NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: To the City
Chapter 10: To the City
After a while, Menas and his group arrived. They were surprised to see Kuro cooking as if it were the most natural thing. Apparently, the little demons usually only do simpler tasks. Seeing Kuro chopping meat and vegetables, and cooking, was like watching a pet dog or cat skillfully start cooking, they said. I don’t think it’s even a matter of it being a somewhat unusual little demon… It seems a bit exaggerated. It has normal limbs like a human and can use tools, after all. However, judging by Menas and the others’ reactions, it’s clear that Kuro is undoubtedly a rare type.
After the usual trading of goods was safely concluded, and there was a little extra time, I casually brought up the topic to Menas.
“Come to think of it, I’ve been wondering for a while now, what’s the nearest town like from here?”
Actually, that’s been on my mind lately. Until now, I’ve been so focused on surviving that I couldn’t realistically think that far ahead. Moreover, I was so ignorant and could barely speak the language. Going to town in such a situation would be too dangerous, no matter how you look at it. Especially in a society where people walk around with swords, it’s possible to be easily killed.
But now, somehow, I can understand the language, and through interactions with Menas’ caravan, I should have acquired some common sense. Now, could I manage somehow if I went to town?
“Well, speaking simply in terms of distance, this place is located exactly halfway between a town at the edge of the Tamir Empire to the east and a town in the borderlands of the Lenas Kingdom to the west.”
Empire or kingdom… I knew that, but there probably hasn’t been an industrial revolution, at least. Depending on the case, it might be an ancient world.
“And if you were to go, it would be better to go to the kingdom in the west. I may have mentioned it before, but it would be difficult to get by in the empire without some understanding of imperial customs.”
The empire seems to have a well-established social system, but deviating from it would likely result in severe punishment. It could also involve religion, which could be troublesome. Or perhaps, for Menas, it might be inconvenient for me to head to the Tamir Empire. Either way, perhaps I should avoid the Tamir Empire.
“Indeed, it would probably be safer for me to avoid it, being so ignorant of their customs…”
“On the other hand, the Lenas Kingdom in the west is a powerful military state. It’s an extremely belligerent country, always looking for an excuse for war. As a result, it’s mistrusted and disliked by almost every neighboring country. It’s highly centralized, but the borderlands like here, far from the center, are relatively free.”
Disliked by every country… The Lenas Kingdom sounds dangerous. However, essentially, does that mean the town in the west is a lawless area? That’s troubling in its own way…
“By the way, this area called the ‘Hell’s Cauldron’ is nominally part of the western kingdom’s territory, known as the Savoia territory. There are scattered small farming and fishing villages in the Savoia territory, but there’s only one town where the lord resides. Generally, when people talk about Savoia, they mean that town.”
“So, does that mean I’m settled within the Savoia territory…? I wonder if there are taxes…”
Thinking about taxes suddenly makes me feel depressed. I’d rather not think about it if I could help it…
“You probably won’t be subject to taxes, Mr. Bonus. Explaining that along with the characteristics of the Savoia territory would make it easier to understand.”
“Hmm, I see…”
“In addition to being a borderland, the Savoia territory actually has one major characteristic. That is, Savoia is known as the city of mercenaries.”
There’s too much new information, and it’s starting to confuse me. Menas seems to be waiting for me to digest the information a bit. He’s smiling with his head slightly tilted, which only adds to the confusion.
Anyway, why would mercenaries come out in such a neglected borderland from the center? Is there some kind of front line, or is there unexpectedly a need to maintain public order?
“This region is basically ignored by the central authorities. Although it shares a border with the Tamir Empire to the east, the Hell’s Cauldron and the Mirald Mountains are in the way, so there’s no chance of it escalating into war at the moment. However, this area is also known for having a high number of monsters. There are so many little demons around here that you could sell them.”
“Gyau gyau!?”
“Therefore, it’s necessary to secure a certain level of strength and constantly thin out the monsters. Otherwise, the towns would be immediately affected. If that happens, the population would decrease even further, and the maintenance of the territory would quickly become untenable.”
“Are the Kidanakemo monsters part of that?”
“No, they don’t usually come out of the Hell’s Cauldron, and they’re not opponents you can easily fend off with half-hearted attacks. That’s why all countries basically leave them alone. Kidanakemo and regular monsters are completely different.”
