NOVEL NEXT Chapter 26
Chuga! The Circulation Train came to a stop at the platform with the Magic Tower.
Wooosh! The Dusk Valley is indeed a place that takes at least an hour to reach by carriage from the bustling city of Evenbaugh.
Ding ding! Of course, I have a packed schedule for tomorrow afternoon’s classes, but if I make haste, I can be back by dawn.
Tap tap! Thus, in order to save as much time as possible, the only option is to utilize the portal at the Magic Tower to teleport to Evenbaugh.
Hmmm… By the way…
Surprised gasp! A girl with a lavender head and a hat pulled down low seemed to have been watching me since we boarded the train.
Slurp! I asked Aria, who still seemed glued to her spot, carefully observing me.
“Not getting off?”
GASP! My simple question startled her for a moment, but she quickly maintained her poker face as she got off the train.
Chirp chirp! I deliberately slurred my words, muttering, “I didn’t expect there would be another freshman using the Magic Tower from the start of the new semester.”
Silence…
“What a coincidence.”
Pshew…
As I continued to give her side-eyes, Aria sighed quietly and replied, “Let’s travel together.”
Psst!
Actually, her accompanying me was a maneuver I orchestrated since I wouldn’t be able to detect the final reward without her.
Smirk! But I needed to hide that fact to maintain some semblance of control, making it safer for both of us.
Whoosh!
Regardless, Aria passed by me and headed towards the Magic Tower.
Brrriing!
“Thank you! Travel safely!”
Cling clang! Ignoring the Magic Tower staff’s words, we reached the clock tower in Evenbaugh way too easily.
Cha-ching! It cost a whopping 2000 gems to get to Evenbaugh.
Ka-ching! That’s 200,000 won in Korean money! Using the portal was so simple, you could practically feel your money disintegrating into thin air.
Yawn! Honestly, teleportation is incredibly convenient compared to other transport options, and the researchers living in the Magic Tower use this cash for their magical research.
Hmmmm… So, surely the Magic Tower’s usage contributes to the Academy’s development in some way.
Eek! But the issue is my wallet isn’t handling things so well…
Blink blink! Aria also looked a bit taken aback by the hefty fee but paid up without a second thought.
Cheeky!
Is watching me that important to her…?
Ding dong! Anyhow, arriving at Evenbaugh in the early evening, it was just as bustling as one would expect from a major city.
“Everyone, take a look at our goods!”
“There’s a free performance at the clock tower square!”
The city felt more advanced than just medieval civilization, almost like a trip to a European country back on Earth.
Waddle waddle! While it’s not particularly famous, it’s the first village encountered in [Reincarnated Hero], evoking a sense of nostalgia.
Snap! I shook off my sentimental feelings and began searching for a carriage.
Ding dong!
“To Dusk Valley, please.”
“Whoa! You startled me… You’re here, huh…?”
Whizz! I found a cart on the outskirts of the city, and the coachman was startled by my voice.
“Where to?”
“Dusk Valley.”
“Hm, I wouldn’t recommend it as a place for young lovers…”
“That’s fine.”
Hehe! The kind-looking coachman started driving the cart, his expression saying he thought it wasn’t a place for young folks’ tastes.
In [Reincarnated Hero], Dusk Valley wasn’t exactly a region infested with demon creatures, but a creepy rumor had shaped it into a haunted spot where no one resides now.
Boo! So, it must have been because a goblin named the Phantom had taken this place as its treasure hoard.
Hum! To comment on the scenery, it’d definitely be dreamlike and picturesque at almost any hour.
Tick… tick… An hour later, when it was completely dark…
Swish! We finally arrived.
“There likely won’t be any cart returning to the nearby towns from here. This route hasn’t seen a merchant or even an ant for quite some time. And…”
Plonk! The coachman, after receiving his fare, warned Aria, his tone becoming serious.
“Miss, be careful. Men are all wolves, wolves…”
Hmmm!
“I mean, that young man is quite terrible to look at.”
Yikes! I turned to leave first.
“It’s fine. Thank you for your concern.”
Meow! Aria followed suit, responding in a tone that held a hint of consideration.
Click!
“Kids these days don’t seem to value their own lives, tsk.”
Boo! The man, watching the passing young couple afar, shook his head and clicked his tongue.
Whistle! Then, he abruptly stopped and began whistling.
“Such a pity!”
Gulp gulp! His name is Dovrek.
Current coachman, former member of the Balakas Mercenary Band, and primarily a crafty goblin skilled in disguises.
Oops! His hands had grown too dirty, leading to an embarrassing exit from the mercenary life, but given his penchant for wandering, being a coachman fit him perfectly.
Glance! And, when the opportunity arose, lifting the passengers’ baggage became a sweet source of income.
“Those folks look a bit posh, huh?”
