Level Eater

Considering the speed of travel on Jeanne, when Ai roughly calculated the arrival time to Lyadas using the map function, it took about four days, including today.

"Four days, huh? It is like the prefectural capital in our province, right? I really want to get there quickly," (Ai)

"Well, the territory seems quite extensive, so let's save the excitement for later and enjoy the journey for two for now" (Tatsuro)

Sitting in the coach seat, he leaned in and embraced Ai's shoulder, making their closeness even more intimate. Then, they bumped their heads together.

This simple act made Ai's spirits soar, and she thought traveling with him was not such a bad idea. They rubbed their heads together affectionately, unaware that Jeanne was watching them with envy. They continued to push each other playfully.

After much teasing, they stopped to eat the lunch they had missed on the carriage and then paused to replenish Cardina and Jeanne's magic power. The two creatures approached them, looking lonely.

"Was it because we didn't pay attention to them? They must have felt lonely" (Tatsuro)

"Wow, they're such attention-seekers," (Ai)

Even though they had grown into impressive-looking creatures, the two showered them affectionately as they cooed over them with all their might. They continued to do so even after finishing replenishing their magic power until the two creatures were satisfied.

This caused them to stop longer than planned, but they wanted to do something for the two who always worked hard.

After playing with the two creatures and feeling more settled, they headed toward Lyadas again. However, the road from Obsul to Tofas was mainly straight, with no steep slopes despite some bends. In contrast, the road from Tofas to Lyadas was much more challenging, with sudden turns, winding paths, and steep uphill and downhill sections. It was so complex that they could not help but wonder why it was not more efficiently paved.

"Another uphill climb, huh? Jeanne, I'll assist with wind magic again, so do your best." (Tatsuro)

"Neigh." (Jeanne)

"You still have that donkey-like voice, Jeanne. Anyway──…" (Tatsuro)

"Yeah." (Ai)

Around the point where the road ceased to be straight, the beautiful grassy landscape gave way to a rugged terrain with exposed rocks and earth. Here and there, a few trees stood alone, all covered in moss and vibrant green. The sun shone brightly, but the dense scenery and the troublesome road were becoming tiresome.

Then, it happened at such a time. Without any appearance of monsters, Cardina, who was relaxing on the carriage while using detection magic, let out a loud cry, warning Tatsuro that something was approaching.

"What is it?" (Ai)

"───It seems like someone is coming from the front." (Tatsuro)

"More thieves?" (Ai)

"It doesn't seem to be the same ones who attacked us before, but let's see what happens." (Tatsuro)

About twenty meters ahead of Cardina, who had ascended the hill with the help of her wind magic, a man who appeared to be a merchant was leisurely driving a sizeable horse-drawn carriage accompanied by a single guard.

Ignoring the guard for the time being, the merchant was plump and needed to appear more capable of fighting. Therefore, although they remained cautious, they intended to pass by without incident. However, out of the ten horses pulling the large carriage, one seemed timid and became startled when it saw Jeanne coming up the hill, causing it to panic.

To calm it down, the carriage came to a halt. While sighing at the inconvenience, Tatsuro thought that it would calm down once Jeanne was out of sight, so he decided to nod politely as they passed by.

However, before that could happen, the guard-like man who had disembarked from the carriage raised his hand and stepped onto their path, waving it vigorously. They reluctantly slowed down since continuing forward could potentially lead to a collision.

{Like always, Ai, stay vigilant."} (Tatsuro)

{I understand.} (Ai)

They communicated their intentions through mental impressions, preparing to act at any moment. As the carriage stopped, a plump man who appeared to be a merchant approached with a friendly smile.

"Oh dear, I apologize for suddenly stopping." (Merchant)

"No worries. It seems like it was our horse's fault that caused your horse over there to be violent, so it is not your fault. How can we help you?" (Ai)

"Oh, please don't be too cautious. I didn't stop you to complain or anything." (Merchant)

"So, what do you need?" (Ai)

Ai impatiently pressed the plump man as if indicating they had no intention of getting involved for long. Sensing that he might be seen negatively if he took too much time to speak, the plump man quickly got straight to the point.

"Well, you see, I was wondering if you could sell me that unusual creature pulling your carriage." (Merchant)

"No, it's not possible." (Tatsuro)

"Sorry, not interested." (Ai)

"Oh, come on, don't be so stubborn… How about 50 million Shis?" (Merchant)

"It's not a matter of money." (Tatsuro)

"Absolutely not." (Ai)

They had no intention of selling, and even if they did, it would only render them immobile due to magic exhaustion. So, both of them powerfully conveyed their refusal. The merchant seemed to have understood this as he slumped his shoulders. Then, the man who had been standing nearby whispered something to him, and the merchant's eyes widened in surprise.

"Is that creature a monster?" (Merchant)

"We're not obligated to answer that." (Tatsuro)

"Oh, right, of course. No obligation to answer." (Merchant)

Calmly responding to Tatsuro, the plump man lowered his head in embarrassment for his impulsive question.

