Volume 2: Chapter 36 Trip Departure
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"Brill!!! Hey!!! Over here!!!"

I see you, I see you. Don't be too excited. I know you can't wait to fight at that arena but calm down. That fight loving maniac.

"Shut up! Don't be so loud this early in the morning. Morning chatterbox, did you get what I asked for?"
"Good morning, Brill. Here is the space pouch you wanted. The total comes to 12 gold, 62 silver and 47 copper coins."
"Here you go, thanks."

These pouches are expensive. I want to keep my [Soul Memory] hidden from everyone so I need a fake storage for all my things. However, most of the cheap ones are easily damaged. The one I brought to the desert was destroyed by the sand storm. The one I bought at the human continent was good but it was taken when I got captured. I need to take better care of my things if I want them to last.

The better alternative is to buy a smaller version of the clunky bag that has stronger materials. I don't really have a defense against a sand storm that has the feeling of flying thumbtacks so I choose the expensive option.

"Come on, let's hurry. The carriages are here, come on. I want to go to the arena soon."
"Calm down! The journey will take 2 week from here. The academy is using Iron rhinos to pull the carriages so we won't have to worry about them getting killed in an ambush."
"Why iron rhinos? I can't wait that long!"
"They have one of the toughest hide and they have good stamina. They are strong too so it can pull the merchandise the academy wants to sell."

I thought so! This is one of those four birds with one stone scheme that the academy likes to play. This would count as a graduation trip, we could act as part of the guard, it would serve as training for the new army recruits and leadership training for the seniors, and finally it would be a business delivery for them.

They are cheapskates but I have to admit, they are smart.

"Everyone! Assemble here for roll call."

It looks like our teacher is in charge. That would make it easier for us. I doubt he would show favoritism but since he understands our abilities, he can protect us better. It makes following instructions easier too since we are used to how our teacher works.

I have to say, we have sturdy looking carriages. There are only three of them but it looks tough looking. A huge iron rhino at the front, a coachman's seat and the cargo hold connected to the beast and finally the passengers carriage for us connected to it. It's basically a two cart train being pulled by a hulk of a beast. I am guessing that the cargo is near the front because we at the back can always watch it. The main priority is the cargo, huh, and we are basically the watchdogs.

It looks like the coachman are the three teachers. They would of course ensure our safety but I am sure they would make their main priority the cargo and the money after they sold it off. I don't know if they are as strong as the head blacksmith teacher who took down a huge iron sand worm but since one of them is an alchemist and a miner, I expect strong explosions and a stronger pick axe swing.

The other classes with us are Three from the alchemist graduates, no one I know, and seven from the miners graduates, no one I recognize too. This should be from one class of their whole group but even if its one class, that many is still low. I can understand the alchemist since its an expensive profession that needs a lot of materials to practice, not to mention the bulk of information that you need to learn. However, how did a miner class only have seven graduates? If I based it on my class then they should have started from 20 students. Oh! [Holy Magic], holy magic is needed for someone to mine at the mountain so I guess those with too low mana or those who can't maintain it are dropped out. They could still try again but they need to train that up to pass.

Our guard detail are 25 army students and 5 combat healers. Two of the healers are new students, two are seniors and the last one is a graduate. There aren't many combat healers so they split them up to lead the combat healer students.

The 25 army students are 5 graduates to oversee them, 4 senior combat students to learn how to lead the group of 4 new recruits. They made four groups with five person in each of them. The five graduates have their own iron rhino mounts but the others are stationed around the cargo hold's four corners while the combat healers sit with us.

Victor's information is really detailed. I have to give it to him, he collected all this just from one sparring session.

"How did you get all this victor? You even have their night shift rotation and their different strategies if different things happen."
"Ah, I was part of the consultants since I have experience escorting merchants part way the route we will take."
"Why were you even at their security meeting?"
"It's because the leader is smart and knows how to use resources available to them. I went through part way on the route we will take so my experience is valuable as reference, plus my girlfriend is part of the graduates who will lead the newcomers so she told them I have useful info."
"You have a girlfriend? How come I never knew about this? I thought we were supposed to tell each other when things like this happen!"
"It's because you get too suspicious when it comes to women ever since lisa. Brill knows about it but I thought you would be annoying so I kept it a secret from you."
"Yeah, she is a good leader and an excellent fighter too. Its just too bad that she is in a different group. You can meet her when victor marries her. I just hope you won't creep her out with your anxiety."

She was a lot like victor in regards to their obsession towards fighting but she has more self control and a better head. I would be relieved if she is the leader of our guard group. I only met her a couple of times but I can tell that she and victor would have a berserker for a child. Heh, I am sure they have violent sex too from the way they spar.

"All right, every one is here so lets go. We need to deliver this cargo in 2 and a half week and we are leaving early to accommodate any 'surprises' but we will still keep a tight schedule to make it there by two weeks. We won't have any allowances for you all to sight see on the way but we were given 4 days to tour the central island after we deliver our goods. Board up, we have a long journey ahead."

Ugh! 23 people stuck inside a single carriage for two weeks. I won't enjoy this. I better pick the spot right near the end. Only the front and the the back are open and the seating style are on the edges. It's like those long seating on subway trains. The middle is where we put our luggage.

I know its for passengers but this looks like a train carriage. There aren't any windows either so only the front and back are open like a wagon. It is built with wood and some metal parts here and there so I won't have to worry about rain, be it water or arrows.

I'll take the back seat right near where we climb on. It is open and I might get hit by a stray arrow but I think I trained my instincts enough to feel it coming. I also think my skin could take on a normal arrow with my training, and even if I did get injured my [Holy Magic] reinforcement magic would heal me.

I also have a leather blanket to block the entrance in case it rained. I really doubt it would rain in the dwarf continent but since we are heading near the ocean, the possibility would rise.

I won't have a problem with staying quiet throughout the journey so I won't need to humour the other students with a conversation. The only problem would be on how many ambushes we will experience during the journey.

Unlike the human continent there are bandits here since life is hard and there isn't any good farm lands. Most of the bandits don't want the money, since you need proof of residency and their status card to enter the town, so they mostly target merchants for food and supplies, like armour, weapons, and clothes. They can hire a resident to buy things for them but I imagine giving someone a large amount of money nerve wracking. They might have a black market to purchase things but I am sure it won't be cheap.

Other than bandits, we are going through deserts and harsh terrain which makes the monsters more ferocious. Its hard to find food if your prey is also accustomed to the environment so they love to attack beasts and travelers burdened with baggage.

If we did get attacked, my position at the very end furthest from the teacher is bad. However, I might be able to see the enemy first and run away in case it happened. We also have the combat healers with us I just need to avoid a fatal attack to survive.

I do have a fantastic chainmail I made under this leather armour. I wanted a full metal armour but it would slow me down so much, not to mention its too hot to wear an all metal suit. I also made a shield and a mace but I want to avoid fighting if possible. They might make me a guard and use me as free labour otherwise.

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