Chapter 7: The Worst Reunion (7)

[7] 1. The Worst Reunion (7)

The day I found out that the members of the hero’s party were my old acquaintances, I decided to do a little research on them.

Of course, nothing sinister or through shady methods. I simply asked our men about their reputation.

Nationally recognized adventurers were often talked about in this world.

And their reputation, based on what I heard, wasn’t too bad.

They weren’t rude, nor were they incompetent.

And the biggest advantage seemed to be that there was no discord among the party members. Everyone agreed on that point.

They didn’t seem particularly close, but at least they didn’t fight, either. It was the ideal business relationship.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Right, that’s what it was supposed to be…

The moment I opened the carriage door, a wave of coldness washed over me.

At first glance, there was no evidence of direct conflict.

None of them were scowling, and Clara was even smiling.

But from the gazes solely directed at me, I felt their strong resolve to ignore each other.

As if they were trying to convince themselves that there was no one else in the carriage but me and them.

“It’s cold outside, why are you just standing there? Come in and have a seat.”

For a moment, I was seized by the urge to run away, but Clara’s smile stopped me in my tracks.

Awkwardly, I closed the carriage door and stepped inside.

And then, I was faced with a serious problem.

…Where do I sit?

As expected of the hero party, their carriage was spacious and cozy. There was a magic tool in the center that served as a heater, and surrounding it on three sides were bench-shaped seats.

And the three women were sitting on different seats, needless to say, the spaces next to them were noticeably empty.

I had a feeling that the already chilly air would get even colder no matter where I sat. I had no idea why.

Fortunately, I quickly came up with a solution.

Holding onto the handle by the door, I simply stood there and said,

“I heard you called for me. Is there something you need…?”

“…Isn’t it uncomfortable standing like that? Why don’t you sit down?”

“I have to leave soon. There’s a problem with the new recruits…”

It’s a lie, of course.

But they seemed to accept it, albeit reluctantly.

“So, what did you need…?”

“We wanted to discuss the schedule moving forward.”

Amy rummaged through her pockets and took out a letter, handing it to me. I finally put aside my useless thoughts and took the letter to read it.

The letter was from the client’s client, the high-ranking official.

Unsurprisingly, the letter began with excuses.

He had suspected that there were people after the cargo, but since the matter was handled secretly, he had thought there would be no problem.

It was complete nonsense, but that’s how high-ranking officials always are.

I skimmed over that part, thinking I’d be able to squeeze out some more reward money.

And then the letter went on to say that since we were in such a dangerous situation, we needed to hurry up with the delivery.

The last sentence of the letter was to not worry about the budget, just ensure the delivery is completed safely.

I folded the letter and returned it to Amy. She tucked it back into her clothes and asked,

“…With that said, we wanted to ask if there’s any way to arrive earlier than planned.”

I gathered my thoughts for a moment. Then I said firmly,

“I understand your urgency, but it’s impossible.”

In the first place, one of the conditions of the initial request was a fast delivery. That meant the current route was already the fastest and safest.

“Of course, there are ways to arrive in Axolotl earlier than planned, but it would be very difficult to take those routes.”

“We’ve increased the number of escorts, so what’s the problem?”

“It’s not the attacks that are the problem, it’s the roads themselves.”

Shortcuts are generally rough and narrow.

If we try to pass through those roads with this many people, it would take even longer.

And we can’t reduce the number of people, because that would increase the risk of being attacked.

I carefully explained these points to Amy. When I finished my explanation, she thought for a moment before speaking,

“I see. I’ll send a carrier pigeon to the client, informing him that we can’t shorten the schedule any further.”

I couldn’t help but be surprised by her response.

In my experience, this was usually when the client would throw a tantrum.

It was common knowledge in this world that soothing and calming down such clients was also part of the job.

Is this what it means to be a nationally recognized adventurer?.

“By the way, Rem, have you eaten breakfast yet?”

I was thinking that government officials were the best after all when…

I looked at Clara in surprise.

“Ah, no… I haven’t eaten yet.”

“’Haven’t eaten yet’? Rem, didn’t we agree that you’d stop speaking formally to me?”

At that moment, it was as if an early winter chill filled the carriage.

A wave of hostility washed over me, even though it wasn’t directed at me.

“Clara, we’re still on duty. Refrain from casual speech.”

The hero’s voice was cold and firm. But Clara simply smirked.

“Didn’t we just finish talking business? And what do you mean by ‘casual speech’?”

Clara smiled brightly at me.

“I’m just asking a long-lost friend to have a meal with me.”

*Clench-*

The sound of molars grinding together was clear.

But unlike what I had expected, it wasn’t Amy, but Parsley, who had made the sound.

“Clara, are you deaf? Did you not hear what I said earlier?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I…!”

Parsley opened her mouth, but then suddenly closed it when she saw me.

What? Why is she looking at me like that?

“I’m sorry, but I really don’t understand.”

