—[This world is not at peace.]
This is a passage that is placed at the very beginning of all history books and even most popular historical novels.
The shadows of the past still linger over this land, tormenting every living being that inhabits it, forcing them to struggle endlessly between life and death.
Fortunately, people still have hope, and they still have the means to resist.
[The power named Magic spreads equally throughout the world; it is both the source of calamity and the seed that opens the door to hope...]
Why suddenly read these old stories?
I waved away the incessant chatter of text surrounding me, then turned to look at Yao behind me, who was holding a book with a solemn expression: "This is not the time to recite history books."
The elaborately dressed woman reached out and adjusted her glasses, a flash of light disappearing from the lenses: "I just noticed that Master of the Box Garden suddenly seemed to be lost in thought, so I thought I'd add some background noise to prevent the scene from becoming too monotonous."
That's some weird background noise!
"Shouldn't you still have things to do? Continue looking up those materials, try to find the clues you need or something." I said casually, then realized something was wrong and immediately retorted to her previous statement, "No, who's daydreaming! I'm just calculating where I've been!"
She slammed the book shut, her iridescent gem-like eyes casting a bright, unwavering gaze: "So, does the Master of the Box Garden still remember which cities you've visited?"
Why do you keep asking embarrassing questions?
Adjusting my posture, I avoided those eyes that seemed to see right through me, but when I turned my head, I bumped into Hikari's curious gaze again, and couldn't help but cough: "Three... no, four seats."
"oh?"
"Academy City, Piss City, my hometown Mermaid Harbor, and the newly built transit hub." The atmosphere around them suddenly seemed a bit strange. "No, even excluding my hometown, there are at least three, right? I could say I've been to quite a few places, haven't I?"
“But Hikari has been to no fewer than ten cities.” Hikari hesitated, raising her hand. “Not counting the small fortresses and destroyed ruins she passed through, she even went into the Hidden Forbidden Zone once.”
[Aisha], who had been sitting silently, hesitated before adding, "Uh, although it's not quite appropriate for me to say it, if we're talking about having been to many places, I'd probably be at least at the level of my predecessor... right?"
Ugh! So what if I'm a homebody! I can live perfectly well without going out!
I always felt very unhappy, but when it comes to experience going out, it's true that I'm at the bottom of the group.
With one hand on his cheek, Yao feigned concern and said, "I'm really worried. What if you don't even know which wild fruits are inedible and end up eating them by mistake, getting poisoned, and having to crawl back to beg me for help?"
"Enough with the nagging! I won't make those basic mistakes that are already covered in textbooks!"
Somewhat annoyed, I cursed Yao's entire family in my heart. After taking a few deep breaths, I stuffed a magic stone fragment into my mouth and crunched it. Finally, I brought the issue back to the present: "Anyway, this is the current situation."
"If you want to set off for the Sacred Tree Stronghold, it might be closer to Piss City and the transit hub, which are also near the center of the continent. However, there is no direct way to the former; you need to pass through several small transit points and take small paths to cross the mountains."
"As for the latter, although there are main roads and direct routes, most of them are private shuttle buses of large merchants. Only a few car dealerships will not lend out dragon carriages at this time. After all, the hub is closer to the dark area, so the vanguard of the first wave of beast tides this year will soon arrive. If you accidentally hurt the cultivated earth dragon, it is equivalent to losing money."
“Isn’t there another way?” Yao pointed out. “Isn’t this the kind of situation where mercenaries come in handy?”
I paused for a second: "Are you referring to hiring them as guards? That's unlikely, isn't it? Unless you pay a high enough price, why would mercenaries deliberately stroll around the Gray Zone during this season when they are most likely to encounter a beast tide?"
“…Sometimes I really wonder, Master of the Little Garden, were you always stupid, or did Hikari make you stupid?” Yao sighed, ignoring the idiot’s protests as he reiterated that he wasn’t stupid, and continued, “But we’re still here, aren’t we?”
"You mean, you want me to entrust you with my safety?"
"Isn't that a problem? We can also be considered mercenaries. Although our main job is finding lost items, we are equally capable in other areas."
That's true.
If one did not possess sufficient strength, how could one roam freely on this land, and even manage to stroll near a hidden restricted area and escape unscathed?
But how can I let a girl protect me?
I wanted to make that statement, but I felt that such words would be disrespectful to their profession and past experience, so I could only remain silent.
Okay, I have to be honest with myself, there's always been a bit of pedantry in me.
Even if the world advocates the idea that men and women are equal, and even if there are indeed many examples of female professionals surpassing men in their work and social activities—a phenomenon that is particularly prominent among mages and mercenary groups who possess magical powers, and I don't know if it's related to the female body structure itself—I still want to adhere to the concept instilled in me by my parents since childhood: that being born a man means being able to protect those around me, especially the women who are close to me.
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