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Translator: Kazumi
Editor: Silavin
Since they were asked to escort the wagons, they decided to use said wagon for the ride to the capital.
The team consisted of three merchants, including the client, Kousuke and the others, and ten adventurers.
With such many members, and naturally, with the cargo of merchandise, the number of wagons needed for transportation was five.
One of the wagons, with only the adventurers on it, was situated behind the merchants.
“Oh no. I’ve been peddling for so many years, but I’ve never seen such a large group of people in a sinkhole convoy. I’m overjoyed we are this prepared.”
In the carriage that Kousuke was riding was Rein, the representative of this trading party.
The carriage that Kousuke and the others were riding in was not loaded with many goods. Even so, they were told that in the worst-case scenario, as long as this wagon alone could reach the capital, Their venture would not be in the red.
This was, after all, the main carriage.
Rein was acting as its watchdog, which Kousuke did not mind.
“It just so happened that the places we were heading towards coincides with each other. Besides, we didn’t have to prepare the carriage on our own.”
“I’m glad the timing was perfect for you to join us.” Rein laughed as he said this, his gaze locked with Kousuke’s.
At first, he glanced at Kouhi and Mitsuki’s faces, but once he realized that Kousuke was the center of the party, he switched his focus to speaking with him.
Being a high-ranked adventurer, Kousuke could see the merchant’s typical desire to have as many connections as possible. This was a much more agreeable response than being too focused on Kouhi and Mitsuki – to the point where one would forget to do their primary job.
Rein was only in his mid-twenties, but he still exuded the air of an accomplished merchant. He was a man who never ran out of things to talk about during a long trip, and it was evident that he had been traveling from place to place.
Rein’s stories were a valuable source of information for Kousuke and his group.
It was always a great discovery to hear firsthand information from firsthand experience, rather than reading from books or other sources.
Rein, perhaps sensing that Kousuke and the others were eager to hear such stories, seemed to be enjoying the conversation as well.
He was not so much a merchant, just that he was a person who by nature likes to talk about such things.
It was the third day of their first trip to the capital.
Kousuke and Rein were in the middle of a cart full of goods.
Kouhi and Mitsuki were acting as carriage attendants.
Noticing Nana’s reaction, Kousuke interrupted Rein by raising his right hand.
Rein, who had already had a similar experience several times, immediately sensed it and stopped speaking.
“Mitsuki, have you noticed?” Kousuke spoke to Mitsuki, who was now not holding on to the reins.
“Hmm… it was still in a place where I could not detect. As expected of Nana.”
She looked around for a while, but then shook her head and came back with that answer. It appears that monsters still far better senses than Mitsuki’s search ability could not sense it.
“I see. Then it might pass by without noticing us. Just in case, be on lookout.”
“Yes, I will.”
Nana’s keen perception allowed her to cover a much larger area. Therefore, it was often the case that the other monster would pass by without noticing them, while she had already noticed them.
Rein left any questions he had in his mind unanswered.
Of course, this was partly because he believed in Kousuke and his team’s abilities, but for Rein, it was all right as long as his goods were safe, regardless of whether the conversation was a lie or the truth.
As long as monsters did not attack, that was all that mattered.
They had not yet been attacked once by monsters on their way.
Even though it was a relatively safe road to the capital, such a thing would have been impossible under normal circumstances.
Kousuke and his group are doing everything possible to create said results.
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“Kou, looks like it’s not just passing by. It has noticed us, and it seems like it’s heading towards us.”
About five minutes after Nana noticed, Mitsuki said to Kousuke after confirming the situation.
“I see. Hmmm… I guess we don’t have a choice… Nana, go.”
Kousuke called out to Nana, who was at his feet, and Nana joyfully stepped out of the wagon.
The wagon was in the midst of moving, but she did not feel it at all and easily got off the ground, heading for her destination in no time.
Normally, if all she had to do was drive away the monsters, most of them would go away if Nana just intimidated them. However, if she did that this time, the horse pulling the cargo would be rendered useless for a while.
This would be a complete disaster and outside their original plan, so Nana went out of her way to eliminate the monster.
Nana was also uncomfortable in the cramped space of the wagon, and when Kousuke gave her the order to take down the horses, she joyfully left.
The wagons following behind her, perhaps knowing that Nana was doing something, they did not interfere with her as she jumped off the wagon.
Thanks to Nana’s presence, the trading party has yet to be attacked by a monster.
Even after Nana was gone, the wagons continued to move without concern.
The reason was that Nana could catch up with them immediately without having to stop them.
This time, too, Nana returned with the monster firmly in ‘hand’.
…Well, firmly in her mouth.
It had even been drained of blood, something a wild beast would not have bothered to do.
Nana had learned to bleed her prey after being warned by the women for bringing it into the Management Floor without having it drained.
Thanks to this, the wagons were not bloodied.
When Rein saw this, he was astonished and said, “How clever is she?”.
Rein, however, did expect this level of ability from Kousuke and the others due to their rank, so he let it be.
It was definitely thanks to Rein that this trip was so comfortable.
“Oh. Is that a Mitra bird? You must have nabbed a good one.”
Rein said this when he saw Nana happily taking a bite of one of the birds.
“Is it well known?”
“Yes. They are fast and smart, and very difficult to kill. The meat sells for quite a high price. It is a luxury item.”
“I see…Nana, I won’t take it away from you, so don’t look at me like that.” Kousuke said to Nana, who turned her head to look at him after hearing their conversation.
Hearing that, Rein also laughed and replied.
“That’s right. I would never do such a thing to a guardian protecting this trading company.”
He smiled, but there was seriousness in his voice. To Rein, Nana may be just like a guardian goddess.
Perhaps reassured by Kousuke and Rein’s words, Nana started biting into the Mithra bird again.
She was not eating vigorously, but slowly, so Rein thought that she was enjoying the crunchiness of the bird.
While watching Nana, Kousuke and Rein were again chatting in the wagon.
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