episode_0039

On the streets of my hometown, where I returned after a long time, I hope to have a busy time sharing many reunion greetings.

I was finally freed from the endless bondage of greetings.

“Wade, you have to play with me later!”

“Wade! Stop by the store before you go back!”

After speaking to the end and waving to those leaving, I finally returned to my group.

however… … .

““… … .””

… The way my companions looked at me was unusual.

I can’t express it exactly, but what should I say? It was a look in his eyes that showed signs of boredom.

“… What’s going on?”

I asked, feeling puzzled by his gaze.

Rachel, Ira, and Estelle did not respond in any particular way.

“Umm… It’s beyond your imagination.”

“Exceeds expectations.”

Alexis and Cedric also gave me similar looks and muttered something unintelligible.

Why on earth do these people do this?

That question was never resolved.

“It moves.”

I felt there was no need to solve it.

In the first place, I spent way more time here than I thought.

It’s my fault, but at this point I’ll have to go back to the mansion without even being able to look back properly.

With that in mind, I led my group, and only then did the proper exploration begin.

***

The tour of downtown Lakenwood, which started like that, did not get as bad a response as I expected.

Lakenwood was clearly a city that had nothing to see compared to other developed cities and could not be said to be flashy, but perhaps that was a good thing, and the group responded surprisingly well.

The fact that everyone in the group was from another country seemed to be quite effective.

It seemed like a culture that only existed here seemed fresh to them.

Now that exchanges between countries are active and travel has become easier due to the development of magic, it is now possible to easily encounter other countries’ cultures, but it is still impossible to know everything.

Anyway, the visit to Lakenwood went on successfully, and soon it was time to return to the mansion.

“Let’s go back first.”

Instead of getting into the carriage, I stopped at my seat.

“Wade, aren’t you going with me?”

“I have somewhere to stop by.”

I still have work to do here.

Well, it’s not urgent right now, but since it came out like this, I decided to deal with it.

I don’t know when I’ll come out to the downtown area again, and it’s not very efficient to leave the guests at the mansion and come out here on purpose.

““… … .””

However, the look in the group’s eyes was unusual.

It was a look of suspicion.

“… I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that.”

I don’t know what that suspicion is directed at, but I feel unfair.

It’s not like I’m going to do something that I can’t show to others.

“Then we can go together.”

Estelle spoke with narrowed eyes.

“Oh, that’s a bit… .”

“If there is nothing to hold you back, I think you can go together.”

… What you say is not wrong.

If there’s nothing to disturb, if it’s something truly honorable, it doesn’t matter whether other people are there or not.

And there is nothing that holds me back from what I am trying to do now.

but.

“… Anyway, I’ll be back for a bit.”

However, it wasn’t something worth revealing to the group, so I briefly said hello and walked away from the group.

I could feel the stinging gaze from behind the whole time, but fortunately no one was following me.

After confirming that, I walked down the downtown street and eventually entered the alley between the buildings.

I only passed one building, but the lively atmosphere I felt a moment ago disappeared in an instant.

Is that because something has actually changed, or is it simply because it is a place that doesn’t get much sunlight?

Without being able to come up with a clear answer to that question, I continued walking.

Into the alley.

Deeper into the back alleys.

The longer I walked and the further I went inside, the darker it became and the atmosphere became more and more subdued.

And at some point, people started to appear one by one, sitting on the side of the road or leaning against the wall.

At first glance, these people seem far from leading an exemplary and sincere life.

Even if it is a city ruled by Viscount Bluenoa, who has a great personality, and Lakenwood, which has a brighter atmosphere than other cities, there are bound to be people who turn away and there are shadows.

Most of the people seen here were like that.

Those who have been pushed out of the sunny side, or who have chosen to jump into the dark side.

Of course, the people who live in a place like this cannot be kind and gentle.

It’s not that I’m not, but many eyes are already flying towards me.

Some people openly roll their eyes, while others pretend not to notice and glance at me from the corner of their eyes.

And, perhaps, in those eyes, being young doesn’t feel very favorable.

However, rather than outright harsh feelings, most of what they show is likely to be wariness.

People in places like this are usually wary of outsiders, and I don’t exactly look like a resident here.

The good news is that we haven’t seen any direct quarrels yet.

Of course, there won’t be much trouble if such a guy shows up, but it will be that much of a bother, so it’s better for him not to show up if possible.

… hmm. by the way.

‘There are many faces I haven’t seen before.’

I have been away from Lakenwood for half a year.

Over the course of half a year, many unfamiliar faces appeared in this back alley.

I know the faces of my friends who live here, but most of the faces I see now are unfamiliar to me.

Well, that’s not strange.

These back alleys exist everywhere, and since they are not easily visible from the outside, they can easily be turned upside down by one incident or another.

An organization may disappear overnight due to losing a power struggle, or may move to another city.

Also, there are many cases where people change cities due to minor arrests.

So, it is not surprising that the number of new faces has increased.

Besides, most of the people who come out like this are worthless scoundrels.

If the ecosystem of the back alleys here in Lakenwood hadn’t changed at all, I would be able to handle my business without difficulty.

So, gathering my thoughts, I continued into the back alley and soon stopped in front of a shabby bar.

