Chapter 69
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: No Issues at the Southern Border (2)
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After letting the dwarf through, I stood up for a brief rest and approached Elaine.
"How's the observation going?"
She lifted her head slightly at the sound of my voice and looked my way.
[Central Officer.]
Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, as if she'd just realized something.
At that sight, I cheered inwardly.
'Perfect. Letting her watch the immigration checks was the right call.'
The world was full of all sorts of races and cultures, clashing and coexisting.
Elaine must have noticed that now.
And that as long as communication worked, misunderstandings could clear up easily.
'The friction with the dwarf actually led to a good outcome.'
Her expression said it all.
Elaine was changing.
Convinced of that, I asked,
"The border's not bad, right?"
But Elaine replied in a slightly flustered voice.
[There seem to be too many weird people.]
"...Pardon?"
My smiling face froze solid.
This wasn't the response I'd hoped for.
"Wh-what do you mean by that?"
[Look... over there.]
Elaine hesitated, pointing a finger behind me.
I scanned the Immigration Control Office briefly.
"Ah, let us in!"
"Papers? Mom didn't say anything about that."
"This isn't dangerous at all! It won't explode if you don't touch it, I swear!"
There was the usual, everyday scene of our Immigration Control Office—nothing out of the ordinary.
The troublemakers' unreasonable demands, tantrums, "I don't knows," and "do it for mes."
"No, you can't. Denied."
"No papers, no entry."
"Do you want to blow up, entrant? Oh, sorry—that slipped out."
The sense officers handled it all with straight faces, utterly unfazed.
[That dwarf earlier too... Is this really okay...?]
She looked back at me, clearly baffled.
"Uh..."
Honestly, yeah, this was normal.
It was fine.
No incidents had happened.
'This is actually pretty peaceful.'
Immigration checks were a battle of wits between those trying to get in and those sussing out their intentions.
That endless back-and-forth was standard.
But the problem was, this could shatter the princess's view of the world.
I realized too late.
The office was too intense for someone who still needed to see the world's bright side.
She hadn't found hope in her debate with the dwarf—she'd decided the world outside the palace was weird.
'This is bad.'
The exact opposite of what I'd wanted.
"N-no, that's not it. Look over there."
I desperately pointed to the far right corner of the office.
There stood the Olfactory Officer screening another werewolf entrant.
"Greetings. I'm Blazsek Winterfang, Olfactory Officer of the Southern Border Immigration Control Office."
"Hello. Oh? You're one of us?"
"Yes. We can chat later."
No trace of excitement at meeting a fellow werewolf—he spoke in a gruff voice.
"State your name, origin, and purpose of entry. You have five minutes."
The office's second-in-command and acting head in my absence.
"This is how entry procedures usually go—smooth and polite."
The werewolf seriously scanning the documents was the epitome of an immigration officer.
I nodded in satisfaction.
"What you just saw? That's just the occasional hiccup."
I couldn't let her get a bad first impression of the outside world.
The border wasn't all warm and fuzzy, but first impressions mattered.
At least the Olfactory Officer was reliable.
Look at that solemn demeanor and trustworthy lines.
He embodied unshakable standards in any situation.
That's when it happened.
"Kya, your fur's got such a killer shine, officer. Got any special grooming tips?"
"No chit-chat during screening. Please answer the questions. Where are you from?"
"From the Great Forest's Taiga region, y'know."
"Great Forest Taiga? That's the village next to my hometown."
"Huh? You from the Great Forest too, officer? If Taiga's next door... Eternal Snows region?"
The screening was veering off course.
[...?]
"...?"
A bad feeling flashed through me.
Ah.
Please.
Olfactory Officer.
Not this time.
"..."
"..."
The two beasts stared silently for a long moment.
Then,
"Aigoo! A fellow northerner! No wonder you look so handsome!"
"Aigoo! Thought your face looked familiar! Eternal Snows—same hometown!"
Not even a minute since meeting, and they were shaking hands, praising each other, chaos.
Instead of solemn officer mode, they were pulling "we're bros now." Elaine tilted her head.
[Isn't that... too friendly?]
"..."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
He should've shown his serious side when it mattered most—what the hell was this?
"Awooooo!"
"Awooooo!"
Two wolves who'd found kin howling in broad daylight.
[Is that normal?]
Elaine muttered in utter confusion.
[The world really is a strange place.]
It was over.
Tragically, I couldn't argue.
'I'd forgotten for a sec.'
What kind of bastards our proud sense officers were.
