Chapter 8 - Volume 1

It was around the afternoon when the report on the ending of the abnormal outbreak of goblins and orcs has spread through the City of Wind.

At the same time, I and Berzelia decided to return to the City Of Stars.

During that time, Fang, who apparently has finished with guarding Princess Luna, came to see us off.

「If something happens please contact me, I will run to you right away. Or rather, I will visit you again, so until next time!」

Responding to him by waving our hands, I and Berzelia proceeded towards the southern gates of City of Winds.

After leaving the south gate it was necessary to pass through the woodlands in order to reach the City Of Stars.

And so at the south gate, they were selling various insect repellents, magic tools for avoiding beasts, and lunch boxes for eating along the way.

Also, even though the abnormal outbreak of goblins has ended, a few monsters still remained, so some people were offering their services as guards.

「Hey, buddy. How about hiring me for escort? I’ll make it cheap.」

And some came to promote themselves to me as well.

It was a stern-faced warrior-like man, carrying an axe.

「Escort?」

「Aye. Since you are carrying that transportation bag, you must be a carrier? Traveling with this beginner’s job is dangerous, and on top of it, you even have a woman with you. I don’t mind going along as your guard. How about the payment of 10,000 gold?」

「No, we have no need for that. Besides, for how close the City of Winds and the City Of Stars are, your price is too high.」

「Hey, don’t be like that. Even if it’s close it’s still dangerous. Traveling with non-combatant job… In addition, it’s beginner-tier. You know, a while ago a kid with low-tier job of《Merchant Apprentice》passed here on a carriage, all alone as well. Even if the abnormal outbreak has subsided I don’t think it’s a good idea.」

While faking a smile the warrior-like man makes sales talk. Indeed, what he said made sense and I even wouldn’t have minded hiring him if the distance was greater, but—

「Thank you for your advice. But I don’t need a guard after all. Sorry ’bout that.」

I politely refused his offer. Then—

*Phooey* 「Turning down my kindly offer. I don’t care what will happen to you or that slender girl, buddy…」

Saying such words the stern looking man went away.

The sudden change in attitude left me wondering if he is really suited for a job of a guard or doing business with people in the first place, and beside me, Berzelia let out a long sigh.

「Wow, the City of Winds has all kinds of people. Calling me a slender girl. …So I appear thin… I’m kinda shocked. Even though I train quite a lot since I want Master to rely on me.」

「Hey, don’t worry about that. I like the slender Berzelia. You look lovely.」

「O-oh, really?　Well, since Master says so, I’m fine with being slender.」

While having such conversation I shop near the south gate for a while and then enter the woodland highway.

The green trees weakened sunlight and from time to time a pleasant breeze was blowing through.

…It would be nice if we could return home just casually walking like this.

We weren’t in a rush to return and could eat lunch boxes on the way. As we were walking through the woodlands with such thoughts—

「Kyaaa!」

A scream came from ahead of us.

●

「Hahaha, hunting the guys that got careless just because the abnormal outbreak has ended feels really nice. 」

「Yeah. Yeah, this is a really good spot. Because it’s between the twin cities of Winds and Stars their drop their guards『It will be fine since it’s such a short distance』. Isn’t that right? Little lady《Merchant Apprentice》?」

The first thing I heard after arriving at the place from which the scream came, were hoarse male voices. And—

「Uh, uuuh…」

At a short distance from the woodland highway, one red-haired girl, crouched and all covered in dirt, was surrounded by several brawny men.

Next to her was a bleeding horse and a carriage, and the men surrounding them had blood on their swords. I guess those are—

「Bandits.」

「Seems so.」

Right when I and Berzelia made such an exchange out aloud, the bandits and the girl turned towards us. Furthermore—

「S-save… me…」

The girl with red hair reached out her hand towards us.

However, seeing that, one of the bandits broke out in loud laughter.

「Hahaha, sorry, little merchant lady. That guy has a beginner-tier job. I’d say it’s rather you with your low-tier job, who should be saving them.」

I remember that voice. Or rather, I remember that face as well.