"Well, let's put that aside. Do you have any intention of working for me? Just one creature pulling the carriage, confidently climbing this hill, and its appearance could strike fear into any ordinary bandit. Not to mention the skill of both of you, who have nurtured this creature as if it were your own child? I want to use your talents in my service!" (Merchant)

Despite feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the man's long-winded speech and appeal, they had no intention of doing such a thing, so they bluntly declined.

The man even offered a substantial salary, but it was ignored.

"I see… That is a shame. It seems futile to press further. However, if your interest ever piques, you can inquire for me at the Lyadas Merchant Guild. Just ask for Gillian Mac Dermott, and they will connect you to me. Please remember that." (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"Gillian Mac Dermott got it. We will keep it in mind. Well then, we will be on our way. Your horse seems to have calmed down quite a bit as well." (Tatsuro)

"Yes, thank you for stopping. Take care on the road." (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"You too, be careful. There have been reports of bandits around." (Tatsuro)

They were about to part casually when the mention of bandits made Gillian hastily stop them. Tatsuro did not say anything, though he felt a bit pitiful. He could not be sure this man was not somehow connected to those bandits, and he regretted not conveying that to Ai.

"Are you sure about the bandits?" (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"Yes. The first time, about twenty of them ambushed us during the night, and the second time, they had ambushed us as we left town to keep us from finding out they were bandits. By the way, when we questioned the ambushing bandits, it seemed they were conspiring with the Tofas guards. So, if you're heading there, it's best to stay on your guard." (Tatsuro)

"The guards and the bandits are conspiring? If that is confirmed, it is a serious matter. However, it would likely take some time for that to happen. I've traveled to Tofas many times, but I've never encountered any bandits." (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"…This is just a personal conjecture, but merchants belonging to the Merchant Guild tend to become suspicious if their goods don't arrive promptly. Therefore, they are thorough in avoiding any trouble. On the other hand, travelers and adventurers like us, in smaller numbers, are more likely to be attacked and have our belongings stolen. So, if you consider it that way, it makes sense." (Tatsuro)

Despite considering this, the plump man could not believe it all at once. Without saying anything more, he sat down on the ground and sighed.

However, Tatsuro and the others had no obligation to linger with him. Therefore, they were thinking of leaving it to his discretion and walking away when the man suddenly stood up and looked directly into Tatsuro's eyes.

"I'll try to believe the words you've said." (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"It's up to you, but I think it's unwise to trust a stranger you just met." (Tatsuro)

"No, even though I'm inexperienced, I'm a merchant. I pride myself on being able to tell who can be trusted and who cannot be trusted. So, here's my proposition: we plan to return to Lyadas for now." (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"Well, we don't recommend heading to Tofas just like that." (Tatsuro)

While indirectly suggesting that he could do as he pleased, the man still seemed interested.

"My father is a well-known merchant in Lyadas and has close ties with the lord. If we ask for help from there, news about the bandits should spread quickly. So, would you consider coming with us to meet my father?" (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"We are planning to go to Lyadas anyway, but we still don't trust you." (Tatsuro)

"…I see. If the guards are in cahoots, someone posing as a merchant could also be possible. In that case, you can go to Lyadas, and we'll follow seven days later on April 17th, according to the calendar, Earth Day. So, let's meet up again there to confirm my identity. Afterward, the two of you can inform my father about the bandits. How does that sound?" (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"What's the benefit for us in doing that?" (Tatsuro)

"Of course, I will offer a substantial sum of money, and if the information can be verified, I believe there will also be a reward from the lord. And, wouldn't it be better for the two of you if the bandits were gone?" (Gillian Mac Dermott)

That would be a significant benefit if this man could eliminate the bandits who had been tailing them with just a single conversation. Minimizing potential future threats was a good idea.

Tatsuro asked this question after considering the situation. If the man only offered money, they would not have been willing to go along with it, even if he was an innocent merchant. However, this man had shown himself to be more than just a daddy's boy; he had his own thoughts, which made Tatsuro more willing to trust him.

"Are we okay with this?" (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, I'm in favor too." (Ai)

"Then, if we confirm your identity in Lyadas, we'll cooperate." (Tatsuro)

"Thank you. Well then, consider this an upfront payment for now." (Gillian Mac Dermott)

The man handed over a pouch of coins, and when Tatsuro accepted it, he saw that it contained three million Shis.

"You're offering this rather easily. Just saying, but what if you were to run away with it?" (Tatsuro)

"If that happens, I'll chalk it up to my own poor judgment." (Gillian Mac Dermott)

For the first time, the man displayed a genuine smile rather than a sales smile, and Tatsuro finally smiled back.

"Understood. Well, I will not hesitate to take this then. How about we meet up seven days from now at noon at the Adventurer's Guild in Lyadas?" (Tatsuro)

"Seven days from now, noon at the Adventurer's Guild in Lyadas, is it?" (Gillian Mac Dermott)

"Yes, that's right. See you then." (Tatsuro)

"Sure, bye-bye." (Gillian Mac Dermott)

With that promise made, Tatsuro instructed Jeanne and had her pull the cart again. The two of them waved lightly and increased the distance between them and the merchant.

"I hope everything works out smoothly." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, me too." (Ai)

With the carriage clattering along, the two of them continued on their way to Lyadas.

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