Pioneering the Apocalyptic World - Chapter 79

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Chapter 14: Traveling companions

The next day, I replenished the supplies necessary for the next exploration and repaired the equipment… Or Rather should I say, made new ones. The day after, I called the day off and did research on making things. By the way, Uru gave me an exasperated look, but because she had already given up on me, she didn’t try to stop what I was doing. Hahaha.
Furthermore, the next day, I decided to resume the exploration.
Uru had a very sour look on her face, but she couldn’t stop me, so she made me promise two things: ‘Use the return stone as soon as you hear the sound of thunder.’ and ‘At night hide underground and rest’.

“Even if it’s impossible now, I’ll on day cook it and eat …”

“Ahaha, I also want a revenge match one day.”

Having said that, I don’t know when that will happen… In the first place, Altair is an existence that you can’t easily meet even if you want to.
It seems that there are areas on Earth where lightning constantly strikes, but I wonder if Asteria has such areas?

Unfortunately, our starting position has returned to a few days ago, and it will be a restart from the shore beyond the river. Well, let’s think that it’s good enough that the statue of the Creator here isn’t broken.
I can already see that even if we follow the same route, there will be nothing and we just going to be bored, so this time I will shift the route a little and head to the northwest direction. By the way there is no particular reason for choosing the northwest instead of the northeast.
Along the way, we piled up stones to serve as landmarks, and proceeded while collecting materials in the way.

“… There’s nothing on this side either.”

“That’s right…”

I completely agree with Regulus’ complaints. I don’t want to encounter a disaster like Altair, but if the road don’t have anything, we will inevitably be bored. Why don’t anything interesting is happening? Even if you thought that, you shouldn’t be punished…. Eh? We were already been punished?

On the way, we camped several times and returned to the base once. We also found a similar cave-type dungeon, so we are exploring it now.

“Speaking of which, Regulus, what happened to your thunder?”

“There wasn’t any particular progress.”

It doesn’t seem that he was able to do anything more than a little bit of thunder snap like that time. Well, it’s only been a few days, and It would be troublesome if he ended almost causing a disaster like me.
Because of Ryza-san’s training, we had to act separately, but I wonder if I should let Fricka take a look at Regulus once.

“Hey, you two, your guard is down.”

“Oops, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry.”

Reprimanded by Uru, he concentrates on conquering the dungeon.
The guardians were high orcs, and we completed the capture without any special mention. The magic stone are very good.

It was noon after another day passed like this.

“Mu, Rion, two of something is coming from beyond that hill.”

Uru pointed to a gentle hill in front of us——It’s higher than I am tall and the other side can’t be seen——And alerts me

“… Maybe we’ll finally encounter a monster that can act during the day?”

When I looked up at the sky, there were no clouds and the sun was shining brightly. It’s a location where the power of the Creator God is likely to be strong, but… They are a such formidable enemies that they don’t even care about that?
We took out our weapons and took a fighting stance. I hold my bow while swallowing my spit in tension, with the intention of as soon that they stick their heads out from the hill, I will shoot down them right away.
I had that intention, but.

“…… Ah.”

“Mu?”

“Oh?”

Popping out of the hill were… Two horses.
The presences? That Uru sensed were just these two, and they don’t seem to be being chased by any monsters, so we let down our guard and approach.
However, at this time, you should not get too close to it carelessly. Wild horses can be ferocious and they will kick you. That hurts quite a bit, being kicked. Of course I’ve already experienced it, fufufu.
The horses came towards us without slowing down. Eh, they are the rough type that attacked at first sight? I panicked, but it seems that it was a baseless worry.
A little before us they slowed down and stopped. …… On the contrary, I wonder if they are a very calm type …… No, that’s too is wrong.

“… A horse owned by someone, I guess.”

When I reached out my hand to touch a horse, he let me stroke him without even trying to run away. Oh, so this is what feels like to touch a horse.

“Fumu.”

Uru also imitates me and tries to touch the other horse, but for some reason it squeals and hide behind me.
I heard a faint murmur of “… Fununu…”, and from the hand that was still lonely swaying in the air, I felt a little of melancholy.

