Chapter 85

After placing three Flame Corps soldiers in the storage warehouse and ordering them to keep watch, Sora began to lead his companions forward.

"…So, what do you plan to do?"

Calculating the moment when they were far enough from the warehouse and the pedestrian traffic had thinned, Lazette asked. Sania and Riru approached with keen interest. They were probably counting on Sora’s wisdom, which had always helped them through difficult situations. Chaf, unaware of this, interjected with a puzzled look.

"There’s nothing much we can do. We must have exhausted all our options. We can only pray that the firewood from the nearby villages will be enough."

Sora nodded in agreement with Chaf.

"Even I can’t produce firewood out of thin air."

The only alternative he could think of was charcoal, but he couldn’t make it without sawdust. Coal wasn’t produced in the Kleinzelt territory, and he hadn’t heard of it being produced in any of the neighboring territories. Looking around for something that could serve as fuel, Sora’s gaze fell on the sea, which was burning red in the sunset. Stopping to gaze at the red sea, Lazette and the others smiled, thinking that Sora was moved by the sight of the sunset over the sea for the first time. Having been confined in the lord’s mansion for a long time, his first outing had been to the capital, which was the complete opposite of the sea. The vivid red sea would surely leave a strong impression. However, Sora had memories from his previous life, which included the seas he had seen on Earth. Therefore, he was thinking something different from what they expected.

"–As expected, the sea hasn’t changed. It would be creepy if it were rainbow-colored or something."

Fortunately, Lazette and the others were unaware of his thoughts, which would have ruined the mood. After observing the sea for a while, Sora suddenly turned to Lazette as if he had an idea.

"Didn’t we have some metal sheets among the reconstruction materials?"

Tilting her head at Sora’s seemingly unrelated question, Lazette recalled.

"Yes, we do. The river boat carrying the materials should have arrived by now."

"Good. Then we can make it."

Sora smiled happily at Lazette’s answer. Riru, who had been listening, immediately reacted.

"What are you going to make?"

With a smile, Sora turned to her and pointed his toes toward the river boat’s docking area.

"–A stove that doesn’t need firewood."

As the sounds of reconstruction echoed, Sora and the others continued walking.

Meanwhile, outside the town, a merchant was setting up a tent. Having been kicked out of the inn after the incident at the storage warehouse and refused entry at every other inn in town, he was now hammering pegs into the ground to secure the tent against the winter wind, using the light from a campfire. The sky had darkened, and the men he had hired as guards were looking listless, partly due to the delay in the arrival of the ship carrying the timber. As the merchant was about to enter the tent, he heard someone calling him and looked up. One of his guards was beckoning him.

"Someone wants to talk to you."

"Talk? Who is it?"

"Beats me. A pretty but creepy girl calling herself a two-headed doll."

Approaching with suspicion, the merchant saw a girl emerge from behind a large oak tree. Despite the dim moonlight, her hair shone a strong silver, scattering white light as it played with the winter wind. Her perfectly symmetrical face made her seem like a doll brought to life by some mysterious power, causing the merchant to shudder involuntarily. Her smile, which never wavered, was unsettling.

"Nice to meet you. You can call me Two-Headed Doll."

She tilted her head and clasped her hands behind her back, her smile never changing.

"Why are you here?"

The merchant forced his dry lips to part and asked the silver-haired girl. She tilted her head in the opposite direction.

"Did you hear that? What do you want?"

Speaking as if addressing someone else, she paused for a moment, then looked around curiously.

"I left my doll behind, so it can’t answer."

She said with a hint of disappointment, but her smile remained unchanged. Composing herself, she turned her smile back to the merchant.

"Actually, I was taking a break between jobs. But I found someone doing something very interesting and thought I might join in."

She placed her clasped hands against her cheek.

"Would you like to join me?"

Her light, playful tone and incomprehensible words filled the merchant with an indescribable fear. He was afraid that if he heard more of her story, he wouldn’t be able to go back. His tongue moistened his dry lips as he prepared to decline her offer. Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out from elsewhere.

"–Who are you!?"

It was one of the merchant’s guards, who had shouted into the forest. Realizing this, the merchant hurriedly turned his gaze. However, he saw two of his guards slowly collapsing. Behind them, a young man with glasses, sword still in its sheath, was glaring at the remaining guards.

"What the hell, you!"

"Bandits. Take them down."

The five remaining guards drew their weapons. The young man with glasses, who had instantly taken down his companions, began to fight. The merchant, captivated by the battle, forgot to breathe. The fight was a work of art, showcasing a clear disparity in skill. He deflected an axe by striking its side, spun around, and thrust the hilt of his sword into the opponent’s sternum. He then slammed his left elbow into the face of another guard who had swung a club, kicked the club away to distract a guard watching nearby, and unsheathed his sword, which cut through the air with a sharp whistling sound, striking one of the guards’ legs. He then struck the guard’s chin with the hilt of his sword and kicked him. As he moved, he punched the last guard, who had been unable to keep up, knocking him unconscious. Without stopping, he ran to the merchant, grabbed the last guard by the jaw, and slammed him into a nearby tree. The man who had knocked out seven guards straightened his glasses and looked at the silver-haired girl.

"Two-Headed Doll, it’s time to go. The next site is far away."

"But we just worked in the Bartz Baron’s territory. I want to play a bit more."

"It’s not possible. And it’s Count, not Baron."

He said emotionlessly, then turned to the merchant and bowed politely, as if the fight had never happened.

"Forget us and her words. Otherwise… next time, there will be blood."

The merchant, unable to speak with his parched throat, nodded frantically.

"Though it’s a shame, there’s nothing to be done. See you again, merchant."

The silver-haired girl waved her hands and left with the young man. Left behind were the seven unconscious, strong men and the merchant, who was sitting on the ground, his face pale.