Chapter 16

Kokushin looked at me with a questioning gaze.

"What is it?"

"Did you see something?"

"…Why?"

Hmm. Maybe I was being watched. Maybe they’re telling me not to talk about what I saw.

Tilting my head, Kokushin seemed puzzled and said,

"I was looking around the store, and I thought something was up."

I replied, "Oh, I just came to this town today, so I was checking out what they sell here."

"Is that so?"

"Looks like there’s some kind of deal going on between that young master and the guard squad."

Kokushin, who had been walking beside me, stopped. I stopped too. When I looked up, he had a face like he had bitten into a bitter bug.

It’s hard to say, but I think they’re probably colluding. Something like kickbacks or fake invoices. I think the magistrate is involved too, and money is moving through three places. Or maybe they’re not even trying to hide it.

"…I see."

It seems Kokushin had noticed this before. He had been suspicious of the biases in the accounting and personnel changes. And he felt he was being sidelined.

Well, with his personality, he couldn’t just keep quiet.

"There’s a saying, 'Silence is golden.'"

Becoming a squad leader in the guard squad isn’t something you can achieve with just a little effort, especially coming from a commoner.

In the end, Kokushin left with a serious expression.

I watched his back, feeling a bit regretful. I don’t think he’ll do anything dangerous, but it was rash. Whether sooner or later, I feel like I pulled the trigger.

The mission was completed successfully, and I got the money. It wasn’t much, just enough for dinner.

Ranking up is based on points. You can either do a lot of small tasks or a few difficult ones for more efficiency. For example, deliveries are 1 point, but hunts can be 3 points. Of course, success rate and character are also factors, but there’s no rush, so I’ll take it step by step.

I decided not to stay at an inn.

Kokushin told me that in the square where stalls are set up during the day, you can pitch a tent and stay overnight. The stalls clear out after the evening rush, leaving the square empty. As long as you pack up your tent before the stalls set up in the morning, it’s fine.

There were already a few tents scattered around the square. I set up mine at the edge.

For dinner, I got some stale bread at a discount. I put hot water into a cup using magic, tore some dried meat into small pieces, and let it soak for a while. Then I added the bread and mixed it with a spoon until it became a mush. Ideally, I’d use milk. I took a bite. It wasn’t great, so I sprinkled some salt and spicy rock pepper on it.

"Hmm..."

In light novels, they often talk about bread porridge, but this doesn’t feel quite right. Maybe it’s about the texture? Or maybe it’s the bread or the seasoning?

Well, you never know until you try.

Looking around, I saw a few groups using something like stoves. The kind you use to boil water when camping. Are they magical devices? I want one of those.

I added it to my wish list. Also, a lantern. No, maybe the light magic will be enough. Alcohol? Nah, I don’t need to drink outside. A plate? I’ll use earth magic. Books? I want them, but they’d be extra baggage.

I observed what the people around me had and made my choices. Without an inventory, I need to keep my load as light as possible.

A fight broke out nearby. It looks like it’s going to be noisy all night.

I quickly retreated into my tent and did my usual pre-sleep magic training. Lately, I’ve been trying to learn 'Appraisal.' It’s just about looking at random objects and asking myself, "What is this?" I stare at them intently, imagining the appraisal results appearing like in a game. It would be nice if the name, description, and price appeared. For food, I’d like to see cooking methods. The possibilities are endless, but I don’t know if I can actually do it.

"Hey, are you awake?"

Suddenly, my tent was shaken. My spine stiffened at the unfamiliar voice. Confused, but not wanting to ignore it, I opened the entrance a little.

"Oh, you’re awake."

It was a red-haired man in his twenties.

"W-What is it?"

"I just saw your shoes outside and thought you might have forgotten them."

"Ah..."

I let out a relieved sigh. He pointed to my shoes, neatly placed outside. I had taken them off when I entered the tent.

"Leaving your belongings outside can lead to theft. And when camping, it’s better to keep your shoes on, just in case."

"Y-You’re right. I just took them off without thinking. Thank you for letting me know."

I put them on before I forgot. Watching me fumble with my leather shoes, the kind man laughed and left. He seemed to be from the neighboring tent. The last comment was unnecessary, damn it.

No, no. I shouldn’t let habits from my past life show.

At least around here, it’s a shoe culture even inside the house. You wear them except when sleeping. I should be used to it since I grew up this way, but sometimes my old habits show. Things like washing my face or brushing my teeth. They don’t exist in this world. There’s no "Itadakimasu" either.

I lack some vigilance. It’s probably because I lived in a peaceful world. I need to be more careful.

I rechecked my surroundings. No belongings outside. My wallet is in my pocket. My knife is at my waist for easy access. The tent is small, so everything is within reach.

Sighing at the snoring from somewhere, I said goodnight.