The walls are bathed in the sunset.
I was overwhelmed by the bustle outside.
Kalmar, a city on the way to Alvis.
There’s cluster of shops outside the walls – the “outer market”. It was indeed another city. Stalls lined up in rows. Delicious smells come from all over the place. The sound of meat and fish being grilled seemed to remind me of my appetite all at once after a long day of traveling.
I couldn’t help but look around.
Mia-san, who is walking in front of me, turned around.
“This way.”
It’s hard if I got lost. I slip through the crowd and chase after Mia-san’s hood.
After arriving at Kalmar, we parked the carriage in the square. Then me and Mia-san decided to walk outside for a bit, leaving Felix and the others on guard.
“Uhm……”
It makes me squirm around. We are heading to Alvis secretly, anyway. Felix-san had told me to avoid conspicuous behavior.
But my curiosity is beating.
With my hood on, here I am, exploring the outer city of Kalmar. It is not much different from the morning market in the Royal Capital.
It’s evening now.
“Oh, no one is going inside the walls. Even though it’s almost night…”
Mia-san slips through the crowd with her accustomed steps.
“Mm, that’s what a market outside the city is like.”
By buying ready-made soup and bread to take home, you won’t have to prepare dinner. Even consumable items that are expensive to buy before you leave will appeal to those about to depart.
The people who open shops here are all people who are looking for such an opportunity.
Mia-san bought one recommended item after another, such as skewers, bacon and bread with fillings. She decided on a store, negotiated the price, everything is fast.
“……I mean, you are just buying stuffs to eat, aren’t you?”
“Oops, how about you have one, too? The stuff here is good.”
Mia-san gave me a skewer.
She is grinning at me like a cat. This is probably her way to keep me quiet.
“You wouldn’t want to spend your first trip being canned in a carriage the whole time, would you?”
The smell of salty meat.
I wonder if Mia-san is trying to cheer me up.
I took advantage of a senior adventurer’s kindness. Alvis is still a long way off, so it might be too early to get nervous.
“Oh, it’s delicious……”
The meatballs melt in my mouth. After the saltiness, a slightly refreshing flavor kicks in. Maybe because of the chopped fruit in it. I quickly ate the whole skewer, then wiped my mouth.
“Wa….…”
The wind comes and the hood comes off.
I guess the wind is strong since the river is close?
I hurriedly put it back on and followed Mia-san.
“Uhm, aren’t you worried about monsters and stuff?”
“That….…”
Mia paused in her tracks and looked convinced.
“I see. You’ve never been outside the Royal Capital.”
“Yeah……”
“I’ve never heard of any monsters appearing between the Royal Capital and Kalmar. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to farm outside, right?”
“That’s….…”
Or so it seems.
I’m worried about bandits too, but I don’t think they’re going to attack a city full of adventurers like this.
That’s why it’s surprisingly safe outside the wall, I guess.
“Besides, one should always be ready.”
“……You mean about such risks?”
“Yeah. Since there are a lot of carriages passing by here, one can make more money outside than inside the walls. Those kinds of people who understand such risks are the ones who open shops here and live here for generations.”
Mia-san shrugged.
“And the rest…… For some reason, everyone trusts the seal of the god, Odis-sama. That’s how this country was protected for 1,000 years.”
We’re an exception—I guess.
“That’s right…… Isn’t it?”
In fact, I don’t think I thought about the mechanics of the dungeon or the dangers of the monsters while my father was around. I was convinced that with Odis-sama, everything would be fine.
As I was thinking so, I felt a presence on the right side of my body.
It may be due to the ability “Wild Heart”. I could hear the unnatural footsteps approaching me plus the heavy breathing.
“Tsu?”
I reflexively grabbed the hand that was extended to me.
The other party seemed to be startled.
“What are you—”
He threathend me, but I didn’t let go of his hand. Even I could tell.
He’s a thief. He’s a little taller than me, and he’s small for an adult. But his eyes are sharp, and he has a scar on the tip of his nose.
“Let go……”
His right hand was clearly trying to reach into my pocket. Especially in the right pocket of my jacket, containing the gold coin where the Gods stays.
I glared back at him.
“What do you want?”
“Tch.”
He swatted my hand away, but he caught the string connecting my coin purse to my jacket. The coin case pops out of my pocket, and I catch it in a hurry. The exposed gold coin shone in the setting sun.
The man’s eyes widen upon seeing the gold coin.
……Darn it!
Even in the poor parts of the Royal Capital, there were people who had these eyes.
“Hey, you!”
Mia-san approached us. The thief then flinched and clicked his tongue.
“Goodness…… what a lame string to wear!”
My cheeks went red.
“Wait.”
I shouted but the man quickly blended with the evening crowd.
Using God’s ability “Wild Heart”, I could hear the rough footsteps receding into the distance. But the sound suddenly became quieter.
“That guy……”
I think he probably has 『Bandit』and 『Scout』 skills.
He got a skill to hide himself.
“……You let your guard down. Are you okay?”
“Yes……”
“I’m sorry. I only thought I’d just go out to buy some groceries, but I’ve ended up causing unnecessary trouble.”
I shook my head at Mia-san, who apologized to me.
There are pickpockets everywhere, even in the Royal Capital, and I think it’s difficult for Mia-san to predict so much.
Suddenly, I remembered what my father had said.
――Adventurers savor their journey to the fullest.
It means “cherishing encounters,” but it’s also a warning.
On a journey, you never know what will happen. That’s why you have to savor the little things ―you need to chew well, chew and scrutinize.
“……N-no way, right?”
There was a slight stir and a sense of discomfort in my chest.
I feel like that guy is coming straight at me. It’s as if he had already decided on a target.
I adjusted my hoodie, which had shifted slightly. Maybe because of our argument, a bit of my hair was showing.
“……Let’s go back.”
“Mm, I’ll let Felix-san know exactly what happened.”
Looking up, the city walls cast longer and deeper shadows than before.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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