A Journey through Kingdoms

CHAPTER 39- CARRIAGE RIDE

the carriage rocks from the uneven road it traversed. shaking everyone on it as they make their way through the marsh and towards Xaeoson Kingdom. "So... how long have you worked for the noble?" Derrick decides to make some small talk while they wait to get there. the driver, not completely taking his car off the road, decides to enter his question, seeing as there is not much else to do but drive the car. "A few years, give or take, but it's been fine so far if that's what your asking," he responds. "Ah, I see," Derrick says as he looks forward to seeing the long path ahead.

while the two had their conversation outside the carriage, the people inside decided to have their own talk to pass the time. "So, let me guess, you liberated a whole village from bandits? that's quite the accomplishment," the noble compliments as Tetsuga recounts his time in the Quaint Village with Derrick that one time. "Yeah, it was no biggie. I packed those suckers up like they were nothing," Tetsuga bragged as he took a swig from his flask. "Weird, I heard from Derrick that you struggled... a lot." luckily, Cherry was there to correct him on the legitimacy of his tall tale as he paused from drinking to give her a rude eye. "Well, people remember it differently! That doesn't mean I didn't deal with them myself." Tetsuga would try to defend himself and his honor in front of them all, which was quite a humorous sight from the daughter's and noble's perspectives.

"Gee, you two argue a lot. your familial bond should be really strong if you two are still out together like this," the daughter assumes, as she mistakenly labels them as a family. "Oh, please. like he could be a dad." Cherry would quickly reject the assumption as she crossed her arms. Tetsuga would also scoff at the idea. "Please, like, I would willingly have you, but, no, I kind of just picked them up from my travels," he tells the daughter as he takes another swig. "Somehow they wanted to stay for some reason," Tetsuga would add at the end. "Don't you go making assumptions like that. I'm only here because of Derrick. you're more of an unfortunate side effect here." Cherry would also interject to clear up the misunderstanding. "Okay, well, that's the reason for Derrick. at least, that's what I think anyway," Tetsuga would say as he took a swig. he never knew why that kid would stay, even after what happened in the Virgin Kingdom.

"anyways, what is it that you'll be doing at the kingdom? I'm sure that you'll find a lot of attractions there," the noble would say as he leaned in. he knew the kingdom from when he was a child. surely he would have the knowledge to verify it. "Oh, we're kind of escorting this young woman home. we're currently going to Xeoason Kingdom as a pit stop," Pyxis would tell the noble, who also understood. a young woman like her would definitely need an escort with the current climate of the kingdoms. "Well, if you're considering exploring a bit, there's this cute bakery down Evelyne Street that is going to blow your taste buds away!" the Daughter would add as well, which Cherry would go starry-eyed for. now she was intrigued.

"Oh, how cute is it? tell me!" she would say as the two girls in the carriage would start fangirling over this bakery, which the rest got sidelined for. "She gets like this sometimes," the noble would say as he watched his daughter speak so passionately about this bakery she loves with Cherry, who was equally interested. "Eh," Tetsuga would say before taking another swig.

...

"How long till we get to the kingdom, Gerald?" the noble would ask as he stuck his head outside the carriage to ask their driver. "We'll be there shortly. just a few more miles," they would say back, which was enough for the noble as he returned inside the carriage. Derrick would see this and decide to ask another question. "So... are you replaceable?" he asks, which was something odd out of the blue. so odd that it took the driver aback for a second or two. "Well, that depends... what do you mean?" they would return, wanting Derrick to clarify further so he'd understand what it was the boy was asking of him.

"I mean, are you special to the noble at all? are you worried that someone like you would replace you if it ever came down to it?" he would ask. Derrick wasn't meaning for this to be personal at all, but something inside him wanted to know what he should do if it ever came down to it. "Hmm, the noble really just promoted me to this position one time. though, I wouldn't really say I was special just because of that," he tells him as he answers. "And there is definitely someone better than me that could replace me at any time, and I just wouldn't notice it until it was too late," he says. its true that he was just one of the many butlers he had around. being promoted wouldn't give him special perks above everyone else. "But I guess I accept that kind of life of mine. if someone is better suited for my position, then why contest it? I mean, it'll probably be better if someone better would take the reigns," he says. it was clear that he was content with it. if he were to be replaced, then it is what it is for him.

"Huh..." was the only thing Derrick could say as he went deed into thought. "Why ask, though? are you going through something similar?" the driver would ask, which Derrick would deny after snapping back into reality. "Huh? oh, no. Im just curious is all," he tells them, which the driver would drop as he doesn't pry further. with the silence now between the two, Derrick takes it as a chance to think things through in his head. Pyxis was someone who was interested in rocks like him; he is also someone who can take care of themselves in situations without any help. was... was he better than Derrick? was he going to replace him soon enough? those thoughts run through the boy's head.

No! it was preposterous to think someone who had just joined to replace someone who had been there longer... but was it the case? he wasn't really sure, but considering the words said by the driver,. maybe it would be better if they let him take over. maybe it would be better for Tetsuga, who's just like him but a little better. maybe he wouldn't have to be saved by them every time danger came their way. but that still didn't help it; it still stings every time he thinks about it. maybe Derrick was just being a little clingy. maybe he just needed to accept it. yeah, accept it, he thought. maybe Hell will feel better once he puts it out that he would be okay with it. maybe.

"You okay, kid? you've kind of gone silent on me," the driver would ask as he checked in on him. "Oh, sorry. I just needed to think about something," he tells him. "Oh, well, whatever you're going through, I'm sure you'll figure it out by the end," the driver tells the boy as he continues to drive the carriage. Derrick wasn't sure if he would, but seeing as he's gotten through tough things before, maybe this won't be so different from those. he looks up with his smile, as usual, as the driver imparts some great news. "We're coming up on the halfway mark. we're almost there at the kingdom," the driver says, which they all heard. "Thank you, Gerald," the noble says as he slinks back into the carriage.

"As soon as we get off, I'm finding myself the nearest tavern in the kingdom," Tetsuga would say as he ran out of beer inside his flask. "I need a refill," he says as he checks inside to see it empty like a desert. I guess it has been a while since it was last refilled. "You should've refilled it at the tavern back at the port," Pyxis would tell him while he screwed the lid back on it. "It slipped my mind. eh, I can go cold turkey for a little bit," Tetsuga would say as he pockets the flask. "Could you not be an alcoholic for a second?" Cherry would complain. all he heard and saw from this man was booze, booze, and more booze. the only good thing for her was that he wasn't the physical and angry type of alcoholic. I guess that's a positive in her book, even if it's still being an alcoholic.

"Hey, I'm 11 years in. it'd be a shame to stop the streak now," Tetsuga would say, which was surprising to her. "11 years? how have you not contracted liver failure!?" she would exclaim, confused about how this man was still functioning even after drinking as much as he did. "I did. I just heal with magic every time it gives me problems," Tetsuga casually says as if it were normal. "You are wrong on so many levels," Cherry would say with a dissatisfied expression on her face. "What makes you say that?" Tetsuga would exclaim right after. his response was met with silence as the carriage went on to drive the rest of the way.

"Hey! answer me, Pinky! what makes you say that!?" he repeats. he never got an answer to that question. but everyone except Tetsuga agreed collectively.