The wait was finally over and we were once again waiting to set off with the merchant caravan. Right now, it was just Katsuki and I hanging around the wagons and waiting to board since Mother had to meet someone important before we left and would join us later.
Dennis greeted us like usual and went on to speak to the other passengers of his caravan as his duty as the caravan leader.
Unsurprisingly, Jack’s party was once again hired as the escort.
Katsuki was already watching him with disapproval as he approached us.
“Hello Miss Aster and Miss Katsuki. Looks like we’re travelling together again!” He grinned at us. “Is your mother not joining us for this trip?”
“Good day, Mister Jack,” I greeted, trying to pretend I didn’t notice his eyes were already staring at my breasts. “Mother will join us later before the convoy leaves.”
“Ah, I see. In that case, how about joining us in our assigned wagon first? I can share more stories with you on this trip!”
I really didn’t feel like getting ogled at by three guys again but I had a feeling that I might get assigned to a wagon with people that had worse personalities than them.
However, help came in the form of Melissa as she came from behind him and kicked Jack in the back of his knee, sending him tumbling onto the ground.
“You stupid horndog, what did I just tell you?! Stop creeping on every girl you see! Oh, hi Aster. Hi Katsuki.”
I smiled at her, “Hello Melissa, it’s nice to see you again.”
Katsuki also bowed to return her greeting.
Jack groaned and gestured to me while still on the ground, “Come on, Melissa! Can you blame me?! They’re gorgeous!!”
“That still doesn’t mean you should leer at her! Honestly! Damnit, Aster! Come ride with me and Sabrina! You girls will have a much better time with us!”
Jack’s eyes widened, “Wait! You can’t do this to me! Don’t take away our eye candy!! It’s going to be hell with just Markus and Loyd!”
Melissa came up to me and took my hand while sticking her tongue out at Jack, “Too bad, maybe next time you can stop being a creep! Come on, Aster!”
She then pulled me towards one of the wagons, ignoring the cries of despair from Jack behind us.
There, Sabrina was standing there with her spear leaning against her side with another girl with brown hair tied in a braid that hung over her shoulder. The sword on her waist clued me in that she was most likely a swordswoman and part of their vanguard.
“Hi Aster!” Sabrina immediately waved cheerfully when she saw me. “Are you going to the Royal Capital too?”
I nodded, “That had always been our destination. Latipac city was merely our stop over.”
The other girl smiled at me, “You must be Aster? Sabrina and Melissa were really happy the last two days that they found someone else who loved sweets as much as they do.”
Melissa rolled her eyes at her before turning to me, “Aster, this is Viera, she’ll also be riding with us for the trip.”
The woman was almost a head taller than me so I had to tilt my head up when looking at her.
I nodded my head at her, “Nice to meet you Viera. I hope we won’t be a bother?”
She chuckled, “Oh hardly. I take it Melissa brought you here because our horny leader couldn’t take his eyes off you? Well… I suppose with how well endowed you are, I can hardly blame him.”
Melissa sighed, “Viera, please. Jack was practically trying to drill holes through Aster’s chest with his eyes when I found them.”
Sabrina grinned, “Face it, Melissa, she does have a point with how gorgeous Aster is.”
Viera giggled at Sabrina’s words before turning to Katsuki, “And you must be the talented girl they have told me about. Miss Katsuki, am I right? They didn’t tell me you were a maid.”
Katsuki nodded her head in greeting, “Yes, I am. I serve my Mistress as her personal maid.”
“Oh how cute! I feel a little jealous that she gets such a cute maid like you!”
Sabrina puffed her cheeks, “I can be plenty cute too you know?”
“Oh but you aren’t a maid are you?”
Melissa laughed, “Please, if Sabrina were to become a maid, she would cause more problems than solve them!”
“Hey! I resent that!”
It seems like the three girls were quite familiar with each other judging by how they were joking around with each other.
Soon enough, the call for everyone to board was given and we climbed aboard our wagon where half of it seemed like it was transporting rolls of cloth and silk.
Our wagon this time was located near the front, directly behind the lead wagon that Dennis would be riding on.
“Is your mother not joining us, Aster?” Melissa asked, finally realising that she was missing.
I was just about to explain to her when Mother climbed aboard, “Ara ara? Looks like I was just in time~ Ufufufu~ I see our company is different this time? Hello ladies, I am Aster’s mother, please take care of my child, will you?”
Sabrina and Melissa greeted Mother normally but unexpectedly, Viera gasped aloud and even backpedalled away the moment she saw Mother.
All of us turned to look at Viera who was looking up at Mother with wide eyes, clearly astonished to see her.
“Ara? Are you ok, Miss Viera? You did not hurt yourself did you? You need to be more careful~” Mother asked.
How did she know her name?
“N… No, your Ladyship… I apologise for the embarrassing display…”
“Ufufu~ There’s no need to stand on ceremony~ Right now, I’m merely a mother out with her cute little child so just treat me as such~”
The way Mother’s eyes shone when she said that kind of made it sound more like a threat than a suggestion, something that Viera seemed to have understood.
“Of course… Madam… I apologise again.”
“Ufufufu~ That is quite alright, my dear~”
Mother sat down beside me while Viera also settled back down on her seat, ignoring the stares her friends were giving her.
Thankfully, the entire scene went by without anyone else noticing so the wagons started moving out without problems.
“Viera… Why did you react like that?” Sabrina whispered, though I still managed to hear her.
“It’s… It’s nothing… Really. Don’t ask…” Viera practically begged.
Melissa seemed to have realised how awkward the air had gotten so she decided to turn to me, probably guessing I was the safest option.
“So how did you find the city, Miss Aster?”
“Oh! It was really interesting! The feeling was completely different from Dragon View Trade city! It’s just too bad I didn’t get to fully explore it though. It feels like I barely scratched the surface on what this city had to offer!”
She grinned, “There’s actually a rather popular saying around here. They say that you can live your entire life in Latipac city and still find new things everyday.”
“Really? Then what about the capital city?”
“Ahaha, some claim that Crown Capital city is called that because it is the crowning jewel of Mahun civilization. It’s hard to dispute that though with how beautiful the city is. Plus, it’s one of the few places within the Kingdom that has active dungeons for Dungeoneers to dive into. If I remember correctly, Miss Aster is also interested in them, right?”
I nodded my head vigorously, “Yeah! I heard there’s all sorts of treasures and monsters you can find inside them! I can’t wait to explore them!”
Sabrina took the chance to jump into the conversation, “Oh! In that case, do you want to go dungeon diving together some time? It’s been a while since I’ve gone on one and these girls never want to go with me!”
I was a little surprised, “Why not?”
Viera seemed to have recovered from her earlier shock as she was the one who answered me, “Ugh… You’ll be fighting in a cramped space and on the off chance that you have to spend the night there, it just makes you feel so claustrophobic…”
Ah… I suppose I can understand her sentiments. Fighting outside in the fields is much more manoeuvrable than in the corridors of a dungeon, which is also why the average party size of a Dungeoneering group is much smaller than a Mercenary’s.
“Well… I wouldn’t mind I suppose. I’ll still have to see what happens when I’m there though,” I told her.
“That’s good enough for me!” Sabrina cheered before turning to Viera. “You hear that, Vie? If you’re not careful, I might get taken!”
Vie sighed before reaching forward to grab onto Sabrina’s collar, pulling her in for a kiss on her lips.
Ohhhh~ Oh damn!
I didn’t even have time to get over my surprise before Viera broke the kiss and turned to Melissa, the mage girl already leaning forward and the two of them kissed too.
Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn! It’s a legitimate yuri harem!