Gilik Side-story The Old Man and the Mutt Part 2
***---***
The morning of the third day of the escort was wrapped in a tense atmosphere, unlike the previous two days.
The carriages that left the inn early in the morning gathered one after another at the plaza at the entrance of the Rivarre Pass.
"These guys, what are they gathering for?"
"You fool, we have the same purpose."
"So, why is everyone gathered?"
"It's to make an impromptu caravan here. They negotiate the number of carriages, the size, the number of escorts, etc., and climb the mountain pass together."
"To counter the bandits, we gather a large number of people here too."
Ropen-jii-san pulled the carriage into the square, slowly moved forward, looked around, and eventually pulled the reins near where several carriages were parked.
"Are you full yet?"
"No, it's fine. Things seem to be troublesome lately, so we were just talking about adding two or three more."
"This one has two guests, two escorts, and me, what do you think?"
"It's not bad. I want to talk to the escort."
"Alright, wait a minute. Hey, Pedel, come down for a minute."
Pedel went down from the cabin and started negotiating, but when Ropen-jii-san called it, it felt like the story was pretty much settled.
"Jii-san, why did you choose these guys?"
"What's that, can't you tell by looking at it?"
"Uuh ... I don't know, so I'm asking."
"Haa ... take a good look at the appearance of the carriage and the escorts."
Only covered wagons and carts were gathered, and the drivers and escorts were not well dressed.
That being said, Ropen-jii-san and I weren't dressed neatly enough to be able to talk about other people.
"Hey, isn't it better to make a group with the few carriages and cabins over there?"
"That's no good, that's no good, doing join over there, it's like asking to get caught up in it."
While Pedel was talking, another wagon was added and it was time to leave.
Once it was time to leave, preparations were completed in a hurry, and the carriage began to advance in the formation that had been discussed.
"Gilik, compare this formation with the group over there, and think about which one you would attack to make money."
"Ahh ... I see. Yesterday, instead of cleaning the carriage, did you leave it dirty to make it look shabby?"
"That's right. If I had polished it as shiny as the cabin that's having those wagons crowding around it, it's like advertising yourself as rich."
"But, the wagons are empty. Aren't goods what a rich person would have to offer?"(TN:No idea, this sentence is a mess, I don't know what it should actually be, but this should be close?)
"Haa ... You are, you couldn't even serve as a bandit."
According to Ropen-jii-san, many of the carriages were certainly on the way back from transporting their loads of grain and ore to Volzard.
It was rare to have cash, and the cargo of such carriages was often settled via the guild, in other words, the carriages didn't carry anything much less money.
"Well then, wouldn't this carriage be targeted instead?"
"Certainly, the probability of having gold is higher than other carriages, but compared to that crowded carriage or a beautifully polished carriage, the probability is low."
Bandits were punishable by death if caught.
The attacked side would not only be acquitted of killing the bandits, but would even receive a reward.
Needless to say, banditry was a high risk.
It wasn't worth it if you couldn't expect to make enough money to match the risk.
The targets were apparently rich carriages and carriages with young women riding together.
The reason why we left in a hurry was to leave before the formation that seemed to be the most likely to be targeted so as to not get involved in the raid on other groups.
Until yesterday, it would have been fine if the carriages were going forward and backwards were in a position where they could be seen.
This was because there was no point in making a formation if you kept your distance.
For this reason, the driver was supposed to always check the distance to the rear and send a signal to the carriage in front when slowing down.
Our carriage was the second from the back of the eight carriages.
"Gilik, if the distance between us and the back is too large, send a signal to the carriage in front to slow down."
"Ou, okay ..."
Ropen-jii-san didn't look as carefree as before.
He had a sharp gaze, as if he could see through the trees on the side of the road.
"Gilik, don't just look at the roots of the tree, look at the trunk from time to time."
"What is it, aren't we not going to be targeted."
"There's no such thing as absolutes in this world. There's no guarantee that bandits won't attack on a whim, and if you're not prepared to fight back, they'll kill you."
While confirming the distance between the carriages forming a line, I also paid attention to my surroundings.
The front and rear carriage drivers and escorts were also vigilant with stern faces.
Even when giving the horses a rest, they gave water to them in order starting from the first carriage, and gathered around the resting space in a row to rest.
The horses were given rest, but the escorts were not allowed to relax.
The fat jeweler we were escorting was also dressed like a farmer today.
He looked a little out of proportion with the carriage, but he looked better than the nasty nouveau riche outfit of yesterday.
While the horses were resting, the humans also finished their tasks, and the formation continued on the mountain pass.
A little before noon, we crossed the top of the pass, and from that time on, we began to pass other people.
The people who came from the Marburg side were also nervous because they were wary of bandits.
Since we were moving in formation, even though they didn't think we were bandits, they couldn't let go of that thought, so we passed each other while being wary of each other.
"Why is it ... Isn't the other side respectable people too."
"Everyone has 80% thoughts that the people aren't bandits, but the remaining 20% of their suspicions can't be thrown away, and it wouldn't be funny if they lost their lives for throwing that away."
Certainly, it didn't matter what the other person thought because they just pass each other on the mountain pass.
Rather than that, it would be more correct to concentrate on protecting yourself.
About halfway down from the top of the pass, the tension in the formation visibly loosened.
