EP8. A New Journey (7)
“I see what you mean. You mean to meet Count Lipeor?”
“Because he is the one who knows the most about Lady Leodroka.”
Sean and Levy’s decision was swift. I couldn’t come this far and go back empty-handed. Levi nodded and was about to agree to the branch manager’s proposal.
“Yes. Then I’ll meet Count Lipeor.”
“Um… However, there is one minor problem.”
“Yes? If it’s a problem, what else are you talking about…”
Are you in the midst of mountain climbing? Levy asked a question in a weak tone at the obstacles that continued to appear in front of him. The branch manager also didn’t want a conversation like this, so he explained with a little apologetic heart.
“The point is that Count Lipeor doesn’t meet anyone.”
“That means…”
“You need qualifications to interview the Count. Of course, since you’re new to Elioden, and you’re not of noble status, it’s safe to say that you’re not qualified.”
Sean frowned at the branch manager’s words and asked back.
“Doesn’t that mean we won’t be able to meet the count after all?”
“Listen to the end. There is a way. If you give the name of our golden carriage, even you will be able to have an interview at least once.”
“Then no problem! When will the Count…”
“Kuhm! Hmm!”
Coughing off Levy, the branch manager had no choice but to be bold and bring up an important topic.
“So, instead of allowing you to meet the Count, I would like to ask you a favor.”
“・・・・Yes? Suddenly? You never said anything like that!”
As the conversation flowed strangely, Sean accused the branch manager, suspecting that it was a ploy to take advantage of them. Then, as if to calm down, he held out his hand to Sean, and the branch manager explained.
“Calm down…! There will never be a broken promise or anything.”
“If you say something so suddenly in the first place, it goes against reason!”
“I am just doing what I am told to do…”
Finally, when the branch manager spoke the truth, Shawn forgot to get angry and asked back with a look on his face, wondering if he had heard it right.
“・・・・Yes? Do you do as you say?”
“Ha ha… All you have to do is follow what is written in the letter from the Lord of the upper ranks. Instead of granting everyone’s favor, they told us to trade for the help of the Golden Carriage…”
Only then did he get a sense of it, and Sean clicked his tongue. Well, if you think about it, there was definitely a side that was uncomfortable to just go over. How could that merchant-like Shriegel do good deeds just because he erased his own failures?
He was trying to use them to raise the Golden Carriage branch of Elioden. They must have had in mind that since they came all the way, they wouldn’t refuse.
Levi seemed to have come to the same conclusion, but she looked bored, but she immediately regained her composure and asked the branch manager.
“····I’ll listen to it first. What are you asking for?”
“I heard that your skills are amazing, but to get to the point, I want you to get rid of the bandits.”
“Hmm. Looks like thieves stole something?”
At Sean’s guess, the branch manager sighed and replied.
From noble mtl dot com.
“····This time, we made a plan to open up the road going up to another city. I even hired a guide to go through the forest, but unfortunately I ran into bandits.”
“Hmm. Where is that forest?”
“This is the forest you all came across.”
I heard everything. All that remains is to decide whether to accept the offer or not. Levy, who was lost in thought for a moment, opened his mouth soon.
“Why aren’t you getting help from Elioden?”
“Elioden is not involved in anything that happens outside the city.”
“But isn’t that forest the road to Elioden? Even though people coming into the city might be in danger?”
“I also don’t understand every single thing. But what can I do?”
There was only an unsatisfying answer. Then Sean asked a question too.
“So you want them all captured? Otherwise…”
“That is your heart. I just hope there is no danger of encountering bandits in the woods.”
After answering that, the branch manager soon added a word.
“Ah, if you return the stolen goods, I will pay you back separately. It’s something that has a price.”
Although the branch manager, who had already been confident that they would accept the proposal, had no choice, the decision of the two was as expected in the end.
It was because he was confident that if he refused this offer, the efforts he had made while coming to Elioden would be wasted, and that he could easily defeat bandits.
The two made their way out of the Golden Carriage branch not too well.
And then we went back to the forest.
***
The two spent quite a bit of time in the forest.
The head of the branch gave the location where he met the thief in detail, but it was not easy to find the thief.
It is also because the size of the forest was so large in the first place. As time continued to drag on, even the ominous thought that it might take several days to finish it in one day was floating around in my head.
“I can’t find it no matter how much I search…”
“····Shawn. I think.”
“Huh?”
After hesitating for a moment, Levy felt Sean’s gaze and cautiously brought her words out.
“Maybe there are no thieves already?”
“No? But Elioden said he doesn’t get involved with the outside world. So, who is the thief…”
Shaun stopped talking halfway through. If not from the city, who had killed the thieves?
It seemed that Sean knew who the answer was. Yes, he had heard of it once.
“…Sepia?”
“As expected…? I think it was the thief that Sepia dealt with.”
The guess was reasonable, even for Shawn. Of course, it is possible that there are other groups of bandits in the forest, but isn’t it more convincing to see that there is usually only one group of bandits in an area?
If several factions are concentrated in one place, there is a high probability that there will only be power struggles and damage to each other.
“Then what should I do…?”
“Hmm. Shouldn’t we find the hideout where the thieves stayed?”
“····They say they will find it again sooner or later…”
There is a difference between finding a thief in the forest and finding a thief’s hideout. It’s a matter of knowing that finding the thief is much easier if you think about it a little.
