The Newlywed Concept Wasn't Easy
The newlywed couple concept wasn't easy.
We stayed linked arm in arm even while standing in line for the ancient teleportation magic circle, still pretending to be an affectionate married pair.
Without a single word between us.
I could feel that Everett was just as tense as I was. We moved forward with the stiff, creaking motions of broken golems, driven only by the single-minded purpose that we had to keep going.
The grandmother ahead of me twisted her body this way and that, probably stiff from standing so long. When our eyes accidentally met, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
I thought my heart was going to drop. This won't do.
I carefully unlinked our arms, pretending it was because the path was narrowing. Then I put just enough distance between us to make it clear we were traveling together.
Only then did the air, which had felt so thin before, rush back into my lungs. I drew in a deep breath, as if making up for all the oxygen I'd been missing.
Fortunately, the line moved faster the closer we got. They seemed to be rushing everyone through because the ancient teleportation magic circle couldn't be used after sunset.
It's almost our turn.
I eyed the remaining queue, which wasn't very long now. But the turn I'd thought was imminent refused to arrive.
A loud commotion had broken out up ahead. Something was happening.
What is it?
I peered through the gaps between the people in front to get a better look.
A guard with a nasty scowl was berating a middle-aged man who looked like a merchant.
"The submitted list doesn't match the actual goods! How dare you try to commit fraud here of all places!"
The guard hurled the paper with the list at the merchant's feet. The man picked it up and bowed repeatedly as he made his excuses.
"Well, a sudden order came in and I couldn't match the quantity in time. They told me to bring whatever I had, so I had no choice."
"I don't care about your circumstances. Rewrite it properly and come back."
The merchant's face turned deathly pale at the guard's curt, uncompromising tone.
"If I can't get through the ancient teleportation circle today, I won't make the delivery deadline. For a small trading company like ours, ruining a big order like this will destroy the entire business."
The merchant was practically sobbing now as he pleaded desperately.
It looks like he's delivering spices to a noble house that's holding an irregular banquet.
He must have been caught during the guards' security check for carrying less than what he'd listed. Though really, the problem only arises when someone carries more than their list. The reverse shouldn't matter at all. It would just mean paying a slightly higher usage fee for the magic circle.
In short, this guard was clearly making trouble for no reason.
Should I step in?
The merchant's claim that his company might go bankrupt didn't sound like mere exaggeration. His face, which had been pale earlier, now looked positively gray.
But I really shouldn't do anything that draws attention.
Black mages were experts at hiding. Catching their tails was incredibly difficult. There had to be a reason they went so far as to disguise even me, who was only sent to interpret some data. We had no idea when or how they might notice the pursuit and vanish completely.
The desire not to ruin my first assignment made me hesitate.
I glanced back cautiously at Everett, who now stood behind me. My expression was a silent request for his opinion—he had far more experience than I did.
Everett had been watching the guard's behavior with icy eyes. He noticed my look a moment later and lifted the corners of his mouth in a smile. His eyes remained cold, so the smile didn't have much effect.
All the while, the guard's harassment continued.
"If you keep causing a scene, you'll be dragged off to the guard station! And those expensive spices of yours? All confiscated!"
The guard exchanged greedy glances with his colleague. I finally understood what this was really about.
The guards took another threatening step toward the merchant. The man bit his lip, glancing between them and the sky that was turning increasingly red, then forced a smile.
"Oh dear, causing a scene? I must have raised my voice without realizing how desperate I was. Please be understanding."
He stepped close to the guard and slipped something from inside his coat into the man's hand. The guards, who had maintained such a menacing atmosphere, now smiled with satisfaction.
"Hm. Since you've put it that way, I'll overlook it this once. Don't let it happen again."
The merchant, having barely cleared inspection, practically ran away as if afraid of being stopped again.
"Next!"
The guard raised his voice with a perfectly casual expression, as if nothing had happened. A family of travelers who had been keeping their distance to avoid trouble approached hesitantly.
Just minutes ago the crowd had been so quiet you could hear a pin drop despite the numbers, but now it quickly grew noisy again. The line began to shorten once more. Everyone seemed quite used to such incidents and didn't appear particularly shocked.
So this was a regular occurrence.
They're making extra income this way.
This wasn't something to dismiss as one merchant's bad luck. I committed the guards' faces to memory. Once the mission was over, I intended to take my time and thoroughly investigate them.
The Emperor despises corruption, yet these guys have the nerve to pull this.
"Next!"
I'd been so busy plotting how to deal with the capital's guard unit after the trip that I completely missed when my own turn arrived.
"You there! Next!"
It was only on the second call that I realized it was my turn. As I stepped forward, I saw it was unfortunately the same guard from before.
"You don't come when you're called? I was going easy on you because you're a pretty girl."
The guard stared at my face with a lecherous gaze and held out his hand. I tried my best not to let my expression twist as I handed over Melina's identity badge.
"Destination? Traveling alone?"
As he took the badge, the guard slyly grabbed my hand, scratched my palm, and then released it. His gaze, which had been fixed on my face, grew even more obscene as it slowly traveled downward.
Ugh.
Goosebumps erupted across my back. This guy was clearly insane—in every possible way.
Since we had plenty of time for the mission anyway, I seriously considered turning around right then and tearing the entire guard station apart.
It's not like I'm the only one who can read ancient language. They could just send someone else instead, right?
The moment my mental scale tipped decisively toward dismantling the guard unit first, Everett intervened.
"Do you have some business with my wife?"
Standing behind me protectively, Everett questioned the guard in a freezing voice. I couldn't see his expression, but the tone alone made it clear he was furious.
The guard looked terrified when Everett approached, like a man who'd encountered a bear on a mountain slope. The perfect example of someone who's strong against the weak and weak against the strong.
The sight of the pathetic guard cooled the anger that had been boiling inside me, ready to explode.
It's only for about ten days anyway.
I was about to turn to Everett and suggest we just let it go when he gently pressed my shoulder, preventing me from looking back. I felt his chest rise and fall heavily, as if he were taking a deep breath to suppress his rage.
An awkward silence fell for a moment.
"Identity badge."
Everett tossed his own badge to the guard, who fumbled before catching it.
"This is a mercenary license."
Since he was accompanying me as an escort, Everett carried a longsword. The license must have been prepared for that purpose.
"A... grade?"
The guard's eyes nearly bulged out of his head when he saw the mercenary license.
If he's this shocked by an A-grade mercenary license, he'd probably faint if he ever learned Everett's true identity.
Everett took charge as if it were the most natural thing in the world. After roughly confirming our identities, he retrieved both the license and badge and extended his hand to me.
Only then could I see his face. The anger he hadn't quite managed to suppress still lingered faintly.
Right. Everett was never much of a pacifist.
I took his hand and leaned against him slightly, then subtly pushed him forward. Despite my weak strength, Everett let himself be guided along as if he had no choice.
We continued until we reached a deserted spot right in front of the ancient teleportation magic circle. When I stopped, now a safe distance from the guard, Everett met my eyes. His gaze held equal parts frustration and concern.
"Were you very startled?"
The worry in his eyes as he carefully studied my complexion grew more pronounced.
Huh?
How should I put it? I felt incredibly overprotected.