Chapter 91: Tents and Cherry Pie

The morning after exploring the wetlands near the lake, I went to the workshop’s basement with Ophelia to store the tents I had made the previous day. “Lord William, did you make this tent yesterday?” “Yeah, that’s right. Theo helped me, so I was able to make enough for everyone.” “Enough for everyone? Looking at them, there are only seven.” “Haha, it looks that way from the outside. Would you mind stepping inside the tent?” “Yes.”

With a puzzled look on her face, Ria entered the tent. “Whoa! What is this?! There are four beds inside.” Ria came out of the tent with a shocked expression. Since she is usually cool, it is rare for her to be this surprised. “As I thought, it isn’t a large tent from the outside, is it?” Staring intently at the tent, Ria murmured. “Yeah, the outside is a normal tent. I expanded the internal space.”

“Expanded the internal space?” Ria opened her slit eyes wide. “Is such a thing possible? No, actually, it has been done.” “Yeah, somehow it went well.” “No, being by your side, Lord William, I really never know what will happen next. I feel like the common sense I believed in is crumbling with a crash.”

“Is it really that extreme? By the way, do you think this tent will be useful?” “That is without a doubt. The net at the entrance is a bug repellent, isn’t it? Moreover, since we can sleep on beds, the humidity from the ground won’t be a concern either.” I hope so. I stored the tents.

Leaving the basement and going to the workshop’s cafe, the cherry pies were already baked. “Thank you, Baker-san. You’ve already baked them.” “I hope they suit everyone’s tastes.” “I’m sure everyone will be happy.” I think Ophelia is right. It has a very delicious aroma.

After storing the cherry pies, I teleported to the undeveloped lands with Ophelia. Both the Elves and the knights looked even more tired than yesterday. “Good morning, Gil. You don’t seem to have much energy.” “Good morning, Lord William. The humidity was terrible, and bugs kept getting in, so I couldn’t sleep much. Well, it’s just a lack of training on my part.” “No, that must have been tough.” Oh, Ophelia is being kind this time. “I do feel somewhat guilty that while everyone is camping in a harsh environment, I alone return to Northernford with Lord William.”

“Don’t worry about it, Ria. Guarding Lord William is an important mission.” James came over to us. “That’s right, Senior. Besides, everyone is saved by Lord William‘s refreshments. Since His Excellency approved Lord William going to the undeveloped lands because you are guarding him, Senior, having refreshments is also thanks to you.” Yeah, I’m happy that the knights have such good relationships.

Setting that aside, asking the other knights and Elves, it seems they couldn’t sleep well either, just like Gil. The humidity was terrible, bugs got into the tents, and it seemed to have been rough. The exception was James, who apparently slept as usual. As expected of him. But everyone else is sleep-deprived and doesn’t seem to have recovered from their fatigue.

“Seeing the situation yesterday, I was worried that everyone might not be able to sleep well. So, I made some new tents.” I brought out the tents I had stored with magic. With Storage Magic, I don’t have to fold the tents, and being able to store and transport them with the wooden beds still inside is incredibly convenient. “Thank you, Lord William. Is the net stretched across the tent entrance a bug repellent?” “That’s right, Gil. Besides that, I also devised something for the inside of the tent. Well, try going in.”

“Oh! This is!” Gil, who entered the tent, raised a loud voice. “What’s wrong? Gil?” A young knight who is close with Gil made a puzzled face. “Come on in. You’ll understand if you see it.” “Eh? Even if you say come in, the tent will be full if just one person enters, right?” “Ahaha, well, would you mind trying to enter?” “If you say so, Lord William.”

“What on earth is going on? The inside of the tent is huge!” The young knight shouted upon entering the tent. “Could everyone else please try entering too?” When I brought out the remaining six tents, both the knights and Elves entered them. “What is this? This spaciousness.” “Whoa, there are four beds placed here!”

“Lord Savior, thank you. With this, everyone can sleep peacefully at night.” “Lord William, this is a lifesaver. If we lack sleep, our concentration during the day drops, which is dangerous.” Both Aulasneal and James were happy. I’m glad I could be of use to everyone.

After storing the tents, we resumed the exploration. Apparently, the humidity rises the further south we go, and we proceeded through the wetlands while being careful of the mud. Our boots get dirty, and it wears on our nerves. Occasionally, creepy cries can be heard.

There are no Magic Wolves or Magic Boars in the wetlands, but instead, large frog-like monsters appeared. They are about the size of a dog, and anyway, there are many of them. For people who dislike amphibians, I think this would be a horror show. However, the knights and Elves dealt with them calmly by cutting them down or burning them with magic. Since they turn into black mist and disappear when defeated, it is thankful that we don’t have to look at monster corpses.

When noon came, we moved away from the wetlands near the lake and took a break on dry ground. “It’s no break if we’re inside the wetlands.” That’s right. Frog monsters appear there too. “Everyone is tired. We will rest in shifts.” James isn’t just strict. He thinks about resting properly to maintain good condition. The Elf Captain Aulasneal also nodded at James‘s words. Their characters are different, but I’m glad James and Aulasneal seem to agree.

Today’s refreshment is bread with grilled sausages bought from a stall. Everyone, who was tired from sleep deprivation and exploring the wetlands, seemed to gain a little energy from the warm lunch. And for dessert, it’s the cherry pie Baker-san baked. “Oh, what a fragrant smell!” “The balance of sweetness and acidity is exquisite!” “It’s my first time eating this, but it is very delicious.” “Sweets really are good, aren’t they? Thanks to this, I got my energy back!” The faces of the tired exploration team brightened. I have to tell Baker-san that it was well received.