Our shopping trip was not yet over, we still needed a carriage. I did not mind that part, it should be far more relaxing than being squeezed into a lot of different outfits. Kaito took the lead, apparently he had informed himself where we could get something suitable.

The shop we went to was a lot less fancy than the last place. It was a small building with a ground floor made from stone and the first floor made from wood. The store had a lot next to it where I could see some carriages. A wooden sign hanging on steel chains said: Will's Wagons.

"This place should allow us to purchase something suitable without paying too much." Kaito said.

"This is where merchants shop. They mostly sell transport wagons though." Skadi added.

"Indeed." Kaito confirmed. "However, they also offer carriages for the merchants themselves. It should be a shop focusing on function over form. We can paint the carriage ourselves and make it look more presentable. We just need a sturdy foundation."

"Perhaps Cassie could help with the paint?" Hatsumi suggested.

"Huh. I have not thought about that." Cassie replied. "I guess I could do something with alchemy. Paints were never something I cared that much about."

"How does buying a carriage work? Do they simply have a few of them standing around, waiting for a buyer?" I wondered.

"Depends on where you are." Skadi replied. "A big city like Lupos usually has wagons in stock. Merchants need replacements from time to time, or they need to upgrade their fleet. In a smaller town you would need to order them, if they even have someone making wagons. Also, larger orders, like if you were starting a new caravan, need time. But that is for transporting goods, I have no idea how passenger carriages are handled."

"You are forgetting that merchants transport people too." Kaito said. "Your family might be handling goods but some caravans are focused on passengers."

Skadi nodded. "You are right. My parents have always said cargo is better because it does not complain."

While we were talking, the door of the shop opened and a portly man appeared. He had a rather round face, short black hair and appraised us with his blue eyes. The red tunic he wore was nothing fancy but looked to be of reasonable quality. His eyes quickly spotted Kaito and Hatsumi. The dullahan gave him pause but he approached us anyway, with a big smile.

"Welcome, dear customers! I saw you standing outside, don't be shy. Feel free to check out my fine selection of wagons and carriages! I am Will, at your service."

"Greetings sir, we are looking for a carriage." Kaito said.

"You are at the right place! Who am I addressing?" Will asked.

"The ladies Helena Frost, Cassie Ashburn, Skadi Helgurd and Koyuki. They are students at the academy. We are in need of a carriage to transport at least four, better six passengers." Kaito replied.

"Passengers you say? I have two that would fit your requirements, please follow me!" He said enthusiastically. Whatever concern he had about a dullahan seemed to have disappeared as he confirmed that we were customers.

We followed him into the lot, past the wagons in the front, which were clearly meant for transporting cargo. He led us to a white carriage. There were no ornaments or other details but it did have glass windows. On each side there were two windows, with a door in the middle. The door itself featured a window as well. I could not see inside, since the carriage was too high.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"This would be one option. Good sturdy wheels, reinforced with steel. We have a small compartment on the back, openable from the outside. It can fit about two trunks and some bags. You can store further gear on the roof but you will have to ensure your trunks are weather proof. In the front we have a simple bench seating the driver and possibly a guard." Wil paused and looked at Hatsumi. "Or your maid."

Then he retrieved a key and opened a side door. There was a single step to get up. "As you can see, it is easy to get in and out, even for a big fella like me." He laughed at that. "The whole carriage can be locked, however someone could smash the glass. The compartment in the back is reinforced so it is a bit safer. Inside we have two benches with leather seats, nice and comfy for long rides. However, it is meant for four people, six might be a bit of a squeeze."

"We could fit in there with the cats." Helena said, after peeking inside.

"You do have a few cats." Will agreed, looking at our party. "They seem rather well behaved and are even friends with your skeletal cat. Are you a mixture of tamers and necromancers, if I might ask?"

"She is the necromancer and they are all undead." Helena replied while pointing at me.

"Really? Fascinating. I would have thought they were just some exotic animals, or monsters." Will replied.

"Meow." Nyx said.

"Meow." Kasai added.

Ivy and Yoru nodded.

"They are intelligent." I said, as Will looked at them curiously.

"I see. Well, I also have a slightly larger model. It would allow your party to travel in even more comfort!" Will said.

He led us to another carriage, it was similar to the first one but it was wider. It was brown on the outside and looked slightly more utilitarian.

"This one is usually drawn by four horses. We call it a stagecoach, it is a rather popular choice to transport passengers between cities. Most companies offering such a service use a version of this. Ours boast really comfortable leather seats! The storage at the back can hold four trunks and you can see the steel rail on the roof, it allows you to secure additional cargo. The roof has been reinforced so you can put quite a bit of weight on it." Will explained as he opened the back.

"The axles are reinforced as well, this stagecoach will serve you well on long journeys through the wild! It is high enough to even traverse a small river! It will not stand up to an actual monster attack though. Seeing that you are from the academy you are surely familiar with the destructive power of certain beasts." Will explained.

I nodded. Asking for a carriage that withstood monsters would be way outside of my budget.

"How expensive is this carriage?" I asked.

"This beauty is only three platinum! Horses not included. But think of the space you will have in there. Come on, see for yourself! You can easily fit three people on each of those two benches. If only two people are inside you might even use them as beds, if you are not too tall. We can offer curtains too. And luggage will be no issue!"

Three platinum? That was expensive! "Maybe the smaller one…" I mumbled.

"That would only be two platinum, however you would have less space. And this one is certainly better for longer journeys!"

"Can your ibex pull that?" Helena asked.

"Ibex? That is a curious choice of animal." Will mused.

"An undead white ibex." Helena added.

"I have no idea how strong that creature is, my apologies. You might need a special harness as well. I do know a leatherworker who could help. I can also recommend a painter to change the color of this stagecoach, or add a crest!" Will said.

"I also have Coffee." I said, while studying the carriage.

"Coffee?" Will asked.

"My horse." I replied.

"Ah. One horse would not be enough, I am afraid. I am unsure if you could combine your undead and a horse." Will said.

"Having it drawn by undead would make an impression. Perhaps we could acquire some dead horses?" Kaito suggested.

"It will certainly cut down on your expenses!" Will added.

"The ibex is a draugr, and it will not tire. Koyuki has enough mana to keep it going. It should be able to draw this carriage without any issues. The speed might not be ideal though." Hatsumi said.

"Nyx could pull it." Skadi said. Nyx glared at her.

"We should buy it." Helena said. "Let's split the bill."

"I can add some money too." Skadi suggested. Cassie nodded.

"Ok…" I agreed.

Will smiled. "Splendid! You have made an excellent choice!"

"How are we getting it back to the academy?" I wondered, while looking at Nyx.

"Meow!" Nyx protested.

"Can a small skeleton truly pull a stagecoach?" Will asked.

"She can grow in size." I replied.

"Oh? That seems useful. However, I am not sure if the harness would fit her. It is meant to be drawn by four horses, my apologies. I could have it delivered, for a small fee." Will suggested.

"Fine…" I agreed while Nyx smirked, victoriously.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.