as in, "Yeah, unexpected, right?"
"Mmm, we know who will cook the rest of the journey." As for Weral, he decided my duty without batting his eye.
I expected to have to do something, and cooking isn't the worst anyway. Not that I just accepted it, adding a couple of conditions, "Yes, but then I am off from all the horse and wagon duties."
"Agreed." Both nodded in unison to my words. And so, with half-day of travel behind, we decided on the roles.
"So, Aison, an hour has passed. So, what are we waiting for truly? And we really will continue forward in the night?" I asked the question that I had been harboring since he told me about not camping here.
"Yes, we will. There's a reason for the rush, though. It just happens that the second part of the [Waning Ascolia] week of Rasu isn't the best moment to travel this route, so we are trying to avoid it." Aison's answer only gave birth to more questions, which I promptly asked, and this time he did explain.
_______
While I haven't encountered many, there were tens of different races living in the Kingdom's lands. And obviously, the treatment and manners of how deal with them varied.
Some, like beasts, were treated as a plague, as they were hostile and dangerous to the average person.
Among that hostile group were some feral demi-human races, usually called monster-people, to differentiate them from the more civilized races of their kind.
This group was the one hunted by soldiers, mercenaries, and other similar people. And their enslavement or killing was considered entirely lawful.
Others, as settled demi-humans and other human-like beings, had either treaties or an agreement of sorts with the humans.
[Horned Ones], for example, tended to live in seclusion, but some left their settlements for different reasons and would become residents of the Kingdom.
Depending on the treaty, slavery or other things could be prohibited or allowed, but the general standing was one of non-interference. Evidently, those with residence status were considered people of the Kingdom, and while some individuals on both sides did not like it, they fell under the same laws and rules as a human.
_______
I had only begun to wonder why Aison suddenly gave out such a lesson as he added, "One of the races with a treaty, the [Rophe'Graz], adore the primordials, especially Rophedoa. And while the agreement is merely one of not entering each other territories, they have the right for their rituals, ones that take place during the last week of Rasu."
"I see, but how does that affect us? Or you mean their ritual takes place somewhere nearby?"
"Yes, you are right. Each year on this week, the worship happens. And for it, representatives of each village leave the mountains to the east to travel to the Bald Hill." He nodded towards the direction of the hill, not visible because of the distance and darkness.
"So it will be dangerous or something to meet with them?" If they have a pact with the Kingdom, they will not do stupid stuff, as I understand, so I wonder why the attempt to avoid the [Rophe'Graz]?
"Not dangerous but problematic. Let's see, the [Rophe'Graz] are mainly female, and the ritual is also for them to search for a pair. As with most demi-humans, humans are a viable choice for them. But as opposed to others, let's say that [Rophe'Graz] will not ask you out nicely." Aison explained before suddenly laughing to my bewildered expression (at least I think so), "Don't worry, they will not attack us or anything. Still, as the matter of the pact goes, the agreement is to not interfere in the ritual, less we agree to follow their rules."
"I see, so you think it's better to avoid them entirely."
"Yes, that's right, although mostly for your sake." Aison chuckled again before adding, "The ones for the ritual are young, so I am not the one they will drop on. As for our esteemed Craftmaster, he's just too small."
"Hah, let them come! I am not smaller than you, swordmaster!" Weral, who was busily drinking cup after cup until now, shouted, almost spitting a mouthful of wine on Aison, and jumped up.
"I meant to say that they do not consider men as men if they are more than a dral below them. And you know, if you take it out, I am sure we can work on shortening that part of your body." Aison was so calm as he spoke and even retorted to Weral that I actually believed he was capable of acting on his words.
*Gulp*
I heard how Weral gulped before quickly sitting down.
But hell, a dral below them? A dral is the twentieth part of a werhn, and the latter is 5 meters, so, 25 cm. Just how tall is the [Rophe'Graz] average girl?
But I had no chance to ask anything else as Aison suddenly stood up. Following him with my eyes, I saw some faint light in the distance, "They are the ones for who we were waiting?"
"Yes, but from how high Ascolia is, they are late." Aison noted with notable displeasure. And then he walked towards the road, only stopping near the campfire to light up a torch he produced from below the wagon's seats.
***
The people Aison was waiting for turned out to be two horsemen, each with two horses walking behind their own mounts.
Even if I wanted to describe them, it would be hard. Both dressed in dark colors, with their faces hidden by a cowl-like hood. [Status Screen] wasn't very helpful either, as their stats were hardly above average, and the only thing I found out was their affiliation, [Royal Hounds]. No position, so I will assume they were essentially grunts.
Aison did exchange some words with them, but as he deliberately opened distance and I felt no need to eavesdrop, I did not hear their voices even.
"They will exchange the horses, and we can set off. Craftmaster, I trust that you can drive?" When Aison returned, he was more serious than before, although he did not reveal the reasons for it.
"Yes. Sixth time on this road, after all." Weral nodded.
"Good. Lindar and I will get a shut-eye inside. I will exchange with you before dawn."
The two Hounds finished attaching the horses they brought almost as Aison finished speaking. Without any words, just with a slight bow, they left just a minute after, taking away the four somewhat rested horses of ours.
As for our group, it was time to see how a night journey would go, with a drinking dwarf as a driver...