"Why, Seto. Why are we here?"
"Grull?"

　At Ray's words, Seto turns back, fluttering his wings, and whines mysteriously.
　Ray and Sett are now located about 100 meters above the sky, well away from Gilm.
　Seto is flying in the snow, but the environment is quite harsh for Ray.
　The temperature is naturally freezing [cold] because we are at a height of 100 meters above the ground snow.
　The cold was fine thanks to the dragon robes, but apart from the cold, there was a big problem.

"Oh, the snow hurts!"

　Yes, as Ray said, when you fly at Seto's speed in the snow, the snow hits you and it hurts.
　The temperature doesn't matter, but it doesn't cover the body like a barrier.
　That being the case, snow hits my body.

"In this case, as Lenora and Kenny said, we might as well have waited for the snow to stop before we left."

　After discussions about the nomination in the guildmaster's office, Marka asked Ray to leave immediately.
　on the ground that some members of the royal faction have already begun to move
　They would normally say no, saying they need to get ready for the trip, but Ray's case, luckily or unfortunately, all his luggage is stored in a mystery ring.
　In other words, even the person himself can make a request as soon as he feels like it.
　And this time, with a request from Marka to go to Graciar as soon as possible, he was to leave with letters to the gatekeepers, the military academy and the Duke of Quent.
　During the winter months Ray had no particular urgent business to do, and he was in the mood to listen to his request, so he flew in the snow like this...

"I should have waited till it stopped snowing." --and it's hard to see the map."

　A little snow or wind can't do anything about it, just because it's an alchemy-generated map on special paper.
　Still, it was impossible to spread the map carelessly under the current circumstances once you knew how valuable the map was.
　If you want to be blown away by the wind and lost, you can't compensate for it'
　That's why it's hard to say no to Ray when he's asked to send him a death size instead.

"Well... the road runs to avoid that mountain, doesn't it?

　I look around in the snow, remembering the map I saw before I left.

"Grull?"

　It seems that Seto was the first to find the road.
　When I followed Sett's gazing at the road, I saw there was a road there was certainly a road there.

"Yes, thank you. Then, if you go along that road, you will eventually be divided into two, so let's get there."
"Glu".

　Ray's words make Seto flutter his wings, saying he understands.
　As he continues on the road, Ray suddenly sees a horse-drawn carriage driving along the road.

"Oh, are you driving a carriage in this snow. It's a special carriage like a Marka, and it's an ordinary carriage, if you don't mind you."

　Ray's muttering was simply a look downwards.
　But the next moment the carriage stops, as if it had pulled the trigger.

"Hehehehehehehehe!"

　the sad cry of a horse
　For a moment, Ray wondered if the monster had appeared, but he could not see it around the carriage.
　Remembering that such powerful monsters don't often show up because they're not a frontier in the first place, he turns his gaze to see what the cause of the horse's scream is.

"Ah... the wheel is stuck in the hole?"

　Even though it's called a highway, it's not paved with asphalt like in Japan.
　No, Ray knew from his experience that it was not uncommon for roads to bore holes in winter, even on asphalt roads.
　However, asphalt caving in is caused by the phenomenon that asphalt shrinks due to the coldness of snow, and if asphalt is not used like this road, it will not be caved in by snow.

(Instead, snow has accumulated in the place where it was originally caved in, and it has been hidden, and it has become a natural pitfall.)

　As Sett looks at him, asking, "What are you going to do?" Ray asks him to think for a moment before descending to the ground.
　It was partly because the snow made it difficult to find the roads here and there, and I wanted to ask for directions.

"Grull!"

　She cries at Ray's request and flaps her wings as it snows.
　You must have noticed Seth. The coachman, who had been trying to manage the carriage, and the people who had come out of the carriage looked up one by one, and stopped moving.
　Normally, there are monsters heading towards us, so we can run away.
　But now there's someone on the monster's back.
　Decide it's not just a monster attack, but prepare to pull out the weapon immediately in case something happens.

"Yes,"

　On Seto's back, Ray muttered in admiration.
　I should have gradually understood that it was the Gryphon that approached me, if I hadn't seen the silhouette...
　Nevertheless, there was no one to run away from Ray's eyes, leaving a carriage behind.
　That's why even the coachman is holding the bow in his hand, looking familiar.
　The obvious familiarity with combat attracts attention, and they wave lightly to signal that they are not enemies.
　They probably judged that Ray had no intention of fighting even on the ground. create an atmosphere of relief
　Sett then descends near the carriage.
　By that time, those around the carriage might not have been completely alarmed, but they were still looking at Ray with interest.

"What are you doing here at this time of year?"

　As I stepped down from Seto's back, I asked, and one of the men, a man in his mid-30s, opened his mouth with a smile.
　Maybe it was because I understood that the enemy was not in front of me.
　...though the light in his eyes was not as optimistic as a floating smile.

