Chapter 180: Both Reliable and Unreliable
That night, just as Erza predicted, they didn't reach a town and had to camp in the wilderness.
In storytelling terms, this was what they'd call "missing the inn on the way"—the kind of situation that usually leads to unexpected events.
The two coachmen, understandably, were reluctant. They voiced their concerns about sleeping out in the open, especially with the risk of wild beasts lurking nearby. And with the cold weather, it wasn't exactly appealing.
However, after Erza made a sincere and surprisingly non-threatening request, they finally agreed.
Rhodes was relieved she hadn't resorted to unsheathing her sword. She had genuinely asked for help. That said, her version of sincerity still carried an overwhelming pressure that left the coachmen trembling.
To make sure it didn't count as unintentional intimidation, Rhodes quickly stepped in to promise their safety, and even offered to pay them extra.
With that, everyone was happy.
Erza pulled out an iron pot from her absurdly large pile of luggage and began setting up a camp stove.
Meanwhile, Rhodes pitched their tent. Thankfully, the tent-building skills he picked up from Gray came in handy.
When everything was finally set up and the fire was crackling, Rhodes looked forward to tasting Erza's cooking again.
That's when she broke the news.