Fleeing Citizens

I packed my bottle of water into my bag. I brought five granola bars as my snack during the day. I tore one and ate the bar. 

As I munched the food slowly become more energized. I had two more bites and felt overloaded with energy. 

"Woah!"

I feel like I could run for 5 kilometers at maximum speed. I didn't finish the granola bar but I was satisfied by the end of it. I felt ready to approach the caravan.

" Go Hetty!" I commanded Hetty and headed towards the moving caravan. 

In the distance, people glanced at us. The carriages stopped and various people gathered into the center of the group. Several armed men left their carriages and lined up in front of me. They had shields which they laid down and made a phalanx. They pointed their spears.

"Ah"

I slowed down Hetty and raised both of my hands. Once I got near to the soldiers I dropped my hatchet. I tried to lower my hostility and tried to disembark Hetty. 

However, I didn't know how to do it. For the past hours, I've only gotten used to riding Hetty. I still fall from time to time but Hetty never detached from my foot. 

Right, I could command Hetty to unbound itself from my foot. "Umm Disembark?". 

I lost balance once Hetty let go of my legs. I fell to the sands and my clothes got littered with dirt. My face struck the ground but luckily I wore goggles and a mask. 

I probably looked threatening in front of them. I bet they laughed at me when I fell to the ground. 

Shit! I wish I could get buried in the sand! Fucking hell embarrassed me in front of them. 

"Hey! Face up! Who are you!" One of the soldiers shouted at me. I looked up and saw groups of spears directed at me. If I moved further my face would've been pierced. 

Also, did they speak English? If so then that would be neat. Looks like I could communicate with them with ease!

"Umm, I have no means of harming you! I bring no hostility to your group!". I tried to convince them that I'm no menace.

Even then no one lowered their spears. One of them spoke.

"Liar! Why were you charging at us? With this strange artifact!" They questioned my actions. I had to continue convincing them if wanted to live my way out of this one.

"I'm being truthful here! I bring no harm. I hail from the dunes!". 

"The dunes?". One man came forward. He wore slightly lavish clothes, unlike the others who wore dirty clothes and some even rags. 

"What are you? No one lives in the middle of the Haran Desert. Even less if you lived at the Yellow Dunes. Are you a demon?".

" I swear! I'm not a demon, please don't kill me!". I assured them that I was not a demon. Some soldiers lowered their spears. While some kept it pointed at me.

The man looked young and knowledgeable. I feel like they were running away from something. I added."I am one-hundred percent human! I'm not a menace. See I don't have red skin and a horn!". This was my third attempt. I hope I convinced them. 

"He doesn't seem to possess magic young master Kon" A busty beauty appeared by his side. She held his shoulders and added."Even then it is quite suspicious. How come you possess such strange and unique artifacts. There must be some way you attained it. I would be willing to buy one if ever."

She looked like someone from her late 20s. She had a busty body but it was covered by a robe. Her silky hair reached to her upper back. Just by looking at it, you can see that she followed orders from this young man.

"I'm sorry but my items aren't available!" I declined her offer but instead, I tried to offer my snacks. 

"How about this, I can offer this magical snack. This bad boy can refill your energy in just a few bites.". I handed them my granola bar which came from my backpack. Young Master Kon or whoever he is walked towards me. He grabbed the bar with ease. His eyes widened and to his surprise, he smiled. 

"Oh my, This is quite an excellent item I can accept, In return?" 

"I don't get harmed and at least lead me to a fertile land.". I replied to him.

"So you wish to go north? We're reaching safe land up north. Of course, I'm willing to bring a hitchhiker if of course, he would be useful." He spoke in a confident and composed manner. I feel like he would be an excellent leader when the time comes.

"Yes! I was lost in the desert. I wish to find lush lands so I can get food."

"Either way, I am interested in your artifacts. So hop on board if you want to." Kon accepted me in their caravan. I picked up the hatchet I dropped on the ground. I cleaned my clothes and shook my hatchet to remove the sand. 

Kon led me to his carriage alongside his busty assistant. I brought Hetty with me and went inside his carriage. 

Both of them looked at me and I felt awkward about it. I looked away in response. 

Kon broke the silence and spoke to me." So how did you get lost?". 

"Well... I just woke up from the desert I guess. I still have my equipment with me though."I answered his question. I asked him about their convoy."So, why are you going north? It looks like a dire situation."

"You guessed it right... Let's just we're fleeing from the Goblin Kingdoms. No, they can't even be..."He went silent for a while until he spoke again." They became intelligent, to say the least. I guess a new demon lord is leading the goblin kingdoms by the south. Back in my territory, some ruffians said that their leader isn't even a demon but more of a ghoul."

