Chapter 149: Suspicious Movement 4
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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An elderly man with wrinkled skin and a few young men following him, concerned, burst through the inn's door.
The innkeeper, startled by the abrupt entrance, sprang to his feet with wide eyes.
However, the old man, disregarding him, dashed toward us.
More precisely, toward me, clad in armor.
"Oh dear, kn-knight sir!"
"I am not a knight."
Whether it's due to his advanced age or some psychological shock, the old man, clings to me, mistaking me for a knight.
The young men following him anxiously circle around.
They want to stop him but can't seem to bring themselves to physically restrain him.
Perhaps its a given considering that, as a village chief in such a small settlement, he would likely hold nearly absolute power among the residents.
Moreover, seeing the chiefs face, it seems something significant must have happened in the village.
-Is this the linked quest or an added side quest?
-Are there Wolf Riders around this village too?
-Really LOL, every time we come to a small village, it's being threatened by orcs.
-It's like always being told to pick herbs in RPGs.
-waahh wahh, oh great hero, please collect some firewood from the mountain behind...
Even the viewers, observing via the stream, speculated that he'd offer a quest under the guise of a request.
Han Se-ah, perhaps sharing this expectation, began to film the chiefs face as if conducting an interview, with the camera zooming into his expression.
The elderly village chief, trying to kneel and cling to me, the youths, restless yet unable to separate him from me, and my party, standing beside and behind me, trying to listen to the chiefs words.
The peculiar standoff between the two groups ended when the chief truly knelt, grabbing at the hem of my garment.
"Please, accept our request!"
"Sir! These people are merely guests traveling west..."
"Silence, all of you!"
Contrary to his frail and slight physique, the chief bellowed, making the inn echo with his roar.
He shoved aside the youths trying to restrain him, and again latched onto me.
With gleaming eyes and a foamy, shouting mouth, he had on a bizarre appearance.
Like someone inflicted with rabies.
Instinctively clenching my fist, the quick-witted village youths rushed back, forcibly dragging the chief away as he resisted.
As if being wrongfully arrested, his arms held, being dragged away, the elderly chief continued to cry out desperately.
Straining his throat, hoarsely yelling so we could all hear.
"Our people, the young ones, they've disappeared! Im sure it's the work of orcs! Those creatures, they are coming back!"
"Sir! Ben and Paul went to the neighboring village for trade, remember?"
"Ah, Im so sorry. Hes not usually like this... Hes just anxious because his son, who went trading, has not returned."
Instead of the dragged-away chief, a fair-skinned, stout, and simple-looking youth bowed his head, explaining the situation to us.
Being a small village, the chiefs son worked as a peddler, traveling to procure goods and was considerably late in returning, he explained.
Village residents seem unbothered, having never seen monsters, let alone wild beasts, in the vicinity.
They casually speculate whether there's been a delay due to how busy it is or duet to hitting the jackpot.
However, the elderly village chief, having experienced raiding orcs from the wasteland, bandit groups targeting the village, and wandering monsters passing by in his lengthy life, is anxious.
"...Hanna, what do you think?"
"Eh, huh, me?!"
After listening to the chief and watching the departing young people, a question was thrown at Han Se-ah.
Abruptly interrupted from reading the chat,
"Yes, as our party's mage and leader, what do you think? Do you think the orcs we saw attacked people around here, or is it just the old chief's trauma?"
"Well, I think..."
Its obvious, but I'm not asking because I believe in the genius mage Han Se-ahs conjecture.
Im asking whether there has been a change in the ongoing linked quest window after hearing the chief's story.
To answer my question, Han Se-ah naturally rolls her eyes, pretending to think, and her finger, resting on her chin, flickers to move the hologram window.
She thinks I don't notice, but I have her stream open.
"Quest, the quest window... Oh, wasn't it originally about mercenaries?"
[The narrow path leading from Ertta to the domain of Count Morris]
[A large misfortune seems to have struck the tiny village seldom visited by outsiders]
[What exactly is the reason they attack only adventurers and traveling merchants?]
-Why are you asking us about your quest lololol
-Your memory is really bad.
-The place where the merchant client disappeared was mentioned as the same place where Lily's party disappeared
-I thought it was another quest but it seems to be the same questline
-Things have changed. Orcs are roaming around this neighborhood now.
[True Money Lover donated 5,000 won!]
Don't fall for it! She's trying to frustrate you to snag donations! Oh, whoops.
"...In my opinion, I think the chief is probably right. Remember how the Merchant's Guild said there were no reports of caravan raids?
