Episode 62
Episode 62
After leaving the Northern Region, we returned to the port city of Poraka.
Though we moved slowly and it took quite some time, fortunately no incidents occurred.
After parting ways with the Merchant Leader who had brought us here and devouring about ten servings of tteokbokki for the first time in ages, I finally came to my senses.
Come to think of it, I need to return to the forest.
I glanced sideways at Aron, who was holding my snacks in both hands.
"So how do we get to the forest?"
"Can't we just find another trade caravan like last time? That's how we've been moving around until now."
"That works when leaving because you can join any caravan heading out, but there aren't many caravans going to the Forest of Temptation."
It's not a place people frequently visit to begin with.
Adventurers, mercenaries, occasional merchants.
Only they come and go.
"Let's look around first. If we can't find one, we can figure out another method."
"Right, then let's go to the largest inn."
There are information guilds, but places like taverns and inns are where information flows in real time.
Among these, large inns have as much information as most information guilds. Of course, for more secretive information, you'd need to go to an information guild.
As we casually entered a nearby inn, attention focused on us.
"Isn't that the Black Iron Wall? Who's that beside her?"
"Judging by the build, looks like her dad."
"More importantly, is that really the Black Iron Wall? Her breasts aren't flat enough to be called a wall."
Perhaps because there were many adventurers, I heard some sexual harassment comments, but I didn't pay much attention.
It's such a common occurrence that it's tiresome to get angry every time.
We took our seats while still being the center of attention.
"Oh my! Isn't this Mia-nim! I heard you went to the Northern Region this time, but you're already back?"
The innkeeper who came rushing out in a fluster, as expected, was aware of my movements too.
At the innkeeper's voice, those making harassing comments all fell silent.
"I finished my business and returned. I had a decent conversation with the Duke-nim too."
At the mention of "Duke," the innkeeper's bleary eyes opened wide.
"Duke-nim... Would that be the Frost Duke-nim? I heard he's been looking for a marriage partner recently too."
"Yes, that's the one. I received a request from him this time."
Actually, no such thing happened.
I just happened to go there and got a ring from Aron's efforts, that's all.
Other than that, I spent time with dragonkin and dwarves.
"Ooh! Then perhaps..."
The innkeeper's gaze changed.
Until now I was just a guest to be properly accommodated, but he was starting to calculate in his head.
He was clearly speculating about my relationship with the Frost Duke.
I fanned the flames of his speculation.
"Well, I received something like this."
As I said this, I showed him the ring Aron had given me.
Though it was a ring Aron obtained and gave to me, those details weren't important.
What mattered was fooling the innkeeper.
"Even at a glance, it looks like an expensive ring. By the way, have you decided where you'll be staying? We happen to have a few good rooms available at our inn..."
The innkeeper trailed off and made eye contact with me.
I smiled slyly.
"If you're offering out of kindness, I'll gratefully accept."
"Then I'll bring the keys right away!"
As the innkeeper ran off, I looked at Aron.
"How about that? We got free accommodation this time too."
"You're getting quite natural at selling lies. What are you going to say if Shavel asks about this later?"
"Huh? I'll just tell her honestly."
My wide eyes curved into crescent shapes as I smiled.
"Did you enjoy rolling around secretly at night with my man? My heart aches every day because of that. Don't you think she'd forgive me if I said that?"
She's the woman who secretly attacked at night despite saying confidently that she would never do such a thing.
If the Duchess weren't stronger than me, I would have slapped her.
Aron laughed awkwardly.
"If you come at me like that, I won't have anything to say either."
"If you have nothing to say, then apologize with your body. Go take responsibility and wash me. I'll get annoyed immediately if I feel even slightly uncomfortable."
Just as we were about to rest after the innkeeper came and handed us the keys.
"Huh? Isn't that our vice-leader? You were here?"
The word "vice-leader" that I hadn't heard in a long time.
I reflexively turned my head at the word to identify the speaker.
"Huh? Mister?"
I'm someone who just became vice-leader and then left the mercenary group.
Though I didn't learn much, I remember his face as one of the uncles who took good care of me like a daughter when I first joined Harmony Flame.
"Were you staying here? No wonder we couldn't find you no matter how much we looked in the capital."
"Sigh. How could I live in the capital without proper income? Of course I came down to the provinces to live like a commoner. By the way, who's that with you?"
The uncle grinned as he looked Aron over, then turned back to me.
"Did you finally find a partner? You used to say you'd never marry a man even if you died."