Attacking near the foot of the mountain was a big risk for bandits.
In particular, it seemed that there were many garrisons stationed near Marburg, whose territory Rivarre Pass was part of.
"Maa, if we come down here, we'll probably be fine."
"Tch, if I had subjugated two or three bandits, my rank would have gone up ..."
"Stupid fool, the most important thing in escort work is to deliver the escort target safely! If you encounter an attack, they may get injured or die from the stray arrows. If that happens, rather than ranking up, you'll get a negative assessment. Don't forget the original request. In Volzard, the only person who can challenge bandits alone is the 'Monster User'."
I was relieved to hear that the bandits were less likely to attack us, but I felt sick to hear that infuriating name.
"Fuun, that damned Chibi, he's no big deal. Someday I'll crumple him up and throw him in the trash."
"Ho!Ho!Ho!, though being powerful is good, as for you, you'll just get crushed."
"What'd you say! That damned Chibi, I've beaten him up many times before. It's just that the monsters he's using are strong."
"Even so, that 'Monster User' has the achievement of slaughtering 30-odd bandits. As for you, can you do the same trick?"
"Thirty-odd people ... Anyway, the rumors have become exaggerated, the rumor has made it grow bigger."
Ropen-jii-san looked at me, still holding the reins, and snorted.
"Gilik, you seem to want to raise your rank, but do you know what you're lacking?"
"Aahn? The only thing I lack is achievements. If I do a job that's easy to raise my rank, my rank will go up in no time."
"If you do that, you'll probably die before you reach B-rank."
"What'd you say! Even that Pedel bastard is B-rank. In half a year, I'll be A-rank."
"Anyone who was born and raised in Volzard would understand. A person who rises from D-rank to A-rank in half a year would get caught up in a situation where their rank goes up on its own accord, regardless of their own will. You won't reach A-rank unless you work hard."
It irritated me, but what Ropen-jii-san said was correct.
Those who rapidly rose in rank had a different atmosphere than others.
Appearing to be attracting troublesome things, that's the only way they're recognized for their abilities.
It was doubtful how true it was, but the rumors about that damned Chibi were typical of those who rapidly rose in rank.
"Shut it, what others think has nothing to do with it, I'll go up to A-rank soon, just you watch!"
"If you really want to rank up, you should notice it, right?"
"Notice? What is it!"
"It's about what you're lacking in. People learn and grow by realizing what they're lacking. Gilik, you're lacking in knowledge, experience, and skill. You won't grow if you look away from it. However, to put it another way, it could be said that there is still room for growth. Whether or not you can grow is up to you."
Ropen-jii-san didn't say a word until we were down the pass.
Even after safely crossing the Rivarre Pass, the carriage continued onwards, and it was at a village at the fork in the road that we took an inn.
From there, the west road went to Marburg, and the east road went to Bakkenheim.
He said that once we've made it this far, we've almost reached Marburg.
"Tonight let's raise a toast. Ropen and Gilik, once you've taken care of the horses and washed up, come to the dining room. Is that good."
"Yep, thank you very much, Danna-sama."
I bowed my head lightly behind Ropen-jii-san, who lowered his head.
Our employers, the fatty and Pedel, were just washing up and changing clothes, but we were very busy.
Taking care of the horses, washing the carriage, getting rid of the mites on the futon we slept on, and on top of that, Ropen-jii-san kept hitting me on the ass saying that I couldn't keep the fatty waiting.
When I went to the dining room, I was more exhausted than when we were crossing the mountain pass, and there was an incomparable number of dishes on display for dinner.
No, it was just that we hadn't eaten them, but the others might have been eating the same kind of dinner every night.
"You're slow, what were you doing. Don't keep Danna waiting!"
"Fine, it's fine, Pedel. We've crossed the Rivarre Pass safely, don't be so grumpy."
"Is that so ... I'm sorry, Ordoff-sama."
If you're going to tell us we're too slow, I was about to say the bastard should have come and helped us, but I stopped.
Apparently, we'll be served alcohol tonight, and Pedel's attention seemed to be on the cup of liquor.
"Jii-san, can we drink too?"
"Since your employer says it's fine, it doesn't matter."
Ordoff, who was our employer, didn't seem to be a stingy man, and he continued to order additional food and alcohol.
Pedel spoke flattering flattery, drank alcohol as recommended, and got drunk in a good mood.
As for Ropen-jii-san, he drank slowly, just like he drank every night, and his body swung and swayed.
He used to be an A-ranked adventurer, but he gave up his rank to become an F-ranked adventurer because he was too old to move his body.
When I saw that Pedel bastard getting drunk, I felt that it was not good for me to get drunk, but when I refrained from drinking, Ordoff recommended it.
"What's wrong, Gilik, do you dislike alcohol?"
"No, if I'm drunk as well, the escort ..."
"Wha~t, it's fine. This inn is my regular lodging, security is tight so don't worry."
"I see, then ..."
The liquor was of the highest quality, and the food was delicious.
If I was asked to drink, there was no reason to refuse.
Ordoff, who was recommending alcohol with a grin, began to get drowsy as he got drunk, probably due to the fatigue of the day.
His secretary man and Pedel were also half asleep.
"Okay, Gilik. Give me a hand."
