Chapter 97

Tall and his companions, who had abandoned the northern route halfway, met familiar adventurers, Bettina and her group, at the carriage stop where they had returned.

The red-haired beauty, whose buttocks were slapped by Muu right away, had a crestfallen look on her face.

"Ugh, I wanted to make a more stylish entrance with a cool line here!"

"No, this way, you look more like a lady."

"…Yeah, just like always."

"…You seem to be doing well, young one."

"Bettina, it's been a while. Ah, Gordhan, Tapa, and Tari, hello there."

"Hey, how have you been?"

"Hello, everyone."

The last time they met, Bettina had said that she needed to defeat ten more rampaging hippos to advance, but it seemed she had successfully drawn the lottery for the upper hunting grounds. Everyone was wearing the same white-bordered adventurer cards around their necks as Tall and his group.

"Hey, Muu, you shouldn't just start hitting people. Say sorry, will you?"

"Muu doesn't tolerate anything that threatens Muu!"

"Indeed, Muu, you have a noble spirit."

"…That's the spirit."

"…Impressive, young one."

"Hey, whose side are you on!"

Tall and his companions had been advancing at an incredible speed, but Bettina and her group were not far behind, changing the color of their plates one after another. It seemed that this had ignited a competitive fire in Muu, the youngest and fastest to achieve her record. With a slight relaxation of his cheeks, Tall turned his gaze to the four of them.

Bettina, who had a slightly sulky look and was turning her head to the side, had tied her red hair neatly with a white cloth to keep out the sand today. She wore a tight-fitting white scale leather armor and a slender sword that clung to her long legs. Her beauty, including her defiant eyes, remained unchanged. For some reason, the red-haired maiden had been glancing at Yuril and the guide, Salissa, from time to time.

Next to her, Gordhan was dressed in armor with a dull reddish hue. He carried a large diamond shield on his back and a club with spikes at the end, hanging from his waist. Despite his imposing appearance, his gentle demeanor made him far from intimidating.

Behind the lady and the butler stood the plump twin members of the Green Feather clan. Both wore loose-fitting robes and had white cloth skillfully wrapped around their heads. Tapa, the older brother, carried a bow on his back and wore leather chest plates and gloves on his dominant hand and one side of his chest. Tari, the younger brother, had several short sword sheaths hanging from his waist.

Tall found their unusually narrow, gleaming eyes intriguing.

"You seem to be in a good mood today?"

"…Yeah, the wind is strong here."

"…It reminds me of a distant place."

The homeland of the Green Feather clan, Rezenia, is a vast grassland located to the south of the central country. The plains, with nothing to obstruct them, are said to be constantly swept by the wind.

"I see, this is where you can really show your skills as wind users."

"…How about you?"

"…It seems we've had a good harvest."

The twins looked at the pile of white stones on the sled Tall was pulling with interest. Gordhan joined in the conversation.

"Is this, by any chance, the raw material for white hard copper?"

"You recognized it well."

"Yes, I've heard it's quite a good material. Where did you find it?"

Tall nodded slightly at the young man of the Tea Horn clan who was looking at him and turned to look behind him. He then asked the taciturn guide who was watching the circle of Tall and his companions.

"Sorry, but how much can we talk about?"

"Well, ideally, nothing. But since they're your important acquaintances, I'll let you off with a little bit. Just cover your ears a bit, and I'll overlook the main points."

The answer came not from Salissa but from her stepbrother, who was sitting on an empty barrel. Tall nodded in gratitude to Galwood, who had joined the conversation, and then asked a question that had just come to mind.

"Have Bettina and her group already decided on a guide?"

"Yeah, these girls are quite popular. No one would give in, so I ended up being the guide."

"Is that so? I'll leave it to you, then."

"Oh, thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it, hero. And Mr. Galwood, I've heard he's a reliable guide. I look forward to your guidance and advice."

"Sure, I'm not as good as they say, but I'll do my best. Just let me know when you need to run away with your tail between your legs."

The moment he heard those words, the Red Tail clan's Bettina lifted her chin proudly.

"My red tail has never been curled in fear since I was born. I don't think I can meet your expectations."

The lady placed her hands on her hips and laughed out loud, and for some reason, Muu laughed along with her. Tall and Gordhan quickly discussed their plans.

"The direct route to the east is impossible. There are too many rock lizards and sand. We tried the north this time, but—"

"…Hmm, they seem to be tough opponents."

"…I can handle strong winds, but—"

"…I'm not good with unstable footing. In that case—"

"Ah, the southern route is left, but it seems to be a bad match for us."

"…But it might be convenient for us."

"Although I haven't been there, it should be easier to fight than for us."

"I see, you want information about that area."

"Thanks for understanding. We've failed twice and haven't made any progress. We need a starting point, anything."

"Understood. The white hard copper is tempting, but—"

"…Let's go through the Valley of Strong Winds."

"Thanks. Ah, and if we have any white hard copper left, I'll give you some."

"That's very generous of you."

With the main points decided, Bettina joined the conversation.

"Did you decide on a destination? If so, I might join you."

"Yes, my lady. Please share your thoughts freely."

"Hmph, a proud member of the Red Tail clan doesn't need to make excuses. There's only one way forward when we decide to go!"

"Very well, I'll convey that."

"I'm counting on you, Gordhan."

The butler, who bowed deeply, quietly approached the guide and whispered in his ear.

"Mr. Galwood, we request that you guide us on the southern route this time."

"Hey, what you're saying is different from what the lady said."

"Yes, I don't think the lady has noticed. …She's not very good with directions."

"Is that okay…?"

Galwood, looking exasperated, shrugged dramatically at Tall.