NOVEL NEXT After three days of sailing, they arrived at Kapatum.
The first thing that caught their eye was undoubtedly the exotic scenery.
It didn’t seem like a large city, but the stout gray stone walls were built solidly to defend the town, and armed soldiers patrolled the top, keeping a close watch on the surroundings.
However, Kapatum was a military port, and most of the ships docked were battleships.
Among the vessels with numerous gunports ready for action, the ship carrying them slowly entered, dropped anchor, and as the hatch opened, the group was finally able to set foot on solid ground.
While unloading was taking place, Yona, waiting for the royal porters to remove their luggage, was sitting on a chair shaded from the sun, breathing heavily.
“Are you really okay? Yona, your face is half gone!”
James looked at Yona with genuine concern.
Despite the short three-day journey, Yona’s face was pale, literally half-dead.
During those three days, all she had eaten was some grain powder dissolved in water, and even that she had thrown up half the time.
“I’ve never seen someone get seasick this badly.”
“Kaiyak, you’ve been on boats a lot, so you’re used to it, right…”
Yona scolded Kaiyak in a voice that was half-dead.
But Kaiyak looked completely unfazed.
“It’s my first time sailing too. What would a land creature like me even have to do on a boat?”
“Uh… But why aren’t you seasick?”
“Because I’m not a human like you. A strong Lizardman warrior doesn’t suffer from physical ailments like that.”
“Oh damn…”
Yona was too weak to even curse and leaned on Amira.
Amira had been smiling brightly the whole time, and throughout those three days, she was the one who stuck by Yona, taking care of her.
Alex wanted to help, but every time he got close to the weakened Yona, she felt pain even more intensely, so he couldn’t do anything.
“Still, now that we’ve passed the tough part, it should be alright—”
As Amira said, the ship had now docked at Kapatum.
The ship that entered Kapatum was scheduled to stay for a day before heading to Kubus.
“Um, Princess Amira.”
After glancing at Yona for a moment, Alex scratched his nose and approached Amira.
The royal guards around Amira glanced at Alex, but they didn’t raise any further suspicions or concerns.
Despite Amira being a princess, she volunteered to be the maid of Yona, the Saint of the Serpent God Vervaria, which was why Alex was part of Yona’s group.
“Yes, the Saint’s knight—”
‘…It’s a title I still can’t get used to.’
It might be long, but it’s not that bad of a title.
Well, it’s not such a bad title after all.
I actually kinda like it.
“What’s the next destination from here?”
“Umm… From Kapatum, we’ll head to Kubus.”
From Kapatum to Kubus.
And then Amirah and her group will set off for the capital of the Katus Empire, Eshima.
While on the boat, Yona and the Alebians all gathered to discuss, and they decided to head to Eshima for now.
Eshima, the capital of the Katus Empire, is a place where all races gather, and the current imperial family, the Azrami clan, are serpent beastkin.
And it’s clear from just looking at Amirah that the Azrami clan will be extremely kind to Yona, so going to Eshima is the right choice.
Even for Alebians, it’s not like they can just randomly figure out where the next duke is without any information.
They need at least a bit of info and should analyze it based on that, so it makes sense to head to a place where that information is likely abundant, which fits Eshima perfectly.
“Do we have to go through Kubus to get to Eshima?”
“Not really, but it’s the fastest route.”
The currents of the Ruby Sea flow from Kapatum towards Kubus.
By taking the currents that flow through the Sea of Flabus, pass through the Vitya Strait, and head into the Ruby Sea, they could go from Kapatum to Kubus, and then take the canals to Eshima.
‘The problem is that I don’t think Yona will be able to handle that voyage…’
I didn’t expect Yona to get so seasick.
Among those on the boat, including Alex and even Rubina, everyone adapted to the seasickness within a day, but Yona was still in that state for three days straight!
Heading from Kapatum to Kubus and then taking the canals to Eshima like that? There’s no way she can manage it.
“Isn’t it possible to go overland from Kapatum to Eshima?”
“Yes, it’s possible—what’s stopping us? Just a bit slower, that’s the issue.”
“How much slower?”
“About three days difference. If we say we’re heading to Eshima through Kubus, we’ll arrive in about a week.”
The boat moves even while the group is sleeping.
But on land, if you sleep, everything stops.
It’s the time loss from that that’s the problem.
“You’re worried about the Saint moving by boat, aren’t you?”
Amirah said with a bright smile, looking up at Alex.
It felt a bit awkward to deny it, so Alex just kept his mouth shut and slowly nodded.
“I was kind of thinking that. I really didn’t expect the Saint to be this seasick…”
As she said that, Amirah started to pick a fight.