"Nn? You want me to help you move?"
"Right. I allowed you to drink, so don't abandon me in the middle."
"Alright ..."
I lent a hand to Ordoff, who was very fat, and took him to the room of the inn.
Ropen-jii-san was dragging the secretary man in while scolding him.
Pedel was ... I didn't know.
"Aahh, it's not over there. It's the bedroom in the back. This one is Gudeau's, get it together!"
After putting Ordoff on the bed in the back bedroom and throwing his secretary, Gudeau, on the bed in the front room, the long day finally came to an end.
"Gilik, I'm going to the bathroom, so you can go back first."
"Ou, alright ..."
Tonight, the room was in the same building as the stable, but it was more beautiful than the previous inns.
In the evening, I threw my body on the dust-beaten futon.
On the first day, I got used to the mite extermination medicine in my nose and the smell of horses, so drowsiness hit me right away.
When I was dozing off, Ropen-jii-san came back, fell asleep faster than I did, and started snoring.
It was the back and forth snoring as usual, but I would be able to sleep tonight without worrying about it.
Once we arrived in Marburg in one more day, the escort work would return.
"Hey! Hey, get up! How long are you going to be sleeping, you mutt!"
"Aahn? Who's the mutt! I'll kill you!"
"Don't be ridiculous! Don't talk in your sleep, where is that old man Ropen! Where did he go!"(TN:When I translate it as old man instead of jii, it's because they're calling him an old man(jii) instead of using jii as an honorific.)
"Ah~n? The old man ...?"
The next morning, I was woken up by that Pedel bastard, but my head was shaking and I couldn't understand what he was saying.
"Hey, wake up already! Where did the old man go!"
"How would I know, I dunno! Don't you damned thing know?"
"Don't ask me that! The old man ran away with the jewels!"
"Haa? He ran away with them ...?"
Pedel, whose face changed color in anger, said when he woke up this morning, he heard that the jewels in Ordoff's room were gone, and that Ropen-jii-san and his horse were gone.
"When did the old man disappear!"
"I don't know about that. Yesterday I came back first, and the old man came back later, and he was sleeping and snoring."
"Damnit, get ready to go! We'll chase after him!"
"Haa? Why do we have to chase after him."
"Stupid fool! He stole the money while we were the escorts!"
"Don't screw with me! Ordoff told me to drink, so I drank it!"
"Even so, we can't escape all responsibility ... If we receive a ruling from the guild, we'll have to compensate for half of the damage."
"Such a thing, you bastard should pay it!"
"Are you stupid! The amount of the escort this time is 10 million Herts, so it's half of that, so it's 5 million. How do I pay that off!"
"If it's 2.5 million Herts ..."
In the city of Volzard, the daily wage was around 1,000 Helts even for a good job.
I could earn about 350,000 Helts a year, but I needed money to live.
Even if you skimped, it would be good if you could save 250,000 Helts.
In other words, reparations would be like working for free for ten years.
"I can't afford to pay that amount!"
"That's why we'll chase after him and catch him! If we catch him, we can put all the responsibility on the old man. If he isn't caught ... If you understand, get ready!"
"Damnit, that old man, money isn't free ..."
Returning to work as an escort ... far from it, I ended up looking around for that old man Ropen.
That being said, this was where the road forked.
"Even if we chase him, where would he go."
"Isn't it obvious to go to Bakkenheim."
"Why do you say that."
"He can't go back to Volzard, where his face is known. The same goes for Marburg, where we were headed. After crossing the Great Irosun Forest, in addition to Bakkenheim, there's Breichberg, Liebenstein, Verlingen, and Edelich. If the old man's story was true, then he's more familiar with the area than we are. He would have decided to go there."
"But, how are we going to chase after him? There's only one horse left, and there's no saddle either."
Since Ordoff's carriage had two horses, there was one horse left, but there was no saddle for riding.
Ropen probably hid the saddle somewhere in the carriage.
"Mutt, you, do you have the money to buy a horse?"
"Such a thing, there's no way!"
"Tch, it can't be helped, it's a carriage."
Enough money to buy horses and horse gear, there's no way I would have it, not even in my guild account.
Pedel was the same as me, and we decided to head for Bakkenheim in a horse-drawn carriage, but the speed of horseback riding and riding in a carriage was too different.
Even if we managed to get in the carriage and ride it, I didn't feel like we could catch up.
"Hey, mutt. Once we cross the Irosun Great Forest, we'll split up and look for him. Information will be shared via the guild. Do you get it."
"Tch, don't talk. Bastard, look for him properly."
"Don't be ridiculous, I don't have a low rank that I wouldn't mind throwing away like you bastard do. If I can't find him, my life is over."
We swayed in a shared carriage while being restless, and arrived at the entrance of the Irosun Great Forest in the early afternoon.
The old man Ropen abandoned his horse here, Pedel glared at me as we switched to another carriage and moved on.
With the increase in the number of monsters, it seemed that no one wanted to cross the Great Forest alone or on foot.
"From here on, the old man and us will both move at the same speed. If we can somehow find a way to close the gap, we still have a chance of getting the gems back."
"How will you look for him?"
"The only thing we can do is ask at the terminal for carriages or by asking traders who buy jewels ..."
Pedel suddenly fell silent in the middle of the conversation.
