My embarrassing outburst is all but forgotten when morning comes around, the bright sun beating down on us from the time it begins to rise. Sure enough, the other adventurer's tracks lead in the same direction we're going.

Monster corpses still litter the way, some already beginning to rot. Though much of the danger has been removed from our path, I feel sick rather than relieved. So this is what death smells like.

"Killstealer!" Izumi yells. "Griefer! Noob!"

"Aren't we also newbies?"

"He's a noob. There's a difference."

I have no idea what she's talking about, but she's so enraged her face is starting to turn red. She swears constantly throughout the day, kicking rocks and stirring up dirt, getting us messier than we ought to be.

"Calm down, Izumi..."

"You calm down when there aren't even any slimes to grind!" Izumi lets out another annoyed sigh.

"Grind?"

"You know, grind. Slay en masse for that sweet exp."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I knew it. You really are such a normie, Hiyorin," she sighs.

I take her at her word and fall silent for a little while. I'm glad she's leaving well enough alone; I don't want to talk about last night. It's much easier to fall under the spell of anger at someone we've never met and let that guide us through the day.

"I'd kill a man for a shower," I interject, cutting the silence.

"And you're getting on my case for wanting to kill slimes?" Izumi asks.

"The slimes are the reason we need a good shower," I grumble.

"Good luck finding one here." Izumi laughs darkly. "We'll be lucky if we can find a river and use some of the soap in my pack."

"I'd kill a man for a bath, then?"

"If you could call it that."

"Hey, does this world have any hot springs?"

"I really don't know."

As we continue to discuss the world's horrifying lack of indoor plumbing, I can feel the grease in my hair getting worse by the minute. I can see the spots on my clothes with traces of slime and rat left over from our first battles. I really would face a man in hand-to-hand combat for the prize of washing just a little of this grime off.

"I'll bet the Demon Lord has a shower," I mutter.

"Or at least a spell to mimic one," Izumi agrees.

"What a shithead."

"What a tool."

"What a cheapskate, not sharing it with the world."

"Well, he is the Demon Lord. He's not exactly known for being a nice guy."

"He did send us off with some gold—" Wait, am I defending him? "Oh, forget it. He's the worst."

"The worst," Izumi echoes.

Somehow, our mutual dislike of Sinensis is just as cheery as our mutual distaste for the adventurer we've been following. It lends a certain air of mirth to the day and makes time pass much faster.

The trail of corpses never seems to end. We're constantly stepping over creatures being identified as goblins and imps, not to mention the ratfolk and slimes. Whoever did this is either really bloodthirsty, or the world is out for their head.

I try to imagine what kind of person we're following. Could they be a regal noble, slaying their foes with dignity and grace? Could they be a scared kid from our world, staking it out on their own to do what we're doing? Could the people of Camellia finally have chosen someone to rise up against it all without resorting to outsourcing heroes from other worlds?

My sneakers are smeared with God-knows-what, and almost ripping at the toe. The soles are being worn out at a breakneck pace. I need to invest in some adventuring boots like Izumi has. Maybe they'll have some nicer clothing stores when we get there; it's the capital city, after all.

After an uneventful night and a quiet morning, we can see a city in the distance, a castle piercing the horizon as the sun rises on our third day of travel. For a moment, both Izumi and I are awestruck. To see it from this distance, it must be huge.

We arrive at the wall that surrounds Cha, and I have to crane my neck up to see the watchtowers set at regular intervals. Arrows poke out of the window-slits, ready to fire on command. Meanwhile, the guards in front of the city gate are heavily armored, watching us through typical western-style visors in their helmets.

"What are two young lasses like yourselves doing on such a dangerous path?" one of them asks. I'm surprised to hear it's a feminine voice.

"We’re here to visit the castle," Izumi says, taking a step forward, announcing our true intentions like it's perfectly natural. "We come from a small village outside the Demon Lord's control, and we seek to end his reign."

The guardswoman chuckles. “Openly resisting the Demon Lord, eh? Mighty brave. And mighty stupid.”

"It's not stupid!" I find myself saying, stepping forward as well. "What he's done can't be excused!"

She studies us for a brief moment before nodding. "That's true. And I commend your bravery. I can't promise you an audience with anyone, but I can grant you sanctuary in our city for the time being. You have honest eyes, the both of you."

She gestures to some of her companions and the gate begins to rise.