Although our departure was slightly delayed by the morning's revelations, we set out once more for the Town of Ghosts. Just as we had the day before, we encountered the undead frequently, but our journey progressed much more smoothly today. The reason was simple: we were riding atop the Emperor Scavenger Slime.
"I never imagined I'd be traveling by slime, but it’s actually quite pleasant once you get used to it," Remily remarked.
"There is remarkably little vibration," Sebas added. "It feels as though we are gliding across a polished floor."
The Emperor moved by crawling, just as any other slime would, but its sheer scale meant its "stride" was immense, making it surprisingly effective at traversing rough terrain. According to Sieber-san, we were moving at roughly the walking pace of a horse. Considering we were making our own way through the pathless wilds of the canyon, that was more than fast enough.
Furthermore, traveling on foot usually meant losing time every time we had to stop and fight the undead. Now, however, the Emperor Scavenger Slime could simply absorb a handful of stragglers into its body without breaking its pace. Even when faced with larger groups, we could thin their ranks with long-range magic from above and continue without a single stop.
"It’s safe and convenient, too," I noted. "If anything bumps into us or if someone happens to slip, the slime can just wrap around and catch them."
There was, however, one minor drawback: the fact that the undead being digested were right beneath our backsides.
I had taken measures to ensure they couldn't escape, using waterproof cloth as a makeshift groundsheet and coating it with Light-attribute mana. This served as a visual shroud, a barrier to prevent accidental contact, and a general safety measure. While I believed it was an incredibly efficient way to travel while conserving stamina... it would have been a lie to say the thought didn't weigh on my mind.
The others seemed to have reached the same realization, and a lull fell over our conversation.
After a while, Reinbach-sama was the one to break the silence.
"Ryoma-kun, regarding our talk from this morning... I've decided it's best if we limit this information to only my son and his wife."
"I spoke to you because I trust your judgment, Reinbach-sama, and I trust them as well. I have no objections. But are you sure we shouldn't tell Elia?"
"Yes. To be honest, we had a family discussion when Elia was very young about how we should raise her, knowing there was a possibility she was a Child of God. In the end, we decided to prioritize teaching her what was important as a human being over her duties as a noble.
"We chose to shower her with affection and protect her young heart. We wanted her to learn how to defend herself from the malice of others, but we decided that while she was a child, we adults would be her shield. We prayed that even if she were to awaken to her power one day, she would still be capable of trusting others."
When he put it that way, it made sense. Though it was a bit of a stereotype, I usually imagined nobles as being master manipulators, with even their children acting calculated or two-faced. The fact that Elia was such a sincere, normal girl was the direct result of that upbringing and the effort everyone had put into it.
"Thanks to that, Elia has grown into a wonderful, straightforward girl. However, that also means she isn't particularly skilled at duplicity. There’s a risk that knowing the truth would make her act too comfortably or let her emotions show on her face.
"The Academy is full of the children of 'proper' nobles, many of whom are quite sharp-eyed. We must do everything in our power to prevent word from spreading where it shouldn't."
"Thank you for your consideration," I said.
I knew they probably wanted to tell her more than anyone, so I felt nothing but gratitude for their restraint.
"Think nothing of it. If not for you, Ryoma-kun, we would have carried this anxiety for the rest of our lives. Knowing the truth is a great salvation in itself. I feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders as well. Now, I can finally give a good report to Aria."
Aria? It was a name I hadn't heard before. Based on the context, I assumed she was a relative, but...
"Aria-chan was Reinbach-chan’s wife," Remily explained.
"In that case... Elia’s grandmother?"
"Aria-sama was never physically strong," Sebas said softly. "She worried about the Young Lady's future until the very moment she passed away. When my own time comes to join her, I believe I shall have a very pleasant report to deliver."
"I'm glad to hear she'll be happy, but please try to stay with us a long time," I replied.
"He's right," Sieber grunted. "Stop talking about such unlucky things. I understand you're relieved, but don't go letting your guard down now."
"The weather is lovely, so what’s the harm?" Remily chirped. "Let’s just take it easy for a bit."
As Remily-san said, it was a beautiful day. The sky was a clear, vivid blue, perfectly fair without a single cloud. A refreshing breeze blew past as we continued our relaxed journey.
"Besides, once we reach the Town of Ghosts, we won't have the luxury of sitting around like this. We should recharge while we can! So, let’s talk about something fun. Ryoma-chan, got anything for us?"
"I'm not sure what to say when you put it so vaguely..."
As someone who wasn't much of a conversationalist, I was at a loss. I'd probably just end up talking about magic again if I wasn't careful.
"How about recommendations for places to travel? I'm interested in seeing more of the world, and it would give me some peace of mind to have a few potential hideouts prepared, just in case my status as a Child of God is ever discovered."
