episode_0110

As if on a leisurely sightseeing tour, we gradually moved away from the lands of the Yeom Kingdom and began to approach the desert region called the Gold Road.

The one who became the most excited as we started to leave the Yeom Kingdom was none other than Seol-rin.

“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve never really left Sacheon much. And to leave the lands of the Yeom Kingdom and head to the Western Regions….”

“I’ve been there once. I took a waterway from the Jo Kingdom to meet the young master, came to the Yeom Kingdom, crossed the desert, and arrived in the Western Regions.”

Was that so?

Well, whatever. It’s not a big deal.

“Baekho, are you okay?”

“Hmm…. Except for being a little hot…. I think I’m fine.”

Heat….

I remember having an artifact that blocked the heat to some extent. To be exact, it’s an artifact that increases resistance to fire attributes, but since heat would be judged the same way, it would alleviate it to some extent.

“Found it.”

“?”

I rummaged through my inventory and took out a necklace-shaped artifact that increased fire resistance and handed it to Baekho.

“Try wearing this.”

“Hmm…. Oh?…. The heat seems to have subsided quite a bit….”

Fortunately, it seems to have some effect.

As I was doing that, Baek-ryeon and Seol-rin, who had been talking to each other, approached me.

“Young master. But you said you were going to look for the Black Rabbit, what’s that all about?”

“Does the Black Rabbit live in a place called the Gold Road?”

“They do live there.”

Although it’s called the Black Rabbit, the person I’m looking for is a living person.

Of course, they’re not a demi-human either.

Just…, a girl who lived an unfortunate life that didn’t suit the pseudonym of Luck.

* * *

The title of the Black Rabbit-related sub-episode in the Incompetent Hero game is The Black Rabbit That Brings Good Luck.

Originally, she was the daughter of a farmer who lived in a small village in a country not even mentioned by name, not the Gold Road.

Her father was a mercenary who was quite famous in the past, but he fell in love at first sight with Leviya’s mother and quit his mercenary life.

He married her and had Leviya.

It would have been nice if it ended there, but their misfortune began when Leviya turned 10 years old.

One day, an epidemic swept through the village.

A lot of money was needed to cure the disease, but that money was too much for an ordinary village farmer to afford.

In the end, Leviya’s father picked up his sword once again.

Since he had connections he made during his mercenary days, it wasn’t that difficult to jump back into the mercenary business.

However, there were no people who would entrust an expensive request to an old mercenary who was past his prime.

“Dad?…. Where are you going?”

“…Leviya. I think Dad will have to leave home for a while.”

That’s why he decided to head to the Gold Road.

The Gold Road has a particularly harsh environment, so the monsters are quite tough, and because of this, the monsters’ corpses are good materials for equipment.

Therefore, the monsters’ corpses are bought at a high price, and many mercenaries and adventurers gather to hunt these monsters, hoping to make a fortune.

With the vague expectation that he could earn enough money there to get his wife adequate treatment, he left his young daughter and wife behind.

And that was the last day Leviya saw her father.

In the beginning, a considerable amount of money was sent from her father along with letters.

Thanks to that, her mother was able to continue living to some extent, even if it wasn’t a complete cure.

However, it wasn’t enough money for sufficient treatment.

For 4 years, money and letters steadily arrived from her father.

However, that stopped one day.

One day, two days, three days, four days.

The cut-off letters and money never came again.

A sick mother and a girl who was only 14 years old. Of course, these two people couldn’t continue their lives, and eventually her mother’s illness worsened and Leviya was left alone.

Another 4 years passed, and in the year she turned 18.

Leviya headed to the Gold Road to find her father.

This was the introductory story of The Black Rabbit That Brings Good Luck, a sub-episode of Incompetent Hero’s success story.

* * *

“Ugh…. It’s hot…….”

[Are you okay?….]

“I don’t think I’m…, okay, Mother….”

[Hmm….]

This combination. It’s quite the combination that’s very susceptible to heat.

Seol-rin and Baek-ryeon, who were riding on Baekho’s back who had turned into a tiger, were drooping and struggling to speak.

The fire resistance artifact was all I gave to Baekho….

I took out a water bottle from my inventory and poured it on Baek-ryeon and Seol-rin’s faces and said.

“Hang in there a little longer. When we get to the city, I’ll get you some decent stuff there.”

At my words, Baek-ryeon and Seol-rin, who were soaked in water, barely nodded.

