Chapter 51 (1)

Chapter 51 (1)

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Whats with all these merchants?

Miguel muttered in wonder.

There were over thirty of them.

The escorts on horses guarding the group numbered over ten.

Theyre high-ranking imperial merchants.

Ian said.

Imperial merchants also did business with the outlying kingdoms.

It was the same in the game. They would randomly appear and sell imperial items with superior performance.

Of course the prices were also exceptionally high, but they were the top contributors lowering the difficulty of the early game.

Back then I was so grateful to them.

As Ian clicked his tongue, Miguel who had narrowed his eyes nodded.

Youre right. They do look like merchants from the empire. Theyre the type that only comes once a year Wait a minute. Is that the imperial flag? Damn it.

His face also twisted belatedly.

Hanging the imperial flag above the merchants flag meant there was an imperial dignitary among them.

It was common for influential aristocrats and nobles to travel together under the protection of a merchant group heading the same destination.

For the merchant group there were benefits like additional income from protection fees and the right to carry the imperial flag, so it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Anyway, the timing was uncanny.

Dont make a fuss. We just need to pass by naturally.

Ian said as the merchant troupe drew near.This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com

Everyone from the horses to the carriages were draped in black.

Even the coachmen and servants wore black clothes displaying their affiliation.

The same yellow scales depicted on the merchant flag were engraved here and there.

What was that merchant groups symbol again?

As I was thinking, they had come within reach.

Miguel steered the baggage carriage to the very edge of the road and pulled his hood deeper.

Ian pulled Lucis head, which was lying down, closer to his thigh and observed the escorts.

Black horses shod with obsidian horseshoes.

And the ones riding atop them were all dressed in black armor.

On closer inspection, the components differed slightly from one another.

But the fact that their armaments were too splendid for escorts of a merchant group remained unchanged.

Not even Agellans royal knights were more heavily armed than them.

But this sense of disparity itself was proof that they came from the empire.

The level of civilization in the empire was ahead of the outlying kingdoms by at least several centuries.

Otherwise it wouldnt make sense.

If it hadnt been for the ancient demon invasion and the black walls shooting up, the continent would have been unified under their hands.

Actually, it still wasnt too late.

But the empire chose to have the kingdoms guard their own territories while paying tributes, rather than waste troops in the borderlands.

The bigger the country, the more there needed to be those who envied and admired it in order to maintain internal unity and national pride.

The baggage carriage and merchant troops passed each other.

Escorts. Baggage carriages draped in black cloth at the front, obscuring the interior. Luxurious and sturdy-looking carriages guarding the inner area.

Ians steady gaze soon stopped on the escort guarding that carriage.

A beastman?

The he, or she, sitting upright on the black horse resembled a mix between a human and beast.

That wont happen, so stop saying stupid things not befitting your age.

I agree. No, Ian. Leaving you behind? What kind of bullshit is that.

With a face that seemed to have regained reason, Miguel looked at Ian.

The way I see it, itll take them a week at most to reach Agellan.

How long does it take to get to the Temple of Furnace?

A month? Well, I cant say for sure. Since its been so long and Ive never made the trip with a carriage.

Hmm.

Ian snapped his fingers for a moment.

The best case scenario was if the bastard from House Larmuth hurried back empty-handed.

If not, we may have to deal with a pursuer at least once. Or twice, if the kingdom also sent someone after us.

Their equipment was no joke. It was almost like seeing the Royal Guard.

Of course, since the pursuers armaments were all imperial.

Thinking to himself, Ian continued speaking.

It changes nothing. You just focus on finding the way, and making sure the horses dont get hurt. Getting lost or having the horses die would be a bigger problem.

Their pace of march was already fast enough.

Increasing it further was next to impossible.

It wouldnt be entirely impossible if they changed horses at every town they passed, but one failure would leave them abandoning all their luggage and traveling on foot.

I understand. Dont worry. Ill do my best. But will that really be enough?

What else can I do if not? If were being tailed, Ill just have to cut off that tail.

It wasnt like he didnt have a contingency plan.

After calmly declaring so, Ian looked back again.

The imperial guard from before flashed through his mind.

We might end up with a lot more imperial equipment.

He soon averted his gaze after muttering so.

In truth, he didnt ponder the pursuers for long.

There were always new tensions passing wanderers in the day, prowling beasts at night.

It only took Miguel five days before he stopped mentioning the imperial merchants.

***

Ippotranslation

***

What do you mean, a kidnapping?

Javier of the Celestial Merchants, who had come to formally greet King Irwin II and then secretly rob the royal coffers blind, changed his mind the moment he heard the angry shouting from the Larmuth retinue.

It smelled of serious trouble.

And he knew well their crisis represented an opportunity for him.

The bigger the problem, the more gold he would gain by resolving it.

This is an unexpected situation for us as well. We never imagined the great hero who resolved a prior tragedy would stir up another.

Seated upon his throne, King Irwin II made no effort to hide his discomfort and irritation.

Of course, not as openly as the Larmuth emissary boring holes into him with her eyes.

This is a tragedy for the Empire as well! Have you forgotten who that child is? Personally chosen by the Emperor himself! How do you think His Majesty will take the news that such a precious child has been kidnapped by a mere mercenary, now missing?

That is

His Majesty may try to hide it from you, but he will surely feel insulted.

Translator; ippo

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