Heavy Smoker and the Grim Reaper of the Wheat Field (13)
Early morning, just as the sun was rising, we headed to the inn Children of Mutarat. Our purpose was to greet Beynya and retrieve the luggage Franc had left there.
“Ah, Franc, you’re here?”
When we arrived, Beynya was already washing and hanging the inn’s bed sheets. I had thought this would be the quietest time for an innkeeper, yet she was hard at work from dawn.
“Yes. Good morning, Beynya.”
Franc swallowed nervously. On the way here I had offered to speak for her, but she insisted it was something she had to do herself. After taking a deep breath to steady herself, she spoke clearly.
“Beynya, I came because I have something to tell you.”
From there, Franc explained everything—her decision to move to another inn so she could stay with me, and her gratitude for all the quiet kindness Beynya had shown her.
“—So… I don’t think I’ll be able to stay at your inn anymore. I’m truly sorry.”
Franc bowed deeply. In truth, Beynya had never gone out of her way to help Franc much. She had mediated between us once, but beyond that, Franc had simply paid for her room. Still, it was true that Beynya had quietly looked after her like a daughter. That was why Franc had come to say goodbye properly.
“Heh. Is that so? It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.”
Beynya listened to the whole story and gave a small smile.
“We don’t have storerooms or double rooms here. This inn takes in people who work alone. I always figured you’d leave someday too.”
“Beynya…”
Franc’s voice trembled with emotion. Beynya reached out and gently stroked her hair.
“Don’t feel guilty, Franc. Running an inn means saying goodbye to people. If you get sentimental about every farewell, both of us will only end up exhausted.”
“Y-yes…”
“Goodness, you’re even crying. Do you know how awkward it’ll be if we bump into each other on the road after parting like this?”
“I’m sorry…”
Tears are hard to control. Franc sniffled as she wiped her cheeks.
“I’ll… come visit you and your husband sometimes.”
“No, don’t. It’s better to part cleanly, leaving only the hope of meeting again someday.”
Beynya’s tone was firm.
“If you keep dropping by and then suddenly stop without a word, how do you think I’d feel?”
“Ah…”
“No one knows what the future holds. So let’s just remember that the other person is probably doing well somewhere. Life is too long to keep worrying about everyone we’ve parted from.”
“……Yes. I’ll remember that.”
While gently combing Franc’s hair with her fingers, Beynya turned to me.
“I won’t lecture you. You remember what I said last time, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Good. That’s enough. Even a child you thought would stay little forever eventually leaves for another home. Just like my own son and daughter.”
She smiled and gave Franc a light push on the back.
“Go on, Franc. If you’ve found a place to stay, I’m satisfied. But if something truly worth bragging about happens, you can still come visit, all right?”
Franc wiped her nose, composed her expression, and nodded. Her face was a little messy, but her smile was bright with relief.
“—Take care, Beynya!”
“You two take care as well.”
And so we left Children of Mutarat behind. On the way back to Spring’s Shelter, I glanced over my shoulder one last time. This was the inn where Franc and I had shared our first experience. I would probably never forget this place. At least it had become a good memory for her. Beynya told us not to visit, but I decided we would still drop by occasionally.
***
Over the next three days, I finished my thesis. If I had focused solely on writing, it would have been done faster, but I kept accepting requests, so progress was slow. The jobs I took were Iron-class requests, not Bronze promotion ones—just enough to get by. Gathering herbs, cleaning roads, that sort of thing.
I hadn’t taken the promotion exam yet because Franc, who knew my situation, was willing to wait.
“I’ll wait until Nord finishes his thesis.”
Every night she brought snacks or tea and helped me in her own way. It felt like a mother cutting fruit for her son who was studying late.
“Hic…”
Moved by her thoughtfulness, I pushed myself to sleep only four hours a day until the thesis was complete. It would be foolish to keep taking low-rank requests when I already met the promotion requirements. In between, I had planned to visit the temple with Franc to consult about the incident that happened during our intimate moments.
—I-I can go alone!
But Franc stubbornly refused my company. I could guess why she was embarrassed, so I didn’t push. Going together would be the same as announcing to the healers that we had slept together. In the end, she went to the temple by herself.
“What did they say at the temple?”
“U-um… They listened, but said there’s no major problem.”
Blushing, Franc recited the diagnosis.
“The healers had differing opinions, but… they said it’s not impossible for the womb to move. Still, there could be complications, so they told me to receive healing magic or be careful.”
The way she fidgeted while speaking was oddly arousing, but I held myself back with patience.
‘First, finish the thesis.’
The urgent matters were settled. Now it was time to focus on my main work. To avoid disturbing Franc’s sleep, I wrote downstairs. In this world, inns typically left tables out even after closing hours.
“Hey there. I don’t know what you’re working so hard on, but why don’t you join us?”
