Chapter 94
Thanks for reading~
Right now, we are walking through the poor people's section. I think back to the man we met at the tavern yesterday, and it was quite a grand way to die. In my sleeve, I've prepared a needle smeared in the poison inside the dark cylinder, and it'll become a fatal wound if I just lightly stab someone. (TL Note: The poison inside the dark cylinder is the toy that he used last chapter)
It's good that I was able to test it out before using it in combat. The effects appear at approximately 40 minutes after used, and around 1 hour until they die. It's good for getting rid of someone without causing an uproar.
"I don't really want to come close to this area." (Setsuna)
Setsuna has a somewhat unpleasant look on her face. Well, it's close to the shop she was sold as a slave; she probably wouldn't be in a good mood.
"Please endure it. Today's most likely the last day that we'll come here." (Kearuga)
Once we finish this time's negotiations, I'm planning to leave Ra.n.a.litta. Since the Dioral Kingdom has dispatched a large amount of soldiers, this town is dangerous.
"Nevertheless, the town is quite noisy today." (Freya)
"Yeah because they're making a fuss about how a large amount of soldiers from the kingdom are going to be stationed here. And plus, there are a lot of them with wounds on their s.h.i.+ns, so of course they would be curious about it." (Kearuga)
The soldiers have already reached arrived here. Ra.n.a.litta is a town that develops accepting both good and bad people, so they don't quite welcome the soldiers from the kingdom.
I tightly grasp the badge of a kingdom soldier inside my pocket. It's what I stole from the fool who reached his hand out to my Setsuna yesterday.
As long as I have this, I can impersonate a kingdom soldier and gain information. Before leaving, I want to at least know the reason why they came here.
"That reminds me, when I went out this morning to buy our breakfast, I heard a rumor. It seems that the sword saint is coming to this town together with the soldiers." (Freya)
"What?" (Kearuga)
I unintentionally asked again. She's the first person I used【Recovery Heal】on in this world and she's also an opponent that I have a chance of losing against if I fight her head on. Even if I can【Imitation Heal】her abilities, I can't【Imitation Heal】her skills. My level also has not caught up yet. If I were to fight her from the front, my chances of winning are slim.
"I do want to meet her once. Apparently she's an incredibly beautiful woman." (Freya)
"I thought that the town was strangely making a racket, but to think the sword saint had come." (Kearuga)
As an individual, the sword saint is the Dioral Kingdom's strongest war force. So obviously, the sword saint wouldn't be dragged along for an ordinary matter. The moment she is called out, it means that it's quite an important matter. … It seems that it would be better to think that the imposter I left at the castle has been revealed.
"We are almost at the shop we always go to." (Freya)
What she means by the shop we always go to, is the coffee shop where we sell our potions to the merchant. We should reach it within 5 minutes from now.
"Honestly, it seems that annoying things are made to be piled up." (Kearuga)
Since before, abandonment, which I【Imitation Heal】from the sword saint, and my countless numbers of experiences have been ringing an alarm bell. At this timing huh.
"Freya, let's go back to get what we forgot." (Kearuga)
Although they were skillfully concealed, around the shop, there were various presences. If it weren't me, n.o.body would’ve noticed. It just means they were concealed to that extent.
The number of people is around 20 people. If I think about the number of them, it's easier than fighting the guys who attacked the ice wolf race, but this time, the situation is bad. I'm taking on a.s.sa.s.sins in this unorganized place which has many hiding spots while protecting Freya who is a magician. Even if I'm together with Setsuna, I'm doubtful if I can protect Freya.
"A forgotten item you say?" (Freya)
"It seems that I forgot the essential potions, so let's hurry back and retrieve them." (Kearuga)
I can't let the hidden people know that I've noticed them, so I'll quickly go out to the main street, and once I get there, we can escape in one go.
"So even Kearugsama has those moments." (Freya)
"Well, I'm a human too." (Kearuga)
"Yeah. Let's quickly go." (Setsuna)
It seems that Setsuna had also noticed. The ice wolf race's nose and ears are good, so they should be good at finding the hidden enemies. I pull Freya's hand to make her hurry.
There are no presences that chased after us who were returning to our original road. It would be good if they believed that we really were going back to pick up what we forgot.
"They're coming. Kearugsama!" (Setsuna)
Setsuna shouts, but there's no need for her to shout. Pulling my sword out, I repel the dagger of the a.s.sailant who was aiming for me from the rear.
Furthermore, I cut the neck artery of the enemy that had their balance destroyed. Blood spurts out.
Furthermore, another person who was on the opposite side of this guy in a blind spot attacks me. I turn my left hand towards the enemy; even if it's from a blind spot, the sword saint's【Abandonment】can sense all movements. From that left hand, a needle flies out from it, and stabs the enemy's chest. The man crumbles down.
