"Good morning, head teacher sophie!"
"Stop trying to fool everyone, you old coot. Don't try to pass off yesterday as if it didn't happen."
"I don't know what you're talking about?"
"Oh, so you didn't remember the embarrassing scene of you struggling to remove the paralyzed bandits that are biting your leg?"
"Tsk, it wasn't my fault. I'm not a frontline fighter! I'm mainly a support!! I can help heal, boost, or bomb enemies but giving me a front line is too much!"
"It can't be helped, the members we have are not fit for that kind of fight."
"How about the miner teacher? He would have been a better fit to defend a direction!"
"We need someone to stay with the students in case someone powerful slips through. You can't really expect the enchanter teacher to handle it by herself? She is more unsuited for combat than you."
"*groan* At the very least include that in the report. It wasn't fully my fault and I fought greatly despite the circumstances!"
"My report will be fair for everyone, so don't worry but you have to be prepared for re-training when we get back. The enemy might have been agile but if you had better aim, it wouldn't have been as hard a fight as you make it out to be. A better strategy would have been better too."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good, now keep this letter and deliver it to the principal when you return. Don't forget to warn the following groups and merchant's about the bandits. I doubt they would attack again but the big groups might try to act out in desperation. The army won't take this lying down, so they might escape while looting as much as possible to everyone that passes. I'll do the same on the central island's side."

It seems that what happened yesterday is a bigger problem than what it seems. The news of the bandit assault should alert the other bandits, it would then cascade in a free-for-all in a couple of days. We have to be careful when we return, the bandits might chase us. However, the bigger problems are for the groups that are arriving next. Their teacher better be powerful if they want to go through this field trip safe.

Head teacher sophie's report should alert the army and they would soon tide over this place to wipe out every bandit they could find but it would take them some time to assemble and reach here. To avoid casualties, the school might recall the other groups from passing through here before the army arrives. The merchants and other travellers would avoid it too but that is a minor loss compared to risking their cargo and lives in passing through here.

It seems we are in for troubled times after this. The bandits that once populated the dragon's road will find a new territory in the dwarf continent until this place settles down.

"Alright! We need to move soon, get ahead of the information! Reach the next group and ask them to turn back until we have news. I will also hold our group at the central island until we receive backup from the academy."
"I'll inform the other teachers."

It's normal for every first endeavour to have a few problems cropping up here and there but the level of the problems we are encountering are way too huge. To be fair, we did break the balance of this place by parading all this merchandise and having the army's emblem. It might seem that the army is provoking the bandits here into attacking them.

"Get up! We're entering a state of emergency. We will rush our way back now."
"Eh?"
"What?...so early."
".....five more minutes."
"Emer...gen...cy?"

I can't really blame the others. This is way too early in the morning. The sun just barely peaked through the horizon.

"Brill, what happened yesterday? Did we lose someone? Argh!!! Why was I knocked out!!?? If only I didn't act impulsive!"
"I'll tell you in the wagon on the way back. Wake up chatterbox, he's mentally tired from what happened."

We need to survive escaping this place first. The next group is about five days away. We should meet them in a few days if we travel at the same speed, probably sooner since we should be hurrying back."

"Get up you lazy bastards!! We will leave right away. Us teachers will now be in charge of what happens on the way back. Be on your best behaviour as we might get attacked."
"What!? I thought teacher already took care of the bandits yesterday?"
"Right!! All the bandits were wiped out too. Doesn't this mean that we don't have to worry about being attacked by them again?"
"Things are more complicated than that. Now get up and start packing up, we will hit the road. Eat in the wagon and I will explain things on the way."

Please say that we won't need to eat on the road for the remainder of the trip! Our wagon suspension is really good but unless we have space grade technology, you can still feel the motion of the vehicle. My mind, and body are strengthened but it still functions normally. My stomach would turn if I had to eat while feeling non-stop vibrations.

"Why are you still lazily moving? Get up and move out!! If you aren't at the wagon in time then we will leave you behind!!"

*Gasp*

"Quick, quic, get out of the way!"

Things are that bad?

"Victor, help me pack the things. We won't make it in time if we wait until chatterbox wakes up."
"Alright, I'll pack the things, help me move them to the wagon."
"Good but we need to move this sleeping thing first!"

*Grab* *Throw*

"Gah!?......What the?........Are we being attacked again?"
"Help us pack our things up."
"Don't question anything and listen to me and victor first. Teacher will leave everyone who isn't up and ready."
"What about breakfast?"
"Do you want to eat or do you want to be left behind?"
"Brill, I'm done packing up our supplies."
"Good, I'm done packing up our gear. Chatterbox, if you want breakfast then quickly prepare something that could be eaten on the road."

That took us a while, do we still have time? I have some bread and smoked meat but if we are going to continue having this strict schedule then we would need to cook food the night before.

"Alright, that is enough time. Get on the wagon or be left behind!!!"
"Ah, I haven't finished making the soup."
"Why were you making soup!!?? You can eat soup at night when we stop for a rest. Just eat the bread sparingly because we are not stopping until the rhino's need to rest."
"Teacher is right, why were you making soup, chatterbox?"
"We could still eat it on the wagon, I eat it all the time during my family's travels. It's actually easier to eat since you don't need to chew it. You need to have soup in the morning!"
"We will be rushing our way back and the road here isn't as good as the route you merchant's use. Also, think about how long it will take to cook it!! Nevermind, just climb on the wagon and we can continue this on the road."

*Drag* *Jump* *Thump*

"Ouch! That hurts, can't you be more gentle."
"How can I be gentle if we are the last one's to get on. Just be glad that you don't have to chase the wagon. Grab on victor!"
"Thanks, brill. Move over a bit chatterbox, don't block the way."

The teacher really moved the wagon. He really intended to leave the late one's behind.

*Glance*

Ah, I caught teacher peeking behind from time to time. It looks like he does care but the situation doesn't allow for such leisure.

Now that I think about it, head teacher sophie relayed the news through the alchemist teacher. Does this mean that the alchemist teacher is the leader of this batch.

"So, what happened when I was knocked out? How did the battle go? Did anything surprising happen?"
"There isn't much to tell. The army student's strategy was simple and didn't really show any surprises and the teacher's fight was very straightforward."
"*Munch* *Munch* I will tell him! I will tell the *Chew* story!!"

At the very least chew with your mouth closed. Do you even know where we are? Bread crumbs and pieces of smoked meat are spraying everywhere.

"Go ahead, I'll leave it to you."
"*Gulp* Great! This is how it happened. When you were knocked out, the army marched to their *Munch* positions, then the bandits attacked!........."

Good! Now the mess is flying to victor's side. I'll take this chance to eat before anything else happens.