「Huh? You. Ain’t you that warrior from the city, who wanted to escort us?」

Hearing me, the man with a stern looking face slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

「Haha, you’re right. It seems that you, my buddy《Transporter》, will have to learn about real life from me. If only you didn’t get stingy about the payment for escorting I might have guided you so you wouldn’t end up here.」

I see. So from the very beginning, he had no intention to escort anyone, and in fact, was a member of a gang.

「Boss, can we kill him?」

「Yea, it’s not like a carrier would have anything great on him, so I wanted at least to squeeze his money from him….Well, fine. At least some money will pop up. Since he has a fine woman with him and all. Go get him, guys. He might have only a pocket change, but what can you expect from a weak, weak, beginner’s job. It’s a bonus game.」

「Aye aye, Boss!」

Judging by their exchange, that warrior-like man appears to be their leader.

Looking at the bandits, who after nodding to his order were approaching us in silence, Berzelia quietly asked me, with a bit of anger was mixed in her voice—

「Hmm, they really pissed me off making fun of Master. Can I do it?」

「No, if I leave it to you right now, you won’t be able to restrain yourself and will turn it into a bloodbath, I will do it. It just happens that I wanted to experiment with my skills. With wrongdoers as the opponents, it won’t be a big deal l if I go a bit overboard. 」

「Experiment?」

Talking with Berzelia I thrust my hand into the transportation bag.

And then I pull out a single sword. It’s the long sword that I used as a dragon knight. Seeing that, the bandits laugh mockingly.

「Hey, don’t you have a good sword for a frail beginner.」

「Hehe, it’s wasted with your beginner’s job. We will have it!　We will earn it our《Bandit》’s way, carrier lad.」

With those words, the bandits run up to me.

So I assume a stance and reply.

「Indeed. Then, as《Carrier》I shall transport you to the city guards…!」

●

The leader of the bandits was smiling looking at the trembling girl in front of him.

To be more precise, looking at a work permit that was left in the carriage, with her real name written on it.

「Good, good. Today we got top quality goods, a relative of the big shot from the guild. Everything else is just pocket change, so it would be better to withdraw quickly. Right, Natalie Kaufmann-chan?」

The red-haired girl shook her body when the bandit’s leader said the name.

「Kaufmann, huh. That’s one name I often hear at the merchants guild. This smells like money, I’m quite happy.」

While shaking the girl called Natalie was glaring back at the bandit’s leader.

「I-it’s a waste of time. Neither my father nor grandfather would lift even a finger for my sake. There is no way they would allow such lowlife to take advantage of them.」

「That’s not for you to decide, missy. And calling us lowlifes is quite harsh. You know, we are very kind people. After all, we are regularly educating those with beginner and low tier jobs. If a beginner tries to go outside of town, he might go through a very painful experience, and then die…!」

「Hii…」

The bandit’s leader drew his swords as if trying to show off before Natalie. It was at that moment.

「Guaaa!」

A fellow bandit flew in front of the bandit’s leader.

And crashing into the tree fell to the ground.

「Huh…?」

「Oh dear, since it seems that you are giving me some kind advice, thank you, bandits. Though I think it would be better if you were to teach that in a classroom inside of the city.」

When the bandit’s leader looked in the direction which the man came flying from, there was《Carrier》with a long sword on his shoulder.

「You, what is that sword… What happened to the others…?」

「They are sleeping behind me.」

Several fallen bandits could be seen behind 《Carrier》.

No one was moving in the slightest.

「…You did all that in just a moment when I wasn’t looking…?! ——You bastard!」

The bandit’s leader attacks with the sword that he just pulled out. However—

「Too slow.」

The attack was blocked by the carrier’s sword.

And even more, it got completely repelled.

By a sword that beginner-tier《Carrier》held with one hand.

「W-what, is this power…! You have a transportation bag so you are a carrier, right?! Why are you so strong…?!」

「Well, there is this and that. That’s personal so please don’t pry into it….Well then, here starts the experiment.」

The carrier is approaching while talking.

The man who was supposed to have a beginner-tier job was approaching with a sword in his hand while giving off an abnormal pressure.

「J-just what are you…」

「I’m but a mere《Carrier》, but I will replicate a dragon knight’s skill right now, so I simply want you to play along. So, ——Take this【Dragon Bite]…!」

And right at that moment, an overwhelming pressure could be felt like the whole body was about to be crushed.

