Thus, we made our way toward the Lord of Lodesto’s Manor.
We slipped out of the hideout under the cover of night to avoid drawing attention and headed beyond the city walls.
"Now then, it's quite a distance to Lodesto. I think we’d make it in time if we walked, but it would be a hassle if we were spotted along the way."
"According to you, Master Lloyd, we're one step away from having a bounty on our heads. It wouldn't be strange if we were caught at any moment," Galilea of the Thread Spider remarked.
"We definitely want to avoid anything flashy. We should scuttle along like rats. Hehe," another added.
"What do you want to do... Lloyd?" Ren of the Poison Moth asked, looking up at me tentatively.
Walking would be a chore, and at this point, there was no longer any need to hide my magic from them. If it was a matter of travel, I could solve it easily with a spell.
"Let’s fly."
"Huh?"
Their voices rose in a perfect, bewildered harmony.
"I’ll use Flight. You’ve at least heard of it, right? We’ll be there in a flash."
At my suggestion, Galilea began waving his hands frantically. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Isn’t that a spell for personal use? You can’t go forgetting about us!"
"I’ve heard Flight is a type of High Magic with very few users," Ren added. "And isn't the speed supposed to be fairly unremarkable?"
"Don’t worry. With my version, I can blast us all there at once. For now, just stand right there. Oh, and don't move. If you do, the g-force might snap your necks."
"Eek!?"
A collective shriek erupted from the group.
"Well, even if they do break, I can fix them with Healing Magic, so rest easy. But I suppose it’s better if they don’t break in the first place, right?"
"O-Oh..."
They all nodded repeatedly, freezing in place exactly where I pointed.
I suppose that put them a bit more at ease.
According to Sylpha, newly recruited subordinates are always anxious. A leader must be considerate of their feelings. You have to guarantee their safety and explain things properly when taking action. Unless you eliminate their anxiety, a relationship of trust will never be born—or so she said.
Yeah, I think I handled that rather well.
"Just so you know, Master Lloyd, that’s what most people call 'rule by terror,' ssu."
"Eh? Really?"
I hadn't intended to frighten them... but looking at them now, their faces were definitely twitching.
I suppose I still don't quite have a grasp on common sense.
"Oh well. Alright, here we go!"
Spatial System Magic: Domain Expansion.
This is a spell that expands the effective range of a spell formula, allowing it to be linked with various other types of magic. It’s also quite convenient for things like bags, as it can increase their carrying capacity.
I linked that with the Flight formula and activated the spell. My body floated lightly into the air, bringing the others with me.
"Wha-wha-wha!? W-We’re floating!?"
"Don't talk, or you'll bite your tongue."
"Mmph!"
Ren and the others hurriedly clamped their hands over their mouths.
With a single thought, I sent us all soaring together toward the Lodesto Territory.
About ten minutes had passed since we began our flight.
"H-Hold... w-wait... I'm going to die..."
"Eh? What was that?"
I looked back to see Galilea making a truly agonizing expression.
"They probably can't withstand the speed of your Flight, Master Lloyd, ssu. It's hard to breathe at high altitudes, and flying at this velocity puts a massive strain on the body. We should probably take a break, ssu."
"I did put up a Magic Barrier, though..."
Following Grimo’s lead, I checked on the others and saw that they were all indeed suffering. They looked like they were on the verge of vomiting, so I had no choice. I’d have to land for a bit.
I deactivated Flight and brought us down.
"Wheeze... huff... gasp..."
The moment we touched down, everyone collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. Everyone, that is, except for Ren.
"Is everyone okay?" she asked, looking at her weakened comrades with concern.
While the others were completely spent, Ren seemed perfectly fine.
"...I am a Cursed One who carries poison in my body. My life has always been lived alongside toxins. I don't know if that's why, but I've never once felt physically ill."
"Heh, so there are advantages to it after all."
