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Chapter 48 – The Princess and the Escort (1)
Chapter 48 – The Princess and the Escort (1)
Chapter 48 – The Princess and the Escort (1)
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Chapter 48 – The Princess and the Escort (1)
That night.
After all the requests were processed and the guild hall was about to close its doors, the receptionists were chatting and organizing their day’s work.
And then.
Creak.
The door opened.
The receptionists turned their gazes.
There stood a figure in a black robe, obscuring even their face.
The receptionists stopped in their tracks.
The robed figure slowly approached Rosa.
Rosa tensed momentarily.
An unknown person.
A strange atmosphere lingered.
Just as she was about to quickly reach for the emergency bell under the table.
“…I have a request.”
The old man’s voice echoed.
Upon hearing it, Rosa realized.
This was someone of noble status.
The nobles and commoners had distinct ways of speaking.
At least it wasn’t a commoner’s tone. Rosa withdrew her hand from the bell.
But there was something peculiar.
The robe was understandable for concealing one’s identity when making a request.
It was common for nobles to hide their status to assign certain tasks discreetly.
However, even in such cases, there was an unmistakable elegance, but the old man in front of her did not possess that.
His attire was quite worn-out.
The robe was torn and dirty in places.
He resembled more of a beggar than a noble.
“…What is your request?”
“An escort. Two people. Myself and a young lady.”
“Two people. Understood. And the destination?”
“The capital of the Denian Kingdom.”
Upon hearing this, Rosa was taken aback once again.
To request an escort from here, the Barkan Territory, all the way to the Denian Kingdom?
It was highly unusual.
There were several territories between the Denian Kingdom and here.
There was no reason to entrust such a task to a remote territory like this.
“I understand for now. But we need to verify your identity.”
“I have it here.”
The old man took out a token from within his robe.
Upon inspecting it, Rosa’s eyes widened.
The token displayed a complex design of a sword and shield, a highly coveted ornament issued by the Mercenary Guild.
It was given only to trusted individuals, signifying its rarity.
“…Identity confirmed. Now, let’s proceed with the payment.”
The old man took out a small gold coin from his pocket.
After Rosa conducted a brief verification process, she returned with the confirmation.
“Confirmed. It’s pure gold… This should suffice for one person.”
“What?”
The old man was surprised.
“Is it only enough for one person?”
“It’s an escort request.”
Hiring one person to guard and accompany them was not without risks.
It was different from simply clearing a dungeon or two.
Hence, the cost of such a request was higher.
“Moreover, traveling to the Denian Kingdom means considerable distance. It could take up to a month, and therefore, it’s much more expensive than a regular request.”
The old man couldn’t argue with that.
He cautiously spoke.
“That’s true, but… can’t we make it work for two people at least?”
“It’s possible, but the quality of the mercenary would suffer. Is that acceptable? For an escort request, you would want someone reliable.”
A reliable person would at least be ranked D in terms of mercenary grades.
Accepting someone mediocre wasn’t an option.
The old man nodded.
“I’ll trust in your capabilities.”
“Then one person is the right fit.”
“Still, if there’s any way…”
‘What’s with him?’
Why is he so insistent?
Rosa was puzzled.
Initially, she felt startled and somewhat scared.
But as they conversed, those feelings dissipated.
The old man seemed desperate.
He lacked the composure or leisureliness typical of those of noble birth.
It was as if he was being chased by something.
“It’s difficult to find mercenaries for an escort in these remote territories. Two people would be even harder. I’ll do my best to find someone, but it’s challenging.”
“…Alright. Please do your best.”
Realizing that further discussion would be futile, the old man lowered his head and left in a huff.
The door closed with a creak.
Rosa looked at the gold coin received as payment.
It was of considerable purity.
Though small, it emitted a distinct golden hue.
And the edges of the coin were sharpened, as if it didn’t want to reveal its true nature.
“What a hassle.”
Rosa murmured.
* * *
The old man exited the guild hall.
The world had already darkened, making it impossible to see even a step ahead.
The old man cautiously moved through the darkness, as if something was chasing him, looking around as he advanced.
And then, he entered a very shabby place, akin to a stable.
In the Barkan Territory, there were two types of accommodations available.
One was a regular inn where travelers stayed, frequented by mercenaries who had gained some reputation.
The other was more like a stable than an inn, where those who struggled to make ends meet stayed, living in difficult conditions.
The old man entered such a place and knocked on the door of a room.
“…Who is it?”
A female voice with a hint of mysticism resonated.
The old man spoke.
“Your faithful servant.”
Click.
The door opened.
There stood a woman.
Her golden hair shimmered brightly.
Her eyes in the wall’s blue light sparkled.
She was a beautiful woman.
However, even that radiance was marred by dirt and roughness.
Her attire was ragged, diminishing her beauty.
With an anxious expression, the woman asked.
