Dear readers, I know it’s hard to acept Rena but please give the novel a chance. Don’t drop it yet.
We will reach Rena’s tregady past soon and it will explain why Rena behave that way.
And I can promise you, Mile will be hilarious in a few chapters.
Mile Chapter 51: Joint duties
“Everyone, thank you for accepting this quest, even with the bad conditions this time” (Merchant)
There are six carriages in this group. There were each one man and each merchant was four. The merchants seem to be on good terms with each other and the purpose is to introduce the escort hunters. The escort don’t need to be intimate with the merchant, but the escorts need to grasp other hunter’s ability, feats, etc. for collaboration and allocating roles. If we plan ahead, we can raise the safety for the next nine days.
“Because some people were absent when I explain the detail last time so I will briefly explain about this request again.” (Merchant)
As Mile’s thinking, the client continued talking.
And, as you have noticed, this time the compensation amount is 1.5 times compared to ordinary escort request. You may already hear it from my colleagues, but there’re a big bandits group active in that direction.”
“And the story is not limited to that. This merchant group isn’t going for profit purpose but for people who are in trouble because of the decline in the number of merchants travel to Amuros. And we are picking mainly “not so expensive but absolutely necessary” tools for that purpose. And even our purpose are to deliver those important items, but in reality, there is one important mission, and that is …” (Merchant)
“It is the annihilation of thieves” (Merchant)
Yes, that was the true purpose of this merchant, as heard from the client yesterday.
“It takes a long time for the lords and the country to move, and waiting for it will completely stop the trade with Amuros. So for that reason, you will move with our merchant group and prepare for the thieves’s attack. If they don’t attack, we will just trade with Amuros like normal. And if we get attacked, it will fight for the purpose of annihilation of enemies, not escape.
For this purpose, I am aware that the rewards aren’t enough. However, we could not prepare any more than that. Please forgive us.
So, please concentrate solely on the annihilation of enemies. Even if we are taken hostage, you can ignore us. Even if we surrender, we will just be killed later anyway.
Escort Hunters were mocking at the last word of the client.
“… Why would you do that?” (Hunter A)
“Why, you ask?
Well, if I must say, then because to us merchants, Amuros is a good customer from the past …” (Merchant)
“… Stupid! That’s just foolishness!” (Hunter E)
“Well, what are you thinking when received such a request?” (Hunter E)
“But It’s already decided” (Hunter D)
“You are a big idiot!” (Hunter E)
Three other member are watching with a wry smile. Apparently, it seems to be usual in their party.
After laughing for a while, that leader looks at other hunters and started talking.
“Well, for now, let introduce ourself. I am of this 『Dragon Breath』 party’s leader, Bart (バート), a rank B swordsman. There’s no other rank B in this joint parties. So, I’d like to be a leader of the entire escort plan and the battle command, are there any objections?” (Bart)
As everyone seemed to have no objection, he nodded, and Bart continued talking.
And then, the three of 20 years old males party introduce themself.
“Huh…!?” (many people)
No matter how you look at them, the party balance is too bad.
If the party is B rank, they may have a lot of members, but the appropriate number for F to C ranked party is around 5 to 7 people.
If there are 8 or more people, you should devide the additional member in two parties. Party are dangerous if the number of people is too small. And with party with too many members, it will be harder to co-op with each other and distribute the money rewards. Unless we have joint quest like this time, the number should be keep at 5 to 7.
Four people party should have two swordsmen, one archer and one magician. There’s no party with four swordsmen. It was too unbalanced.
And right now, before our eyes,『Flame Wolf』party were too unbalanced. Moreover, there are only three people.
“No… I understand about the number of people and the balance! Until a couple of months ago, we still have archer and magician, two girls!” (Brett)
At that moment, Mile and other see the change in Brett’s face and understand, but it is already late.
And after that, they came back the other day and told us to party again, but I refused.
“I… I see” (Bart)
And then everyone become silence, and it’s Maevis-san who break the silence.
“I… I’m the 『Red Oath』’s leader, Maevis, I’m a swordsman. This is the magician Rena and Pauline, and the magic swordsman Mile” (Maevis)
Three member of『Flame Wolf』raised question.
Didn’t they wonder why the client accept children like that in this kind of quest ?
The client must watch the graduation test. Otherwise, he would have refused. Even so, he still hesitated to accept this request with 『Red Oath』’s member other than Maevis.
“Ah, that’s right, I can use a lot of magic, I’m also good with sword, and you don’t have to worry about water!” (Mile)
“Rena is an attack magician, Pauline is good at healing and support magic, she can also use attack magic” (Maevis)
『Flame Wolf』’s leader Brett don’t know the strengh of『Red Oath』make such remark.
Then, after the information exchange about magic and roles, it time to depart.
They ride on four of the six carriages, three members of『Dragon Breath』ride on the top carriage, the other two ride on the second carriage. Three people of『Flame Wolf』ride on the last carriage. And four members of『Red Oath』were on the fourth carriage.
Those who are in front of and behind are the farthest position. If one side is attack, they can’t rush to other side so soon to help soon.
Three people of 『Flame Wolf』even only twenty years old but they are also adult men so they never complaining about it.
On the first day, the merchant group are still close to the kingdom’s capital, neither thieves nor demons appear. And they were safely set the camp at night.
Outside, the cook is laid with a blanket, sleeping next to each other. Some escort hunters are sleeping under the carriage or under a big tree to avoid the rain.
“Hey, what is it …?” (Brett)
“Where were you loading, such a thing!” (Brett)
It is not unreasonable for young people of 『Flame Wolf』 to wonder. The carriage is tightly loaded with a goods, only the merchant can sleep inside and everyone else are sleeping outside. They could not afford to have a lot of personal items.
And after finishing the preparation for the bed, it’s finally time for dinner.
Although the client prepares meal while traveling, there was not much choice when saying that it is light, bulky and inexpensive because they can only bring preserved food.
Yes, it is the familiar hard bread and dried meats, soup are simple cook the dried kuzu vegetables with hot water. The quantity is far from good.
And then Mile prepare them with a kitchen knife came out of nowhere. After that Meavis roast the meat with a bonfire raised by Rena. The tasty smell gradually spread to the surrounding.
To the invitation of Mile, the escort hunters who were watching the situation from a long distance are coming.
By the way, when Maevis-san cooked, I started to use knives instead of daggers because I felt as if I could hear sobbing from somewhere when I used a dagger for cooking.
Horn rabbit meats exhausted very fast as everyone keeps eating, and then Mile took out a part of burnt rock lizard and orc meat from the item box.
This time, not only 『Flame Wolf』 but also 『Dragon Breath』 were surprised. This skill didn’t show in the graduation test so they don’t know. And also the number of people can use storage were small.
“Have the storage! How nice …” (Mechants)
“Would you also like some meat …?” (Mile)
Other merchants finally get the meat, and everyone began to eat meat one after another.
“This time, I used magic to gather particles of smell so that monsters won’t come”
After I told that, everyone can feel secure.
Women of 『Dragon Breath』, Vera and Jeanny are very happy.
“It’s handy and convenient, you guys …”