Differing from the one with delayed effects that's prepared in my right hand, the left one is neurotoxin with immediate effects.
"Honestly, it seems I'm not that lucky considering I'm meeting robbers." (Kearuga)
Even though I was able to defeat two in the blink of an eye, there's no unrest in the enemy. We are surrounded by a group that has quietly erased their presence. This is a critical situation. The silence in this place increases.
How should I break the deadlock. While thinking about that, 2 men boldly appeared from the front. The merchant I'm
"Oh Kearugsama. I was worried since you never came to have our negotiation no matter how long I waited." (Merchant)
"I don't think I had names myself in front of you… Kuinta." (Kearuga)
Since we both knew it was a dangerous business, we both hadn't given each other our name.
Despite that, because he called me Kearuga, he is trying to say he knows everything about me. It's a threat from the merchant saying it's useless even if you run.
Therefore, I copied him. So that he would at least feel a bit of unease, I called the merchant by his name.
"… There's something on your back isn't there." (Merchant)
"Well, I wonder." (Kearuga)
If the enemy becomes afraid of me here, it'll be easier to move. I float a suggestive smile on my face.
"Merchant, how about you stop this farce. What's your reason for attacking me?" (Kearuga)
"I want you to tell me the recipe for the medicine. Although I was selling the medicine in secret, as I sell them, people find out where it's from. Since someone who wanted to increase the scope of this business had appeared for a joint investment, the amount you make has no longer become enough." (Merchant)
"Ah, so that's what it was. Since you are incompetent and sold it unskillfully, you're being killed huh. That guy who wanted to do a joint investment probably has a higher position and a.s.sets than you right? The people you used for this time's attack is him spoiling you it seems. You're quite a miserable man." (Kearuga)
The forced smile the merchant made got a crack in it for a moment. The merchant falling into a predicament after revealing the secret was already in my predictions. If other people know about this get rich quick scheme, they would definitely be attracted to it.
To continue earning, protecting the promise is an absolute requirement, but this merchant failed at it. It's a story which is as simple as that.
"… That's not correct. It's a strategy to make more earnings." (Merchant)
"Well, that's fine. Because of that, you hired these 22 pros, including the two that died right now. It's quite troublesome to capture me and make me reveal the secret of the medicine you know. So, it'll be fine if I make 20 corpses right now, no, including your escort, 21 people. It's a pain, but I've got no choice." (Kearuga)
Drawing my sword, I take a stance. The merchant spills cold sweat.
"Hahaha, you seem quite strong. However, while protecting those two hindrances, you won't be able to do anything." (Merchant)
Well, that's true. If I was by myself, beating them would be easy, but right now, Freya is here. And for Setsuna, taking on this much people is still hard. It's impossible to fight while protecting them, but what are they going to do about that.
"What are you misunderstanding? These guys are my tools; if they are dragging my feet, I'll cast them away. I will let these two die, and including you guys, I'll ma.s.sacre everyone. These two won't become my shackles." (Kearuga)
"Th- that's a bluff" (Merchant)
"Do you think it's a bluff?" (Kearuga)
The merchant looks at my eyes, and takes a step back. He must have noticed that I'm being serious.
Freya and Setsuna are both my convenient and hard to subst.i.tute possessions. I am attached to them, and I want to protect them. That being said, they won't get prioritized more than my life.
Particularly Freya is planned to die protecting me, and it's not much of a problem if that happens early. I look at the laughable merchant who thought these two were my weakness with a self-satisfied face.
The merchant lost his words, and it seems he's lost the chance for negotiation. He's finally noticed he's in a situation where he will die if he even makes one mistake.
"… Of course, I want to avoid having them broken over such a trivial thing. Very well, I'll teach you the method of making the medicine. How's this compromise, 500 gold coins. With that, I'll sell you the recipe. I'll compound the medicine right in front of you and I'll even teach you the ingredients. However, I have no way of teaching you the magic I used. As long as you know the finished product and the ingredients, a pro compounder should be able to reproduce it right?" (Kearuga)
Well to say the truth, even if he knew it, he wouldn't be able to do anything.
"… That will be fine. The condition is for you to make it right here." (Merchant)
He was baited. No, he wasn't able to decline. The merchant had noticed that I won't compromise any more than this, and if he did show more greed, he would die.
"First off, a wolfberry's leaf, holly olive bamboo and a cheetara's fruit." (Kearuga) (TL Note: Wolfberry and holly olive exists, but when I searched up チイタラ, it came up with a cheese brand… lol)
I bring out the potion ingredients from my bag. Medicinal plants, fruit from trees and mushrooms which you can all harvest from a nearby place, and nothing new.
