the feeling of his first carriage ride stirred in him. The feel of the seats in the guest room had some good and bad parts, but as for the overall feeling of traveling in a carriage it was a rather pleasant.

As for his true thoughts, this highway couldn't have been particularly well maintained. His former world hadn't developed the type of wheels used on the dragon-carriage, the tremors that he had expected to be present in the carriage were far weaker than he expected. So much so that honestly, the feel of riding in a vehicle from his former world wasn't any better.

"You seem quite currrrious about the dragon-carriage."

"Should I call it unusual, or should I say fresh astonishment, everything's a first so it's like this. I'll be a little noisy but cut me some slack."

He responded to Roswaal's question while his seat jarred, he could feel the vibrations from the bottom of the frame travel up his legs. He couldn't tell if the carriage was going at a leisure pace, but looking out from the window the speed at which scenery passed by was anything but relaxed. Measuring it by eye the carriage had to be going close to 100 kph, that it could match up cars to this extent was shocking.

If it's like this… Rem being outside alone on the coachman's stand worried him.

"Hey, we're going so fast yet the coachman's stand is completely exposed to the wind, is this really, OK? Like getting thrown off or something, well, it's Rem so I don't think we have to worry about that in particular… but won't her hair and clothes be a mess by the time we get to the capital?"

"The ground dragon has the divine protection of wind evasion, the user to be unaffected by the wind and not encounter any wind resistance while running. The effect also applies to the passengers, one may transport.

"Don't you have something like a divine protection, Morgan?" Subaru said. Morgan gave him a slightly pointed look

"I have something similar and it is considered impolite to ask about them." Morgan replied.

Subaru nodded in consent, digesting the information Morgan had just told him.

Mulling over everything he had just learned about divine protection.

Felt was abnormally quick on her feet so she must have the divine protection from wind. And Reinhard who demonstrated his offensive and defensive powers at the loot house had divine protection from arrows. I see, so there are a whole bunch of ones.

"No, very few people have divine protections and all of them here born here." Morgan said anticipating Subaru's next words. Subaru understood what she meant from that, the tower of hope he had just built came crashing down. It was a dim hope, his face bent in self-derision.

"Yeah, it's fine. It was too much of a luxury to ask for. After all, I've gotten something even more valuable from this place. I was able to meet you and Emilia-tan. "

"Yes yes. We'll get to the capital in another four hours, so just behave yourself till then."

"Emilia-tan, so cold! But I'm slightly mortified that even this type of response makes me happy…"

As the trip went on, Subaru

"Emilia-tan, Emilia-tan, can I sit near the window?"

"What's wrong? Ah, did you get sick from the vibrations? It happens a lot to people who aren't used to riding in carriages. I've got, I'll lend you Puck."

"The thought makes me happy, but it's a little different. And wait a minute, how is giving me Puck even related with me getting sick? Would I use him as a vomit bag?"

"If you did that to him even Puck would get angry."

The time was still early morning, raising this type of topic before the cat-type spirit had even woken up, Subaru felt shivers down his spine imagining such a laid-back character like Puck get angry.

After that Emilia sighed, looking at Subaru again.

"If it's not that then what is it?"

"Because~, Emilia-tan and Ros-chi are so busy talking with each other. Morgan is in her notes on magic. I'm lonely from not being talked to, and going back to sleep a second time is annoying, so I wanted to pass the time looking at the scenery or something."

"Aa, sorry. I didn't notice. Then, here."

Emilia started moving to his request, in the small carriage the two changed seats. Since she was sitting next to him in the first place, when she started to change seats, he felt contact all over his body, with a smug face he enjoyed this side-benefit. With this they successfully changed seats.

"Alright then, properly behave yourself this time. Understand?"

"Mm. I'll be enjoying this indirect warmth from where you were sitting."

"I don't really know what you mean but it sounds reeeally disgusting, so keep it in moderation."

Saying this, she looked several times worriedly at Subaru wiggling his butt in the seat, finally resuming her discussion with Roswaal. Seeing her smiles and gestures, Subaru turned his gaze out the window he had secured for himself. From the small window affixed above the exit/entrance door he could see they were still going extremely fast, the scenery streaming by. From the angle he was looking out from a large portion of the view was blue-sky, he couldn't see any tall trees anymore so it seems they've already left the forest around the Roswaal mansion, he thought to himself.

"Now that you mention it, I don't really know how far it is between the mansion and the capital…"

Emilia had said it'd be around four hours, considering it for a bit, without knowing exactly how fast this dragon-carriage was traveling there were too many unknowns, he could only make guesses. Lifting his waist from the seat, he pressed his face to the window. Seeing the scenery zoom by they could be going faster than he had initially thought. Irrespective of them flying down a poorly maintained highway, no tremors were transmitted up inside the carriage, it was a puzzle among puzzles.

"Attributing this to 'divine protection is amazing' he was able to accept it absentmindedly… a speed worthy of a lizard. From the feel of it, it's probably around 100 km/hr.?"

The speed of the passing scenery, it certainly didn't seem inferior to what he remembered passing by from inside a car on the freeway. If it could keep up this speed continuously, it's no wonder the dragon-carriages were in such wide use. Each lizard probably differed a bit based on its care and food; a metal car was mostly the same in that regard. Whichever one was more convenient would be up to personal taste.

