Walking in Another World

e.

It’s no good.
I feel like I’d look great if I said even just a couple of tactful words, but it’s too high of a hurdle for me.

“I’m going to tell you what I know.
Is that all right?”

Mia sits up and nods.

“People are after you.
The head of the church talked to his believers, and they’re looking for you.”

She nods again.
Her eyes are full of sadness.
I feel like I’m looking at an abandoned puppy.

’

“And up until you woke up, the person that saved you and Cardinal Dan were here.”

“Cardinal Dan?”

“Yes, I asked him to leave you with me.
He says he wants to save you.”

She seems surprised to hear Cardinal Dan’s name come up.
She probably figured the entire church was after her.

“In any case, it might be dangerous to stay here.
Can you move?”

I have her drink a mana potion, and figure that she can’t keep wearing that, so I take from the Item Box spare clothes that I keep there for me just in case.

Technically she could also wear Sera’s clothes, but there’s a hole in the bottom, and that’s kind of lewd.

I leave the room and let Sera and Hikari help her change.

I bring up Map and activate Presence Detection.
Everyone’s presences are displayed, and there are more than I imagined.
Everyone’s moving around in a hurry, either looking for Mia or preparing for the stampede.

There are more guards than usual stationed at the gates.
The north and eastern gates in particular have a lot of people near them.
Are they adventurers?

It might be a good idea to take advantage of the confusion and leave through a place with a lot of people, but going through there and then heading in the direction opposite to the forest with the monsters would attract suspicion.

I start thinking about just charging into the forest, but it’s too dangerous.
From what I hear, it would be tough for everyone except Sera.

Does that mean we have no choice but to disguise ourselves and leave to another town through a different gate? People don’t really know Mia’s face, so it could actually work if we dress her in casual clothes.

’

…But there’s a good chance that people from the church would know.
Her face wasn’t hidden when she was being chased either, and surely she didn’t wear a mask indoors anyway.

Mia is done changing in the meantime, and they all come out.
She looks embarrassed for some reason…

Is it because they’re my clothes? They look fine.
They’re as good as new thanks to my purification magic, without a hint of dirt.
Or does she think it’s no good unless they’re hand washed?

It’s kind of awkward.
We keep looking at each other, waiting for the other to speak.

“Now what do we do, master?”

Yes Sera, what do we do?

I look at Sera, look away, and look at her again.
Then I check the Howler slaver company on Map, and see him moving all over the place.
Is he leaving the city?

“Let’s head to the Howler slaver company.
You go first Sera, and convey a message to Drett.
Tell him we’re coming, and to wait for us if he’s leaving.”

“All right, I’m going.”

Sera nods and takes off running.

We leave in a hurry too, but not so much that it attracts attention.
We head to the Howler slaver company while picking the route with the fewest people.