Level Eater

Darting their eyes all around the carriage, the two wanted to ascertain the identity of the people inside before talking in telepathy.

{Do we even need to be this cautious?} (Ai)

{Well, it's not that. What we don't know is how the people of this world would react when they see otherworlders. That's the biggest thing I'm worried about.} (Tatsuro)

{Why?} (Ai)

{Like they might even try to kill outsiders, not to mention otherworlders, on sight.} (Tatsuro)

{That does sound scary…} (Ai)

Ai's face twisted as she replied. The same thing happened to Tatsuro.

{Well, that's the worst-case scenario. They might be friendly for all we know.} (Tatsuro)

{So, we just hide the fact that we're otherworlders while trying to find out how the people here act, right} (Ai)

{For now, yes. We have too little info and it's just gonna mess up our decisions if we try to conclude anything from that. Still, our first contingency plan when things get bad is to fight. Plan B is to run for our lives.} (Tatsuro)

{Yes, sir! They'll be here soon.} (Ai)

{Ah, right. First, let's try going with the goody-two-shoes act.} (Tatsuro)

{Since when did you come up with that weird-sounding plan!?} (Ai)

As they approached closer, the two finally got a glimpse of what the other party looked like.

The coachman was like your typical old guy in the novels. An old man with white hair that failed to cover the very top of his head. His appearance was that of a strict and stubborn grandpa, but not one that would instill fear in those who looked at him.

The carriage or it might be more accurate to call it a cargo cart, was pulled by two horses tied to it. Loaded in its bay were big earthen pots, easily visible due to the lack of roofing on the cart.

In the end, other than the elder driving the cart, there was no other person.

"○○○○ ○○○ ○ ○○○ ○ ○○○○?"

""Eh?""

Once they were close enough to hear each other, the old man spoke to the two of them.

However, as they had not heard this language in the past, they could not understand a single word he said. All they knew was that the old man spoke in a rough, casual tone.

"What? You kids already have bad hearing at your age?"

"Ah, sorry. We were a bit absentminded." (Tatsuro)

"We're really sorry, grandpa." (Ai)

"Hmm? Well, that's that but… If you kids are thinking about going into the forest practically naked, then don't even think about it."

""Huh?""

"What, you kids still high?"

Then, they finally figured out what the old man meant by his words. Looking at how the two did not have a single thing with them, the old man concluded that they could not have come from the forest but were about to go there.

Understanding this, Tatsuro lowered his guard a bit.

"Ah, you might have misunderstood. We came from the forest and were just about to enter the town." (Tatsuro)

"THE FOREST!?"

Confused about the old man's reaction, the two could only look at each other in a daze, not knowing if Tatsuro said something weird or not.

"No, no, I can't… Walking in the forest in that getup is basically suicide, you know?"

"That's fair, I guess. If we're ever going back there, we'd prepare for it before doing that." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, we should at least pack food for the next trip…" (Ai)

"Food… Does that mean you two traveled through the forest with no-nothing?"

"Not through it. We just followed the river." (Tatsuro)

"Yep." (Ai)

The old man couldn't feel a hint of deception in their words and started to believe that they were telling the truth.

But that still brings up the question, why would they do such a dangerous thing?

When he reached that line of thought, he suddenly realized how intimate the two were and came to his own conclusion.

"—So they eloped, huh?"

""ELOWPD?""

Was it some kind of jargon? That was what the two thought. However, they could no longer stop the majestic love story from developing in the old man's head.

The two loved each other so dearly, but their parents were against it and tried to tear them apart.

They then came to a decision. If you guys want us to break up, then we'll just leave. We'll go somewhere far enough that you'll never find us!

Hand in hand, the two slowly disappeared into the forest… And that's the gist of what went through his mind.

"I see… It must have been hard for you two…"

"Huh? Ahhh, I guess you could say that. It was a rough journey, but Ai was with me, so I felt like I could face anything." (Tatsuro)

"Me too! If Tatsuro wasn't here, I think I would have just died there." (Ai)

(She'll die, she says!? If the boy wasn't with her, then she'd choose death instead! To have found true love at such a young age… what a wonderful world these two have!)

Having such thoughts, a teardrop slid across his cheek.

{Eh? Is the grandpa crying? Why!?} (Ai)

{Why are you asking me?} (Tatsuro)

Not knowing that they were the protagonists of a love story in the old man's head, the two spoke in telepathy, fearing that they could make matters worse.

On the other hand, seeing how the two met their eyes, the old man was even more touched, making the corners of his eyes wet with more tears.

"Shit… An old man shouldn't be crying like this. Hey, you kids!"

""Yes?""

"Get in the cart! You're going to the town, right? If you keep walking, the sun will set before you get there."

"Eh, but…" (Tatsuro)

"Don't sweat it, kid. Not a word more. I know those kinds of stories," said the old man with a big smile.

