Chapter 694 – Joro Merchant Group III

My name is Rigron Auerstadt.

A man born from the lineage of a historic count family.

Maa, not the eldest son so I don’t have much responsibilities.

However, I was raised strictly so that I won’t shame the name of our family.

I have confidence in my skills.

Because of that, I’m engaged in a mission of infiltrating the demon king’s kingdom.

Ah, my undercover name is Mick.

-0-

Now, one of my companions, Dan, is taking me to the forest north of Shashaato City.

He wants to find the rumored strange golem.

I told him to go alone because I don’t want to see it but he ignored me.

He’s a pushy man.

I wanted to look at the farming sites on the south coast of the city.

Maa, maybe this isn’t a waste of time at all. Perhaps information about a strange golem might be useful for something…..

「How about we look around here?」

That’s what I suggested to Dan.

We went five days north from Shashaato City.

If it were ordinary adventurers, they would take 8 to 10 days…..

To be honest, I don’t want to go any further.

Or rather, we can no longer proceed.

Until now, we have traveled through the road in the forest but the atmosphere in the forest ahead is different.

It’s steeply dangerous.

Too dangerous for two people.

To go to a place like that, a group of 20 people is necessary.

Yet there’s still a road.

It is as if inviting people to die.

「Okay. Moving forward is indeed dangerous.」

Dan seems to have the same thought so I am relieved.

After looking around here for three days, I’ll tell Dan to go back whether we find that strange golem or not.

I hope we find it though…..

-0-

The strange golem wasn’t found but we found a strange city.

It’s a big city but not a single person is walking. It’s not a city for the living.

It’s a ruin of a city.

Though I said it’s a ruin, houses are lined up along the city streets.

Well-groomed roads, well-built houses.

As a member of our troop that has traveled across the demon king’s kingdom, this is the first city with such design.

What is this place?

Abandoned city?

But it’s too beautiful…..

I stared at Dan.

「Mick, here’s what I think. This is the base of the strange golem, right?」

…..right.

Golems housekeeping ruins are a classic in hero stories.

「If we look around the city, we will likely encounter a strange golem. What do you think?」

You want to look around this city?

But isn’t this too big?

Three days is not enough for that.

「Oi oi, it is indeed impossible to check everything with just the two of us. However….」

I looked at where Dan was pointing.

A clean street paved with stones.

In short, nothing?

「Yes, nothing. If a golem was here, there should be at least traces of it. However, look, there are no traces. Nothing here, nothing there. Only traces that someone passed by but it should be from some time ago. However, it doesn’t look like a golem’s but….given the situation of this place, it should be a golem, isn’t it?」

Right.

I can’t match Dan in that area.

And I won’t even compete.

Dan follows the trail of that someone and reaches a mansion.

Was this mansion the residence of the mayor of this city?

It’s a big mansion.

When I tried to walk into the grounds of the mansion, Dan stopped me.

「There’s a trap there. It will be triggered once you step on it.」

……..

「Mick, except to the places I stepped on, don’t step on anywhere else.」

Okay. How about I stand by here?

Yeah, of course, he won’t agree.

-0-

Our investigation of that place was a series of tension.

Why? I wanted to say because of traps because there are tons of traps.

Dan will dismantle a trap and I help him as his assistant.

It took three days for us to break through.

And we finally arrived in a big room.

There is no doubt that the traps were arranged to protect this room.

In the big room was a large number of books.

The text being used is old so we don’t know what’s written but given how they were luxuriously bound, they should be important.

Is this place filled with nothing but books?

「Dan, this is a big discovery. Let’s return at once. Let’s bring our companions.」

Manpower is needed to take them.

Perhaps we might find other things too.

「But we haven’t found the golem yet.」

Dan is reluctant but I forcibly take him out of the mansion.

I don’t think the golem can move freely in a place full of traps.

You should have thought of that, right?

「Maa….isn’t that?」

When Dan saw the golem outside the mansion, he was greatly surprised.

Hahahahahaha

Unfortunately, it’s not the golem Dan was looking for.

They were objects which are part of the traps that Dan dismantled in the mansion.

To be honest, I can’t move freely so I just dumped them there.

What about it?

Why are you so surprised?

「Why wouldn’t I? Those are very powerful bombs. That’s not how you handle them….」

Eh?

「I told you not to drop them when I’m handing them over to you, right?」

I’m sure you said that….

「Maa, I guess it was my fault for not saying the detail….」

If you told me the details, I’m sure I wouldn’t even touch those.

Yeah, I won’t, you hear.

So I won’t ever touch those things again.

I won’t even approach it.

「You shouldn’t. I mean, gathering them all like that feels like you’re planning to blow away the whole city….Maa, okay okay. Let’s go back at once.」

Dan and I brought out one large book we found as a means of persuading our fellow countrymen that are currently in Shashaato City.

Of course, I hope we can make money with it too.

It’s a book that was kept as if it was very important so it shouldn’t be worthless.

-0-

Dan and I returned to Shashaato City.

On the way, we passed by four adventurers. I was brainstorming on how to deceive them but it looks like they are Dan’s acquaintances.

They are an all-female party but they are likely skilled.

Will they go to the forest where we didn’t dare go?

By the way, how did Dan get to know them?

You played baseball together?

Ah, the game where you hit balls with sticks?

I thought you were just playing but it looks like it’s useful.

「Why don’t you try it too, Mick?」

I’ll pass.

「It’s fun.」

Got it got it.

If I had a chance.

For now, let’s bring this book to our companions first.

We returned at night so that we wouldn’t stand out when we entered the city…..

But, is Dan and I carrying a big book conspicuous in the first place?

We should have gone back at noon.

Maa, let’s just go to the inn where our companions are staying.

It’s not too far away.

Or so I thought since someone got in our way.

It’s a woman.

A woman with a strange atmosphere.

It should be a demoness.

No, she’s a devil.

「….this fragrant smell….that book you are carrying, show it to me.」

Should we fight?

I don’t think we should.

This is no longer a matter of being weak or strong.

It’s a matter of difference in existence.

If we offend this woman, there’s no way for Dan and me to survive.

My instinct says so.

Dan should be the same.

Because of that, Dan and I tried to give away the book we had as we were told.

But a voice stops us.

「That book….how! No, leave it behind. The rightful owner of the book is here. No matter what you’ll do, I will not allow you to read it.」

Standing behind me and Dan is a man in butler clothes.

Ah, we’re done for.

Another higher existence.

We’re definitely going to die.

Father, mother, please forgive this unfilial son of yours.

Brother, please take care of the rest.

Ah, I want to live longer if possible.

I already gave up living.

However, God is real.

「Wait waiiitttttt waaaaaaiiiiitttttt!」

A man came to us screaming.

The female devil and the man in butler clothes posed against him.

「Both of you! I don’t know what happened but I will not let those two get involved! Also, you can’t fight in this place!」

This man is stronger than us but weaker than the female devil and the man in butler clothes.

Overwhelmingly weaker.

However, he’s the only one we can count on.

Who is he?

Dan knew him.

「Coach….」

「Fuh….it is a great honor for a coach to protect his players. I will not make a promising defensive player be in danger.」

It sounds like he’s his baseball buddy.

………..

I don’t know what will happen in the future but if I survive, I’ll play baseball.

I absolutely will.