Clara narrowed her eyes, looking at Amy and Parsley in turn, her lips twisted into a cold, contemptuous smile.

“Why are you all acting so hostile just because I asked him to eat with us? Are you his girlfriends or something?”

And then, a heavy silence fell over the carriage.

It was as if each strand of air had become a fuse.

“…”

And I, the outsider, felt like I was bleeding out with each passing second.

What the hell, guys?

Weren’t you on good terms with each other?

Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?

“Big bro!”

Fortunately, God was merciful to me, this time at least.

I heard Feya’s voice from outside the carriage. I grabbed the door handle, ready to make my escape.

“I’m sorry, it seems something has come up. I’ll be on my way…!”

“Wait…!”

Ignoring the hand that reached out to stop me, I stepped outside. As soon as I did, a sigh of relief escaped my lips.

“Whew…”

“…Did something happen inside?”

Feya asked with an anxious expression, I waved my hand dismissively.

“It’s none of your business. So what’s up?”

“Ah, well…”

Feya’s expression darkened, and her voice trailed off.

At the same time, I could faintly hear shouts of “Halt!” from up ahead.

Feeling a sense of foreboding, I headed towards the front of the carriage line.

And there, blocking our path, were dozens of fallen trees.

“Shit…”

***

Crouching down, I examined the fallen trees.

The cut surfaces were black, not the healthy reddish-brown they should be. When I touched them, they were damp, as if they had been left out in the rain for months.

They rotted the trunks of the trees with some sort of magic before toppling them.

And as far as I know, the only ones who use that kind of magic were those bastards.

“Those damn cultists…”

Straightening up with a sigh, I saw Big-nosed guy approaching. I dusted off my hands and asked him,

“What did the villagers nearby say?”

“…They said they heard a loud noise two days ago, and when they came to see what it was, they found the trees like this.”

Two days ago…

When we left the city.

…Meaning they’re tracking our movements.

Gritting my teeth, I looked at Feya and the others who were clearing away the trees.

They were making good progress, but the autumn sky was already turning red.

We could clear everything away by tonight if we made the men work through the night, but…

I thought about why the necromancers had blocked the road with the trees.

Was it to buy time to set up a trap, or…

…To lure us into a trap that was already set?

If it was the former, then pushing on would be the right thing to do, but if it was the latter, then it would be a different story.

“Should we prepare to work through the night?”

Big-nosed guy asked, looking at me. I thought for a moment and then asked,

“What was the nearest village from here again?”

“It’s called Isphentain.”

“What’s it like?”

“Just your typical backwater village. No bad rumors, no notable stories, just a boring place.”

I sensed something strange in his words and asked back,

“You sound like you know it pretty well.”

“Ah, one of the new recruits is from that village.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“…Who?”

“That one over there.”

Following his finger, I saw a young man who looked to be about my age.

I stroked my chin and then raised my voice.

“Hey! You!”

“Y-Yes…!”

“Come here.”

He shuffled nervously over to me.

“You said you’re from Isphentain?”

“Yes, sir…”

“Does the village have any defensive facilities?”

“What do you mean…?”

…This is why I don’t deal with new recruits.

“I’m asking if the village has walls. Walls.”

“Ah, yes…! I believe they built some last year. Chopped down some logs and…”

“A vigilante… No, I mean, do they have guys who set up to defend the village?”

“Yes… About sixteen…”

I grimaced.

I really hate being manipulated like this…

It’s all because of the Captain who took on another crazy request.

Sighing, I said to Big-nosed guy,

“Tell the men to turn the carriages around.”

***

So, we turned around and headed for Isphentain village.

The forest at night is the perfect place for an ambush. I couldn’t ignore the possibility of the necromancers attacking us while we were clearing the trees.

Fortunately, the hero party didn’t object to my decision.

As for the Captain… well, she rarely objected to my decisions.

We set up camp on a hill not far from the village, a location where we could see all around us, preventing a surprise attack.

Getting the village chief’s permission wasn’t difficult. He was also having a hard time dealing with the fallen trees.

He even welcomed us warmly and offered to give us food. I declined, just in case.

And now, as the camp was set up and night had fallen…

I was walking around the perimeter, lost in thought.

Many things were on my mind.

The traps that the necromancers might have set up.

The reason the necromancers were targeting the cargo.

The spy whose existence I still couldn’t confirm.

The hero party’s discord.

Their inexplicable kindness.

Their lies.

…And my lies.

I shook my head, trying to erase all thoughts of the hero party from my mind.

Work comes first.

As I walked on, forcing myself to think about the necromancers…

I found that I wasn’t the only one who was wandering around on this thoughtful night.

A woman was walking with quick steps, her hand pressed against her temple, sometimes running her hand through her hair.

It was Irene, the hero party’s porter.

I hesitated for a moment before cautiously approaching her.

She was so deep in thought that she didn’t notice me until I was right next to her.

