We carry on, and despite the good main road, the cart actually starts to get a little heavy.

  I almost wish that the delivery won't end up too large.

  I should urge Mum to hurry a tiny bit.

  We might be somewhat safe in the shadow of the fortress, but we are outside and still quite exposed.

  Hell, the fortress stands here for a reason.

  Though I doubt we're going to get attacked by orcs.

  Lately, there might have been more sightings, but mostly only stray goblins and, to a far lesser degree, orcs close to the town.

  This only makes sense, as goblins spawn like crazy while hiding behind the orcs against the more dangerous predators.

  They even are so many that it barely matters that the orcs occasionally eat or simply kill them for fun, as I've heard.

  I guess they're their emergency food, though, they can't be all that tasty if they'd rather fight some huge monster to fill their bellies.

  For all I care, they may fight whatever they please, it doesn't matter all that much, as the army will kill them anyway.

  While orcs are a good head bigger than any normal human, making them tough opponents, a good troop has no problems taking them out safely.

  Therefore, it's pretty unlikely that something as big as them will make it into the protected lands.

  However, our goal is already in sight.

  While it's not all that safe, there is something akin to a settlement outside of the walls.

  Well, that's not quite it, as it's more of an outpost that deals with the few farms people built close to Akaras.

  People here brave the risk and make a living by buying and selling goods before they pass into the town, and trying to grow some hardy crops on the infertile ground.

  The latter is quite profitable, as the army needs a lot of food and buys it at high prices, due to the requirement of deliveries from all around the country to function.

  Even living animals are raised here in enclosures, so as to properly feed the soldiers.

  Once we get closer, it's surprisingly lively, in view of how few buildings this place consists of.

  Yet a good part of the crowd might also consist of those interested in the delivery caravan that arrived.

  Because they certainly are special.

  Especially those who make our delivery.

  In hindsight, Dad might just have taken over my duties so that I wouldn't miss my chance for some excitement.

  I wave as we get close, but it's only once we get near enough that we are noticed by our trading contact.

  Well, it might be due to me not standing out at my size.

  In particular, next to the one we're approaching.

  "Mr. Kalros!" (J)

  "Ah, Jena! And if that isn't little Yomi. I assume you are here for your hides? I can assure you we've got quite the assortment." (Kalros)

  Argh, did he have to add the "little"?

  "Just to say it, I'm already a legal adult." (Y)

  "Are you? I could swear you didn't grow a bit since I last saw you." (K)

  "Well, I did. Also, as I am an adult already, a bit of respect would be polite." (Y)

  I try to make myself appear a bit bigger, but it doesn't amount to much.

  I even fear that it makes it worse.

  "Hah, but still so cheeky!" (K)

  "Stomp"

  There he puts down the hoof, making everyone around him step back a bit.

  Huh?

  Yes, I said hoof.

  Mr. Kalros is a centaur, after all.

  His red-brown mane and huge muscles come all the more impressive, mounted on a horse's body.

  As he’s roughly two and a half meters tall, my head only comes to the top of his legs.

  Which doesn’t help me earn any respect.

  Yet I'd just wish he'd dress up a little bit more.

  He's basically naked, after all, only wearing a half-open vest.

  Not to mention the lack of any coverage at all, beyond his natural coat, on his lower portion.

  I'm just glad I can't see anything there, not like I'd be looking.

  I guess that might be part of the reason why centaurs are so rarely to be seen in the inner country, but instead, they are known as among the only ones to brave the Barrens.

  The latter being a fact that is quite useful to us.

  After all, the whole South is blocked by the Evergrove, the gigantic forest that houses terrifying monsters.

  However, the centaurs traverse the Barrens, where it can’t grow, and visit those far off lands.

  Due to this, their caravans are very welcome.

  In addition, they are fearsome archers and lancers.

  Which is also why they deliver us the best pelts possible.

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  After all, there's no one who can shoot as well as a centaur at a target while moving.

  Thankfully, they are usually quite friendly.

  "Awh, don't make such a face, Yomi. It makes you look gloomy." (K)

  Argh, he had to bring that up, didn't he?

  "Yeah, yeah, I get that often. So, what about the hides?" (Y)

  "Yomi, stay polite." (J)

  "No harm done. Seems like she got the 'straight-to-business' attitude of her father, which I consider preferable. But don't you worry, I got them right here!" (K)

  Being told I have an attitude that is preferable to a centaur…

  I’m not sure how I ought to feel about that.

  They certainly aren’t seen as the most well-mannered lot.

  Perhaps I ought to listen to Mum more.

  The hides, however, are as pristine as I expected them.

  One can say what one wants, but they are truly good at their job, and you simply can't get them any fresher.

  The deliveries from Ekoras usually lie around for some time before transport, and the smell of months-old hides that took some time to grill in the sun is certainly nothing I'm keen to describe.

  Seriously, I could do without all this stuff.

