The Life, Death, and Relife of the Mushroom Mage

Chapter 4

Mally swung astride Rat and settled down in their seat as Edwin helped Artesia into the carriage.

"Are you sure you don't need an escort?" Edwin asked with a suspicious glance at Mally. "We can travel together."

"No, that's alright!" Artesia replied, her voice high and nervous. "I've got my paladins, and an adventurer with me!"

"It's the adventurer I'm worried about," Edwin muttered under his breath, and Artesia gave him a tight smile.

"Mally is perfectly qualified," she cooed, even though she knew absolutely none of their qualifications and had quite frankly hired them on a whim. Zero street smarts, this girl. But, then again, she hadn't exactly been a plotter in the original manhwa.

"I'm going to scout ahead," Mally called and spurred Rat on.

"No, no! Stay with me!" Artesia said, a little desperately, and goddamn, she was going to be in for a shock when she eventually figured out Georgina was dead.

Even so, Mally had to listen to her.

"Yes, my lady," they said, and looked around as Edwin frowned at them.

"Keep her safe," he said, and Mally hummed. "She's precious cargo."

"I'll do my best," Mally promised. They had no idea how long they would have to travel before the bandits set upon them, and they weren't looking forward to this.

"We'll be heading out about twenty minutes from now, so we'll be close," Edwin promised, and Artesia smiled at him.

"Thank you, my lord," she said, and Mally just wanted to get a move on. Dear gods. They would be traveling for two days before they reached a town, which meant Mally was going to be sleeping rough for a bit. They didn't mind that, though it paled in comparison to the soft beds they had come from. The DeVille manor had been expansive, and rich, and they had never slept so good in their life.

Well. That was a lie. They actually slept rather fitfully, given the people they were living with. But, whatever. The bed in their room had been nice.

"Alright," Artesia said and pulled the door shut. "Thank you, my lord, for your careful attention to me."

"Of course, my lady," Edwin said, ever the picture of professionalism, or chivalry, or whatever it was called.

"Let's go ahead and leave now!" Artesia called, and Mally let their horse fall in step next to the carriage, which had the window down so Artesia could speak to them. "Have you ever been to the capital before, Mally?"

"No, my lady," they replied as they scanned the horizon.

"What are you planning on doing there?" she asked, and Mally hummed.

"Pick up jobs," they replied. "I don't plan on much sightseeing. I'll be primarily working."

"The life of an adventurer must be hard..." Artesia said, and Mally rolled out their shoulders.

"It's not so bad. You get to travel," they replied. "Just follow where the money goes. It's fun."

"How long have you been an adventurer?" Artesia asked, and Mally hummed.

"About six months? Not long, my lady. I intend to register at the guild in the capital and settle down there," they replied, and Artesia shifted in her seat.

"Did you travel until now?" she asked, and Mally nodded.

"I did, yes," they replied, and thought about slitting their own throat. That had been a lot. It had only been a few days, and they didn't feel fantastic about it. Sure, Georgina had been a dull, lifeless body at that point, not even alive without a soul inhabiting it, but it had been traumatic. Slitting her throat to cover up their crime, because they were pretty sure what they had done was a crime, was... Well. It was a lot.