It’s Convenient That Danna-Sama Isn’t Interested in Me. I’ll Make a Name for Myself as an Adventurer! – Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Joint Front with the Mercenary Corps
ㅤI should have clearly refused before hearing Ojou-sama’s personal story.
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ㅤ”I eloped!? Otou-sama hired the Stiria Mercenary Corps!?”
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ㅤWhen I told her the current situation, she was genuinely surprised from the bottom of her heart, as it was a completely unexpected situation for her as well.
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ㅤ”I’m just chasing after Relph-sama one-sidedly…… I wrote in the letter that I would return if I found him, but to think he would even hire a mercenary corps……”
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ㅤShe covered her cheeks with her small palms, turning pale as if something terrible had happened, but I and Edra are thinking, “Well, that’s what happens!”
ㅤUnfortunately, this world is not a place where a young girl without any means of self-defense can easily and safely travel.
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ㅤ’She probably carried a hand b*mb because she understood that.’
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ㅤShe’s properly dressed and equipped like an adventurer. That alone provides some self-defense, so she probably did some research. I can see that she was facing reality more than I was when I was fumbling around getting my adventurer gear for the first time. And yet, she doesn’t understand what kind of commotion would happen if she, an Ojou-sama, disappeared! Her perception is inconsistent.
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ㅤ”I tried to forget him once! But when my father told me to marry his new wife…… I just wanted to convey these feelings……”
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ㅤI can understand her feelings, but I held back the words, “Isn’t there a better way to do it?” Because I knew the details of the person she was supposed to marry.
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ㅤ”Cyrus Trading Company…… Doesn’t that guy already have grandchildren!?”
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ㅤThe other party is unexpectedly the chairman of a large trading company that also deals with Blood Territory. They mainly buy a lot of monster materials that can be used as ornaments.
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ㅤ”Hee~ That kind of thing still happens?”
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ㅤEdra is leisurely surprised.
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ㅤMarriage with a large age difference is a rare connection these days, even among the nobles and wealthy of this world who prioritize connections between families over the feelings of the individuals involved. Offering a young daughter like a tribute is too blatant! It would be frowned upon by society.
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ㅤ”Yes. After all, there’s talk that Cyrus Trading Company will monopolize the magic stone trading rights in Blood Territory…… It’s well known among merchants that he’s close to Duke Blood, so merchants are rushing to offer their daughters first.”
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ㅤ’Eh!!? Is that so!!?’
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ㅤWhile glancing at Catherine, who is speaking self-deprecatingly, I can only widen my eyes in surprise. I really didn’t know. A monopoly doesn’t seem like Danna-sama, and above all……
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ㅤ’Danna-sama, has close friends…… !?’
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ㅤHe’s usually so prickly that I didn’t think he had such a person. Even at the evening party when Christina-sama barged in, he was so cold with his gaze and words to the guests that I was the one who had to be considerate. Oh, remembering that makes me angry.
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ㅤCatherine Ojou-sama, who judged my expression as ethical criticism, took the opportunity to start crying.
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ㅤ”I don’t expect to be with Relph-sama! Just to confess my feelings to the person I fell in love with for the first and last time, and if he would just hold my hand…… With just that small memory, I’m sure I can do my best no matter what happens!”
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ㅤShe appeals to me with teary eyes.
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ㅤ”Do you know where this Relph guy is going?”
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ㅤEdra asks with a sigh. Eh!? Is this turning into a helping situation!?
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ㅤ”He said he was going to Yucca Town!”
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ㅤSo that’s why she ran away from that direction, Edra and I exchanged glances. Yucca Town is in the direction Catherine ran away from. However, there’s a small Demon Forest on the way, so it’s a route that adventurers and mercenaries rarely take. From Karim Town, where the Dot Trading Company is based, this route is indeed the shortest distance.
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ㅤ”Okay. We’ll go with you to Yucca Town for now.”
ㅤ”Wow! Thank you very much!”
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ㅤContrary to Catherine Ojou-sama, who was delighted and her eyes sparkling, Edra muttered a light comment, “Because she’s pitiful,” as she looked at me, who looked like I was about to faint.
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ㅤ’This kind of lightheartedness is very adventurer-like~’
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ㅤI was also impressed by Edra, a former mercenary. So, I’ll also accept this out of a little sympathy for her. Hypocrisy and deception are all the same!
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ㅤ”Well then. Let’s wait for the Stiria Mercenary Corps, who will be arriving soon anyway.”
ㅤ”Right. It’s better to have more escorts. I think they’ll understand the situation and cooperate.”
