Chapter 50

Zo and Irida, along with Yuki, were sitting in the shadow of a tree outside the gate, where they had drunk sake last night.

Zo did not speak, but Irida waited patiently for him to do so.

While watching Irida, who silently waited for him to speak, Zo made a decision.

There was no basis for it.

There couldn't be.

People will definitely betray.

And they will definitely not betray.

It was like a Zen riddle, but that's how he thought of it.

Would Irida betray? Even now, doubting the character of Irida, who had taken care of him, would not yield an answer.

Maxime felt responsible for inviting him to be a hunter and, thinking everything was for Akari, ended up lying. Bringing Ophelia and the others was also because of that. Akari must not be found by the Zaur. It was not good for her to be thought of as alive, nor for her location to be discovered. If there were any suspicion, she would have been crushed by the force of numbers under the pretext of a warrant. No matter how much the Alerdoria Mountains were like a spider's web, they could not be defended.

If Ophelia and the others were there, they could be passed off as a group of eccentrics, and in the worst case, they would not be crushed by the force of numbers without a word.

Ophelia was the same. Once a monster attack had occurred, the monsters had to be exterminated, even if it meant parting the grass. If a hero insisted on cooperation, it would be difficult to refuse. Even if Ophelia refused, it was clear that they would enter the mountain on their own and make contact with him sooner because of the power of her blessing, which would be faster than Ophelia and the others.

There were countless reasons to betray.

If so, it was only a matter of whether he wanted to believe or not.

This time, it was not a matter of things falling apart, but a decision he made. He would not regret it.

“... About the hero.”

Zo finally spoke.

Irida, upon hearing the word "hero," immediately thought of the cave, but waited for Zo to continue.

“... I have a bit of a history with the hero. It's not just that one, but I don't want to meet any of the heroes except Akari. If we meet, at worst, they might come to kill me. Threats, kidnapping, and torture are also possible. On the other hand, there's a possibility they might leave me alone or even help me, but it's better to think the worst.

It would also be bad if my true identity were known to someone. That's why I'm pretending to be a child of refugees who lived in the Alerdoria Mountains and made a living on their own.

That's why I'm telling you this confusing story. Even though I made a promise to go to Sauran, there's a risk of getting involved in the worst case. ... What do you think?”

Yuki was stationed behind Zo.

She was neither threatening nor careless, but lay beside Zo, watching Irida's reaction.

Irida finally understood everything.

His lack of interest in being a hunter. His secretive nature. His departure to avoid the hero.

“Can I ask one thing? What was that Erica, the hero?”

“Ah, that's just because he doesn't remember. I thought I was really saved at the time, but then came the monster attack. In the end, we met the hero, but as long as we don't make contact from now on, it should be fine. ... There are some worries, though.”

Thinking of Kuu, Erica, and Alice, Zo could not make a definitive statement.

That's why he wanted to leave this continent.

“... Huh”

Irida laughed.

Sardonically.

“Are you okay? I'm called 'Queen Bee,' and I have a past, and there are still people who target me. You might get caught up in it. If things go wrong, your true identity might be investigated.”

“Even if they investigated, nothing would come up. Maybe the hero would know if they asked, but the hero wouldn't answer, and the idea of asking the hero wouldn't even come to mind. How many people would recognize me as Krand?”

“Still, you can't deny the possibility of it being exposed, can you?”

Zo could not deny that.

“Such is life. If you want to keep something hidden, you have to live where there are no people. But where is such a place? At the front line? How would you survive? You'd be eaten by a monster and that would be the end of it.”

Zo could live in the Alerdoria Mountains because Yuki, the master of the territory, was there. To find a new territory, even with Yuki, it would be difficult, and Zo knew that.

“If you worry about a companion's past, there's no end to it. When the time comes, a hunter has to use their wits to get through it, not be a coward.”

It was a typical Irida statement.

Zo knew that, which is why he decided to trust her.

“Well, then, let's get along from now on.”

“So, what's the matter? Is that all?”

Given Zo's secretive nature, Irida said it half-jokingly.

And the next moment, she felt as if she had been tricked by a fox.

Zo first dispelled the illusion of Yuki.

And then, for good measure, he dispelled the illusion of his own hair.

“... I don't know what to be surprised about first.”

Irida was surprised and smiled wryly.

Being a secretive man, she wondered what he was going to reveal, but it turned out to be something with a story.

“Yuki is, Ilneuk.”

“Since we'll be traveling together for a while, I can't keep it hidden, can I?”

Irida squatted down and faced Yuki at close range.

“I didn't think you were just a drinker. ... Is that okay?”

Irida had realized during their drinking session last night that this monster had an intelligence level almost on par with a human.

So, Irida asked Yuki directly.

Yuki, unusually, agreed straightforwardly. Perhaps they got along as fellow drinkers.

Irida stroked Yuki's neck and cheek.

“This is White Phantom, I hope we can get along from now on.”

—Gau

Yuki seemed to say, "Nice to meet you," with a single cry.

Irida looked up at Zo.

Irida's large bosom caught Zo's eye.

“So, are you a classic holder or a magic tool holder? Either way, it makes sense why you're not interested in magic tools.”

“... That's a secret.”

Zo averted his eyes slightly.

“This is it.”

Irida spoke to Yuki, saying, "Your master hasn't changed, has it?"

—Gau gau

Yuki seemed to say, "I'm the guardian," with a dissatisfied look.

The next day.

Irida had checked out of the inn and was waiting for Zo outside the gate.

Although she could see Zo from the gate, Zo also noticed her immediately.

With a newly bought leather trunk and a food backpack, Zo joined Irida.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning. Let's go then.”

Saying that, Irida did not head for the gate but started walking along the stone wall.

“Huh? Where are we going?”

To Zo's question, Irida sighed as usual.

“How do you plan to bring Yuki into the city?”

Zo, only now, realized this point.

“... If we just go to the port, there's a place we can enter by walking along the stone wall. Come on.”

Saying that, Irida started walking.

Zo and Yuki followed her like ducklings.

When they boarded the ship, there was a bit of a commotion, but Zo, Irida, and Yuki managed to board the ship safely.

The commotion was just that a sailor was surprised to see Yuki and ran to the captain's cabin.

Apparently, even a tough sailor would not try to handle a large black panther like Yuki by force, and the thought of the fare probably crossed his mind. After a brief hesitation, he ran to the captain's cabin.

But surprisingly, the captain was only slightly surprised to see Yuki and allowed them to board the ship.

There were several reasons why Yuki was able to board the ship so smoothly.

The willingness to pay two ten-thousand Rods for two people.

Yuki's exceptional intelligence and good training.

Most importantly, the deep green ring was effective.

The farther from the center, the stronger the faith and respect for the Moon Goddess.

Not only the Orphias, but many groups, centered around the chief priestess, travel to the borders of the world.

Sauran was no exception.

The captain, who knew in detail the benefits and integrity of the "Moon Goddess's Attendants," judged that there would be no problem with the people and monsters they guaranteed.

Yuki, in the form of a black panther, had the deep green ring visible on her forelegs, and Zo, though hidden in his sleeve, could show it at any time.

It seemed to have worked.

The ship, the Al-Made, with its three masts and several large sails, looked like a sturdy galley.

Although the raising and lowering of the sails seemed to be done by human power, the Al-Made was by no means slow.

Now, several wind spirit users among the sailors were gathering the wind flowing nearby and directing it towards the large sails. The long oars protruding from both sides of the ship were slowly operating, giving the ship additional speed. Of course, the oars were not moved by slaves but