4 Chapter 4: Journey to the Capital (1)

In front of the village gates, multiple wagons and carriages rolled through the dirt path, villagers stood on either side, watching in anticipation. This was one of the few times during the year that the caravan stopped by the village on its way to the capital.

As such, the village was given the opportunity to acquire goods they couldn't obtain from nearby towns, and various forms of information that were made known in areas they couldn't reach. Although they'd only be staying for a day, it was more than enough time to purchase or trade whatever they needed.

That being said, this was a Caravan under the ownership of a large company, spanning across multiple cities. Their frequent travels and distribution of goods in towns and villages alike earned them a high degree of notoriety with the common folk.

As the leading carriage ground to a halt, Randolph, who stood at the forefront of the crowd, made his way toward the Caravan leader, preparing to greet them. With their reputation, it was only natural that the old Village head presented himself respectfully, allowing the other party to assume a more casual position.

"I'd like to welcome you once again and thank you for stopping by on your way to the capital. It really means a lot, Ellis-dono." Bowing his head courteously, Randolph made way for the Caravan leader, Ellis, to walk alongside him.

"Well met, Randolph-san. It's been a while. No need to stand on formality, this is only routine; you know that." Ellis chuckled softly, patting Randolph on the shoulder as a sign of familiarity.

They continued chatting amiably as they made their way toward Randolph's home, leaving the other merchants to barter and hawk their wares for any villagers willing to do business with them. Upon arriving, Randolph was met with the sight of Aziel sitting comfortably on his front porch, staring down at them with his usual penetrating gaze.

"Ah…" the old village head gasped inaudibly, as if just remembering the time bomb he'd sheltered in his home.

"Oh? You didn't tell me you had a guest staying over, Randolph-san." Ellis glanced over at him, wondering what was going on.

"I…was just getting to—"

"You're the leader of this Caravan, correct?" Aziel spoke unhurriedly, cutting off Randolph's words.

Ellis finally looked over, closely inspecting Aziel. Although slightly annoyed by his tone, his instincts, honed over the years of dealing with various personalities, warned him not to antagonize the exceptionally charming young man in front of him.

From Aziel's clothes, the way he carried himself, and even the aura he exuded, Ellis naturally concluded that he wasn't dealing with someone simple. Moreover, he was a professional, keeping his expression in check was a fundamental aspect of business.

"That is indeed the case. I am Ellis Vargand, the leader of this traveling caravan. And who might you be, young man?" With a polite smile, Ellis began scrutinizing Aziel carefully.

"…I go by Aziel Nox." He shifted comfortably into an upright posture. "I wonder how much you're charging for a seat to the capital."

Realizing where this was going, Ellis' previous annoyance flew out the window at the chance of making money.

However, before he could speak, Aziel stood up. Walking over to the door, he casually opened it, gesturing for Ellis to enter as if he owned the place.

"It's too windy out here, why don't we chat inside…"

"A splendid idea."

On the same page, Ellis followed after Aziel, leaving the poor Village head standing outside. Eyes twitching, Randolph could only sigh helplessly as he hesitantly stepped inside his own home.

*****

Seated at a long wooden table, Ellis discussed the particulars following Aziel's request, informing him of the amount required to board the caravan. The estimated expense leaped by a fair margin with the added benefit of food and water.

As they hashed out the details, Randolph brewed everyone a cup of tea, remaining wholly irrelevant to the ongoing conversation. Even though his initial goal had only been to keep up appearances, it failed to remedy the pain he felt at being ignored like this.

Time passed quickly as they soon finalized the agreement. It was decided that, as per customs, Aziel would pay the full amount upfront to avoid any complications. Not finding the other provided benefits necessary, he opted for a simple ride to the capital with no extra fees.

"Well, it was a pleasure speaking with you, Aziel-dono. We'll be departing at first light tomorrow morning. Please be prepared or else we'll be forced to leave without you." Standing up, Ellis smiled kindly as he pushed his chair under the table. "Rest properly, it's going to be a long day tomorrow." Grabbing his coat, he gave both of them nods of solidarity, before seeing himself out.

Aziel merely watched him leave without any particular reaction. He turned towards Randolph, who'd been sitting there this entire time with an uncomfortable look on his face.

Meeting Aziel's gaze, he quickly averted his eyes while awkwardly scratching the back of his head. His lips twitched as if wanting to speak, but ultimately refrained.

Not tolerating this nonsense any longer, Aziel spoke, a slight frown creasing his brows.

"Why are you acting like a damn kid? If you want to say something, just say it. You don't think I can read your mind, do you?"

"No…it's just that….I never heard anything about you leaving…or anything like that…" Randolph's voice gradually trailed off into a whisper by the end, not exactly understanding what was coming out of his mouth.

Aziel regarded him for a moment, tilting his head, leaning back in his chair with newfound comprehension.

"Oh hell….You…you're about to cry, aren't you? Tell me I'm lying." He suddenly voiced, his tone thick with amusement.

Randolph immediately looked away, slightly embarrassed at having been seen through.

"W-who's crying…don't make fun of me…" the old Village head waved his hand dismissively before standing up and walking back to his room.

Although it hadn't been long since Aziel arrived, Randolph had already grown somewhat used to his presence. And despite Aziel's lofty attitude, he actually wasn't difficult to get along with….that is, as long as you ignored his barbed words laced with venom.

"Aziel-sama….though I'm sure you'll be fine wherever you end up, please be careful out there." Standing at the doorway with his back turned, Randolph gave his final well wishes.

