“A carriage accident...? I haven’t seen one. Have you, dear?”
“No, I haven’t either.”
“There you have it. Sorry we couldn’t be of more help.”
“Wait. If you like, why don’t you hitch a ride with us? The town is just ahead, and it’s already getting dark.”
“Thank you, but I’d like to keep searching as I go. I appreciate your kindness, though.”
“I see... Well, good luck with your work.”
“Take care on the road!”
“You too, lad!”
I watched the kind elderly couple’s carriage rattle away into the distance.
“...Whew.”
I had scoured nearly the entire stretch of road from Gimul to the post town. My Rimur Birds were working hard as well, but with so many obstructions in the terrain, I hadn’t found a single clue yet.
The mountain stood at about a thousand meters in elevation. The main road was well-trodden and easy to traverse without fear of altitude sickness. However, as soon as one strayed from the path, they were immediately swallowed by the shadows of countless trees growing haphazardly along the slopes and thick, overhanging branches. Since the main road was so convenient, people rarely ventured into the thickets.
Had I overlooked something, or was the site further ahead? Perhaps they had veered off into the woods. If so, had they turned left or right?
“If I could at least find a starting point...”
If I could narrow down the location even slightly, I could mobilize my slimes to finish the job. While they lacked mobility, the combined power of over six thousand slimes could search three hundred and sixty degrees in all directions simultaneously, leaving no stone unturned. It was a strategy of sheer numbers—Slime Sea Tactics. I just needed one lead.
Thinking as I walked, I circled the perimeter of the road, peering into the gaps between the trees where the failing light made visibility even worse. By the time I finally reached the post town, the sun had nearly vanished. A simple defensive wall made of thick logs, likely harvested from the local forest, encircled the settlement.
“You there! ...A traveler? You’re moving awfully strange for one. What are you doing out at this hour?”
I must have looked suspicious. Before I could even reach the entrance, a male gatekeeper called out to me with a sharp, wary expression.
“I’m an adventurer from Gimul. I’m currently on a search-and-rescue mission. Here is my guild card... and the request form. Please, take a look.”
“...I see. Everything seems to be in order.”
I approached slowly and presented my documents. Once he verified them, his stern expression softened immediately.
“Sorry for the suspicion. You’re free to pass.”
“Thank you for your hard work. While I’m here, may I ask if there’s been any news of a missing person lately? Or perhaps a report of a damaged carriage?”
“Nothing like that has crossed my ears. I was actually wondering about it myself when I saw your paperwork.”
“I see...”
“Are you staying the night in town?”
“That’s the plan.”
I still had physical energy, and I was comfortable operating in the dark, but the difficulty of searching at night was significantly higher, and my efficiency would plummet. More importantly, the terrain here was different. I could navigate Gana Forest in my sleep, but I was still unfamiliar with these mountains.
With my Rimur Birds acting as beacons, I didn't think I would get lost, but given the risks, it was better to stop the search for the night. I would use the evening to gather information in town instead.
“That’s for the best,” the guard agreed. “The roads are well-maintained, but if you step off the path, some of the slopes are surprisingly steep.”
“Thanks for the warning. Do you know of any good places to stay?”
“Walk straight down the main street and look for the sign for Teresy Diner. The inn right across from it has a good reputation—fair prices and clean rooms.”
“Thank you very much.”
I returned the Rimur Birds to my Dimension Home and headed for the recommended inn.
As expected, this post town was much smaller than Gimul. However, the main street was lined with the warm glow of wooden inns and taverns. It was bright and possessed a lively energy that rivaled the larger city.
Ah, this must be it. It was quite close.
“Good evening. A gatekeeper recommended this place. Do you have a room available?”
“Sure do. A bed for the night is fifty Suut. Seventy if you want a meal included.”
“One night with a meal, please.”
“Much obliged!”
After I paid, the clerk handed me a small wooden tag from his pocket.
“Take this to the diner across the street when you’re ready to eat.”
It functioned as a meal ticket.
“If I hand this over, I get a meal?”
“The standard menu is bread and soup, a salad, and whatever the daily special is. Anything else costs extra, so keep that in mind.”
I thanked the light-hearted young man and headed to my room. It was indeed clean; the floor and surfaces were well-swept and free of grime. A bed and a small table occupied seventy percent of the space, leaving no room for any sort of decoration.
