Chapter 8
Chapter 8
As I've said all along.
This world is a game, but it's not a game.
There are points where the game's rules apply, and points where they don't. In the places where they don't, it mostly followed reality—or rather, the rules of the reality I came from.
The outside of the Labyrinth City was the same.
Actually, outside the Labyrinth City, there were far more places that didn't feel like a game world at all. If you exclude the existence of magic and demi-humans, this place was almost perfectly medieval (not in reality, but perhaps in perception).
And in such medieval times, while merchant guilds used things like wagons or pack horses... that was strictly for carrying cargo, and people mostly walked.
Naturally, we had to walk as well.
The day of departure for Arcanum.
At a time when the darkness was visibly scattering, Hera and I arrived in front of the Trade Hall in the western district of the city.
Various groups leaving the city were moving busily, loading cargo or checking on people, and the place we reached was in front of a fairly large-scale merchant caravan wagon.
"Are you here for the merchant caravan escort?"
The person who spoke to us was a man with a slightly tired expression, standing next to a middle-aged man with a stylishly grown beard. When I nodded, he took out a paper to check the list, then narrowed his eyes and asked again.
"Show me your credentials and documents."
As I lifted my armor slightly to pull the documents from my inner pocket, the man, presumably the Merchant Guild Clerk, squinted and stared at the paper.
Normally, this kind of procedure should have already been finished.
In a more complicated way.
Something like checking personal details, running a reputation background check, and verifying if there's a guarantor... much like a modern hiring process.
But the reason we're doing this is that the title of 'High-level Explorer' isn't just for show. It means the 「Silver Needle Guild」 guarantees us, so we can skip all that.
Explorers don't join the explorer guild, giving up a share of their earnings and taking losses, just because they're mentally unstable or charitable people.
"Verification complete. High-level Explorer Hera, High-level Explorer Rian Werner. I ask that you take responsibility for the safety of the merchant caravan."
"Understood."
When I drew my hand-axe, held it in front of my chest, and gave a light salute, Hera looked at me strangely.
But this is something I absolutely have to do.
If you're a Paladin, you can't help it.
It's not like we're entering the Labyrinth; if I don't do this for a job with a contract outside, Valtern might throw a fit later when he uses his power.
Asking why I didn't even perform a simple ritual.
How can I get away with it in the Labyrinth?
It doesn't matter there because you can't see well anyway.
Whether the Merchant Guild Master and the Clerk saw me doing that, their eyes widened slightly before they nodded in satisfaction. While I was putting my hand-axe away, feeling like a clown, the Merchant Guild Master opened his mouth.
"It's a relief that High-level Explorers have come. And to think you're a Paladin..."
"The road to Arcanum shouldn't be that dangerous, though."
It takes about 4 to 5 days on foot to get to Arcanum.
It wasn't a close distance, but it wasn't that far either.
The road was generally safe, so people traveling individually usually moved in groups of 4 to 5 to protect themselves, and even those who couldn't do that camped in the forest. Since there were no predators or monsters living nearby, and explorers or armed groups frequently traveled through, it was a place where thieves or bandits had a hard time running rampant.
"That is true. But we have so much cargo."
"Is that so."
"And since I'm speaking to High-level Explorers, I'll tell you, these are some expensive items. Things needed in Arcanum tend to be a bit pricey, don't they?"
The Merchant Guild Master lowered his voice as he spoke.
I thought he should increase the escort if it was expensive, but thinking about it, there was no need to go that far. In fact, even though people hadn't all arrived yet, the escort force was already over 20. It definitely couldn't be called small, and 'large' was a more appropriate term.
"Since the number of people was a bit low, we recruited some people who were a bit ambiguous, so it's fortunate that you've come."
Moreover, seeing him say things like this, he clearly put his heart and soul into safety.
Well. Having more is better than being attacked because there are too few.
It's not my money anyway.
"Then, I ask that you stand in the front row."
The clerk positioned us right in front of the covered cargo wagons, behind the two wagons located at the front.
