Chapter 9

As I wrote a long letter and packed my belongings through the night, the sky in the distant horizon was just beginning to brighten. I hadn’t slept at all, and my body still ached, but my mind was sharp and clear, feeling neither fatigue nor drowsiness.

I ran silently down the paved night streets to leave the row of townhouses in the noble district. The city gates, which close at sunset and open half an hour after dawn, are set to ensure that the guards can secure an environment where they can keep watch.

Given the season, I estimated the time of the gate opening by the position of the stars overhead. Once the gate opens, I could blend in with the merchant caravans or adventurers heading out. I pulled my fieldwork coat's hood deeper over my head and, while walking, thought about the actions I needed to take next.

It was fortunate that I had packed my belongings after the hunting party. The contents of the magic bag, which I had prepared with various items for emergencies, were mostly untouched since I had rushed out to chase after Nina. The preparations for outdoor activities were perfect, and since I knew the contents in detail, it significantly reduced the time needed for packing.

I felt a bit regretful about losing my well-used short spear, but I brought a rapier instead, thinking it was better than nothing, though it would only be useful for self-defense.

However, the first step was to get away from the capital. The Duke's family would search for me with all their might, even if I was a daughter with no redeeming qualities. They couldn’t just leave me alone.

So, I had to escape with all my might. I might be found and brought back quickly, as I had never been praised or recognized for anything, but I was at my limit and couldn’t let my rational mind tell me that it was all in vain.

During the day, people's movements are not strictly checked, even in wartime. My disappearance from home had not been discovered yet.

After the sky brightened, I walked out of the capital's gate and started moving under the still dim sky. For now, this was fine, but to stay at a proper inn or cross the border, I would need an identity document. I couldn’t use my real one, so I would become an "unknown woman," which would likely link me back to the missing Duke's daughter.

I could stay at an inn that doesn’t require identification, but I wouldn’t be able to rent a house or get a proper job through official channels. Thinking about the future made me anxious, but going back was even more unbearable, so I silently continued to walk away from the capital.

Excited by the thrill of leaving home, I walked without feeling tired or sleepy. Before I knew it, the sun was high in the sky, and my mind returned to reality.

At the edge of the road, a magic car was parked, and a man was smoking a pipe next to it.

The shape of the magic car suggested it was a commercial type that could transform into a stall. The name of the store it belonged to was painted on the side. When he noticed me, the middle-aged man, who seemed experienced in customer service, greeted me with a friendly smile.

The name on the car was that of a relatively new store registered with the commercial guild last year. I had studied economics and the market as part of my work on expanding new stores, and this name was in the materials I was given.

Recalling the information, I thought it was perfect and switched my awareness, from my gaze to the way I held my fingers, to act as someone else. Normally, I might have passed by, thinking it was better not to leave any traces, but I was feeling bold due to lack of sleep and mental fatigue.

"Hello, sir. What are you doing here with no customers?"

I was playing the role of a boy who had been an adventurer for one or two years. I am tall for my age and gender, so acting as a 13- or 14-year-old boy wasn’t too unnatural. I had joined a theater troupe in the capital for a school festival, hoping my family would come to see me. Although I didn’t get praised, I eventually became a supporting actor after starting as a minor role. I suspect my identity was discovered at some point, as I couldn’t have been so highly evaluated by the deeply knowledgeable Angelica without her saying a word.

I left the troupe immediately after the performance, feeling embarrassed and guilty for taking the place of someone who had worked hard. I couldn’t instill the kind of passion that moves people, but I could easily act as a boy I happened to meet on the road. I had never been caught when I dressed as a boy for practice.

This fieldwork coat had a function to hinder recognition, so my face would only be vaguely remembered. My silver hair, which stands out, was tied and hidden under the coat. Also, the store I saw in the materials would return to the capital from a distant location, so the risk of being traced back was low.

With these considerations, I approached the man, who seemed to have some issues, and started a conversation. My magic bag still had space, so I could buy the necessary supplies for long-distance travel without it seeming unnatural.

"Ah, the engine of the magic car suddenly broke down. What bad luck... I’m waiting for the guy I was with to bring a mechanic from the next town."

"That’s a disaster, sir. If you’re free, can I do some shopping while I wait?"

Recalling the terrain I had walked through, I estimated that I was almost halfway between the capital and the next town, which was closer to Loitahl. It seemed I had stopped at the most inconvenient place.