“Baekho, what about you? Even if you’re wearing the artifact, it must be hot to some extent.”

[Hmm…. But it’s bearable. The effect is better than I thought.]

“Okay. But turn back into human form before entering the city. If you’re not careful, you might be treated like a monster.”

[I’ll be careful.]

A place full of sand shimmering golden in the scorching sun.

We have already entered the Golden Road.

‘In this situation, these guys won’t be able to catch monsters.’

Fortunately, since we entered this place, the monsters that should have been rushing at us like crazy have been quiet, so we are walking on the Golden Road without much interference…. In the game, this place was difficult to move around because it had a high monster encounter rate….

[Certainly, there seem to be many heterogeneous beings around here. Whether above ground or below ground.]

“….”

Could it be that they’re not showing up because they’re being suppressed by Baekho’s presence?

While I was thinking that, I felt the presence of several people gathered together in the distance.

Baekho must have felt it too, as he said to Baek-ryeon and Seol-rin on his back.

[Baek-ryeon, Seol-rin. There are people gathered over there. I think we need to go back to human form….]

“Ah, I understand.”

“I’m getting off.”

“Lucy, don’t stay in the shadows, come out quickly.”

Both of them got off Baekho, and Baekho also returned to his human form.

Lucy, who had been in Baekho’s shadow because it was hot, also came out of the shadow when she heard my words.

After doing that, as we walked through the desert, we saw a group of merchants carrying various items.

“It seems that their destination is the same as ours. Let’s move with them.”

“Sounds good.”

“Okay.”

“If that’s your judgment.”

Everyone nodded.

As we walked towards them, they seemed to have noticed us and turned their attention to us.

Of course, the gazes they cast on us were not of welcome, but of vigilance.

Of course, as I said before, the corpses of the monsters here are sold at a fairly high price.

So, to make money, do you have to fight fiercely with monsters?

No, there’s an easier way to make money.

“Don’t worry. We’re not thieves.”

“How can we believe that?”

“I’ll prove it.”

Lucy stepped forward and spoke.

When Lucy, a woman wearing a nun’s habit, stepped forward, they didn’t completely let their guard down, but I felt that the atmosphere had eased a little.

“You’re a nun. But anyone can imitate the appearance….”

“I understand. Belief is the easiest thing to say, but proof is more difficult than anything else.”

Lucy nodded at the merchant’s words, as if agreeing.

Then she glanced at the merchant’s group.

I can see the mercenaries who seem to have been hired to get through this rough land.

However, it seems that they have already fought once, as some of them have large and small wounds.

I don’t know if that’s because of fighting monsters or fighting people.

“May the goddess’s mercy caress your wounds.”

Pure white divine power flowed from Lucy’s fingertips.

The divine power carefully caressed the wounded and began to heal their wounds.

“T, this is….”

“Divine power?….”

“It’s not like magic!….”

The most certain way to prove you’re a nun.

That is to show your divine power. The more devout you are, the stronger your divine power can be exerted, and the stronger your divine power is, the faster and more reliably you can heal wounds.

At the same time, a devout nun wouldn’t do anything like thievery, so they were able to lower their guard against us.

* * *

“Hehe, traveling with beautiful women, I’m envious.”

“Haha….”

The merchant, who can be said to be the center of this group, said, even sharing some of his food with us, as his favorability towards us rose sharply after Lucy healed the mercenaries for free.

“If it’s Kairelo, it’s the same place we’re going. Let’s go together like this. Instead….”

“I understand. We will help with battles and treatments.”

“Haha! Thank you!”

“Ah, but excuse me, is it possible to get an artifact that can withstand the heat? Our group is very susceptible to heat, so I don’t think I’ll be able to perform at my best…. Of course, I’ll pay enough.”

At my words, the merchant nodded and ordered his subordinate to bring a few artifacts.

“This area is so hot, so these kinds of artifacts are quite easy to obtain. Well, what do you think? I’ve chosen designs that suit the ladies.”

“That’s good. How much is it?”

“I’ll give you a discount.”

I did say I’d pay enough, but he’s not saying he’ll give it to me for free.

As expected of a merchant.

Still, it seems to be true that he’s giving me a discount, as I was able to buy it at a lower price than the price I got it for in the game.

Of course, there were no battles after that.

It was because other monsters didn’t approach due to Baekho’s presence, which only sensitive monsters could feel, but the merchant’s group, not knowing that fact, just said they were lucky, and we arrived at Kairelo, the largest city-state on the Gold Road.