The mercenaries who had arrived earlier and taken their positions looked over at us. Some seemed to recognize us, while others had looks of complete ignorance.
It wasn't that strange, as not everyone who lived in the Labyrinth City was an explorer.
"Then, we depart!"
With the Merchant Guild Master's shout, the procession began to move.
Hera and I followed behind at a moderate pace.
After passing the open space in front of the Trade Hall, we could see the main road stretching out of the city.
The buildings standing near it were a total mess, built as if they were arguing with each other like the teeth of someone suffering from severe malocclusion.
At least the street in front of the Labyrinth had a 'somewhat' unified taste, but this side was a total shitshow, like a flea market where a bomb had been dropped.
The merchant caravan stopped for a moment at the city gate before starting to move again.
If the outside of the city were a place where lush greenery spread out, sunlight sparkled, and butterflies flew around... that would have been nice, but.
It was just a normal sight.
There were a few trees, a patch of field, and a farmer farming there.
A small, unremarkable, and never-maintained dirt road stretched out in a winding fashion, and later on, it was just a landscape with a few footprints of people walking.
"If only there were something like a cargo truck..."
"What?"
"It's nothing."
Wouldn't it have been nice if the novel I entered was something like 「I Became an Isekai Cargo Truck Driver」? Then I would have just been printing money with infinite fuel cheats and the logistics transport power of a cargo truck.
No, if I think about it that way, it would have been much better to enter a more convenient world. Not something like a cargo truck, but something more...
Is there any point in thinking about that?
I decided to just shut up and walk, and the sun gradually rose and began to reach above my head, and the merchant caravan settled near a forest and began to eat a light lunch.
Hera and I were chewing on the beef jerky we had brought, when a voice was suddenly heard from the side. When I turned my head, it was a group of mercenaries who had joined for this escort job.
"Hey, since we're in this together, let's introduce ourselves."
"Introduce ourselves?"
"They say even brushing shoulders is a connection, you never know when or where we might meet."
Looking at their eyes, it didn't seem like that.
Anyway, they didn't seem to be from the Labyrinth City or explorers.
It's not something to brag about, but if you're from our city, even if you don't know anything else, you'd know the 'female archer/warrior High-level Explorer duo' well.
And how to deal with them, too.
"What is it, you fucking assholes."
"Huh?"
"Get lost. I don't want to introduce myself or even talk to you guys."
Hera spat out, staring at them so intensely it was like she wanted to kill them.
The other party stepped back, unable to hide their embarrassment.
Hera immediately made a gesture of hugging me intimately, then shot poison from her mouth.
"Fucking assholes. You think we don't know if you stare at us like that?"
"Hey, hey."
"What the fuck. We were just..."
"Get lost, you retards."
Hera, with the air of not just talking, quickly pulled a dagger from her waist. Perhaps knowing that it's hard to ignore her if you look at her equipment status and attitude, even if you don't know her skill, the mercenaries backed away while stumbling and spat out.
"Damn, fuck, it's not like we're asking to swap tongues, just an introduction..."
Pak! Faster than the reply, the dagger Hera threw passed by the mercenary's head and stuck into the wagon. A few strands of the mercenary's hair scattered and fell.
"Next time, it's your head."
"Ha, damn, fu..."
As Hera pulled out another dagger, the mercenaries grumbled but backed off. They clearly looked suppressed by her momentum. Other people watching nearby also turned their faces away as soon as Hera turned her gaze toward them.
"Stop it already."
"Hmm? Should I?"
When I said a word because I couldn't watch anymore, Hera erased her expression and grinned as if nothing had happened. When I pushed her away in disbelief, Hera puffed out her cheeks.
"No~ isn't that too much?"
"What's too much?"
"I'm even bearing the grudges I'm earning~"
"Keep up the bullshit. You're just doing what you want."
This 'bullshit' of Hera's wasn't a one-or-two-day thing.
And for me, it was a good thing.
It's not something to brag about, but my appearance is quite good, so there were many people making various excuses to hit on me. It was annoying to fend them off one by one, so honestly, it was comfortable for me when Hera acted like this.
