"We have some Purple Mushrooms. We can make Smoke Bombs later if we buy some special glass bottles. Then there’s some Plantain and Calendula, enough to make a few poultices. If we dry them and make them into a soup, it can also treat dysentery. Lastly, we have a bit of Cathartic Root. If we eat something bad, we can use this to induce vomiting or diarrhea."
Her long, pointed tail swished excitedly behind her as Orelia continued, "We’ve had a great harvest, Mr. Colin."
"Making a poultice is easy. You should’ve said so earlier. I know how to do it, too," Kase cut in.
"I’m afraid your poultice would kill us," Colin retorted.
"It wouldn’t, would it? You just mash up some Plantain or, uh... that Golden Thistle Grass you guys mentioned, then spit on it, add some honey and bat guano, and put it in a jar to wait. Once you see a sign, it’s ready to use. When you’re injured, just slap it right on the wound," Kase said.
’Slapping that on a wound would probably cause an infection. Man, Orcs must have tough bodies,’ Colin thought.
The others tacitly dropped the subject.
Orelia and Kase had been the ones handling most of the herb gathering lately. Orelia knew which plants were useful, and Kase was good at finding them in the wild.
"So, how much longer until we get there?" Colin asked.
Orelia tapped her chin with her index finger. "Maybe this afternoon or evening, if our map is correct."
"We’ve been walking for days. Are there no other city-states on the way? Is this whole area under the Holy City’s control?" Kase asked.
"Yes. In the City-States Alliance, the Holy City is the city-state with the largest territory."
As Colin spoke, Ale dutifully took out her mysterious little notebook.
"To the south of here is Moran. That’s mainly a traditional hereditary monarchy. You get the picture: a big group of nobles, bound to their lands, all swearing fealty to a single king.
"After the Great Northern Migration began, some people crossed the sea by boat, while others traveled north on foot. The Holy City was founded by the latter group."
"Whoa, you lost me," Kase said.
’I’m mainly explaining this for Ale anyway,’ Colin thought as he waved a hand at Kase. "The system around the Holy City was also originally a hereditary monarchy, but the city fell several times due to large-scale Demon invasions.
"By the time the Holy City was last rebuilt, Thousand Masts City’s influence had grown immense, so the people there decided to adopt the city-state system as well.
"But the Holy City is surrounded by vast, fertile plains perfect for ranching. They didn’t want to give that up, so they borrowed a few ideas from the southern system, too. Also, it’s worth noting, the Holy City produces excellent warhorses."
"Wait, isn’t that Albert guy some kind of noble, too?" Kase asked.
Colin said, "Yes, the Weston Clan’s holdings are vast. They control two Count’s Domains and four Baronies in the north. But they aren’t traditional nobles—because the Weston Family openly engages in commerce within Thousand Masts City, which is absolutely forbidden in a kingdom like Moran in the south."
"Mm, I get it now."
Kase put on his trademark expression—the one that said he understood but clearly showed he didn’t.
"Thousand Masts City also has traditional nobles who insist on not doing business. It’s complicated," Colin muttered.
’Not that I expect Kase to get it. Even I wouldn’t understand all these strange systems and unwritten rules if it weren’t for all the useless trivia I picked up in my past life.’
As they followed the path out of the grove, a small, golden-roofed bell tower peeked out from above the distant canopy.
The sight of the bell tower spurred the group to quicken their pace.
Once they found a dirt road winding through the forest, they followed it straight toward the bell tower.
Perhaps it was because of the Morninglord.
The farther they went, the warmer the air grew, making Colin feel as if he’d walked straight out of winter and into spring.
Before long, the branches that had been obscuring the sky began to thin, revealing a beautiful blue sky dotted with white clouds.
The dirt road at their feet snaked onward, winding over rolling hills until it reached the gates of a Monastery.
The Monastery itself was built on a small knoll.
A grayish-yellow stone wall enclosed sizable grounds.
Simple cloisters connected the various buildings, forming several courtyards.
The bell tower in the center of the complex was the tallest structure. A smaller chapel stood at its base, while the other buildings served as dormitories, a refectory, and a library.
Most of the buildings were built from stone blocks and featured stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the mythology of the Morninglord.
From a distance, the place was a magnificent sight.
Just as one of them was plucking a stalk of Plantain, five children came running out of the Monastery gates toward them.
Two of the children were human with pale skin, two were red-skinned Tieflings, and the last was a tall Half-Orc child.
’Looks like this Monastery takes in a lot of orphans,’ Colin thought.
"Leia!" "Leia, you’re finally back!"
The children swarmed Orelia.
A couple of them clung to the Tiefling’s legs, refusing to let go, chattering away about all sorts of things. They all talked at once, like a flock of tiny sparrows.
Most of the children had been grinning, but the moment they saw Kase, their smiles vanished. They all tried to stay as far away from the tall Half-Orc as possible—even the Half-Orc child.
"Now, don’t be like that. This is Mr. Kase, a good companion of mine. Think about it, would you be happy if someone disliked you just because of how you look?" Orelia said, her arms crossed and her tone a little serious.
As she spoke, the children all fell silent and listened attentively.
’This Tiefling really commands some authority here,’ Colin thought. ’Still, it’s a bit strange watching a girl who isn’t even five feet tall lecture a group of kids.’
Seeing that the little ones understood, Orelia prompted them, "Now say, ’We’re sorry, please forgive us, Mr. Kase.’"
The children immediately chorused an apology to Kase.
"Uh... it’s okay?" Kase scratched his head, nudged Colin with his elbow, and whispered, "Is that the right thing to say?"
"Yeah, yeah, that’s it," Colin replied, brushing him off.
Once the children had apologized, Orelia’s tone softened.
She said to the children, "Alright, I’m going to see the Abbot now. I came to report on my adventures, but I’ll have to leave again soon."
"Aww~"
The children groaned to show their disappointment, but they still led the group into the Monastery.
The others then followed this lively procession deeper into the Monastery.
Colin walked up next to Kase and teased, "I thought you were so imposing with your own kid?"
"They’re so scrawny. I feel like I could hurt them with a sneeze. Gotta be careful," Kase whispered.
The Guard at the gate saw Orelia approaching, swarmed by the children, and called out a greeting from afar.
She was about as tall as Ale and also had red skin. Though she looked like a Tiefling, her horns were much smaller than Orelia’s, her tail was more reptilian, and she had a pair of red, bat-like wings on her back.
She wore a suit of Long Chain Armor and a Norman Helmet with a nose guard. She held a Wild Boar Spear in her right hand and had a Small Wooden Shield strapped to her left arm. She was clearly one of the Monastery’s Guards.
’She couldn’t be a Cambion, could she?’ Colin thought.