Chapter 289 – Vagrants (2)
I observed the vagrants.
‘More ca than I expected.’
There were about forty of them. All male, with a wide age range—from elderly n to young adults.
The broker spotted our group gathered in the clearing and paused.
“I brought them like you asked, but... weren’t you a rchant?”
“I never said I was a rchant.”
“Hm.”
The broker scanned the group nervously.
There were quite a few of us, and every one of us was fully ard. The aura we gave off was nothing like ordinary rcenaries.
“Maybe I ca too blindly…”
This was a remote forest, the kind of place where you could die and disappear without anyone knowing.
The broker stood stiffly, and the vagrants were no different, either frightened or extrely tense.
I called to the broker.
“I don’t plan to take everyone.”
“D-Do as you like.”
“Wait here for a mont.”
Passing him, I stepped in front of the frozen n.
“You probably heard a rough explanation already.”
They must have followed the broker under the condition that they'd be providing knowledge and information about Hell Gri.
They were likely tempted by the promise of high pay in exchange for high risk.
Which was true.
But there was a condition.
“If your information is worthless, I’ll leave you behind. Only those confident in themselves should stay.”
When I drove that nail in, about half of them stepped over to the broker.
It seed the pressure from our group added to their decision.
Still, twenty remained.
That was still too many.
I began narrowing them down again.
“You’ll be riding in wagons. But if any trouble arises, we’ll abandon the wagons. We won’t be responsible for you. If sothing happens, you’ll be the first to die.”
“We’re traveling overland to Aintrier.”
Since they were supposed to be our sources of information, they’d know how dangerous the route I ntioned truly was.
The mont I ntioned death, half of them dropped out again.
Ten remained.
Looking around, most of them were elderly.
Despite being told it was a place to die, they stayed.
“You’ll receive your remaining paynt after we arrive.”
“Um…”
One of the elders gathered his courage and asked,
“If… if we die, what happens to the rest of the paynt?”
“I’ll give it to your families.”
“...Can we trust you?”
“Do you trust soone after seeing them just once?”
“If you’re uneasy, you’re free to walk away.”
“And the upfront paynt… how much is it?”
“You’ll find out if you accept.”
Considering their lives were on the line, the terms were far from favorable.
They didn’t even know the upfront paynt amount.
To them, I must have seed like a heartless villain.
“I’ll give up.”
“ too…”
Though they were desperate for money, the thought of dying and not even being paid in the end was too much to risk.
In the end, six more dropped out, and only four frail old n remained in front of .
I asked the elders,
“Why did you stay?”
“My family hasn’t eaten in two days. Even one less mouth to feed helps.”
The other elders seed to have similar reasons. Whether they died here or not, they had no intention of going back.
“How long have you lived in Hell Gri?”
“Born and raised here. I know a lot about this place. Though, it’s all rough knowledge—I’m not sure how useful it’ll be…”
“That’s more than enough.”
I smiled faintly and nodded.
Four elders.
I figured I’d assign one to each wagon. It seed we now had our information sources.
I called the broker and handed over 40 gold.
Ten gold per person.
An excessive amount just to bring so vagrants, but the broker took the gold with a satisfied expression and left with the remaining vagrants.
Karl frowned at the sight.
“Isn’t that way too much? Forty gold could buy you a handful of assassination requests in Tobaron.”
“Tobaron this, Tobaron that. This isn’t Tobaron.”
“Still, forty gold? Your sense of money is ssed up. I can’t get a read on it.”
“They’re worth it, so don’t worry. Now, bring over two wagons. We need to head to the vagrants’ settlent.”
“The vagrants’ place? Why?”
“Because I said I’d take responsibility. Ti to show it.”
The vagrant elders, dressed in ragged clothes, looked anxious and kept glancing around nervously.
I called them over and had them get into the wagons.
“...Are we departing right away?”
“No. I’m giving you your advance paynt. Get in.”
Though confused, they followed my gesture and climbed in one by one.
The two wagons headed not for the main gate but for the makeshift shelters made of scrap wood.
The vagrants’ hideout.
As the wagons pulled into the shantytown, the vagrants crowded around.
They were there to beg, but when they saw fellow vagrants stepping down from the first wagon, they froze.
The second wagon stopped behind the first.
Keros hopped down and shook himself off, and I stepped down as well, addressing the elders waiting in front of .
“Bring your families aboard.”
“...What? What do you an?”
“The upfront paynt is the toll.”
“T-The toll?”
At my words, the elders looked completely baffled at first. But soon their eyes widened, and they gaped at .
I smiled and said,
“I’ll move your families inside the wall. Your remaining paynt is your family. When you return, they’ll be there waiting for you in the city.”
“Ah...!”
One elder dropped to his knees in awe, while another repeatedly bowed in gratitude.
And then—
“Why are you going this far?”
One of them voiced suspicion.
And rightly so—rationally, this was a losing deal. A ridiculous one, at that.
I looked at the elder who had spoken.
He was the only one among the four who didn’t seem afraid.
A gaunt build, sharp eyes.
Tightly closed mouth.
He looked like soone with a strong personality. And he was.
“What’s your na?”
“Notura.”
“Notura, there’s no such thing as kindness without motive. Especially here.”
“Then, what are you after?”
“You’ll find out after this job is done. Will you not take the advance?”
