The journey aiming for a town by the sea is going smoothly.
The highway is frequently traversed by carriages, so it’s well-trodden and easy to walk on.
Since it’s a route for trade caravans and stagecoaches, camping areas have been established along the highway.
Near villages and settlements, these rest stops are bustling. Villagers take advantage of the opportunity, selling food items like vegetables and meat.
Some even modify carriages into stalls to sell soup and bread, adding to the lively atmosphere.
Such rest areas often have wells, naturally attracting travelers.
I was impressed to see horse feed being sold.
When there are many people, the chances of being attacked by bandits, beasts, or monsters decrease. If safety is assured, people are willing to loosen their purse strings, even for slightly overpriced goods.
Even Shella initially recommended using stagecoaches or crowded rest areas.
“I’ll never camp in a tent again! The tiny house is way too comfortable compared to a carriage!”
Now, she has completely changed her opinion and is passionately advocating for it.
It seems the tiny house is just that comfortable. I wholeheartedly agree, so I gave a firm nod.
“I can’t stand being jostled in a stagecoach for three days. It’s cramped, your butt gets sore, and you end up sleeping on the baggage rack, right? I’d rather walk, even if it takes longer. Eat delicious food, take a bath at night, and sleep in a soft bed. That’s the way to travel.”
In the evenings, we veer off the highway and set up the tiny house. Though it takes some effort, it’s much better to relax in a cozy home than stay in a mediocre inn.
Shella was won over after the first night.
The allure of delicious meat dishes and sweet treats was the biggest factor, but she also appreciated the bath and toilet facilities.
The tiny house was just right for one person and one animal, but it was a bit cramped with another person. So, I secretly remodeled and expanded it.
Space-expansion magic is such a convenient ability, I thought. For now, I extended it by about two tatami mats and added a loft. It consumed a fair number of points, but it was worth it.
I bought a futon set for Shella and laid it out in the loft.
The loft, measuring 2.5 square meters, became Shella ’s private room. The futon is single-sized, so the space is small, but she seems happy to have a place to call her own.
I removed the cat tower that had been at the back of the room and turned the area into a permanent toilet room.
Ketsue sulked a bit but seemed to have fun climbing up to the loft and playing with Shella as a substitute for the cat tower.
“I was surprised by the toilet room. It looks like a tiny box, but inside it’s so clean and spacious! The toilet is spotless, there’s a big mirror, fluffy towels, and even a bath!”
“It’s more of a barrel bath than a proper tub, though.”
“That’s more than enough. At the guild lodgings, wiping your body with a damp cloth was the best you could hope for.”
While Ketsue and I can use purification magic, Shella used to have to manage at water sources. But now, she can soak in plenty of hot water.
Shella ‘s hair and skin have become glossy since she started using fragrant soaps, shampoo, conditioner, and treatments.
Compared to when we first met—when she wore a hood and dirtied her face to hide her beauty—she’s transformed into someone truly stunning.
“Baths are amazing. They clean off dirt so well and melt away fatigue… Thanks to the soap and shampoo, I smell great too.”
“Alright, alright, I get it. If you can’t cook, at least help with setting the table.”
“Okay!”
Fresh out of the bath, with her cheeks flushed, Shella dressed in light nightwear and started laying dishes on the table.
Since she was in the way, I had already stashed the bed into my [Item Box].
While Shella enjoyed her bath, I had prepared dinner.
“Tonight, we have boar meat brown stew, fresh vegetables, and potato salad. I added plenty of ham, so make sure you eat it all.”
“Hmm… I could do without the vegetables, but if it has ham, I’ll eat it!”
“Good girl. If you eat everything, there’s dessert waiting for you.”
“Dessert! Tohma , I’m a good girl! I even hunted lots of meat today and leveled up!”
“Yes, yes, I know.”
On this leisurely journey, we occasionally enter the forest to gather food and help Shella level up.
We have plenty of magical beast meat in stock, but Shella insists on hunting her own, feeling responsible for contributing to meals and shelter.
I admire her earnest and diligent nature.
(She’s a glutton, but a good kid…)
What began as a casual trip to enjoy this otherworld and support my younger cousins turned into something entirely different when I ended up taking care of a girl who could transform into a mythical beast.
Traveling freely with Ketsue, occasionally encountering dragons—that was the plan.
“This is… delicious! The meat is so tender it falls apart in my mouth!”
Watching the girl savor the brown stew—a dish akin to Hayashi rice—filled me with affection.
(When Shella levels up further, she’ll evolve from a mythical beast into a sacred beast. Sacred beasts can purify lands tainted by demons and are allies of heroes! Yes, this is legitimate support work. My cousins won’t scold me… probably.)
I still haven’t told my three cousins about Shella .
Traveling with a teenage girl is hard to explain—especially to Natsuki.
(Natsuki always gets in a bad mood when I’m with a woman…)
Haruto and Akimi have also warned me not to mention women around her.
So, I just sent a picture of Shella perched on Ketsue’s head in her shima-enaga form.
“Our new travel companion: Shella , the long-tailed tit. Nice to meet you!”
A pure white, fluffy bird paired with a kitten is irresistibly cute, and all three cousins loved it.
No one questioned, “A long-tailed tit as a travel companion?” Cute wins, after all.
Of course, Akimi wouldn’t suspect that the bird could turn into a human.
(I’ll introduce Shella to them eventually… maybe after she can transform into a bigger mythical beast.)
The wild boar brown stew turned out great. The meat was delicious, thanks to store-bought roux.
The potato salad, packed with boiled eggs and ham, was a hit even with veggie-averse Shella .
Dessert was a luxurious convenience-store fruit jelly, chilled perfectly. It was filled with peaches, mandarins, pineapples, and mangoes.
“Wow! What is this? It’s cold, jiggly, and so tasty!”
“Looks like a slime, doesn’t it?”
“Wait, this is a slime?!”
“No, no, just kidding. It’s a dessert made from seaweed and stuff like that.”
I mumbled the explanation, unsure of the difference between gelatin and agar.
“Dinner was amazing today too. Thank you for the meal.”
“You’re welcome. The boar meat you hunted was delicious too.”
“Hehe, I’ve come a long way from only being able to hunt horned rabbits!”
Shella ’s level has increased, her wind magic has grown stronger, and her archery skill has improved significantly. She’s now a skilled hunter, capable of easily taking down deer and boars.
“Next up is orc hunting.”
“Orcs…!”
“Yeah. They might be scary, but overcoming that fear is part of—”
“We can finally get delicious orc meat!”
“Uh, Shella ?”
“Yes? What is it?”
She looked at me with an innocent expression, showing no fear at all.
“Aren’t you scared of orcs?”
“Maybe I used to be, but now I have Ketsue and you, Tohma . My archery’s improved too, and besides, they’re slow.”
“Well, yeah, they’re heavy and slow.”
“If worst comes to worst, I can fly away, so I’m not scared!”
“Meow!”
Ketsue nodded as if to say, “Exactly, they’re weaklings.” True, but still!
“Yeah, you’re reliable, Shella …”
The women around me are so strong, leaving me with mixed feelings of pride and complexity.
Sipping my post-meal coffee, I reflected on this curious journey.
