Chapter 30: Moving Out

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter….. Time always moves forward.

Yuna felt a bit emotional and sour locking the small house that she has lived for the past ten plus years after coming to this world. She didn't know whether she will ever come back to this place.

Being sentimental is a pain in the ass.

Still, life has to move on.

It was March and the weather is right to do long distance travel.

The academies is going to open for admission on June, considering the travel time and the time that will take to settle down at the new place, Yuna family and Austin family decide to set out early.

They hired a carriage to take them to the nearest town which will take a day and a half, and from there, they will continue to hire another carriage. There should also be some part where they will have to travel on foot, everything was planned well, there can be many unforeseen circumstances and Yuna is prepared to hire a guide and some adventurers to protect them in some dangerous route.

Yuna pray for things to go well in their journey.

Yuna hold the hand of her grandfather and make their ways towards the carriage that were waiting at the town gate, both carrying backpacks. Hers is light while her grandfather one is big and bulky.

At the gate, Austin and his gentle looking mother was waiting along with the carriage driver.

The carriage is a simple carriage, nothing fancy.

Austin came forward, taking the baggage of Yuna and her grandfather, lightly lifting with his hand and arrange them inside the carriage.

"Who would've thought the day would come for Old Orion to leave the town" The middle aged driver said, laughing. Young people shifting to a better more prosperous place are common but for the older generation to shift is a rare sight.

"My granddaughter want to see the bigger world, have to fulfil the child dream" Grandpa Orion Sigh, laughing alongside the driver.

The population in Huin town is small such that almost all the people know each other.

"While its' still early in the morning, we should set out" The driver said, looking at the sky.

Grandpa Orion nods his head.

As a somehow fragile lady, Austin mother, Mela was let in to sit inside the carriage first, the carriage is like the back of a pick-up truck with a roof on top, although a size smaller than the truck and drawn by strong muscular bulls.

There is a stack of grains laid on the carriage along with Yuna and co travel bag, the grain likely to be the food of the bulls.

Yuna sat beside her grandfather, and beside her sit Aunt Mela, both the female sandwich at the centre.

Yuna felt quite novel sitting inside the carriage but soon her novelty was washed away with the bumpy carriage.

But young people body are quick to adapt, so Yuna who was uncomfortable in the first half after could lean on her grandfather and even get some sleep.

The carriage stop at noon to get a rest and after an hour set off again.

At night, Austin, the cart driver and Grandpa Orion switch to do night watch, although Yuna prepared medicine for Aunt Mela, she was after all not a complete healthy person and was not able to handle the tossing of the carriage; she was the first to fall asleep after eating the meal that was made in open space.

They reached the next town during high afternoon as predicted, saying farewell to the driver, they made their way to the merchant guild to hire another carriage for the next day.

After booking, the lot settle down at an inn to clean and take a good rest for the next travel. After all, this time, it was going to take almost three days.

Estimating the route and the time taken for travel, they should be able to reach the capital city a month later. The capital city is that far from the distant Huin town. One month time is considering the most favourable scenario. Who knows what might happen during the travel.

The route does not pose much danger so they were able to reach the next town in three days time.

More than half a month, Yuna and her travelling companion was able to cover half the distance to reach the capital city.

The town and smaller cities they pass through also became more prosperous, however, there is also an increase in bandits with more trades between bustling towns and cities.

At the latter half of the journey, they hire an adventurer, most adventurer come in members or team so the travelling group increased.

Of course, the journey is not all smooth sailing, they encounter three beast attack and one bandits raid during their travelling. Yuna was not stingy when it comes to their safety so she hired a rather affordable and quite a high priced adventurer team so the situation is not too serious.

Yuna even felt some novelty getting ambushed on their travel as it has always been quite a safe travel in her previous world.

Lastly, after one month, they just need to pass through one more city to reach their final destination. And it also became the most 'dangerous' encounter they have of yet.

Talking about bad luck at the last moment.

Austin stays behind at the inn with his mother while Yuna and her grandfather enter the adventurer guild to hire an adventurer team.

Most of the time, they were able to hire an adventurer team when they post their requirement but this time no one seem to be willing to take up the commission.

Yuna tug at her grandfather and he inquire from the manager.

