Chapter 221

The start was ordinary, but the road to the city was by no means smooth.

Obviously the same number of people move the same, so why is it different from when they came? It’s because of the baggage behind our words.

The stone heads, who believed that our party, which was nothing more than high-risk, low-return, turned into treasure goblins of high-risk, high-return, began to show up eagerly.

“How did the security around here go?”

“These days... it’s been a bit of a bummer...”

“No, how can all these guys who are called gateway cities in name look like this? Where are all the taxes they receive for security maintenance going?”

A dog-like fantasy world. There are more adventurers and thieves than normal people who meet while traveling in the plains.

It was an absurd story, but the closer you got to Englem, which is said to be the southern gateway city and the main stage of activity for Sen and the others, the more the security became more and more messed up. Does it make sense that there are close to fifteen thieves cut down on the way to where the outline of the city begins to be visible in the distance?

That’s like killing five people a day. At this level, I thought it was right to suspect that someone was deliberately targeting us and sending people, so I refrained from talking about it.

“There is a high possibility that someone is aiming for his life due to a grudge, or there is a high risk of his life because he has committed many things.

I raised my hand as a demonstration in front of the party sitting around the bonfire to warm up for a while, and all ten people’s eyes were on me, but no one raised their hand.

Even though the meaning of their eyes and the situation where I was the only one raising my hand was so clear, I mumbled without even realizing it.

“...Ai-san, am I the culprit?”

“Pooh!”

There are too many guesses, so I can’t argue.

I go? am i really

Except for Asilie, who burst into tears at the one word I muttered, the others began to objectively analyze the situation, albeit with a confused look on their faces, as if they still understood the meaning of my words.

“The thieves who attacked didn’t seem to have anything in common. Isn’t it a coincidence?”

“I am of the same opinion as Mr. Gin... But as Eldmia said, the frequency is a bit strange. If you have to put it into perspective, it’s more like it’s not natural.”

“It’s a bit subtle to say they have something in common, but the equipment wasn’t that good against thieves, right? Rather than just throwing them away, they were included in the luggage.”

“It’s also strangely cohesive...”

It was nice to have a wonderful forum for discussion, but time passed without coming to a conclusion. If I felt something strange right away, I would have tried catching even one that escaped and tortured me.

In the end, after discussions that were nothing more than killing time, we set our sights on entering Englem. In the end, it is a problem to carry a lot of money, so if you dispose of all these things, it will be a peaceful trip again.

I don’t know if he’s a friend I can talk to or if the silver coin I sneaked out has made him talk, but I smiled mildly.

“Thank you. You can tell the Englem Adventurers Guild that Eldmia Ega, who received a secret request from the guild leader Engrim of the Capital Adventurer’s Guild, wants proof of identity.”

Englem. Engrim. I see it’s similar. It probably has nothing to do with it.

At first, I thought it would be a relief to just go to the shift on time, but the guard showed sincerity for the price of a silver coin and immediately asked someone else to take a pinch hit and vacated his seat.

“Uh... Eldmia? Will that work?”

Even if it was blocking the road, it couldn’t be penetrated anyway. I stood aside and waited.

“well?”

“Well... if it doesn’t work, won’t a silver coin just fly away?”

“It is, but I think it will be.”

Still, since he is a man who receives requests directly from the royal family and reports them, wouldn’t the things I’ve been playing all over the place naturally go into his ears?

The reason why I didn’t mention all of Gaendal’s party and only used my name was with that intention, but the result was ‘But they say it’s not possible?’ Ramen seems to be very bland.

“Certainly, if the guild leader tells the story, it will be easy to enter. Since receiving such a request, it is already based on some level of trust. I see a possibility.”

“The guild is collaborating with the library to establish a contact network. If you remember this well, I think you will have a chance to use it at least once more someday.”

Even Gaendal and Mr. Gin began to nod their heads in agreement as if entering the city was already an established fact, and I began to notice it for no reason.

“I did this, but if you can’t go in, I’ll show you some attention.”

“...I know yeah.”

I must have waited thirty extras in sympathy with Asilier, who had exactly the same thoughts as me. A guard who had been away appeared from afar.

Fortunately, he did not come back alone. A man wearing a light cloak over the clothes worn by guild receptionists was running alongside him. When I found him, while the others were looking at him with curious eyes, Sen spoke first.

“Oh, Receptionist Kunz. That friend has some experience, so he doesn’t move recklessly. Does it feel good?”

“For something like that... doesn’t it sound like a bit over-welcome?”

This time around, I started to have questions similar to Merdella’s. In the end, it’s just a troublesome escort for a slightly less serious customer, so why such a reaction?

“Welcome to Englem, Eldmia-sama! I’m Kunz, who was in charge of guiding me to the guild... Huh? Sen-nim and the others were with you?”

Kunzu, who politely shook my hand and greeted Sen skillfully, seemed strangely nervous.