“…Who…”

“Ms. Irene?”

“…!”

She jumped up, startled. She stared at me as if she had seen a ghost.

“…Mr. Rem? What are you doing here at this hour…?”

“What are *you* doing out here in the middle of the night, Ms. Irene? It’s dangerous. Go back to the camp.”

Now that it was almost certain that the necromancers were up to something, it wasn’t a situation where non-combatants should be wandering around.

“…”

But it seemed that she wasn’t going to listen to me.

She stared at me intently, then pressed her fingers against her palm, as if she were calculating something.

“Mr. Rem, the contents of the request include protecting the members of the hero party, as well as the cargo, right? Am I correct?”

“Yes, you are. And that’s why I’m telling you that you shouldn’t be wandering around.”

Irene’s expression became clouded with thought once more. But this time, it was a different kind of contemplation.

If her previous thoughts were on whether or not to do it, this time, it was as if she was thinking about how to do it…

“Mr. Rem, I need to go out for a while. Would it be alright if I requested a personal escort?”

Damn it, my thoughts weren’t baseless after all.

“…Where are you going?”

“I’m going for a little hike.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“At this hour?”

“Hiking at night is my hobby.”

She said with so much confidence.

Swallowing down a sigh, I said,

“Does it have to be today? You could go hiking tomorrow…”

“I have to do it today.”

Suddenly, Irene stepped closer to me, her large eyes fixed on me. Then, she blushed and awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck.

“W-Well, this mountain, It’s just to my liking, you know…?”

It was a lie so obvious that no one would believe it. I couldn’t just let it slide.

But I remembered what I had just seen in her eyes.

It was the desperation of someone who knew something.

Or rather, the desperation of someone who had something at stake.

Like their life, or their money.

Could she be the one leaking information to the necromancers?

I thought it was absurd, but at the same time, I couldn’t deny that the timing and situation were too perfect.

She might be the porter, but she seemed to be the one in charge of the hero party’s affairs.

Naturally, she would know exactly when and how the cargo would be transported.

Actually, there was no doubt that she knew. I was the one who handed her the information.

Then it wouldn’t have been difficult for her to leak it.

And most importantly, asking for an escort at this point in time?

Lure some of the forces away and defeat them, then attack the base when they’re short-handed.

That was one way to deal with an enemy who had the advantage of terrain.

…This was all too convenient.

I went over the possibilities in my head, and came to a conclusion.

“Alright.”

I couldn’t be sure, but that’s why it was worth checking out.

“What?”

Irene’s eyes widened, as if she hadn’t expected me to agree.

“I’ll escort you as you requested. But…”

I said firmly,

“I’ll be going alone.”

“What?”

Her eyes widened even further. She couldn’t hide her surprise.

“But… what if we get attacked by the necromancers on our way…”

“That’s why I’m going alone. We can’t take too many people with us.”

Big-nosed guy might have said nonsense about me being the pillar of the mercenary group, but I’m not that important.

The group would manage somehow, even without me.

Especially during battles.

More importantly, right now, it was more important to confirm the existence of the spy and figure out the enemy’s intentions.

Of course, there was a chance that she just liked hiking at night, but…

Well, if that’s the case, then we can just come back to the camp and go back to sleep. Don’t overthink it.

If things go wrong, it’ll just be me and her who die.

“But…”

“I’m more than capable of protecting one person.”

“But at least one more…”

I firmly shook my head.

“If you’re really that scared, then let’s call it off. I can’t allow the dispatch of any more men.”

And with that, I crossed my arms, expressing my firm resolve.

Irene’s face was clouded with hesitation. She pressed her fingers against her temples and ran a hand through her hair, making it clear how conflicted she was.

And then, finally…

“…Alright.”

She nodded reluctantly.

Everything went smoothly after that.

I got my weapons and magic tools, and Irene followed me, clutching her subspace pocket with a grim look on her face.

And when we reached the barricade, I saw a familiar head of hair and called out his name,

“Pointy ears!”

“My name is Shareek… *Sigh*… What is it, Vice-Captain?”

The elf who was on watch duty sighed. I held up my lantern.

“I’m going up the mountain for a bit. The password’s still the same, right?”

“It is, but… You’re going up the mountain now?”

“Yeah, our client wanted to get some fresh night air.”

The elf’s face contorted.

“Weren’t you the one who said to tighten security because something might happen tonight?”

“Yeah, I was.”

The elf blinked a few times and rubbed his head in exasperation.

“Doing something strange again…”

And then, he added an unnecessary comment,

“If you’re going to do something crazy, please, for God’s sake, at least take that barbarian woman with you.”

“It’s not crazy, and Feya isn’t a barbarian. And why are you trying to wake her up for no reason?”

I added irritably.

“Anyway, I’m going out, so keep that in mind. Don’t tell the Captain or Feya.”

“…Fine.”

And with that, I headed towards the mountain, leading Irene, who looked tense.