8 – 1. Footsteps of the Mule (8)

8.

It’s hot. I was squatting on the street in front of the inn. Beads of sweat dripping down your forehead to the tip of your chin are unpleasant. Will the wizard be free from this kind of weather? Suddenly, I imagined Janice spinning the wand round and round with an expressionless face, wrapping her body in magic similar to an air conditioner. Just imagining it makes my stomach hurt.

Of course, I know that I have no talent. It’s been quite a while since I settled down on this continent, but I still can’t recite a single spell. After the witch taught me herself, she nailed it like that, so she will probably continue to do so.

That doesn’t mean he’s good at swordsmanship like Gerald, or talented at martial arts like Mr. Monk. The best sword genius on the continent learned how to use a sword just by holding a broom. At least I’ve never had such a flash. I don’t know if it’s the trick of the carving knife.

Of course, since I did physical labor, my stamina has improved a little compared to when I lived in the mansion. But that’s all. To the subject who arbitrarily flew people to another world, not to mention a status window, and not even give them a special talent. I cursed something like a god whose existence I couldn’t even be sure of.

While I was thinking about other things, I started to hear rattling noises. Suddenly, I got up on my knees and waved at a wagon coming down the hill in the distance. The young man with severe freckles, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, narrowed his brows from a distance, and when he recognized my face, he pretended to vomit. Again, because it’s good and it’s like that.

“Long time no see, Isaac. Are you on your way to the city?”

“…… Ask what you know I’ll tell you in advance, I won’t accept any more requests for free rice straw. I mean, I was beaten to dust the other day when my father caught me stealing them in bundles.”

Isaac, the eldest son of a farmer with a wheat field over the hill, shook his head and complained. It’s not that expensive and it’s small. Isaac’s rice straw was perfect for making fodder. However, it was not something I could ask for right now. I don’t know if the fodder runs out.

“It’s not like that, so don’t worry.”

“Me, really? Then why…… ?”

I glanced over Isaac’s shoulder at the carriage bed. It is quite plausible to see the bunting with wheat stacked one on top of the other. Come to think of it, it’s harvest season now. Isaac’s wheat is popular with the bakers in town, and even that amount is sure to sell out. Of course, there will be a lot of offensive because you can’t fall behind other farms.

Isaac pulled the horse’s reins lightly to slow the carriage down, and at this point I quickly jumped on top of Isaac’s side. I put my arm around the guy’s astonished expression and pointed forward, and Isaac finally understood my intentions and sighed.

“It’s not free. 1 Copper.”

“What money is between us. Give me a ride, there’s not much difference in weight anyway.”

“Is it me? Time flies while I’m with you Get off if you’re not paying.”

Isaac was more resolute than he thought. But he couldn’t give up. It takes almost half a day to walk from village to city, but it takes less than half that by car. Why did I have to wait all the time on this street in the heat?

“If we don’t go together, will everything reach Celine?”

“…… !”

“You’d love to know that you still have her underwear that was blown away by the wind. I’ve been desperately looking for it for a while, and I’ll be very happy if the culprit is caught. Right?”

I whispered, and Isaac’s freckled cheeks instantly heated up. Who’s going to steal it I know that all the young people in this village are thinking of him and having fresh delusions, but to the person concerned, it’s just a pervert. I don’t know if anyone noticed, but since I caught him holding his underwear in his hand and making a sad expression in the backyard, Isaac’s future is already pledged.

With no one in particular listening, Isaac looked around desperately, then let out a sigh of relief and glared at me. Well, what are you going to do? I put strength on Isaac’s arm around his shoulder.

“Look in front of you, pretend to be friendly, pretend to be friendly. Depart.”

I can’t help it even if I look at you with a cowardly expression, my friend. What do you have to endure? Isaac chewed his lips and tugged at the horse’s reins. I was also hot, so I untied my arms around his shoulders. So we headed to the city with the sun burning our faces.

I rode the wagon, and it wasn’t long before I arrived at the city. A time that is insignificant for my steps. Under the arched bridge, a large signboard that says Eastside Harbor stands out. Eastside is said to be in the east, although the name is somewhat insincere, as it is the only port city in the northeast, the scale itself is quite large. Combined, Cornfield’s population would be less than one-fifth. After greeting the old guard, Isaac passed the checkpoint and stopped the wagon near the bakery. When he noticed, I shrugged his shoulders and jumped off the carriage. Widely!

“Thank you for the ride.”

“Don’t look for me when you go.”

“You don’t have to look for me. I think my business will end sooner. Can we go to the bakery?”

“…… Jin, again, you’re more like a devil than a devil. If you take a place in the castle later, you must not forget me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

At Isaac’s sarcastic remark, I gave a thumbs up and walked towards the dockside street. Dude, he’s nice and shy. I felt awkward on the hard stone floor that greeted me when I came to the city after walking only on the soft dirt floor. How long has it been since I’ve been to the city?

