READ NOVEL ONLINE chapter 28 - Mii-chan takes a liking to the carry bag
28: Mii-chan takes a liking to the carry bag.
In reality, I only managed to sleep for about two hours because it was too noisy around me to stay asleep.
After waking up, folding the tent was quite a challenge. Since I’m not used to it, I struggled a lot. I barely made it in time for breakfast.
While I was folding the tent, Mii-chan had breakfast and then went back to sleep. As for where Mii-chan sleeps, she’s cozy inside the new shoulder-strap soft carry bag that I can now summon. It’s high-performance with soundproofing and anti-shake features, as expected. I laid a bath towel inside and added a thermal pad I bought from Schwarz’s shop, making it warm and snug. If I were to get inside too, I’d probably never want to leave. After breakfast, when I put sleeping Mii-chan back in the carry bag, she looked so content.
We had a light breakfast and then the caravan departed from the village. The hunters waved us off. I couldn’t find Gais-san. Maybe he’s dealing with a hangover?
The caravan members looked exhausted. Even Ban-san stayed awake while talking, but when I looked away for a moment, he was dozing off. I guess he’s driving while half asleep… But since Bam seems to be quite capable, it should be fine.
Mii-chan poked her head out from the top of the carry bag. It looks like she’s awake now. But she has a puzzled expression. It’s only natural given that she woke up in a carry bag in a place she didn’t recognize after we left the village.
“Meow~”
Yes, yes, I’ll prepare it for you, young lady. I placed two plates with food and mineral water beside the carry bag. Even though the carriage is shaking, the inside of the carry bag remains completely stable. Truly a divine feature.
Mii-chan seems to really like the carry bag. During the journey, she only sticks her front paws and head out of the top of the bag, enjoying the view.
As we traveled, nothing unusual happened other than feeling sleepy, and we arrived at our destination early.
The campsite was arranged with large rocks forming a V shape, so we positioned the wagons in an inverted V to strengthen our defense. The drivers and hunters went to feed the horses, while the rest prepared tents and meals.
I also worked hard on setting up the tent. Since it was my second time, I managed to do it much faster.
Mii-chan had been in the carry bag the whole time, and it seems she needed to use the litter box. I took out the litter box set and placed it behind the tent. Cats probably don’t want to be watched while they’re using the litter box.
Then I realized something. The litter box set’s effect was to make it harder for monsters to approach. Given the size of this caravan, we’re definitely within its range! While it doesn’t mean we’re completely safe, it should help us sleep a bit easier. I left the litter box set out as I completely forgot about it.
With some time before dinner, I decided to test out the atmospheric skill.
Holding Mii-chan, I moved to a secluded area and set up to aim at a tree.
First, I tried to create wind. By focusing on making the air flow, a gentle breeze blew… I’ll use this to dry Mii-chan when needed.
I thought of trying something different. I imagined compressing the air and firing it, like an air gun. Just to be clear, not a soft air gun.
With a “thud” sound, the targeted tree shook. It didn’t seem to cause any damage to the tree, just a shockwave. It might be useful for intimidation.
I picked up a stone and tried shooting it from my palm toward the tree. I imagined it as if launching the stone with compressed air. With a whoosh and a thud, the stone embedded itself in the tree. Wow, this could be quite effective. Although, my palm got a shallow cut where the stone passed through… It hurt. I quickly treated it with some mineral water. Don’t call me weak!
“What are you doing?”
“Mii!”
“Whoa, you startled me. How did you get here without me noticing?” Nero asked, surprised to see Faren and the others had arrived behind him. It seemed that Mii-chan had noticed them.
“What’s going on?”
“What do you mean, what’s going on? Anyone who hears a noise like that would think it’s a monster or something.”
“Are you doing something weird again?”
“W-what do you mean by ‘weird’? Please stop using such a rude way of speaking.”
“I heard that the Air Skill is not very useful, but it seems to be quite useful after what I heard last night. Have you found anything useful?”
“I’m still testing it, but I think it might be somewhat useful…”
“Oh? Like what?”
Hmm, it might be better if you experienced it yourself. Nero asked one of the shield bearers from the Eight-Eyed Fang group to hold his shield and stand in position.
“Please hold your stance properly.”
“Is everything alright? This won’t cause any problems, right?”
“It should be fine. It’s just a strong push.”
The hunter held the shield firmly, and Nero gave the signal to compress the air and launch it like a cannon.
Boom!
The hunter was thrown back… I hope he’s not injured.
“What on earth was that?! Again with the loud boom!”
“Mii…”
P-please stop shaking me by the collar. My neck is going to be messed up, and Mii-chan is scared.
“Ouch… You said it wouldn’t be a problem, but I thought I was going to die…”
“We might need to reassess the Air Skill…”
“It doesn’t have lethal power, but it’s quite effective for deterrence.”
“Is there anything else you can show us?”
“If it’s something still in the experimental stage, then yes.”
“Could you show us?”
“I don’t mind, but how should I do it? If I do the same thing, I’ll probably cut my hand again.”
Nero handed Mii-chan over to the fire-skill-wielding woman and looked around. He took a large branch, flattened it with his small sword, and placed a stone on it.
“What are you doing?”
“Preparing experimental equipment. Please stand behind me once I’m ready.”
Everyone stepped back, and Nero aimed at a large tree trunk, focusing on launching the stone with high-pressure air.
Whoosh, thud!
The stone embedded nicely into the trunk, but not exactly where he aimed. It seemed to deviate from its path, possibly due to air resistance affecting the irregular shape of the stone.
This is what they mean by having one’s mouth hang open in shock. Everyone stood frozen, unable to move.
“W-wait! That whoosh and thud! It’s even more amazing than arrows!”
Please, stop shaking me by the collar… Mii-chan is clinging desperately to the woman.
“It’s incredible…”
“It’s embedded…”
“I’m thinking of giving up archery…”
“I might too…”
“But why did you place the stone on the wood?”
Nero showed them the wood. A deep scratch ran along it, much worse than before. If he had held the stone in his hand, it could have been a serious problem…
“I see. But it seems quite usable, doesn’t it?”
“Not really. The aim is off. If I’m not careful, I might hit an ally.”
Everyone shuddered at the thought of it, visibly shaking.
“It seems we need to make some tools.”
“I see… The next place we’re heading to, Quint, is a city of craftsmen. Maybe it would be good to consult with them.”
“A city of craftsmen, huh? If we could get something like a gun made there, it might work.”
There’s plenty of time to think about it on the way, so Nero decided to ponder it.
“Oh, Mii-chan, come back… The women have somehow started to pet Mii-chan. Please release Mii-chan!”