CH 53

Six days have passed since Ares became an adventurer.

Since then, I’ve been doing various subjugation requests every day. Goblins, orcs, treants..other bandits, and former adventurers who committed crimes. Rank and request difficulty don’t match?  It’s not uncommon to go out to defeat goblins only to run into a different monster by accident. Kukukuku…well, Sasha gives me a dumbfounded look.

Ares is growing day by day and is able to handle the battles against humans which had been a concern of mine. However, compared to monster opponents, it seems to be quite difficult to do.

I’d like to have him fight more different kinds of monsters, but there are limits to what can be done on a one-day trip. If we could extend our trip to Mount Kyrios, we would be able to fight flying monsters like harpies and wyverns.

In addition, I also give lectures on how to identify medicinal herbs and materials that can be sold. Such knowledge is quite important for an adventurer. When I first became an adventurer, I earned my daily bread by collecting a goblin or two and medicinal herbs.

And Ares isn’t the only one growing. Iska and Fio are also growing.

Iska has fixed his habit of closing his eyes when swinging his sword, and now he can see his opponents and move.

Fio in particular finally manifested her magic last night. It’s still a small fluctuation of magic, and it’s something that’s not at all apparent to the outside world, but she’s the one who’s doing it.

“Hmmm…not enough Maybe she doesn’t have enough imagery?”

What a surprise, but it is unexpected that they have grown so much in such a short period of time.

To say I’m happy is an understatement…but it’s a little complicated.

Now Ares is reporting to Sasha about an orc he “accidentally” came across. Sasha sighed while processing.

Speaking of which, the “Blood Axe” returned yesterday after successfully defeating the Elder Orc. I threw the head of the Goblin General that was in my magic bag at Ganzas, who was naturally entwined with a determined face, and he was again cowed.

I’m not being nice at all, either. It looks like we’ve decided which monster the “Blood Axe” will challenge next. If the general can be defeated, I’ll give him the manticore’s head next.

As I was thinking this, I saw a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye. The informant, a medium height man with threadbare eyes, walked out of the Adventurers’ Guild as soon as his eyes met mine.

I told Ares that I’ve got some business to take care of, so I told him that I would take a detour and go home, then I followed the informant and left the adventurer’s guild.

I walk behind the informant while maintaining a certain distance. …This life may be over.

Follow the informant to the back alley.

“Hi. Sorry to keep you waiting. It took longer than I thought it would.”

The informant speaks while leaning against the wall.

“It doesn’t matter. What about the result?”

“Yes. First of all, the orphanage in Kodar has disappeared. The place where the orphanage used to be has been turned into a new store of the Philo Trading Company.”

Philo Trading Company? As I recall, it was one of the wealthiest merchants in the country. But…I heard that the chairman of the Philo Trading Company and his wife died in an accident a few years ago. I don’t know the details.

Someone in the family is probably sitting on the chairman’s seat now. …I doubt that it was an accident.

“Are you interested?”

“…Well, it is not unusual for a wealthy merchant to open a store in another country. I don’t need to talk about that now. I’m more concerned about the children who were living in the orphanage.”

The informant said, somewhat regretfully, “I see”. He was going to sell that information as well.

“And as for the children… they’re alive, all of them.”

…Was the worst possible outcome avoided?

“They are slaves in Storia…but, I guess the reason they didn’t kill them to keep their mouth shut was to use them as a trump card in case of an emergency against the hero.”

“What? Aren’t slaves supposed to be banned in Storia?”

“On the surface, that’s true. But it seems that the nobility and some of the clergy in that country usually keep slaves around.”

“Tch”

Damn…that’s unpleasant to say the least, even if it is somewhat expected.

“…So where is the illegal slaver fucker who enslaved those kids?” ”

The informant shrugged his shoulders and said, “The murderous intent is leaking, isn’t it?”

“The name of the slave trader’s name is Zanis. On the surface, he’s an ordinary trader, but behind the scenes, it seems that he was offering various conveniences to nobles and clerics in exchange for illegal goods.”

Zanis…I know the name. Now all I need is someone to take care of Iska and the kids while I’m in Storia…

“And it seems that Zanis is currently planning to flee the country.”

“Huh? Why again?”

Why would someone in such a position flee the country?

“A coup d’etat has taken place in Storia.