episode_0013

Alteon, the City of Trade

“Hmm…”

Something felt off. Two days had passed since they set out for Alteon. On the evening of the third day, the forest gave way to a rocky region, so they hastily set up a tent there. But something felt off. Normally, Aria would have eventually lost her patience and done something to Karina. When Aria made meat stew for dinner and handed it to him, Zeke unconsciously checked its smell. There was definitely no poison.

“Hmm…”

“What’s wrong, Zeke-nim?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“Ah! You’re tired of the meat stew! I’ll make you something else next time! Or now…”

“Oh, it’s fine. It’s not that I’m tired of it. I was just thinking about the path we’re currently on.”

“Ah… I see! Still, I’ll make you a different dish next time, so look forward to it!”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll eat well, Aria.”

“Ah… those words always make my heart flutter… It’s truly enchanting…!!”

“… Sis, your expression got scary again.”

Seeing Aria smile so wide her mouth seemed to split in enchantment, Karina was so dumbfounded she stopped eating her meat stew. How many times had Zeke seen this? “I’ve seen that that expression for five days, Karina…” Still, he decided to ask.

“Aria?”

“Yes, Zeke-nim?”

“Lately, you haven’t been complaining about Karina being with us… Is something going on? At first, you vehemently opposed it, saying it clearly wouldn’t work…”

“Hehehe… That’s only natural! This brooch you gave me, Zeke-nim! How could I possibly object again after receiving this? I even made a promise to you, Zeke-nim, so I swear I won’t forcibly separate Karina from us. Of course~ only until we reach Kartun!”

Is his brooch that effective? It seems the brooch he gave Aria is priceless to her. The brooch, made from a blue slime’s magic stone, was pinned in the center of Aria’s black priestess robe. She liked it enough to keep it close to her heart…

“Do you like the brooch?”

“Even if it weren’t a brooch, if it’s something you gave me, Zeke-nim, it’s everything!! And as a bonus, Zeke-nim’s hair too…”

“… I gave you a brooch, so don’t collect things like that…”

“But… everything of Zeke-nim’s…!!”

“Don’t…”

He’s afraid she might do something provocative behind his back next time. Well… it’s a relief that they’re peacefully heading to Alteon with Karina without any complaints. If the atmosphere had been like on the first day, it was clear neither he nor Karina would have endured.

“Brother, I’m going to the restroom for a bit.”

“Huh? Should I go with you? You’re scared of being alone…”

“It’s okay, Brother. I can go to the restroom by myself.”

“Really? Alright.”

The kid is brave. He thought she’d be timid because she was captured as a slave… He had encouraged Karina while traveling with her. But she managed to go to the restroom alone even without his encouragement. The problem was that every time he encouraged her, Aria would give him a look… Ah, so that’s why she wanted to go alone? Because of Aria…

“Phew… I hope we reach Kartun without any trouble…”

“Hehehe… I’m also hoping that time comes. Because then, only I will be by your side, Zeke-nim!!”

“… I knew it. Ugh… Anyway… there’s nothing much to record about this rocky region. I guess I’ll just record the climate conditions.”

“You mean we have to walk through this area for five more days?”

“Yeah. But once we pass through this region, the forest will return. And then we’ll arrive at Alteon, which is close to the sea.”

“Understood, Zeke-nim. But no matter what kind of terrain appears, I’ll be with you~”

“Th-that’s right.”

“Brother. Aren’t you cold? I’m a little cold…”

Ah, Karina is wearing slightly thin clothes. He was wearing warm clothes to prepare for the cold. Hmm… there should be spare clothes in his backpack… He could tailor them to fit Karina’s body…!!!

“Zeke-niiim?”

Not even this…? Aria gave him a look as if she knew exactly what he was going to do. Still, couldn’t he even give a poor child warm clothes? Huh? When he didn’t react, Aria sighed and took out his clothes from his backpack. Then she took out the tailoring solution he had made and began to alter his clothes.

“Aria? Do you know how to use that?”

“I understood how to use it by watching you use it last time, Zeke-nim.”

“… In one go?!”

“Yes. Here, it’s done. Wear this, Karina.”

“… Uh… thank you, Sis…”

Karina, too, seemed bewildered, unable to believe that Aria was giving her clothes, and took the garment. Frankly, I can’t believe it either, Karina… As Zeke found the situation unbelievable, Aria whispered to him.

“Isn’t this the best option since it’s not something Zeke-nim is giving directly? Hehe…”

“… Did you have to go that far?”

“Yes~ because your hands didn’t touch it, Zeke-nim! And since you won’t be bothered, how happy I am!”

… It wasn’t *that* much of a bother, but… still, it seemed Aria hadn’t just roughly tailored it, as the clothes fit Karina perfectly. Karina pulled the sleeves of the warm clothes and rubbed her face against them. It’s fortunate, though. There are still five days left, and they found out Karina was cold in advance. How did she endure it until now…?

“Alright. Let’s sleep here today, kids.”

“Yes! Only I can lie next to Zeke-nim…”

“But you’ve been sticking right next to Brother Zeke this whole time, Sis…”

“Hahahaha… Still, I have to say it every day so everyone knows, right?”

