Using Gacha to Increase My Companions and to Create the Strongest Girls' Army Corps

After receiving a new assignment from Christoph-san, we left the guild. The report of a Diabolos sighting in the port town of Sevarya... This sounds like it could be another troublesome situation. Heading to Sevarya means we'll be away from the Capital for a while. So, on our way back, we stopped by Gantz-san's shop to drop off the Colotium. Since we don't know when we'll see Deus and the others next, it's best to leave it with Gantz-san. We'll collect the payment later. When Gantz-san saw the two pieces of Colotium, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. He asked if we could sell some to his shop after we're done with Deus's order. Since we intended to sell it anyway and Gantz-san is a friend, it would be easy to do business with him. We agreed and, with no other errands to run, headed home for the day.

"That monster has appeared again... Is this a sign of some impending disaster?"

"Probably. That's why I plan to head to Sevarya tomorrow."

I relayed the information we heard at the guild to Sisya as well. Christoph-san didn't mention any disturbances, but if Diabolos is around, Sevarya might soon face the same fate as Queres. So, we need to get to Sevarya quickly and set up a beacon. Even if we don't get any special items from solving the problem like last time, we still want to handle it ourselves if there's a chance. Besides, I'm genuinely curious about what Diabolos is.

While I was seriously contemplating this, Noru, who was cheerfully humming a tune, spoke up.

"Mufufu, I'm excited to visit the port town!"

"Oh? Is there something there worth looking forward to?"

"A port town means the sea! And the sea means fish and shellfish!"

"So, you're looking forward to the food."

"Exactly!"

Since hearing the news at the guild, Noru has been in a particularly good mood, and it turns out she was thinking about food again. I get associating a port town with seafood, but still...

"Ookura-san, we haven't been asked to escort anyone this time, right?"

"Yeah, this time the investigation itself is the task. Sevarya is quite far, but with the magic carpet, we should get there in two or three days."

Sevarya is said to be over 20 days away by carriage, but fortunately, it's southeast of Brune. Thanks to that, we can get there without too much delay. We also borrowed a map from the guild, so we know the way. Sisya, relieved by my explanation, placed her hand on her chest and let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good to hear. I was worried we wouldn't see Runa for a while."

"Were you really that worried? Well, I'll set up a beacon and call you later, so just wait patiently this time."

She did complain about not seeing Runa for a long time when we had that escort mission to Queres. It's easier for us to travel without having to hide and set up beacons or ride horses for long distances. This means we don't need a large group.

"Should Estel stay behind since Noru and I can handle it?"

"I don't mind, but I'm definitely coming with you."

Yes, it's decided that Noru will come with me. Despite often thinking of her as a klutz, as long as Noru is with me, we can handle most situations. She's a super klutz.

"No, I'll go too. I'd be worried if it was just you two."

"Alright, then Estel can come along."

Although I doubt anything major will happen, Estel insists on coming along. I'd prefer she stayed behind to avoid getting bored during the trip, but it's nice to know she cares. While we were discussing this, another person chimed in.

"Me too! I want to come along!"

"Eh?"

Freesia, with sparkling eyes, raised her hand enthusiastically. Oh no, I have a bad feeling about this.

"Um, Freesia, it's a bit..."

"Yes... The magic carpet is small, so having too many people is dangerous."

Estel, looking troubled, placed her hand on her cheek, sharing my reaction. Freesia, being her usual noisy self on the magic carpet, would likely cause an accident...

"I want to go! I want to go out with Noru-chan!"

"Ookura-san! If Freesia is coming, Noru must stay, or it's going to be a disaster!"

"But..."

Seeing Freesia's pouty face, Sisya grabbed my shoulders with a desperate look. Taking Freesia with us is scary, but leaving her behind might cause trouble too. She might cause havoc if left behind. Sisya knows she can't handle Freesia alone, so she's pleading with me. Leaving Noru behind would solve the problem, but then we'd be in trouble. While I was pondering, Noru spoke up.

