Chapter 137 : Chapter 137
Chapter 137. Coincidentally, There Is Only One Road
Gusto didn't twitch an eyebrow even after discovering Inette.
He was as nonchalant as if he had seen her yesterday.
“Is it not the Princess.”
“Did you not hear me? I asked why you are here!”
“Well. It would be a reason similar to the Princess.”
At Gusto’s words, Inette could guess his purpose.
“Did you come to see Radel too?”
Come to think of it, I heard there was nothing but Radel’s territory at the end of this road.
Inette looked at Gusto bluntly.
“Don’t tell me…… Radel invited you?”
Since he left for his territory without telling me, could he have invited Gusto to come play at his territory.
When Inette’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, Gusto asked Inette as if puzzled.
“……Don't tell me you did not receive an invitation?”
“Really?!”
“No way. I also was not invited. I am on my way to see the Prince under the Bishop’s order.”
“Hey!”
Inette yelled loudly at Gusto’s shamelessness.
However, Gusto had an expression as if nothing happened.
“You have many suspicions. At times like that, praying helps. Ah, although the Princess might have forgotten how to pray.”
“Help? You are the least helpful right now, you know?!”
Inette huffed and passed Gusto to move forward. Even if she wanted to go separately, since there was only one road, if she didn't want to go side by side, going first was the only way.
Walking amicably with that annoying apprentice holy knight was declined.
“Forget it, you come from behind. Since I’m going first!”
It was the moment Inette shouted like that and went ahead.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, an arrow flew from somewhere and stuck next to Inette’s foot.
Inette could discover Lizardmen blocking the road, wondering when they appeared.
The Lizardmen flicked their tongues and giggled.
“Brother, doesn't it smell like a stupid human somewhere?”
“Kukuku, right. How dare they come here without knowing where this is.”
Inette, who was watching the Lizardmen giggling among themselves with absurdity, asked.
“Where is this place?”
“Where else! It’s none other than the sacred mountain of us Lizardmen! The Tsar Mountain Range!”
Did the Lizardmen have a sacred mountain?
Inette lost interest in the information that didn't really matter.
“Right. If you are done talking, won’t you step aside? Since there is a place I have to go.”
She said it just in case, but the Lizardmen didn't seem likely to step aside obediently.
“To say you want us to step aside, I assume the toll is prepared!”
“If you offer everything you have, we will spare your lives!”
It was as Inette expected.
Judging from shooting an arrow from the start…… she guessed it, but they must be bandits for sure.
“What’s so difficult about going to one territory.”
Inette sighed. A journey with rugged roads and even Lizardman bandits appearing.
Gusto, who was watching the situation from behind, spoke to Inette.
“Do you perhaps need my help.”
“Is that even a question?”
Inette estimated the number of Lizardmen.
It seemed to be over ten roughly.
Since they were a race with combat power stronger than humans, letting guard down was forbidden. No matter how much she disliked it, she had no choice but to cooperate with Gusto.
“I see. I thought I heard that I was the least helpful earlier.”
“……You know you really hold grudges when seeing you like this?”
“Me? Would I be as much as the Princess.”
Watching Gusto who didn't lose a single word until the end, Inette ground her teeth.
However, to the Lizardmen, that appearance seemed different.
“The two humans are very affectionate, Brother?”
“It’s a good time. Since we’ll let you off, you two quickly hand over the toll and get lost!”
Affectionate my foot.
Inette took off her gloves and threw them. She couldn't just let it pass after hearing such an insult.
Just in time, Gusto seemed to have the same thought.
“We heard unlucky words. Let’s deal with them quickly and go to the territory.”
“Agreed. I have to show those crazy bastards some hot taste.”
Whoosh!
Flames soared from Inette’s hands and Gusto’s sword shone white.
The two rushed at the Lizardmen simultaneously.
Their honor depended on this fight.
* * *
Chariot Sapphire, the acting lord of Raviedel, was full of worries today as well.
This small territory he took charge of after his father, the former acting lord, passed away was going through the worst time now.
“Lord Chariot, the flour remaining in the warehouse has almost run out.”
“How much longer can we last?”
“At most a week.”
At the attendant’s words, Chariot’s face darkened.
When the lord’s castle was in this state, the situation of the territory people went without saying.
Since the Lizardmen were blocking the only road, they couldn't go out to external cities to get food, and it wasn't easy to farm abundantly in the rugged mountainous area. The sea attached to the territory swarmed with monsters instead of fish due to the abnormal mana flow.
At least they earned money by selling herbs, mushrooms, timber, etc. from the mountains or barely made ends meet by hunting wild animals.
“What happened to the hunters?”
“They tried to find another path, but because the Lizardmen interfered, they returned empty-handed this time too.”
It wasn't that Chariot had been idle all this time.
He gathered the fastest hunters in the territory and tried to find another path to go outside.
To pass through the road where the Lizardmen were, they had to pay a toll or give food, but there were many cases where they only took those away and didn't clear the path.
He tried to find another path somehow, but because the mountain terrain was so rugged, it often ended in failure.
“……Now what should we do.”