I climbed to the top of the hill and looked around, but I couldn’t find any figure that seemed to be the owner. Where they came from? Did they get lost?
Either way, saying “Let’s take a break for the time being.” we decided to eat food.
When I gave the horses water and fodder, they ate and drank like they’re used to it, so I guess they’re really domesticated horses. …… If they were wild ones, I would make them my horses, it’s a shame.

“… Rion really has a lot of things.”

“If you’re prepared, you won’t have to worry.”

Regulus said in a tone that I don’t know whether he was amazed or impressed when I took out the horse’s food.
Well, this is possible because I’m a miko who boasts a large capacity item box. Filling precious box slots with things you wouldn’t normally use is just foolish.

“Mugumugu*… so what are you going to do with these horses ?”

“Since it’s a good occasion, I was planning to ride them.”

If it’s a domesticated horse, I will be able to ride it. In the first place a wild one would be too cautious and won’t even come near us.
There are only two of them, but I should be able to ride one with Uru. As a side note, Uru’s body is small, but perhaps because her muscle mass, she’s heavier than me. Her tail is one of the reasons added for her weight. But even so, I think she’s lighter than Regulus, so it’s this combination is right.
… Emotionally, no matter how good friends we are, I want to avoid close contact with Regulus who is a member of the opposite sex, unless it’s an emergency. Though the biggest reason is that Lieze would pester me later for it.

“Ah… Regulus, can you ride a horse?”

“… I’ve never ridden one, so I don’t know. At worst, I’ll follow you on foot.”

I also know how to ride to some degree because the game was a VR, but it’s the first time in real life. So after dinner, I decided to do some light riding training.
I take out the saddle and reins and put them on the horses. I made this as some time ago, thinking, maybe there will be a time that I would need one.

“Huh… Hold the reins, hook your left leg on the stirrup, grab the saddle firmly… Then raise your right leg.”

I was able to mount the horse smoothly because it’s a tame one.
Although it’s a higher point of view than usual, I’m often on the roof of a building, and I’ve looked down from a very high position many times during this exploration, so I’m fine with it.

“Can you go?”

As if responding to my voice, the horse let out a neigh and started to walk slowly.
I slightly tilt the center of gravity to the right, press the horse’s belly with the right foot, and the horse turn right, do the same with the left and it turn left. After that, I try to up the speed… That game, it was made very good even in parts like this, isn’t? I thought that in my heart as I completed a series of movements.
I pull the reins lightly and the horse stop. Dismounting is also fine.

“Rion, you looked very good at that.”

“Thank you. But this is just because this kid was being properly trained.”

I was praised by Uru who was observing, but as expected it wouldn’t go like this if the opponent was a wild horse. First of all, I would have to start from making it like me.

“Then next is Uru’s… Ah.”

“…”

As Uru approached, the horse became restless and began to stomp the ground.
No matter how much I tried to calm him down, he was frantically moving his ears and neck around. If I didn’t was holding the reins, he would be already running away.
…… Could it be?

“… It’s scared of Uru…?”

“… I’m not doing anything…”

I suddenly remembered that even at our base’s farm the cows and chickens were frightened at first.
I wonder if wild creatures can tell from instinct that Uru is incredibly strong…? The ones in the base are completely fine now. …… It’s possible that their wild part were just lost.
By the way, Regulus struggled in the beginning, but after practicing for a while, he was able to ride it without any problems. For one reason or other in the end he’s pretty athletic too.

“To even the horses think that I’m weaker than Uru-nee-san, that give me complicated feelings okay.”

“That’s a fact, so let’s give it up.”

For the time being, I asked Regulus to practice a little more, and I tried to put Uru on it, but it didn’t go well.… Are they horsing around? I’m sorry, it was nothing, please forget what I said.
In the end, I wonder if he got used to it, I had to got on first and continued to soothe him by saying, “It’s okay, it’s not scary.” And Uru was finally able to mount.

“… Gunuu.”

“W-Well, we originally planned to mount together, right?”

In the end I needed to also soothe Uru too.