「Okay then, depart (shuppa~)!」(Mile)
「「「Ohh!」」」(Rena’s Trio)
This is the order of Mile, who likes this to do this, three wagons that have started moving.
Even though it’s wagons, it has a hood properly.
It’s hard to distinguish from a cheap passenger carriage from a distance.
Well, because there are 3 wagons but there is no equestrian guard,
It’s obvious to everyone that it is a wagon of the smallest unit of a corps …
The staffing consists of three wagons are three “Self-proclaimed merchants” and four girls of “Red Oath”, hunters hired to escort.
The wagons are all double-horse.
In the imperial territory with many slopes, it’s desirable to use a double-horse vehicle with sufficient traction if you have enough money and you want to keep the moving speed stable plus the higher safety factor.
And, of course, these “merchants” didn’t intend to sacrifice time or security to save some budget.
Normally, merchants would ride each carriage one by one, but they are not real merchants, and there is no point in doing so, and they want to save the tedious on the move and talk a lot. All three were in the same carriage, the second carriage in the center.
If they are really merchants, the escort, “Red Oath” has to ride the same carriage with them. Or maybe “Red Oath” must divide and ride each carriage separately.
But it’s boring and boring to be on the carrier alone.
The same carriage as merchants also has restrictions on the topic,
And “Red Oath” will be tense as the girls can’t look sloppy in front of men.
Thinking so, “Red Oath” told that they would stay in the first carriage. The merchants nodded with a reassuring face.
The men must have thought that being with young women all the time was a chore.
If it was male hunters, they might have said “~Ge ~hihi, isn’t that fine staying in the carriage together?”. As expected, they are civil servants.
「…Then, is everyone okay with this escort policy?」(Rena)
「Yes I think」(Pauline)
「Ah, I agree」(Mile)
「No objection!」(Maevis)
Pauline’s Trio, in the lead wagon, agrees with Rena’s confirmation.
However, the strategy had already been consulted at the inn,
This is just “Ritual reconfirmation before starting escort mission”
Well, it’s a bit of a spirit.
No one here will have any objection.
This trade is a long-distance trade across the country by the smallest trading company with three wagons.
Then, by common sense, even a small amount of cargo can provide sufficient profits, that is, a small number of expensive goods.
In that case, they should spare some extra money to hire escorts.
So, this time, it was judged that the girls would better stay in a wagon without showing themselves.
If “Red Oath” appeared, onlookers would think that the merchants are some stupid newbie stinky merchants who try to save money by hiring young girls who just became C rank cheaply.
The bandits will attack without fail.
But the girls’ task isn’t to defeat bandits.
Also, once they capture the bandits, their speed will drop dramatically until they arrive in the next city and hand them over to officials.
There’s not enough space in the wagon to carry any number of bandits, and it’s hard to force the thieves who resist walking.
So, the girls concentrate on the original request, they avoid doing things like gathering bandits, they do not actively hunt bandits for rewards.
If “Red Oath” doesn’t show up in the wagon and if the bandits have normal intelligence,
“In a wagon, instead of walking,
It is natural for the bandits to think that “there are some terrific escorts who are treated well enough to ride on a wagon even if the merchants will carry less cargo”
Which makes them hesitate to attack.
And that guess about “the existence of some great escorts” is a fact.
「Then, we will remove the falling sparks, save the crisis of intelligence between our allies, fight for the kemonomimi loli and gold coins, and never miss a cool show.」(Mile)
「Of course! Because we are…」(Rena)
「「「「“Red Oath”!!」」」」(Other three)
… It looks like ridiculous things are trying to break into the empire.
＊ ＊ ＊
The merchant group advanced southwest from the capital city of Tire Kingdom.
They come near Brandel, the west neighbor and Mile’s homeland, but they will enter the Alban Empire to the south without crossing that border.
It seemed that nothing would happen until they crossed the border with the empire.
…Unless the savage thieves attack without knowing the meaning of “a corps with an escort in a wagon with a hood”.
Not many merchants head for the empire.
Roads with many steep hills, have to increase the number of horses pulling the wagon, which also results in lower load capacity.