Then, I perform the extraction of an active ingredient in front of his eyes. Since I had ordered the merchant to pa.s.s me the used ingredients, he pa.s.ses me the ingredients that have been used up one by one.
Finally, I put in "special water" from my flask and synthesis it with magic. Just before I pa.s.s the flask that has that special water inside, I stealthily use magic to change it into normal water. As long as they are not a magic specialist, it's impossible for them to see through my magic that was used to hide it.
After pa.s.sing the flask, the merchant hadn't realized the abnormality. He's an idiot. Even though the insides of that flask, the antibodies made inside my body are the most important ingredient. Without it, it's definitely impossible to reproduce that medicine.
"With this, It's complete. I've showed you the whole recipe, and I even gave you the ingredients needed for it. You should be satisfied with this." (Kearuga)
"Wait, that's only after we check if this medicine is the real thing." (Merchant)
It seems that there was an infected person with light symptoms of the strange disease. He confirmed the effects of it on him.
"Fuhahahaha, I did it, I've done it. All that's left is to give this medicine to a compounder, teach the ingredients and recipe and it'll be reproduced. What's up with, 'I use special ingredients you can't obtain in this country'. That's an outrageous lie." (Merchant)
He laughs. He continues to laugh.
"Ah, please earn as much as you want. But before that, the payment. You're a merchant as well, so don't tell a lie in a transaction." (Kearuga)
"Humph, I'll give you this loose change. After all, I'm going to get a large amount of money after this!!" (Merchant)
The merchant throws me a bag stuffed with gold coins and leaves while laughing loudly. The presences of the surrounding a.s.sa.s.sins also vanish.
"Kearugsama, I'm very sorry. Because of me, you had to sell the medicine's recipe to them." (Freya)
"Setsuna is also frustrated. Without being able to do anything. Setsuna is still very weak." (Setsuna)
The two of them are in low spirits, but I'm surprised. There's no anger towards me saying that I would abandon them. That wasn't acting, and I thought that was only normal from the bottom of my heart. Instead, it seems they regret dragging my feet down. That is the correct mindset of someone who is my property. From now on, I'll stay affectionate to them. I smile at the girls.
"Don't worry. I had originally said it didn't I? Today's the last day I'm going to make money from selling medicine. I haven't had any losses. Rather, getting 500 gold coins at the end is quite a lot of profit." (Kearuga)
From the start, I had planned to make this the last trade. The amount of potions I prepared was 30, so normally; I would have gotten 300 gold coins from selling each potion at 10 gold coins. And that became 500 gold coins, so from this time's trade, I earned 200 gold coins profit.
".. Even then, I'm frustrated. Those guys did terrible things to Kearugsama just to earn money." (Freya)
"That's not true. He is definitely going to get a huge loss, because recreating the medicine is impossible." (Kearuga)
The essential antibody made of my blood. I changed that at the end, and from the start…
"Because of Setsuna's request, I cured the water source, so it's been made to cure the strange disease instead. Miserably, the strange disease itself should be cleared up in around 10 days. It has already diminished, and even if they somehow miraculously reproduced the medicine, the medicine won't sell. He had a whole 500 gold coin loss." (Kearuga)
That merchant had shown his greed at the very last moment and failed. If he had just quietly bought the potions this time as well, he could have made a killing after selling everything by the time the strange disease settles down.
Besides, if the medicine can't be made, the joint investor will make him go through something terrible.
The appearance of him with a ghastly pale face comes to mind. I don't forgive those who try to steal from me. That's why, I ruined him.
"As expected of Kearugsama. I feel refreshed! Let's leave this town immediately." (Freya)
"Yup, I've had enough of these disputes. Setsuna approves." (Setsuna)
They became refreshed at the end, and we have no more tasks in this town left. It was the moment I thought that. Gooseb.u.mps rose all over my body. What is, this overwhelming feeling that feels like being stabbed by a sword. As if being stimulated by fear, I swing my sword. My sword collides with another sword.
"As expected, to think you could receive this"
"You are" (Kearuga)
A beautiful woman with silver hair, so lovely as if she was a fairy, and a woman who is like a pointed sword. The ident.i.ty of the woman who swung her sword faster than I did was…
"Your swordsmans.h.i.+p is undeniably, the Claylet's swordsmans.h.i.+p. Although I did hear about it, to think you really are a master. Well then, I'll have you teach me where you learnt that swordsmans.h.i.+p."
Sword saint Kureha Claylet. The world’s strongest swordsman. She is one of the few people who I currently can't beat one on one.