DanMachi: The Epic of the Heroic Spirits of Emiya Shirou

Emiya, whose level is only Lv.2, obviously needs more time to recuperate, but he is already able to walk normally and has no restrictions on his movements.

The morning sun shone through the gaps in the dense forest, and birdsong brought a touch of life to the silent woods. Riveria and the others packed their belongings in their makeshift camp, preparing to set off back to Orario.

Hermes, the god of travelers, had made preparations before the adventurers. His usual leisurely smile now seemed somewhat smug: "I've already prepared several carriages for you!"

He stood before the crowd and gently unfurled a scroll of contract documents.

The document's surface was as smooth as new, with gold thread inlaid along the edges. The contract clearly bore the emblem of the Orario Guild and the heraldry of the Hermes Familia, adorned with a traveler's hat decorated with a feather.

"With this contract, you can pick up the carriage and supplies I've prepared in advance at the starting town on the outskirts of the Great Tree Sea!"

"Thank you for your thoughtful arrangements, God Hermes."

Riveria accepted the contract; Hermes' arrangements had indeed made their journey much easier.

Hermes smiled gently, a rare sincerity in his eyes: "You are all excellent adventurers, and it is my honor to have been able to help you. The difficult task is now complete, so let's make the journey back easier."

Meanwhile, Freya did not embark on the return journey with Riveria and the others. As a professor in the [District], she chose to remain near the Great Tree Sea, waiting for someone from the [District] to come and meet her.

Her plan is to use this time to identify promising young people in the surrounding area who are eager for knowledge and bring them back to the school district for training.

Although the villages and towns surrounding the Great Tree Sea are remote, she believes there may still be talented students hidden there, just lacking opportunities and guidance.

During this stay, Freya hopes to find more promising students with academic or magical potential for the school district.

And so, the group bid a brief farewell to Freya.

According to the [School District]'s plan, in three years, the [School District] will return to the labyrinth city of Orario for a short period of rest and recuperation, giving the students of the district the opportunity to consider joining the Orario Familia. Perhaps then, they will meet Freya again.

Hermes himself did not travel back to Orario with the adventurers. He explained that many members of the Hermes Familia had been injured in the previous battle and had not yet fully recovered.

As the chief deity of his people, he decided to stay and personally care for them, ensuring they received adequate treatment and rest.

However, although Hermes casually explained his reason for staying, saying that the injuries of his clan members had not yet healed, Emiya and the others could tell that this was not the real reason that made him give up the idea of ​​leaving alone.

Standing behind Hermes, Asphie's expression was calm, but her eyes exuded an undeniable sense of oppression.

That look was clearly a warning to Hermes—"If you dare to abandon us again, you're as good as dead."

Hermes's murderous aura beneath her calm exterior forced him to stay obediently in the camp.

Shortly after leaving the adventurer camp, Riveria and her companions successfully exchanged their contract for two carriages in a small town on the outskirts of the Great Tree Sea.

At first glance, these two carriages appear quite unassuming, with no decorations on their surfaces, making them seem unremarkable. But this is merely their initial simple appearance, concealing their truly extraordinary nature.

The carriage frame was crafted from an extremely sturdy special wood, and the wheels and axles were meticulously crafted to ensure their durability. The carriage was also surprisingly spacious, large enough to accommodate all their equipment and supplies, and even provide ample resting space for the adventurers.

What truly reflects the value of these carriages are the magical items crafted by the "Omnipotent One" inside.

These magical gadgets can automatically adjust the balance of the carriage, ensuring its stability even on rough or muddy roads. Riding in one is almost completely free of the bumpy, unsettling feeling of a regular carriage, and even long journeys are comfortable and tiring.

This understated high-end design, combined with sturdy and durable materials and exceptional comfort, makes it easy to realize that these two carriages, though unassuming in appearance, must be extremely expensive, far beyond the reach of ordinary adventurers.

When they arrived, they flew across the vast distance between the Great Forest and Orario on dragons, a speed far faster than that of a horse-drawn carriage on the ground.

However, the dragons are now either injured and unable to fly, or have been killed by monsters and can no longer provide assistance. Switching to horse-drawn carriages would likely extend the journey by more than a month, a reality they must accept.

Nevertheless, the usually calm and composed Riveria seemed unusually excited about the upcoming long journey.

Her eyes lit up noticeably, especially when she saw the carriage Hermes had prepared for them.

Although Riveria didn't say much, her subtle changes in expression revealed that this rare opportunity seemed to have stirred up some kind of expectation deep within her.

Both Emiya and Hedin originally had their own reasons for wanting to return to Orario as soon as possible.

