I am the Hero.
No sooner had I arrived at the first stop of our journey than we were met with hostility.
“The Royal Capital?!” “Lackeys?!” “And they choose *now* to show up!”
What was happening? Moments ago, the street vendors had been conducting their business with such earnestness. Now, every single one of them eyed us with ill intent.
“I haven’t come to do anything wrong!”
“Don’t seize us!”
“I’m not here to hire assassins!”
…
A few customers, panicked and scrambling, fled the town.
Meanwhile, the shopkeepers and bosses began to rub their hands together, closing in on us. They formed a dense, dark mass, and there were quite a lot of them!
“How can this be? When did we become lackeys?!”
Slant-Eyed Uncle replied, “We don’t welcome people from the Royal Capital here.”
“When did I ever say I was from the Royal Capital?!” I merely stated that we were *heading* to the Royal Capital!
“Hero, your esteemed presence in our Black Market Town makes your intentions quite clear. The people of this town have engaged in many illicit activities, so it’s only natural for the Royal Capital to send you to eradicate us.
Please, don’t play dumb here!”
Slant-Eyed Uncle… not only are your eyes faulty, but your mind seems to be as well!
“How am I playing dumb?! I’m just passing through! Besides! Our destination is the Royal Capital! Our *destination*! We didn’t *depart* from the Royal Capital to arrive here!”
Slant-Eyed Uncle turned his body, the corner of his mouth curving upward slightly.
“I don’t believe you.” Slant-Eyed Uncle took a step forward… but in which direction? It was only thanks to someone nearby steadying him that he finally faced us.
“And no one else will believe you either.”
“Exactly!” “We don’t believe you!” “Anyone who disrupts our business isn’t welcome!”
The vendors’ resolve was unwavering. Their expressions grew fiercer by the moment, each one more menacing than the last—hardly human at all.
“Oh dear…” Seeing that this misunderstanding couldn’t be easily clarified, Crimson Aironi stepped forward.
“Let me handle this. I’m a master at talking my way out of things,” he said, patting my shoulder.
In that moment, I felt as though a radiant light shone from him!
He was the team’s intellectual backbone! It was all up to you, Crimson Aironi!
“You blind man, you’re so certain we’re here to eradicate you. How exactly did you deduce that? Firstly, there are only four of us—just four—while you have an entire town full of people.
The numbers simply don’t match up. Would the King send so few to wipe you out? Secondly, if we were here to eradicate you, then why would we deliberately expose our identities and let you know? Our minds are perfectly sound!
Lastly, did none of you notice the luggage on this muscle-bound maniac, or the pitiful little girl beside me? She’s only two hundred—no, she’s only eight years old! She barely has any intelligence.
It’s quite obvious we can’t be an eradication squad. We’re merely an adventure team, akin to a family traveling together. Do you understand, you bumpkins?!”
“Muscle-bound maniac…” Helter’s brow furrowed as he silently reached his right hand to the hilt of the sword on his back.
“Eight years old… barely any intelligence…” Twilight Naya, who had been happily eating candy, now wore an expression of clear displeasure.
His explanation was sound, yet it would have been far better had he chosen his words and titles more carefully.
“Hmm…” The crowd stared at us, beads of cold sweat forming on their brows.
“It seems he has a point.” “That’s very logical… but why do I still want to beat him up so badly?” “Slant-Eyed Uncle, what’s your take?”
Slant-Eyed Uncle clapped his hands. “Excellent! Very well said. The Hero’s companion is truly ‘gifted with words’! We are completely convinced.”
Where was he looking? I was right here! Why was he turning around aimlessly again?!
“So… everything’s fine now, right?” I asked awkwardly.
“How could it be fine?” Slant-Eyed Uncle chuckled menacingly. “Do you all know what I mean?”
“We do!” the vendors roared in unison.
“Beat him!” Slant-Eyed Uncle pointed with his left hand, and everyone immediately surged forward like a tidal wave.
“Hey! That’s unreasonable! You all said you believed him!”
Crimson Aironi had made such a logical case! And they were still attacking him?! It seemed remote villages truly bred unruly folk!
“Get ready… Helter, Twilight Naya…”
I called out to the two strongest members of our team… mainly to remind them to protect me.
“The Town Chief doesn’t mean to attack *you*. The three of you, step aside.” A shop owner, leading the surging crowd, pushed me, Helter, and Twilight Naya out of the way.
“Hey?! Be reasonable! What are you doing! Aaaahhh!!!” Crimson Aironi screamed amidst the group beating.
“Damn it!” “Calling us bumpkins, huh!” “Calling the Town Chief blind, huh!” “You have a loose tongue! You deserve this!” “Let me tell you, the Town Chief despises arrogant people the most!”
Knives, wooden planks, benches… all flew wildly through the chaotic brawl.
The scene was utterly chaotic, and I merely provided commentary…
“Town Chief?” Helter latched onto a word the vendors kept repeating.
“Which one is the Town Chief?” Twilight Naya asked.
“They seem to be referring to…” ‘Could it be that slant-eyed old man?’
“That would be me,” a voice drawled. The Slant-Eyed Uncle slowly circled the crowd, making his way towards us. “My apologies, Hero,” he said, offering a slow bow.
“N-not at all… Town Chief,” I stammered.
“There’s no need for such formality, I’m merely the leader of a flock of sparrows, while you are a phoenix.” The Town Chief extended his hand, intending to shake mine as a gesture of goodwill…
“You’re reaching in the wrong place… not there…”
“Ah? Here?”
“That’s my chest!” ‘He’s trying to cop a feel.’
Thankfully, I wore breastplate, or I would have been taken advantage of.
“Ah, ah, ah! My apologies! Here?”
“You’re poking my nostril!”
He really was blind!
And so, we navigated this dispute, albeit with a few scares, and even managed to befriend the Town Chief of Black Market Town.
“I was the one who explained everything! So why am I the one getting beaten up?! This isn’t fair!” Crimson Aironi wailed helplessly from within the crowd.
The beating lasted for a full half-hour. ‘He truly was the team’s designated damage sponge.’