Chapter 178

Tanjelin was a merchant. But he worked privately with a single wagon instead of being part of a large caravan. As for the driver who nearly crushed me, his name was Laptor.

Daniela was waiting under the tree as the wagon drew up in front of it. Then we sat under the tarp and wiped ourselves with cloth.

“Ah, I really owe you for this!”

“Well, you helped us as well. We’ll call it even.”

I patted down Daniela’s hair with a towel. A protagonist with a better cheat skill would have created a warm wind to dry us, but I was just not that powerful.

“You two were stuck in the rain. I was in mortal danger. How harmonious!”

“Uh, I guess. Hehe.”

Thinking about it now, I could have been struck by lightning. And I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“The least I can do is take you to the next town!”

“That’s all we would ask. Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

Daniela rarely said much more than that during such times. However, seeing her almost androgynous beauty soften into a gentle smile was practically an arrow to the heart. It really wasn’t very fair. And now she was also dripping wet. So unfair.

“As it so happens…I, well, have heard what you might call rumors… Barely anything, really…but I have heard vague things about you two before, if I am not wrong…”

Well, merchants tended to have an ear for such things. Information was money. He probably heard some bad things about us as well.

“Uh, yeah. We don’t mean to, but we’ve recently attracted some attention… So, we are probably the people you are thinking of.”

“Ahh, I thought so! Wyvern slayer. Stampede suppressor. You destroyed the army of orcs that attacked a village. Legendary Adventurers who cleaned a town of bandits and killed their wind dragon! Silvergreen and Lightwind. The famous duo! ‘Wind of Light and Silver!’”

Well, he wasn’t wrong in the details, but the wording sounded malicious…

Legendary? Legendary? And ‘Wind of Light and Silver’? That’s a new one. Our party had a name now, apparently.

“Ah, that would be our party name.”

“It is? That’s news to me.”

“I applied for it. Back in Spiris.”

“…”

Not only was it tremendously embarrassing, but all the way back in Spiris? That long ago?!

“I feel incredibly lucky to have met with you two!”

“A mere coincidence, surely.”

“No, I shall call it the hand of fate! Yes, that’s what it is!”

Mister Tanjelin was getting a little too excited in my opinion. We were just your average Adventurers. So average that we had to wait under a tree while it rained.

“Still, this meeting will be a most important memory for me.”

“I won’t argue with that. Seriously.”

The wagon continued under the pouring rain. It contained a high-spirited merchant and two wet Adventurers. Later, the driver would tell his listeners:

‘I have never seen Mister Tanjelin look so energetic before.’

□ □ □ □

I could see the lights of the town now. The sky was still covered in darkness, so they must have needed to have them on. Though, I could only see it faintly through the rain. Judging by the distance and our speed, we would arrive in half an hour at least. And so Daniela and I prepared to get out and enter the town.

“We are almost there.”

“Yes. Thank you again.”

“No, thank you!

My hand was quite dry now as we shook. It was an unexpected encounter, but most beneficial for both of us.

I moved carefully in the wagon to the front and pushed the tarp away to talk to the driver.

“Thanks for helping us in this rain.”

“Oh, don’t mention it. I feel quite bad for nearly killing you back there.”

“It wasn’t your fault. Accidents happen.”

“Well, it has taken a weight off of my shoulders to hear you say that.”

Laptor was just desperate to outrun the monster. It was dangerous, but no one was hurt, at least.

“We will be arriving soon. You may as well rest while you can.”

“Thank you.”

I said and disappeared behind the tarp again.

We would sway inside of the wagon for a little while longer.

“Stop right there!”

The voice rang clearly in spite of the rain. It was a woman’s voice, which was rather unusual. I looked through a gap in the tarp.

“Yes, stop right here.”

“Must be hard having to work under this weather.”

“And you as well.”

The guard then handed Laptor a piece of paper which he began to scribble something onto.

“He is writing the name of the merchant and company.”

“You mean your name and your store?”

“Yes. By the way, it is the ‘Sangro.’”

“Hmm, I don’t think I asked you yet…but what is it that you sell?”

“We generally sell famous products from different areas to other towns. It works as a kind of advertisement, and people are most grateful.”

I guess it was a kind of a trading company. Though, I didn’t know anything about such things. Famous products…huh. I did like regional food.

“Well then. I will have to search your wagon.”

“Of course.”

We heard from outside. The guard started to approach us.

“…Oh? Guests of yours?”

“We troubled him for a ride.”

I explained as we handed over our status cards.

“I see…it seems like you’ve been through a lot, Mister Tanjelin.”

“Yes. It was a good thing that they were there. Truly.”

They seemed to know each other.

“Well, I will have to go and scan these cards. Please wait here for a moment.”

“Thank you.”

She said as she left. It would probably take a while.

“Mister Tanjelin, do you know her?”

“Uh, yes. I travel through here quite often in order to reach the capital. In spite of appearances, she is the leader of the guards here.”

“At that age?”

Very impressive. She was clearly no idiot, like myself.

“Ah, but she is not young at all.”

“What?”

“She is an elf.”

Daniela said as she leaned against the wall.

“A grey elf.”

“Grey elf?”

Well, what hair I saw from the edge of her helmet did look grey.

“You can generally tell by our hair color.”

“Huh…”

The elves sure were…colorful.

“What other types of elves are there?”

“Hmm… It is not as if I know every single tribe. But I have met light, dark, grey, pink, red, and blue elves.”

“Not quite the entire rainbow then…”

I wonder if I would be mistaken as a dark elf? Oh, wait, Eve had brown skin.

“Alright, it is finished now. Here are your cards. Ah, but I have not seen any of my kind in so long!”

“Is that right?”

“Yes. I…am quite busy here…”

“I see. Well, good luck with everything here.”

“Thank you. I am called Lemonfrost Grasilf. It is an honor to meet you, Master Daniela!”

“Uh…well…likewise.”

“Yes! And welcome to the wetland town of Arkaroid!”

While Miss Lemonfrost had the most welcoming voice, but the rain was pouring as hard as ever. I recalled that beautiful scene with the ponds and tried to imagine how beautiful this town might be under fairer weather. I missed the blue sky so much…

The wagon continued to roll through the mud until it stopped in front of a certain house.

“Where are we?”

“It is an inn that I always stay at. The service is good and the price affordable, which is why I would recommend it.”

“Thank you. Do they have a bath house?”

“Yes, a public one.”

“That is good. Let us go, Asagi.”

“Hey, wai-… Mister Tanjelin, thank you.”

Daniela started to pull me away by the arm.

“Oh, you should hurry up and warm yourselves. I have business matters to attend to and will have to stay at a different inn this time. So please rest and do not be concerned about me!”

“Thank you for everything. We’re very grateful.”

“It’s the least I could do. Really!”

I was then dragged out of the wagon and thrown under the roof of the inn. Mister Laptor bid us farewell and the wagon slowly drove away. I waved at Mister Tanjelin’s hand that poked out from the tarp. They quickly disappeared in the thick curtain of rain.

“What a nice man.”

“Ah, a good merchant. I am sure he will be very wealthy one day.”

“You think so?”

“I have a feeling about it. Now, let us get a room.”

“Uh, yeah.”

And with that, we opened the door. I really wanted to take a bath.