Chapter 295: Digging and Being Dug

“Truly carefree, aren’t you, little brats.”

Night. On the carriage, Pink Bear flipped through a crumpled map, glanced at the people not far away who were gathered around the bonfire, chatting excitedly, laughing, and wolfing down the ingredients and wine Muen had prepared—as if they really had taken this for a pleasure trip—and scratched his butt in disdain:

“Let’s hope when you actually run into danger, you don’t get so scared you wet your pants.”

“Will there be danger?”

Muen, holding a plate of food, had somehow appeared beside him. He looked curiously at the map in Pink Bear’s hand, only to find it was like a child’s doodles—completely incomprehensible—so he could only ask instead.

“Hmph, kid, are you looking down on me again?”

Pink Bear grabbed a fistful of roast meat, stuffed it into his mouth, and mumbled indistinctly:

“Who am I? I’m someone even that tsundere [N O V E L I G H T] fiancée of yours has to greet respectfully as ‘Uncle’ when she sees me. You think the road I chose could be wrong?”

“Hm? Uncle?”

Muen keenly caught the keyword.

But Pink Bear jerked his neck aside and changed the subject.

“With the speed of those dragon-blood horses you provided— even though I picked such a remote route—our pace is still more than fifty percent faster than a normal carriage on the highway.

At this rate, in another two days, we’ll cross the Empire’s southern border.”

“I do feel the temperature’s ticked up a bit.”

Muen stroked his chin and said, “Doesn’t that mean we’ll reach the Saint City in about five days?”

“If nothing unexpected happens, for sure.”

“Why does that sound like the ‘nothing unexpected’ means something unexpected is going to happen?”

“Watch your mouth—what a jinx. With me here, who’d dare be so bold as to ambush us halfway?”

Pink Bear glared at Muen, then held out the same hand he’d just used to scratch his butt.

“Hm? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m craving. Give me a cigar.”

“Where the hell would I get a cigar?”

“Knowing I’m leading the team, and you didn’t even prepare top-shelf cigars to pay your respects—yet you prepared all this useless gourmet food to win over those little punks?” Pink Bear slapped the tray, furious.

“Believe it or not, I’ll go complain about you to that kid Aldrich.”

“What do you mean ‘useless gourmet food’...”

The corner of Muen’s mouth twitched. He ignored this guy’s irreverence at calling the Emperor by name and said helplessly:

“Besides, I had no idea it would be you. Professor Prang kept it mysterious the whole time—how was I supposed to prepare?”

“Fuck, that old geezer!”

Thinking of how he’d been played to death by a mere Professor Prang, Pink Bear felt tragic indignation. He flipped a middle finger in a certain direction, then turned back and again held out his hand:

“No cigar, fine. You’ve at least got a dirty magazine, right? Hand me one to pass the time.”

“Huh?”

Muen was stunned by this guy’s train of thought.

“Why would you think I have dirty magazines?”

“A boy your age doesn’t have dirty magazines?”

Pink Bear looked even more shocked. His round, beady black eyes roved up and down Muen, and after staring for quite a while, he said:

“You... wouldn’t happen to be unable to, right.”

“You’re the one who’s unable!”

Muen bared his teeth in a cold smile. “I’ve got a fiancée if I want a fiancée, and a girlfriend if I want a girlfriend—what would I need dirty magazines for?”

“...Damn. Smug normie.”

Pink Bear cursed hatefully. Thinking of how he had vowed to see through the world, yet to this day had never met a partner with taste high enough to see, at a glance, the interesting soul beneath his costume, he could only grab another bite of the so-called “useless gourmet food” and chomp down fiercely in anger.

But as he chewed, he suddenly froze a little.

Wait a minute. Something’s off.

The girlfriend and fiancée the kid mentioned—are they the same person?

“Ahem...”

Ignoring Pink Bear’s probing, suspicious gaze, Muen coughed twice and changed the subject:

“Aren’t you going to go mingle a bit?”

He pointed toward the bonfire.

“Hmph. What’s there to ‘mingle’ with a bunch of runts like you? One by one you haven’t even grown all your hair in. You’d probably blush for half a day just looking at a dirty magazine.”

Pink Bear folded his arms across his chest and sneered in disdain.

“Alright then.”

Muen shrugged. He thought about it and decided not to tell Pink Bear that he’d just made the rounds and discovered both of the two third-year seniors had girlfriends too.

“Enjoy your meal. If you need anything, call me.”