So Kon was a noble huh? It's a shame that their homeland is destroyed. It's kind of weird, I couldn't feel sentimental when I arrived here. No, not once had I been sad. 

No, I couldn't even get sad about leaving my father. Now that I thought about it, I don't remember jack-shit before I transmigrated. I still remembered the morning hours where I had to go outside and jog. I recalled that I thawed my steak during noon and from then on there was nothing. 

Maybe I should think about this in the future... For a while, I should focus on my current problems. 

I finally looked back at them and saw his assistant starting to speak. " So now that you know your circumstances how about you demonstrate your artifacts. Oh... I forgot to introduce my name, I'm Vienna. Just Vienna." She introduced herself whilst asking. 

I agreed to her requests and showcased one of my items. I brought out Hetty and demonstrated its functions in front of them." I can fly using this board you know? I don't know how it works but from what I know it relies on magic...".

I was floating inside the carriage. Of course, I fell once again. Both of them went closer to look at Hetty. Vienna examined the white stripes of Hetty. 

"Oh my... If we were on an adventurers guild. You would get a lot of gold. No... This artifact's quite strange. When I try to connect with it. It rejects me... It's not even a possessed artifact."She became more interested and asked me more.

"How about that Hatchet? I can sense that is an artifact because I can feel a certain amount of magic control. Comparable to that of a sage. It's also the same for this board...". 

"Would you demonstrate in front of me? It wouldn't hurt if you tried.".

I just nodded and brought out my hatchet. 

 It looked normal but deep down it held some power. I know it, even Vienna admitted that there are some peculiarities within my items. 

How could I demonstrate it? I can't just split the carriage in half that would anger them.

" Oh right, You need target practice? I'll do it for you." Kon threw me a piece of log. I was supposed to chop in half so I did.

I raised my right hand as I held the hatchet. I swung it downwards and sliced the log into two. The cut was smooth and there was barely any struggle. The hatchet was lighter and it made it easy to swing. 

Vienna was smiling in front of me."I sure am happy your not my enemy."

Kon the other hand looked wary but soon swayed it off. There was a little silence after that. Until suddenly Kon introduced himself." I forgot, My name is Kon Thaft, the 16-year-old son of the late Baron Davis Thaft. We used to rule a small fief well until they came.". He offered a handshake to which I accepted. 

I also made my introduction." My name is Hanlin Zoe, I'm just a commoner. Should I call you with honorifics?"

"Don't mind it. I'm just the son of a baron. Not some Royal Prince." Kon acquainted with me pretty quick. 

"Young master, I'm gonna check the very back of our caravan."She announced.

Kon agreed."Alright then go-ahead."

It was only the two of us left inside of the carriage. I wanted to know more about what happened on his territory so I asked."If I may ask if it is okay with you. What happened back at your homeland?".

Kon answered my question with a long answer."It started two years ago specifically year 100 NEC. We ruled a territory part of the Margan Kingdom by the same surname. It was particularly on the southern tip of the Kingdom. There were neighboring kingdoms by the north, east, and west but there was none by the south. Beyond the south lay, a forest that is infested with monsters."

"Our territory was the first line of defense if ever a horde of monsters came by. That place was still infested even after 102 years since The Grand Demon King died. At that time there was an increase in Goblin raids at our farms and villages. Dad arranged an army and headed to the Southern Forest. 

"Well let just say only a few managed to return. In the end, with our budget being spent on the soldiers. Some villagers fled our territory. My dad ordered me to leave. I hesitated but I did. Vienna who was our lead mage accompanied me till now. We managed to gather some villagers and created a caravan and escaped further North.".

Well, that was an info dump. Why flee further when there are neighboring kingdoms just by the north. I asked him about it. " Why did you flee further north. You could have just taken refuge in some northern kingdom."

He replied."I wish that was easy. By the time we reached the north of Marga Kingdom. Half of the kingdom itself was ravaged by Goblin attacks. We decided to go north but they restricted the entrance of Marganese citizens. Guards were very heavy and we decided to sneak it out and at least form a settlement further North."

I see so that's why they were fleeing. It sucks for them but what would have happened if it happens to ravage the northern kingdoms. That wouldn't be good. Things calmed down a bit."Thanks for the answers. I didn't know about it..."

"It's alright."

I and Kon continued to chatter a little bit. Even with all that composed demeanor, Kon is surprisingly an approachable guy. 

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"Young Master! There is an Antlion Attack!". Vienna yelled and we were alerted. 

We peeked outside the carriage and we saw packs of Antlions appearing from the horizon.