Chapter 45

Towns and cities located on the route from the northeast to the south were always bustling with travelers.

So it wasn't particularly strange that the inn business flourished.

A small city named Blurp.

The owner of the largest and most famous inn in Blurp was busy running around today as well.

"Add one pillow to the first room up the stairs on the second floor! And bring up two bowls of vegetable soup!"

"Yes!"

The innkeeper, who employed as many as two young clerks, looked around the crowded dining area.

As the innkeeper was taking a moment to wipe away sweat and catch his breath, he immediately called out when the door opened.

"Welcome! How many are you? Looking for a room? Or would you like to try our delicious meal?"

"Three people. Is there a place to store a carriage? We also have two horses."

Oh my, guests with a carriage.

"Yes, we have space! You can leave the carriage next to the stable, and our boys will move it well for you. What about rooms? We have plenty of rooms available too."

"Then two rooms."

When the brown-haired man at the front was about to speak, the red-haired young man who had been quiet behind him answered instead.

"Just give us one, please."

His voice was rather childish compared to his height.

But at that response, the brown-haired man turned around with widened eyes.

The red-haired young man brushed it off nonchalantly and spoke once more.

"One room. Just for one day."

"Oh, I understand. We have one large room left, so I'll give you that one."

"Thank you."

Watching the three climb the stairs, the innkeeper thought they were well-mannered, unlike typical young people these days.

Quiet, dignified, and gentle in speech.

But wasn't there something strange?

Why did he keep feeling this sense of incongruity?

The innkeeper couldn't take his eyes off the backs of the three.

* * *

"You said you would definitely take it easy this time!"

As soon as they entered the room, Arndt began to nag while removing his cloak.

"We don't have many clean clothes left!"

Oh dear. This nagging.

Since they had moved quickly without giving time for laundry, he was already making such a fuss.

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Fine, let's do laundry this time."

"I'll go right now!"

Arndt picked up the luggage box containing the soiled clothes by himself and burst out of the room.

He could carry that by himself.

"Leandros, what about teaching Arndt the sword?"

"He might have aptitude for strength..."

How did such a child remain as an attendant of a ducal family?

Salty air flowed in through the open window.

It wasn't exact, but it had been well over a month since they left the castle.

During that time, they were now just before the southern gate.

From Blurp to the gate was half a day by carriage.

After passing through the gate, the south would continue.

What Yurik had mentioned was about a pit at the bottom of the southern sea, the trench.

A request to awaken what was sleeping there.

And guarding it were the merpeople.

So he would have to talk with the merpeople, but how could he do that?

How would he talk with a creature that bites his head off while saying it likes him?

This time, he would be fortunate if he wasn't dragged underwater.

He was devising various plans when he turned around.

Leandros was standing in the middle of the room.

"Why are you standing like that? Sit somewhere. Aren't your legs tired?"

Leandros hesitated for a moment, then rarely frowned.

His thick eyebrows drew closer together.

"I have a bad feeling."

"What kind of feeling?"

"More than a thought, it's like a premonition."

It didn't seem like there was an assassin nearby.

Just a bad feeling?

"Specifically, what kind of premonition?"

"I don't think I can explain it well. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry. Are you feeling unwell?"

"Normal."

So his physical condition was perfect.

But it didn't seem like Leandros was just saying this for no reason.

After all, he was the protagonist of this story.

Protagonists always carry cliché danger detection sensors.

Like Spider-Man's Spidey sense.

So if Leandros said it was "ominous," there was a high chance that such an event would actually occur.

Whether it happened to him, Leandros himself.

Or all of them getting screwed together in harmony.

"Could it be because this is your first time in the south? You get a bit tense when going to unfamiliar places."

"Yes."

"The air might be different too. It could be because you're thinking you might meet the Crown Prince. Don't be too tense. What big deal could happen in the south?"

Unless he died, that is.

Except for the words he didn't say out loud, Leandros silently agreed.

His eyebrows began to move apart, if only slightly.

"I apologize for causing concern with needless words."

"Tell me such things anytime. Don't think you're being annoying."

He hoped the protagonist's Spidey sense would do its job well.

Leandros nodded.

He closed the open window and spoke in a cheerful tone.

"Let's ask when the meal is coming. To match Arndt's return time..."

"Your Grace!"

Before he could finish his words, Arndt tumbled loudly into the room.

No, literally, he really tumbled in with his whole body!?

He shouted without noticing the rattling door.

"The southern gate might be blockaded...! I just heard a group of travelers who just passed through the gate saying so as they entered the inn!"

What?

They immediately ran downstairs.

The first floor of the inn was still chaotic.

Somehow, they barely found the travelers, but they were already about to leave after preparing some food.

"Wait a moment!"

"Huh?"

Those who stopped at his call looked puzzled.

He paused to catch his breath, then asked.

"Are you perhaps coming from the south?"