"Hey, what happened."
"It's not good ... You, think of me as a trader and ask questions."
"Haa? Why is that ..."
"It's fine, just do it!"
"Tch ... Ou, did you see an old man?"
"What kind of old man is it."
"He's skinny, petite ... petite ..."
A nasty sweat broke out on my back.
Even if I asked him, Ropen was a man without any particular characteristics.
He didn't have a beard, and he wasn't fat like Ordoff.
If his hairstyle was normal, it wasn't like he had distinctive black eyes.
He was a very ordinary old man who could be found anywhere.
"What are you doing. Let's look around for him!"
"Shut it, I'm thinking about it right now, don't talk randomly from the side."
Pedel held his head in his hands and brooded over it, but he couldn't seem to come up with a good idea.
"Hey, Pedel ..."
"What, I'm thinking right now ..."
"Hey ..."
"Shut it, you mutt ..."
"No, it's not that, why is the carriage not moving?"
"Such a thing, checking for escorts at the forest entrance ..."
I heard that the carriages entering the Irosun Great Forest could be checked for escorts, so the entrance to the forest would be crowded.
But, even so, the carriage was still stopped, and there was some noise outside.
A loud voice from in front of the carriage, from the Irosun Great Forest, eventually reached our ears.
"It's closed! You can't enter the Great Forest!"
"The inn in the village is already fully booked! Return and look for an inn in another village!"
"There is no prospect of resuming traffic! I repeat, there is no prospect of resuming traffic!"
Pedel, who had been listening to what was going on outside, got up from his seat.
"Hey, mutt, let's go! Hey, let me down, we'll get off here!"
"What are you going to do."
"Isn't it obvious, I'm gonna look for the old man."
After getting off the carriage, we headed to the entrance of the Great Forest and looked around to see if there was a figure that looked like Ropen.
When I saw a carriage turning around to turn back, I rushed over to check inside, but Ropen was nowhere to be seen.
Worse news awaited at the Guild's branch office at the entrance to the Great Forest.
"It was a little before noon when we stopped traffic. By then, many carriages had entered the Great Forest, but not a single carriage has come out of the forest."
"Are you saying they were attacked by monsters?"
"The guys who went out to scout haven't returned yet, so I can't say anything, but maybe ..."
After listening to the story and reporting the incident, we frantically searched the village and found Ropen's footsteps.
"Aahh, it's true that old man came to sell a horse first thing in the morning. He said he had some urgent business in Breichberg ... Right, he was a skinny old man."
"So, what happened to the old man?"
"Who knows ... Perhaps, he went ahead in a carriage? Aahh, then ... he might already be in the belly of a monster ..."
After leaving the horse-riding shop, Pedel's shoulders drooped and he sat down on the grass by the roadside.
"Hey, why aren't you looking for the old man?"
"If you want to find him, find him yourself ..."
"What, are you bastard going to give up?"
"Fuun, as I said earlier, it's different from you bastard who can easily throw away your rank."
"What do you mean by throwing away your rank?"
"Haa ... You really are a naive mutt. If you go to a city other than Volzard and register as a new person, you will be able to restart from F-rank, but you can get rid of the 2,500,000 Helts compensation."
"In other words, you're going to become a different person? If that's the case, you bastard too ..."
"Don't screw with me! Just think how hard it was to get to B-rank. In Volzard's Guild account, there's even the savings I've accumulated so far! Are you telling me to throw it all away!"
Pedel sprawled across the grass and looked up at the sky.
He was kind of an annoying bastard, but I felt a little sorry for him, maybe because I was in the same turmoil.
"Still, that old man Ropen entered the Great Forest ..."
"He's gone in. No matter how stupid you are, you should understand, that old man prepared meticulously and set it at the right time. He definitely went ahead ... I don't know if he's safe, but ... From what I've heard so far, it looks like he's already dead."
If not even one traveler came out of the Great Forest, I didn't think the people who entered there were safe.
Among the escorts, there should have been adventurers of B-rank or higher, but they had not been able to reach them.
"What are you going to do now."
"Now then ... For the time being, There's no choice but to report the situation to the guild and bargain down the amount of compensation given by the ruling ..."
"Will I be asked about the situation as well?"
"Nn? If you start over in another town, you can avoid paying compensation."
"Tch, I'm an A-rank ... No, I'm a man who's going up to S-rank. There's no way I'm going to run away from that kind of compensation. I don't intend to bargain, but I'll do it reluctantly for the sake of this, so at the very least you should thank me."
After Pedel stared at me with his mouth wide open, he held his stomach and burst into laughter.
"Kuhahahaha, S-rank, okay, a young guy should be able to say at least that much. Alright, when we return to Volzard and successfully negotiate the compensation, I'll help you raise your rank. You can't get a good job with just a D-rank."
"Fuun, don't forget that, I won't let you just use me."
"Kuhahaha, it's an adventurer's skill to not be used."
"Hey, where are you going."
"It's a bar, a bar."
"Haa? This isn't the time to drink alcohol ..."
"Don't be silly, I have to drink alcohol. Come on, future S-rank."
With a wry smile, I chased after Pedel, who walked towards the bar without even brushing the dry grass on his back.
He said that he would help me raise my rank, but I wondered if this guy would help me ...