"Get off."
"Ayy~"
Of course, this kind of clinging was a bit annoying.
* * *
Anyway, the journey continued.
There are two small villages on the road connecting Arcanum and the Labyrinth City. The names, well, I don't really know, but anyway, they were places with facilities sufficient to stay, such as inns, stables, and taverns.
We stayed in such a village on the first night.
Everyone went into their rooms quietly. While I was using the kid working at the inn to wash my body here and there (Hera complained, asking why I was being so clean).
Some of the troops in charge of the escort snuck out and drank alcohol at the tavern. It was against the party's rules, but it was a common occurrence.
The next day was a day of camping out.
There was nothing unusual.
If there was one thing, it was something that happened around the time we were looking for a campsite after sunset.
"Wait a moment."
While the rolling wagon stopped and the procession waited for a moment.
Hera unslung the bow on her back, aimed carefully, and fired an arrow.
The fired arrow disappeared into the forest with a whoosh, creating a faint scream. What Hera dragged out after entering the forest was a fairly large deer.
"No, you caught it even though you couldn't see it?"
"Because seeing isn't very important."
To the merchant staff's words, Hera replied with the corners of her mouth raised very slightly.
To me, it was just an ordinary thing, or to be precise, an ordinary thing because Hera showed it too often, but it seemed a little different to other people.
"Amazing! I couldn't even see it at all..."
"How did she really catch that?"
"She's a High-level Explorer."
While the merchant staff admired Hera's skill and the mercenaries exchanged such conversations.
I struck the deer's neck, which was writhing in pain, to make it comfortable. The deer, which was making a low scream that was hard to describe, became quiet with one strike of my hand-axe.
The deer's blood flowed down and soaked into the ground, and it began to flow as it seeped in.
The mercenaries, who had been making excited expressions as if they were going to eat fresh meat for the first time in a while, began to dig the ground deeply when they saw that.
It was to dispose of the blood-stained soil and entrails.
"We should go a bit further and camp. There's not enough water here."
One of the merchant staff came and said.
I thought they were going to settle here, but I guess not.
"Then let's move after removing the entrails and blood."
Because we couldn't move with the deer dripping blood, I answered like that.
Anyway, that was about all that happened that day.
The merchant caravan settled near a stream a little past the place where they caught the deer. They arranged the cargo wagons in a circle like a wall in preparation for a possible attack, and placed the horses and non-combatants inside. Sentries were placed in 4 directions to guard the surroundings.
Hera stood the first watch, and I stood the last watch.
If I had stood the middle watch, I would have been tired, but perhaps because we are High-level Explorers, it seemed they adjusted the order.
And, after my turn came.
When I was just clenching my hands out of boredom.
"Why?"
"Ah, I need to pee..."
One of the mercenaries got up, saying he needed to pee, and snuck away.
How many minutes had passed?
When I thought he must have finished peeing, considering a man's life, he returned, staggering as if sleepy, and went back to sleep.
After that, there was nothing special.
The morning was peaceful, and the journey continued.
Hera still came near me and chattered, and I half-ignored and half-accepted her stories.
"By any chance, do you have any thoughts of joining our merchant caravan? Seeing that archery skill yesterday..."
"I have absolutely no such thoughts."
In the middle, the Merchant Guild Master's son or whatever came and talked nonsense for a moment, but I just thought it was a story told by a kid who didn't know anything and let it slide.
Why would a High-level Explorer join a place like a regular merchant caravan?
If it were something like the 「Seven Port Covenant」, maybe, but to ask us to join a nameless merchant caravan. If he didn't know, I'd just let it slide, but if he knew and said that, it was a sound bordering on a great insult.
It was a peaceful journey as that was the only notable thing.
The problem occurred around the afternoon of that day.
Kwajijik!
"Huh?"
The wheel of one of the cargo wagons suddenly sank, and the horse jumped and bucked.
