Chapter 12: A Steed of a Different Color

Of course, she wasn’t going to spend the entire two days they were staying here just looking at horses.

‘I should repay the hero somehow.’

He was taking time out of his day for her, so it wouldn’t be right to do nothing in return.

‘Let’s make it performance-based.’

The better the horse he helped her choose, the greater the reward. That seemed like the fairest arrangement.

“Hero.”

“Yes?”

“Have you ridden any other horses besides the one you’re currently riding?”

“Other horses? Ah, you mean Tempest?”

“Yes.”

So the white horse was named Tempest. Considering how it ran like a storm, it was a fitting name. She had been too busy hitching rides to ask for its name.

“Besides Tempest, who was a gift from the Emperor, I once rode a wandering knight’s horse when I was young. It was a very smart horse.”

“I see.”

Hmm. Only two horses to use as reference, including Tempest.

It wasn’t much, but she wasn’t about to turn back now. Even two examples could be helpful.

A short while later, they arrived at the stables on the outskirts of Tras. There were warehouses for storing carriages and buildings that looked like merchant guilds, so it seemed to be a district dedicated to related businesses.

“Welcome!”

“We’re looking for a horse.”

“Ah, I see. Who will be riding…?”

“Me.”

“Ah, you’re choosing a horse for the young lady?”

Young lady?

In what sense was she a “young lady”? Because she looked like a child? Or because she seemed… delicate? She hoped it was the latter.

“Then… please come this way.”

The stable owner briefly looked her up and down, then led them somewhere. The stables were quite large, so they seemed to be categorized by breed and size.

And the place the owner led her to…

“…Foals?”

It was an area with relatively small horses.

Well, they looked like foals.

“Did you laugh?”

“Oh, no. I just choked.”

She saw the hero quickly turn away. Since it didn’t seem intentional, she let it slide.

“These horses are naturally small, but they’re fully grown, despite their appearance.”

“…”

“So, the young lady can ride them without any strain…”

“Show me a proper horse.”

She glared at the owner and twitched her hand threateningly. The hero also quickly shook his head, and the owner chuckled awkwardly and led them to a different area.

‘If I had stayed there any longer, I would have lost it.’

Did they think she wanted to be small?

Fortunately, the next area was filled with normal-sized horses. Most had brown coats, with a few grays and blacks scattered among them.

“Hero. Take a look. Tell me which horse is good for me.”

She tugged on his sleeve and looked up at him. He had to take the initiative and narrow down the choices.

“…I’ll try my best.”

Go, Hero-mon.

The hero started looking around the horses with an awkward posture. He didn’t exude any expert vibes, and her confidence in him plummeted.

‘…I should look too.’

This was a horse she would be riding. So, she couldn’t just stand by and let the owner do nothing.

She started examining the horses, one by one, starting with the closest one. A brown horse with white spots.

Snort.

“Sorry, I’ll stop looking.”

It seemed to underestimate her and immediately showed its temper. She moved on to the next horse. It definitely wasn’t because she was scared.

Two hours passed after she examined all thirty horses.

“Rui, how is it? Did you find one you like?”

“Hmm…”

To answer the hero’s question, no, she hadn’t. There were many excellent horses, but none of them were suitable companions for her journey.

‘Considering the battles the hero’s party will face, ordinary horses won’t do.’

The four horses gifted by the emperor were warhorses that had undergone extensive training. So, looking for a horse in an ordinary city stable might have been a mistake from the start.

“It seems she hasn’t found one she likes.”

The owner seemed to have noticed as well.

“How about you, Hero?”

She whispered to the hero, so the owner couldn’t hear.

“Hmm… I haven’t found one that feels right, like Tempest.”

“I see.”

She walked over to the owner and asked,

“Can we see other horses besides these?”

“Of course. Shall I guide you?”

She glanced out the window. The sun was starting to set. It wouldn’t be good to keep the hero occupied for much longer.

“I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Certainly! Just tell our staff whenever you come back!”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

After leaving the stables, she headed towards a nearby street vendor. The sweet smell of rice cakes filled with red bean paste wafted through the air.

“Two, please.”

She handed over some imperial currency, took the rice cake skewers, and returned to the hero, offering him one.

“Here.”

“Oh, thanks…”

Right.

Thanks, my foot. If he had found her a decent horse, she would have given him a much better gift. Of course, she wasn’t going to let him off the hook with just this. Giving him shoes imbued with the gravity reduction formula she recently completed should suffice.

“Delicious.”

“It tastes even better with peanut powder on top.”

“I’ll have to try that later, thanks.”

“You’re welcome. And I’ll come alone tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

“To the stables. You’re busy, and I need to choose the horse myself anyway.”

