Ch.187187. You Just Need to Not Go to the Pandera Domain, Right?

“Why does the Pandera territory block outsiders from entering?”

“It’s a custom that’s been passed down since before I was born, so I don’t know the details, but I heard a story from the village chief.”

“By village chief, do you mean something like the head of the Pandera territory?”

“Well, the position of village chief isn’t hereditary, but it’s similar.”

“So what’s this story you heard?”

Castle seemed curious too, perking up his ears.

Jawil Wilson began speaking about his homeland with a calm expression, as if it were nothing unusual.

“The Pandera territory has been a place the imperial family showed no interest in since ancient times, so it was mainly used as a hideout for criminals.”

“Hmm, that makes sense. Being on top of a cliff would make it difficult to track people.”

“As a result, crimes continued to occur in the small Pandera territory, and the previous village chief, having seen enough, drove out the criminals and then blocked outsiders from entering.”

“So you mean no one can enter at all?”

Jawil Wilson slowly nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. But why are you asking about my homeland? I can’t think of any reason why young master would be interested in the Pandera territory…”

“Do you know about Majangcho?”

“Majangcho? I’m not familiar with it.”

“It’s an herb that grows there.”

Jawil Wilson blinked and scratched his head.

“I was obsessed with swordsmanship since childhood, so why would I have any interest in herbs?”

“…For someone obsessed with swordsmanship, your skills were quite terrible.”

“…Young master.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just talking to myself.”

I waved my hand in the air, and Jawil Wilson let out a deep sigh.

“Ha… Anyway, I don’t know much about Majangcho.”

“Then do you remember what the people from your hometown looked like?”

“Well, I certainly remember the people I was close with.”

“Was there anyone bald among them?”

“Bald?”

“Yes, someone whose hair had fallen out.”

At my words, Jawil Wilson stroked his chin, seeming to fall into thought, before continuing.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think there were any bald people among those living in the Pandera territory…”

His eyes showed uncertainty, but this gave some credibility to the rumor Castle had mentioned.

Should I really go to the Pandera territory to get Majangcho?

Even if not for selling purposes, I might need it since I never know when my own thick hair might start falling out.

“Jawil Wilson, could you go back to your hometown?”

“…Pardon?”

“Go and get some Majangcho. You can go to your hometown anytime, right?”

“Th-that’s…”

For some reason, Jawil Wilson had a troubled expression.

His eyes suggested there was some story behind it.

“What is it? Tell me.”

After hesitating, Jawil Wilson sighed and began to speak.

“I cannot return to my hometown.”

“So, what’s the reason you can’t go back?”

“There was a woman I liked since childhood, and before I left, I made a promise to her.”

In the sudden serious atmosphere, Castle and I fell silent.

Then, Jawil Wilson continued.

“I promised that once I left my hometown, I would never return.”

“…Why did you make such a promise?”

“I liked her so much that I was clingy. Eventually, she would panic just from running into me.”

“…And then?”

“After my final confession was rejected, I told her I would never set foot in my hometown again, and then I left.”

He built up the atmosphere as if there was some unspeakable story, but in the end, he just can’t go back because he was rejected by a woman?

I was speechless at this ridiculous story.

“Ha… So you’re saying you can’t go because you’re embarrassed to face that woman you promised?”

“It is embarrassing, but I also want to keep my promise to a woman I once loved.”

I pressed my fingertips against my throbbing temples.

“Stop talking nonsense and just go. You only need to bring back a few roots of Majangcho.”

“I’m sorry. I’d rather be hit with a wooden sword by you, young master.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yes, I really don’t want to go back to my hometown. Just this once, I hope you can understand me.”

Jawil Wilson’s gaze was extremely firm.

I could force him to follow my orders, but it wasn’t even clear if Majangcho was truly an ingredient for a baldness remedy.

So I didn’t want to earn his resentment unnecessarily.

“You could just go this once and then never go again.”

