Chapter 37

"Is everything going well with that matter?"

Iksa, who had come to the village, asked.

It was clear what he meant.

"About opening a store in the capital."

"Yeah, everyone is working hard on it right now."

Iksa, sensing the lively atmosphere of the village, smiled happily.

"Mako, speaking of which, I was thinking of lending a hand in this venture."

"Huh?"

"In the capital, I can help out in various ways."

Saying that, Iksa handed me a rolled-up letter.

I took it.

"This is...?"

"Well, to put it simply, it's something like a letter of recommendation."

"I think it can serve as a substitute for a 'ward off evil spirits' charm," Iksa said.

"The capital is a prime location for business. It's a harsh competitive society where you have to outdo other stores to survive. Some people even resort to violent or underhanded methods."

I see, I understood Iksa's intention.

"So, I thought that mentioning my name would provide some backing."

"That's what you mean. Thank you, Iksa."

"I have some work to take care of, but I'll show up once it's done. I'll make sure to be there before the opening."

Turning to Suaro, who stood behind him, Iksa said, "Right?"

Suaro sighed.

Then she turned to me.

"...Lord Mako. What Iksa said just now is no joke. There are people who might even resort to violence. You are a young woman, so be careful."

"Suaro, leave it to me. I'm not bad at fighting, you know."

Suaro didn't strongly object to my raised arm.

She had seen me in combat quite a few times, after all.

"Don't worry, Suaro."

Then Iksa said, almost jokingly,

"She has a powerful bodyguard, after all."

"The 'Oni Person' Garai, right?"

"You know about him? Suaro?"

When Suaro mentioned Garai, I immediately asked.

I vaguely remembered that Suaro was someone who served the royal family.

So, it was possible that she knew about Garai as well.

"I'm not deeply involved with the dark side, but I do hear some things."

"Hmm... That's the thing."

As I said this, Iksa and Suaro tilted their heads in confusion.

"Is something wrong?"

"Actually—"

I explained to Iksa and the others that Garai didn't seem to want to go to the capital.

"I see, so he has his own thoughts about the capital..."

After hearing the story, Iksa said,

"I thought as much."

"Huh?"

Turning to me, he continued,

"Can I talk to him for a moment?"

* * * * *

"Hey."

"..."

We came to where Garai was working, peeling the bark off a felled tree and preparing it for drying by Orkidia, then cutting it into precise measurements.

Iksa greeted Garai lightly.

Garai, knowing that Iksa was a prince, bowed in greeting.

"Do you need something from me?"

"You don't have to be so formal, Garai Quiron. I have something I want to tell you."

I looked at Iksa.

What did Iksa want to tell Garai?

Before I could think about it, he said straightforwardly,

"I know about your 'situation.' And I've already taken care of it. Don't worry."

"!"

Both Garai and I were naturally surprised and opened our eyes wide at this statement.

"I am, after all, part of the royal family. I investigated and found out about the dark guild that was doing dirty work behind the scenes in this country. And about your legendary reputation."

"..."

"Also, what happened to you and why you had to go into hiding."

So, Garai had some kind of situation that made him a fugitive.

"And you thought that if you went to the capital, the smoldering embers of your past might be reignited, which is why you weren't enthusiastic about this assignment... right?"

"..."

"You didn't want to tell Mako all the details... or maybe you didn't want to tell her at all. That's your choice, and I have no right to interfere. Mako wouldn't force you to tell her, either."

So—said Iksa,

"I took care of everything from behind the scenes. No one will pursue you in the capital."

"Really?"

"Yes, I guarantee it."

Garai closed his eyes at Iksa's words.

I could tell that his concerns had been alleviated.

"Thank you."

Then Garai bowed deeply.

Iksa patted my back.

"Here."

It was as if he was saying, "You should give it a final push."

...Yeah, I got it.

"I'm happy to have you with us, Garai."

"...Mako."

Garai, who was principled, emotional, and had a strong sense of justice, couldn't refuse after all this.

"Alright, I'll go to the capital with you."

He said it decisively.

"Mako, if anything happens and I cause you trouble... I'm sorry."

"Don't worry. We're in this together. If something happens, we'll deal with it as a team."

That's what friends are for.

"...You really are straightforward."

Garai smiled.

Wow, rare.

I've seen Garai smile twice in just a few days.

"Thank you, Iksa."

Most of all, I thanked Iksa, who was the main reason for this.

I've been relying on him a lot.

Thanks to Iksa's support, we can act more freely.

"Sure, feel free to owe me one."

Iksa grinned.

Well, now the worries are gone.

All that's left is to move forward with full force!

"Alright, let's get ready!"

* * * * *

After that, we quietly prepared for the trip to the capital.

And—several days later.

"Alright, then."

Finally, the day of departure arrived.

"Are you all ready, guys, Kora!"

"Listen to what the boss says, Kora!"

"Be careful with your strength, or you won't be able to turn, Kora!"

We loaded the construction materials and other necessary items onto the carts, which were pulled by dozens of boars and Entia.

The selected members for this trip included Beowulf, Ram, Bagos, Uga, and 20 others.

To this group, I added myself, Maul, Meala, Orkidia, Fressa, and Garai.

We would start the construction of the store in the capital with this team.

"Good luck!"

"We'll follow later, so it's all up to you until then."

We weren't bringing the merchandise yet.

Today, we were only taking the construction materials.

Once the store was built, the second team would bring the merchandise.

Hmm, it reminds me of when I became part of the opening staff for a new store.

...To be honest, the time was short, there was too much to do, and my teammates kept falling, so it wasn't a good memory.

But, I feel like the experience from back then will be useful here.

"Alright, let's go!"

At my call, the response "Oh!" and "Kora!" echoed.