Thankfully, this time around, The carriages were just outside Elizabeth's forest. The caravan soon took off at a middling pace. Though calling the three carriages a caravan did seem a bit generous in Tibaut’s mind.

“We're travelling by coach?” He asked.

In their carriage were Tibaut, Elizabeth, Tina and Lily.

“Yes, we decided on it yesterday morning,” Elizabeth said. “After some discussion with the others, we concluded it'd be a bit too hard on them if they were forced to go there by foot. After all, we know what these people are capable of. It'd be irresponsible to go there not at our best.”

The coach seemed to have overheard her.

“That's right. Say Elizabeth, have you changed your tune about letting me join you guys?”

She didn't even look at him.

“No, now keep the horses moving.”

“It was worth a shot, I suppose.” He droned off before focusing back on the road in front of him.

Tibaut looked on, unsure what the coachman was doing.

“Uh, what's up with him?”

“You don't recognise him, Tibaut?” Lily asked.

He looked at the man again and started squinting his eyes.

“Am I supposed to?” He responded.

“Lily, do you think he was running around the parish enough to know that guy?” Tina stated. “Hell, I've been here for years and don't remember that guy's name. Why should I? It's not like we'll ever work together with how weak he is.”

It seemed the coachman slumped his head down after hearing, but quickly brought it back up after realising his sadness was showing.

“(Geez, Tina take it easy on the guy.) So he's an adventurer?” Tibaut asked.

“Tina please keep that mouth of yours under control,” Elizabeth said.

“Right, you're being too blunt,” Lily said.

(“Don't you mean she's wrong?”)

“I mean if he's asking to come, he can probably fight decently, right Elizabeth?” he asked.

“Well, he has the spirit.”

“…”

The coachman audibly sighed and slumped his head down as he kept the horses moving and Tibaut couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“It's, uh, admirable that our coach has a hobby as an adventurer,” Tibaut said, trying to find something to give the man.

“Actually, I wanted to be an adventurer so I quit my old job of being a coach.”

The mood was dire at this point and they stopped speaking for several minutes.

As they went along Tibaut whispered in Elizabeth's ear.

“Why'd you choose this guy, isn't this a bit insensitive?”

“It was Mr. Bentley who chose him and I can assure you it was necessary. We decided it would be better to have the coaches be adventurers on the off chance, the cultists notice our approach and attack us instead.”

“... how likely is that?” He asked.

“Likely enough that it sounded reasonable to everyone discussing it at the time.”

----------------------------------------

On the floor, Tina had decided to engage in push-ups and Elizabeth being the good friend she was, sat on her back to give her some extra weight.

The carriage was starting to smell of sweat but it wasn't overbearing.

“Is that all you can handle? And you dare label yourself as my rival?” Elizabeth shouted at her. Despite her words, she seemed to be smiling as she said this.

“Tsk, please, it'd take five girls your size to tire me out.” Her arms were shaking but she pushed through and continued with the push-ups.

Tibaut watched on, glad it wasn't him going through that and Lily with nothing better to do, saw this as a prime source of entertainment.

“Hey, Tibaut?” She asked.

“Hmm, what is it?”

“I know it's kinda late to ask this but can you not use ki?”

“I mean, I can, it's just that I can't use it consistently.”

“You sure? I knew a guy that could use ki a while back and he had a sort of an aura to him, you know. Like something tangible, you feel just by looking at him. I don't get that from you.”

“I mean that just might be the difference between someone who can use it when they want and someone who can't do that.”

The pair began discussing ki and along with it, Tibaut told her of the scenarios he used his in and the letter he got from Ezekiel.

“Eh? He got you a letter with a bunch of tips?” She asked.

“Uh, yeah.”

She sulked for a few moments before perking up again with annoyance visible on her face.

“Wait a minute, did you get a letter from that bastard?” She asked.

“That bastard?”

“Did you see the name at the bottom of the letter?”

“Ugh, I think it started with a C or something?” He said trying to recall.

“Don't. I don't want to hear his name. Are you telling me that the old bastard's advice actually worked for you? Just remembering it pisses me off.”

“Something wrong?”

“Of course, did he also give that bullshit advice about having someone who can already use, help you?”

“I think I remember something like that. Why was it bullshit?”

“Urgh, so I go to the capital one day to visit him so he could do it for me and you know what the bastard says to me? “You don't need it. Come back when you're doing dangerous work.” And then he told me to go home. Like, what a dick right?”

“He gave the advice, right? Why'd he run you away?”

“It wasn't me he advised technically. It was Ezekiel. Bastard sees him like a grandson yet couldn't even do his grandson's friend a favour.”

“Like a grandson?” Tibaut asked. “Who is this guy?”

“I don't remember but he was some big shot in the capital. Can't stand that smug bastard.” She continued commenting. “That aside, did one of them work? I always assumed he ran me away because the advice was bullshit but if he could help me out, that pisses me off even more.” She said as she gnashed her teeth.