While writing by a single candle, traveling merchants playing cards invited me over.
“Haha. I’ll join after I finish in a few days.”
“Tsk. By then we’ll be busy and won’t have time to play like this.”
“That’s a shame. Maybe next time our paths cross.”
So I kept rejecting the devil’s temptation—easy to do since the local games weren’t very fun—and continued writing for several days.
“It’s done!”
The thesis I had started the day we discovered the ruins was finally complete after twelve long days. Even without self-praise, the content was solid. It wasn’t on the level of my previous masterpiece, but it was more than enough for a regular report. The main topics were Beast Regression and the relationship between Erin, Ulster, and Britannia. I regretted not being able to attach supporting evidence, but for something written in such a rush, it was good.
‘Damn. Thinking that Dana might read it makes me embarrassed.’
As my first field-research thesis, I felt an unexpected attachment to it. After carefully packaging the finished document, I completed the request I had booked for that day and headed to the transport guild. To hide my identity, I naturally wore Arthur Wayne’s costume.
“Please send this document to the Department of Archaeology at Carmine University in Ainhir.”
When I spoke in Vector’s dignified tone as requested, the merchant swallowed hard.
“Ah, to Ainhir… the fee will be quite high…”
“That’s fine. I’m counting on you.”
I paid a considerable sum without hesitation. For this small investment, I would receive two silver every month. Only an idiot would refuse.
“Understood. There happens to be a transport carriage leaving this evening. Shall I entrust it to that one?”
“Perfect. The sooner the better. Please do that.”
“Yes. It’s been registered.”
I watched the securely wrapped thesis being loaded onto the sturdy carriage, then left the guild.
“Huuu… haaa…”
After finishing the backlog of work, I let out a deep sigh of liberation.
‘Finally done. That took forever.’
It had been roughly two weeks since I arrived in Sargadis. Many things had happened, but I finally felt like I had taken the first step toward my goal.
‘Bronze promotion is right around the corner. No more thesis worries for a while.’
Once I passed the exam and reached Bronze, I planned to focus on subjugation requests while steadily increasing my mana capacity. I changed back into my costume in a secluded spot, just like last time, and returned to the inn safely.
“Franc, I’m back.”
“Ah, good work.”
Franc, who had been cleaning her gathering tools, tried to stand up when she saw me, so I raised a hand to stop her.
“Just stay seated. It must be tiring to get up every time I come back.”
“No, it’s fine. I do it because I want to. If you don’t mind, I’ll keep doing it every time.”
She said that while rubbing her cheek against my chest. Sometimes she really did act like a puppy—except for the bra-less chest pressing against me.
“Phew…”
When I lay down on the bed, Franc climbed on top of me. She pressed her ear to my chest as if listening to my heartbeat. The soft sensation of her thigh brushing against my erect member was intoxicating.
—Stroke, stroke.
I gently patted her head. Touching her chest would flip her switch, so I stuck to her hair. Running my fingers through it felt like touching silk threads and calmed my mind.
“Franc, when the research funds come out at the end of the year, I’m thinking of buying equipment first. Is there anything you need?”
I asked while resting my head on the pillow. Every year-end, personal research funds were provided. Unlike the monthly two-silver salary, this was a larger sum. Field researchers could use it for personal equipment under the pretext of “ruins exploration expenses.”
“How much will it be?”
“I won’t know until I receive it… around ten silver?”
“That’s a lot. They just hand out that much money to every field researcher?”
Franc asked with a dreamy expression. It might have been disbelief, or perhaps she was simply dazed from being in my arms. Either way, ten silver was about ten million won, so her surprise was understandable. Considering the archaeology department’s annual revenue, it wasn’t a huge amount, but still.
“Haha. The archaeology field has plenty of money. Why? Are you interested in becoming a scholar too?”
“Instead of a scholar, can you make me a scholar’s wife?”
“That’s as natural as it being cold in winter and hot in summer.”
“Really? Thank you, Nord. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
—Kiss.
After planting a kiss on my neck, Franc lay down beside me. I turned to give her my arm as a pillow. With my mana awakened, her head was light enough to rest on all day. Franc looked into my eyes and asked,
“What kind of equipment? Weapons?”
“Anything. We could replace the lantern, or buy good winter gear since it’s getting cold.”
“How about deciding after the promotion exam request?”
“The funds come out at year-end, so the promotion will be pushed back quite a bit.”
“Then let’s just buy whatever you want. If we go to the guild tomorrow and look at requests, something we need will probably come to mind… ah.”
My hand had somehow found its way to Franc’s chest. She glanced at my expression, smiled, and lifted her top above her chest.
—Bounce.
Her pale, ample breasts were revealed in the lantern light. The pink areolas remained unchanged, without a trace of pigmentation.
“Our Nord really does love breasts.”