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ㅤEdra gently persuaded Catherine, whose face had slightly darkened upon hearing that they would wait for the people who were trying to bring her back.
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ㅤ’We can’t be rude to them, who are desperately searching for Ojou-sama~’
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ㅤAs we expected, the soldiers of the Stiria Mercenary Corps, who had heard the explosion earlier, arrived soon, and as Edra predicted, they agreed to go to Yucca Town.
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ㅤ”Catherine-sama, your father is very worried about you. If Relph is not in Yucca Town, please forgive us for returning you to Karim Town.”
ㅤ”I understand…….I’m grateful for your cooperation.”
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ㅤCatherine gave a small, sad smile, as if thinking she should have done this from the beginning.
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◇◇◇
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ㅤ”……Thank you for holding Ojou-sama back there.”
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ㅤJust as we were about to enter the Demon Forest, Felix of the Stiria Mercenary Corps spoke to me in a low voice. Catherine Ojou-sama is riding behind him on a horse with Edra.
ㅤFelix was a tall mercenary with a large scar on his cheek. A refreshing, handsome man. He had a long sword and a short staff at his waist, so he probably could use magic as well. I understood that he was the leader of the three.
ㅤAnother one clinging to Catherine’s back is a spearman named Burge. He’s muscular and doesn’t talk much. The remaining mercenary, Hinari, had already rushed ahead on horseback to Karim Town to report the situation.
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ㅤ”I can’t just leave someone I’m looking for.”
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ㅤAs an adventurer, it’s natural to be righteous! I wanted to say that, but that’s not how this world works, so Felix specifically thanked me.
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ㅤ”But won’t you guys get in trouble? Doesn’t the client want Catherine Ojou-sama and the adventurer Relph to meet?”
ㅤ”Well, that’s probably the case, but we were told to find Relph and Catherine-sama. If we know where Relph is, that’s also part of the request.”
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ㅤHe laughed gently as if to gloss over it. I see, he’s worthy of Edra’s trust. Mercenary corps are groups of people who specialize in combat more than adventurers. They have more rough characters. To think there’s such a refreshing and calm person among them.
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ㅤ’If something happens, I’ll recommend the Stiria Mercenary Corps to Danna-sama.’
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ㅤFelix probably doesn’t realize that he’s successfully doing business.
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ㅤ”We’re entering the Demon Forest. We can get through it in about an hour on horseback, but don’t let your guard down.”
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ㅤI heard Burge mutter that packs of wolf-type monsters have been appearing recently.
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ㅤ”Tempest defeated the Worgs.”
ㅤ”Eh!!?”
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ㅤApparently, there was a subjugation request for them at the Adventurer’s Guild.
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ㅤ”I burned them all……”
ㅤ”You should at least report it.”
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ㅤOh…… There’s no proof that I defeated them, so no reward, no rank evaluation. I’m really not thorough in these things.
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ㅤ’No, no, the cool adventurer I aim to be doesn’t care about such trivial things, doesn’t care, doesn’t care……’
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ㅤAhh! But still, what a waste! I can’t help but think. You’re still small as a human, Tempest!
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ㅤWe proceed in a line with Felix at the front, me, Edra, and Catherine Ojou-sama in the middle, and Burge at the back. Catherine’s face was clearly pale and tense.
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ㅤ”It’s okay. We’ll protect you with all our might no matter what happens.”
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ㅤWe’re quite strong, you know? Be prepared to pay us! I try to talk to her in various ways to ease the tension.
ㅤSince her expression was like someone standing on a bungee jumping platform, I wanted to somehow reassure her.
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ㅤ’If she had truly lived as an Ojou-sama, she would never have even come close to a place like this.’
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ㅤ”That’s right. You saw how strong Tempest is earlier, right?”
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ㅤEdra also encourages her. Catherine seemed to understand that we were being considerate and managed to force a smile.
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ㅤ”That’s right. They say that nothing often appears in this Demon Forest…… It’ll be alright!”
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ㅤAt that moment, the four of us acting as escorts froze.
ㅤThis is a common jinx among adventurers. The two from the mercenary corps were also former adventurers, so they knew it too.
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ㅤ’If you say nothing will appear in the Demon Forest, something will appear.’
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ㅤThis is also a lesson to never underestimate even the smallest Demon Forest, but in fact, it’s precisely when you let your guard down and say these words that ‘something appears.’
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ㅤAnd so, this time as well, the jinx came true. As a result, I experienced my first joint front with a mercenary corps.