Chapter 16 — On the Road
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Kael Grenfort:
The sound of carriage wheels filled my ears.
The rumble of wheels on cobblestones, the crunch of small stones under horses' hooves, someone's loud voice now and then — it all blended into a monotonous hum. I must have fallen asleep to that hum.
I slowly opened my eyes.
The inside of the carriage was cool. There were seats on both sides — I was at the back, using my clothes as a pillow. Sedric sat across from me, reading a book.
He noticed my eyes open. Looked at me.
"Ohh… good morning, son," he said and immediately returned to his book.
I yawned. "Yawm…" — opening my mouth wide, closing one eye, stretching. "Good morning, Father."
He continued flipping pages without a word. I looked with interest.
"What book are you reading?"
He glanced at me.
"Ah… it's a simple one. A spellbook for Gold-rank mages," he said and went back to reading.
I thought for a moment. Gold-rank…
"What rank are you, actually?" I asked.
"Well… I'm 3rd-star Gold-rank," he said without looking up from his book.
"Ohho…" — my eyes widened. — "So you're much stronger than those guards?"
"Yes, I am. Even if all three came together, they couldn't defeat me."
"Wow…" I said in amazement. Then something occurred to me. "What about Mother? What rank is she?"
Sedric paused for a moment. Raised his head from the book.
"Your mother… is 2nd-star Gold-rank. If all three of them joined forces, they'd have a chance of defeating her."
I narrowed my eyes and thought.
2nd-star Gold… and three together could…
"So what's the point of those guards then?" I said. "You just said Mother is stronger than all three of them combined."
Sedric set the book down on his knee. Looked at me.
"True. You could say they're unnecessary. But your mother can't keep watch over everything twenty-four hours a day. She sleeps too. She gets tired. The guards can help her — observe, warn, protect if needed."
"Hmm…" — I put my finger to my chin. — "But what if enemies on the level of those uncles of yours showed up?"
"People like that have nothing to do with us. And the probability of them heading to that exact place… zero point zero one percent," Father said.
"Why so low?"
"Because their business is elsewhere. The people who rule the world don't go to small town houses — they go to palaces, capitals, centers of power."
"Hmm…" I said again. — "Are there many people like that?"
Sedric thought for a moment.
"Personally, the ones I know… about ten. Throughout the world, beings on their level and above… perhaps three hundred — if we're being idealistic, if we're overestimating."
"Three hundred…" I repeated.
"Three hundred. In the whole world. Among millions of people."
I fell silent.
---
I looked out the window.
We were in a forest. Nearly a thousand carriages were moving in sequence — when I looked ahead and behind, I couldn't see the end of the caravan. Carriages of various sizes and colors, some loaded with goods, some full of people.
The forest was thick. Tall trees — their branches intertwined overhead, forming a kind of green canopy. Long vines hung from the treetops, swaying in the wind, like living creatures.
I was amazed.
Truly remarkable places. I had never seen places like this. Even in my previous life, I'd never seen such a forest. My mouth fell open.
"Father, when did we join this caravan?"
"Yesterday evening. We joined a smaller caravan. By morning, the smaller caravans had merged into a large one."
"The reason we joined…" Father began.
"Because of dangers on the road, shortage of supplies, and many other reasons… and probably bandits on the way as well," I added.
Father looked at me. Surprised.
"Yes? Ohho! Where did you learn all that?"
I smiled.
"Hmm… you're still young, but your mind is sharp. Well done," Sedric said with pride.
"Yes… I might even be smarter than you," I said, winking.
He froze for a moment. Then he flicked his hand.
I tried to speak — no sound came out. I opened my mouth again — nothing. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make a sound.
I was surprised. Father was watching me with a sly expression.
He cast a spell. Made me mute.
No matter how much I shouted — no sound came out.
Joker Sedric!
He returned to his book, a faint smile on his face. I narrowed my eyes at him — in response, he narrowed his eyes too.
---
Night fell.
We reached Gnezd, the neighboring town.
The town was small — just slightly larger than our own. Stone walls, low houses, narrow streets. But crowded — people, carriages, merchants.
Father got out to buy something. I stayed in the carriage, thinking.
Now the real adventure begins. After this, there are no towns nearby.
I calculated: in fifteen days we'd reach Estes, a town at the foot of the Evangelion Mountains. Then another ten days' journey to Gosen, the center of the Gosen barony. Father had business there — we'd leave the caravan. He'd handle his work, I'd explore the town. After that, we'd go to Revius — our own barony's center.