Franc laughed and pulled me into her chest. I offered no resistance and buried my face in her soft bosom, catching my breath.
***
After a good night’s sleep, I went to the guild.
“I’d like to take the Bronze-class promotion exam.”
When I said that at the reception desk, the clerk pulled out a file and spread several papers across the table.
“Eitrinenn, Nord. These are the promotion exam requests currently available to you two.”
There were exactly three requests. They had been selected from Bronze-class jobs as appropriately difficult.
1. Goblin extermination in Aralwyn Village.
2. Caravan escort to Heisvent.
3. Todustool extermination and gathering.
After skimming the request forms, I inwardly sighed at the high rewards. All of them offered at least twenty copper. That was because none of these jobs could be completed in a day or two. The goblin extermination in the rural village paid a whopping fifty copper, but it was a three-day walk from here.
‘Just like Professor Brammaton’s book said.’
The professor’s writings began to contain proper content starting from Bronze-rank requests onward. The knowledge I already possessed wouldn’t lose to that of most Bronze-class adventurers. According to the book, unlike Iron-class adventurers who mainly handled same-day requests, Bronze and above often involved long-distance travel. People who weren’t desperate used Iron-class, but for serious requests or important matters, hiring at least Bronze-class adventurers was preferable. That seemed to be common sense in this world.
—Glance.
I looked at Franc silently asking for her opinion. Fluent in Britannian, Franc read the requests and asked,
“This ‘caravan escort to Heisvent’—the departure is tomorrow. Can we still take it?”
“Yes. There are no applicants yet, so it hasn’t closed.”
“Hmm. It doesn’t look bad… but why…?”
Franc looked puzzled as she read. I grew curious too and moved behind her.
“Let me see.”
“Here.”
Franc showed me the request over her shoulder. The reward was… twenty copper. A two-day round trip, plus one night in the city and escort duty on the return. Daily pay around six copper. As Franc said, it was a reasonable reward for a Bronze request. The danger level was also low. Encounters with monsters were rare in open fields. At most, there might be kobolds, and kobolds were nothing more than disease-carrying advanced rats.
Yet the request posted three days ago was still available today? Did this merchant have an especially bad reputation?
At that moment, the clerk, who had been quiet, offered an explanation with perfect timing.
“Recently, bandit groups attacking merchants have been on the rise, so escort requests are frequently declined.”
“Bandits…?”
Franc frowned at the clerk’s words. Though Franc belonged to the thief category in the guild’s classification, there was a big difference in nuance between Thief and bandit. The “Thief” class Franc belonged to was treated like a versatile handyman in fantasy games, whereas “bandit” was treated as a humanoid monster. That was how this world viewed thieves. There were various historical reasons, but since it was a long and boring story, I simply accepted it as part of this world’s culture.
‘Still, I didn’t expect them to explain the reason to us.’
Wouldn’t the guild want people to accept the request? Why help potential suckers avoid the hook?
Seeing my questioning look, the clerk spoke as if accustomed to it.
“It’s the guild master’s orders. We were told to properly inform adventurers about this incident.”
Ah. So they were just following orders from above. While I was thinking that, the clerk continued flatly.
“It’s believed that the bandit group active near Heisvent has spread to Sargadis. First day merchants, second day adventurers, and yesterday even a transport carriage. Many victims have appeared.”
“Including unreported cases, there would be even more.”
The clerk nodded expressionlessly at my words. It wasn’t an indifferent expression. She simply didn’t want to attach personal feelings to the deaths written on the request forms. That might be the secret to lasting long as a receptionist. Franc would probably have suffered a lot if she had become one.
I sighed and put down the request form.
“So adventurers are avoiding this request because of the bandits. Encountering bandits in the fields would be dangerous because of the numbers… huh…?”
As I spoke, a chill ran up my spine. Wait a second. What did she just say? Not what I said—what the clerk said. There was something in her words that absolutely couldn’t be brushed off.
“……Hold on. Could you repeat the list of victims you mentioned earlier?”
“Pardon? Ah, of course.”
The clerk pushed up her glasses and read from the paper.
“First day merchants, second day adventurers, and yesterday a transport carriage. Excluding unreported cases and victims from Heisvent, they’re attacking travelers at least once a day.”
Transport carriage.
= Transport guild.
Yesterday, under the identity of Arthur Wayne, I had entrusted my thesis to be sent to Carmine University. The merchant had asked if I wanted to load it onto the carriage departing that evening.
Many merchants preferred traveling at night to arrive by morning, especially for short distances. They probably planned to deliver the goods to the next transporter in Heisvent, which was a day’s journey away. So I had agreed.
My thesis had departed yesterday for Heisvent. More precisely—
‘It was supposed to depart.’
“…What?”
With a refreshingly clear mind free of any questions, I realized the truth.
The bandit bastards had hijacked the carriage carrying my thesis.