Brainwashed Then Woke Up To Find My Childhood Friend a Hero

23. I Met the Great Sage!?

Time passed, and finally, it was our turn for inspection.

A line of eight carriages was being checked one by one by several guards.

Our carriage was also set to be inspected.

The mercenaries were handling the baggage checks without any issues, and I just had to pretend to be the horse attendant working with Eg.

“May I have a word?”

One of the guards suddenly spoke to me. Since I hadn’t been addressed even once until now, I felt a bit tense.

I noticed my hands were unconsciously clenched, and I took a moment to calm myself as I squeezed back.

“Papa?”

Suddenly, Eg called out to me, and I turned my gaze toward her. Yeah, she’s so cute!

Seeing Eg, the guard murmured, “So cute…”

This is a chance.

—

“See? Isn’t it cute? This little one takes after her mother and didn’t warm up to me at all at first, but lately, she’s been all over me.”

I began to boast, and the guard, slightly taken aback by my sudden loquacity, seemed to stop questioning me.

“No problem at all. Please, enjoy yourselves.”

I let out a sigh of relief, but then I heard voices arguing up ahead. Leaning out of the carriage window, I saw Wide in a heated discussion with a man who seemed to be the leader among the guards.

“I’m telling you! We just came to sell vegetables and wheat!”

The guard shot back.

“Then why are there so many women with you? They aren’t needed for a merchant’s trip.”

“That’s because if it’s just men, the work gets sloppy! We need the women’s help for this kind of thing.”

“Then where did you get the money to hire both women and mercenaries?”

He hit a sore spot. I looked at Wide, feeling desperate, but he didn’t flinch even a millimeter.

“I simply threw my personal wealth into coming here!”

“Oh? You said personal wealth? It’s suspicious for a merchant to throw away his own money for a trading trip. I declare to everyone! Capture these people on the spot!”

The guards in front of us drew their short swords, brandishing them threateningly.

“If the misunderstanding is cleared up, there will be no problem, so please remain calm.”

But we couldn’t stay calm; we had no idea what might come to light if they started probing. This is bad.

A wave of anxiety swept over us.

However, breaking through that silence, a man’s voice rang out from the back.

“Ah, excuse me, guard.”

A man who appeared to be a wizard, draped in a deep navy robe.

I recognized that voice.

The guards turned their attention to the man who had suddenly spoken, their caution heightened.

“W-What are you?! State your name!”

Even surrounded by guards with various weapons pointed at him, the man remained unfazed.

“Oh, I suppose I haven’t introduced myself.”

He answered leisurely.

“My name is Kurt, and I come from the Mage Empire. I am, if I may be so bold, also referred to as the Great Sage.”

At those words, everyone tensed up.

I had escaped from prison only to encounter a Great Sage, and he was part of our party!?