"That's right. Do you have something urgent? We're in a hurry too."

"I heard that the southern gate might be blockaded. I was wondering if you knew anything about it."

"Ah, that."

A man with a bushy beard nodded.

"That's right. The south might soon control the gate. At least, it wasn't that bad when we were coming."

"Do you happen to know the reason?"

"I don't know well, but something about massive amounts of dead fish? So the fishermen's discontent has grown. There's no way to deal with it, and it seems the lord who governs the southern cities isn't saying anything noteworthy."

The man's eyes narrowed as if trying to recall a memory.

"Ah, yes. That's why they said they're blocking the gate. Since trading ships also have difficulty coming and going, it seems merchant groups are trying to go elsewhere. So I think they're trying to prevent movement. Also to prevent other residents from leaving."

"No, with such an ignorant method?"

"They do say that if you really want to leave the south, you need to get permission by selling branch buildings and accumulated inventory to the lord. But they probably won't grant permission anyway. Unless you offer a bribe."

Southern lord, whoever you are, how can you use such an ignorant method!

Leandros asked again.

"Don't you know the exact timing?"

"I'm not sure, but they'll try to blockade as soon as possible. If that happens, it will be difficult both to enter and exit, so if you want to go, you should go now."

"I see."

Leandros nodded and turned towards him.

"Your Grace. We need to go."

"I know. Go now and just check. Arndt, tell the innkeeper to rent the room for as long as possible. Pay in advance."

"Yes!"

The two moved hurriedly.

He clutched his throbbing head as he watched them.

As Leandros had said, the premonition was really not good.

They left Blurp in a hurry, riding on horses and leaving all cumbersome luggage at the inn.

That day,

As the sun set and everyone was about to sleep.

The south was blockaded after three travelers passed through the southern gate.

* * *

On a bright, sunny day.

The south was even more turbulent than he remembered.

In the first city they arrived at after passing the gate, people were crowded in the town center.

What they were looking at was a shabby notice board in the center of the town.

A massive gate passage prohibition order was posted on the board.

Each time people who could read stumbled through reading aloud, anger erupted among the crowd.

"What, neither entering nor exiting is allowed?"

"Then are we all supposed to starve to death or what?"

"I heard that kid who said he'd go early in the morning just returned from the gate!"

"Are they saying we should just live off fish?"

"We don't even have that anymore, since we can't send out ships."

"How long will my ship be tied up at the port? They should at least tell us a deadline, a deadline!"

They seemed ready to rise up if even the smallest incident occurred.

Seeing this, Leandros whispered discreetly.

"You must be very tired from moving during the night, but we can't rest here. They will quickly discover we are outsiders."

"It's fine. Let's just go."

Had the south in his previous life been pretending to be peaceful while hushing things up?

They left the first city, where a foul smell lingered in the air.

And so, the second, third.

They passed through various cities and towns, and the situation was the same in each place.

Some places said this was all a calamity caused by the sea god's anger,

Others claimed that foreign traders had secretly released poison into the sea before leaving.

One way or another, what people thought was consistently the same.

But nowhere could they hear stories about the merpeople.

Everyone was either desperately hiding it or couldn't openly talk about it.

It was amusing.

In the end, they arrived at the southernmost town, just like in his past life.

This small town remained unchanged.

There was no way the ominous energy would bypass this town, but at least they weren't filled with anger like the people in the cities or larger towns.

Rather, there was a feeling of being cautious and watching each other's behavior.

As they entered the outskirts of the small town, an old woman had placed a chair in a particularly sunny corner and was resting.

"Your Grace, should we ask that person? We might be able to hear about the atmosphere of this town and the sea."

Arndt asked, getting off the horse.

He shook his head.

"No ships will come to this town either, and she won't be able to tell us anything about the shoals of fish."

"But if that's the case, how will we..."

"Don't get off. Let's go further inside."

A single old house that could be seen after crossing the town and walking beyond the fence.

We tied our horses somewhere and knocked on the door of the house.

Then, the old door creaked open, and a man with a dignified appearance poked his head out.

"Who are you?"

A remarkably familiar face.

Eyes that he had seen in both his current and previous lives, here and there, stared at him.

He stepped forward and calmly said.

"Are you Professor Erich, who studied merpeople at the Academy?"

"I am. Did you come looking for me?"

"We need your advice on what's happening in the south."

"My advice? Were you sent by the lord?"

Erich expressed doubt.

Well, since the local governing lord seemed unwilling to resolve the issue, he might find it strange.

He shook his head.

"It would be better to say we were sent from the royal palace. We came to find you because the merpeople are also involved in the calamity occurring in the south."

The royal palace was watching this matter.

More precisely, Yurik was watching it.

He firmly stated while observing Erich's wavering eyes.

"You're researching this matter on your own, aren't you? Would you like to cooperate with us?"