Hedin was eager to see the goddess Freya and report the results of their adventure. Meanwhile, Emiya was focused on returning to the Orario dungeons to train and improve his strength. He knew he still had many shortcomings that needed to be addressed through constant battles and training.

However, when they noticed Riveria's keen interest in the "trip," they tacitly refrained from mentioning their plans to return to the city early.

In addition, the adventurers realized that perhaps they themselves also needed a trip to bring some relaxation and adjustment.

Moreover, Emiya quickly realized that traveling with Riveria and the others might be more effective than training alone in the Orario dungeon.

After all, there were three adventurers at level 6—Rivilia, Hedin, and Hegni—as well as a level 5 adventurer named Ryu.

These top adventurers are not only experienced and exceptionally strong, but each possesses a unique fighting style and skills, and they can provide him with guidance and practical training opportunities at any time.

And so, a group of travelers, strong enough to attempt to challenge the Lone King of the 49th floor of the dungeon, the One-Eyed Demon King Balor, set off.

156

Chapter 156 Riveria: She should thank me.

However, before the adventurers even set off, the issue of allocating the vehicle frames caused some conflict.

Hedin and Hegny were both male elves of the Freya Familia, so it was only natural that they should ride in the same carriage.

However, Hedin also suggested that Emiya ride with them, for a simple reason: Emiya is male and it would be more appropriate for him to be with them, and the boy also needs more combat guidance.

However, Ryu disagreed. She wanted to ride in the same carriage as Emiya, arguing that Emiya had not fully recovered and needed someone to take care of him, and that she wanted to ensure he got better rest and recovery during the journey.

Because of their differing opinions, the argument gradually escalated.

The atmosphere among the elves gradually became tense, and the two first-level adventurers almost came to blows on the spot.

After Hedin and Ryu had argued for a while, Hedin suddenly said in a relaxed tone, "[Swift Wind], have you forgotten that Princess Riveria is going to ride with you?"

It was only then that Ryu finally realized that it was indeed somewhat inappropriate to let Princess Riveria ride with men from other tribes.

Although Ryu herself didn't mind riding with Emiya, she thought that Princess Riveria might not feel the same way.

Moreover, the princess's status and the traditional beliefs of the elven race must be taken into account, so such an arrangement is clearly inappropriate.

Hedin's expression remained unchanged, maintaining his usual calm, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, as if he had easily won the argument.

However, this victory didn't bring much sense of accomplishment. After all, defeating a mere weakling was far too easy.

Ryusei was caught off guard by Hedin's words, realized his oversight, and immediately let out a reluctant "Gurgle..."

The useless, good-for-nothing fairy has been pushed to the brink of defeat and can't find a way to deal with it.

However, at that moment, Riveria suddenly spoke up.

“I wouldn’t mind riding with Emiya.”

she said.

Riveria glanced at the crowd and continued, "I am grateful for your respect, but I have relinquished my royal status. Now, I am just an ordinary adventurer like you."

Riveria's tone remained calm, but there was a noticeable increase in seriousness, as if she had been considering this for a long time.

She said, "This is not just about whether I rode with Emiya, but about the long-standing attitude of the Elves towards other races."

Riveria said slowly, "The Elven race has always held incorrect prejudices against other races. This is not an isolated phenomenon, but a deeply ingrained concept."

"Even now, in some elven lands, especially Alfwangsen, this mentality still exists. Elves still consider themselves superior, especially towards outsiders, and always maintain a distance and hostility."

Hedin's expression stiffened slightly, and Hegny's brows furrowed involuntarily. Ryu stood silently to the side, lost in thought, clearly agreeing with this.

"This is also one of the reasons why I left the Forest of Kings."

Riveria continued:

“I am unwilling to continue to be bound by such thinking, distinguishing races, identities, and statuses with fixed ideas. Now, I choose to be an adventurer, fighting alongside other races on an equal footing, rather than looking down on others with the identity of an elven royal.”

Her words, devoid of any intense emotional fluctuation, were powerful and resonant. Hedin and Hegny remained silent, knowing that Riveria was telling the truth.

"As adventurers, we have long since broken free from the traditional constraints of the Elven race. Why should we continue to cling to such outdated ideas on such trivial matters?"

Riveria spoke with utmost righteous indignation.

However, Hedin was not convinced by Riveria's words.

In Hedin's view, all of this was just an excuse the princess made up.

Her real purpose was to force herself to back down through these high-profile words, thereby ensuring that Emiya would travel with her and Ryu, instead of riding with the two spirits of Freya's Familia.

Now, Riveria has elevated the topic to the level of elven beliefs and is advocating equality in such a noble manner that Hedin, no matter how skeptical, cannot refute her directly.

Under the pressure of the other party's status and sense of righteousness, Hedin had no choice but to concede.