"This is the type of car that often sets up shop in front of dungeons. Where are you heading next?"

"I’ve already stocked up on potions in the capital, so I plan to trade for preserved foods and other supplies with a familiar vendor in Loitahl, then head to Rohipulno."

"So you have some leftover preserved foods from the last trip. I was planning to buy them in Loitahl, but could you sell them to me in bulk as a clearance sale?"

The merchant readily agreed. He gave me two types of dried grain bars to sample, and since they tasted decent, I offered to buy all of them, which surprised him.

"Looks like the cargo area is magically expanded. I have a lot of inventory."

"My bag is also a magic bag, but how much do you have?"

"About 30 tantals of preserved food, I guess."

When the merchant answered in terms of volume, I asked if that was a problem and how much it would cost. He seemed to freeze, perhaps worried about whether I could pay. I showed him a bulging wallet from the money I had taken for this escape, which I had left a note for them to use for settling my affairs, though I still carried a significant amount.

"Hey, kid. You must be making a lot of money to afford a magic bag with that much capacity. Are you a famous adventurer?"

"No way, I’m not. I made it myself."

"Made...?! A magic bag that can hold 30 tantals?! That’s at least a 4th-grade expansion function...!"

I tilted my head, not understanding his shock. It was actually a 6th-grade equivalent, as it still had plenty of space after I packed various items, but I didn’t understand why he was so surprised.

I hadn’t yet reached the level where I could create 8th-grade expansions, and it didn’t even have the time stop function that Cornelia had said was the minimum. This homemade item, though crude, was sufficient for my use, and I didn’t see the need to buy a proper one. The materials I used to make it were also valuable.

But I felt like I was being compared to a professional, so I tried to shift the conversation.

"Is it that surprising? I’m still an apprentice, so I don’t really understand."

"Ah... You really don’t understand the value. People who can make them are amazing. You must be an alchemist on a trip, not an adventurer."

The merchant, impressed, started to calculate the price but then seemed to have an idea.

"Hey, kid. Can you fix the magic car’s engine? The guy I was with knows a bit, but he said he couldn’t do it without tools."

"I have some tools, but I’m not sure I can fix what he couldn’t..."

He pleaded, "Please, if you can fix it, I’ll give you the preserved food at half price." I agreed to at least take a look.

However, when I opened the engine compartment, I was surprised to find a simple cause for the breakdown. Since it hadn’t been modified, I could fix it. The guy with him probably just lacked the tools.

"It looks okay. I can fix it. Keep your promise and give me a discount."

Relieved, the merchant watched as I took out the tools I had brought for maintaining my magic items. I cleaned the magic mechanism that had overheated due to a cooling water issue, replaced the degraded coolant with antifreeze I made from alchemical materials, and reinstalled it. I didn’t find any mechanical damage to the parts, so I thought this would fix it.

"The magic stone you used as a power source probably didn’t handle the heat well. Were you doing business near the Pshuko Cave, where fire-type monsters appear?"

"Yeah, that’s right. I should have bought the magic stone from a guild-certified source."

The merchant, who had been skeptical, said, "I didn’t really think it would be fixed, so I feel bad just giving you the discount," and offered to give me a ride to the next town. I accepted, feeling a bit guilty for his gratitude, as anyone with a bit of knowledge about magic cars could have fixed it with the right tools.

Since I couldn’t provide a professional guarantee, I insisted that he take the car to a proper alchemy workshop in Loitahl. I refused his thanks, saying I hadn’t done anything worth paying for.

"Wow, you’re quite humble, kid."

"My name is Rio. I didn’t do much, really."

The merchant, who introduced himself as Tonos, didn’t seem suspicious of my fake name and shrugged. He invited me to sit in the passenger seat.

"Your master must have been strict... Did you say something, Tonos?"

"No, nothing. By the way, Fred... He’s the guy I was with. He’s a nice guy I hired as a guard and shop assistant. He’s probably still in town, so we should pick him up on the way."

As Tonos talked about Fred, I thought, "If I can get this guy to vouch for me at his inn, I can stay as an acquaintance and avoid being identified as the ‘noble daughter who ran away alone’ that the Agget family is searching for."

The "grades" used to evaluate magic and magic items range from 1 (the lowest) to higher numbers for better evaluations, similar to a grading system in human resources or car insurance.