In the gently rocking wagon, Keita watched the passing scenery vacantly.
He had met the friendly merchant in a town, and had agreed to be his guard. And for some reason, the merchant did not ask about him at all.
Keita had nowhere to go after leaving the Village. He considered just going out to see and perhaps seeing Efalea. However, he did not do that.
The reason was that the Seer’s influence would only be stronger the farther north he went. This very road had not been here a month ago. And now it was cutting through the land so boldly.
Because Keita had been in Lindle, there were mercenaries and merchants who were familiar with him.
But he hated the idea of meeting any of them, and so he never stayed in the same inn for long.
But more than anything, he hated the rumors that were spreading. They all knew that the Hero’s army had essentially bought a whole village, using the excuse that they were going to stop the Demon King’s advance.
“Damn it…”
Had he stuck around a little longer, the other merchants would have come to the village and told the people everything. If that happened, he would have been able to negotiate in a better position.
But everything had gone in the wrong direction.
“Someone. Help me…”
The sadness of the words made his body shake.
Who would help someone like him now? He hadn’t talked to Canila for many days. Besides, they would just end up fighting anyway.
He knew there was a way to end these days of misery.
If he just said the words. That he wanted to quit being a Hero, then this nightmare would end.
“We’ll be entering the forest soon. So you should be on your guard.”
“Ye-yes!”
Before he knew it, they were out of the grass fields and into the trees. Keita was reminded that he was hired as a guard, and he gripped his staff tightly.
“By the law of Radiant Rhyme, open, true sight. My twin eyes, like wolves that pierce through the thicket, and like the eyes of a hawk soaring the boundless sky.”
Keita closed his eyes, and the scene of the forest appeared before him. He could see through obstacles and detect anything that was in range.
“It is fine. Nothing dangerous is nearby.”
“I see. That’s good to know. Bandits often lie in wait near the entrance.”
The wagon continued to move. The road here was also cleared neatly, with stone walls on both sides to prevent plants from encroaching.
It had likely been made for military purposes, but it was used for everyday life as well. This was an operation on a massive scale that dwarfed what he had done in his village.
Keita felt so empty and gloomy. The forest was endlessly dim, and low bushes grew all around.
As the Seer had said, when one had no power, there was nothing you could do against enormous strength. His own knowledge had been from the internet and books, supplemented by what Canila knew.
“He-hey, you. Have you noticed?”
“…Noticed wh-what?”
And then he heard. The sound of something moving through the trees.
“I-I don’t know. But there must be a lot of them…”
“In any case, you should…”
Neither of them were able to finish. The monsters appeared and jumped over the stone walls.
“Ahhh!”
“Ekkk!”
However, they were clearly surprised to see Keita and the merchant. Not only that, but they were wounded and screaming.
“Hey, you! If you don’t want to die…”
In the next instant, the monster’s body was blown away. They were being pierced by numerous silver beams, and blood splattered over the stone.
“Da-damn it! They already caught up with us!”
The remaining four goblins looked back with expressions full of fear. But what appeared from the bushes was quite unexpected.
“Tha-that’s…”
A man in plate mail was running. It was without a doubt Poro, the one who had escaped to Lindle. And he was followed by what looked to be Adventurers.
“Captain. Some merchant is here too. What should we do?”
“Falnan. Meshe. We’ll attack at the same time when I give the signal. Detore, you protect them.”
“Shit! You…”
In the end, the goblins could not resist.
The three warriors moved like a dark wind and cut through them. And the magician in the back cast a barrier, which even blocked the blood perfectly.
“Are you alright? Sorry, we’ve been taking down dungeons, but these escaped and…”
Poro stopped and then his face twisted into a grin.