Nateaser: Reborn As My Love Interest

Dio - Chapter Fifty Five

The thing is, we didn't have a healer with us, as usual... But didn't have healing potions either. We treated our wounds as best as we could, but the pain still lasted for a while. The dwarf was no doctor, but he had alcohol, a lot of it. So for the lack of anything better, we soothed our pain with the drinks, for three days straight. By that time, the saddles were ready. Before even sobering up, we planned to move out.

Each on our paths...

Bastion convinced the dwarf to head over to Nateaser. That Lambert fellow gained another fan without even knowing yet, but we had to continue our journey towards the shore, then south along the coast. We aimed for a forward outpost that could send messages to the Ghell fortress directly, and it was easy from there. After seeing and fighting that hallucination before the fight, I was no longer worried about my treatment once we arrived. And we did have vital information to carry.

"I can't believe it's already time for a goodbye." Bastion was rather emotional before we set out in the morning, and he hadn't had a drink for an entire day. He had a history of falling, so I ensured he stayed in the saddle this time if he even fit in one.

Thankfully, the Nightmares started to warm up to us. Again, their stallion would stumble up to me and lick my wounded face. I doubted if their saliva had healing properties, but they did the same with their wounded colt. Maybe they did adopt me into their herd.

"They don't usually live in one," Fang explained in one of his relatively sober moments. "I didn't meet them before personally though."

Well, they did not burn us. Their flaming manes were no more than an illusion. They were not to be trifled with though, and I was glad if I never had to see their hallucinations again.

When they approached his colts the stallion was a bit suspicious of the rest of us, but after a few days, he didn't seem to mind. As it turned out, Bastion shared his meal with them, or rather, passed out eating and they simply stole his food. They were carnivorous or at the very least gourmands. Either that or everyone in this continent was a fan of Lambert's cooking.

"Is it all right, if we split this evenly?" Gomel apparently couldn't believe his luck. If we were counting the three of us, we had about a month's worth of food left, but after he made us these excellent weapons and armor, and even gifted a full barrel of wine for the road, it was only natural that we'd redistribute all the food between the four of us.

"This should easily last until you reach Nateaser," I confirmed, shaking his hands. "There, you can tell the human wizard that we send our regards. If you make him something, he will surely thank you with some excellent meals. And they are best served fresh, not after a week."

"You can even share it with the stallion." Bastion added after we learned what happened with his food. "I hope they won't miss the colts."

"As I just said..." Fang switched into education mode. While I was strict about not letting the ogre drink before we set out, the wolfman was much harder to control. His balance was still adequate to stay in the saddle anyway. "They would have split either way."

We set out late in the morning. We chose the southern gate, closest to the dwarf's shop. He took a tearful goodbye from the building, even though nothing stopped him from returning later. The second emotional farewell happened right outside the gates. He turned left from there, heading east and north to the orc's settlement.

We went in the opposite direction. West towards the coast, then planned to head south until we reached a forward outpost. We wanted to message the Demon Lord from there and decide what to do next. But first, we had to cut across mountains again. We kept waving for Gomel, as long as he was in viewing distance, but these abyssal horses were fast.

I estimated he'd only need two or three days to reach Nateaser. Maybe even less, if he decided to sleep on the move, but that seemed risky. From what we have seen, the animals didn't mind. Ours started galloping too as soon as we loosened their reins. The two older specimens went with the dwarf, pulling his heavy wagon, while the colts became our mounts. They had no issue carrying Bastion and probably barely noticed my weight. The saddles were surprisingly comfortable.

"I swear, this is much better than riding a wyvern." Fang said sometime after lunch. We didn't take a break, and ate in the saddle, only slowing down a bit. Thanks to the chilly autumn air, even the beastkin sobered up at this point. "If we were to drive them for real, they might be even faster than those monsters. But I guess they have the benefit of flying over obstacles. Still, these things aren't slowing down at all."

"If we keep going at this pace, we'll reach the sea tomorrow." I nodded as they effortlessly climbed up the mountain road. "I seriously think they worth losing an eye for. If that dwarf didn't bring it up, I never would have thought about riding a Nightmare."

"Did you even know they existed?" The wolfman laughed as if he knew, it was possible to tame them. "And well, I'm sure you'll get a replacement eye from the Demon Lord, once we get back."

"I bet a promotion will be in order too," Bastion added, enjoying the ride. I still didn't share their optimism but refused to ruin the morale of our small team. We sure have been through a lot by now.

"We will see." I only added. "For sure, if I've been alone or with any other one of the Champions, I've been dead for at least two weeks ago."

"Make it three," Fang argued. "Before this and the wolves, we already saved you in the mountains. In that tornado, you know."

"You did? Really?" I hollered at his presumptuous claim. "You mean I saved Bastion after falling off his wyvern like a brick? Then that we lucked out with the Goddess of Luck? If anything, you should thank me that I tricked her into helping us. Now that I'm reminded, I almost feel like going back and yelling at that useless witch Omerta a bit more."

"You might be right, Captain. That was your merit, but who saved you in the other mountain?" He kept yelling. "The Cyreneian pass? Hanging over a chasm, with the Princess holding on to you for dear life?"

"We've been through a lot this month, and it's not over yet. I wonder how those humans did." I pondered as the sun slowly set behind us. "If I could help it, I'd rather not fight the Inquisitorias."

"I don't mind fighting them," Fang claimed. "If Cath isn't with them."