“We are selling skewers! Three big ones! Selling for six shillings!”

“Buy delicious cheese! 2 Coppers in one loaf! If you buy ten loaves, I’ll give it to you for 16 coppers!”

“Sturgeon is here! I came in yesterday as a chubby bastard!”

“Herring! 12 1 Copper! I’ll give you salt!”

A mixture of various noises, the loud voices of merchants resonate in my ears. The shops lined up facing the beach overflowed with vitality different from the faces of tired adventurers. Although the fish laid out on the board looked quite fresh, it wasn’t a very popular menu at an inn where ingredients had to be stored for a long time. There is no other place that sells dried ones.

The sea breeze tickled my face with a salty smell. The black hair falls behind the hook. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the city, so I need to stop by first before going to the inn. Of course, the chances of that happening are slim, but I have to hurry up and finish my business before Isaac pulls the wagon and runs away. I walked briskly.

Soon I arrived at a shabby shack. The kind of store that, in several places in the city, is nothing particularly special, with extras and newspapers stuck in front and wondering if they sell a shilling’s worth a day. A skinny boy who was staring blankly at the rippling sea with his chin resting on his chin, muttered indifferently when he found me.

“One copper.”

“I won’t buy it. Let’s just read the back side.”

“If you read both front and back sides of an eight-page newspaper every time, don’t you have to pay at least one out of four times?”

“Don’t you know what a preview service is?”

“Preview…… What?”

“Look at me. I didn’t even come to read an extra today.”

With that being said, I quickly pulled out this week’s and last week’s newspaper from the newsstand, leaned back and began to read. The boy just shook his head as if he was dumbfounded.

“Why are you only looking at the front? There are so many articles behind it.”

“The articles in the background are mostly trivial articles related to the royal family. News from other continents is written at the front if it’s a big deal, and it’s written at the back if it’s not a big deal. Wait, why am I telling you this?”

“You can’t even ask that much when you read it for free every time? Profit.”

As the boy waved his arm as if to snatch a newspaper from his hand, I reluctantly took a copper coin from my pocket and put it on the newsstand. I’ll keep this quiet until next time and the next time. I put the finished newspaper back. …… Again, there was no news about witches.

“Wow, do you like reading newspapers that much? It’s full of boring stories.”

“I don’t check because I like it too.”

The boy muttered with a childlike gaze. What if you say something like that while selling?

Well, I don’t think people will be able to understand. Who knows what it feels like to be under the pressure that, 365 days a year, a terrifying presence from across the continent could visit you at any time.

Actually, this much time has passed since you ran away from the mansion, so maybe you’ve really stopped paying attention to me? There were times when I thought…… There was nothing wrong with being careful. I’m thinking of running away as soon as possible.

“Oh, that’s right. Did you hear any news about a new inn around here?”

“Inn? Oh, you mean ‘Song of the Sirens’?”

The one-armed boy said his name unexpectedly straight away. The name of the store is grandiose. It seems that it was built near the sea, but it is much more sophisticated than the ‘Golden Mule’. So let’s change the sign in advance. I readily confessed.

“Yes. Barrel business is not working these days. Apparently, all urban adventurers go there. I have to be curious and bear it.”

“Well, he said he worked at an inn. I keep forgetting.”

“What dude?”

“It’s a compliment…… Well, it seems like it hasn’t been long since I opened the door, but now that I think about it, even adventurers ask for directions from time to time. They bought the entire government building, so it’s so big and nice.”

He shrugged his shoulders like it was someone else’s business. I expressed my doubts.

“Then isn’t it expensive? I don’t know if they’re earning well, but most of the adventurers are ephemera.”

“Well, I’ve never been there either…… “

After a while, the boy muttered to me as if he was telling me a secret with a sinister smile that was inappropriate for his age.

“The employees there are so pretty. They said that they wouldn’t bow down even compared to the women of the high-class sorcerers. When I raise money, sometime…….”

f*ck! I stopped listening and punched the boy in the crown. Ahh, screams erupt. A small thing is already kicking my feet.

“Why, why hit me!”

“If you have the money, stop by our inn. Stop imagining that being young is already useless.”

“Why do I have to leave my house and go all the way to Cornfield? Woo…….”

I shook my shoulders at the complaining guy. I don’t know how pretty she is, but even our employees won’t bow down to her beauty. If only I could temper that temper a bit.

I left the sales office and walked towards the inn. Let’s see how great it is with our own two eyes. And if there’s no other way…… I can’t help it, but I have no choice but to use a somewhat cowardly move like I’ve been doing until now.

I showed a sinister smile, and quickly relaxed my expression because a child on the way was startled and ran away. It was a bit unfair.

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