Chapter 370: The Empire is very strong 2

「Is it an expedition again…?」(Mile)

「Well, this time is not so long, it’s just a “longer escort request”.

It’s common to have monthly escort request」(Pauline)

Pauline tries to calms down the upsetting Mile on the way back to the inn.

「Well, yes, but …

But it was as if he was waiting for us to come back …」(Mile)

「No, in fact, he was waiting for us」(Maevis)

「Eh?」(Mile)

Mile is surprised with Maevis’ judgment

「No, if we didn’t return after waiting a while, I guess he would have asked another party.

Still, I suppose he preferred to have us doing this as much as possible.

And since we came back within the allowable period, he was waiting for our rest period to end.

And our rest period is much shorter than a typical party, so he doesn’t mind waiting a little longer.

I guess he has been waiting until the Goddess’ Servant left…」(Maevis)

Normally, there is no guild master who cares so much about a C rank party.

But as Maevis says, it’s a pretty special treat.

「I wonder……」(Rena)

Rena was skeptical, but whatever the fact, the result was the same.

The guild master shuffles the request into “Red Oath”

And “Red Oath” received it.

It was just that.

「Yeah, go on a trip again?

You’re just back, onee-san-tachi!」(Reni-chan)

(T.N: tachi is the plural form, just like “s” or “es” in English)

Reni-chan looks appalled.

「No, this time it’s not about traveling.

It’s just an ordinary hunter’s job just to escort a small corps for a “go and return trip”」(Maevis)

Rei-chan is silent on Maevis.

Reni-chan talks to the other three Mile’s trio rather strong,

But for some reason, with Maevis, she doesn’t.

「When Reni-chan is waiting for us,

We will have a will to come back alive to your side!」(Maevis)

「Wha… WHA!」(Reni-chan)

Reni-chan blushes and runs away towards the kitchen.

「You…」(Rena)

「Eh, what?」(Maevis)

Rena is somewhat angry with a tired face.

Maevis looks confused, not understanding the meaning of Rena’s reaction.

…Girl (hoi~ hoi~) magnet/killer is fearsome!

Even the girls told Reni-chan it’s an escort request, a journey is still a journey.

Even they won’t do much, it will be almost a month’s journey since they will stay in each place for a while.

For “Red Oath”, it doesn’t matter how many days it takes, as preparation for the journey is not relevant.

After all, all the luggage, a huge amount of food, drinking water (they can create magically each time, but they are prepared for the time being), all daily necessities are stored in Mile’s “Storage”, “Red Oath” has no concept of “preparing for travel”, “packing”, “preparing necessary items”, etc.

(…This is dangerous.

I can’t imagine a hunter life without Mile anymore …) (Rena)

Rena has repeatedly warned herself to remember the hunter’s life without Mile, but she can no longer imagine traveling without “storage”.

Even Rena is like this.

Maevis and Pauline, who know only about “training without Mile”, which is when Mile he was away on vacation or hunting without Mile, so they only have little sense of crisis.

They seem to think of the inconvenience at that time to be such a “good experience” that an urban child enjoys an inconvenient life in a camp.

Perhaps the two, who have never lost friends, think that this life of the four of them will last forever as long as they continue their hunter lives.

Unlike Rena, she knows that this is not possible…

(Ah, I can’t live without the convenient storage magic anymore~eeeeeee!!) (Rena)

Yes, the magic of magic, “Storage” magic.

…… Of course, normal storage magic is different from Mile’s “Nano-chan’s storage magic”

Things inside are not degraded over time,

Can store tents, bathrooms, dragons’ materials, etc. I mean it isn’t necessarily infinitely large, but…

＊ ＊ ＊

Two days later.

「We are the merchant client」(Self-proclaimed Merchant)

“Red Oath” meets 3 of “self-proclaimed merchants”

They are around 30 years old, around 40 years old, and in the late forties,

They are thin and lean, they don’t look very healthy.

If they are ordinary merchants, they won’t say “merchant client” in their self-introduction.

Ordinarily, they would say, “We are the client.”

There is no need to add “I’m a merchant” from the appearance and the request.

That’s why they won’t say that.

…they are not really merchants, maybe.

Of course, they have heard the situation from the Guild Master’s explanation beforehand, but there’s still more.

The request was to escort three wagons for a “go and return trip” to the Imperial City via the Alban Empire’s main highway, around the Empire,

“Red Oath” and all the “clients” confirmed the outline of the route.

The schedule was tentative, the route and the city to visit would change depending on the situation at that time.

It’s natural that the information gathered will change the next action, and even ordinary merchants will do the same.

In areas where bridges are washed away by heavy rain, landslides prevent passage on mountain roads, and the value of loaded goods is rising,

The merchant will act on a flexible basis based on information procured along the way, such as in a downed area.

Of course, you can’t do that if you have already signed a contract or made an appointment.

「You don’t have to worry too much」(Self-proclaimed Merchant)

The client once removes the masquerade mask as a merchant, he talks about the truth.

「Actually, we aren’t the only investigators.

Quite a while ago, several investigators have already taken turns to go to the Empire.

They dressed in various ways, such as a walking peddler carrying goods on a shoulder bag, a person pulling a cart, a merchant who works alone with a wagon, and a traveling hunter, a priest of missionary work, etc.

They’re full-time professionals, unlike us.

Well, I don’t know how many of them will get useful information and how many will come back safely …」(Self-proclaimed Merchant)

Of course, “professional” does not mean a merchant, hunter, or priest.

「What part of this is “no need to worry”?!

Do we no need to worry because when this team annihilated, someone else will bring back the information?

You are willing to die, but we are not involved in it!」(Rena)

It is understandable that it’s the job with life at risk for the escort mission.

However, it’s unacceptable for the client to think about their lives lightly and be reckless.

The client hastily explained to Rena who is angry.

「No no, I didn’t mean that!

Those people will do all the brute and illegal investigations, so we don’t have to do anything dangerous. We just do our normal merchant business and bring back what we have happened to hear.

Of course, depending on what we happen to see and hear, we may need to change the route, but we don’t have to do it if we can’t.

That’s because there are people who specialize in that.

We’re just civilians, we’re not studying or training in storms or espionage at all…

Much of the information isn’t gathered by flashy illicit activities like MiAMi Satodelle sensei writes.

We just collect gossip and analyze them to find useful information.

We are in charge there.

So, we won’t do anything weird or dangerous, so it’s okay if you think you’re a normal merchant escort…」(Self-proclaimed Merchant)

Military personnel on the modern Earth’s army should have minimal training, no matter how clerical.

Isn’t it the same in this country or in this world?

(Or are they non-military people, such as technicians and clerks …) (Mile)

Certainly, even in the modern Japan Self-Defense Force, the technicians and clerks were not “SDFs” and had heard that they would not do military training or physical training.

Then, Rena also realized her misunderstanding and settled the contradiction.

The explanation from the client was like that, Rena couldn’t help but get that way. And apparently, she seems to have no intention of apologizing for her misunderstanding.

However, the clients don’t seem to have been particularly offended.

Are they kind, or aren’t they just offended?

Anyway, after that the meeting went smoothly.