Muen was about to leave.

But Pink Bear suddenly called him back.

“Wait. Help me pass something on to those brats.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Nothing big.”

...

“Independent City Ailierze?”

Liya, upon hearing Muen’s notice, asked curiously:

“So in three days we’re going to stop there for a while?”

“Mm. That’s what Pink Bear said.”

Muen replied:

“The purpose of the stop is simple: to leave time for you all to prepare supplies and buy items. After all, back at the Academy, your preparations may not have been thorough.”

“Can’t we buy things in the Saint City?”

Fanny raised her hand to ask.

“In the Saint City, you’ll only be able to buy overpriced Holy Light tools and goddess statues that aren’t worth a damn. If you’re not careful, the Judgment Temple will take you for suspicious individuals and haul you in for questioning—especially people as handsome as me. Those Temple guys stare at me every day like perverted creeps drooling over a beauty... Those are Pink Bear’s exact words.”

“That can’t be right...”

Liya said doubtfully:

“While the Saint City does have lots of fanatics, it’s hardly to the extent of arresting people at random. It’s just that, compared to other cities, they’re much stricter about heretics and contraband, right.”

“Who knows. Maybe they’re just that strict with him because of something he did.”

Muen spread his hands. “That said, I also think stopping in Ailierze is a good idea. As one of the continent’s rare free city-states, thanks to its location and open policies, Ailierze has always been a key artery for trade in all directions.

Though its population and prosperity don’t match Belrand’s, we might be able to find some good stuff there that even Belrand doesn’t have.”

“Good stuff...”

In the corner, Ariel—who had been silent the whole time—suddenly raised her head, a subtle gleam flashing in her eyes.

Muen’s gaze happened to sweep by. His brows twitched slightly, but he quickly looked away and continued:

“That’s the situation. Though Pink Bear suggested it, I still want to ask for everyone’s opinion...”

“What’s there to ask?”

Senior Fanny blinked and teased, “We’re all mooching off Junior Muen’s carriages. Even if you drag us to Ailierze and sell us, we couldn’t do anything about it. So you decide.”

“I’m just providing a trifling bit of sponsorship.”

Muen smiled as well and looked at the others:

“What about you all? If no one objects, let’s set it like this.”

Of course there were no objections.

Vicky, Fanny, and the other girls even expressed great interest in the trip to Ailierze and suggested staying a few extra days.

So no matter the world, girls have a natural interest in shopping, huh?

Watching the girls already chirping away together—Senior Fanny even naturally pulling the somewhat shy Liya into the group—Muen shook his head with an amused smile.

He went over to chat a few words with the two other boys, Marshall and Aaron, then, with a barely noticeable turn, drifted to the corner.

“Why are you still eating black bread? I’m pretty sure I prepared plenty of food.”

Muen plopped down at the bonfire and poked at the firewood. The orange flames made his eyes shine especially bright.

“W-who’s eating black bread!”

Ariel, beside him, widened her eyes.

“I wasn’t!”

“You’re saying that with bread crumbs still at the corner of your mouth.”

“W-what...?”

At that, Ariel hurriedly wiped her mouth. Halfway through, noticing the teasing look in Muen’s eyes, she suddenly realized she’d been tricked and snapped in shame and anger:

“Muen Campbell, y-you looking to die?”

“Whoa, whoa—now’s not the time to fight.”

Muen waved his hands in a hurry and smiled wryly:

“I’m showing concern for you.”

“I don’t need your concern.”

Ariel hugged her knees and buried her face against her thighs, speaking in a muffled voice.

“...”

Silence fell.

On the other side of the bonfire, the clear, bell-like laughter and shy, angry scolding only grew crisper—like a cheerful excursion.

Ariel stole a glance, watching the few over there joking around, then turned back to look at the man at her side, who likewise said nothing but whose lips held a gentle smile.

Only now did she realize that the person beside her at this moment seemed truly very different from the guy in her impression.

Of course, it wasn’t something that required her to “feel.”

Because this man had used his strength to prove to everyone that he was no longer that duke’s son who, aside from his status, was absolutely useless.

The one who’d misjudged was always just her. Maybe even the silly Liya had sensed it a bit earlier than she did.

“Hey, Muen Campbell.”

“Mm?”

“Why did you suddenly get this strong?”

“Early to bed, early to rise, look at beauties more, train diligently...”

“Nonsense. I never saw you put in effort!”

