Alas Auto-1

Taro and the others slowly moved along a path mixed with sand and hard ground, riding on a magic tricycle.

A pleasant breeze blew, the weather was fine, and it felt extremely comfortable.

They'd removed the sand scrapers attached to the tires and were now driving on regular tires, so the vibrations from the ground were just slightly unpleasant...

"Hey, we're finally starting to see something new."

Riruka stretched her legs out on the cargo bed and leaned back against the rear wall.

She probably was tired of the same scenery. I couldn't exactly blame her.

Since leaving Luna Village, the desert had stretched on endlessly, and there'd been nothing new to find.

A few sandworms had been spotted, but they didn't attack fiercely—perhaps because they'd already experienced combat, or maybe their aggressive phase had passed.

The desert, with nothing to do, was mentally exhausting. But that was over now.

We entered a green area where vegetation grew from the brown sand. Though there were no tall trees—just sparse, slender ones, offering clear visibility.

In places, there were no plants at all, and the ground looked poor.

"Strange, isn't it? The legends of the town we're heading to might be real."

As I glance around, Coil peers over from the side, answering my question with a hint of curiosity.

"Legends?"

"Yeah. The very legend of the hero you're chasing."

"Then I'd really like to hear it."

"Listen closely. Once upon a time, the heroes who pursued legendary monsters encountered the strongest among them—known as the Black-Eyed One—right in the magic stone mining city of Alasoot."

"Black-eye? What the hell is that?"

"There are many conflicting accounts. Some say it's serpentine in form, others claim it breathes a white, blazing flame larger than a castle and flies through the sky at unimaginable speeds. It's said that just by flying, it can send everything within a wide radius flying into the air."

It makes no sense.

A creature that large couldn't fly just by having wings. And a creature that breathes fire... I've seen a few that looked like that.

This creature, a demon beast, is utterly unknown. I wonder what kind of mechanism allows it to exist?

The battle between the Heavenly Black Eye and the hero was fierce beyond measure. A glowing river streaked across the sky, clouds split apart, and the ground trembled. The entire area was engulfed in flames, and everything turned to ash. In the end, the Heavenly Black Eye, severely wounded by the hero's powerful strike, fled from this land. At the time, the Heavenly Black Eye cursed this place.

"Even though it's a fairy tale, it feels oddly realistic. And it's not even a happy ending, despite being a story."

"That's probably what explains this situation."

Lilka, who had been silently listening, joined in.

"So this unfortunate natural world is a remnant from that time? It's been like this for over 400 years now."

"Still, it's just an old tale. Nowadays, famous scholars talk about poor soil, bad weather, and all sorts of things, but I can't understand any of it. Yet that's exactly why I want to believe, don't you think? The curse of the sky's black eye."

"Such a curse, huh~"

I murmured quietly, scanning the surroundings once more.

Could something like that really exist? It's hard to imagine a monster capable of altering the natural environment for centuries.

Could it really be possible because it's a monster? But there were also seals found at desert ruins...

That's common in old tales—natural disasters are often passed down as legends instead.

In reality, isn't it just a natural phenomenon? As scholars say, isn't the scarcity of resources due to geological factors?

"Next town we're heading to is called Arasoot, right? What's it like?"

Rilka leans forward to ask. Incidentally, Coil is currently driving the magic tri-wheeler.

When traveling with three people, each of us must fulfill our own roles.

As for me, I keep watch around us, sitting on the cargo platform and constantly using two types of detection magic to check for monsters or bandits.

To be honest, it's quite exhausting, but I treat it as good practice for magic, so I'm leading the way in using my powers.

Still, the situation remains unchanged—just a peaceful plain stretching ahead. Even when I cast magic, nothing comes back.

We pass the time with idle chatter. I've got Coil operating a magic-powered tricycle, just by infusing it with mana.

As for Rilka, she lacks both experience and skill, so I'm gradually teaching her the basics.

First, I'm making sure she can reliably use the small amount of healing mana stone she can currently handle, so she can heal herself properly.

She's absorbing the lessons quickly and progressing at a remarkable pace.

Once she's mastered that, what kind of mana stone should she practice using next...? Maybe teach her a light-based mana stone as a distraction technique, or have her learn to use a low-level fire mana stone for attacks.

After walking along a peaceful path for a while, mist began to rise around us. Since it's quite thick, we decide to stop for now.

"The mist has appeared. But we don't know how long it'll last. Fortunately, this thing is fast, and you're with me. What do you think—should we push through?"

"I'm thinking the same thing. I'll keep driving. "Sank you!"

The magic-powered tricycle plunged into the thickening mist, its cargo bed dragging behind.

The mist was extremely dense—visibility was barely a few meters. Midway, the detection magic reacted.

“! What now—should we run?”