The target of thieves is people. People go on the road In other words, thieves will also be near the road to prey on people.
On the contrary, the hiding place should not be discovered by people. In other words, it cannot be near the road. That’s why hiding places are much harder to find.
Originally, Shawn and Levy’s goal was to subdue the bandits in the forest, find out the location of the hideout from the bandits, and recover the plundered goods.
But thanks to sepia, that plan was blocked from the beginning.
“Come to think of it… What did Sepia do to the thieves?”
“Huh? What does that mean? You said you defeated the bandits.”
“And you didn’t explain after that.”
It was as Sean said. Sepia only said that he defeated the bandits, after which he did not say how he dealt with the bandits. Once I met Sepia for the first time, she was alone and lost, so she couldn’t have been sent to Eli Orden.
Actually, there was only one thing that came to mind. How would you deal with the thieves in a situation where you can’t go to the city right now in the middle of a forest like this?
But Levy had a hard time believing that idea.
“…Sepia is a priest.”
“Yes. But isn’t it strange that priests just let the bandits go?”
“Maybe he just left, tied up with a rope…”
“Isn’t that weird anymore? If you leave it so irresponsible, it will be released, or it will starve to death. It must be one of the two.”
For now, the two continued to search the forest. Whether it’s a thief or a hiding place, you can’t go without finding anything.
The first thing I found was the thieves. The two found the bandits and didn’t talk much.
The surrounding woods were already stained with blood that had turned black. All of the corpses of the bandits had their heads separated from their bodies.
“·······.”
“·······.”
Sean was right. Levy was in denial, but she had already guessed what Sepia would have done.
To risk one’s life so that there is no back and forth. Actually, it is the right choice.
Rather, since it is a priest, it would be normal to make sure that there is no harm done so that innocent people are not harmed.
But Levi is just that. Because she was a little different from the image of the priest I had been thinking of.
It was only because of the difference between her impression and the impression of Riel Shia, whom she had been close to in her village since childhood.
Will she be able to make such a decision even for Riel Shia, who was so kind? Levi didn’t have an easy answer.
“Look for a hiding place first, and if you can’t find it even after the sun goes down, just give up.”
“・・・・That’s right. Retrieving things is not a must.”
“And tell them that all the bandits are dead.”
“Yes.”
In the end, the two returned without finding a hiding place.
***
“I see. I also didn’t expect to get the goods back, so that’s okay.”
The branch manager expressed his gratitude after seeing evidence that he had dealt with some of the bandits the two had brought.
“First of all, thank you. I apologize for the embarrassment you may have felt at the sudden request.”
“No. It wasn’t even that difficult.”
After the formal discussion, the branch manager who saw the boy’s eyes nodded and mentioned what he wanted.
“I’ll talk right away. It’s late tonight, so we’ll be ready to talk as soon as possible tomorrow.”
“Is there anything in particular that we need to pay attention to?”
“Hmm. If it’s something special… You just don’t have to be surprised when you meet Count Lipeor.”
The unexpected answer sparked Sean’s curiosity.
“Surprised? Why?”
“Actually, it’s not that great, you’ll understand when you see it for yourself. It’s not particularly surprising.”
“When you say that, it makes me more curious.”
“Oops. I am worried that I may have raised unnecessary expectations.”
The branch manager joked lightly and handed them a small sack. Levy, who took the sack without hesitation, found what was inside and murmured.
“Why all of a sudden money?”
“My little sincerity. Don’t worry, it’s my own opinion that has nothing to do with the upper lord.”
It was a rather sudden favor, but the two did not decline. Thanks to Wilhelm, even after a long journey, I still had enough money, but the more money, the better.
Besides, it’s true that the two of them didn’t do any activities to make money, so their funds were constantly being cut.
“Elioden is quite exotic at night, too.”
“At night? It’s time for people to sleep.”
“hahahaha. Sleep brings comfort, but many find it boring as well.”
That didn’t make much sense. Nevertheless, the branch manager persistently recommended the two.
“Once you experience Elioden’s Night, you will understand. The feeling of not having enough time to sleep.”
“……It’s not like it’s just a strange thing, is it?”
When the boy, who was still shy, spoke round and round, the branch manager asked back with a mischievous smile, knowing but not knowing.
“How strange. What are you talking about?”
“That, … Is just promiscuous.”
“hehehe. Of course, you can enjoy it that way in Elioden, too. I don’t think the lover next to you will allow it.”
Sean glanced to her side and found Levy with her head down, her face already blushing.
Shaun, who was even more flustered after seeing that, shook his hand wildly, revealing a strong denial.
“Well, that doesn’t mean I want that!?”
“I know. Since I have a girlfriend who is so pretty, how could she look elsewhere?”
“…Just friends.”
Shawn, who decided that he would continue to be swayed by the branch manager if he stayed like this, hurriedly kicked off his seat and stood up.
“Come on. Let’s go····! Then I’ll come back here tomorrow!”
“Ah… Good bye····.”
Sean left with Levy. Looking at the backs of the two young boys and girls, the branch manager murmured to himself.
“Just friends…. The girl seems to have a different opinion…”
That’s why he only saw it. With the sharp eyes of a merchant who has been trained for years.
The girl who bowed her head when I mentioned her girl as her girlfriend.
Secretly, a happy smile on the corner of his mouth.
EP8. New Journey (Complete)