They pulled it together in crises, but how much they'd frustrated me on normal days—I'd blacked it out.
'Not on her first day observing.'
I wanted to show the good side, but only the sewer-level stuff kept popping up.
I hurriedly changed the subject.
"W-well, how about we check out cargo inspection together?"
[Cargo...?]
"Not just people cross the border, Elaine. All sorts of goods come with them."
The dwarf from earlier hadn't come empty-handed.
Full of rare gems, crafted with his own sweat.
Stories and history weren't exclusive to people.
They dwelled in the entrants' cargo too.
Just like Elaine shared hers through letters—their goods held tales of their own.
'Seeing that should change her mind.'
No troublemakers in cargo, at least.
And the sense officers behaved during inspections.
No negatives for her there.
My one shot to fix this image.
After a long silence, Elaine narrowed her eyes at me.
[...It'll be fine, right?]
She looked skeptical.
"You won't regret it."
I reassured myself as much as her.
*****
"Large carriages to the left! Uh... and food cargo, hold for a bit!"
Stepping into the wide clearing in front of the office, the Gustatory Officer's strong voice rang out.
The nomad girl was directing a line of carriages with her attendants in the open space.
Me, Elaine, and my direct attendant approached her.
"Gustatory Officer. You look busy."
"Huh? Oh, Central Officer! And prin..."
She nearly said "princess," clamped her mouth shut, and glanced around.
With people, carriages, and cargo everywhere—lots of ears.
"E-Elaine's here too. Ehehe..."
A bit embarrassed, she grinned sheepishly.
"Enjoying the tour? The office is pretty great, right?"
"...Uh."
Elaine dodged the question with her eyes.
I glanced at the carriages parked on the right.
"Food cargo was originally the Tactile Officer's domain, right?"
"Yep!"
The Tactile Officer had gone on break 30 minutes ago, so the Gustatory Officer had to handle wagon checks solo for another half hour.
It was tough for the newbie, barely a month and a half in.
Sweat beaded on her forehead already.
Anyone could see she was giving it her all.
Feeling a bit proud, I said,
"I'll handle food wagon checks for a bit."
"R-really?"
"Yes. Gladly. You focus on the large carriages."
Perfect timing.
Eased her burden, showed Elaine inspections up close.
Couldn't pass it up.
'Better than people screenings, at least.'
Please.
I took the entry papers from the Gustatory Officer and called out to the first food wagon.
"You there—pull over! We'll process your entry here."
A large wagon rolled up front, slowing to a stop.
Worn but sturdy, weathered cargo hauler.
Something felt off.
"Ew."
Fish stench.
A horrific smell stabbed my nose, spreading instantly.
"Guh...!"
My attendant behind me gasped, then switched to breathing through his mouth.
Elaine reacted worse.
"Urghhh..."
She yanked her deep hood up to her chin, muffling her mouth like a mask.
I sighed despite myself.
Nothing ever went smoothly.
'...This is a new experience.'
Fish guts in the continent's heartland.
Even I had to laugh.
Of all wagons, the lead one—the one for Elaine—the one I picked—reeking of the sea.
Bad luck had limits.
In a sad voice, I said,
"Elaine, could you step back a bit?"
I wanted her out of this smell at least.
She didn't refuse.
As soon as I finished, she backed away far.
-Screeech.
The driver halted; five or six burly men piled out from behind.
The biggest stepped forward boldly.
Muscular, rough-faced guy.
"Finally at the Crossroad Kingdom border? Damn it, we're gonna be late."
Must be the wagon's owner.
I cleared my throat to get his attention and greeted him.
"Greetings. I'm Nathan Kell, immigration officer of the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Immigration Control Off—"
"Skip the greetings. Hurry up and process us. Screening or whatever—we're short on time."
He cut me off, scratching his head irritably. My attendant's brow twitched.
"Show some respect to the officer. This is the border."
"Respect my ass. You'll see us once and forget."
Arrogant stride, loud voice, curses on tap, zero manners.
I glanced over him.
Tattoo under thick arms.
Calluses on finger joints, faded leather coat with inner pockets galore.
Well-worn sword at his hip.
His crew behind didn't look saintly either.
All built tough, armed sharp.
Too obvious to guess.
'Mercenaries.'
The border's biggest troublemakers—least trustworthy lot.
To them, I said,
"State your name, affiliation, cargo contents, and destination."
Why were six mercs crammed in a lowly food transport?
Let's hear the explanation.