The hero seemed a little disappointed. But neither of them realized the nature of that emotion, and the conversation ended there.

The scent of kin. The scent of kin, loved and respected.

A black horse with a flowing black mane stood on a hill, overlooking the city. Two dark wings were folded against its back.

The winged horse turned its head towards the city, a look of intrigue on its face. Amidst its monotonous existence, it sensed something exciting was about to happen. Although it wasn’t as interested in its horned kin, the rich mana emanating from the city was enough to pique its curiosity.

And it had a faint trace of its kin’s blood.

Flutter.

Its large wings, bigger than its body, unfurled, and the black figure soared into the sky. The large black dot against the sunset-stained sky was quite conspicuous, but no one noticed.

There was a saying that only the chosen could see them, so it was natural for ordinary people to miss them.

As it took flight, the horse easily cleared the city walls, built to repel invaders. It followed the scent and entered a stable.

The stable owner and staff didn’t notice the new arrival, but the other horses did.

They displayed their subservience to the superior being. Some of the more timid horses even urinated or collapsed, overwhelmed by the winged black horse’s presence.

The black horse folded its wings, concealing them with a mysterious power. It now looked like a slightly more handsome horse than the others. And instead of a dew-kissed flower field, it settled down in a corner of damp straw.

Now, all it had to do was wait for her arrival tomorrow.

The next day arrived, and Rui headed to the stables alone as planned. The hero had asked if he could come with her again, but she sent him off with the other heroines.

“Ah, Aswell! I’m going to buy some equipment upgrades for my bow, so…”

Good. Raphilia was taking the initiative. That’s the spirit. She had to secure her position while the other two were away.

The remaining two heroines looked disappointed as they watched the pair leave. Rui told them she was going to the stables and left the lodging.

“What if I can’t find one today, either?”

Then she would have to continue hitching rides on Tempest until they reached the next city.

“…That won’t do.”

Even if she was only riding with him until the next city, it was better to have any horse. It would allow the hero’s party to proceed as planned.

And more importantly, she was aiming to help one more heroine before or around the time they reached the next city. For that, she needed to be independent.

“Let’s try our best.”

She would lower her standards a bit and choose a decent horse. She could compensate for any shortcomings with her equipment.

“Excuse me, I’m here to look at horses again.”

“Ah, yes, we’ve been informed. Please come this way.”

The owner seemed busy, so a staff member guided her. The horses here seemed more varied in size than yesterday.

“Um… hello?”

She greeted a nearby horse and gently stroked it as it approached with a soft nicker.

“You’re a gentle one.”

She scratched the horse’s neck and underbelly, checking its condition. It seemed quite decent compared to the ones she saw yesterday. If there weren’t any major problems, she could just take this one…

Wh-what?!

Suddenly, the horse startled and shied away from her. Caught off guard, she froze.

“Wha-what…”

Had she been rejected again? By a horse?

She tried to hide her embarrassment and withdrew her hand. But then, she touched something else.

Unlike the coarse hair from a moment ago, this was softer, like well-groomed fur.

And she was face-to-face with a black horse. Jet-black eyes, a long mane, and a physique rivaling Tempest’s. It had appeared out of nowhere and nuzzled its head into her hand.

Then it sat down and stared at her.

“…Are you asking me to ride you?”

A silent invitation. She took it as a yes and cautiously approached the horse. She had heard that horses were wary of strangers, but this one was different.

Just in case, she gently stroked it to avoid startling it, then swung her leg over and mounted it.

“Whoa…”

As she sat up, her perspective suddenly shifted higher. The black horse smoothly carried her around the stable.

“You’re very smart.”

Self-driving, without any commands. She was already smitten.

There was no need to look at any other horses. She doubted she could find one better than this. She put on the makeshift reins she had prepared yesterday and turned to the staff member.

“Excuse me, how much is this horse?”

“Um… huh? Was this horse here…?”

“Huh?”

“Just a moment. I’m certain this horse wasn’t here… before…”

The staff member’s speech suddenly became slurred, and their eyes unfocused.

“Th-that horse… we were going to dispose of it… so… you can just take it…”

“Really?”

Dispose of such a fine horse? She was puzzled but asked again, and the staff member nodded.

Nicker.

The black horse nickered softly. Its eyes were sparkling, as if tears were welling up.

“Then I’ll take you with me. Shall we go?”

“C-come again~”

She left the stables, leading the black horse by the reins. Perhaps this horse had sensed its grim fate and had asked her for help.

That thought tugged at her heartstrings.

‘I’ll take good care of you.’

Snort.

She patted the horse, which was nuzzling her face, and made that promise.