"As for me, I'm not much of a fan of machines, I'm a pitiful boy who gets revved up when I see giant animals."

He wanted to declare the dragon-carriage the winner based on personal preference. After weighing the merits of the dragon-carriage and automobile Subaru glanced around, "well then." Even if I stay here the carriage won't get any faster so it's a waste of time. Putting his hand out onto the door, he knocked. The two stopped their conversation and looked at him.

"I want to go where Rem is, I get the feeling that it's OK to open this door?"

"You sure say some interesssssting things, Subaru-Kun. Because of the blessing, everything connected to the carriage won't be affected by the wind. It's notttt a difficult thing to climb up the frame of the wagon to get to where Rem is, but if you fall, you'll die you know?"

"Oi, Ros-chi, don't underestimate my athleticism. If you put together all the high-schoolers from the go-home-club and tested them I'm pretty confident I'd be in the top ranks. Other than long-distance running, that is and Morgan will help me won't she."

"You won't die immediately with the spell I put on your body. You will be left heavily injured, but alive." Morgan replied her eyes not leaving her notes.

"Attttt least do it after we call out to Rem."

His teeth shining Roswaal gave Subaru a thumbs up. Looking like he'd bought the idea, he knocked on the window connected to the coachman's stand. It was a window large enough that you'd be able to pass small luggage through. Separated by the small window, only Rem's voice came through. "Yes, is something the matter?"

"Aa, Subaru-Kun says he's bored and wants to be near Rem. How wonderful a thing, you sure a loooved."

"Subaru-Kun is it? What should we do, do you want me to stop the carriage? If we take it to a stop, it will take a bit of time to get the earth dragon to start running again."

"Nn?" Subaru tilted his head at Rem's words, looking to Roswaal who was now holding his chin with this hand.

"The thing called divine protection isn't all powerful. In the case of earth dragons, once they activate their protection from wind once, they need a littttle bit of time before they can use it again. We could take an early lunch though if you wanted?"

Listening to his explanation Subaru nodded, but shook his head no at the proposal.

"Nah, it's fine it's fine. I'll be up there in a flash, so just be good and wait for me Rem. Aa, be careful not to cause the lizard to drift or something, or else I'd get sent flying from inertia."

I'd hope she'd refrain from pulling off any moves like drifting or triple-acceleration. Since he didn't know to what extent the protection from wind would apply, wanting to avoid any tricky moves was his sincere thoughts.

"I understand, I am waiting. The spot next to me is open. Hurry, hurry."

From the other side of the window Rem called out impatiently, trying to feign indifference. Smiling bitterly, Subaru gestured with his hand to Roswaal.

"Nn-well, I'll get going then."

"Oh myyy, you sure seem to have won over Rem. You'll get burned you know."

"Morgan already hit me with some fire. I will be fine." Subaru said as recalled when Morgan was demonstrating her magic. She flung fire at him that singed him and told him normal fire would be insufficient to burn him now, though he wished Morgan had told him instead of demonstrated on him.

Giving Roswaal a light-hearted reply, he turned to Emilia with vigor. But it seems she wasn't paying attention to what he'd said, mumbling to herself near the interior wall like she was looking for something. And, "here" she said, taking out something and putting it in Subaru's hand.

"This isn't something that's all that dangerous so I won't stop you, but make sure to keep hold of this."

"A cord extending out from the interior wall… something like a seatbelt?"

"There are times when the carriage will sometimes flip over, that's why they have these belts. I gave you the long end, so use it as a lifeline. After you get to the coachman's stand you can let it go and it will retract."

Gladly taking Emilia's consideration, he took the belt he'd been handed and wrapped it around his wrist. While finishing the business of creating his lifeline, he started to realize that he probably should have sat up on the coachman's stand in the first place. If that's the case he probably should have just behaved himself and stayed put in his seat, but clearly not pleased with this option he displayed his selfishness in a big way.

Seen off by Emilia who had an extremely worried look in her eyes, Subaru opened the guest room door and climbed out onto the carriage. The dragon-carriage was moving fast as ever. Occasionally the speed slackened a little, probably a result of Rem's concern. Despite confirming with his eyes that they were moving at such a fast speed it was strange he couldn't feel any wind resistance at all. It was almost like some illusion where they were encased in a transparent box as they traveled along. Swallowing his saliva and still grasping the cord tightly, Subaru put his hand on the frame and proceeded cautiously out around to the coachman's stand.

Because there wasn't even a hint of wind, the short trip went exceedingly smooth. Subaru felt like he was proceeding down a road with bad footing, it was only an inconvenience to that level.

"This really is a weird feeling. With the divine blessing it was only this difficult."

Experiencing this world's strange phenomenon with his own body, Subaru thought as he looked at the scenery streaming by. '80 km/h'. While he was standing isolated, this was the thought that seized his brain. In his former world he remembered hearing this one particular urban legend.

He suddenly felt slight shock in his body. He ended up losing his train of thought. He wonders what was that shock. He didn't realize that Morgan had placed a small curse on him when started to go down those thoughts.

"Pay attention to the carriage, and don't stick your body to far out if you do you will fall off." Morgan said over their mental link.

"Right"

Subaru eventually crawled into the coach seat and sat there for the rest of trip.