“What happened?”
“It’s been accepted.”
“That’s a relief. How many can we accommodate?”
“Only one person.”
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
“Just one person…?”
The woman pursed her lips anxiously.
The old man lowered his head.
“I apologize. We don’t have enough money…”
“It’s unavoidable.”
“I’m truly sorry. To have you stay in such a dismal place. With this money, you could stay in a more comfortable place…!”
The old man’s face contorted with emotion as he spoke.
The woman shook her head.
“It can’t be helped. As long as we have a roof over our heads. What we need is certainty. If it’s from the Mercenary Guild, it guarantees trustworthiness.”
“…I’m sorry. If only I hadn’t been so naive and been scammed.”
“Don’t blame yourself. It’s unavoidable. Even if I had intervened, it wouldn’t have been different.”
“Sigh!”
The old man sighed.
The woman, caught up in emotions, sniffled.
Both overwhelmed with emotions, they shed tears.
“Quiet!”
Thud!
At that moment, a banging sound on the wall was heard.
An annoyed voice echoed.
Startled, the woman and the old man suppressed their tears.
“…How long do you think it will take?”
In a whispering tone, the lady asked the old man.
She received a similar whisper in response.
“I don’t know. Finding someone trustworthy will take some time.”
“Is that so… Well, we’ll have to wait for now.”
The woman tidied up her bedding.
It was more like straw woven into a mat than a proper bed.
“Let’s rest for now. It’s late at night. Further conversation would be a disturbance to the guest next door as well. You’ve worked hard, Aaron.”
“No…”
The old man, Aaron, lay down slowly on the straw mat with a regretful expression.
And days passed.
During that time, the old man visited the guild hall late at night every day.
But each time, Rosa shook her head.
“No one has been found.”
“Oh, still?”
“This is a remote territory. It’s challenging to find skilled mercenaries here. It’s better to wait patiently with peace of mind.”
“Is that so…”
Aaron returned dejectedly without much argument.
He entered the room with a heavy heart.
The woman, with an expectant face, asked.
“What happened?”
“….”
Aaron shook his head heavily.
The woman’s expression fell.
“Again…?”
“Yes.”
“It’s troublesome. Our food supplies are running low. We’ve been trying to reduce the portions, but… we’re now at rock bottom.”
“What about the reserves?”
“It’s for travel expenses to the Denian Kingdom. There’s no choice. We’ll have to go hungry for a while. It’s just a minor inconvenience in terms of food.”
The woman smiled wryly.
Aaron grimaced in misery.
“It’s my fault for being incompetent, causing you to suffer like this…”
“It’s not your fault.”
She sniffled again.
The sound of crying was heard.
Thunk!
And again, the wall was banged on.
Aaron and the woman, startled, suppressed their tears.
Aaron bit his lip.
As if he had made a decision, he spoke in a soft voice.
“Talking to the lord of this place about our situation…”
“No, we can’t.”
The woman rejected immediately.
“No one can be trusted here. Even seeking protection is quite risky. We can’t take any more risks.”
The woman looked at Aaron.
“Remember, Aaron. Why did we abandon our kingdom and flee.”
The woman bit her lip.
“We couldn’t even tell who our allies and enemies were. In fact, it’s been quite some time and we haven’t heard any rumors. Even after you and I fled.”
“…I’m sorry. I’ve become weak-hearted.”
Aaron nodded with a determined face.
“If it’s the Denian Kingdom, it should be fine, right?”
“The king there made a pact when the princess was born. The Denian Kingdom is a powerful nation. You can trust them. They will protect you. Perhaps… they might even help with revenge.”
Snap.
The woman clicked her tongue.
Her eyes flashed with intense anger.
Aaron looked at her.
Golden hair.
Eyes in the wall.
Everyone in the kingdom praised her beauty.
Everyone loved her.
“To achieve that, you must survive. Elene Mavlocci. Our princess. If even you are swallowed up, our kingdom will truly perish.”
Elene nodded with a heavy face.
“But… a mercenary? Is it really okay?”
Mercenaries are generally rude and lacking in manners.
She was royalty.
She had never interacted with mercenaries before.
She felt a bit scared as they would have to travel a long way together to the Denian Kingdom.
To ease her anxiety, Aaron spoke with assurance.
“Don’t worry. That’s why we used the gold coins. They’ll introduce us to someone trustworthy and reliable.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. So don’t worry. That’s why it’s taking so long. It will surely be someone reliable.”
“Then I’m relieved.”
Elene relaxed her body.
Mercenaries.
Rude and lacking in manners.
But in some fairy tales she had read, they were romantic adventurers.
‘Who will protect me?’
As a princess who didn’t know much about the world, she harbored some romantic notions about mercenaries.
‘I hope he looks like a handsome warrior.’
With a small hope, she closed her eyes.
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]