Gilik Side-story The Old Man and the Mutt Part 2
***---***
The morning of the third day of the escort was wrapped in a tense atmosphere, unlike the previous two days.
The carriages that left the inn early in the morning gathered one after another at the plaza at the entrance of the Rivarre Pass.
"These guys, what are they gathering for?"
"You fool, we have the same purpose."
"So, why is everyone gathered?"
"It's to make an impromptu caravan here. They negotiate the number of carriages, the size, the number of escorts, etc., and climb the mountain pass together."
"To counter the bandits, we gather a large number of people here too."
Ropen-jii-san pulled the carriage into the square, slowly moved forward, looked around, and eventually pulled the reins near where several carriages were parked.
"Are you full yet?"
"No, it's fine. Things seem to be troublesome lately, so we were just talking about adding two or three more."
"This one has two guests, two escorts, and me, what do you think?"
"It's not bad. I want to talk to the escort."
"Alright, wait a minute. Hey, Pedel, come down for a minute."
Pedel went down from the cabin and started negotiating, but when Ropen-jii-san called it, it felt like the story was pretty much settled.
"Jii-san, why did you choose these guys?"
"What's that, can't you tell by looking at it?"
"Uuh ... I don't know, so I'm asking."
"Haa ... take a good look at the appearance of the carriage and the escorts."
Only covered wagons and carts were gathered, and the drivers and escorts were not well dressed.
That being said, Ropen-jii-san and I weren't dressed neatly enough to be able to talk about other people.
"Hey, isn't it better to make a group with the few carriages and cabins over there?"
"That's no good, that's no good, doing join over there, it's like asking to get caught up in it."
While Pedel was talking, another wagon was added and it was time to leave.
Once it was time to leave, preparations were completed in a hurry, and the carriage began to advance in the formation that had been discussed.
"Gilik, compare this formation with the group over there, and think about which one you would attack to make money."
"Ahh ... I see. Yesterday, instead of cleaning the carriage, did you leave it dirty to make it look shabby?"
"That's right. If I had polished it as shiny as the cabin that's having those wagons crowding around it, it's like advertising yourself as rich."
"But, the wagons are empty. Aren't goods what a rich person would have to offer?"(TN:No idea, this sentence is a mess, I don't know what it should actually be, but this should be close?)
"Haa ... You are, you couldn't even serve as a bandit."
According to Ropen-jii-san, many of the carriages were certainly on the way back from transporting their loads of grain and ore to Volzard.
It was rare to have cash, and the cargo of such carriages was often settled via the guild, in other words, the carriages didn't carry anything much less money.
"Well then, wouldn't this carriage be targeted instead?"
"Certainly, the probability of having gold is higher than other carriages, but compared to that crowded carriage or a beautifully polished carriage, the probability is low."
Bandits were punishable by death if caught.
The attacked side would not only be acquitted of killing the bandits, but would even receive a reward.
Needless to say, banditry was a high risk.
It wasn't worth it if you couldn't expect to make enough money to match the risk.
The targets were apparently rich carriages and carriages with young women riding together.
The reason why we left in a hurry was to leave before the formation that seemed to be the most likely to be targeted so as to not get involved in the raid on other groups.
Until yesterday, it would have been fine if the carriages were going forward and backwards were in a position where they could be seen.
This was because there was no point in making a formation if you kept your distance.
For this reason, the driver was supposed to always check the distance to the rear and send a signal to the carriage in front when slowing down.
Our carriage was the second from the back of the eight carriages.
"Gilik, if the distance between us and the back is too large, send a signal to the carriage in front to slow down."
"Ou, okay ..."
Ropen-jii-san didn't look as carefree as before.
He had a sharp gaze, as if he could see through the trees on the side of the road.
"Gilik, don't just look at the roots of the tree, look at the trunk from time to time."
"What is it, aren't we not going to be targeted."
"There's no such thing as absolutes in this world. There's no guarantee that bandits won't attack on a whim, and if you're not prepared to fight back, they'll kill you."
While confirming the distance between the carriages forming a line, I also paid attention to my surroundings.
The front and rear carriage drivers and escorts were also vigilant with stern faces.
Even when giving the horses a rest, they gave water to them in order starting from the first carriage, and gathered around the resting space in a row to rest.
The horses were given rest, but the escorts were not allowed to relax.
The fat jeweler we were escorting was also dressed like a farmer today.
He looked a little out of proportion with the carriage, but he looked better than the nasty nouveau riche outfit of yesterday.
While the horses were resting, the humans also finished their tasks, and the formation continued on the mountain pass.
A little before noon, we crossed the top of the pass, and from that time on, we began to pass other people.
The people who came from the Marburg side were also nervous because they were wary of bandits.
Since we were moving in formation, even though they didn't think we were bandits, they couldn't let go of that thought, so we passed each other while being wary of each other.
"Why is it ... Isn't the other side respectable people too."
"Everyone has 80% thoughts that the people aren't bandits, but the remaining 20% of their suspicions can't be thrown away, and it wouldn't be funny if they lost their lives for throwing that away."
Certainly, it didn't matter what the other person thought because they just pass each other on the mountain pass.
Rather than that, it would be more correct to concentrate on protecting yourself.
About halfway down from the top of the pass, the tension in the formation visibly loosened.
