Chapter 58

58. The International, Whatever Alliance

When I contacted Errol to find out where the chain had been found, Errol invited us to the place where he was staying, saying that we should meet and talk.

So I left immediately without giving it much thought.

However, the moment I showed signs of leaving the Empire, friction arose.

I had to answer questions about why I was trying to leave the Empire's watch and what I was planning to do.

Luckily, Grandpa Alo happened to arrive and chased away the people questioning me with words that stabbed right into their hearts.

Thanks to him, I was able to leave the Empire and accept Errol's invitation.

Could this old man actually like me?

Or is he deliberately raising his favorability toward me because he wants to use me well when fighting Chaos?

He couldn't have realized that I'm the kid he met when the forest was burned down, right?

My body has changed a lot since then, but still... could he have noticed?

“We have arrived. It certainly stands out because it is so different.”

“Ohhh...”

I was wondering what I should do now that such a huge force as the Great Hero had shown interest in me when the village chief's voice announcing our arrival reached my ears.

I also stuck my head out of the carriage.

A huge ironclad ship approached through the waves, belching thick smoke from burning coal.

Unlike the Empire, people of various races came and went through the noisy streets, and the city itself had turned into a maze because of reckless development.

This was a port city called Haiang Gwe, belonging to the International, Whatever City Alliance.

It was a city where trade was actively carried out through relatively safe sea routes.

We probably wouldn't be heading into the distant sea, but the ocean in this world was insanely dangerous.

Finding a safe route through such a dangerous place must have required an incredible amount of effort.

“The air here is really bad. It seems to be in worse condition than I heard.”

“Isn't there any way to purify the air?”

They looked just like country bumpkins who had come to a big city.

I wasn't much different as I looked around here and there with sparkling eyes, so I didn't feel too uncomfortable because of the people's gazes.

These people really suited each other.

I wondered how cute we must look to Errol when he came and saw us like this.

When I contacted him, he already seemed to have recovered from the shock of talking to that fanatic and sounded much more relaxed.

He would probably approach us with a smile as soon as he saw us.

That was the kind of person I thought he was.

“Found you.”

But, surprisingly, the one who came looking for me wasn't Errol.

It was a little kid with sharp eyes and striking red eyes.

Seven years old at most?

But what the hell was this intimidating feeling?

Was I looking at a character who was ridiculously strong despite looking completely different from how they actually were?

Again?

So this is another character similar to Jin?

Yeah, I'm used to it.

If anything, it's kind of familiar.

I think I even know this kid's name.

“Hello. You're Kaiem, right?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

So that name the fanatic mentioned before, Hweo-whatever, was also a name related to Errol.

I had heard that Abati Tress was the name of Grandpa Alo's wife, so I had roughly guessed that was probably the case.

It was probably similar to how Pai was a name.

Anyway, what was Errol thinking?

How could he just send this kid alone when I wouldn't know whether this child was really Kaiem or not?

Did he think that if the kid simply said he had been sent by Errol, I would happily hold his hand and follow him?

What a joke.

He really thinks I'm a pushover!

“Jingle.”

“He said you'd follow me if I gave you this.”

“Hahahaha!”

Grab!

I'm not an easy person.

But I'm also a person who never refuses something freely given to me and knows when to accept what I'm supposed to receive!

Ah!

The heavy sensation of this money pouch in my hand!

It was thrilling...!

“...Oh, that's quite a considerable amount. As expected of the Great Hero of Salvation, you've brought salvation to the wallets of us poor people.”

“Hahaha! Shall we go?”

The world is money.

There is nothing money can't buy.

If there seems to be something money can't buy, let's first consider whether you simply didn't have enough money.

I put the money pouch away and followed behind Kaiem, who was walking ahead with his short legs moving as quickly as possible.

I ignored Ien's pathetic-looking gaze.

But was this kid named Kaiem actually quite famous in this city?

As we walked, people often called out to him.

“Oh! Going to work?”

“Hey, hey! You haven't been eating somewhere other than our place lately, have you? Why haven't you come by?!”

He was always at the center of conversations that made me feel like I was going to break out in hives.

Yet he simply gave short answers and quickly moved on.

He was quite popular.

Is he the kind of person who naturally attracts people?

Must be tiring.

“There are so many places that catch my eye. If only I had lots of money, I'd go on one hell of a shopping spree.”

“Heheh. With your personality, Lord Ingwang, you wouldn't be able to go on a shopping spree. You'd spend all your time wondering whether this was cheaper or that was better, then leave empty-handed.”

