The Fast Way and the Right Way
The time to give the company an answer had come.
Have you made up your mind, Vera?
Yes, I have... but...
Ehehe, I'm still not totally sure...
Um...
I was thinking of heading to the Wells Delivery to talk to them...
Sure. Let's go together.
Okay!
...The office was as chaotic as ever.
What do you mean you can't re-deliver it?!
I'm not saying we can't. If a courier becomes available within three days, then—
What kind of nonsense is that?! The festival is tonight!
It's been ages since I had a client from another village, and you're going to mess it up like this?!
The man looked around and locked eyes with Vera.
Isn't that girl also a courier? She has the Guild logo.
Uh... M-me?
Miss, hear me out!
A client from a nearby town ordered a cake for the New Year's festival!
I got a letter this morning saying that the festival cake I sent yesterday arrived in a completely ruined state!
So I rushed to make a new one, but now they're saying they can't deliver it!
It was their fault in the first place too!
Now, they're telling me that sending a courier with less than ten packages is a loss on their end!
......
Um, so...
Where is it?
Huh?
The delivery address. Where is it?
I'm going to pick up the pace, Captain!
Are you sure about this, Vera?
Absolutely!
The borrowed cruiser is in great condition, and besides, I'm technically doing a day job for Wells, right?
But you're not getting paid...
Ehehe, it's fine. There's something I want to confirm, too.
...
Captain?
I'm really sorry for all the trouble. You didn't even need to come along...
...And even if you say I shouldn't...
If I'd let you go alone, I'd feel even worse.
...Hehe.
Don't worry too much. It's just a small town a half-day away!
I'm sure nothing will go wrong!
I feel like you shouldn't have said that...
Right. She jinxed it!
Vera, duck!
Whooa!
Arrows?! Where are they coming from?!
Five o'clock! Raider's hog riders!
Why are they coming out to the main road today of all days?!
And on this day specifically?!
I'll try something...!
I'll jump out and hold them off while you run—
I'll lure them all off the cliff and make them fall!
...?
It's the easiest way! They're fast, but they can't turn very well!
Have you done this before?!
Hold on tight!
If we lose our balance, we're both dead!!
Aaaahhh!!
Vera... You're too scary!!!
We... made it...
Captain...
The cake... is the cake okay...?
Yeah... it survived...
The inertia drift, the spin turn...
I couldn't even imagine how the last courier managed to mess up the cake delivery...
Ugh... My whole body's aching...
I won't be able to move my neck tomorrow...
My shoulders are stiff, my knees are throbbing...
Huh? A delivery at this hour...?
Oh! Are you the cake delivery?
...Ah!
Hello there! It's Vera, delivering with hea—uh, I-I mean, it's Wells Delivery Service!
The cake was delivered safely, and the small town's New Year's festival carried on, lively and joyful.
Vera and I watched from the sidelines.
You look happy.
Ehehe, I am.
...Captain.
Yes, Vera?
I've made my decision.
I'm going to turn down the offer.
Is that what you really want?
Yes.
Remember when you asked me why I became a city courier?
Well, I think it's because... I like seeing people's smiles.
The looks on their faces when I hand over a letter or a package...
The excitement, the relief... I love seeing that.
I see.
Yeah. My mentor's words, the hazard couriers' motto, the very reason I chose city deliveries...
I think they all come back to the same thing.
Couriers are the ones who deliver hope and excitement to people.
We do our best to keep that hope intact and deliver it safely.
And we take pride in that.
That's what I think makes a good courier.
...If I joined Wells, I feel like I'd lose sight of that.
Chasing quotas, handing off angry customers to customer service...
I don't think that's wrong.
But it's just not the path I want to take.
So... I think I'm okay with taking things a little slower.
I'm just going to go at my own pace.
I understand.
I'm proud of you, Vera.
...Ehehehe.
Well, I am your Journey member, Captain.
Yes you are.
With a lighter expression, Vera and I returned to NOA.
Thankfully, the return trip was uneventful.