The River Town of Donsama (South Side)

After crossing the river and heading back into Donsama proper, I headed straight the the inn since I’d tired myself out. I slept soundly, falling asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow, and kept at it until just before we left the next morning.

Maaan can I get some nice sleep after tuckering myself out.

“I don’t see anything different between the north and south sides, are they really different?”

“The adventurer guilds aren’t a part of the conflict at least, so that’s all that matters for us.”

The whole thing’s inconsequential for travelers like us though.

At most we just had to plaster smiles on ourselves while listening to people say stuff like Oh, you were in the north side yesterday? My goodness! It was so much more warm and comfortable down here, can’t you tell?. Like heck we can!

“Alright, so we’ll be leaving Donsama today—is there anything we’re forgetting?”

“I ate fish from the carts and some more for dinner. I’m greeeeat, plus I can just get some more on the way back if I think of somethin’!”

“I’d expect nothing less, Ichika-san. What about you, Kehma-san?”

“I’m good. Now we’re just going to accept a commission from the adventurer guild yeah?”

“What about solving the inn parent-child duo’s discord?”

“Pass.”

With that out of the way, we went to South Donsama’s adventurer guild. Wataru had delivered the luggage he got from North Donsama’s adventurer guild some time beforehand, so we just accepted a delivery commission heading for the capital without much happening.

Just as we were all about to head back outside, someone called out Wataru’s name.

“Wataru-sama. Someone asked for you specifically for an escort commission to Corky. Would you like to accept it? The person you would be escorting is a merchant.”

“Hmm? What do you think, Kehma-san?”

Wait, you’re asking me?—is what I first though, but then I remembered that I’d already hired Wataru to be my escort.

In that case, I—the client—had the power to make the decision. By the way, Corky was the name of the next big town on the way to the capital at around three days away by coach.

“The coach’s already too cramped to bring another person.”

“They have their own.”

Wataru spoke while looking at the commission ticket he received from the receptionist.

By the way, the reason the receptionist already knew that Corky was our next destination was because Wataru came here saying We’re planning on heading to Corky next on our way to the capital, are there any delivery commissions we could take?. Nothing about it seemed suspicious, but…

“Why’d they nominate Wataru directly? Wouldn’t it be a good bit more expensive to request a hero directly?”

“It happens occasionally. They could have something that requires a hero, or perhaps their very goal is to be escorted by a hero.”

So some people just want to get closer to a hero? I see. He’s a bit off, but he is a hero… Still though, it just feels like one gold for a three-day escort by Wataru is expensive.

“Well, it says that it will be switched into an ordinary escort commission asking for an appropriate adventurer if it isn’t accepted, so Kehma-san, let me know whatever you decide.”

“I guess it’s fine. If you get onto the merchant’s coach, that just means we’ll have one less person on ours.”

“Aww… alright, fine.”

Saying that, Wataru went back to the receptionist to accept the commission. The merchant was delighted and asked to shake Wataru’s hands, to which Wataru responded.

… So I guess there’s these kinds of commissions too.

With that, Wataru finished greeting the merchant and came back as the merchant looked as if they were in a rush to head outside.

“He asked for us to wait a little longer so he can fetch more goods to bring.”

“Alright. I guess it makes sense for him to want to bring more now that he knows a hero’s going to escort him, not to mention that he’d want to bring more to recoup his losses from the nomination fee.”

“Well, Corky’s public security isn’t too bad in the first place… But I heard there was an eyewitness report about a band of thieves stalking the area, so I figured that it was a great chance since it said the merchant has four wagons.”

Oh, so he wants to fish out some thieves. Which means that him accepting the escort this time is for the sake of fighting people…?

“Kehma-san, have you killed anyone before? If not, don’t feel like you have to push yourself.”

I have as a Dungeon Master, but that’s indirectly…

If I was attacked by a thief… I could probably do it? Hmm. Let’s not worry about it.

“By the way, it’s common for C-Ranks to be escorts… that is, they’re at a level that are able to fight thieves, robbers and the like. Kehma-san, I know you’re D-Rank, but do you think you’ll manage?”

“As long as no big shot comes out, probably. I’d be able to stall if I get surrounded, so make sure you save me if it looks dangerous, yeah?”

“Got it, leave it to me.”

I didn’t just have to rely on the clothes golem, I had magic too. I figured I could manage one way or another.

Gozoh and Roppu were C-Rank, and Ichika was formerly one, so they should be fine… and Meat’s even stronger than Ichika so she should be fine. The problem’s actually whether or not she’d be able to hold back enough to not kill them.

By the way, it also seems like our coachman has the strength of a C-Rank adventurer, too. As expected of an aristocrat’s coachman.

I guess the only problem’s Rokuko? She has a clothes golem, but I can’t picture her actually fighting. She’s wearing a rapier, but it’s just a decoration right?

… Is Rokuko, a non-human, the most typical person among us?

… Let’s have Ichika guard her.

“Alright, shall we wait at the meeting area, the south gate?”

“Yeah.”

*

And that’s why we decided to wait at the south gate out of Donsama toward the capital.

Ichika headed out with Meat for some nearby stalls to procure food… I thought she said she didn’t forget to eat?

“Still though, getting a nomination commission… Wataru really is famous, isn’t he?”

“He is a hero, after all.”

“It’s kind of strange since we see him all the time at our inn though.”

Hearing Rokuko and I chat with each other about him, Wataru hopped into our conversation.

“Were you talking about me just now?”

“We were, we were. About how totally different people treat you in and out of our village.”

“Golen’s special. Because the village chief is Kehma-san.”

Wataru spoke as if it was my fault. Rokuko even nodded in agreement. Why tho.

Me being the village chief has nothing to do with it… I mean, I’m just a figurehead. Heck, Village Sub-Chief Wozuma, Receptionist-san from the adventurer guild, even Gozoh as the adventurer representative had more authority than me.

“While we’re on the topic of the village, how’s it going with you and Nerune?”

“Oh, it’s going great! Nerune-san said she’d go on a date with me to Tsuia next time she has an opening in her schedule. So, Rokuko-san, please give Nerune a vacation. Actually, she needs money, so please raise her pay too.”

“Oh well… I guess I’ll just have to give Nerune a holiday the next time you come by, Wataru! I’ll lend you her.”

“Thank you very much!”

Huh? Nerune’s always on holiday whenever Wataru comes. She should be able to do whatever she wants with him.

And it’s not like there’d be any issue with her going on a date with him to Tsuia… eh, whatever.

A while later, the merchant we’d be escorting arrived.

He had four covered wagons. They looked like they were loaded with a lot of goods. From what I heard, his Storage is filled up too… But wouldn’t the wagons get stuck from being so weighed down?

Let’s stop there. I get the feeling I’ll raise some flag if I keep up that train of thought.

“Alright, Mr. Hero-sama, my safety is in your hands.”

“Yeah, leave it to me. We’d even be able to deal with a dragon, so don’t worry about it.”

“That is very reassuring.”

The merchant then bowed his head toward us as well. We look forward to working with you for the next three days.

We took the merchant and exited the gate, leaving for the next town.

Although Wataru predicted that we’d be attacked… even if we were, he would probably go so hard that he’d take them all out himself.