Coil, watching the reaction, asked. Judging by appearance, the reaction wasn't particularly strong. There had been a noticeable delay between activating the scouting magic and receiving a response, meaning the source was likely quite far away.

Based on experience, it probably wasn't much of a threat.

"Still, we're fine. Let's keep moving quickly and get closer to the town. There should be more people over there."

The magic carriage advanced powerfully forward. According to the map Coil had acquired in advance, the path ahead was flat and would lead them to Arasooto.

A large river lay ahead.

The fog was likely emanating from that river.

Though the river itself was still out of sight, they should arrive soon. The scouting magic still registered a response, though it was growing steadily weaker.

It was clear there was no danger, yet unease still crept in.

I’m feeling more acutely than ever before just how unsettling it is not to see what lies ahead.

Now that I’ve come to this world, I’ve come to truly understand what it means to be afraid of the unknown—something I never grasped back in my original world.

A cold mist brushes against my skin, chilling me.

Gradually, I begin to hear dull, muffled sounds of things colliding and scraping against each other.

Suddenly, my vision snaps open, and a vast river spreads out before my eyes.

The water level is low, yet a large volume of water flows slowly and broadly. Scanning the surroundings, I spot a massive stone bridge. It features a series of repeating arch-shaped structures.

"Hmm, impressive. I've never seen one before, but it's even more remarkable than I'd heard."

Coil exclaims in awe.

Indeed, a magnificent bridge. It's something that could easily be recognized as a historical structure centuries from now. Looking at Lilka... her mouth is agape, yet she wears a delighted expression.

The detection signal from the exploration magic had completely vanished.

Moving toward the bridge, I slowly walk across it. The sound of the flowing stream echoes throughout the surroundings.

Could this river have been flowing through this very spot four hundred years ago? If so, I'd love to know what became of the heroes back then.

Rilka, delighted by the unfamiliar scenery, joyfully dashes around inside the bridge.

Coil and I follow behind, walking slowly.

"Looks like fun."

"Yeah, bringing her outside the village was the right call."

"Looking at her reminds me of my younger self. I've had good moments and plenty of failures, but I've managed to keep going. That's how I've earned my living as a spy."

"I feel the same way. It brings back memories of when I first set out on my journey."

I wonder how they're doing...

I think of a certain trading caravan. The cool breeze off the river feels refreshing.

Crossing the bridge, we walk along a path littered with rough stones. After another day's travel, a large structure comes into view in the distance.

That must be our next destination, Alasoot.

Now that I think about it, we haven't seen any small villages or fields on the way here. Are we about to enter a city all of a sudden?

As we approach the main gate, its appearance becomes clearly visible. The gate is made of stone, resembling a typical Western-style entrance found anywhere. It stands about 2 to 3 meters high and stretches long, seemingly going on forever.

Does this gate enclose the entire city?

"Stop! You three—your faces are unfamiliar around these parts. You're heading toward a city ahead. What's your purpose?"

"We're affiliated with the Adventurer's Guild. We're moving through here to accept a job in Arasoot."

Being an adventurer comes in handy in situations like this. Most towns let you through with just this. As I speak, I show them the guild certification proving my affiliation.

"Indeed, a guild certificate. Just a moment."

Saying that, one of the gatekeepers went inside the gate, apparently talking with someone within.

"What's this? You should have no trouble passing if you have your adventurer's certification, right?"

Coil approached quietly, speaking in a hushed tone. Indeed, I'd usually been let through without delay, but something seemed off today.

Just as I was thinking this, the gatekeeper returned, holding my adventurer's certification.

"Apologies for the delay. I've confirmed your credentials— you may pass."

What was it? Though I was a little suspicious, I decided to proceed, glancing around cautiously.

After passing through the gate, small houses and fields gradually came into view, making it clear that rice farming was being carried out within the castle grounds.

I couldn’t tell exactly how large the town was, but growing rice inside the castle walls couldn’t possibly yield much, could it?

The other two were also scanning the surroundings.

“First time in this town—feels kind of dull, don’t you think?”

Coil voiced his thoughts. Even though they had entered through the city gate, there were few people around. The large building they had seen before entering the gate hadn’t changed in size, even after walking for a while.

It seemed surprisingly spacious.

After spending half a day navigating through the streets, they finally reached the town’s center. Naturally, the population was much denser there, and the atmosphere was lively.

People were passing by in all directions. Yet something felt off—was it just me, or did the atmosphere seem slightly tense? That sense lingered.

For now, they decided to rest at the inn the guild usually rented, just as they always did. Tomorrow, they’d begin searching for traces of the hero from 400 years ago.

As they lay in bed, thinking about tomorrow’s plans, their eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Before they knew it, they were asleep—unaware that someone was watching them...