The manager sigh and gave the reason "There are two checkpoint before you can enter the city, the guards who are stationed at the checkpoint are….hmmm…they demand three gold coins for each person so six gold coins for a person in total to enter the city, it is an outrageous price that the adventurer can barely cover with the protection fee they got. It was not worth it, so I don't think the adventurer will be willing to take up the commission"

The adventure team will have to go through the first checkpoint with them as the distance between the first and second checkpoint is kilometre worth, who knows what kind of monster or beast they can encounter.

Yuna frown hearing the explanation, 'This is going to be troublesome, corruption is annoying'

Normally, five gold coins is the highest commission she paid and can reasonably afford.

If she increased the commission fee, it is going to disrupt the reserve for settling down in the capital city, and if the entrance fee is as outrageous and what the manager said, Yuna is even more reluctant to tap on the money reserve. Earning money is not easy.

While thinking hard on how to handle the situation, Yuna feel a tap on her shoulder.

She looked back, tilt her head up and her eyes met the person who tap on her shoulder.

It was a woman with a ginger red head.

"Can I ask your purpose for entering Horan city?" The woman asked, having a friendly and approachable smile.

There is nothing that need to be hidden so Yuna honestly answer the woman "We need to pass through the city so that we can make way to the capital city" Yuna purse her lips and continue "Me and my friend plan on doing application at one of the academies and eventually settle down at the capital city"

The woman nod her head, tapping her chin and said "I see, you will at least need a month worth to completely settle down and with the enrolment drawing near, its best to reach the capital city early"

"We thought so to but it seems there is going to be financial problem" Grandpa Orion said, his handsome old face couldn't help but show worry.

"Lets go back to the inn first and tell aunt Mela and Austin the situation first, we can discuss it together"

Grandpa Orion sigh, nodding at the lady and try to go back at the inn.

The woman hurriedly stop them and said "How about this, we can take up the commission, my adventure team is however high level one and your current budget should not be able to cover for hiring us" The woman seem to consider something and continue "It something like this, there is two old couple and their daughter that is a family member of one of our adventure team, if you don't mind taking them along and…" The woman hesitate but still continue "Perhaps cover them up as your family members, we can take up the commission at the price you offer and will guarantee your safety throughout till the capital city. We also plan to go to the capital city"

Yuna does not hastily agreed, she pull her grandfather who was about to answer and speak out instead, her grandfather obediently stay silent and let her take the lead "Why consider them as our family member? There should not be a problem even if you guys say that its' your family"

The female look suspicious and Yuna is quite protective of her grandfather, enough to pierce the barrier of social anxiety.

The woman show an embarrassed expression and gave her reason "The guards like to increase the price of an adventurer and the guards although quite…corrupt lower the price of family member, for three pairs, they reduce at least one gold coins. Taking opportunity to reduce every gold spend, and this days, things in the Horan city are in a state of slight turmoil, the city lord guard against potential threat especially those that look fit and able. The checking of the adventurer and their family are stricter than the commoners not to mention charging them more to let us go"

The woman scratch her head "We would also like to reach the capital city as early as possible but embarrassingly, we are about to run out of money, we are in a tight spot but you guys arrive in the nick of time so I came to try my luck"

"What is the turmoil in Horan City?" Yuna asked, not agreeing or declining the woman offer.

"As far as rumour concerned, there seem to be a threat of an assassin trying to assassinate the city lord so the city lord was on alert and defence this days"

"Let me and my travel companion think about it first and we will give you our answer the next day" Yuna gave her response, after all, she has a travel companion and she cannot decide on their behalf arbitrarily.

"I understand, you don't need to feel pressured and we will not insist if you decline" The woman gave Yuna a card and said "This is our guild business card, you can look up our information to prove of our trustworthiness, have a nice day young miss and Sir"

The woman than walk away, probably back to her companion.

Yuna also did look up the adventure team and make sure that they really are not a scammer or some bad people.

Their adventure rank quite high, four member called 'Eagle' and have taken up many escort mission in the past, their review quite high as well.

Their past adventure commission as well as their name and date of birth can be look up inside the adventure guild.

After making sure of their identity, Yuna head back to inform the other.