Chapter 13: Traveling with a Merchant Caravan
After leaving the post town, Rowena and I resumed our journey toward the city of Norest.
Wearing her brand-new clothes and carrying her small backpack, Rowena looked somewhat proud.
For a while after departing, the grassland stretched as far as the eye could see.
Walking atop the green carpet under the blue sky felt wonderful.
I could feel the wind brushing through my hair.
After walking for about two days, the scenery gradually began to change.
Gentle hills started to appear, and trees dotted the grassland here and there.
The road gained gradual inclines and declines, and our pace naturally slowed.
Rowena seemed to have completely grown accustomed to traveling and no longer hid behind me.
She bustled around near me as we moved forward together.
Whenever she spotted a small flower blooming by the roadside, she would stop.
If she heard the call of a rare bird, she would point in its direction to tell me.
She was endlessly restless, but watching her somehow put me at ease.
Though speaking was still difficult for her, through gestures, the occasional “ah” or “eh,” and her expressions alone, we had become surprisingly able to understand one another.
When she wanted to convey something, she would tug at my sleeve, point, or act it out with gestures.
I, too, had become better at reading her feelings and what she wished to say from those gestures and expressions.
Taking breaks along the way, we moved forward slowly but steadily.
There was no longer the urgency we had felt while running through the forest.
Now, I had enough leeway to match Rowena’s pace and enjoy the scenery.
On the highway, we occasionally passed other travelers.
Some traveled alone, others were families.
Everyone was heading toward their own destination.
We exchanged brief greetings in passing, nothing more.
That casual distance suited me just fine.
Amidst this, we encountered a somewhat large merchant caravan.
It consisted of about five wagons in a row, quite a sizable group.
Perhaps they too were heading toward Norest.
They caught up to us at a narrow stretch of road, so I stepped to the side and stopped to let them pass.
Rowena stood beside me, looking up at the caravan with interest.
The driver of the leading wagon loosened the reins as he came alongside us.
He was a well-built, good-natured-looking man.
“Ah, sorry about that. We’re in a bit of a hurry.”
“Not at all,” I replied.
The driver looked between me and Rowena.
“Oh? Traveling together, are you? Walking this road with a child must be tough. If you’d like, why not travel with us? There’s safety in numbers. Unsavory types tend to keep their distance.”
It was an unexpected offer.
Certainly, traveling with a caravan would be safer than going alone.
Especially now that I had Rowena with me, it was best to avoid dangers we could avoid.
“…That would help us greatly. Thank you.”
I expressed my gratitude and agreed to join them.
The caravan’s pace was slower than my usual walking speed, but it was just right for traveling with Rowena.
The caravan members found Rowena interesting, and one of the wagon drivers invited her to ride in his wagon.
Experiencing a wagon ride for the first time, Rowena’s eyes sparkled as she conversed animatedly with the driver through gestures.
Watching her, I found myself smiling as well.
That night, we camped slightly off the road.
We were allowed to join them.
We all gathered around a large campfire and shared a meal.
Rowena happily ate the warm soup and bread the caravan members shared with her.
After dinner, we talked around the fire.
They traveled between various cities and were well accustomed to life on the road.
I spoke vaguely about my own journey, but they did not pry.
During the conversation, I asked,
“Is there any place in Norest that might buy unusual goods? For example… materials from a large monster?”
One of the merchants stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Large monster materials, huh… Well, Norest has a sizable Adventurers’ Guild. They might handle such things. Also… there’s an inn in the southern district called the ‘Golden Scales Inn.’ The owner’s a bit eccentric. I’ve heard he occasionally buys rare materials privately.”
“Golden Scales Inn… in the southern district. Thank you. That helps.”
Obtaining information about selling the drake’s tail was significant.
Carrying it around was quite the burden.
The next morning, we reached a fork in the road leading to Norest.
This was where we parted ways with the caravan.
“Thank you for your kindness. Please accept this, just a small token…”
I attempted to offer them a silver coin in gratitude.
But the man who seemed to be the caravan leader laughed and gently pushed my hand back.
“What are you saying? Fellow travelers help each other. Besides, thanks to you, the wolves kept their distance last night. We should be the ones thanking you.”
It seemed they had noticed me driving off the wolves.
“And this is for the young lady.”
The leader took out a small paper bag from his pocket.
“For a snack on the road.”
A sweet baked scent drifted from inside.
Rowena looked at me, unsure whether she should accept it.
I nodded, and she took it with her small hands.
“Thank you very much.”
I bowed deeply once more in gratitude.
Rowena also bowed earnestly with her small body.
“Take care!”
“Enjoy your journey!”
The caravan members waved as they called out to us.
I held Rowena’s hand and waved back.
After watching the wagons proceed down the other road, we once again set off toward Norest, just the two of us.
Rowena held the bag of baked sweets carefully against her chest.
Alright. Norest wasn’t much farther now.
Once we arrived, we would first visit that Golden Scales Inn.