606 Hit a Snag? Nope, Not a Problem
Selram was already waiting outside the inn. She's gonna see us off it seems.
"Have a good trip. I'm counting on you, okay. I'm sure you can kill that beast in one hit, so please work your magic like you did Bearudo. You can leave it be after draining the blood. We'll take care of the rest. How much would you like as your reward? You haven't decided on a number yet. And sure you don't want an advance payment? You did tell me you'd only demand payment upon your success yesterday, but..."
She's gotten the cold feet on me taking on her request at this late hour.
Berum finished the preparations without saying a word.
"Yeah, I don't need anything. But keep in mind, I'm only doing this once as a special favor. I've got my own circumstances."
"Yes I understand, Saito. But, can't you hear me out at least when I really need it?"
I avoided Selram as she tried to snuggle on me yet again.
"Aahn, how could you. You tease."
I got a bit jittery at her choice of word but then a problem arose just before we could depart.
"Ah, I can't ride a steed. You get on those Grudoses, Berume. We can get even farther if you alternate between two Grudoses."
"Wha?" "Hm?" "Eh?"
Three people made a sound like I just said something weird.
Berum, Selram and a staff member who probably brought the Grudos here.
Three of them.
"What should we do now, manager... This is a big problem... A crucial one at that..."
Berume asked Selram.
"I didn't expect this... We'll have to notify our people that he'll come in later than scheduled..."
Selram put on a grave face thinking they'd have to make a big adjustment to their schedule.
"Eh, err? Umm? Perhaps we ought to teach him the basics of riding at the very least?"
The Grudos' caretaker spoke.
"Sorry for interrupting you guys when you're off in your own world, but I'm just gonna run. I mean that's how I usually go anyway. You're in a hurry right, sure you don't wanna us departing asap?"
They look at me like I'm a weirdo. I don't get it.
"Yeah we are and now we're in a real jam cuz you can't ride, don'tcha get it? The hell you're on about. Think you doing a skit, huh?"
Berume, your real self is showing. I'd like to think myself as a kind person for not pointing that out.
(I mean, her manager, Selram must have told her to be polite, no? Sure she wanna act that way in front of her? Even if I did tell her to act casual and all.)
Berume who realized Selram glaring at her started bowing over and over.
I'm getting fed up with all this.
"Forget about all that, let's just go. Seeing is believing, you won't believe me anyway with just word. Not like you can find someone else who fit the bill no? Then might as well just shut up and follow me. Come now, chop chop."
Selram and Berume frowned like they were still not convinced but my urging managed to get us start making our way to the city gate at last.
Berume grew disgruntled as she pulled the Grudos' reins, likely because there's a restriction to riding inside the city.
Looks like they're still unconvinced. They won't look my way or speak a word.
Thus, we arrived at the gate and began the procedure to exit. That is to say, showing our IDs.
The gatekeepers didn't make a fuss and let us out just like that.
Which gave me a bad feeling somehow.
(Ah, please let this be a smooth sailing.）
Contrary to my wish, I remained unaware about the existence of a certain group tailing us.
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