Chapter 3: Toward the Northern Forest

When I woke the next morning, unfamiliar birds were chirping outside the window.

I had heard birds back in the regional capital too, but something about this was different.

Mornings on a journey seemed to make my body feel lighter, leaving me in a strangely refreshed mood.

Maybe this was one of the true pleasures of traveling.

When I went down to the first-floor dining hall, several guests were already having breakfast.

Drivers who had likely arrived at dawn.

Merchants who had apparently begun their business negotiations early in the morning.

Everyone was caught up in their own busyness.

I chose a seat in the corner so as not to get in anyone’s way.

What was brought out was the same hard bread and warm soup as last night, along with slightly sour cheese.

It was simple, but more than enough to fuel a traveler.

While eating, I took out the notebook I had brought downstairs and spread open the map I had checked the night before.

This post town sat right at a fork in the highway.

If I went south, I would eventually reach the large port city facing the vast sea the Deputy Knight had once spoken of.

If I went north, I would pass through an expansive forest that occupied most of the map, and beyond it lay another large city.

Now then, which way should I go?

Because I hadn’t decided beforehand, it was harder than I expected.

Letting the sea breeze of a port town wash over me sounded nice, but walking through an unknown forest was equally tempting.

The surrounding conversations drifted into my ears like background music.

“I tell you, I came up from the south, and it was a mess along the way…”

“Ah, so they showed up again? It’s been especially dangerous lately.”

“It’s a real pain. Bandits are running wild on every highway. Business is taking a hit.”

Apparently, bandit activity had increased along the southern road.

That sounded troublesome.

Bandits, huh.

It might be a good test of skill, but I had no desire to get entangled with annoying types.

And if I came across merchants or travelers caught up in trouble, I knew I wouldn’t be able to ignore them.

Which meant guaranteed hassle.

From another table, I heard a different remark.

“The northern road’s stable right now. Good weather too. The forest paths should be easy enough to pass.”

The northern highway was stable, huh.

The usual me would choose that without hesitation.

Avoid the troublesome bandits in the south and head north where the weather was steady and the roads were easier.

That was the simplest, most peaceful option.

If bandits were active, there would be some degree of danger.

Travel was meant to be carefree.

Better to avoid dangerous places and quietly mind my own business.

…No, wait.

It’s true I hate trouble, but if someone’s in need…

No, no.

I nearly let myself get dragged toward the more troublesome path again.

I wanted a relaxed journey, didn’t I?

In the end, I decided to head north.

Traveling in stable weather would make for a more pleasant experience.

And the chances of encountering bandits were probably lower than in the south.

The risk of getting dragged into something annoying should be minimized.

Yeah, this choice suited me.

Rational, low hassle, and easy on the nerves.

After finishing my meal, I paid the innkeeper at the counter.

While I was at it, I asked for several days’ worth of portable rations, figuring I would need them for crossing the forest.

Dried meat, hard-baked bread, and dried soup mix.

She wrapped them up with practiced hands.

I returned to my room and made a final check of my belongings.

I reviewed the contents of my backpack and checked the condition of the sword at my waist.

There shouldn’t be anything I’d forgotten.

Not too heavy, not too light.

Everything necessary for the journey should be there.

With the rations in hand, I left the inn.

The morning sun illuminated the highway.

Fresh air filled my lungs.

Alright, let’s go.

Northward.

Toward the vast forest that covered most of the map.

I walked along the road.

The dirt path was easy enough to traverse.

My steps felt lighter than they had the day before.

From time to time, I exchanged brief greetings with passing travelers and merchants.

Each of them was on their way to some destination.

Even short greetings created a faint sense of camaraderie, like I wasn’t entirely alone.

Not that I was looking to get close to anyone, but it wasn’t bad.

During the day, I walked steadily onward.

Before nightfall, I would search for the next post town, or if none was in sight, find a suitable place to camp.

If I was lucky enough to find an inn, I would spend the night there.

A warm meal and even a dusty bed under a roof were things to be grateful for.

If there was no inn, I would choose a spot slightly off the highway, build a campfire, and sleep under the open sky.

I would heat up the rations I brought and eat them.

Spending a quiet night alone beneath the stars wasn’t bad either.

Only the sound of the wind and the chirping of insects echoed through the darkness.

The scenery along the highway changed with each passing day.

One moment it was an open plain, and before I knew it, it had turned into gentle rolling hills.

Sometimes I could see mountain ranges stretching into the distance.

Sometimes I crossed small rivers.

There was never a dull moment.

It might not have been the exact scenery the Knight had described, but it was still the kind of landscape I had wanted to see.

I had heard rumors of bandits only on the southern road, and not once along this northern route.

Fortunately, I hadn’t encountered any so far.

Perhaps choosing to walk during moderately busy hours had worked in my favor.

After walking for several days like that, I finally saw a dense mass of dark green ahead on the road.

It was the entrance to the vast forest marked on the map.

Just before it stood another post town.

Buildings began appearing one by one along the highway, eventually forming a small settlement of inns and shops.

This was apparently the last post town before entering the forest.

The forest was expansive, and according to the map, it would take several days to cross.

There didn’t seem to be another post town within it.

I decided to stay here for the night.

Before entering the forest, I wanted to prepare properly.

Tomorrow morning, I would finally step into the unknown woods.