Chapter 5

Let's use meters and other physical units as they are.

If we use this world's unique physical units, the amount of information would suddenly increase...

My mornings start early.

No matter how tired I was the day before, whether there's a request or not, I always wake up at 5:00 AM and start my training. Even today, when I have a meeting with Lloyd in the afternoon, nothing changes.

I run two laps around the capital, about fifty kilometers, carrying a weight equivalent to three grown men, and finish within two hours. After returning to the inn and having breakfast, I do push-ups, sit-ups, back exercises, and two hours of weight training with barbells.

One of my grandfather's teachings is to always train your body, even if you have a support role. This is because, in a pinch, the last thing that matters is physical strength.

The skill of a talker, which has effects embedded in the words spoken, does not consume magic power, but it can still cause significant fatigue if used continuously. Moreover, exploring the abyss and facing demons is a situation where one is much more prone to fatigue than usual.

Additionally, my skill, which is effective for party members, does not work on myself. In other words, I cannot recover with my skill. If I can't use my skill when it's most needed, and if I can't think clearly due to fatigue, I'll become a burden to the party.

During exploration, I carry recovery potions to heal wounds and restore stamina, but that's not enough. Carrying too many would hinder combat, and if a recovery potion breaks, I can't recover. Therefore, I need to continue training to increase my physical strength.

I've finished my morning training. The rest is for the evening. I take a hot shower to wash off the sweat, then take a recovery potion from the refrigerator and drink it.

"...This is bad."

It still tastes terrible. It's like eating raw fish and an apple together.

But I have to endure. After training, I need to drink a recovery potion to promote muscle hyper-recovery. By doing so, I can continue training without taking rest days.

To cool down my heated body, I do stretching exercises while still bare-chested when I hear noisy footsteps from the hallway.

"Noel, it's an emergency!!"

Walter, one of my companions, burst into the room without knocking.

His disheveled state was terrifying. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was tousled, his face was drenched in sweat, and his body shook with each breath. He looked as if the world was ending.

I cleared my throat and covered my chest with both hands.

"Big brother, I told you to knock before entering the room!"

"What kind of joke is this!? Don't do creepy things like that!"

I got scolded. I was just trying to lighten the mood... But it seems my talker skill, Mental Analysis, worked well. Walter, who had regained his composure, took a deep breath and seemed much calmer than before.

"Anyway, it's a big problem. Read this."

Walter handed me a letter. The paper, crumpled and damp with sweat from being clenched, was carefully unfolded to avoid tearing.

The black ink letters were in a familiar handwriting. It was Lloyd's, our leader. There was a signature, and I can identify handwriting. There's no way this is a forgery. This is a genuine letter from Lloyd.

The content, written over four pages, was unnecessarily long. But the message itself was very simple.

I carefully folded the letter after reading it.

"Hmm, I see. In short, Lloyd failed an investment and had a large debt. To pay it off, he embezzled and used 12,800,000 fil from the party's assets. But because I rushed the clan's establishment, he fled the capital with Tania before the matter came to light. Hahaha, what an idiot..."

The letter was written in a roundabout manner from beginning to end, and it was mostly self-defense and convenient apologies. But in summary, that's what it said.

The discomfort I felt between the two during the celebration was due to this. It's so ridiculous that I can't help but laugh. As I laughed, Walter shouted.

"What's so funny!? Those two betrayed us!"

"That's why I'm laughing. I never thought that the upright Lloyd would fail an investment, embezzle, and run away. Hahaha, you should laugh too, Walter."

"How can I laugh, you idiot!!"

Walter, spitting as he shouted, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Damn, what do we do, what should we do?"

"By the way, when and where did you get this letter?"

"Huh? ...Just a little while ago. I heard about a good job at the tavern last night. I wanted to take it before someone else did, so I went to Lloyd's boarding house first thing this morning. The innkeeper gave me this letter..."

"Did the innkeeper say when Lloyd left the room?"

"Apparently, it was before 8:00 PM last night."

The city gates of the capital close at 8:00 PM and open at 5:00 AM. So, they must have slipped out of the capital in the darkness just before the gates closed. A true midnight escape.

"It's 9:30 AM now, so it's been about half a day. But they couldn't have traveled by carriage due to the time, and they wouldn't have borrowed horses for fear of being tracked. Even if they traveled all night, they wouldn't have covered much distance on foot. If we borrow fast horses to chase them, we should catch up by evening."

"That might be true, but we don't know where they went, do we?"

"Ask the city gate inspectors. If we know which gate they used, we can figure out where they're heading. Night travel is dangerous, so they wouldn't stray from the main road. After half a day, they should have reached a village, and considering their physical limits, they're probably resting there now."