You might say: why not go straight to your own barony's center? But Gosen was closer. And we decided to pass through.
Sedric made a good decision. I'd have done the same.
---
The sun was beginning to set.
I was meditating — eyes closed, breath deep, my mana core pulsing steadily in my chest. Beneath the rumble of the road, in this monotonous rhythm, it was easier to feel mana.
The carriages stopped.
I opened my eyes. Looked outside — we were in front of Gnezd's gates. People, guards, merchants. All gathered, waiting for something.
I'd imagined Gnezd differently. I'd thought it would be larger, more crowded, a place buzzing with life. But this place… was just a little bigger than our town.
My expectations fell flat.
I slowly climbed back into the carriage.
"Well, son. You didn't like Gnezd?" Father said, approaching.
"Well… I imagined it bigger," I said, looking down.
"Yes, I could see your disappointment," he said with a laugh.
I looked at him.
"Be patient. Gosen and Revius will be as big as you imagine. Perhaps… even bigger."
"Hmm…" I said.
"I'll get some supplies. You stay here and don't move," he said and left.
I looked outside. The people around the caravan were slowly dispersing. Some headed home, some to inns, some back to their carriages.
"Ahhh… boring," I said loudly and closed the curtains.
---
Meditation.
Or as they called it — cultivation.
I closed my eyes. Regulated my breath. Felt my mana core — in my chest, warm, alive, pulsing. With each inhale, it expanded; with each exhale, it contracted.
This was the way to increase the quality and quantity of mana. The direct path to advancing to the next star.
I felt the mana. First — superficial, at the boundaries of my body. Then deeper — through muscles, blood vessels, bones. At the deepest level — the core.
It was glowing. Small, but powerful. With each beat, it sent waves of mana outward, spreading through my body, then returning.
Breath. In. Out. In. Out.
The quality of mana… didn't change. But the quantity — one drop, two drops, slowly, gradually increased.
Not much time had passed when the carriage door opened.
---
Sedric returned in thirty minutes. He'd brought quite a lot of things — several bags, baskets, a box.
"Well," he said and began stowing everything inside the carriage.
"Ehhh… if only I had a spatial bag for situations like this," he said.
I glanced at the bags and baskets.
And shouted in surprise.
"Father! Is that canned food?!"
He looked at me in surprise.
"Yes, there's canned food. Especially in Gnezd — salted fish exports are quite developed here."
I thought for a moment. Salted fish exports… canned food… there's industry here.
"Well, how do you know about that? I never brought canned food home before," Father said.
"Yes… I read about it in a novel," I said.
He gave me another look, but said nothing.
I thought: there is industry here too. Just not as developed as in my old world. For example, if there were trains — we'd cover these distances in three days at most.
"Maybe they'll appear later," I said with a laugh.
---
Just then, the caravan began moving again.
Carriages started rolling one after another. The sound of horses' hooves, the rumble of wheels, people's shouts — it all started again.
"Father, where did this caravan come from, and where is it going?" I asked.
Father looked at me for a moment. Then spoke.
"This caravan… sets out from a large northern city called Gremvok. It passes through the capital and goes all the way to Abkhazia before returning."
"Yes, I understand. Thank you, Father," I said.
---
We ate.
"Ohho! The fish here is truly excellent!" I said to Father.
"Yes, I bought a lot. We'll be traveling for fifteen days — I got things that last longer," he said.
"Yes, Father, you did the right thing," I said, winking.
He looked at me.
I tried to speak — no sound came out.
Again!
I opened my mouth — no voice. I shouted — silence.
Joker Sedric!
He continued eating his fish, a faint smile on his face.
I looked at him. Narrowed my eyes — in response, he narrowed his too.
Hmmpphh!
---
Night fell. Darkness came. The caravan kept moving — the rumble of wheels, the horses' steps, someone singing in the distance.
I looked out the window. Dark forest, a faint light in the distance, stars above.
Fifteen days on the road. Then Estes. Then Gosen. Then Revius.
Ahead… I don't know. School. Exams. New people. New places.
I wonder what it'll be like?
My voice still hadn't returned. I looked at Father — he'd fallen asleep, the book still in his hand, a faint smile on his face.
Joker… I said to myself.
My eyes closed. The rumble of carriage wheels, the horses' steps, distant singing — all blended together, pulling me into sleep.
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