Chapter 33 - Difficult Road

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After finally moving away from the area and gathering their belongings, Laili's group, accompanied by Rei's, heads north.

The group walks with some difficulty and exhaustion. The morning sun seems to heat the dirt path, making it harder to walk, almost like a scorching desert, — though it's just the impression it constantly gives to the travelers.

While the student, along with Kazuki, Takayo, and Mia, stays at the back, Laili's group moves to the front so they can observe the path ahead as they walk.

After leaving the region, Rei moves forward until the path becomes steep. Steep enough that everyone is forced to walk slowly and carefully to avoid falling or having an accident.

Only then does the student let out a sigh, glancing around. He watches the scenery gradually change as they continue their journey.

As he pays closer attention to his surroundings, he begins to notice that even the vegetation is changing drastically, almost as if he is moving from one setting to another.

Before, small bushes and trees filled every corner, making it nearly impossible to distinguish the variety of plants and herbs among them.

But now the land seems barren. The trees and plants are spaced apart, and the small insects and creatures from before no longer lurk in the area.

As they continue to struggle along the road, a heavy atmosphere begins to form. A typical eerie sight takes shape, and the sunlight slowly fades.

An unfamiliar stench fills Rei's nose, making him instinctively frown. He covers his nose with his hand and looks at Kazuki, confused about what's happening.

In response to his look, the man gives him a puzzled look, also unsure of what's causing the foul smell in the area.

"Everything was fine a few minutes ago. What the hell is that horrible smell? It's like burnt rubber."

"Also, the whole area seems to be changing as we walk... At first I thought everything would be fine.

"No matter how safe a place seems, there are always risks to consider."

The student thinks to himself as he moves toward the edge of the path to examine the trees, which for some reason are dead and battered.

When he shifts his gaze to one of the trees, he notices its texture is rotting, its bark deteriorating. It may have lived for hundreds of years, but now it's on the verge of death, — its wood wouldn't even be good for firewood.

Grass and even weeds are nowhere to be found. On the other hand, the dirt-covered ground looks a little darker than usual.

No matter how many times he looks at it, the only conclusion he can come to is that nothing in this region seems to have happened naturally.

Still, he dismisses the thought, stops paying attention to the tree, and resumes his normal pace.

No matter how much he thinks about it, he can't find an answer. If anything, he's just thinking too much.

He moves his hand to the side and wipes some of the sweat dripping down his face onto his clothes. Then, as he leans slightly to the side, he notices a figure a few meters ahead of him, right in front of the merchant.

Before they left, he remembered that the merchant had to leave his cart and horses behind due to the lack of space on the road.

The student cautiously asks Kazuki about it after noticing the merchant's face, which was clearly filled with anger and frustration.

— I heard that the merchant had to leave his cart and free the horses. What happened to his goods?

— He said the merchandise was damaged. In fact, I saw him yelling about it this morning when he went to check on them — Kazuki replies casually without breaking stride.

— Seriously? I'm not surprised this happened. The first thing he did when we got off the road was complain about his merchandise and how it was supposed to go to the Elven Kingdom. Same old story. — When the student finishes talking, the two chuckle quietly so the others don't notice.

"Now that I think about it, I left the tents and grills behind. Hopefully, someone will find them, — they might still be useful for something.''

"We wouldn't have been able to carry them anyway, and besides, I can make that stuff whenever I want. Whatever."

The student thinks, shifting his focus back to the road ahead, following Laili's group.

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After long hours of travel, both Laili's and Rei's groups stop in a small area to rest, exhausted from the difficult journey.

All the while, they had to walk slowly and carefully due to the narrow, mountainous terrain that had formed in a certain section.

— Uncle, my legs hurt — Mia complains.

— Me too, I can't walk much longer. Are we there yet? — Takayo asks, looking discouraged.

— We're almost there, see? We'll rest now. If we have to walk more today, I'll carry you both. — As Kazuki finishes speaking, Mia and Takayo lower their heads, saddened by the possibility of walking even further.