He felt the state of Hephaestus's body; it was somewhat drained, but far from exhausted.
He knew this was just the fellow being lazy.
"Come on, Hephaestus, we're almost there."
"Once we reach our destination, I'll treat you to a big meal, personally picking the fattest cattle and sheep for you at the market."
"I'm tired, no."
"Need food, yes."
Hephaestus perked up at these words, replying to Gauss with his limited vocabulary, his wing beats regaining strength.
As for almost reaching Gray Rock Town, Gauss wasn't bluffing Hephaestus.
Though he indeed used this excuse several times on the road, this time it was real.
His gaze went toward a distant outline appearing at the end of his view, beneath the clouds.
"Finally back! Gray Rock Town!!"
...
Switching from Hephaestus to a normal mount, the group slowly made their way down the road toward Gray Rock Town.
The closer they got to the small town, the more Gauss felt a mixed emotion of anxious excitement.
"Sigh..."