“...”

Muen glanced at Ariel and said softly:

“Effort isn’t for other people to watch.”

“...Is that so.”

Ariel lowered her head again, falling into thought.

Muen’s words always gave her a faint sense of loss—like she’d carelessly overlooked something.

But she quickly stopped thinking about it and instead pouted:

“Then I’ll grudgingly admit it—your change.”

“Oh? In that case, you should accept my apology too.”

Muen struck while the iron was hot. “I really do want to make peace with you!”

“...No.”

“Why?”

“Because rather than what others say, or how others appear to act, I prefer using my own eyes and hands to confirm for myself.”

Ariel met Muen’s eyes and said seriously:

“So, once this trip to the Saint City is over, I’m going to challenge you personally. At that time, use your strength to let me see your sincerity!”

“Huh? N-no way.”

The corner of Muen’s mouth twitched. “We’re really going to fight?”

“Of course!”

Ariel stood, hands on hips, imposing:

“Muen Campbell, while I admit you’ve gotten much stronger...”

“I will absolutely not lose to you!”

“In strength, in money, and in Celicia as well!”

“When the time comes, I expect you to make it satisfying enough!”

With that, without waiting for Muen to answer, Ariel turned on her heel and slipped into the darkness beyond the firelight.

“...”

Watching Ariel’s figure disappear, Muen stroked his chin. After a brief daze, he couldn’t help showing a hint of helplessness and a wry smile.

“How strange. I clearly want to avoid conflict with her as much as possible—so why do I feel like it’s getting harder and harder to dodge?”

“Is this the corrective force of fate too? That no matter what, this yellow-haired villain can’t escape conflict with the protagonist?”

“But I’m the one about to get my wall pried away right now. Even if we do fight later, she probably won’t beat me to death...”

“Probably... not.”

...

...

“Mm? If you’ve got business, come out. Don’t skulk in secret, or I’ll think you’re coveting my beauty.”

On the carriage’s fore-compartment outside the reach of the bonfire, Pink Bear wiggled his rear and suddenly spoke toward a direction where no one stood.

Most people had already turned in. In the quiet night, the sound of leaves suddenly stirred.

Ariel slowly walked out from the trees, looked at Pink Bear a bit nervously, and asked:

“I wanted to ask—why haven’t we encountered even a single demonic beast this whole way?”

“Hm? Your kink is even stranger than mine? You actually like demonic beasts?”

“N-no...”

Ariel bowed her head and spoke softly:

“I...I just want the materials from demonic beasts.”

“Short on money? If you’re short on money, why not go to that kid?”

Pink Bear asked in puzzlement:

“That kid’s loaded. If he didn’t have a daughter, I’d want to be his father-in-law—no way would it have been that little punk Aldrich’s turn.”

“I absolutely won’t take that guy’s money!”

Ariel bit her lip. “Not even if I die!”

“...Fine. See, you adolescent brats are nothing but trouble.”

Pink Bear wriggled like a grub in another direction and said:

“See those dragon-blood horses? Even though they’ve only got a thread of dragon blood in them, the aura they give off is already enough to scatter most low-tier demonic beasts. So not running into any is perfectly normal.”

“But if you really want to meet demonic beasts, in my experience...”

Pink Bear pointed. “That way, you might find some.”

Comparing the direction Pink Bear pointed with the thought in her teacher’s teachings, Ariel’s eyes lit up. “Th-thank you!”

“No need. Trivial matter. But I must warn you: if you’re not back by dawn, don’t blame me for leaving you here.”

“Don’t worry—before sunrise, I’ll definitely make it back!”

Ariel could not wait and was about to set off.

But Pink Bear called her back.

“Wait.”

“Is there something else?”

“Got any dirty magazines?”

“Huh?”

“Dirty. Magazines.”

Pink Bear stressed impatiently:

“Yuri volumes are fine too. I’m not picky!”

“...”

...

In the dead of night, after confirming no one had noticed her, Ariel’s figure turned into a soundless shadow and dove headlong into the ever-denser southern jungle.

Only, what she didn’t know was that at this moment, a pair of eyes was quietly watching her.

Seeing her slip into the dangerous, unknown forest in the middle of the night, a trace of pity and worry flashed in those eyes—and then that pity and worry turned into a certain resolve.

Once Ariel disappeared, the figure in the dark turned and came to a carriage. After hesitating for a moment, they gently rapped on the window.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Liya.”