"I can't tell if you're being laid-back or overly cautious," Remily mused. "But if it were me, I’d choose one of the cities along the Adora River. Water transport is big there, so it’s bustling and great for sightseeing. It’s also much easier to disappear in a crowd. If things go south, you’d have the river as an escape route in addition to the roads."
"Given your experience living in the forest and your mastery of Space Magic, the Count Baramus Territory to the south might also be a good fit," Sebas suggested. "The land is mostly mountains and forests, which would make hiding easy, but it’s still fairly lively due to their trade in high-end furniture and woodcrafts."
"Speaking from my experience as a knight, if you’re already in a position where you have to run, you've already lost," Sieber said sternly. "Once a warrant is issued, your name and face will spread across the kingdom. Even if you hide, people living in settlements will eventually find clues if you stay too long.
"Since you have the support of the Jamil Ducal House, you should rely on them as much as possible. If that ever becomes impossible, I would suggest fleeing the country entirely or hiding in a place so dangerous that no one would dare follow."
I see... in that case, maybe I should build a proper hideout in the Great Forest during my next trip. My destination was a place where a village once stood, so building a small home for myself should be feasible. I also thought about returning to my house in Gana Forest for the first time in a while to fix it up.
"Ryoma-kun, you could likely build a life for yourself anywhere," Reinbach-sama said. "However, rather than preparing to run, I believe it would be better for you to gain enough influence and social standing that discovering your identity wouldn't matter. Specifically, I recommend raising your adventurer rank."
Reinbach-sama had suggested the same thing shortly after we first met. He’d seen my Status Board and we’d talked about my mana capacity then, so I realized now that he’d probably suspected the truth even back then.
"If you reach A-Rank, you become a rare asset to the nobility, but a boy like you might be better off aiming straight for S-Rank. At that level, even the high nobility wouldn't be able to touch you easily."
"I've only just reached C-Rank, though. How do I even get to S-Rank?"
"There are generally two paths. The first is to spend many long years accumulating a list of achievements. The second is to simply rise to the top through sheer, undeniable strength."
According to his further explanation, S-Rank was partly an honorary title. It was usually awarded to A-Rank adventurers or parties who had shown years of consistent results and a high level of contribution to the Guild or the nation. Wogan-san, the Guild Master in Gimul, had taken this path.
However, the world occasionally produced individuals who didn't fit into the normal mold. Otherworlders—or rather, Children of God—were the primary examples. S-Rank was also designed to grant such people a status that protected them while keeping them somewhat under the Guild’s influence. While it came with its own set of headaches, the social standing and its power as a deterrent were immense.
"In my case, when a knight like me switches to adventuring, my previous record is added to my contributions," Sieber noted. "That is why I became an A-Rank immediately upon registration."
"And if I were to return to adventuring, my rank and my history as a Court Mage would be combined," Remily said. "I’d likely be an S-Rank, or at least a very high A. Maybe the three of us should just form an S-Rank party together."
That actually sounded like fun! But it was probably too early to think about.
When I voiced my concern, Remily-san chuckled, as if she had expected it.
"There is a trick, you know. A way to skip ahead."
"A trick? You don't mean bribes, do you?"
"Of course not! It’s just about earning S-Rank contribution points more efficiently. Remember how I said Sieber-chan’s and my careers are taken into account?"
"...I see. So I just need to gain a career that the Guild deems worthy of extra contribution points."
"Exactly! To be specific, you should become a 'Gladiator.' While there’s a showmanship aspect to it, rising through the ranks of the Arena requires undeniable strength. If you’re strong, you can climb those ranks much faster than you can as an adventurer. Obtaining a high-level Gladiator Certification is essentially a formal endorsement of your interpersonal combat skills."
It felt a bit like getting a professional certification to boost a career path, which made it easy to grasp.
"In the end, it’s a path you can only take if you have the skills to back it up, and you’ll definitely stand out. But if you’re okay with that, a boy like you should be able to go quite far. It’s legal, it’s a safe way to gain experience, and it’ll be a good learning opportunity.
"Besides, if you make a name for yourself as a gladiator, people will stop underestimating you based on your age and appearance, won't they?"
"That’s true... I actually have a former gladiator working at my shop. I’ll ask him for more details next time I see him."
If I talked to Ox-san, who was a former champion, I could get a lot of information. There was no need to rush, even if I wanted to gain status quickly. Maybe I could visit the Arena as a tourist first to get a feel for the place.
Come to think of it, I should bring Ox-san along. Having an expert to explain things would help me understand the matches better, and if he wanted to participate himself, I wouldn't stop him. If he could earn money through his own strength, it might even speed up his path to freedom. It would be a win for both of us.
"Once I've finished my visit home, I think I'll give it a try."
"That sounds like a plan," Remily agreed.
And so, we continued our leisurely journey atop the steady back of the slime, chatting and exchanging ideas. At this rate, it looked like we would make up for yesterday's delay and reach our destination before nightfall.