“… This sister is really too scary…”

Sigh… he was going to suffer again. They spent five more nights like this. When seven days had passed and it was lunchtime, they finally arrived at Alteon, the city of trade, which smelled of the sea! In Alteon’s harbor, many ships were anchored on the blue sea. Karina’s eyes sparkled with wonder as if she was seeing the sea for the first time.

“Wow… Brother! The river stretches endlessly!”

“That’s not a river, Karina. That’s the sea. Well… your hometown is a bit far from the sea. You wouldn’t know the sea… Ah.”

Wasn’t there one more person here who didn’t know the sea? Aria also seemed curious, staring intently at the sea with eyes even more sparkling than Karina’s. So, was he the only one here who knew about the sea…? He hadn’t actually seen the sea himself, living in Todrua, but he had heard stories. But did Aria not know about the sea?

“Aria, do you know anything about the sea?”

“No! There were only landlocked countries around where I was! This is my first time seeing the sea… Still… to my eyes, you are more beautiful than that shimmering sea, Zeke-nim…!!”

Yes… in your eyes, I suppose. Anyway, as expected of a city of trade… there are many people. Good! Let’s gather information… First, the library… No. Port cities have better sources of information than libraries.

“Kids, would you follow me for a moment?”

“Ah, yes!”

“Let’s go together, Brother! But where are we going?”

“Sea people have a good information network. That is…!!”

The Port Authority. If it’s a place that’s been around since the city was founded, there’s definitely an expert there…? Oh, wait. That old man?

“Ko… Kols Uncle!?”

“Hmph… who’s looking for trouble now… Huh? Zeke? Isn’t that Zeke?!”

Why is this man here?! Kols Uncle was a close friend of his father. Kols Uncle, originally from Todrua, had left, curious about the outside world just like him, and never returned… What a coincidence!

“Uncle, what are you doing here?!”

“Huh? I told your father well enough, didn’t I? Ah! Did I perhaps forget to explain again!?”

Just as expected… his nickname was “Forgetful.” He often forgot to speak, which earned him that nickname from the villagers. He heard from the uncle that he had previously told his father he would become a trade merchant. But he had forgotten that he had informed him…

“Hahahaha! I really am foolish. Is it because I’m 62 now? Ahahahaha!! I left the village when you were 18… so it’s understandable I wouldn’t recognize your voice. Huh? But the person next to you is…”

“Ah, her? She’s…”

“Oh… the Black Saintess of rumor! To think someone like her is traveling with you. You’ve risen in the world, Zeke! Wahahahaha!!”

“… Yes, that’s right… By the way, have you known Zeke-nim for a long time?!”

“Huh? That’s right.”

“Do you happen to have any old pictures of Zeke-nim…?”

“Uwaaaah! Stop it, Aria!!”

“Haa… haa… I’m dying of curiosity about what Zeke-nim looked like as a child…!!”

“… Zeke, was the Black Saintess like this? The rumors are different. They said she had a merciful and quiet personality…”

“… There are circumstances.”

“I see. Oh, you’re a beastkin? I know, because I’ve been to Kartun before.”

“Ah… hello…”

“The Kartun beastkin are in a very sensitive state right now… Hmm… but, Zeke. Have you finally set off on an expedition?”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“Right… then be careful in Kartun. The Kartun beastkin… humans are indiscriminately enslaving beastkin right now, so they’re very angry.”

“It’s… it’s okay! I, as a beastkin, will prove that Brother Zeke is a good person!”

“Any living creature that threatens Zeke-nim, I will all….”

“That’s enough, Aria. Uncle, don’t worry. I’ve even been to Boska, taking the risk.”

“Even Boska?! Wow… you’ve accomplished incredible things. Ah! So you want to know the history of Alteon too, right?”

“Uh, yes!”

“I’ll tell you before you leave! Come on, quickly, come inside the ship!”

“… A ship…? No… surely not this?!”

“Huh? Is something wrong?”

Uncle, what exactly have you been doing?! The ship next to him was incredibly huge, like a building placed on the water. His father would faint if he knew this… To think his sworn brother, Kols Uncle, had grown so much… Putting his surprise aside, they followed Kols Uncle into a room. Then the uncle served them fruit tea and spoke.

“Wow… to think that little kid you were would grow up like this… And to wield a greatsword! This uncle is impressed.”

“But Uncle, how did you get so…”

“It wasn’t easy at first. But I visited many places, selling and buying many goods. I have the skill of a trade master.”

“… Uncle, that’s amazing… The forgetful uncle who used to…”

“… That nickname… well, never mind! It’s fun, so it’s fine… Alright! I’ll tell you about Alteon! Get ready to record!”

“Ah, yes!”

He hastily took out his exploration notebook and pen, preparing to write down the uncle’s words. Then the uncle began to tell him about Alteon.

Alteon is the most famous city of trade in the Magrion region. It even helped in the construction of the Boyati stone walls. 3,100 years ago, the first Mayor of Alteon, contemplating trade using the sea, is said to have pioneered this land with many people. As a result, trade using the sea began to flourish as the Mayor had envisioned, and because it was not a country, there was freedom, so many people came to live there. In other words, Alteon has become a single city and a nation where many people gather. Alteon handles many items as merchandise and uses the Magrion region’s currency. It is also a place where magic stones from sea monsters are frequently found. The current Mayor operates Alteon to ensure there are no problems.