If they had used a fugitive service, things would be different, but given the time it took for Lloyd to decide and act on their escape, that's unlikely.

First, unlike Walter and me, they were particular about their relationships and wouldn't have connections with outlaws who could help them in a hurry.

Walter snapped his fingers after hearing my explanation.

"That's it! Let's go to the inspectors right away!"

"Hold on, what do you plan to do when we get there?"

"What? Are you an idiot? You just told me how to find Lloyd. We'll find him and beat him up! I won't be satisfied until I do!"

This guy doesn't understand the situation at all.

I did suggest a way to find Lloyd, but it's not like we need to rush. There are plenty of ways to find them, and that method alone isn't enough to resolve the issue.

"Are you going to beat him up and make up? Or will you forgive him if he cries and apologizes? Do you think you can go back to being a happy party? Ha, that sounds like a scenario from a fairy living in a flower field. Your brain isn't just for holding hands and singing songs, you naive fool."

"What did you say!?"

"Listen, you're an idiot too, but they're desperate. If we catch up, it won't be that simple. It might even turn into a fight to the death."

Otherwise, they wouldn't have run from us.

The 12,800,000 fil Lloyd embezzled and used is already lost. At this rate, the reward for the lower vampire is also in doubt. The money we entrusted to Lloyd for the party is managed by him.

But even if we add it all up, it's 16,800,000 fil. My and Walter's contributions are 8,400,000 fil, which is the amount we've lost.

It's a large sum, but as excellent explorers, Lloyd and Tania can repay it. Yet, they chose to flee.

This is a definitive betrayal and a severing of ties.

By choosing not to apologize, they must have made their own preparations. If we chase them, they will see us as enemies, not comrades.

"Walter, can you defeat Lloyd for sure?"

Walter and Lloyd are both C-rank front-line fighters, but in a one-on-one fight, Lloyd is stronger. The difference is not slight but clear.

"...With your support, I can definitely win."

That's wishful thinking. According to my battle predictions, our chances of winning are about 60% if we both go. Even if we win, it will be a close fight, and we will suffer serious injuries.

Moreover, Lloyd is not alone. He has Tania, the healer, with him.

"Then, can you fight Tania too? Disabling the healer first is a basic tactic in combat."

Walter averted his eyes and didn't answer. He finally seemed to understand the situation.

Tania is Walter's crush. He can't bring himself to attack her. With this weakness, even with my support, defeating Lloyd is impossible.

Even if he could steel himself, Lloyd and Tania's team is stronger than Walter and mine. The win rate in a 2v2 battle is estimated to be around 20%.

A combination of a high-attack swordsman and a healer who can heal during combat is strong due to its simplicity. A team of a warrior and a talker can't win unless there's a significant skill gap.

"Even if we win by a slim chance, the money won't be returned. Chasing them will be futile and yield nothing. They know this, so they probably think we won't chase them. That's one of the reasons they fled."

"Damn it! So, we just have to give up and cry ourselves to sleep!?"

"Cry ourselves to sleep? Don't be ridiculous."

Crying and giving up is out of the question.

They chose to flee because they thought it was more advantageous. They probably think we won't chase them, and they know Walter can't hurt Tania.

Walter's naivety is irrelevant, but I can't stand being underestimated by them.

"My motto is a thousandfold revenge. I'll make them realize that."

As I declared this, there was a knock on the door.

"Mr. Noel! Time to do the laundry, please put out your clothes!"

The lisping voice belonged to Marie, the signboard girl of the Star Drop Inn.

When I opened the door, a short girl in a frilly, cute maid uniform stood there with a basket.

"Wow, wow! Mr. Noel, you still have a great physique!"

Seeing Marie's blushing face, I remembered I was still bare-chested.

This kid, though only ten, is very interested in male bodies. According to the innkeeper, Marie's room is filled with drawings of handsome men she likes. Moreover, they are not just individual portraits but mostly intertwined male pairs.

Truly, for a child, she has a sophisticated hobby.

"Laundry? I'll bring it out right away, wait a moment—"

"Ah, ah, are you busy!?"

"Huh?"

Marie looked back and forth between me and Walter, her eyes shining brightly.

"A prince-like handsome man with a bare upper body and a tough, handsome man... There's no way nothing is happening in this closed room..."

"Marie, what are you talking about? You came to collect laundry, right?"

"Ah~! So noble, so noble~!!"

Ignoring my question, Marie, lost in her fantasies, let out a crazy scream and ran off.

"Inspiration~!!"

I don't want to imagine or know what kind of inspiration, but it seems Marie has happily entered her dream world.

I hope she stays there and never comes back.

"What the hell is that kid?"

No one can answer Walter's question. So, I'll just tell him the truth.

"She's just a weird kid, as you can see."