“I see…”
Kidanakemo are indeed scary, but they seem to be more of a threat than I realize. It seems like my senses have been numbed by Pink’s influence.
“And to defeat those countless monsters and maintain the territory, a lot of funds are supplied from the central authorities. The Lenas Kingdom has a strong national army, but it’s wasteful to send them to the peaceful borderlands. So, with that funding, the lord hires many mercenaries for monster subjugation and defense.”
“I see, mercenaries don’t have to pay taxes, and it’s difficult to confirm whether someone is a mercenary or not.”
Menas nods with a smile as if to affirm my understanding. She seems like she’d be a good teacher. Professor Menas! No, this isn’t good, my thoughts are drifting in a strange direction.
“It seems like your expectations, Mr. Bonus, are mostly correct. Actually, I’m not that familiar with it, but as long as you don’t have a residence or shop in the town, you shouldn’t have to pay taxes. However, there will be tolls at the gate when entering the town. The amount varies depending on the purpose of entry; mercenaries pay 5000 reis, while merchants pay 10,000 reis. Our caravan has 10 people, so we pay 100,000 reis each time.”
“Is the toll similar in other regions when entering a town?”
“Savoia is quite reasonable. For larger caravans, it’s not uncommon to be asked for bribes in addition to the toll, and sometimes the guards won’t let you in without a bribe.”
Bribes, huh? I can’t help but feel resistance. But I suppose I can’t survive with that kind of mentality. I should correct my senses sooner rather than later, or I won’t last long. I need to become more cunning.
“Why are you suddenly grinning, Mr. Bonus?”
“W-Well, just reminiscing…”
Maybe this isn’t for me after all. Blushing slightly, I listen to Menas’s explanation.
“I see… Well, Savoia is quite a diverse town and more tolerant compared to other cities. I think you’ll quickly fit in, Mr. Bonus, even if it’s your first time there.”
“It’s reassuring to hear that, but Menas, there’s a part of you that seems overly optimistic about me… I’ll take what you said with a grain of salt. But thanks for telling me so much. I owe you a lot, Menas. I won’t forget that.”
“No, no… If you like, would you like to go together tomorrow?”
“Wha—! Uh, tomorrow, huh…”
It’s a sudden invitation. For Menas and the others, going to town is routine, not a big deal. Well, it might be a good opportunity. It’s not like I’ll be doing anything different if I go back now. There’s nothing new I can do at the hideout anyway. I’m starting to get tired of this life. It’s a good opportunity, and in cases like this, it’s okay to go with the flow.
“Well then, Menas. Can I ask you to do that?”
“Yes, of course. But even if you start going to town, please continue to do business with me occasionally.”
“Of course. I’ll prioritize doing business with Menas as always.”
Actually, the profits from the business I bring in probably aren’t that significant for Menas. Well, it might have been a little diversion at Triangular Rock. Still, I feel like I’m constantly relying on Menas for everything. Why is she taking care of me so much?
It might be that Menas sees some value in me that I don’t see myself. It’s a bit scary, but it’s too late to dwell on it now. Maybe she’s just enjoying my company as a simple entertainment during the journey.
“Well then, I’ll be relying on you again tomorrow. Take care!”
“Yes, please take care.”
The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual, feeling extremely nervous right from the moment I opened my eyes.
“Gyagyagyaagyagyaagyaa?”
“Kuro, we’re going to the town today! It’s my first time, so I don’t know what to expect, but try not to make too much noise.”
“Gyaa!”
There’s still some time before the caravan is ready to depart. Maybe I should dress up Kuro a bit. Can’t go to the town without looking presentable.
“Guggyaahhh!”
Looks like Kuro’s really excited. Oh, it’s a new version of the dance.
“Hahaha! What’s this? What are you doing? It’s such a weird hobby to dress up a little demon and make it dance.”
“Edda, huh? Pretty cute, don’t you think?”
“Well, you’re definitely an unusual little demon. I’ve seen quite a few different ones as merchandise, but never anything like this.”
So, this little guy really is strange. Or did he become strange? No, he was probably strange from the start.
“Hmm, what’s so unusual about him?”
