Now then, even though there have been various things happening during this two weeks, the one that's immediately apparent is this wagon.
I was allowed to freely use the workshop left from the marquis era, so I remodeled the wagon as much as I wanted to. I mainly tried to remodel the suspension system by strengthening the shock absorption. Unfortunately, I couldn't make anything fancy for the shock absorption.
The wagon is now pulled by four horses, increased from two before, so I'm expecting speed increase. Especially since the horses that Mia and Tama have ridden have leveled up are now pulling the wagon, it would be more effective.
For the sake of avoiding thieves, Liza and Nana wear armors and ride the horses. The baron has given a horse for Nana from the same species that Liza is riding, Shuberien. The full plate armors that the two wear are my creations. When I was taking Nana's size, there were some lucky situations that arose, but Mia hindered them all. I think Mia's intuition is too good.
Needless to say, the reason why the ones riding the horses are not Pochi and Tama is because they're too short, they'd look like children from afar, and that'd invite thieves rather than repelling them.
Mia is riding a horse.
The reason is the horse that Mia is riding itself. In truth, it's not a horse, it's a unicorn that has been sold illegally on the black market.
Even in this world, unicorns are being sold for their horns since they're effective medicines for all kind of sickness. I saved this unicorn when it was going to to be sold to people with eccentric taste in food after it got its horn cut.
The business of selling unicorns is forbidden in the entire Shiga kingdom, not just in baron Muno territory.
I wanted to return it to the place where other unicorns were with Mia, but since it didn't have horn, it couldn't get accepted into the herds.
The horn is seen as a recovery item by other races, but for unicorn itself, it's an important organ. Without the horn, an unicorn is not only unable to use its race-specific abilities, but it also loses the way to communicate to its friends. According to the indication from AR, unicorns are not monsters but belong to mythical beasts category.
Even the baron administrative was troubled with it, but since the unicorn got attached to our Mia right from the beginning, Mia began to gradually take care of it. We'll take it to Bornean forest together with Mia, and let it live in peace there.
"Lulu, I'll change your place as the coachman."
"Don't do that, master has become a noble, so when we're at the place where other people could see, master should let the servant to be the coachman."
Since I get scolded by Lulu, I give up on being the coachman and sit beside her. It's cute that she's still holding the rein properly even while scolding me.
"The flirting guy is here huh~"
As if estimating the right time, Arisa snuggles on my waist while protesting in monotone voice. Furthermore, she purposely puts her face between me and Lulu.
"Oh Arisa, burned with jealousy are you."
Lulu pats Arisa's hair while smiling.
There, Pochi and Tama climb on Arisa as if flattening her.
"Ugeh."
"Flirt~?"
"Prohibited nano desu."
The two are probably happy because it's been awhile since it's only us together.
"Prohibited."
Mia who's riding the horse on the side poke my shoulders while sulking a bit, probably because she's lonely.
The wagon gets out of the Muno city and head toward the highway.
We're speeding up from there. Since we've been going slow in the city, now the wagon advances close to three times faster.
The leveled-up horses speeding up the wagon don't bring only good things. The countermeasure I've made for the vibration goes to waste.
"Au, the vibration is harsh."
"Even though it's quite better than before, it's still too harsh I guess? Lulu I'll take your place, so you can sit on the Float Seat with Arisa."
"But."
"You don't have to be reserved, it's alright."
"Yes, I understand."
Float Seat is a chair made with magic circuit that have properties of opposing magnets. On top of having low weight limit, it also needs to be recharged with magic power every 30 minutes, so it couldn't be used on the wagon's body. It still needs some improvements.
If I could downsize it a bit more, I could use it on the coachman's seat.
"Fuh, I'm revived."
"My bottom isn't hurt, but I feel nauseated."
"I'll give you medicine if you feel sick, so say if you are."
"Yes."
In exchange of the two who are sitting on the back seat, Pochi and Tama sit beside me.
"Next to master~?""Nano desu."
Come to think of it, since we were busy with various things when we were in the baron territory, we hadn't been together much beside the time when we were sleeping. I decide to pamper the two until they're satisfied today.
◇
The wagon gets out of the baron territory four days later.
During that time, thieves showed up on the radar, but their scout only loitered around without attacking us even once. So having cavalries outside does help after all.
Our route is not to the capital of Oyugock dukedom, but the slightly off-course self-governing dominion of the dwarves.
The self-governing dominion is inside Oyugock dukedom, about four days away from baron Muno territory.
Of course, our purpose is sightseeing.
It'd wasteful to avoid the live townscape of the dwarves so, might as well.
Incidentally, there's also the matter about the letter that viscount Nina has asked me to deliver.
After advancing through the highway located beside a river with reddish-brown water, we arrive at the hometown of the dwarves.