Attacking near the foot of the mountain was a big risk for bandits.
In particular, it seemed that there were many garrisons stationed near Marburg, whose territory Rivarre Pass was part of.
"Maa, if we come down here, we'll probably be fine."
"Tch, if I had subjugated two or three bandits, my rank would have gone up ..."
"Stupid fool, the most important thing in escort work is to deliver the escort target safely! If you encounter an attack, they may get injured or die from the stray arrows. If that happens, rather than ranking up, you'll get a negative assessment. Don't forget the original request. In Volzard, the only person who can challenge bandits alone is the 'Monster User'."
I was relieved to hear that the bandits were less likely to attack us, but I felt sick to hear that infuriating name.
"Fuun, that damned Chibi, he's no big deal. Someday I'll crumple him up and throw him in the trash."
"Ho!Ho!Ho!, though being powerful is good, as for you, you'll just get crushed."
"What'd you say! That damned Chibi, I've beaten him up many times before. It's just that the monsters he's using are strong."
"Even so, that 'Monster User' has the achievement of slaughtering 30-odd bandits. As for you, can you do the same trick?"
"Thirty-odd people ... Anyway, the rumors have become exaggerated, the rumor has made it grow bigger."
Ropen-jii-san looked at me, still holding the reins, and snorted.
"Gilik, you seem to want to raise your rank, but do you know what you're lacking?"
"Aahn? The only thing I lack is achievements. If I do a job that's easy to raise my rank, my rank will go up in no time."
"If you do that, you'll probably die before you reach B-rank."
"What'd you say! Even that Pedel bastard is B-rank. In half a year, I'll be A-rank."
"Anyone who was born and raised in Volzard would understand. A person who rises from D-rank to A-rank in half a year would get caught up in a situation where their rank goes up on its own accord, regardless of their own will. You won't reach A-rank unless you work hard."
It irritated me, but what Ropen-jii-san said was correct.
Those who rapidly rose in rank had a different atmosphere than others.
Appearing to be attracting troublesome things, that's the only way they're recognized for their abilities.
It was doubtful how true it was, but the rumors about that damned Chibi were typical of those who rapidly rose in rank.
"Shut it, what others think has nothing to do with it, I'll go up to A-rank soon, just you watch!"
"If you really want to rank up, you should notice it, right?"
"Notice? What is it!"
"It's about what you're lacking in. People learn and grow by realizing what they're lacking. Gilik, you're lacking in knowledge, experience, and skill. You won't grow if you look away from it. However, to put it another way, it could be said that there is still room for growth. Whether or not you can grow is up to you."
Ropen-jii-san didn't say a word until we were down the pass.
Even after safely crossing the Rivarre Pass, the carriage continued onwards, and it was at a village at the fork in the road that we took an inn.
From there, the west road went to Marburg, and the east road went to Bakkenheim.
He said that once we've made it this far, we've almost reached Marburg.
"Tonight let's raise a toast. Ropen and Gilik, once you've taken care of the horses and washed up, come to the dining room. Is that good."
"Yep, thank you very much, Danna-sama."
I bowed my head lightly behind Ropen-jii-san, who lowered his head.
Our employers, the fatty and Pedel, were just washing up and changing clothes, but we were very busy.
Taking care of the horses, washing the carriage, getting rid of the mites on the futon we slept on, and on top of that, Ropen-jii-san kept hitting me on the ass saying that I couldn't keep the fatty waiting.
When I went to the dining room, I was more exhausted than when we were crossing the mountain pass, and there was an incomparable number of dishes on display for dinner.
No, it was just that we hadn't eaten them, but the others might have been eating the same kind of dinner every night.
"You're slow, what were you doing. Don't keep Danna waiting!"
"Fine, it's fine, Pedel. We've crossed the Rivarre Pass safely, don't be so grumpy."
"Is that so ... I'm sorry, Ordoff-sama."
If you're going to tell us we're too slow, I was about to say the bastard should have come and helped us, but I stopped.
Apparently, we'll be served alcohol tonight, and Pedel's attention seemed to be on the cup of liquor.
"Jii-san, can we drink too?"
"Since your employer says it's fine, it doesn't matter."
Ordoff, who was our employer, didn't seem to be a stingy man, and he continued to order additional food and alcohol.
Pedel spoke flattering flattery, drank alcohol as recommended, and got drunk in a good mood.
As for Ropen-jii-san, he drank slowly, just like he drank every night, and his body swung and swayed.
He used to be an A-ranked adventurer, but he gave up his rank to become an F-ranked adventurer because he was too old to move his body.
When I saw that Pedel bastard getting drunk, I felt that it was not good for me to get drunk, but when I refrained from drinking, Ordoff recommended it.
"What's wrong, Gilik, do you dislike alcohol?"
"No, if I'm drunk as well, the escort ..."
"Wha~t, it's fine. This inn is my regular lodging, security is tight so don't worry."
"I see, then ..."
The liquor was of the highest quality, and the food was delicious.
If I was asked to drink, there was no reason to refuse.
Ordoff, who was recommending alcohol with a grin, began to get drowsy as he got drunk, probably due to the fatigue of the day.
His secretary man and Pedel were also half asleep.
"Okay, Gilik. Give me a hand."
