Read Novel Full Chapter 61, Qualifications of Partnership
Chapter 61, Qualifications of Partnership
Translator: Barnnn
“Hmm… yeah, it’s a little bigger than Hiro,” Hal remarked as he sized up the horse.
“Hiro’s coat is gray, right? What about this one?” Ize asked, stepping closer.
“Chestnut, I think,” Fieda replied, running a hand along the horse’s neck.
“And the name?” Ize prompted.
“Haven’t decided yet. You two want to name it?”
“Uh… Hal, your time to shine!”
“Me!?”
“Well, it’s still up to negotiations with the owner. If things go well, just have a name ready.”
“”Okaaay,”” Ize and Hal chimed in unison.
Today, they had come to see a horse that might soon become their traveling companion. Naturally, Hiro was with them.
“Take a good look, Hiro.” Hal patted the mare’s flank. “This is gonna be your future partner.”
“Potential partner, that is,” Ize corrected. “Listen up, Hiro — you have to choose carefully. Don’t make any compromises.”
“What is this, a marriage interview?” Hal quipped.
“Well, it’s pretty much the same thing, right?”
Hiro let out a snort, as if expressing her understanding.
While Fieda went off to discuss the purchase details with the owner, Ize and Hal remained by the new horse, tossing around ideas for a name.
“Hmm, a name, huh? Something that pairs well with Hiro would be…” Hal trailed off, tapping his chin. “Hideo, maybe? How about that?”
“But… why?” Ize asked, squinting at him.
“So there’s this baseball manga — Hiro’s the name of the pitcher protagonist, and Hideo’s his rival batter.”
“A rival? That sounds like they’d just fight all the time. Besides, a pitcher’s partner is usually the catcher.”
“They were actually good friends in the manga. I just don’t remember the catcher’s name.”
“If they didn’t leave enough of an impression for you to remember their name, that’s probably not a great choice. Any other ideas?”
“Uhh…?” Hal stalled before shifting the responsibility. “What about you, Ize? Got any suggestions?”
“Let me get a closer look at him first.”
With that, Ize stepped directly in front of the chestnut horse.
Seeing a horse this close in person was a first for her since arriving in this world. She had watched them from a distance, pulling horsebuses in the Lazulseed Royal Capital, but never up close.
“Can I touch you a little?” Lowering her voice, she spoke in a soothing tone.
The horse stretched its neck forward, bringing its muzzle near her face.
“Thanks.”
She reached out, placing a careful hand under its chin before gliding her fingers up along its nose, tracing over its cheek, then down its neck.
Its eyes were larger than she had expected, and its long lashes gave it a gentle, adorable look.
“Heh, you’re a good boy.”
She could already tell — he’d make a fine partner for Hiro.
“Now, what kind of name would suit you?”
She murmured the question as she ran her fingers through the horse’s slightly coarse mane.
The horse responded by tilting its head and pressing its nose against her face, leaving her cheek completely wet.
“Whoa.”
Ize instinctively rubbed her cheek against its neck, wiping it off. The unexpected smoothness of the horse’s coat caught her off guard, and she took a slow breath.
[Yep. Smells like a horse.]
The thought was so absurdly simple that she chuckled to herself. When she lifted her gaze, she found the horse watching her again.
“Looks like this one’s got a strong will…” A sudden idea struck her. “Oh, I got it! How about ‘Take’?”
“Take? Why?” Hal asked.
“Wasn’t there a guy who rode horses? A… Jackie?”
“No, that’s an action movie star. You mean jockey? A racehorse rider?”
“Yeah, that!”
“Naming a horse after a jockey is kinda wicked…”
“I know, right? But it makes it feel like he’ll run faster than anyone.”
“Hmm… I see.”
Hal studied the horse for a moment before breaking into a smirk.
“Yeah, sounds good to me.”
“Hiro and Take… Let’s all go on a journey together, okay?”
“We’ll be counting on you.”
As Hal reached out to pat Take’s neck, the horse gave an energetic snort — which sent a spray of snot flying straight onto Hal’s face.
◆
The next evening, after finishing their bath and settling into their room, they finally had the chance to pry more details out of Fieda regarding his remark at the dining hall.
The first point of discussion was the horsebus Fieda had arranged. It was built for endurance, sturdy enough to withstand long-distance travel while still offering a level of comfort suitable for extended journeys. It would be pulled by two horses.
According to Fieda, their three-person journey had a few unique logistical considerations:
One, their cargo. Most of their supplies would be stored in Hal and Ize’s Magic Bags, but an entirely empty horsebus would look suspicious. To avoid drawing unnecessary attention, they planned to load it with some dummy cargo.
Two, accommodations on the road. The previous month, Ize and Hal had sent a request to Zoddoa for a custom-built interior for their horsebus. While it wasn’t quite a fully furnished container home, it had been designed with convenience in mind. The boxy interior featured a dining area with a special feature: its walls contained fold-down panels that could be locked in place to form beds.
With a portable bath and toilets already secured, their only major concern now was the kitchen — or rather, the lack of one. They would need to figure out a solution before departure, including the all-important decision of who would handle the cooking.
Three, their travel route. Based on their research at the library, many of the places they wanted to visit within the Tajellia Kingdom lay off the beaten path, far from well-maintained roads.
For instance, the village that produced the teacups they had admired at the Deer Cutlets restaurant was nestled deep within a tea-growing region. The path leading there was little more than a narrow trail, making it impossible for a large horsebus to pass.
“And so,” Fieda continued, “when we need to cover long distances quickly or travel to remote villages, we won’t be using the horsebus — we’ll be riding the horses ourselves.”
