Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill-Chapter 49: Trouble on the Road

The carriage moved slowly along the road.

The wheels creaked against the dirt as the horses maintained a steady pace.

Inside the carriage, Max was organizing his belongings.

His backpack sat in front of him.

An apparently normal backpack.

Max opened the main pocket.

Then he started putting things inside.

First, the shield.

It disappeared into the backpack as if the fabric had swallowed it.

Then the provisions Bim and Bam had given them.

Bread.

Dried meat.

Fruit.

After that, a hammer.

Moonlight tilted her head.

"..."

Max kept storing things.

A bag full of gold coins.

Several bottles of water.

Then some spare clothes.

And another set.

And another.

Moon slowly widened her eyes.

"Dad..."

Max looked up.

"Yes?"

Moon pointed at the backpack.

"...How many things can fit in there?"

Max shrugged.

"As many as I want."

Moon looked at the backpack again.

Then she looked at all the things that had already disappeared inside.

"That doesn’t make any sense."

Dorian let out a small laugh from the seat across from them.

"I agree."

He rested his elbow on the carriage window.

"I can recognize magical items when I see them."

He pointed at the backpack.

"And that one clearly is."

Then he added with curiosity,

"But I’ve never seen a magical backpack with infinite capacity."

Max calmly closed the backpack.

Then he lifted it with a proud expression.

"I have the best ability that can exist in this world."

Dorian stared at him for a few seconds.

Then he shook his head with a smile.

"Humans are quite curious."

Max opened the backpack again.

He pulled out another small bundle of clothes.

He tossed it to Moon.

"By the way."

Moon caught it.

"I brought some spare clothes for you too. Put something on, it’s starting to get cold."

Moon opened the bundle.

Inside were several neatly folded outfits.

They were probably made by Sophie.

Moon lifted her head.

Her eyes sparkled.

"Dad..."

She smiled from ear to ear.

"You’re the best."

Her small wings fluttered slightly behind her.

The carriage kept moving forward.

Outside, the scenery began to change.

Taller trees stretched along both sides of the road.

But what stood out the most were the leaves.

Orange.

A bright shade that covered the entire forest.

Moon pressed her face against the window.

"Waaah!"

She stared at the scenery.

"Why are the leaves that color?"

Dorian smiled when he saw how fascinated she was.

"Because the world is enormous."

He leaned back in his seat.

"And it has many things you still haven’t seen."

Moon looked at the forest again.

Her eyes sparkled.

Max pointed at Dorian.

"He used to be a great adventurer."

Moon turned immediately.

"Really?"

Dorian raised an eyebrow.

Max nodded.

"Before he became the royal healer."

Moon clasped her hands excitedly.

"I’d like to be an adventurer someday too."

Dorian looked at her with a calm smile.

"You already are."

Moon blinked.

"Huh?"

Dorian pointed at the road in front of the carriage.

"We’re traveling to the Devil Kingdom to save a princess."

He paused slightly.

"That counts as an adventure."

Moon’s wings started fluttering excitedly.

"Then I’m an adventurer!"

Max let out a small laugh.

Then he looked out the window.

The orange forest stretched as far as the eye could see.

The carriage continued moving.

In silence.

Max leaned his head against the wood.

He thought about something.

This adventure would be much more exciting...

if a life weren’t at stake.

***

A few hours later, from the driver’s seat, a deep voice broke the silence.

"You’re very quiet back there."

It was Varis.

The red-bearded dwarf didn’t take his eyes off the road.

"Feeling sleepy?"

Dorian answered first.

"No, but thank you for asking, dear Varis."

Varis let out a small approving grunt.

"If you need to stop to take a piss or something, let me know."

Moon yawned at that moment.

"Uaaah..."

Max looked at her.

Then he opened his backpack.

He pulled out a sleeping bag.

He spread it inside the carriage, arranging it between the seats.

He made a small space for her.

"If you want to sleep for a while, you can."

Moon blinked.

Max smiled.

"I’ll wake you up when we arrive."

He paused.

"Or if something interesting happens."

Moon looked out the window again.

The orange trees kept passing by one after another.

Giant.

All the same.

She sighed.

"It makes me sleepy when the road is just giant trees with orange leaves."

Then she touched her stomach.

"I’m a little hungry too."

Max opened the backpack again.

"I can make you a sandwich with the provisions Bertha prepared."

Moon tilted her head.

She thought for a few seconds.

"Is there owl-bear?"

Max looked at her.

"...No."

Moon sighed with resignation.

"Then I just want bread."

She lay down on the sleeping bag.

"That’s fine."

Dorian chuckled.

He looked at Max.

"You really look like a father with his daughter."

Max shrugged while handing Moon the bread.

Moon started eating.

Two bites.

Three.

Four.

Then her eyes slowly began to close.

The hand holding the bread started lowering.

And finally...

She fell asleep.

Still holding the bread in her hand.

Max and Dorian stared at her for a few seconds.

Then both let out a quiet laugh.

Max sighed.

"It’s incredible."

Dorian smiled.

"Children can fall asleep anywhere."

Max leaned back against the seat.

He looked toward the window.

Then he frowned slightly.

"I wonder if Sophie and Neros are doing okay in the other carriage."

Dorian shrugged.

"Don’t worry."

He looked forward.

"Neros is usually very quiet."

Then he added with a small smile,

"And Sophie can’t stand too much chatter."

He paused.

"As long as Thog isn’t talking too much to them, everything will be fine."

From the driver’s seat, Varis burst into loud laughter.

"Ha!"

He slightly turned his head.

"From here I can hear my idiot partner."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Partner?"

Varis nodded.

"Thog."

He laughed again.

"He’s telling another one of his stories."

He paused.

"Something about romances with forest fairies."

Dorian chuckled.

"Then it sounds like they’re having a good time."

Varis snorted in amusement.

"That fool always has a good time."

The carriage kept moving.

The sound of the wheels against the road mixed with the wind passing through the forest of orange leaves.

For a few seconds, everything was calm.

Then—

CRAAACK!

A violent noise echoed along the road.

The carriage ahead shook violently.

And in the next instant...

The carriage exploded into pieces.

Planks, wheels, and fragments of wood flew through the air.

A massive cloud of dust rose in the middle of the road.

"What the hell—?!"

Varis pulled hard on the reins.

The horses neighed loudly.

Their carriage came to an abrupt stop.

Moon woke up instantly.

"Huh?!"

Max grabbed the seat to keep from being thrown forward.

Dorian frowned as he looked ahead.

The cloud of dust completely covered the road.

They couldn’t see anything.

Max leaned out the window.

"What the hell just happened?"