"Ookura-dono, please take Freesia with us. I'll keep an eye on her, so don't worry."

Looks like Noru decided to bring Freesia along. Noru knows best how to handle Freesia. If she's confident about keeping Freesia under control, then I trust her.

"Alright, if Noru is watching her, Freesia can come. Just make sure she doesn't cause trouble."

"Mufufu, leave it to me!"

"Yay! Thank you, Noru-chan, Heiha!"

"...I hope this will be okay."

Noru patted her chest confidently while Freesia bounced around happily. I allowed it, but will this really be alright?

●

The next morning, we departed from Brune.

"Haha, this is amazing! How does it float? And it's faster than I can run!"

"Don't get too excited. Be careful not to fall."

"Okay!"

Even before departure, Freesia was thrilled by the sight of the magic carpet floating above the ground. She started jumping on it, but calmed down after Noru's warning. Now, she's leaning over the edge of the carpet, marveling at the passing scenery while Noru holds her shoulders. Honestly... When she started playing on the carpet, I thought it was over, but she settled down. Noru is becoming Freesia's guardian.

"It's good we can use the magic carpet this time. We can return home at night and won't need to camp out."

"True. Despite getting used to it, camping is tiring."

Whenever we went to a new town before, it was by carriage or escort mission. With others around, we couldn't use our convenient gacha items freely. The toughest part was camping out. Even with a tent and soft bedding, it's still not as comfortable as home... I'm using a sleeping bag. Not just sleeping, but keeping watch at night is tiring too. Although I've gotten used to it, it's still tough. During the Queres escort mission, I passed the time floating Centibar while watching the fire.

Reflecting on our past camping experiences, Freesia, apparently interested in our conversation, spoke up.

"Camping with Noru-chan sounds fun! I want to try it!"

"There's nothing fun about it... It's just tiring."

"Exactly. Even though we take turns, keeping watch at night is exhausting."

"It's fine when everyone's awake, but keeping watch alone after they sleep is hard. Sorry for always relying on you and Noru."

"Don't worry about it. You need to rest well, Estel."

We usually take turns keeping watch during camping, with Noru and me alternating. Noru is strong, but even she gets tired from night watches. Estel uses magic, so she can't afford to be sleep-deprived. Magic requires mental stability.

While we were discussing the difficulties of camping, Freesia, eyes shining, made an unexpected offer.

"Leave the night watch to me! I can go three days and nights without sleeping, so night watch is no problem!"

Seriously? Three days and nights without sleep? Now that I think about it, before she was allowed to go out, Sisya and Runa mentioned Freesia kept them awake. I always wondered when she slept. If she wanted to sleep, she could've done it while Freesia was asleep, but it seems Freesia never slept, just kept bothering them. No wonder Sisya was so mad. I'd go crazy if Freesia stuck to me for three days straight.

"Y-You can do that? But night watch means staying awake alone. Can you stay still?"

"Oh... Then if Heiha stays up with me, it's no problem!"

"That's a huge problem! Anyway, we're not camping this time!"

"Aw, that's boring."

She pouted but seemed to give up and started watching the scenery. From now on, for long-distance travel, I'll avoid camping or not bring Freesia. After a while on the magic carpet, a relaxed voice spoke.

"The sun is so warm... The breeze feels nice..."

"What's this? You've calmed down."

Freesia, bathed in sunlight, half-closed her eyes and looked sleepy. If only she was always this calm...

"Do you like basking in the sun, Freesia?"

"Yeah, it relaxes me. I also like watching the night sky. The stars are so pretty."

"Haha, you do love being outside. You're the opposite of Runa."

Freesia, who loves the outdoors, and Runa, who prefers staying indoors, are complete opposites. If we could combine them, they'd be perfectly balanced. Thinking that, I continued guiding the magic carpet toward Sevarya.