The two had no idea what the old man got from their conversation. However, taken in by the intensity of his words, they could not find it in their hearts to refuse.

"Uh… Where do—" (Tatsuro)

"Anywhere in there. If the pots get too annoying, just throw one out!"

"No… You wouldn't really want that, right, Grandpa?" {Why is he being this kind?} (Ai)

{Don't know, let's just bet on it.} "Then, we'll be sitting on this side." (Tatsuro)

"Great. Just don't fall over, ‘right?"

""Yes, Grandpa!""

Hearing that, the old man went ahead and moved the cart again. Then, from the front seat, the old man spoke in a voice loud enough for them to hear.

"The name's Zendo Baullin. What about you kids?" (Zendo)

"I'm Hasa— Tatsuro Hasami." (Tatsuro)

"My name is Ai Yashiki. Nice to meet you, grandpa!" (Ai)

"Same here, kid." (Zendo)

Strewn along by Ai's friendly display, the old man's reply ended with a rough laugh.

As the carriage traveled along at a high speed, Ai shouted out in high spirits as the wind brushed across her face. While Tatsuro's heart grew calm at the sight of that, Zendo popped him a question that had been on his mind for a while now.

"Hey, kids. What are you two going to do after you get into town?" (Zendo)

"That. I guess we're going to the adventurer's guild? At least, we want to check the place out." (Tatsuro)

"We're going to town right now, right?" (Ai)

"Ah, yeah. Hmm… Adventurers, huh…? You did survive in that forest so that means you have a few tricks. Being an adventurer might be your ticket to getting rich quick." (Zendo)

Although they were only doing this to deliver Elren's body and the letter, the two could not let those words go unscathed.

"Hmm… If we do become adventurers, can we earn money from there?" (Ai)

"Huh? Well, that's as long as you don't cause too much trouble or commit a big crime, you'll be qualified for it. If you do those things, it won't matter who you are or where you're from… You guys are alright on that part… right?" (Zendo)

(Don't tell me… they killed someone after they ran away from home?) The thought of that got Zendo worried for a bit, but after hearing the two reply "Yep. No problems there.", he calmed his rising heartbeat.

"Then, then, can we get those qualifications if we visit the guild?" (Tatsuro)

"Should be… Heh? Didn't you want to go there to become adventurers?" (Zendo)

"Uh… Someone asked for a favor in the middle of the road… and then…" (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro was at a loss on how to explain their situation to the old man but Zendo, who had read too much into it, concluded on his own that they had some kind of special circumstances going on.

"Alright. People have their own shit to deal with. All I can say is good luck with that favor." (Zendo)

"Eh…? Uh… Thanks, grandpa." (Tatsuro)

(Why do I feel this "I'm rooting for you two!" aura from this old man?) (Tatsuro)

Puzzled by the sudden change in mood, Tatsuro could only send his gratitude with a bow.

"Hey, gramps. Once we get there, what kind of jobs do adventurers do to get paid?" (Tatsuro)

"Huh? Do you kids have no idea what adventurers are?"

Hearing Zendo's surprise, Tatsuro deciphered that being an adventurer should be one of the biggest professions in this world. Flustered, he chose his next words carefully.

"Uhm… Sorry about that. We came from somewhere that's a bit secluded from the outside…" (Tatsuro)

"So that's why…" (Zendo)

Hearing Tatsuro's explanation, Zendo viewed it as the two being children from nobility who were quickly trying to adapt to the outside world. This made him worried that the two might get scammed by other people down the road.

Meanwhile, to the pair, it only seemed that Zendo was someone who could proficiently read the mood

"Heeey, grandpa?" (Tatsuro)

"Oh… My bad. This time, I was the one who was absent-minded." (Zendo)

"You alright?" (Tatsuro)

"If you have time to worry about me, then worry about yourselves. If it's just you kids, you're gonna face a lot of trouble from now on. So… Adventurers are… well, it's the most common job out there. They are people who set foot in both the unexplored lands and high-level dungeons. They fight dangerous monsters, and even gather the rarest materials, but…" (Zendo)

""But what?""

Hearing acts that the average human would definitely not do, the two held their breaths.

"See, adventurers stay in places near monsters of the same level as them so that they can hunt. They also gather herbs and sell those to the adventurers' guild to earn their pay. Basically, it's just a glorified hunter." (Zendo)

"Ah, if it's just that, then that should be no problem." (Ai)

"You kids look like you have something in you, and even children sometimes make extra pocket money by doing those things. It shouldn't be too dangerous unless something absurd happens," the old man said with a shrug.

"Isn't that great!? Hey, Tatsuro… Let's just be adventurers too!" (Ai)

"Yep, alright." (Tatsuro)

Finding out that they can earn both SP and money at the same time, it was as though they found their ticket back home.

From then on, the two decided that once they reached the town of Obsul, they would become Adventurers.

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