"Th-that was! That was when I was young. And all the men in the mercenary group were no good. They were all weak and had nothing but pride."
"What can you do? That's just how mercenaries are. That's why the mercenary life keeps going with those kinds of guys. By the way, did you quit being a mercenary? The newspapers were quite noisy about it."
"It just happened that way. Something worthy of that happened in the forest."
"That can happen. I actually think it's good. Being a mercenary is like a day-to-day job anyway. It's better to find a reliable husband and support him instead."
"We're not even married yet."
The uncle made an expression that said he knew everything.
It felt like he was saying 'You two are already marriage confirmed, you know.'
"We're meeting for the first time, but let me introduce myself belatedly. I'm just a commoner without a family name or grand name, so just call me Charles."
"Ah, yes. I'm Aron."
The uncle shook hands lightly with Aron, looked at his face, and muttered.
"Handsome... There's a reason Mia likes you."
I quickly cut off his words before he could start another strange story.
"Mister! More importantly, do you know what happened to the guild? I couldn't get details since I was in the Northern Region."
"Harmony Flame? From what I heard, they formed some alliance but disbanded again. I guess that was inevitable. Everyone has different personalities."
"You haven't heard any news since then?"
"No. That was the most recent news I saw in the newspaper."
The uncle glanced at his watch and started to move.
"I should go before I get scolded by my wife for being late. Let's get food together next time you come."
"Yes, see you later then."
The uncle waved casually with his back turned and left the establishment.
"Was he your benefactor from the past?"
"Why call him something as grand as a benefactor? He's just someone from the same mercenary group. Isn't it similar to how you were really happy to see Todin?"
"Ah, I understand exactly what you mean."
As the brief encounter ended, the innkeeper returned at just the right moment.
He discreetly handed over the keys and said.
"I brought keys to the largest, best room. The bed is big and there's a separate bathroom, so rest comfortably inside."
"Yes, then I'll put in a good word with the Duke-nim."
"Oh my, you don't need to do all that."
It's just a favor without expecting anything in return.
The innkeeper who said this had an expression more goblin-like than anyone else.
An expression exactly like a golden goblin at that.
*
"Thanks to Shavel, we're resting comfortably. Should I send a thank you letter or something later?"
After entering the room, I put down my snack bag and Aron sat on the bed.
I naturally sat on his lap.
"Why so formal? She probably wouldn't even care? If you really want to send something, ask her to send the delegation here later."
"Wouldn't that be taking care of the innkeeper?"
"No. The innkeeper benefits, and the delegation can travel more comfortably, so it's good for everyone."
Most owners who work in these places are quick-witted.
The larger and more luxurious the inn, the higher the so-called 'class' of the guests.
If they misread the situation even once, they might lose their head to some high-ranking person, so being quick-witted is a matter of survival.
So if a Northern delegation passes through, they'd try to make them regular customers even if it means charging less.
It's similar to the feeling of 'Restaurant praised by XXX celebrity! Favorite spot of XXX chairman!'
Just having delegations come and go naturally promotes the inn.
That fact alone would bring many more people to visit and use the inn.
"More importantly, shall we try some of the bread we bought? I bought all kinds of interesting things."
I naturally got off Aron's lap and rummaged through the large bread bag.
Bread, cookies, jelly, skewers.
As I rummaged through the bag filled with all kinds of food from the market, bread came out.
"Chocolate swirl bread? This is a baguette. I should eat everything anyway."
I grabbed whatever bread I could reach and hopped back onto Aron's lap.
I leaned against Aron's body coquettishly and started eating them one by one.
"Is it delicious?"
As I was noisily absorbing bread from within his embrace, Aron asked me.
With my mouth stuffed full of bread, I nodded vigorously while chewing.
"You're eating so well. So lately..."
Aron's large, rough hand gently grabbed my side.
And the gesture that followed.
"...!"
Startled by the sudden touch, I glared at Aron.
Aron finished his sentence as if not caring about my gaze at all.
"Have you gained weight like this?"
Along with Aron's words, I dropped the bread I was holding.
I quickly swallowed the bread remaining in my mouth and asked Aron.
"Did I gain weight?"
A damp voice with an odd mix of anger and sadness.
My two hands that had been tearing at bread non-stop were tightly gripping Aron's arms.
"So I did gain weight..."
Aron's silence was affirmation to me.
If he was going to deny it, he should have denied it immediately.
That bastard.