“We will?” Hal asked, blinking in surprise.
“But we don’t know how to ride,” Ize pointed out.
“It’ll only be at walking pace, not a full gallop,” Fieda reassured. “Though, of course, you’ll need to train enough to handle them in an emergency.”
Ize frowned. “But there are three of us.”
“Until Hal gets the hang of it, you’ll ride with me,” Fieda said. “But you’ll still need to learn how to ride solo.”
Hal let out a small breath of relief, while Ize looked considerably less enthused.
With a light bop to both of their heads, Fieda added,
“On days we don’t go to the Dungeon, try to practice for at least a few hours. Tomorrow, when we check on the horse again, take some time to get familiar with it.”
“”Okaaay,”” they replied in unison, raising their hands in a synchronized salute.
Fieda blinked at them, momentarily puzzled — then let out a deep sigh.
◆
The next morning, they spent some time in the paddock, stroking Hiro and Take, letting the horses get used to their presence.
As they stood there, the stable doors creaked open, and Fieda emerged alongside the stable master. Judging by their relaxed expressions, it seemed the contract negotiations had gone smoothly.
Noticing them, Hal raised a hand in greeting. The two of them walked over.
“So, you’ll be leaving both horses here for the next month?” The stable master asked.
“Yes,” Fieda confirmed. “We also need to train these two in horseback riding, so I apologize for the extra trouble, but we’d appreciate your help.” He turned to Hal and Ize. “This is Mister Dasha, the stable master. We’ll be coming here regularly to train, so he’ll be looking after us.”
“I’m Hal. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Ize. We’ve named this one Take. Please take care of him as well.”
Dasha raised a bushy eyebrow. “Oh? Take, huh? That’s quite similar to a Hero’s name.”
“It is?” Ize blinked.
“You named him without knowing?” The stable master scratched his chin, as if searching his memory. “Let’s see… which of the Heroes was it, again? Their title’s on the tip of my tongue… Well, if you’re curious, you should look it up.”
“…All right, I will,” she said at last, though in truth, she just hoped it wasn’t an embarrassing title.
As Ize proceeded to exchange glances with Hal, she felt a sudden weight settle atop her head.
“Huh? Whoa–”
The unexpected sensation made her reach up, and she tentatively patted what she assumed to be a horse’s nose. Sure enough, her fingers met the velvety softness of Take’s muzzle. The horse let out a pleased huff and began shifting his head from side to side, clearly enjoying the attention.
With each movement, Ize’s head rocked along with him. In fact, the sheer weight of Take’s head pressing down on her made her entire body sway unsteadily.
“Uwaa– whoa–!”
“Pfft…” Hal, watching from the side, clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter.
“Hey, stop it–”
“Hahaha! Looks like he’s taken quite a liking to you!”
“Whoaaa–!”
Still swaying under Take’s nudging, Ize continued scratching his nose, her balance growing increasingly precarious.
Dasha watched the scene unfold with a warm, almost paternal smile.
[Welp, Ize’s age is being misjudged again.]
Hal could practically see the mistaken assumption forming in Dasha’s mind, and sure enough, the stable master soon spoke the decisive words:
“Even the horse must be thinking, ‘I have to protect this little boy.'”
Hal coughed lightly into his fist. “Uh… Ize is actually turning of age in ten days.”
Dasha’s eyes widened in momentary surprise — then he let out a booming laugh.
“Hahaha! That’s a good one!”
Even Fieda looked a bit troubled, unsure how to smooth over the misunderstanding.
Meanwhile, Ize had turned away in quiet despair, her arms wrapped around Take’s neck as if seeking solace.
Hal sighed and reached out, giving her head a reassuring pat.
“You’re already an adult, huh?”
“Nine more days,” she muttered.
“C’mon, you’re a full-fledged D-rank adventurer, right?”
“Yeah. I’m active on the 40th floor.”
“You’re a reliable teammate.”
“…I’m getting more skills soon, too.”
“Hmm… but I’d rather not have you outperform me.”
“I’ll chant spell after spell if I have to.”
“Edgy much?”
“I’ll grow out of it soon enough — I mean, I won’t be a second-year junior high schooler anymore.”
Hal smirked. “Right, you’ll be moving up a grade in spring… Oh yeah, Ize, what about your hair?”
“Huh?” She finally turned to look at him, confused by the abrupt shift in topic.
“It’s your Coming-of-Age ceremony. Should we clean up your hair and get you some nice clothes?”
“Umm…”
Hal, sensing Ize’s uncertainty, explained further: It had been a full eight months since they arrived in this world. Her once short, neatly trimmed hair had grown unevenly, the back now brushing against the nape of her neck, throwing off its usual balance. He’d noticed it earlier while patting her head, and now that he thought about it, this seemed like a good opportunity to fix it.
“Should we ask Miss Etta about it?” he suggested.
“Miss Etta? Why her?”
Ize finally lifted her head from Take’s neck and turned toward Hal, her expression wary.
“Well… I think we can trust her. Doesn’t hurt to ask, you know? I’ll bring it up for you.”
After a moment’s thought, Ize let out a small sigh and gave a reluctant nod.
“All right… please do.”
Hal grinned and ruffled her hair playfully, much to her exasperation.
With that settled, the two of them turned their attention back to Fieda and Dasha, who were still deep in conversation. From what they could gather, arrangements had been finalized: Hiro and Take would stay at the stable until their departure, receiving daily care. The horses would also be trained to pull a horsebus together, with their harnesses adjusted accordingly.
After giving both horses a final pat, the three of them left the stable.