Normal wagon and wheelchair aren’t really physically fit.
In addition, the economy of the empire’s city is poor and people’s purchasing power is low.
In addition, the political situation has become a strange smell (fishy).
You can go west to the Brandel Kingdom or east to the Marein Kingdom, there are no such disadvantages.
In such situations, going to the Alban Empire…
No, it is natural that there are not many stupid merchants.
Now that, there are only a few merchants available,
Like merchants who make a foolish mistake, someone is unlucky with business opportunities, getting lost and must go along with it regardless.
After all, they have small cargo load, it’s really “small cargo load”
In that sense, this merchant group may already be a bit standing out, but it can’t be helped. It was inevitable.
「Now, from now on, this group will be commonly referred to as a “corp”.
Clients can be referred to as “client” or “merchant”, personal name, or store name.
Never say “intelligence”, “royal people” or “investigation team” no matter where you are.
We don’t know when or who has our eyes or ears on us, understand?」(Rena)
Mile’s group nodded to Rena’s confirmation.
It was the basis of the basics in such work.
Everyone was familiar with that.
… By MiAMi Satodelle‘s intelligence novel.
Of course, “Merchants” are the same, so it’s safe.
In addition, there is no blind spot in the group who learned various knowledge from MiAMi Satodelle‘s novel.
The only worrisome thing was that “The novels of MiAMi Satodelle were also exported to the Alban Empire”, but none of the members of this group had thought of it…
And then, in the camping tents, dinners, and so on, the merchants are astonished with their jaws dropped, but that is “average”, so it is omitted.
＊ ＊ ＊
「…So, why are the bandits attacking us even though we still haven’t crossed the border yet?
And it’s on a road that merchant corps seldom pass through.」(Rena)
Bandits are in front and behind, three wagons stopped by logs of obstacles that they set up.
However, the four members of “Red Oath” are still in the wagon and have not appeared before the bandits yet.
「… Maybe because the merchants rarely pass through here?
They rarely see prey, so they can’t afford to choose …」(Mile)
「「「Ah……」」」(Rena’s Trio)
Rena’s group raises their voice as if agreeing with Mile’s guess.
Yes, if you have few preys, you will have to attack.
Hungry beasts have no choice of prey.
「So why didn’t they move to a place with more preys?」(Maevis)
「There are territories for each bandit’s group, and there’s another reason like they won’t be able to leave the place where their family and relatives live.
The bandits aren’t all lonely in the world with no family or relatives, right?
In fact, their main business might be farmers and being bandit is just a side job…」(Mile)
「Ah……」(Maevis)
「Why are you always only understand of such strange things?!」(Rena)
Maevis was satisfied with the appropriate commentary of Mile,
As for Rena, although she can still suppress it, she still has the face of wanting to get rid of the bandits.
「But it doesn’t matter…」(Pauline)
But then, Pauline talks…
「Yes, it doesn’t matter.
These people are bandits attacking the merchants now.
It doesn’t matter if they don’t plan to kill people, they will attack seriously until the merchants surrender. And during that time they will not mind the death of the merchants at all.
Of course, after surrendering, not only the cargo but also the girls are likely to be sold for money will be taken away.
…There’s no different to a fine “evil criminal”!」(Mile)
Mile keeps doing so.
Mile is fairly forgiving to those who live desperately according to the rules.
However, she is a bit harsh for those who break the rules.
Of course, even so, Mile doesn’t break the rules herself.
She follows the rules properly.
… In this world, there’s a rule that the escort of the merchant who was attacked by the bandits may do anything to the bandits.
And that’s also “the rule she decided.”
Mile’s Rule.
The so-called “Mirule”.
(T.N: This pun somewhat lost in translation.
Mile in Katakana = MA I RU.
Rule = RU RU
Mile’s Rule = MA I RU RU RU
My Rule = MA I RU RU)
And Rena issued a loud instruction.
「Goal, defeat the bandits!
“Red Oath”, sortie!」(Rena)
「「「Ooh!!」」」(Mile’s Trio)