Then again, this was a post town. It was utilitarian lodging for people on the move, and I doubted many guests stayed for more than a night or two. It felt a bit like a no-frills efficiency hotel, which felt strangely comfortable to me. I didn't mind it at all.
Since there wasn't much else to do, I cleaned myself up and headed out for dinner.
“Welcome! Oh, just the one?”
“Good evening. I’m staying at the inn across the way. Here is my tag.”
“Right you are! This way, please~”
The waitress at Teresy Diner was bright and energetic as she led me to a table. The shop was a large two-story building packed with people. The constant roar of laughter and the clinking of glasses created an atmosphere thick with human warmth. It reminded me of the beer garden Serge-san had taken me to, though this place felt more like a cozy family gathering than a rowdy party.
“Sorry for the wait!”
The food arrived quickly—another point in the diner’s favor.
“Thank you for the meal.”
I started with a sip of the thick, stew-like soup. The warmth hit me first, traveling from my tongue down my throat and straight to my stomach, warming my core. I realized I had been colder than I thought.
The soup was excellent. The gentle, natural sweetness of the tender vegetables melded with the aroma of several herbs. It cut through the gamey scent of the finely chopped meat, leaving only a rich, savory flavor behind.
“...Delicious.”
The word escaped my lips involuntarily. The bread was dark and hard, but once I tore off a piece and soaked it in the soup, it became soft and savory. It added a hearty wheat aroma to the meal and made it much more filling. The side salad—boiled leafy greens and red beans—was tossed in a dressing that used the pleasant acidity of Ramon to balance the sweetness of the beans.
My appetite took over, and my plate was empty in minutes.
“That was wonderful.”
Warmed in both body and spirit, I felt ready to get back to work.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes? Oh, you’re done already!”
“Yes, it was very good.”
As she began clearing my plates, I moved to the questioning.
“I’m looking for a man named Pedro. Do you happen to know him?”
“Hmm, what does he look like?”
According to the client, he was a Bear-kin man, roughly 170 centimeters tall with brown hair and a matching beard. His most prominent feature was a "green nose."
As soon as I mentioned that—
“Oh! That guy!”
“You know him?”
“I know his face.”
“Do you remember when he was last in here?”
“Hmm... he comes in all the time, but as for the last time...”
The woman trailed off, thinking hard. I waited patiently.
“...Ah!”
“Did you remember?!”
“No, sorry. I can't quite place the day. I'm not sure.”
“I see...”
“But I do know the people he usually eats with. They might know something.”
“Do you know where I can find them?”
“I do! Their base is right here in town. If you follow this road all the way down that way—”
The investigation was off to a promising start.
“...This must be the place.”
Following the lead from Teresy Diner, I sought out the companions who knew Pedro best. I eventually found myself on a street where carriages were more common than pedestrians. Large warehouses lined the road, filled with workers loading cargo and armed guards keeping watch.
This was the warehouse district. I wondered if the group I was looking for were Pedro’s coworkers.
“Mountain Dog Transporters... There it is.”
In a corner of the district, I spotted a large sign featuring a painting of a massive dog—or perhaps a wolf—with a sharp gaze.
“Excuse me.”
“Yeah? What is it, kid?”
“You here to book a shipment at this hour?”
I gave a brief self-introduction to the two gatekeepers outside and asked my questions.
“Looking for someone, eh? Asshimo is one of ours, yeah.”
“He isn’t here right now, though. By this time, he’s usually off getting drunk at a tavern somewhere.”
“Do you know which one?”
“Hard to say... wait, hold on. Wasn't someone treating the boys to drinks today?”
“Oh, that’s right! I think they posted it on the bulletin board. Hold on, kid. I’ll go check for you.”
“Thank you so much!”
One of the men disappeared inside.
“Anyway, a missing person? We don't get much of that around here,” the remaining guard noted.
“Is that so?”
“Usually it’s just minor accidents, like scraping another carriage. We move a massive amount of food between Gimul and Kereban, so we have a lot of wagons and drivers on the road. If something went wrong, the news would travel fast. Are you sure this Pedro guy didn't take a different route?”
I couldn't rule that out. However, my only current lead was that he usually used this road. Without another trail to follow, this was my only option.
“Being a kid adventurer is tough work. Well, hang in there.”
“Hey! I found it!”
With a tavern name in hand and a word of encouragement from the gatekeepers, I left the warehouse district behind.