While the surprised horse was flailing its limbs and everyone couldn't approach it, I approached and calmed the horse. The horse, which was almost foaming at the mouth and bucking, became quiet in a few touches of my hand.
"Did you learn how to handle horses?"
"That's not it."
The Merchant Guild Master's words, who had run over, surprised by the horse bucking. When I shook my head instead of answering, the Merchant Guild Master's eyes widened.
"Then how... it seems the animals listen to you well. That might also be a blessing upon you."
I wanted to deny that too, but I didn't.
It certainly wasn't a blessing, but it wasn't like I had a natural talent either.
It was just because I had invested in the 「Horse Riding」 skill.
By consuming those precious skill points.
It's not for nothing that I went down a shit skill tree and wandered around for a long time looking for a reset coin.
"The horse isn't hurt. That's a relief."
"That's true. But, sigh... at this rate, I wonder if we can arrive within today."
"Don't you have a spare wheel?"
"We do, but it still takes quite a while to replace it."
The merchant staff were organizing the spilled items while simultaneously unloading the items that had been loaded on the wagon.
It seemed they had to flip the wagon to attach the wheel. The staff's hands and feet moved busily as if trying to do something as quickly as possible, but it still seemed like it would take at least an hour.
And I felt an ominous feeling at that fact.
To think a wagon wheel would break at this very moment.
Hera said she didn't believe in superstition, but I do.
No, this world is a world where it's strange not to believe in superstition.
'There's definitely something.'
* * *
That night.
The Merchant Guild Master's son, David, suddenly woke up from his sleep.
The outside of the wagon he looked out at after opening his eyes was beautiful, embedded with starlight. He watched the scene for a moment, closed his eyes again, and got up from his seat a few minutes later.
He couldn't sleep well.
In times like this, staying outside for a while before lying down was the best.
Despite the cloth spread on the floor, the wagon creaked.
Outside, where he had snuck out, a campfire was burning, and people were sleeping with their beds spread in a circle around it.
The formation of the wagons formed a wall in a circle like yesterday, and on one side, the coachmen were dozing off along with the horses. The sentries were guarding the surroundings from on or beside the wagons, and David headed toward one of them.
"Is a conversation okay for a moment?"
"What is it?"
The woman who suddenly said she would stand the 3rd watch.
High-level Explorer, Rian Werner.
She crossed her arms and looked outside before turning her head.
Despite having camped outside for two days just like him, her appearance shone like a noble lady.
The blonde hair tied and draped to the left looked smooth even if dust got on it.
"Ah, I mentioned it earlier, but our merchant caravan..."
"I told you I wouldn't."
The tone was blunt.
David felt a little resentful that she refused without even listening to the story, but he held it in.
He thought if he told her about his father's merchant caravan, her thoughts might change a little.
"Our merchant caravan is big. It's enough for a High-level Explorer..."
"Have you ever seen a High-level Explorer other than the two of us?"
"Yes? No, never..."
He had seen many explorers, but this was his first time seeing a High-level Explorer.
David thought it would be similar, but listening to Rian's tone, it seemed a bit different.
"Young Master. Ask your father when he wakes up tomorrow. What the words you're saying to me right now mean."
"Still, you could listen to the story..."
Rian shook her head instead of answering.
David was slightly angry.
To think someone would be so insincere in their attitude when he's trying to scout them! Isn't this because of her ability?
... Of course, the influence of her face was definitely there too.
No, that purpose might be stronger...!
"Our merchant caravan has signed an agreement with the Lesian Magic Guild of Arcanum and-"
Right at that moment, a very faint Ting- sound.
David suddenly realized he had been thrown into the sky.
"Argh?!"
A strong impact on his buttocks.
Before he could even come to his senses, David witnessed it.
There wasn't even any particular sound.
She had just swung her arm with the shield on it quickly a couple of times.
But the two arrows that were being fired at Rian were not 'deflected' but 'deflected away' by those two arm swings.
Even to David, who knew nothing about fighting, it was a technique close to divine.
Rian's shout followed after that.
"It's an ambush-!!"