“Chief, you seem to know me too well.”

It was more profitable to save that money and spend even one more coin on the game.

Even if I felt bad about spending money on a whole chicken, I didn't mind spending the same amount on a single gacha pull.

The money in my pocket was money reserved for in-game purchases.

Therefore, it was practically the same as having no money at all.

That's why I could proudly say I had no money when someone asked me if I had any.

But wait a second.

This is a game, isn't it?

And I currently have a huge amount of money in my hands?

What?!

“No.”

As I looked back and forth between the money pouch I had received and a shop that seemed to be filled with strange toys, Ien suddenly stepped forward and blocked my path between the shops.

“W-What? What do you mean, no?”

“You've borrowed money from all over the place, yet instead of thinking about saving it, you're trying to spend it everywhere! Give it to me!”

Oh, please, Mother, please.

This is money I earned!

I'm not a child anymore!

I demand financial independence!

“Eek! No! I don't want to! Stop! Don't do it!”

Smack! Smack!

After Ien had leveled up to a certain degree, her smacks had reached a level where I could no longer simply ignore them.

True to her diligent nature, it seemed that she spent most of her free time training herself.

And so, in the end, she took the money pouch from me.

For a moment, I understood the feelings of married men who desperately hide emergency money only to have it taken away by their wives.

“That's too much.”

“The uncle who goes around spending money recklessly is the one who's too much. Don't you feel sorry for Mallang?”

All the money we earned went to the village chief as preparation for emergencies.

And most of the money the village chief spent came from selling the purified water made by Mallang.

That was probably why she said that.

Mallang herself, however, looked surprised because her name had suddenly been brought up.

“Uh, I'm okay.”

“No, Mallang! If you say you're okay and let this slide, Uncle will gradually become a terrible person.”

“Is that so?”

Mallang's innocent question left me speechless.

Her voice sounded like that of a mature adult woman, so why did she show such untouched innocence whenever something like this happened?

Was she deliberately teasing me?

Whenever Mallang showed such a completely pure heart without even the slightest trace of malice, my twisted and wounded heart had nowhere to look.

Someone, someone save my heart!

It's too bright here!

“Here.”

Ah!

Great Hero of Salvation!

Are you extending a hand of salvation to me even from somewhere I can't see?!

Thanks to you, the subject changed!

He's a god!

Compared with the other buildings on the street, it was an ordinary mansion that didn't feel particularly special.

For the home of a Great Hero, it actually looked rather modest.

“The Great Hero lives here?”

“Yeah. We keep traveling around the cities in the Alliance. So there's not much point in buying an expensive house and living in one place.”

I see.

If he lived a life like a wandering traveler, that made sense.

Considering his position as the Great Hero, there was probably almost no chance of someone trying to harm him either.

As we entered through the door and climbed the stairs, a musty smell of rotting things filled the building.

Even the others, who had become accustomed to living in sewers, wrinkled their noses.

Just when I thought I was becoming used to it, another strange rotten smell tickled my nose.

And the Great Hero of Salvation lived in a crazy place like this.

Does he actually like places like this?

What kind of hobby is that?

“What on earth is this smell?”

“The smell is a little strong, isn't it? Alchemists used to live here. Just bear with it for a little while. Where we live is fine.”

“If they used to live here, doesn't that mean they don't live here anymore? Then why does it still smell like this?”

“Yeah. Not long ago, the alchemists had a bloody battle among themselves here. So an investigation is still underway, and we can't clean it up yet.”

...Ah.

Yes.

Of course.

Haiang Gwe.

Even though I had already felt uncomfortable with the city's lively and energetic appearance mixed with its dirty and disorderly nature, I never imagined something like this would actually happen inside the city.

Once again, I realized how good the Empire's public security was.

If it weren't for those fanatics, it would have been a much better place to live.

After climbing the stairs for a while, the smell of fragrant flowers began to spread through the air.

By the time we arrived in front of Errol's home, the refreshing air made me feel as if I had entered a completely different world.

“I brought them.”

“Welcome. Welcome, Mr. Ingwang. Was the journey difficult? Hahaha.”

It was a spacious house with little furniture besides sofas.

Since he was always traveling from place to place, it seemed that he kept his furniture to a minimum as well.

“This is unfortunate. Originally, I planned to bring you to the Alliance meeting hall, but the mayor didn't want Mr. Ingwang inside, so I had no choice but to bring you to this somewhat inconvenient place.”

“Indeed. You could have just told me where the chain was instead of inviting me here.”