"Nn? You want me to help you move?"
"Right. I allowed you to drink, so don't abandon me in the middle."
"Alright ..."
I lent a hand to Ordoff, who was very fat, and took him to the room of the inn.
Ropen-jii-san was dragging the secretary man in while scolding him.
Pedel was ... I didn't know.
"Aahh, it's not over there. It's the bedroom in the back. This one is Gudeau's, get it together!"
After putting Ordoff on the bed in the back bedroom and throwing his secretary, Gudeau, on the bed in the front room, the long day finally came to an end.
"Gilik, I'm going to the bathroom, so you can go back first."
"Ou, alright ..."
Tonight, the room was in the same building as the stable, but it was more beautiful than the previous inns.
In the evening, I threw my body on the dust-beaten futon.
On the first day, I got used to the mite extermination medicine in my nose and the smell of horses, so drowsiness hit me right away.
When I was dozing off, Ropen-jii-san came back, fell asleep faster than I did, and started snoring.
It was the back and forth snoring as usual, but I would be able to sleep tonight without worrying about it.
Once we arrived in Marburg in one more day, the escort work would return.
"Hey! Hey, get up! How long are you going to be sleeping, you mutt!"
"Aahn? Who's the mutt! I'll kill you!"
"Don't be ridiculous! Don't talk in your sleep, where is that old man Ropen! Where did he go!"(TN:When I translate it as old man instead of jii, it's because they're calling him an old man(jii) instead of using jii as an honorific.)
"Ah~n? The old man ...?"
The next morning, I was woken up by that Pedel bastard, but my head was shaking and I couldn't understand what he was saying.
"Hey, wake up already! Where did the old man go!"
"How would I know, I dunno! Don't you damned thing know?"
"Don't ask me that! The old man ran away with the jewels!"
"Haa? He ran away with them ...?"
Pedel, whose face changed color in anger, said when he woke up this morning, he heard that the jewels in Ordoff's room were gone, and that Ropen-jii-san and his horse were gone.
"When did the old man disappear!"
"I don't know about that. Yesterday I came back first, and the old man came back later, and he was sleeping and snoring."
"Damnit, get ready to go! We'll chase after him!"
"Haa? Why do we have to chase after him."
"Stupid fool! He stole the money while we were the escorts!"
"Don't screw with me! Ordoff told me to drink, so I drank it!"
"Even so, we can't escape all responsibility ... If we receive a ruling from the guild, we'll have to compensate for half of the damage."
"Such a thing, you bastard should pay it!"
"Are you stupid! The amount of the escort this time is 10 million Herts, so it's half of that, so it's 5 million. How do I pay that off!"
"If it's 2.5 million Herts ..."
In the city of Volzard, the daily wage was around 1,000 Helts even for a good job.
I could earn about 350,000 Helts a year, but I needed money to live.
Even if you skimped, it would be good if you could save 250,000 Helts.
In other words, reparations would be like working for free for ten years.
"I can't afford to pay that amount!"
"That's why we'll chase after him and catch him! If we catch him, we can put all the responsibility on the old man. If he isn't caught ... If you understand, get ready!"
"Damnit, that old man, money isn't free ..."
Returning to work as an escort ... far from it, I ended up looking around for that old man Ropen.
That being said, this was where the road forked.
"Even if we chase him, where would he go."
"Isn't it obvious to go to Bakkenheim."
"Why do you say that."
"He can't go back to Volzard, where his face is known. The same goes for Marburg, where we were headed. After crossing the Great Irosun Forest, in addition to Bakkenheim, there's Breichberg, Liebenstein, Verlingen, and Edelich. If the old man's story was true, then he's more familiar with the area than we are. He would have decided to go there."
"But, how are we going to chase after him? There's only one horse left, and there's no saddle either."
Since Ordoff's carriage had two horses, there was one horse left, but there was no saddle for riding.
Ropen probably hid the saddle somewhere in the carriage.
"Mutt, you, do you have the money to buy a horse?"
"Such a thing, there's no way!"
"Tch, it can't be helped, it's a carriage."
Enough money to buy horses and horse gear, there's no way I would have it, not even in my guild account.
Pedel was the same as me, and we decided to head for Bakkenheim in a horse-drawn carriage, but the speed of horseback riding and riding in a carriage was too different.
Even if we managed to get in the carriage and ride it, I didn't feel like we could catch up.
"Hey, mutt. Once we cross the Irosun Great Forest, we'll split up and look for him. Information will be shared via the guild. Do you get it."
"Tch, don't talk. Bastard, look for him properly."
"Don't be ridiculous, I don't have a low rank that I wouldn't mind throwing away like you bastard do. If I can't find him, my life is over."
We swayed in a shared carriage while being restless, and arrived at the entrance of the Irosun Great Forest in the early afternoon.
The old man Ropen abandoned his horse here, Pedel glared at me as we switched to another carriage and moved on.
With the increase in the number of monsters, it seemed that no one wanted to cross the Great Forest alone or on foot.
"From here on, the old man and us will both move at the same speed. If we can somehow find a way to close the gap, we still have a chance of getting the gems back."
"How will you look for him?"
"The only thing we can do is ask at the terminal for carriages or by asking traders who buy jewels ..."
Pedel suddenly fell silent in the middle of the conversation.