Hmm! Based on their attire, they did seem somewhat well-off. Unfortunately, the man only had a backpack, making him a poor target for thievery.
Bwahaha! Anyhow, those foolish kids had asked to be taken to Dusk Valley themselves.
‘If they belong to a noble family, they might be able to use some magic.’
Snort! They must think their skills will help them dig for rumored treasures.
Ho ho ho! Dovrek’s method was straightforward.
He spread rumors about enormous treasures buried in Dusk Valley and enlisted thieves to ambush adventurers or mercenaries as they came chasing after them.
Whoosh! But with a long tail, one gets caught easily, and he heard that knights would soon be dispatched due to suspicions about demonic activity.
Whew! While he had gotten rid of all the treasure to clean up his act, for appearances’ sake, he had to keep up the facade of being temporarily sealed off.
Aha! Naturally, he had directed the carriage to forbidden places.
Pop! This time, it really is the last time.
Sniff sniff! Seeing a rare beauty after ages made him excited.
Swoooosh! The scent he wouldn’t find in brothels, with a gorgeously shaped face and yet a neutral expression became unbearable.
‘It better be a virgin… Ugh!’
Gulp! Ultimately, Dovrek salivated in a sly manner, realizing he was caught by someone akin to the reaper of this place.
Flash!
Time had passed, and it was completely dark, so I lit a bonfire at the cave mouth.
Flick!
Also confirming the cart had disappeared, I turned off the lantern.
“Didn’t you plan to go inside?”
Shhh! Aria asked, observing me.
“Shhhh! This way.”
Huh…?
I took Aria’s delicate wrist, surrendering to the shadows, heading not into the cave but down a steep slope behind it.
Whisper whisper!
“Do you still suspect me?”
Uhhh…
“Of course…”
“Do you think it’s safe to follow me like this?”
Silence…
I hadn’t intended for her to worry, but seeing her struggling to keep up with her frail body rallied my concern.
“It’s not to the extent that worrying is necessary.”
Okay… but…
“Right, but let’s trust each other for now given the situation.”
Huh?
“Normally, I would be coming here to catch a demon creature.”
“A demon? Is there one appearing here?”
Gasp! Aria looked at her surroundings.
“Uh, but the circumstances changed.”
“Eh?”
“The coachman who just drove us over is suspicious.”
Zoom!
According to the original game settings, the horses of Evenbaugh are quite sensitive and jittery.
Uh oh! I’ve remembered how difficult it was to tame them, especially on rough roads.
Bloop bloop! But those horses moved gracefully as if familiar with the path they’d always taken.
“It used to be that merchants and even ants wouldn’t pass this way for a long time…”
Hmm!
Given that the coachman claimed he was expert in navigating here, I sensed a red flag.
Ding! Well, he could be a veteran who had been a coachman for longer than I thought, yet recalling quests that typically unfold in scenarios like this, they often ended with players getting duped by an NPC.
Uh oh! Therefore, the coachman might be a hidden villain or a thief.
Revelation! As I sorted through my thoughts, a status window popped up in front of me.
Ka-boom!
[Life Achievements]
[Lowly Suspicion! : Acquired Supporting Role Score 10]
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[Anonymous Feedback: What kind of thief?]
[Despite the naming as a thief, judged without any deduction leading to being treated as F-rank, hence the gimmick has been changed]
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Duh!
Just as I expected. The moment we extinguished the bonfire and entered the cave, the ambush awaiting bandits would signal their attack.
Yikes! To call them bandits didn’t mean they were particularly strong, but considering their numbers amidst the high difficulty, predicting their strength was impossible, and their sneaky tactics were top-notch.
Huff huff! Carrying Aria while fighting seemed too risky.
Ehh! What’s most important is that my cloaked talents only performed against demon creatures.
Yikes! Thus, it meant I couldn’t guarantee sneak effects or critical hit guarantees against actual humans.
Dashing thoughts! But those thieves would undoubtedly be demon creatures.
Bummer! Regrettably, my demon sight was level one, so I couldn’t pierce through the thief’s unique skills of disguise.
“Whoa! You startled me…”
Proof! The fact that the coachman noticed my presence only later suggested that rational suspicion was valid.
Wooosh!
In the end, capturing the one who was indeed a demon and seizing his cart for a strategic retreat would be the best move.
Swoosh. Swish.
“I’m sensing shadows over there.”
Woah! Aria seemed to notice and murmured while looking towards the bonfire.
Zoom! They were already starting their work.
Snap! She wasn’t the type to easily trust others, so unlike other heroines…
Uh uh! She wouldn’t spark a drama like, “The coachman wouldn’t do that!”
Tsk tsk! But the fact that I couldn’t trust him was the real problem.
“This time is no joke.”
Dare dare! I looked directly into Aria’s eyes as I spoke.
“If you trust me, nod your head.”
Flinch! At my words, her deep, gemstone-like eyes began to waver.