Volume 2, Chapter 12
It's been over a week and we're still on this fake mercenary trip. It's been an odd experience, being honest. Even though I've had Zynthia scouting ( I am scared about what she's planning to be honest ), absolutely nothing has happened. After studying at the academy for six years, I've become aware that seriously strong monsters are a very common thing in this world.
Yet, I haven't met one hostile one in this place. Actually, not only the monsters but the people are meant to be seriously corrupt. I wonder if the skill I was given was in relation to this. Maybe I can avoid really bad circumstances! …pfff, yeah right. More like it's just the calm before the storm. I wonder if that expression actually means anything? Or if it's used correctly normally.
Anyway, that's not important.
Basically, right now, we've taken a break.
"Sir, it seems you haven't led us astray so far. However, sir still needs to complete the entire trip in order to prove his claims."
"Mmm… That is correct."
"Is sir really sure he wants to continue on this path? Why does sir continue to wear his mask?"
To be honest, I have no idea why I don't reveal my identity. It sort of just happened and now I want to stick it out the entire way through. I guess it's stupid, but I can't help it anymore. I had a feeling and I went through with it. There's no way to explain it beyond that.
"I have my reasons."
It's a simple response which doesn't actually answer her question, but I hope she realises that I really do not want to discuss this matter.
"Very well, sir. Should we leave soon?"
Hmm… I have a bad feeling about this… So…
"No, not just yet. Wait another ten minutes."
It's better safe than sorry, right? I mean, I know it's a little stupid relying on things like intuition and gut feelings but at this point, it is all that I've got. That's why I'm gonna rely on them as a basis and hopefully Zynthia can fill in the gaps that it misses. In this manner, it may actually be possible to convince Cyndy, Rilz and the rest of the merchants that I am truly a mercenary who doesn't fight.
Although, I'm not a mercenary.
As I'm thinking such an obvious thought, it appears Zynthia has returned from her scouting. Although the rest of us were on a break, she's still on active duty… Continue the good work, Zynthia!
Avoiding the gazes of everyone else, Zynthia weaves around excitedly, just like normal before landing near the neck of my shirt and then hiding in my shirt. .
"There are no traces of monsters nearby, although further up on the path there are two Giant Poisonous Frogs! You should probably travel through the forest for a bit!"
"…through the forest? Not on the path? Is this really safe…?"
"Safer than trying to fight those frogs! Especially given the claims you made!"
… i hate the fact that this annoying fairy is right. Also, who the hell named those monsters? It's so plain it's a little disappointing. Why couldn't it have been something like 'Emoradian'? No, I think the name they were given was more appropriate.
"Ten minutes have passed."
Oh, it seems Cindy was timing. Hmm… does she compare against the sun or something? Or is it a unique magic? I don't recall anything about timekeeping beyond the feelings of the stomach in the academy… or was I just not paying attention? Sometimes, it feels like there was no time in between when I started at the academy and now. It's an odd feeling.
"Alright, we can go now. We'll be avoiding the path – travel through the forest."
I say so and point towards the right side of the pathway, where the forest begins. Cindy looks at me with concern, as though she's thinking that I'm nuts.
"Why, sir? Isn't the forest even more dangerous than the path."
Challenging me… obviously, in normal circumstances, you'd take the path but it seems it's attracted some mucus covered creatures, so I'd rather avoid it.
"There are some giant and disgusting monsters on the path right now. I can say so with absolute certainty."
"If sir says so, then we will follow his advice."
Cindy says so and then walks off. She's probably going to discuss the plans with the merchants? It appears that Cindy still has a bit of trust in me and my claims. To be fair, so far we haven't run into any issues. Wait, is that a flag? Or is it only a flag if I say it out loud? How does this work!? Maybe I should touch wood… not that it'd help now, huh? Oh well, I guess I better try and deal with the issues that arise due to this.
Alright, so going through the forest… This was probably the riskiest thing I've taken us to do so far during this trip. Although we've gone off the path a few times, it was never far into the monster-ridden forest areas. It was only a brief detour. This time it seems we'll be spending quite a bit of time in the forest.
"…"
There's not a lot left for me to do now, I feel a bit like a tour guide. By that, I mean, I feel like all I'm here for is giving directions, not the part where they give random facts about whatever they are guiding. No, it's not like these guys need me to tell them anything. So, rather than a tour guide, I'm more like GPS. Zynthia's the satellite in that case.
"You definitely just thought something weird about me! You did, didn't you!?"
"…are you psychic?"
"With magic, yes! Not right now, though!"
"You had better go back to scouting."
"You're gonna owe me! Owe me lot's of stuff!"
Following that exchange, Zynthia avoids being noticed by anyone and goes back to scouting. Although, am I really that easy to read?
The answer to that is probably 'yes'. About a 95% probability. Hang on, that probability is a bit weird then. Haven't I been able to prevent myself being read by Cindy and the merchants? This needs further investigation….
"It's time to leave."
Oh, this time it's onee-sama… the benefit of this adventure is that she can't treat me like trash. She has to keep up her act of being semi-decent to me. It's nice to hear her voice without the tone of judgement.
It won't last forever, though. After this trip, she will most definitely go back to being harsh on me. Which isn't a bad thing. Tough love is how I would describe it. I've gotten very used to it. Anyway, we better go.
"Okay. Let's go."
As the hired mercenary, I have to take the lead. Onee-sama and Yuuki (Who has remained silent and by onee-sama's side for this trip) stay near the rear. Cindy often comes up to me and tries to guess my identity.
—-
At the academy
—-
While Lun Fei was guiding merchants to a town based on a lie, Lun Lumi was having a staring contest with another young girl (Who, unknown to her, was an angel).
"Who are you?"
Lumi asked the young girl in a monotone voice. Just before this, Lumi had noticed the young girl skulking around her siblings room door and immediately got irritated. When she saw that the young girl was about to try and break in, she approached her and now it has led to this moment.
"I don't need to tell you that. There's only one person who I'll follow their orders!"
The young girl responded as such, causing Lumi to grow even more irritated. Thus,
"If you refuse to tell me, I will ensure that you can no longer walk."
"I'd like to see you try~ Though, I don't think Fei-nii would really be happy with that. Thus, my name is Eri."
The young girl, Eri, after having her fun, told Lumi her name. Of course, there was no point in trying to reveal her status or identity as the academy's magic would prevent this in some odd manner.
"I'm Lumi. Why were you around nii-san's and nee-chan's room? Also, what is your relationship with nii-san!"
Now that Eri had revealed her name, Lumi was much less irritated and her monotone voice was lost, now reflecting some emotion.
"Fun and amusement~! There is none~!"
Eri responded as such, causing Lumi's shoulders to droop… she was actually really interested as to why her nii-san had known such a girl.
"Well, okay. Let's go eat lunch, okay?"
Lumi, being Lumi, had instantly let down her guards to this young girl, simply because the relationship between her nii-san and the young girl seemed to be quite a good one. Anyone with goodwill for her nii-san could not be a bad person and so she wanted to begin a friendship with her.
"Okay~? It will be fun, right?"
"Very."
Thus, began the friendship between the young angel Eri and the bro-con girl Lumi.