Although it doesn’t have a separate name, this is clearly a bar.

After standing outside for a moment and looking at the exterior of the bar, I soon went inside.

rattle─

The bell hanging on the door made a clear sound, announcing the guest’s arrival.

Although it is overall old, it seems like some attention was paid to the interior.

For a place in such a secluded area, it had the appearance of a bar.

“Welcome… What is it?”

Perhaps because he heard the bell, the clerk who was sitting at one of the tables reflexively tried to say hello, but stopped midway.

Then he looked at my face and then sighed.

“… Some kid came.”

“Tsk, tsk,” he clicked his tongue.

“Isn’t this the place for a brat like you? So, go out while you have good things to say?”

If there were a director looking for street gangster extras, the tone and behavior would be to clap their hands and cast them.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a guy like this for whom the word ‘asshole’ fits perfectly, so I was a little impressed.

of course.

“Where is the boss?”

That’s it, business is business.

“What? Sajaang? This bastard is going crazy. Hey, doesn’t this guy speak well so it seems like he’s saying it?”

The clerk frowned at my words and took each step closer to me.

“I tried to send it to you with a generous heart, but it didn’t work out.”

This was when the clerk rolled up his sleeves in an exaggerated motion and tried to extend his hand to me.

“What’s going on?”

A large middle-aged man walked out from inside the store.

“What on earth is going on to make this noise? woah… … .”

The man who was walking out with a calm expression suddenly looked at me and stopped talking.

To be precise, after making eye contact with me.

It was my first time seeing this face in a long time, but I just stared at the man without doing anything.

“Ah! president! it’s nothing! It’s just that a strange kid suddenly comes in… . The boss doesn’t have to worry! I’ll take care of it right away!”

The clerk, seeing the boss’s face, became determined to deal with me.

Perhaps, he was planning to get the job done and at least make a mark.

However.

“… Shut up and get crushed in the corner.”

“… Yes?”

What came out of the president’s mouth were different from what he expected.

“Know that if you say even one word, all your teeth will be pulled out.”

The boss glared at the clerk, making his already bad impression even worse, regardless of whether the store clerk reacted blankly or not.

“… … .”

Perhaps completely oblivious, the clerk covered his mouth with both hands and quietly backed away, with a questioning expression on his face.

I quietly looked at the clerk, then turned my gaze towards the boss.

“… … .”

The beast-like expression from before was gone, and the president had a nervous expression that could be recognized at a glance.

“… Wade.”

Then he called my name in a very intimidated manner.

“That… He came from another city while you were away. So I don’t know your face. uh… So, kinda… Can’t we just go easy on it?”

Seeing the president saying that while sweating profusely made me feel a little uncomfortable.

“If someone sees me, they’ll think I’m eating people.”

So I decided to lighten the mood a bit.

“If you don’t know the face, it could be like that. I understand.”

Smile and continue talking.

“So I’ll just skip it this time. People can make mistakes.”

“Thank you─”

“But, you know it doesn’t happen twice, right?”

“… … .”

The president, who was about to say something, immediately closed his mouth.

And the amount of sweat that had been flowing from before doubled.

… hmm. This should be enough.

These shadowy people need to be periodically injected with tension.

Otherwise, they will look down on you and do something pointless.

“Well, that’s okay. You know why I came, right?”

“… Of course.”

“Then guide me.”

The owner, who was looking at me with shaking eyes, soon turned around and started walking towards the back of the store.

I immediately followed him. Leaving the clerk still looking puzzled.

When I entered the store and passed the door, there was a room that felt like it was for the owner’s use only.

The president sat inside, on a chair behind the desk, and I sat on the chair across from him before the president suggested it.

“Phew… … .”

The president took a deep breath, placed his hands on the desk, and asked.

“Okay, what are you curious about today?”

Still, looking at the president whose eyes had changed from before, I opened my mouth.

“First, everything that happened in Lakenwood while I was away that was worth caring about.”

“That’s not difficult.”

Henson seemed to have anticipated what I was saying, nodded slightly and began to talk.

What happened at Lakenwood during the half year I was at the academy.

In fact, most of them were things that did not need much attention and could hardly be called incidents.

The owner of the general store on No. 3 Street suffered a serious back injury and his son took over, and the owner of the fruit shop near the square went to a new home.

Information is information, but its importance is infinitely low.

Well, I don’t know if it’s enough to be called an incident by the standards of this rural town.

Anyway, that’s all Henson was talking about.

Basically, little things that it doesn’t matter if you know, or even if you don’t.

But I wasn’t disappointed with it.

The fact that there are only small stories means that nothing special happened.

It is much better to maintain this calm atmosphere than to have confusion caused by clumsy changes.

“… I guess it’s roughly like this.”

Henson’s long story has finally come to an end.

To this, I quietly nodded without saying anything.

“… So, what’s next?”

Henson’s eyes sank.

As expected, even if I don’t know anything else, I’m quick to notice.

I realized that there was a separate main topic.

As Henson predicted, I didn’t just come to hear Lakenwood’s big stories.

I faced those heavy eyes and opened my mouth.

“Information on the situation on the front, trends in each country, and their suspicious movements, all.”

We need to prepare for a distorted future.