The one with a thinner tail than Amirah approached gently with her hands clasped together, and Amirah whispered something in her ear.
Whispered.
“If it’s Zakeloko, it seems possible, Your Highness. Shall we prepare?”
“Sure— Zakeloko, please get ready—”
What on earth is Zakeloko?
The party was left dumbfounded by the unfamiliar word, staring at Amira, who smiled brightly and clapped her hands.
“It seems that, hmm— the Saint is likely to have a hard time moving by boat, so let’s go by land to Eshima—”
“But if there’s a three-day difference…”
While they weren’t pressed for time, the sooner they arrived, the faster they could gather information. They didn’t have the luxury to procrastinate like this.
Were they really going to take ten days to cover a distance they could reach in a week?
“Since the Saint’s knight is worried like this— we should do at least this much for the Saint, right— Don’t worry, there are ways—”
According to Amira, Kapatum was basically a forward base, with nothing much to see.
It was just a stopping point, and there was no need to linger here, especially since it was a military city.
“This is Zakeloko—”
“……”
Everyone fell silent.
Yona especially was at a loss for words in front of the ‘thing’ called Zakeloko.
To put it simply, it was a scorpion, a scorpion that was ridiculously large.
Its tail flicked up high, swaying.
At the end of that tail was a creature the size of an adult’s head, and from the tip, a huge stinger protruded.
As if that wasn’t enough, its body was shiny black mixed with brown, flattened out like it could easily hold two or three adults lounging on it.
But the head right in front had glowing red eyes, and the outstretched claws seemed sharp enough to slice through a cow in an instant.
“This is… Zakeloko…?”
“Yes— it’s military-grade, but, you know, we ride it for occasions like this— What’s more important than escorting the Saint—”
So happy!
While I’m truly touched and grateful for what Amira is preparing, this… this is just a bit too much, isn’t it?
“Zakeloko won’t go wild as long as a trained handler is with it— I’ve ridden it a few times, so I know—”
Yona glanced back and forth between Zakeloko and Amira.
Amira smiled brightly as if there were no issues in the world, slapping the ground with her thick tail without losing her composure, and that Zakeloko within the fence—
“…Wait, smoke is coming out of its mouth…?”
“It’s just excited—”
“…Its eyes are— flashing…?”
“…?”
“You’re just happy to see me, right?”
“Why is that pincers making those clacking sounds…?”
“It’s just because I’m happy to see youㅡ”
Based on what?
Yona felt that phrase rising up her throat.
“Let’s just take the carriage, okay? I think it would be fine to go by carriage. What’s the problem with being three days late…?”
Yona felt like she could cry.
She was terrified of that hellish seasickness when getting on a boat, and simply terrified of riding Zakeloko.
Honestly, is there any particular issue with being three days late?
“I can’t afford to be three days late, so if we’re going by carriage, I’ll have to go separately…”
Yona shut her mouth at Amira’s words.
The reason she wanted to go to Eshima was because Amira was there.
Moreover, Amira already knew that Yona was the saint of the demon realm and the owner of Vervaria, soㅡ
“…Then can’t I just call Vervaria and ride her over?”
“Are you saying you’ll go first without us?”
There was no problem riding Vervaria for Yona.
But Alex or Kaiyak or James was a different story.
“If you’re going to ride Zakeloko, I can join you, but the carriage is a no-go.”
Amira was smiling brightly.
From Yona’s perspective, there was already no choice left.
“Is… is this really going to be okay…?”
The slippery back of Zakeloko was covered with some unknown cloth that had been patched up to make a cushion.
On that cushion were Amira, Yona, and Alex, along with Zakeloko’s trainer.
It wasn’t very spacious, but it wasn’t too cramped either—just the right amount of space.
“I told you it’s fineㅡ once you try it, it’s actually quite fun you knowㅡ”
Yona peeked down as Amira spoke.
Those three thick pairs of legs.
Including the pincers, that would make four pairs, but those pincers were raised up at the front, so three pairs it is.
“…The pincers can’t attack from the back, right?”
“Nopeㅡ Ah, just don’t stand up too suddenly, alright? There were people who died from being poked in the head by poisonous stingersㅡ”
At Amira’s words, Yona quickly bent her waist.
Seeing that, Alex laughed.
“Alright thenㅡ Let’s get started!”
Zakeloko carrying Amira, Yona, and Alex.
Zakeloko carrying the Alebians and Rubina.
Zakeloko carrying Kaiyak and James.
And three Zakelokos carrying Amira’s servants.
A total of six Zakelokos departed from Kapathum.
Plans for a one-day stay had been drastically revised.