"Hey, what happened."
"It's not good ... You, think of me as a trader and ask questions."
"Haa? Why is that ..."
"It's fine, just do it!"
"Tch ... Ou, did you see an old man?"
"What kind of old man is it."
"He's skinny, petite ... petite ..."
A nasty sweat broke out on my back.
Even if I asked him, Ropen was a man without any particular characteristics.
He didn't have a beard, and he wasn't fat like Ordoff.
If his hairstyle was normal, it wasn't like he had distinctive black eyes.
He was a very ordinary old man who could be found anywhere.
"What are you doing. Let's look around for him!"
"Shut it, I'm thinking about it right now, don't talk randomly from the side."
Pedel held his head in his hands and brooded over it, but he couldn't seem to come up with a good idea.
"Hey, Pedel ..."
"What, I'm thinking right now ..."
"Hey ..."
"Shut it, you mutt ..."
"No, it's not that, why is the carriage not moving?"
"Such a thing, checking for escorts at the forest entrance ..."
I heard that the carriages entering the Irosun Great Forest could be checked for escorts, so the entrance to the forest would be crowded.
But, even so, the carriage was still stopped, and there was some noise outside.
A loud voice from in front of the carriage, from the Irosun Great Forest, eventually reached our ears.
"It's closed! You can't enter the Great Forest!"
"The inn in the village is already fully booked! Return and look for an inn in another village!"
"There is no prospect of resuming traffic! I repeat, there is no prospect of resuming traffic!"
Pedel, who had been listening to what was going on outside, got up from his seat.
"Hey, mutt, let's go! Hey, let me down, we'll get off here!"
"What are you going to do."
"Isn't it obvious, I'm gonna look for the old man."
After getting off the carriage, we headed to the entrance of the Great Forest and looked around to see if there was a figure that looked like Ropen.
When I saw a carriage turning around to turn back, I rushed over to check inside, but Ropen was nowhere to be seen.
Worse news awaited at the Guild's branch office at the entrance to the Great Forest.
"It was a little before noon when we stopped traffic. By then, many carriages had entered the Great Forest, but not a single carriage has come out of the forest."
"Are you saying they were attacked by monsters?"
"The guys who went out to scout haven't returned yet, so I can't say anything, but maybe ..."
After listening to the story and reporting the incident, we frantically searched the village and found Ropen's footsteps.
"Aahh, it's true that old man came to sell a horse first thing in the morning. He said he had some urgent business in Breichberg ... Right, he was a skinny old man."
"So, what happened to the old man?"
"Who knows ... Perhaps, he went ahead in a carriage? Aahh, then ... he might already be in the belly of a monster ..."
After leaving the horse-riding shop, Pedel's shoulders drooped and he sat down on the grass by the roadside.
"Hey, why aren't you looking for the old man?"
"If you want to find him, find him yourself ..."
"What, are you bastard going to give up?"
"Fuun, as I said earlier, it's different from you bastard who can easily throw away your rank."
"What do you mean by throwing away your rank?"
"Haa ... You really are a naive mutt. If you go to a city other than Volzard and register as a new person, you will be able to restart from F-rank, but you can get rid of the 2,500,000 Helts compensation."
"In other words, you're going to become a different person? If that's the case, you bastard too ..."
"Don't screw with me! Just think how hard it was to get to B-rank. In Volzard's Guild account, there's even the savings I've accumulated so far! Are you telling me to throw it all away!"
Pedel sprawled across the grass and looked up at the sky.
He was kind of an annoying bastard, but I felt a little sorry for him, maybe because I was in the same turmoil.
"Still, that old man Ropen entered the Great Forest ..."
"He's gone in. No matter how stupid you are, you should understand, that old man prepared meticulously and set it at the right time. He definitely went ahead ... I don't know if he's safe, but ... From what I've heard so far, it looks like he's already dead."
If not even one traveler came out of the Great Forest, I didn't think the people who entered there were safe.
Among the escorts, there should have been adventurers of B-rank or higher, but they had not been able to reach them.
"What are you going to do now."
"Now then ... For the time being, There's no choice but to report the situation to the guild and bargain down the amount of compensation given by the ruling ..."
"Will I be asked about the situation as well?"
"Nn? If you start over in another town, you can avoid paying compensation."
"Tch, I'm an A-rank ... No, I'm a man who's going up to S-rank. There's no way I'm going to run away from that kind of compensation. I don't intend to bargain, but I'll do it reluctantly for the sake of this, so at the very least you should thank me."
After Pedel stared at me with his mouth wide open, he held his stomach and burst into laughter.
"Kuhahahaha, S-rank, okay, a young guy should be able to say at least that much. Alright, when we return to Volzard and successfully negotiate the compensation, I'll help you raise your rank. You can't get a good job with just a D-rank."
"Fuun, don't forget that, I won't let you just use me."
"Kuhahaha, it's an adventurer's skill to not be used."
"Hey, where are you going."
"It's a bar, a bar."
"Haa? This isn't the time to drink alcohol ..."
"Don't be silly, I have to drink alcohol. Come on, future S-rank."
With a wry smile, I chased after Pedel, who walked towards the bar without even brushing the dry grass on his back.
He said that he would help me raise my rank, but I wondered if this guy would help me ...