“…When you asked me to go to the Forest of Death, I was afraid I might die, but I still followed you. So just this once, please let me off.”

Seeing that coaxing and persuading wouldn’t work, I racked my brain to find a way through this impasse.

“So basically, you just don’t want to go to your hometown.”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s fine if I go instead, right?”

“What do you mean… The Pandera territory prohibits outsiders from entering.”

“Anyway!! As long as you don’t go, it’s fine, right?!”

I raised my voice, digging into the small gap I found, which startled Jawil Wilson.

“If I don’t go, then I suppose…”

I rose from my chair.

Then I beckoned to Jawil Wilson with my finger, signaling him to follow.

“Good, then let’s depart.”

*

“Why did we come to the Hongwaru?”

“Do you have a problem with it? You just didn’t want to go to the Pandera territory, right?”

As I sat down in a chair to wait for Doknyo, Jawil Wilson gently took the seat next to me and continued speaking.

“…Young master, if you’re angry about that, please just hit me instead.”

“I’m not angry.”

“From my perspective, you seem quite displeased right now.”

I placed my hand gently on Jawil Wilson’s dejected shoulders.

“No, I was thinking that it might be better if I go instead of you.”

“…Pardon?”

“You always cause trouble when I send you alone, so it’s better if I go myself.”

Jawil Wilson tilted his head in confusion.

“But outsiders can’t enter, I told you.”

“You’re not an outsider, right?”

“…Am I the only one who doesn’t understand what you’re saying?”

“I think you understand perfectly.”

Jawil Wilson gulped and stared at me intently.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, young master, but I really can’t go to the Pandera territory—”

“I know, I said I’ll go to the Pandera territory! You just keep your word from earlier.”

“What do you mean…”

“You just need to not go to the Pandera territory, right?”

Clearly thinking I had some scheme in mind, Jawil Wilson narrowed his eyes.

“Then why did you bring me here?”

“I can easily explain why I brought you to Hongwaru. It’s to prevent you from going to the Pandera territory.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ll go get the Majangcho, so you just need to tell me everything you know about the people in the Pandera territory.”

“But what does that—”

Before Jawil Wilson could finish, Doknyo appeared with an unfamiliar old man.

“Selden Alphonse, you come here often.”

“That’s how it turned out.”

Then, Doknyo stared at Jawil Wilson and spoke.

“Is this Jawil Wilson whom you mentioned in your letter, young master?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Doknyo whispered something to the old man who came with her.

The old man also looked at me and Jawil Wilson for quite some time, wrote something down, and then left.

Doknyo lightly saw the old man off and sat down in the chair opposite us with a smile.

“It will take about three days.”

“That’s enough. I need time to gather information about the Pandera territory anyway.”

“I see.”

“By the way, your meeting with that old man just now seemed very brief. Will that be enough?”

At my words, Doknyo covered her mouth and smiled with her eyes.

“You don’t need to worry about that, Selden Alphonse. No one can match him in this field.”

“Oh, really? Then I can trust and prepare.”

“I’ve also prepared a room for you to stay.”

“Great, everything’s going smoothly.”

As I got up with a satisfied expression, Jawil Wilson, who had been blankly watching our conversation, grabbed my arm.

“Young master, what was that conversation about?”

“You know about transformation leather, right? The one you used during the war between the Cardian and Parseche families last time.”

“Of course I know about transformation leather.”

“That old man who just left is a master craftsman who makes transformation leather.”

“Ah… But why are you making such expensive transformation leather again?”

I gently removed Jawil Wilson’s hand from my arm and continued with a straight face.

“I asked him to make transformation leather that looks exactly like your face.”

“Ah, I see… What?! My face?!”

“Yes, your face.”

“Wh-what are you planning to do with a transformation leather of my face?!”

Pointing at myself with my finger, I addressed the anxious Jawil Wilson.

“If you can’t go to the Pandera territory, then I’ll go. As Jawil Wilson.”