"Since Her Highness has already stated her position..."

Hedin finally said calmly, "I have nothing to say either."

Hedin pondered to himself that Riveria's elevation of such a trivial matter to such a high level seemed somewhat deliberate and insecure, appearing overly contrived and not at her usual level.

Given Her Highness's usual composure and wisdom, she would not normally need to go to such lengths to explain.

No one should really believe what I'm saying.

However, just as Hedin was thinking this, he turned to look at Ryu and Hegni.

Ryu's eyes gleamed with undisguised admiration.

Hegni nodded slightly, his eyes also filled with admiration and worship.

Yes, they believed it.

"Two idiots."

Hedin sighed inwardly.

The useless fairy Ryu was even silently grateful in her heart: "Princess Riveria's character is truly noble. Thanks to her tolerance, I was able to travel with Shirou."

As a result of Riveria's decision, the allocation of the carriages was finally settled.

Hedin and Hegnis rode in one car, while Riveria, Ryu, and Emiya rode in another.

Hermes prepared a spacious carriage, enough for the three of them to rest comfortably.

While the elves argued outside, Emiya, still recovering from his injuries, had already been resting inside the carriage. As the argument subsided, Rivera and Ryu boarded the carriage, ready to depart.

Just then, Riveria looked at Ryu and calmly asked, "Ryu, are you good at taking care of the wounded?"

These words startled Liu Weiwei, and she finally realized this blind spot—she was actually not good at taking care of people.

【Hurricane】Although he is exceptionally strong, he is a complete "useless fairy" in areas outside of combat.

She could only wash dishes, and had no experience in caring for the wounded.

Thinking about it carefully, if she were to take charge, Emiya's injuries would probably only continue to worsen.

Thinking about this, Liu seemed to lose all color and trembled violently.

Seeing the change in Ryu's expression, Riveria sighed helplessly and said calmly, "It seems you understand now. In that case, I'll take care of Shirou for you."

Riveria's tone carried just the right amount of helplessness and reluctance.

Ryu realized her shortcomings, and a hint of disappointment appeared on her face, but she quickly thanked Riveria sincerely, saying, "Your Highness Riveria, thank you so much!"

157

Chapter 157 The Female Elves Who Hurt Each Other

Although it couldn't match the speed of a dragon or a first-class adventurer, Hermes' specially prepared carriage was still much faster than an ordinary horse-drawn carriage.

In just a few days, the adventurers traveled along the wide road and arrived at Spring City, the largest city closest to the Great Forest—a city known as the "Hot Spring City."

This trip was completely different from their previous one. Before, they rode a flying dragon through mountains and rivers, heading straight to the Great Tree Sea. The stops along the way were either barren mountains or remote villages, with simple and desolate environments.

Now, the carriages travel along the official roads built by various countries, passing through many important cities and bustling towns, with more modern and convenient scenery and facilities along the way.

Adventurers are generally not allowed to leave the labyrinth city of Orario easily. Even when they do leave the city, they usually just travel back and forth between nearby farms, towns, or ports.

Therefore, over a long period of time, many adventurers have unconsciously developed a subconscious belief that "Orario is the world." In many people's eyes, Orario possesses unparalleled prosperity and authority, and is simply the center of the entire world.

Admittedly, Orario, as the world's largest and most important city, holds an unshakeable position. However, the true world, with its vastness and grandeur, cannot be fully represented by a single city.

Therefore, many adventurers, such as Riveria, actually yearn for the world outside the labyrinth city.

Splint is a tourist city famous for its hot springs. Hotels offering hot spring services and small pavilions for tourists to rest can be seen everywhere on both sides of the street. The warm atmosphere of the city makes people unconsciously relax.

This city, though far smaller and less influential than Orario, boasts a unique culture and prosperity. Merchants from different countries gather here, exotic architectural styles adorn the streets, and languages ​​and customs from all over the world flow through the marketplace.

Of course, the adventurers weren't here for sightseeing. Sprint was merely a short rest stop on their way back to Orario. After a day's journey, they decided to stay in the city for the night to recover their strength before continuing their journey the next morning.

At this moment, they had just entered the city.

Riveria pointed to the faint outline of the mountains in the distance and introduced to Emiya, "The dormant volcano you see was once one of the habitats of the ancient monster 'Behemoth'."

Unlike most ancient monsters such as the Scorpion of the Great Tree Sea, the Earth King "Behemoth" and the Ocean King "Leviathan" are monsters without fixed abodes, and their range of activity is extremely large.

"Behemoth's presence was felt throughout the continent, and before it was defeated, there were constant reports of sightings from various places. It brought many disasters to people all over the world, destroyed many towns, and displaced countless innocent people."