Boom!

“Ugh…!”

“Whoa!!”

The carriage suddenly stopped, and both Ray and I lurched forward.

Although there was a significant impact, I had trained my body, so I managed to brace myself and regain my balance.

However, it seemed that Ray was not as fortunate.

――Munyuu.

A sensation, difficult to describe, reached me, and my eyes widened.

Soft.

What is this?

When I glanced to the side, I saw Ray’s chin resting on my shoulder. Since we were sitting facing each other, it seemed she had lurched toward me with full force.

…Huh?

In that case, could this sensation be…?

“Hey. Hey…”

With some awkwardness, I called out to the princess.

“…Hehe, Arios’ scent… Ah, eek!!”

After a brief moment of stillness, Ray quickly returned to her proper posture. As usual, her face was bright red.

“I-I-I’m so sorry. Was that uncomfortable…?”

Ray looked up at me with a worried expression.

“Well… It’s fine. You and I are close.”

“You and I, Arios…”

For some reason, Ray blushed again.

…But, what exactly happened?

It was unexpected for someone in the carriage business to put their customers in danger with such a sudden stop. Did something happen?

As I pondered, I exited the box-shaped passenger cabin.

By the way, I asked Ray to stay inside. She prefers to avoid being seen by others.

“Sigh. Is there really no way through?”

“I’m sorry. This is the guild’s decision. If you absolutely must continue, please take the bridge over there.”

“That would mean a huge detour! It’ll take us three days to reach our destination!”

It seemed there was some kind of argument happening.

The carriage driver and… his opponent seemed to be adventurers, and there were several of them.

Their equipment was much more solid than the ones I had knocked out earlier. These seemed to be reasonably skilled individuals.

One of the adventurers quickly noticed me and spoke up.

“Oh? You are…?”

Although I was initially hesitant, I introduced myself briefly.

“I am Arios Macba. Nice to meet you.”

“Arios… so you are…”

Just by hearing my name, the adventurer seemed to understand who I was.

Without mocking me, he even gave a small bow.

“Yuya Astley. B-class adventurer.”

“B-class…”

That meant he had likely faced many life-threatening situations. Unlike the adventurers in the royal capital, Yuya seemed to have a kind aura.

That made it easier for me to ask him questions.

“Yuya-san, what do you mean by not being able to pass?”

“Well, actually, a Giant Orc appeared up ahead.”

“A… Giant Orc…?”

I was genuinely surprised.

That was a designated A-class monster.

It was much tougher than the Black Grizzly I had dealt with earlier.

“Currently, my companions are fighting it… but the battle isn’t going well. We’re working with the Rastal Village guild, but there’s still no resolution.”

“I see…”

Even with so many adventurers teaming up, they still couldn’t win.

As expected, when it comes to designated A-class monsters, the difference in power is enormous.

“So, temporarily, the road is being blocked. I apologize, but this is to protect the lives of civilians. I hope you understand.”

“I understand… I see.”

To think that after the Black Grizzly, another powerful monster has appeared. What’s going on?

As I pondered, the carriage driver spoke with a bitter expression.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have supplies to camp out for three days, you know? It would be better to go back…”

“No. It’s fine. I’ll go.”

“Huh…?”

It was Yuya who raised his voice in surprise.

“Go… you? Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“B-But you…”

“Yuya-san, it’s true that I couldn’t become a Sword Saint… but I’ve undergone harsh training too. At least, can I assist you in some way?”

“Hmm… I see. I could use all the help I can get…”

Yuya stroked his chin, thinking for a moment.

After a while, he sighed and looked me straight in the eyes.

“Alright. However, the opponent is a designated A-class monster. If it’s deemed too dangerous, we retreat immediately. Is that alright?”

“Yes. That’s fine.”

Right now, I have three abilities.

Since the opponent is so strong, this will be the perfect opportunity to test my strength.

I clenched my fists and felt a familiar rush of adrenaline.