"As you can see, the wheels have fallen into the hole." I was wondering what to do."
"A hole, I suppose? You couldn't see it hidden by the snow." Would you like me to help you?"
"Are you okay? It's very helpful for me."

　At that point, one of the men suddenly screams.

"Gryphon... Oh! Gryphon? Are you by any chance a crimson ray?"

　All the men look surprised at the remark.
　He lives in the kingdom of Milliana and is in charge of guarding the people in the carriage.
　Naturally, the name of a famous person in the line was familiar to me.

"Oh, that'said he. He's riding on the Gryphon, and I'm sure he'
"But crimson is fine, isn't it? This is Viscount Gizurus's territory of the royal faction. Why are you here?"
"Isn't it because you're an adventurer?"
"Do you go out of your way in this snow?"
"But do you think there's anyone other than crimson who's subservient to the Gryphon?"

　As we hear such voices, the man talking to Ray opens his mouth to confirm.

"Well, are you sure you're crimson?"
"Oh, I don't deny it's called that."
"... I see. Why in this place?""I'm lost... No, I'm not lost." It's my first time going there, so I'd like to ask if I can go here. I was going to check with someone, and here I found a carriage parked."
"Where are you going for the first time?"

　Ray continues to speak regardless of the man, who is bent on his words.

"So I'll do something about the carriage with the wheels in the hole, and you'll answer my question.
"No, I don't mind that... worst of all, I had to pull out all the stuff in the carriage before I could pull it out of course."

　In this snow, pulling out the cart to make it a little lighter was a tough task.
　Also, since it's snowing, we need to devise ways to keep our luggage from getting wet, so it's only natural that we don't want to do that in this cold weather.
　In the carriage, in particular, there are men guarding them now.
　He was certain to be scolded by his boss if he wanted to make the bodyguard stand in the snow and sick.
　There's even the possibility that you'll get paid less as a punishment if you're not good at it.
　It is also the true feelings of men that they don't want to do such a thing out of kindness toward their bodyguards.
　a notorious Rank B adventurer who appeared at that time It would be a lie not to expect this.

"Well, please," We'll help you too.
"Huh? Oh, I don't need any help. It will be over soon, so please wait."

　Returning his words to the man, Ray takes the death size out of Mistilling.
　Suddenly appearing in front of them, the men paused for a moment, but soon reached out to their weapons again.
　When Ray sees it, he thrusts a death-size stonemate to the ground, as if to say no harm.

"Don't worry. I'm not trying to do you any harm."
"...to trust the man who suddenly took out his weapon?"
"I need this to do something about this carriage,"
"What are you going to do about it?" I'd like you to explain it to me."
"Well, I can tell by looking at it. And if you're worried, don't worry, I'll do it after a short distance."

　When I tell him so, he distanced himself from the carriage as if to prove his words.
　At a distance of about five meters, Ray would not have expected to do anything to the carriage. I can relieve men's tension.
　...but fortunately the men didn't know that Ray had the means of attacking him with flying swords.
　And as the tension dissolves, the men become interested in what Ray is trying to do.

"Here we go,"

　Just to remind the men not to be surprised, Ray thrusts a death-size stonemate into the ground.

"Topographic Manipulation"

　As soon as Ray utters the word, the wheels fall and the slanted carriage automatically lifts up.

"Oh! Hey!"
"Oh, oh, oh...You're lying, aren't you?"
"The magic of earth?"
"Well, the magic of the earth... the magic of the earth? As far as I know, crimson is as good at the magic of fire as it is known. You know, like a tornado of flames."
"It's not like you can't use the magic of the earth just because you're good at the magic of fire. I think I'm not good at it."
"...that's it?"

　At the end of the murmuring man's eyes the carriage had already ceased to incline and parallelize.
　That means you're powerful enough to control the place you're aiming for.
　I couldn't believe it if I was told I wasn't good at it despite having such power.
　However, what Ray actually uses is not soil magic, but skill, which is the result.
　Ray, who caught the attention of the men there, opened his mouth when he saw that the carriage was ready to move.

"The carriage was restored, but falling into a hole could have damaged the axle. I think you'd better see it as soon as possible."
"... oh, oh, oh! Yes. I'm saved. Thank you."

　The man who was talking to Ray replied in amazement.
　But he's used to people who are surprised to see his skills, so Ray doesn't care about him and says what he wants to do he?

"And I'd like to know if this road leads to the Duke of Quent, especially Gracial."
"Glassial!"

　It wasn't the man in front of Ray... but the coach that exclaimed at what Ray said.

"Did you just say Gracial?"

　The door of the carriage, which had been silent until now, opens, and a man emerges from it.
　As for his age, he would be as old as Ray.
　He's a man, but he's impressive with his shoulder-length blue hair.
　But he doesn't seem frivolous and rather serious.
　Such a man was watching Ray with interest.
　The horse pulling the carriage was, as usual, surprised, frightened, and stopped moving.
　Perhaps that is why the man in the carriage was able to come down so easily.