Our goal was nothing more than obtaining the chain.

If we happened to find other things while searching for the chain, that would simply be a good situation.

There was no particular reason for me to meet Errol.

I only came because he asked me to meet him.

If there had been no reason for that, I wouldn't have come anywhere near this place.

“Did you like the payment I told you I would give you separately before?”

“...Ah! That money? Ah, no wonder. I thought you had given me too much. Yes, I gratefully accepted it. Though my wife took it away.”

Press.

I made a stupid joke that didn't suit the situation and got my foot stepped on by Ien!

A fracture status effect has occurred!

Stop!

Does she have spikes attached to her shoes or something?!

I should have used this moment to foreshadow it and said, “Are you my wife or something?! Why are you interfering with my money?! I hate it!”

Damn it!

I wasn't prepared enough!

I had promised myself that I wouldn't make jokes anymore!

And yet I made another mistake!

“Hmm. It seems Mr. Ingwang isn't very good at jokes either. I'm the same way. Whenever I make a joke, everyone gives me this stiff smile and then stops.”

“That's probably because you're naturally a serious person, Mr. Errol.”

“It would be awkward to keep talking while standing, so why don't you come in? I bought chairs and a table for you. Hahaha!”

This man smoothly ignored what I said.

Was naturally ignoring things he didn't want to hear another form of the Great Hero's experience?

As for the table and chairs he had prepared...

They were still inside wooden crates because he hadn't even opened the packaging yet.

They must have just arrived.

Since I didn't want to waste time opening the packages, I simply sat on one of the boxes and faced Errol.

As expected, he was ridiculously handsome.

What does it feel like to be that handsome?

Is every day thrilling and exciting?

“Let's just get straight to the point.”

“Let's do that. The chain was found in the Maze Forest.”

A deep sigh escaped me first.

The Maze Forest again?

Is everything I'm looking for inside the Maze Forest?

Is this some kind of Grand Line?

I'm pretty sure the political big shots up there will stop me from entering.

So why do I keep getting connected to that place?

“I don't think I'll be able to enter.”

“Yes. That's why I called you here. Unlike the Empire, the Alliance doesn't have enough room to devote all of its time to just one person, Mr. Ingwang.”

I understood.

Because it was an alliance, they cooperated with each other, but it wasn't based on complete trust.

Their relationships were ultimately business-like and based on mutual benefit.

So they were too busy watching each other to spare time for me.

I wish they would just explain things kindly instead of making me use my brain like this.

The game system could be unfriendly, but couldn't the NPCs at least be kind?

“Then why did you call me here?”

“Even so, if you simply sneak inside, the Alliance may not say much, but the next time you return to the Empire, you'll become a criminal.”

“Hmm. But no matter how I think about it, letting me in there seems like a pretty bad deal for you, Mr. Errol.”

“Is that so? I think you have enough ability to pay the price for entering, Mr. Ingwang.”

I nodded and held out my hand toward Ien.

There was somewhere to spend money now.

It would be even better if the Great Hero wanted some other kind of payment, but judging from how things were going, it seemed like this was what would happen.

...It hurts to spend it.

Jingle.

“Will this solve it?”

“Hmm...? Hahaha! Ah! Yes, of course! It will be more than enough, and I'll even be able to introduce you to a good guide with the change.”

Hahaha.

We simply looked at each other and laughed dryly.

It seemed he had been expecting some other kind of payment.

Oh.

I actually handled that pretty well.

But why was this man doing so much for me when he clearly knew that I possessed the power of madness?

I couldn't understand his intentions.

If Grandpa Alo had been sitting here, the moment I handed him the money pouch, he would have frowned and declared that under no circumstances could he let me enter.

Of course, exchanging money might simply have been his way of surprising or irritating me.

But I was practically someone in the position of a friend of Grandpa Alo, who distrusted Errol.

If Errol were trying to torment me, it was strange that he would simply stop at something like this.

“For some reason, I don't like you.”

“For some reason, I like you.”

What the hell is going on inside this man's head?

What kind of plan is he secretly plotting?

Was it because he had such strong confidence in himself?

Or was he planning to use me for something?

“Well then. Since it seems we're all ready, shall we talk about the business?”

...Maybe this was revenge for what I had done at the cafe before.

How dare you ask me for payment?

Now you'll get a taste of it yourself!

If that was the case, then he should give up the title of Great Hero.

It doesn't suit him at all!

“By the way, have you eaten? If not, shall I recommend a good place?”

...I didn't just imagine all the bad things by myself again, did I?