“Is this enough?”

“It’s enough! By the way, was Alteon’s history this deep? But ship trade…”

“Ah, that? There were many trials and errors. So the ships were completed about 1,450 years ago. They were a bit small, though. The Mayor entrusted future affairs to later generations. They say he died with a smiling face, as if to prove that his idea was absolutely correct.”

“So the Magrion region is a well-established area that has existed for about 3,000 years.”

“That’s right. It’s safe to say there are hardly any regions with a longer history than this one. Of course, the times when countries were founded are different for each.”

“Yes. Thank you very much, Uncle.”

“It was good for me to see your face again after so long, Zeke. Oh, did you know? The goods from the Todrua region. They’ve spread widely to other regions too. Who do you think did that?”

“Surely not…”

“Yes, it was me!”

… So, the Todrua goods were a huge hit, and the uncle achieved great success. However, the uncle’s skill is also excellent. His skill is recognized even in Todrua. He couldn’t forget the uncle’s appearance whenever he trained…

“Alright, Zeke! Do you need anything for your journey? I’ll give it to you for free as a special favor!”

“What?! Then Uncle…”

“It’s alright~ just seeing your face is enough for this uncle! Aren’t your father and I very close friends? I also remember taking care of you like my own child when you were young. Of course, I’m still a bachelor!! Nuhahahaha!!”

“Hehehe… But Zeke-nim won’t end up like that… because I love Zeke-nim!”

“Right, I know. I had a rough idea from earlier. Zeke, you’re amazing, aren’t you? You achieved what this uncle couldn’t.”

“… It’s a bit tough.”

“Nuhahahaha! I see. Wait a moment.”

It’s not a joke. It’s really tough… The uncle, who thought his words were a joke, laughed heartily and pulled back the curtain behind the room. Then, countless items behind the curtain became visible to them. What… why are there so many?! Fruits, tools… The uncle gave them food and even magic stones from among the items. A whole bundle of them…

“Even this much?!”

“Yeah. That much will put this uncle’s mind at ease.”

“Ah, then my records…”

“No, I’ll look at your exploration notebook later. So, Zeke! How about we make the repayment for these items seeing your completed exploration notebook!!”

… The uncle was like this even when he was in Todrua. With such a kind personality, he must have achieved great success in trade. Zeke firmly gripped the uncle’s outstretched hand and said.

“Alright, Uncle. Just you wait! I’ll definitely complete it!!”

“Nuhahahaha! I hope there’s a part 2 as well!”

Receiving the uncle’s gifts and farewell, they disembarked from the ship. Then the uncle started the ship and waved to them from the deck. Just like Uncle. He should tell his father too. That Kols Uncle was still the same. They took the gifts and headed to a restaurant. While they were eating fish dishes at the restaurant…

“Oh dear… I’m going to the restroom for a bit.”

“Yes, go ahead!”

“Come back, Brother!… As quickly as possible…!!”

“Alright, then…”

Karina, afraid of being alone with Aria, quietly told him to come back quickly. Haha… he’d better be quick. As he went to the restroom, only Aria and Karina remained at the table. The moment they were alone, Aria looked at Karina.

“Why… why, Sis?”

“Sis? Stop lying, won’t you?”

“What…?”

“You… you’re a woman, aren’t you?”

Karina was greatly flustered by Aria’s words. Then, swallowing hard, Karina said to Aria.

“What are you talking about…?”

“The reason you didn’t go to the restroom with Zeke-nim… is because you’re a woman, isn’t it? And I can tell by the smell, you know? You have a woman’s scent… you little thief-cat…”

“… So… so what?!”

“Zeke-nim truly dislikes lies, you know? What Zeke-nim dislikes… is the same as what I dislike…!!!”

“So what!! It’s not like I wanted to hide it!! But what am I supposed to do when everyone looks at me with contempt because I’m a woman!!”

“Puhuh… contempt? That’s not it…!! Everyone looked at you with eyes that said you were enough to be enslaved because you’re a beastkin…!!”

“Sh-shut up…!!”

“Hehe…? Huh?”

Aria sensed something and sprang to her feet. At that moment, Aria’s widely trembling eyes caught Karina’s gaze. Karina immediately understood why Aria was reacting this way, thanks to their seven days of travel together.

“Sis… did something happen to Brother Zeke…?”

“Zeke-nim…!!!”

Aria frantically rushed to the restroom. She then opened the restroom door, and seeing the empty interior, Aria slumped to the ground.

“Zeke-nim…??”

While Aria was despairing, realizing that Zeke had vanished somewhere, Zeke lay on the floor, tied with ropes, before the leader of some hideout. His mouth wasn’t covered, so he could speak, but…

“Ah, damn it… Kidnapped from the restroom… Are you even human!? You kidnap someone when they’re about to leave after doing their business?!”

“Hahaha! Finally caught you… you rascal!!!”