Chariot was lost in sorrow and put his hand to his forehead.
He couldn't see a way to escape this difficulty.
Since the 8th Prince, the lord of Raviedel, was still young and likely powerless, it would only be troublesome if he requested help.
Although Raviedel was barren, it was the land where Chariot was born and raised. As the acting lord, he wanted to protect the territory people and protect this homeland somehow.
“Lord Chariot! It’s a big problem!”
Someone shouted and ran to him who was lost in worry.
It was an attendant who had worked at the lord’s castle for a long time.
“Lizardmen are entering the territory right now!”
“What? Lizardmen?”
Not content with blocking the road, now they are invading the territory.
It was the worst situation among those Chariot had expected.
He closed his eyes tightly.
However, there was no time to fall into confusion.
He had to evacuate the territory people quickly.
“I will have to go and attempt negotiation. Guide me to where they are.”
While the territory people evacuated to a safe place, he, the acting lord, intended to step up and buy even a little time.
Chariot received the attendant’s guidance and went outside.
“Over there!”
Indeed, when Chariot went, about ten or so Lizardmen were gathered.
“My name is Chariot Sapphire! I am the acting lord of Raviedel. What do you want?”
Chariot revealed his identity and approached them.
Although there was no money or food left in the territory, he intended to persuade the Lizardmen somehow.
But something was strange. The Lizardmen were all tied up tightly with ropes.
Moreover, the one holding the end of that rope was a figure who looked like an apprentice holy knight.
“Are you the acting lord?”
The apprentice holy knight looked at Chariot and greeted politely.
“I am called Gusto Zebro, an apprentice holy knight of the Supreme Deity Order. I came to see Prince Radel, the lord of Raviedel.”
Hearing his words, Chariot couldn't help but be flustered.
Although it was true that this was the territory of Prince Radel Silvert Cretian, as far as he knew, the 8th Prince had never visited the territory even once.
“I see. But the Prince has never come here.”
“What?!”
At that moment, a girl with red hair shouted with an expression of disbelief.
“Liar! Radel definitely said he was going to the territory!”
Chariot was surprised seeing her eyes.
Although he had never seen an imperial family member in his life, he wasn't unaware that golden eyes signified the imperial family.
Moreover, Chariot had even studied abroad in a reasonably large city from Raviedel. He knew at least who the imperial family member with red hair and golden eyes was.
“Are you perhaps the 7th Princess?”
“Hmph, I guess you aren't a complete hillbilly? Recognizing me.”
The 7th Princess grumbled with a slightly relieved face and said this.
“Forget it and guide us to the castle. If we stay there, Radel will come, right.”
“Uh, then those Lizardmen are……?”
Chariot pointed at the tied-up Lizardmen and asked.
He couldn't understand how on earth this happened.
“Them? Since they were blocking the road, I got annoyed and caught them. Throw them in prison or something.”
Chariot was inwardly greatly surprised at the 7th Princess’s words.
Doesn't that mean that the apprentice holy knight and the 7th Princess, just the two of them, fought and won against this many Lizardmen.
Capturing Lizardmen with strong martial power alive without killing them was a difficult task.
These two were definitely experts of tremendous skill.
“What are you doing, not guiding us quickly?”
At the 7th Princess’s urging, Chariot hastily came to his senses.
Guiding the two to the lord’s castle, Chariot pinched his own cheek.
‘This isn't a dream, right?’
However, for a dream, the pinched cheek only hurt.
Something unbelievable in his life was happening, enough to make him wonder if it was a dream.
* * *
“Prince!”
Baron Grandal Spear ran in a breath hearing the news that Radel had come.
The place Radel visited was the headquarters of the Spear Guild in the capital Levarsen, which was certainly more magnificent and huge than the Marcellent branch.
“You didn't contact me in advance that you were coming. Then I would have served you more properly.”
“I just stopped by because I had something to buy on the way. Also to tell you that I received the gift you sent last time well.”
“Compared to what the Prince has done for me, it is nothing.”
Did I do that much for him……?
Radel laughed it off, thinking Baron Grandal Spear was saying words typical of merchants just to be polite.
Then Baron Spear added this with a serious expression.
“It is never a joke. The carriage business was my lifelong cherished desire. Since you opened the way for it, I also intend to repay the Prince properly.”
Radel had no choice but to nod at Baron Spear asking him to take care of him in the future as well.
Baron Spear even requested Radel several times to tell him for sure if any new items came to mind.
After buying items necessary for travel at a good price at the Spear Guild, the next place Radel headed to was the Ability Management Bureau.
“So the report card is here.”
Radel stood in front of the Ability Management Bureau and muttered.
Actually, he had no intention of coming here. Until Armandy visited last night.
‘Uh? What’s up, Armandy. Coming all the way here.’
Radel greeted Armandy gladly seeing him come to his room.
However, Armandy just held out a letter with somewhat uncomfortable expression.
‘Please check it.’
‘What is it?’
Opening the letter, a message from Ivan, the head of the Ability Management Bureau, was written.
The content was that he was keeping the report card, so come and take it.