Ch.14Chapter 14 – To Glesius Academy (1)

Upon arriving in Belsarem, I exchanged reluctant farewells with Serin, promising to meet again.

Since she had left Belsarem to return to Oak Tree Village, I no longer knew anyone in this city.

At least I had the information Mr. Justin had given me.

Specifically, that the merchant caravan heading to Glesius Academy would depart in about a day or two after arriving in Belsarem.

A day or two can feel both long and short.

If I were here in Belsarem for leisure, I would have spent my time comfortably.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t here for sightseeing but to find a merchant caravan bound for Glesius Academy.

To avoid making the foolish mistake of blindly visiting taverns asking for information like last time, I decided to question people walking on the street.

“Excuse me, may I ask you something?”

I approached a man walking down the street.

“Hmm? What’s this, an outsider?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Where should I go to find a merchant caravan departing for Glesius Academy?”

Fortunately, though he seemed slightly annoyed, he answered my question rather willingly.

“You’ll find merchant caravans heading to Glesius Academy at the North Gate on the northern side of the city.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

Following the man’s directions to meet the caravan at the North Gate, I set off in that direction.

The journey to the North Gate was quite smooth, thanks to the signposts erected throughout Belsarem.

It’s only occurring to me now, but for some unknown reason, I could read the writing on these signposts.

This saved me the trouble of having to ask people for directions to the North Gate.

After walking for quite some time, I arrived at Belsarem’s North Gate where carriages, apparently belonging to a merchant caravan, were lined up in a row.

“Everyone, don’t forget to check your inventory lists one last time before we depart tomorrow!”

“Captain! We’re short one box of medicinal herbs!”

“That’s loaded on another carriage!”

The merchants and workers of the caravan were bustling about, loading and unloading goods from carriages, reminiscent of a logistics center with delivery packages being handled.

I approached someone who appeared relatively at ease.

Though I had no evidence to support my thinking, I figured that someone who could remain composed in this chaotic situation was likely a high-ranking member of the caravan.

His attire also looked quite luxurious, suggesting he was at least an executive or the caravan master.

“Excuse me.”

“Oh, a visitor from the Eastern Continent. What brings you to our Bleas Trading Company?”

As I thought, I seemed to have found the right person.

“I’d like to travel with your caravan to Glesius Academy.”

“Hahaha. So you wish to go to Glesius Academy. Hey, James!”

“Yes, Caravan Master!”

It seemed the man I had questioned was indeed the owner of the caravan.

When the caravan master called for James, a bald man with a bushy beard came running over.

“What can I do for you, sir?”

“We have a guest who wishes to travel with our caravan to Glesius Academy.”

“Ah, a customer. Please come this way.”

I followed James to a carriage marked with the number (7).

“Please fill out your basic information on this form. We have to be careful these days with so many strange people around.”

I took the document James handed me.

At the top of the document was written ‘Bleas Trading Company Carriage Transport Service Customer List.’

In fiction, these kinds of forms are often used to trick people into slave contracts, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

I quickly filled out my basic information.

By basic information, I mean just where I came from and my name.

“Very good. The fee is seven silver coins. Originally it was five silver coins, but with the recent increase in monsters, we’ve had to hire more mercenaries for protection, which has raised our costs. I hope you understand this isn’t just arbitrary pricing.”

What James told me matched exactly what Justin had said.

That the number of monsters had increased, causing a slight rise in cost, and that the increased cost was seven silver coins, just as he had mentioned.

I opened my pouch, took out seven silver coins, and handed them to James.

In return, James gave me a rectangular copper object.

“What is this?”

“It’s proof that you’re a customer using our caravan’s transport service. Come here tomorrow morning at eight o’clock and give it to the coachman in charge of carriage number 7.”

So it’s a kind of ticket.

Perhaps because this is a game world, I occasionally notice these oddly modernized elements.

Normally they would just check names, but giving out something like this reminds me of Koreans who take procedures and systems very seriously.

After paying James and receiving the ticket-like object, I wandered around the city of Belsarem.

But it seemed this wasn’t much of a tourist city, as there wasn’t much to enjoy.

In this situation, my best option was to find lodging quickly and turn in early.

The next morning, I ate a modest breakfast at the inn where I was staying and headed out.

The caravan was set to depart at eight in the morning. The last time I checked the clock at the inn, it was around 7 o’clock.

I deliberately moved early to avoid the misfortune of arriving after the caravan had departed.

After walking for some time, I reached the North Gate where, just like yesterday, people from the caravan were gathered in a bustling crowd, preparing to depart.

I carefully made my way through the crowd toward carriage number 7 that I had seen yesterday.

“Are you a customer?”

As I approached the carriage, a man who appeared to be the coachman was sitting in the driver’s seat, holding the reins connected to the horse.

“Yes. Is this Bleas Trading Company’s carriage number 7?”

“Ah, yes it is. So you’re the customer. You have your ticket, right?”

I took out the object James had given me yesterday.

“That’s it. Hand it to me and get in the carriage.”

I gave the ticket to the coachman and boarded the carriage.

Inside, there were other people who, like me, were using the caravan’s transport service.

They all seemed to be strangers to each other, as no one was speaking.

Shortly after I boarded:

“It’s time to depart!”

“Open the North Gate! Open the North Gate!”

With the shouts for opening the North Gate, the carriage began to move.

Since this world hadn’t developed suspension or rubber tires, the impact from the road surface was transmitted directly through the carriage wheels to my backside.

It felt exactly like riding on a cultivator driven by my grandfather when I visited the countryside years ago.

The other passengers also seemed to feel the impact, but they didn’t show their displeasure.

Well, for the people here, this must be everyday life, so they’re probably used to—

“Ugh, coachman! Drive properly! Why is it so bumpy?”

“Choose a better road, will you!”

…Or maybe not. I guess this coachman is just terrible at driving.

I wanted to agree with them, but didn’t feel the need to chime in.

Though I must say, the two-and-a-half-ton military truck I occasionally rode during my military service was much more comfortable.

And so, with the rattling carriage, I was finally able to set off for Glesius Academy.

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

Around the time Pathos was leaving Belsarem by carriage for Glesius Academy.

Serin Ekatos had returned to Belsarem.

Though she had pretended to leave Belsarem in front of Pathos, she hadn’t actually left the city.

Serin was now at the Belsarem branch of the Black Feather, which was disguised as a merchant caravan.

“What brings you… Ah, Lady Serin.”

“Is the Deputy Branch Manager in?”

“He’s inside. He’s been waiting for you since earlier.”

The reason Serin came here was to meet the Deputy Branch Manager of the Belsarem branch.

Since Justin, the Branch Manager of Belsarem, was currently in Oak Tree Village, the Deputy Branch Manager was now the highest-ranking person here.

She carefully opened the door marked “Deputy Caravan Master’s Office.”

“Oh? Serin? Have you just returned from your mission?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve been waiting for you. Please, sit down.”

The Deputy Branch Manager had navy blue hair similar to Serin’s and green eyes.

The difference was that while Serin had short hair, she had long hair that reached her waist.

From their similar hair and eye color, it was clear that the two were relatives.

On the desk was a nameplate that read “Deputy Caravan Master Serbona Ekatos.”

She had something to ask her relative, Serin Ekatos.

“So, this man Pathos. What was he like?”

It was about Pathos, the man with mysterious abilities whom Serin had met.