Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 91: Side Story - Paula's Journey

Episode 91: Side Story – Paula’s Journey

“So in the end, I didn’t reach the Third Class…”

I muttered softly, fiddling with the space around me out of boredom. Even though it was early morning, the carriage stop was bustling with people, all busy with their tasks. But I didn’t see anyone I knew.

While I stood quietly in the corner, trying not to get in the way, a familiar figure appeared within the range of my [Spatial Awareness].

“Thank you for waiting, Paula.”

A luxurious carriage bearing the Schwein family crest approached from the direction of the city gate. Knights on horseback flanked it in front and behind, maintaining a respectful distance. The ornate door of the carriage swung open, revealing a plump young girl with long, flowing blonde hair. She poked her head out, then gracefully descended with the help of a young butler, lifting her skirt as she hurried over to me.

“Oh no, I wasn’t waiting long at all.”

“Oh, stop with the formalities! We are friends, after all!”

“Ah, sorry, Cynthia.”

At her urging, I corrected my speech. I’d been calling her “Cynthia” for quite some time now, but it still didn’t feel natural. Someone like me addressing someone of her noble status so casually—it felt like any moment I’d be charged with treason for my insolence.

“Young lady, we are running a bit behind schedule. Please continue your conversation in the carriage.”

“Oh, you’re right. Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

I nodded and climbed into the carriage. The interior was so spacious it seemed like my entire family could fit in with room to spare. As I stood there, dumbfounded, the young butler took my luggage.

“Miss Paula, please have a seat here.”

“Ah, thank you.”

I sat in the indicated seat, which faced Cynthia. As I sank into the cushion, it was so soft—like sitting on a puff of cotton.

“Wow…”

“Oh ho ho, our Schwain territory is known for its livestock! That cushion is made from the finest materials.”

Even though the carriage had started moving, there was hardly any noticeable vibration. I had heard that long trips can be painful because of the shaking, but it seemed like that wouldn’t be an issue here.

“By the way, I forgot to thank you earlier. Thanks for letting me ride in your carriage this time, Cynthia. It really helped me save on expenses.”

“Think nothing of it! We’re comrades who took down a herd of Grand Beasts together, after all!”

She was talking about the day we first met. That day, I was swept along with her into the Dwozof Forest, where we encountered multiple Grand Beasts. These were formidable foes, the kind that would give even a High-rank adventurer party trouble. But with me, Cynthia, and her young butler, Raiz, we managed to fend them off. It was that incident that brought us closer together.

“Young lady, please do not repeat such reckless actions again.”

“I know, I know! You don’t have to keep reminding me. I certainly don’t want to go through my mother’s scoldings again.”

Although Cynthia spoke of that forest incident as if it were a grand adventure, it had become quite the scandal at her estate. And understandably so. After all, their beloved daughter had nearly been killed by magical beasts.

“……”

On that day, my mind had been preoccupied with how to make it look like I had found Katsu’s remains naturally. Sure, I could’ve just pulled them out of [Space Storage] and placed them in any Lesser Beast Region, but that wouldn’t have been convincing. Since Raiz and the others had information that Katsu was a Grand Beast, it made sense to find his remains in the Grand Beast Region. That’s why, despite the danger, I led us into that area. I figured battling the Grand Beasts would be the perfect cover. But the beasts were much stronger than I had anticipated, and I ended up putting Cynthia and the others at risk.

In the end, no one was harmed, and I was able to use Katsu’s remains to create a birthday gift for Cynthia’s mother. But I can’t just brush it off as a success. I needed to be more cautious, not overestimating my magic like that again.

“By the way, Paula, have you ever seen a ‘magic coachman’ before?”

“No, I haven’t… Wait, do you mean…?”

“Yes! The coachman today is a magic coachman!”

Upon hearing Cynthia’s voice, the coachman looked back through the small window and nodded politely. I found myself instinctively nodding back.

“Wow, this is my first time seeing one. Reinforcement is already such a rare Attribute, and he’s even reached the Second Class…”

“No, no, he’s even more amazing. He’s in the Third Class with a Union Attribute!”

“Whaaat?!”

The Third Class was considered the dividing line between the truly exceptional and the ordinary. Upon reaching this level, an Attribute’s name changes, and the individual experiences a dramatic increase in power. The road to reaching the Third Class is long and arduous. Even for someone like Cythia, a noble, she had only reached the Third Class a few months before we met. And she was still considered a prodigy.

There are already very few with the Reinforcement Attribute, and a magic coachman not only possesses the ability to enhance other creatures, but also requires a substantial amount of |Mana|. On top of that, being in the Third Class, I couldn’t even imagine how much it must cost to hire someone like him.

“Wow, nobles really are incredible.”

“The incredible one is him. Not only is he enhancing the carriage horses, but also the horses of the knights escorting us. Thanks to him, we can reach our destination in much less time than usual!”

“Oh, so that’s why we’re leaving so close to the deadline.”

The entrance exam is being held in a territory three domains away from the Schwain territory, and it takes three weeks to get there by carriage. I had thought that leaving today, with just twenty days until the exam, was cutting it way too close. I even wondered if they had miscalculated the exam date.

I had already [Marked] the exam site with my spatial magic So even if we were running late, I could do something about it. That’s why I kept quiet and waited until today. But after hearing about this magic coachman, everything made sense.

“I’m really glad we’ll make it in time.”

“…Wait, Paula, did you think I might have misremembered the exam date?”

“Haha, no way, not at all! I’d never think that!”

I laughed it off to hide the truth. Honestly, I was really relieved. I hadn’t told anyone about my ability to teleport freely with spatial magic, and no matter how close we were as friends, I wasn’t ready to reveal that yet.

“Oh, how about we practice for the academic exam?”

“That sounds lovely. Since there are two of us, we can quiz each other. Why don’t you start, Paula?”

“Alright, let’s see…”

And so, our journey by carriage began like that.