It seems correct that the orcs are only targeting peddlers and travelers."
Upon successfully utilizing the quest window and the chat, Han Se-ah voices her opinion and the group nods in agreement.
If the orcs are targeting smaller parties, then there is a higher likelihood they would come towards such a small village rather than a well-protected central trade route.
According to information handed over by the sly Violetta, gently caressing Lily's hand with her finger, while there were no raided caravans, the number of peddlers has noticeably decreased.
It went unnoticed until we showed up.
She noted how trade commission revenue had decreased to an extent.
"When you put it that way, it seems like Hanna might be right."
"I think so too. If the orcs are targeting weaker and smaller groups, they'd focus on small village inhabitants rather than cities. Just like wandering monsters prey on village livestock instead of wild animals, seeking easy prey is likely their instinct."
Irene and Lily add a few words, agreeing with Han Se-ah's explanation.
Grace and Katie, although silent, gently nod their heads.
"Excuse me..."
"Hm?"
The person quietly calling us is the innkeeper, who has been lingering silently at the counter for a while now.
Approaching hesitantly, he tightly closes his eyes and deeply bows his head.
"Um, if you think there might be orcs, could you perhaps take a look around the village? I dont have much saved up, but, um, I also run a grocery store in this village... I have some rations for adventurers, so I can give you that and some money..."
It seems like the village chief's son isn't the only one missing from the village.
The village chief's son, the only one with a carriage, has been visiting neighboring villages and is about three days later than usual.
The only son of the villages sole inn and grocery store went toward Ertta with a young hunter friend but has not returned.
No matter how you think about it, theyve likely fallen victim to orcs.
Glancing around at our party as we each exchange glances, Irene steps forward, swallowing nervously.
"I, I want to help..."
Her gaze is fixed on a small wooden statue, previously hidden by the burly innkeepers physique.
...A statue of the Goddess.
Apparently, this stout innkeeper is a devout believer, with a prominent symbol of the Goddess hanging boldly behind the counter.
Upon closer inspection, something resembling a rosary is wrapped around his plump wrist.
Our saint candidate, unable to ignore the suffering of ordinary citizens, couldn't refuse the innkeepers request.
"Oh, thank you so much, Sister!"
"Well, although I said that..."
"If you want to, then of course!"
And Han Se-ah, of course, isnt brave enough to refuse the request of a 5 healer.
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Raei Translations
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Exploring around the village isnt difficult.
Just like when I found the girl who disappeared near Grace's village, all I had to do was run around quite wildly.
Moreover, today, while not quite to my level, the firm-footed Lily is also joining us.
Two senior adventurers stepping out just to search for orcs is quite an overkill.
However, if there were to be a problem, it'd be this annoying camera that's like a thorn in my side.
"So, Roland and Grace will..."
"No, it's best if all four of us get involved to wrap this up quickly. Lily, Grace, Katie, and I will spread out in all directions to look for traces of them."
"Is that okay?"
"If the orcs didnt raid the village, it means they are likely few in number. Plus, since I killed dozens of wolves, this area should be relatively safe."
"Really? ...Well, if Roland says so."
I refute Han Se-ahs attempt to naturally pair me up with Grace again and push my opinion forward.
Grace, who progressed from 3 to 4, has enhanced detection abilities and should be able to sense and flee from the orcs before they notice her.
Similarly, Lily, despite also being a 4, has spent several years training with me in the tower and being a senior adventurer, shouldnt fall victim to orcs.
What's somewhat concerning is Katie, who has the talent equivalent to a 4 but lacks experience.
Attaching Irene to her should resolve that issue.
"I'll take the most dangerous, the north. Lily will take the west, Grace will handle the east, and Katie and Irene will take care of the south for our search."
"Is Grace okay on her own since shes an archer?"
"Hanna? You know that I learned the skills of a ranger, right? And since the east is the direction we came from, I don't think its particularly dangerous to search for traces there."
"Ah, right."
"Ah, right? You, seriously..."
"Hey, sorry. I was just worried, so...what about me?"
Han Se-ah, taking a light jab from Grace, tilts her head and asks me, ignoring the chat nominating her for Forbes and other industry rewards.
"I'll take you with me. The north has the highest likelihood of having traces, and I'm thinking of going much farther. If theres a shaman, you should be able to notice, Hanna."
"Huh?"
Of course, its because of the quest window and mini-map... but I'm planning to run at an absurd speed while carrying her like luggage.
Although her blushing cheeks tell me what she's thinking, it'll be completely different from what she's imagining.
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