By two thirds of our journey to Samandour Kingdom, nearing its national border, we could see the Table Mountains towering high on the left.
「…………so those Table Mountains were in the savage lands.」
「Indeed. At elevations of over 1000m, the Table Mountains have summits that stretches out as flat and level ground, but there apparently isn’t anyone who has climbed to those summits.」
When I was in blank amazement at seeing several table mountains lined up, Sophia courteously explained.
「Funya~! So big~!」
「Weird meowntain! The top is flat nya~!」
「Woow~! How do I climb that?」
「Ah, it’s really great.」
The trio’s eyes were sparkling as they viewed the table mountains for the first time.
When compared to the existing 3000m plateau, the Guiana Highlands, I wonder if these are a reduced version of the place. But I haven’t seen the actual Guiana Highlands, so the seeing the table mountain scenery to my left is more than enough to move me. When a different world is this formidable, I suddenly want to question Norn-sama for nearly an hour about what makes up the continent, like the Table Mountains in this place. If there are waterfalls here, then I’ll call it Angel Fall.
The Table Mountains’ ascent is 1000m perpendicularly. Climbing up to the top is probably impossible for the people of this world. That would be different if there are races that can fly in the air though.
The forest at the foot of the mountain is deeply concentrated with mana, there is no doubt it had become a monster nest. It became evident there were many monster presences when we did a wide area presence search.
「Do adventurers not come this far to explore?」
「I don’t believe so. Given how the monster nests here are small and there are monster nests of a similar scale much closer to town, I can’t imagine why they would purposefully cross the national border to come to a small monster nest.」
「Sure, it’d different if they knew summit of the Table Mountains have a lot of valuable materials or rare monsters, but it would take 5 days on a normal carriage from Samandour Kingdom’s national border.」
Adventurers would not go to a monster nest inconveniently distant from towns and villages with Adventurers Guilds unless there is much to do. In my case, the fact that the summit of the Table Mountains are a place that people have not tread upon attracts me, but if I think about it properly, there is a great amount of untrodden land in this world. I realize yet again the minuteness of the living areas of people.
Passing by the Table Mountains, we ran for a little while and finally arrived close to the national border of Samandour Kingdom.
So we wouldn’t pass through the common route Triaria Kingdom does, we limited our stay at villages and towns to a minimum, while Sophia listens to the voice of the Spirits as we headed for the coast where the mermaids we were going to shelter are.
Samandour Kingdom is a prosperous trading nation located on the southern end of the continent.
It is said to be a prosperous country where many of the sea monsters were large and powerful, has a fishing industry in the shallow coastal waters, as well as makes and trades salt.
Since it is popular for trading with other countries in the continent, various races intermingle. Because of this, I heard there wasn’t much racial discrimination.
Because it is in the southern end of the continent, it is much warmer than Valkyra Kingdom which is north from the center, and has a grain-producing region that exports wheat within the continent.
Maybe because it is rich without warring unlike Triaria Kingdom which is proactive in the expansion of its territory, Samandour Kingdom has connections to every country through trade.
When we entered Samandour Kingdom, as expected we couldn’t go at speeds that we did in the savage lands, but even so, compared to normal carriages, Tsubaki’s speed and stamina are still in a different league. Even our meals, since we can finish it inside the space-enlarged carriage, we continued moving unless we were camping or lodging in towns and villages.
I’m the driver most of the time, but when Maria and Akane take a turn, I kill time by playing with Lala, Sara, and Shirona.
「Takumi-oniichan, this country is warm nya.」
「It’s kinda hot nya.」
「It might be a little warm for Lala and Sara.」
「It’s just right for Shirona!」
The little girl trio have taken their spots, sitting on my lap.
「Lala, get down from Takumi-oniichan nya.」
「Don’t wannya! Miri-oneechan can also sit on Takumi-oniichan’s lap nya!」
The older Cat Sith sister, Miri, warned Lala, but Lala wasn’t paying her any mind.
Wappa and Colette also cautioned their little sisters Sara and Shirona, but it doesn’t seem to be showing any effect on the little girl trio. It’s a bit hot when young children whose body temperature is high cling to me, but since the three are in a good mood, it’s fine.
Karikarikari……………………….
Inside the carriage, the sound of pencils scribbling on paper was audible.
「Hmmm~, it’s hard…………」
「「…………………………」」
Wappa was staring at the numerical calculation written down in the paper. Miri and Colette were silently working out the problem.
During this trip, the three elder siblings, Wappa, Collete and Miri, were taking reading, writing, and calculation lessons from us. If they know how to read, write, and calculate and they think they want to live outside the Sanctuary in the future, it would be easier for them to get a variety of jobs. At any rate, this world’s literacy rate is low, if one can calculate with the four rules of arithmetic, I heard they’d be in great demand in places like companies, the Commerce Guild, and government offices. Of course, having been raised in the slums and in their short lives, Wappa and the kids were unable to read, write, or calculate. It’s only natural since no one was there to teach them, and just surviving everyday was the best they could do.
Three days after entering Samandour Kingdom, being guided by the spirits, we arrived at the coast where the mermaids lived in hiding.
***