Involuntarily, the bandit’s leader backed away.

「As if there can be such a beginner—-—」

And when he blurted those words, he received a tremendous impact and lost consciousness.

●

After looking down on the completely unconscious bandits I take a look at my sword.

「For now, it seems that I can swing a sword at a reasonable speed.」

「You are right. Also… It looked like the sword was glowing at the end.」

「Well, I didn’t get that feeling like I’ve used the skill. I was wondering if the skill【Dragon bite]will activate if I call its name. But it ended up being a simple upward and downward swing.」

If the skill had activated, those two attacks would have hit the opponent simultaneously.

However, nothing of that sort happened, and the enemy was hit subsequently by normal upward and then downward swings.

In other words, the skills didn’t activate.

「I see. Then, I guess the light was my imagination…」

「Yes, I will look into it later.」

Well, I have no expectations.

I’m a carrier, so it’s only natural that I couldn’t do it.

Let’s count this as a win since I can do something resembling a dragon knight’s skill.

「…But was the public order around this area this bad?」

I passed through here a few months ago, and it wasn’t the place where bandits were allowed to do as they please. Precisely because it was so peaceful that travelers from the other countries frequented this place. As I was wondering—

「Ah, the hero of the holy sword mentioned it when he came back.『I’ve been chasing a band of petty and annoying bandits that fled the royal capital, but it seems that they settled in the woodlands of this area. During the last fight with goblins, I discovered what resembled their lair, I will have to hunt them down later, so perhaps I will request for Axel-san’s aid.』is what he said.」

「Ah, okay. So those are just some random bandits that decided to settle here. Or rather, couldn’t Fang just say it to me directly.」

This forested area is comfortable but has terrible visibility.

Most likely they chose it for the hideout because of it.

「However, I see. Being exposed as a holder of a beginner-tier job has its own problems. It’s my first time being targeted because I got underestimated.」

「Yeah. Reveal of a job can bring various annoyances.」

「That was a good lesson. And so, if those guys are really who Fang was looking for then it would be the best to hand them over to the city guards at the City of Winds, but how are we going to carry them?」

Just in case, I bound their limbs with a rope that I had prepared. However—

「How about dragging them by the rope just like this?」

「No, I’m against that.」

Dragging a bunch of people would be laborious and inconvenient.

And as I was thinking about some good method to carry them, I realized.

「That’s right… Let’s put there in here.」

I said widely opening the transportation bag.

「Eh, in the transportation bag?」

「Yea, there is no problem when I stick my arms in there, so I think that putting a body in there might be okay as well.」

I don’t feel any particular pressure putting my limbs into the transportation bag. It has already been tested.

So, probably, there won’t be any problem with putting them inside.

I don’t have proof. So first of all, I tried to test it by sticking them inside one by one and as a result—

「Nice, everyone went inside. Now we can carry them.」

「Whoa, it turned into something amazing.」

Bandits were sticking from the bag like in a flower bouquet.

Because I wasn’t sure if it’s possible to breathe inside I tried to put their upper halves outside and it turned like this.

I was impossible to move something in or out of the bag without my permission, so I could safely transport them with their limbs restrained. But in the first place, I hit them quite hard with the flat of the sword so for a while I think they won’t be able to wake up.

And when put in the transportation bag they can be easily carried around, so I can return to City of Winds just like this. If there is anything left to do—

「Hey, Merchant lady over there. Are you okay?」

「Eh…」

I called out to the merchant woman, who for a while was looking at us with a seemingly soulless expression.

「It seems that you went through a rather awful experience, were you injured?」

「A… N-no. I’m fine, I’ve only fallen from the carriage…」

With some difficulty, she answers to my words. For the time being, it seems that she at least got out of her dazed state.

「I see. It’s great that you weren’t injured. Now you probably will be able to reach the City Of Stars safely, but if you are scared you can also come back to the City of Winds with me and rearrange your stuff, what do you think? Let’s return for now.」

When asked, the merchant woman instantly shook her head vertically.

「Eh, Yes. I will go with your offer.」

「Nice, got it. Then, let’s restart.」

Thus I made U-turn back to the City of Winds in order to finish the side job of turning in the bandits that attacked us while bringing along a female merchant.