They were essentially in a state where mana had been mixed into their bodies from birth and could no longer be separated. Such a unique constitution had both drawbacks and benefits. Since Ren produced and scattered poison, her body likely possessed a natural immunity to it. By extension, she might be resistant to various other factors that would normally weaken the body.
"Advantages... that's the first time anyone has ever said that to me."
"Everything has two sides. If there are bad parts, there are bound to be good parts too. Besides, you shouldn't call yourself 'Cursed'."
From my perspective, Ren and the others weren't cursed; they just had specialized constitutions. Hearing her disparage herself like that didn't sit right with me.
Ren thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "...Yeah. I understand."
Good, good. As long as she gets it.
By the way, I wondered why her face was a bit red. I thought she said she didn't get sick? Oh well.
"Anyway, I wanted to ask—based on what you just said, does poison really not work on you, Ren? Not even the deadliest kind?"
"I-It’s a bit overwhelming when you look at me with such sparkling eyes, but... yeah. As far as toxins go, I can eat any wild plant or mushroom. Because of that, I’ve learned which forest plants and animals are actually delicious. I know! Why don't we take a meal break here? You’re all hungry, right?"
"Now that you mention it..."
I’d been moving non-stop since I woke up in the middle of the night. It was already nearly noon; the moment she brought it up, my stomach gave a loud growl.
Hearing it, Ren smiled happily.
"It's settled! Leave the cooking to me. Everyone else, just rest up."
No sooner had she spoken than Ren dashed off into the mountains. She was fast; she disappeared from sight in an instant.
After a short wait, Ren returned with a bundle of ingredients and immediately began preparing the meal. As the pot simmered over the fire, a surprisingly pleasant aroma began to waft through the air.
"There! It’s finished! Instant hot pot!"
Inside the pot, various objects I’d never seen before were bobbing in the broth.
"Hoh, what's this? I don't recognize these ingredients..."
"Wild plants and mushrooms I gathered, plus some snakes and field rats."
"Wh—!?"
Galilea and the others grimaced instantly.
"This looks incredibly toxic, ssu... Setting the appearance aside, that girl made it. There's a very real chance there's actual poison in there, ssu," Grimo whispered with a strained laugh.
The group fell into a dead silence, the only sound being the bubbling of the pot.
"Ah... r-right. Sorry. This isn't really 'cooking,' is it? Um, you don't have to force yourselves to eat it. I'll just finish it by myself..."
Ren reached for the pot with a dejected expression. Before she could, I reached out first.
I scooped up a piece and popped it into my mouth.
"Munch, munch... Yeah, this is actually pretty good."
While the others stared in absolute shock, I began eating the contents of the pot with gusto. In my previous life, when I was broke, I used to throw scrap vegetables, wild weeds, and even animal carcasses into a pot to survive. I’d ruined my stomach a few times, and some things had been truly foul. Compared to those days, the ingredients Ren had gathered were perfectly fine in terms of flavor.
"...I will partake, AS WELL," Crow of the Dark Raven said, stepping forward next.
Seeing him eating with apparent relish, the others finally reached out.
"Oh! It really is delicious!"
"It’s true. You really can’t judge it by how it looks."
"...Hehe, see? I hand-picked only the best!"
Her earlier gloom was gone; Ren beamed with pride.
"Eating what someone offers with gusto is an effective way to gain trust. But to think he'd eat that thing without a second thought, even when those of us from the slums hesitated... Is Master Lloyd really royalty?"
"It seems to have been incredibly effective, though... Ren has been unable to take her eyes off Master Lloyd for a while now. Look at those blushing cheeks. How sweet."
"Kuku, he has a much greater caliber than I imagined."
"I have come to like Lloyd, TOO."
Everyone was muttering their own little observations. Honestly, it’s good manners to eat in silence.
"Munch, munch. Seconds, please."
"Coming right up!"
Ren smiled brightly as she ladled a mountain of food into the bowl I held out.