  It's not even what I want to do.

  The purchase itself is quite uncomplicated, as is to be expected with centaurs.

  They are rather outspoken personalities and don't have a knack for any form of cunningness.

  Truly, the only reason for their bad reputation might be that some see them as monsters, due to their appearance and the fact that they tend to the Barrens.

  I, on my side, am doing somewhat fine with them.

  Though if I didn’t already know better, seeing his fangs in that short snout of his whenever he smiles might have sent me running.

  While they are a bit too chaotic for my taste, I appreciate that you know what you've got with them.

  A centaur would never even consider swindling you.

  After buying every usable piece of merchandise from Mr. Kalros for an overall fair price, Mum and I head back.

  As we return, I find a small group dealing with the remains of a rockcrawler, a type of lizard that is found in this region.

  Apparently, they got it done while we were occupied in the settlement.

  All the commotion seems to have baited it in.

  Just good that we have the army.

  And in this sense, the soldiers.

  Truly, I like the military.

  The discipline, how everything comes together to form an organization thought to protect the people from the threats beyond the border, it’s all so orderly.

  We finally get back to the gate.

  It feels a lot safer behind thick walls and several rows of spears and arrows.

  Rakis favors these, as a line of spearmen with shields, as well as halberdiers or other variants of pole weapons, work best to keep bigger creatures, such as orcs, at bay.

  Meanwhile, archers can support the front line and shoot over their heads, directly at the monsters.

  This doesn't mean there aren't other weapons.

  It depends on the unit, but swords as sidearms, or even more individual adventurer gear, aren't uncommon.

  After all, if a seasoned adventurer with experience in monster slaying decides to switch to the regular army, it wouldn't make sense to deny them their most familiar weaponry.

  As highly skilled as this organization is, I don't feel the slightest bit afraid, even in this otherwise dangerous region.

  We unload the hides at our shop, placing them in the adjacent storage to the building.

  I'm afraid the smell is going to get quite bad.

  It stands for a reason that the shop is closer to the outer, than the inner wall.

  While we're at it, my dad comes looking for us.

  "How did it go?" (T)

  "Well, as always, Kalros made a reasonable offer. Yet I see a lot of work coming our way." (J)

  "That much is certain. The army already declared requests on uniform parts, and backpacks for the new recruits." (T)

  "Sigh. Sounds like this year as well, we can only dream of our vacation." (J)

  "Hah! Well, the pay is at least decent. Maybe we can expand in a few years. Who knows, with some more hands at work, we might actually get a bit of free time. Yomi knows she at least needs the strong hands to do the grunt work" (T)

  That jab was uncalled for.

  "Damn, Dad! You know I can't help it. I'm already trying my best." (Y)

  "No reason to freak out like this. It's just an observation. Maybe your future husband can carry out that part of the job for you." (T)

  "Husband!?" (Y)

  "Yomi, you are almost seventeen. This is the eligible time to think about your future. Taking over the shop won't be easy all by yourself, and finding potential suitors shouldn't be so difficult." (T)

  "Stop right there! I'm not just going to marry, solely so you can spare paying someone to work in the shop! In the first place, you know I want to do something different!" (Y)

  "Sigh. Yomi, not this again." (J)

  "Why not?!" (Y)

  "Because you can't be a soldier." (J)

  "You just said it, I'm at the right age, and they are recruiting." (Y)

  In general, I was never this much into girly stuff.

  This shouldn't be this much of a surprise, given how I was born into a city that is all about warfare and never got to know anything else.

  "Yomi, did you ever look at yourself? You don't possess the necessary strength to even carry the equipment, not to speak of that I shudder at you actually getting into close combat with those arms of yours." (T)

  I don't want to admit that he has a point.

  While there is no law against women joining the army, physical strength is still a factor, which leads to a huge disparity in accepted recruits.

  And I'm certainly not doing well in that regard.

  "Maybe I can get into a ranged unit!" (Y)

  "This statement alone shows that you have no idea what it means to draw a bow. Any idea how much strength that takes? That simply can't work." (T)

  "You don't know that! I could train!" (Y)

  This already starts with me not gaining any muscle, no matter how much sport I did.

  "That still wouldn't make you tall or your arms long enough. You need to realize that it's hopeless." (T)

  I wish my parents hadn't already completely set my life on inheriting the business.

  I'm sure they'd even go as far as using their influence as a supplier to prevent me from getting successfully enlisted.

  Whenever I bring it up, they get like this, telling me my dream is stupid and I should stay realistic.

  As things stand, I am even deeply forbidden from taking up any arms except for a small dagger, which I own for emergencies.

  Not that I have any delusions regarding the glorious soldier life, but it is what I want to do to protect the people, to be part of something, and contribute.

  It isn't even all that dangerous.

  The last big incident was what, thirty years ago?

  But I know nothing I say will convince my dad, and therefore retreat to my room before I say something wrong, as fed up as I am.