Entering his room, Aziel's sarcastic monotone voice reached his ears just before the door fully closed, bringing a smile to his face.

"Your kind words shall be taken to heart; I truly appreciate it."

Now that…was the Aziel Nox he knew.

Following Randolph's departure, a calm silence permeated the empty room as Aziel was finally left alone. Standing up, he walked outside, gazing up at the darkened blue sky.

Villagers could be seen walking to and fro, an atmosphere of hustle and bustle pervading the area. Some snuck glances at him as they passed by, but eventually continued on with their business.

'It's disappointing…..' Aziel shook his head.

People weren't much different even in another world. They quickly became attached to fleeting moments that held no meaning. Feeling sorrow for those they barely knew.

'You aren't fond of me, you're fond of what I showed you.'

One could make a bold assumption that they knew someone, never truly realizing who'd been standing in front of them the whole time.

'Still…..'

Aziel didn't care.

Regardless of anyone else, his path would never be obstructed, advancing until none stood equal.

Free to overlook all things mundane, his path was inevitable. This was his declaration; the true essence of his 'Nobility'.

Taking one last look at the sky, he turned on his heel, heading back inside. Nothing had changed, he remained persistent and unshakable, marching towards a future he'd mold with his own hands.

******

The early morning sun crested the horizon, signaling the arrival of a new day. As warm rays of sunlight shone over the village, a gathering of hired adventurers stood posted by its gates as merchants packed up their belongings and prepared to set off.

Walking down the dirt road, Aziel carried a medium sized bag over his shoulder, a small stash of money and dried foods contained within. Most villagers were already awake during this time, fully motivated as they tended the fields.

However, the sound of lively chatter reached his ears, though if that was all, he wouldn't have paid it any mind. It was the topic of conversation that prompted him to listen in.

"Yea, I heard from one of the merchants that Ehit's Apostles descended from the divine mountain 6 days ago!"

"The summoned heroes…? Of course I've heard about that! They're gonna save us from the demons!"

"Lord Ehit is so kind…."

Aziel's eyebrows twitched, it seemed the party of high schoolers were already here, summoned a day before he had arrived.

'It is what it is…..'

Even if they'd been characters he'd read about in a story, this was now reality, and they'd be treated just like everyone else. So what if he enjoyed watching their journey unfold through a tv screen, to him, this and that were different.

The only reason he ever desired to be in the main story's timeline was due to the opportunities it presented. Fictional characters weren't that interesting when fantasy was no longer mere pixelated images.

Looking ahead, he soon caught sight of the caravan. As he drew near, he caught sight of Ellis, who was in the midst of conversing with a few of other adventurers. Noticing the adventurer's distracted stares, Ellis turned his head, taking note of Aziel's presence.

"Ah, Aziel-dono, great morning to you. We'll be leaving shortly after we get everyone situated. Please board one of the three carriages near the center; they're one of the more comfortable seats here, you have my word."

"If you say so…"

Not paying him much attention, Aziel agreed to Ellis' suggestion without complaint, making his way toward the designated area. The gazes of both merchants and adventurers immediately locked onto him as he strode by, carrying an assortment of emotions. The women watched on with mesmerized expressions, some sneaking covert glances while others eyed him openly.

However, the males—adventurers in particular, displayed an unreserved annoyance, though many of them hadn't cared too deeply and simply opted to ignore him.

Still, it wasn't as if every one of them decided to keep to themselves.

"You strayed too far from your parents and got lost, huh, pretty boy? No need to be embarrassed. Since you're still wet behind the ears, we'll make sure to get you to the capital safely."

A man with light brown hair and a long sword strapped to his waist stepped in front of him, speaking in an obvious mocking tone. The fact that he was short enough to have to look up to Aziel made him seem more comical than intimidating.

Another female adventurer stood behind him, attempting to stop his foolishness from getting out of hand. At a glance, one could almost instantly figure out the reason for his antagonizing behavior.

Even so, Aziel turned his head to each side, checking to see if anyone stood behind him. Not taking too kindly to being ignored, the brown-haired man continued.

"What, what are you looking for? I'm right in front of you!"

Finally resting his gaze upon the man, Aziel responded with an expression that said he failed to comprehend something.

"Ah…that? I'm trying to see who the fuck you think you're talking to."

The male adventurer widened his eyes, his eyebrows furrowed even deeper, but before he could speak, Aziel cut him off.

"What made you think you could come up and speak to me, dickhead? Did I give you permission? I will beat the fuck out of you, tie you up to a tree, and fuck your girl right infront of you. Does that sound good? If not, then sit down and wait quietly like a good bitch."

Hearing this, the man's face turned completely red, his rage boiling over the tipping point. He drew his sword, preparing to cut Aziel down for his insolence.

Yet—

*PAH!*

A smack from the back of Aziel's hand sent him sprawling across the ground, a large red bruise forming on his right cheek. The commotion garnered the attention of those nearby, prompting them to watch the show with interest.

"See that? That's called a bitch-slap. Ever heard of it?"

Aziel walked over, ignoring the female adventurers' pleas, and picked the man up by his collar.

"If you'd just left well enough alone, I wouldn't have had to send you to hell."

Raising his arm, he straightened out his hand like a blade. He had given him a chance to leave, but the man decided to draw his sword. From that point on, even god couldn't save him.

The onlookers clamored, wondering if Aziel was really trying to kill the man. Suddenly, Ellis quickly arrived at the scene just before the man could be murdered in cold blood.

"Aziel-dono, WAIT!!!"