Meanwhile, the group consisting of Gloria, Cynthia, and Fritz had departed from Asunt on the 10th, making their way toward the Celuroa Kingdom.
They were not taking the route Jin had previously traveled by carriage with Reinhard and the others, but rather a parallel secondary road one step to the north.
After leaving Asunt and passing through Pean Town, they stayed the night in Nokokots. From there, their itinerary would take them through Unana, Futtona, Kokotsuya, Tohits, and Tafuts before reaching Kohls Town and, eventually, Ikasanat.
There were two reasons they had avoided the main highway. One was to accommodate the massive frames of the Golias units. The other was a gesture of consideration, assuming the official delegation of the Kingdom of Egerea would be using the main road.
By the 11th, they planned to reach Futtona.
Since the Golias carried all their luggage, the trio was able to ride their horses nearly unencumbered, making for an exceptionally easy journey. They were capable of covering more than fifty kilometers a day.
"Fritz-dono, this is truly a help. These Golias are remarkable machines," Gloria said, looking back from her horse toward Fritz, who was bringing up the rear.
Fritz was traveling alone this time. The soldiers who had accompanied him previously were unable to attend the Celuroa Kingdom’s Founding Anniversary Ceremony due to their rank.
"Yeah, they’re something, aren't they? Though I didn't build them myself, so I can't exactly take much credit."
As the five Golias walked, the first unit’s footprints would sink into the earth. The second would step carefully to avoid those tracks, followed by the third and fourth... and by the time the fifth unit had passed, the road surface would be compressed about five centimeters deeper than its original state, becoming firmly packed. The resulting path was so hard that even a fully loaded carriage could pass over it without leaving a single rut.
"Still, for road maintenance, wouldn't it be more efficient to use something like a wide wheel instead of footprints?" Cynthia suggested.
Coincidentally, she seemed to have visualized something akin to a road roller.
"Oho, that’s a great idea! You have quite the imagination, Cynthia-dono!"
"I—I'm honored."
Cynthia's cheeks flushed a deep crimson at Fritz's praise.
The journey remained peaceful for them... at least, as long as they were within the borders of the Kingdom of Egerea.
On February 14th, they finally crossed into the Celuroa Kingdom and took up lodging in Telurus.
Since they had stayed there during the outward journey to the Klein Kingdom, the Golias were accepted without much fuss. However, the golems had to be stationed on the outskirts of town, along the banks of the Torres River.
"Well now, I wonder when we'll finally be able to cross the Torres River," Fritz muttered.
Gloria happened to catch the comment. "Fritz-dono, what do you mean by that?"
"Ah, I suppose you haven't been to the Celuroa Kingdom before, Gloria-dono?"
"Indeed, I have not."
"The capital of the Celuroa Kingdom, Esaia, is sandwiched between the Torres River and the Azul River. The rivers act as natural moats. And because there are no bridges, you're forced to use the ferries, but..."
"There aren't enough of them to meet the demand, are there?" Cynthia finished his thought.
"Exactly. First things first, we have to go and secure a reservation."
The group dropped their luggage at the inn and prepared to head out.
"Right, I can handle the reservation on my own. You two should stay here and relax," Fritz suggested, but Cynthia was not about to stay behind.
"No, please let me accompany you. I'd like to see how it's done for the sake of my future studies."
"Is that so? Then come along."
Since she framed it as part of her education, Fritz couldn't find a reason to refuse.
"Gloria-sama, we shall be off then. May we leave the luggage in your care?"
"Yes, leave it to me."
Since none of the three possessed official certificates for the ceremony from their home nations, they could not stay at the Guest House, nor were they granted priority for the ferry crossing.
To make matters worse, the inn they had managed to secure was of a mid-to-lower tier—the kind of place where it was wise to have someone stay behind to watch over their belongings.
"Let's see... the first opening is four days from now."
"I see. We'll take it."
Today was the 14th; four days from now would be the 18th. With the Founding Anniversary Ceremony scheduled for the 22nd, they were safe.
"That'll give us plenty of time. I can breathe a sigh of relief now."
Fritz stretched as he spoke, his mind clearly eased by the fact that they were still on schedule.
"Cynthia-dono, I'm not exactly an expert myself, but since you're here for your 'studies,' shall I show you around Telurus?"
Thinking of her earlier request, Fritz offered the gesture out of consideration.
"Y-Yes! I would be... honored!"
Cynthia could barely contain her joy at the unexpected invitation.
"Alright, let's go then."
With that, Fritz began walking briskly toward the town center. Cynthia hurriedly scurried after him.
"This area is the liveliest... the downtown district. There are all sorts of shops lined up, see?"
"Yes, there are so many unusual things."
Because the cultures of the Klein Kingdom and the Celuroa Kingdom were distinct, the variety of goods on display was naturally different.
"These clothes are so unique... and I really like this style of window display..."
Cynthia wandered from shop to shop, half-muttering to herself.
Even if she's a knight, she's still a woman at heart, Fritz thought with a wry smile.
Suspecting this might drag on, he decided to set a limit.
"Cynthia-dono, Gloria-dono is likely waiting for us back at the inn, so perhaps we should head back?"
Cynthia nodded, her face momentarily clouding with disappointment. "You're right. Let us return."
February 15th.
Fritz, Gloria, and Cynthia remained held up in Telurus.
One thing that had improved was their lodging. They had moved from the mid-to-lower tier inn to a mid-to-high tier one, effectively upgrading their quality of life.
"Fumu, this place is much better simply for having a bath."
"Yeah, my only real complaint about the last place was the lack of one."
"Agreed."
Being situated next to a massive waterway like the Torres River, the town's water supply was plentiful. For an upper-middle-class inn, a bath was a standard amenity.
Their new room was a triple—a shared living area with three private bedrooms branching off from it.
Fritz would have preferred three entirely separate rooms, but none were available. In contrast, Cynthia was silently cheering in her heart. Gloria, for her part, didn't seem to care one way or the other.
With nothing in particular to do, the trio spent the day as they pleased.
Fritz had started drinking since morning, announcing, "I'll just relax and think of this as an extension of my vacation."
Cynthia looked as though she wanted to lecture him, but she was eventually dragged out by Gloria for more sightseeing.
The two women spent the morning exploring together, then split up for the afternoon. Cynthia returned having purchased several sets of clothes designed in the local Celuroa style. Since she couldn't rely on the Golias for the return trip, she had carefully calculated that she could carry them herself as long as they weren't too heavy.
Meanwhile, Gloria had spent her time scouting out weapon shops, but she returned looking utterly dejected.
"What's wrong, Gloria-dono?" Fritz asked, noticing her obvious slump. His breath smelled faintly of alcohol.
"Eh, ah... I found a sword I liked, but the price was so high I couldn't even dream of touching it."
"Gloria-sama..." Cynthia sighed.
"I see. That makes sense," Fritz nodded. After spending over ten days with her, he had begun to understand Gloria's particular obsessions.
"Well, everything in this town is overpriced. They're gauging the travelers. Once we cross the river, you can find the same quality of goods for much cheaper."
"Wait, really?"
"That is very good to hear."
Upon hearing Fritz's insight, Cynthia slumped slightly at her own purchases, while Gloria instantly regained her usual spirited cheer.
"Right then, I think I'll head out for a bit myself."
Glancing out the window to confirm that dusk was falling, Fritz stood up from the sofa where he had been lounging.
"Fritz-dono, are you going out at this hour?" Cynthia asked, surprised. It was nearly time for dinner at the inn.
"Yeah. I'm going to eat out tonight."
Waving his hand dismissively, Fritz left the room without a backward glance.