“Normal little demons don’t dance or cook, for one thing.”
“I see…”
“Oh, by the way, we’re going together today, right? Your first time to Savoia?”
“Yeah, thanks. It’s my first time in Savoia. Honestly, I’m really nervous.”
“Can you ride a camel?”
“Oh, now that you mention it… What should I do?”
Naturally, I’ve never ridden a camel before. What should I do now? Walk alongside?
“I’ll give you a ride!”
“Jeda! Can I ride with you? Thanks. Good morning, by the way.”
“Ahh, I was thinking of offering you a ride…”
“You’re on lookout duty. Focus on your work.”
“Ugh, alright, I thought I could avoid boredom for once…”
“Well, Edda, I appreciate the sentiment.”
“Tch.”
So, two people can ride together, huh? But what about Kuro? Can he run alongside us?
“What do you think Kuro should do?”
“Huh? Kuro, is that the little demon?”
“Gyagya!”
“Ah, yes, him.”
“Well, he can walk. After all, he made it here by walking in the first place.”
I see, so Kuro isn’t new to going to Savoia.
“You came from Savoia, right? Can you handle the walk?”
“Gyagyagya!”
Well, he seems to be much livelier than when we first met, so I guess he’ll be fine.
“Alright then, Jeda. Sorry to ask, but I’d appreciate it if you could tell me more about Savoia on the way there.”
“Leave it to me!”
“And Kuro, if you get tired, just let us know!”
“Gyaaagyaa!”
So, unexpectedly, we ended up going to the town of Savoia.
Despite the discomfort of sitting behind Jeda, I managed to glean some useful information along the way.
I learned various things about the market prices, recommended accommodations, places to avoid, and people to be cautious of. I also received various explanations about mercenaries. Firstly, in the city of Savoia, the general living conditions seem to be relatively safe. However, on the other hand, if you pick a fight with the influential figures of the city, you might find yourself gone the next day.
By the way, these influential figures are divided into several types. One of them is the powerful leaders of mercenary groups. Basically, all mercenaries register at a mercenary agency to receive jobs. The agency takes on requests from lords, merchants, and the locals, and distributes them to the mercenaries based on their abilities. Besides the mercenary agency, there are also organizations called mercenary groups. Originally, these groups were formed by several mercenaries teaming up to efficiently handle requests. Over time, some of these groups gained fame, strengthened their power, and became respected figures in the city. As a result, the leaders of such mercenary groups became influential figures in the city.
There are also powerful merchants who hold similar positions as influential figures. Savoia doesn’t have any particularly outstanding local products, and due to its low productivity, business isn’t booming. However, to prevent large trade companies from other territories from dominating the local market, the local merchants formed a merchant association, which surprisingly has a strong bond. Therefore, the leaders of these associations have some authority in the city. It seems Menas also pays attention to these leaders and even makes donations.
Lastly, there are the noble families. Despite being in the borderlands, the current lord holds a high position as a noble and seems to be quite respectable as a ruler. However, being from the war-loving kingdom of Lenas, the lords here are feared by other countries. There was a time when a group of mercenaries acted disrespectfully towards the lord as a joke, but the next day, they were all found hanging in the central square. The lord is the most violent and frightening one. Perhaps if they weren’t like that, they wouldn’t be fit to be lords of the borderlands.
“Menas seemed quite reassured, but listening to Jeda’s story… I’m starting to get worried.”
“Well, it shouldn’t be a big deal if you’re just sightseeing. Turns out Bonus is quite cautious.”
“Being cautious is what keeps you alive in the Hell’s Cauldron.”
“Well, if someone other than the influential figures bothers you, just kill one of them as a warning. That should reduce the hassle.”
What an outrageous old man… But still, Menas and the others seem to have some expectations of me. Well, I did intentionally present myself that way, but I think they’re overestimating my ability to survive in the Hell’s Cauldron. Actually, it’s all thanks to Pink and the hideout… Well, when we get to the town, I’ll try not to get carried away and behave cautiously.
“Gyaaah!”
“Kuro! Sorry for making you run alone. Hang in there, just a little further!”
By the way, Kuro is running around the caravan. He still has endless stamina. Somehow, I feel like a fool being scared all by myself.