I pointed toward the elders who had already started moving.
They were bringing their families.
Seeing this, Notura chuckled bitterly and sank down where he stood.
“For soone who’s lost their family, survival is a lonely thing. I’ve no use for an advance.”
“Is there sothing else you want?”
“I just needed a place to die.”
A remarkable elder.
“Karl, rember that man’s na.”
“Why??”
“I’m curious what kind of person he is. Observe him during our travels and let know.”
“Fine. But… are you really taking that one?”
Karl pointed to one side, and I nodded.
Lily was sitting on the edge of the wagon, swinging her legs.
She had been carried like the dead, but now she yawned and scratched her ssy hair as if she had just woken up.
“Wouldn’t it be better if I looked after her?”
“I was planning to ask you anyway. Neither of us can handle that witch or that mutt. You’re the only one who can.”
Lily waved at energetically, and I smiled and nodded back.
It was true—only I could manage her here.
As I looked around the shantytown and waited for the elders to return, a commotion stirred from one side.
“Take too!”
“ too!”
At so point, word had spread, and a crowd of vagrants rushed toward us, trying to follow the elders.
They pleaded to be taken as ‘family,’ and as their numbers swelled, Karl narrowed his eyes and looked ready to intervene.
But then—
“Gasp!”
“L-Look there!”
The crowd stopped near the wagons and went pale as they spotted Lily.
The enormous wide-brimd hat atop her ssy hair.
The flowing purple robe.
The staff in her grip.
Even at a glance, she was clearly a witch.
“A-A witch?! It’s a witch!”
“That wagon’s cursed! Get away!”
The mont they saw her, the vagrants scattered in fear, rapidly backing away.
Lily blinked and hopped off the wagon, and with a startled scream—Uwaaah!—the crowd of vagrants fled.
I let out a quiet laugh.
Apparently, the reputation of witches in Hell Gri was worse than I’d thought.
It seed the World Tree Alliance still had a long road ahead.
“300 gold.”
The sole gate in the wall.
Thanks to Lily, a ruckus had broken out, but for the vagrants, life inside the wall mattered more than fear of a witch.
Once the elders had loaded their families and we waited at the gate, an official ca and assessed the toll.
Fifteen people had been brought in by the elders.
Including myself, Lily, and Keros, the total toll ca out to roughly 300 gold.
As I handed over the gold coins, I cursed inwardly.
‘What a bunch of robbers.’
I didn’t expect they’d charge the dog too.
Fifteen gold just for bringing a dog.
Even the wagon and horses were taxed. No wonder the area outside the gate was packed with rchants.
Now I understood why they were trying to sell off wagons and animals at bargain prices near the gate.
I handed the spare wagon over to Karl, who was waiting outside the gate, and he clicked his tongue as he took the reins.
“If they tax people like this, how do rchants do business?”
It was Notura who answered.
“To do business near Aintrier, you need permission from the lord. With a permit, you can waive the toll—but even that has to be renewed every three months.”
“So, a monopoly.”
“A monopoly and tyranny, yes. But no one dares defy it.”
“That just ans their influence is absolute.”
Notura nodded heavily. I asked,
“Were you a rchant?”
“It was years ago. I doubt it’ll be of much help.”
Not bad.
Even if it was years ago, a forr rchant would be familiar with local info—just like he explained about the permit.
I looked at Karl, and he nodded. He, too, had recognized Notura’s value.
“I’ll be off now.”
“Take good care of Lochter.”
“Why are you asking that? You know how strong that guy is.”
In Hell Gri, knights are prone to early deaths.
Assassins are far more suited to survival here.
This journey would teach them that truth well.
“I hope no one dies.”
“I’ll try.”
Karl helped the elders into the wagon. Seeing their families pass through the gate, the elders bit their lips and bowed deeply to .
“We’ll stake our lives on this.”
“Even if we die now, we have no regrets.”
Their eyes burned with conviction, as if they’d leap into a fire at a single word from .
Don’t die—live a long life.
If we wanted to change how the World Tree Alliance was perceived in Hell Gri, we needed people first.
People who would lend us strength.
Hiiing—!
As Karl disappeared with the elders’ wagon, I entered the gate slowly with Lily and Keros.
Passing through the massive wooden entrance, like stepping into a new world, I saw the elders’ families waiting.
I called over those who looked like the heads of each household and handed them small pouches.
“You’ll need money to settle in.”
“Th-Thank you! ...We’ll never forget this favor!”
“No need to thank . I’m just helping through a deal. Make sure your family returns safely. And show them that you’re building a life here. They risked their lives for this.”
As they bowed repeatedly, one of the middle-aged n cautiously asked ,
“Um, may I ask your na?”
I nodded and answered.
“The World Tree Alliance.”
“…The World Tree Alliance?”
“Rember it. You’ll be hearing it often. And…”
I turned and added,
“The World Tree Alliance will walk with the vagrants.”
We had to start with those the world had already cast aside. The existing powers wouldn’t care about this kind of influence.
Leaving them behind, I moved deeper into the city.
Beyond the wall, a forest of buildings unfolded.
With Lily and Keros, I crossed the main road.
Before long, blue waves shimred between the buildings.
Under the sunlight, golden ripples glistened.
A massive river flowing beside the city.
The Kenline River revealed its majestic presence.
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