Chapter 220: Sleepless night

Night fell as we were on our way to Gagarian Town.

Desert nights were chilly but they were not that cold.

Today we would have to spend the night out in the center of the desert.

I prepared a bonfire, grilled the fish I caught on the way to this country and ate them.

( … It’s a little bland and isn’t a particularly tasty fish. It was a little too difficult working with just salt.)

I thought of redoing it as I looked toward Hariel.

“It’s very delicious, Ichinojo-sama. Thank you very much, you even used valuable salt in the process.”

” … Is that so? I’m glad.”

That was probably not her true feelings. Hariel’s expression when she took a bite out of the fish on the stick didn’t escape my eyes.

However, in order to respond to my goodwill and to replenish strength to cross the desert, she hid her true feelings and ate the fish.

(She’s a good child … she doesn’t display the arrogance of a noble …)

I looked at my own fish and sank my teeth into it once again.

She’s a good child but I don’t intend to let her into My World.

I set up the tent I got from Miri’s item bag.

“This tent is made from some unusual cloth. It seems very sturdy.”

Hariel touched the yellow tent. That was probably because there were no synthetic fiber tents in this world. Or perhaps not, since Daijiro-san invented flying ships, she might have created something as simple as synthetic fiber too.

“Hariel can sleep inside here tonight.”

“But I would feel bad for Ichinojo-sama. At least let me act as a lookout.”

“Does Hariel have good night vision? Or do you have the Presence Detection skill?”

” … No, I don’t have either.”

“In that case, leave it to me.”

I said as I threw firewood into the bonfire. Hariel showed an apologetic expression but she was keenly aware that she was not of use so she entered the tent.

The wood crackled in the bonfire.

My Presence Detection skill only detected Hariel inside the tent.

And the presence inside the tent occasionally moved slightly.

It was probably not because she had bad sleeping posture but that she could not fall asleep.

In an unfamiliar wilderness with a guy she met just today beside her.

There was no way she could sleep well in such a situation.

I felt sorry for her but I was glad that she was around.

Traveling on my own was way too lonely.

And at the same time, I found out just how much the company of Haru and the others meant to me.

I recalled the day I parted with Haru and the others as I was on night watch duty.

On that day at Port Kobe.

※※※

“Thank you very much. Seriously thank you so much.”

After returning to Port Kobe, we headed to the Adventurers Guild and passed the special medicine for the petrification disease to the girl who was the client.

Then, the young girl handed me the money.

For me, there was no need to accept the money but it was her goodwill that she did her utmost best for so it would be rude to reject it.

Seriously just when did she … I thought to myself. In the item bag that Miri left behind, there was the medicine made from Kiriri Grass and even a concisely written prescription with the consumption instructions. And for some reason, there was enough for a hundred people too.

“Quickly go home and treat your mother. Also, I mentioned it just now but the medicine will not show its effects immediately but will only do so after three days of consumption, three times a day, immediately after waking up, in the afternoon and in the evening. But you must make sure your mother continues to drink the medicine for a week.”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

The small girl bowed low and ran off with small strides.

“Master …”

Haru stood beside me and seemed to want to say something.

“Ah, Haru. I leave it to you. But, don’t overexert yourself.”

A few men inside the Adventurers Guild saw me hand the medicine to the girl and silently stood up from their seats after the girl left.

They probably intended to intercept the medicine.

Haru nodded to my words and followed the men.

Well, if one of the men didn’t have the job 【Thief: Lv13】, I would have totally missed it.

Seriously, there were thieves everywhere. Just how do they get into town?

Maybe she would know more about that. Stepping in to fill Haru’s spot, Carol returned from gathering information.

“Ichino-sama, I’m back.”

“Welcome back, Carol.”

We borrowed a private room from the receptionist and changed the location to that room.

It was a rule that only adventurers could borrow the private room but the receptionist remembered Miri and processed the application assuming that I was Miri’s attendant. The application for the usage of the private room seemed to be quite flexible.

“Haru-san seemed to have left but where was she headed?”

“Just to escort the client for a bit. I believe she would be back soon … more importantly, how was it?”

“Ichino-sama, the scheduled boats will not set off until next week. In addition, sailing to the South Continent on personal crafts will be dangerous given the situation. The state of affairs in the South Continent is currently not safe. Although, if Ichino-sama uses magic to mow down all the warships that attack us … it might be possible.”

” … Naturally, I can’t do something like that.”

If I had to choose if it was possible or impossible, I would say it was possible but I couldn’t expose Haru and the others to danger.

I wished to pursue Miri and Daijiro-san that very instant but I guess I would have to wait until next week.

“There’s just one other method to travel to the South Continent.”

“Really?”

“Yes … although it is a little dangerous. There’s the option of getting hired as a guard for a merchant ship.”

Merchant ship guard?

I would certainly be able to reach the South Continent that way but don’t I have to go through the Adventurers Guild for such tasks?

Could a non-adventurer like me accept such requests?

Or do I take it using Haru’s name?

While I was thinking, Carol whispered to me.

“However, that merchant ship is actually a smuggling vessel.”

” ― !? 「Silent Room」”

I was about to exclaim in surprise but I swallowed it back and activated the Silent Room spell suitable for secret talks.

“Smuggling!?”

“Yes, during this season, due to the fishing of Shijimon Shrimps, even the Pirates would defend the fishing grounds so the merchant ships that usually ask Pirates for escort will not set out. The South Continent is aware of that so their open ocean security would be lax. During that chance, smugglers would conduct their activities.”

” … So we will be aiding the smugglers.”

I just aided Pirates too but that was their first offense and there was still room for rehabilitation.

If a single person among them had fallen to the Thief job, I would definitely not have helped them.

However, the situation was different for this case. From what I heard, they sounded like a veteran smugglers gang.

“No, it is the opposite. In order to raid the smugglers, we will perform an undercover investigation to acquire information. Ichino-sama can take  that role.”

“No no, that’s impossible. There’s no way an ordinary person like me can perform an undercover investigation?”

“I feel that Ichino-sama will be fine. After all, one of the tentative investigators is Suzuki-sama.”

“Suzuki, that Suzuki!?”

Suzuki — the virgin Hero Suzuki.

A Japanese person I once met in the country of Dakyat.

A Paladin who proclaimed himself a Hero and a despicable riajuu who traveled with three beautiful young ladies … or so I thought but he was actually a guy caught in a hellish circumstance where he was traveling with the three of them but was unable to touch any of them due to various circumstances.

I was certain that he went to clear the landslide at Ferruite but he’s already in this town?

Just how did he reach Port Kobe from Port Ithaca? I thought to myself but remembered that they had the Wyvern called Pochi. Of course, with a Wyvern, they could travel to coasts near Port Kobe.

“Do you know where Suzuki is now?”

“Yes, luckily, he is living alone in an inn nearby.”

Maybe he was taking separate action from his companions.

“Let’s go right after Haru returns — no, we can’t leave immediately. We still have to wait for Kanon and Norn who are getting our luggage, moreover —”

Dispelling Silent Room, I exited the room to find two unconscious males with Haru dragging them.

It would take a while to gather information on the circumstances.