CH 4.33

Journey and Whim

The group of small nations in the east is an area of city-states that were originally created when a large country named the Azuedda Empire was ruined by a succession dispute, and each city became independent as it pleased.

The countries in the sub-national group are all very small in size, with the majority consisting of only one city and surrounding villages.

There are more than a dozen cities in the region, but even the largest countries have only three cities at most.

In short, it’s a bad way to put it, but it’s a gathering of small fish, but the reason why these small fishes aren’t eaten by the surrounding big fish is because they stand united against foreign enemies.

It’s like a school of small fish gathering together to form a flock that imitates a large fish.

Cities in small nations sometimes fight over resources, so it’s not like they usually get along well with each other.

At the same time, however, they correctly understand that they are able to stand on their own because of the existence of the other cities.

Therefore, regarding trade and defense, there are many agreements and tacit understandings outside of the Azedda Alliance.

And one of the agreements or tacit understandings that have been made is the city of Odine, which was newly built after the region became a group of sub-national states.

Odine was a city for magic, created by these group of small nations, each of which was far inferior to its neighbors in terms of size, that pooled their money to train magicians and conduct research on magic, which could sometimes determine the outcome of a war.

In addition, Odine is independent as a city-state, although it is a city created by pooling money from the group of small nations so that no country can monopolize the city’s benefits.

Hence, it’s called Odine, the country of magic.

Yes, it’s end of explanation.

It’s a small country group that is a bit confusing and troublesome for me, who isn’t a local or a human in the first place, but I know that if I go to Odine, I’ll have a good chance of meeting an excellent magician.

Even if I don’t meet a magician who can be my teacher, just looking around the city for magic will satisfy my curiosity.

I have sent a letter to Airena, an elf I know, stating that I’m going to Odine before I leave the town of Saurote in the Republic of Vilestrica.

So if I spend some time in Odine, I’ll receive some contact from her in one way or another.

However, the fact that the letters we send out are not always delivered is a more troubling aspect of this world than the world in which I lived in my previous life.

Well, it was all in the past now.

If I receive no news from her after reaching Odine, I can send the letter again.

Anyway, all I can do now is walk towards my destination.

Because horse-drawn carriages make me drunk.

In the end, I didn’t try it in the Republic of Vilestrika, but I wonder if I get sick on boats too.

The way it sways would be completely different from a horse-drawn carriage, and if I do it right, I might be able to ride it without getting drunk.

If I can do that, the range I can travel will expand considerably, so…… the next time I have the chance to go to the town of Saurote, I’ll ask Driese to give me a ride.

If I walk northeast on the highway, the wind that blows will also change.

I have left the sea breeze far behind and now the westerly wind blows high above me.

Looking at the sky from below, as if they had come up with a prank, the wind spirits came down from the westerly winds to near the surface and laughed as they blew strong gusts of wind.

I held my head to prevent my sun hat for long trips from flying off during the wind spirit’s prank.

I can’t help but smile at the good breeze that blows through.

If I had wings to catch the wind, I’m sure I could fly well.

That way, even if it’s someone like me who gets motion sickness, I can move quickly around this world.

Well, there’s no point in saying it.

Then, as if sensing my thoughts, a gust of wind pushes against my back and blows.

For that reason, I bounce forward with a thump, as if I’m riding the wind which pushes my back.

No, of course, even if I did that, I’m not a bird, I’m a mere high elf, so I can’t fly, but the spirit of the wind seems to be enjoying itself, so I guess it’s fine.

As I walk silently down the highway, a carriage comes rattling up from behind me.

When I deviate from the highway and opened the way, the driver slowed his horse’s pace a little while I walked.

“Yo, nii-san. Do you need a ride?”

And kindly asked in such a way.

He’s probably a merchant who carries goods from town to town.

The wagon had a number of fixed loads and two armed men on board.

“I’m fine. Thank you. I’m not very good at carriages. I travel leisurely by foot.”

The coachman and the merchant nodded in agreement with my words, raised their hand towards me, and made their carriage pass me by.

I declined because I didn’t want to get carriage sickness, but I still feel good when kindness is directed toward me.

When I instinctively wave my hand at the carriage, the armed men who must be its escorts wave back.

They were good-natured people.

Praying to the wind for my safe journey, I walk down the path again.

The first country in the group of small states is not that far away anymore.