Published: July 3, 2025
From today,
"Part Two, Chapter Two: To the Western Nations" begins.
Finally, we have left the Central Nations.
At the front of the delegation from the Central Nations is the kingdom delegation led by Hugh McGrath.
However, the kingdom delegation has come to a stop on the way to the Corridor Nations' city of 'Aiteke Bo.'
They are not resting off the road, but have halted right on the road itself.
"It's a peaceful sight."
Ryo creates an ice chair and table, takes a sip of freshly brewed coffee, and lets out a sigh of relief as he mutters this.
"Y-yeah..."
While drinking the coffee made by Ryo, Nils, the leader of Room 10, agrees, albeit with a somewhat ambiguous expression.
"Well, it's definitely an experience we don't get often,"
Priest Eto from Room 10 smiles as he agrees while sipping his coffee made by Ryo.
"Isn't it magnificent!"
Swordsman Amon from Room 10 looks around happily while drinking his coffee made by Ryo.
By the way, the swordsman Harold from Room 11, Priest Zeek, and dual-wielder Gowan are all silently drinking their coffee...
Currently, a group of tree monsters, the treants, is moving from right to left in front of and behind the kingdom delegation.
Treants are tree monsters.
It seems that many of them are of the type with coniferous trees as their legs.
However, upon closer inspection, there are also some that appear to have their legs grown from broadleaf trees.
Even though they are all called "treants," there seems to be various types.
For Ryo, who was born on Earth, it is a truly fantastical sight.
After all, they have legs growing from trees and are walking and running!
Some run in a little quick step, while others hop as they run...
Just like the diversity of vegetation, there seems to be diversity among the treants as well.
For Ryo, it remains a fantastical sight...
The road where these treants are crossing is not particularly wide.
That said, a road is still a road.
This road runs through the Forest of Jet Black.
As a result, the monsters moving through the forest inevitably cross the road.
This is ecologically unavoidable.
Thus, this road does not have the exorcism pillars that are found on the roads of the Central Nations...
Basically, the tree monsters known as treants are said to have gentle natures and will not attack unless provoked.
Still, if thousands of monsters are moving nearby, it would be hard for anyone to remain calm.
At least, there might not be many people who could actually call it a "peaceful sight"...
"Those big ones have a certain dignity about them, but the small ones are quite cute."
"Oh, do you think so too, Ryo-san? I wish all monsters were like this."
Amon nods as he responds to Ryo's words.
"No, I can't help but want to reach for my sword..."
"Come on, Nils, relax a bit. The younger treants won’t attack us."
Nils expresses his honest opinion, and Eto gently reassures him with a wry smile.
"But, this time it’s treants, but there could be a pack of wolfmen crossing as well, right?"
It was Priest Zeek who voiced such concerns.
"Yeah, apparently that can happen. Encountering them can easily lead to a party wipeout,"
Eto responds to the concern.
It was only natural for the other two members of Room 11 to shiver a little upon hearing this.
Even Nils, the b-rank swordsman and their senior, imagined that scene and shivered...
However, the water attribute mage, exuding confidence, opened his mouth.
"It'll be fine!"
He seems to have some confidence. He continued speaking.
"When that happens, we'll leave Nils behind and everyone else will run away!"
"Why me?!"
"While your big body is being eaten, we'll buy some time..."
"Is being eaten a given...?"
Of course, it was a joke.
...Of course, it’s just a joke, right?
Yeah... it's just a joke... probably.
While Room 10 and Room 11 were having such a conversation at the back of the kingdom delegation, the leader Hugh McGrath was wearing a serious expression at the front.
In his hands, he held a simple map-like document.
"It's unavoidable, but... this is going to take quite a bit of time. It seems we won't make it to the originally planned campsite."