Chapter 49: Sheratiya Viyan (1)
“Hmm……”
Around the ti three days had passed since the request began.
Konjinyu, a veteran rcenary whose hair was sparse but whose experience was abundant, sensed that sothing was strange about the rcenaries’ atmosphere.
He couldn’t not know that Harang was at the center of it.
It couldn’t be helped; he had been keeping a close eye on that tactless young man ever since the first night.
‘That fellow, he’s going to get into big trouble if he keeps that up.’
Jyakari was soone Konjinyu knew well.
Commonly called ‘Leech Jyakari,’ he was a very persistent fellow famous for taking revenge on anyone he held a grudge against until the very end.
Of course, it was fortunate that he seed to be acquainted with Jack & Matthew, the erging duo who had recently gained a high reputation in the area.
At least while he was with them, even a leech like him wouldn’t be able to pull any tricks.
‘However…… the mont even a slight opening appears, that fellow won’t miss the chance.’
It was clear.
The Jyakari he had seen and experienced so far would definitely not miss the mont Harang was alone.
Therefore, Konjinyu had been on edge from the first day until now, ready to intervene if necessary.
Even though the young man lacked so tact and manners, he couldn’t just let a Newbie in the industry be assaulted by a trashy fellow.
And yet…….
‘There’s no sign of Jyakari making a move at all.’
It wasn’t simply a feeling that he was postponing a troubleso task, or waiting for the right ti because an opportunity hadn't presented itself.
Rather, whenever Harang passed by, he would show a startled reaction and avoid eye contact, which was sothing Konjinyu couldn’t understand with his common sense.
What was even more absurd was Jack and Matthew’s attitude.
Konjinyu had believed that they, being rookies but still sowhat knowledgeable about how the rcenary industry worked, would take even better care of Harang after the first day.
There was no one who knew better than them how annoying the bullying of Wooden Plate rcenaries by malicious Bronze Plate rcenaries could be.
But what was this?
Except for occasionally chatting and acting friendly, they showed a Form of completely neglecting Harang, which was also sothing Konjinyu couldn’t accept with his common sense.
‘What is he, that young man…….’
A Wooden Plate rcenary whom Jyakari feared.
A Wooden Plate rcenary whom Jack and Matthew, with their rapid growth rate, seed to acknowledge.
Yes, a young man who, at best, had only managed to obtain a ‘Wooden Plate’ from the rcenary Brokerage, and whose skills were undoubtedly just so-so.
Why was such a young man receiving such treatnt from those around him?
It was while he was thinking such thoughts.
“Mr. Harang?”
“Yes?”
“Good day. I am Unt, the executive assistant to Ms. Sheratiya Viyan, who is in charge of this trade journey.”
“I see, nice to et you. But why?”
“The young lady is looking for you.”
“Yes? Why?”
“I don’t know that well either. I was rely ordered to bring you…… Could you co with ?”
“Hmm…… Well, alright. I should listen to my employer.”
‘What in the world is happening!’
Seeing Harang being summoned by Sheratiya Viyan, Konjinyu wore a horrified expression.
For the money-crazed witch, who thoroughly ignored anyone not beneficial to her, to personally summon Harang.
That ant that young man possessed sothing special that he didn't know about.
‘What is it. Does he really have sothing I don’t know?’
Konjinyu frowned as he watched Harang nonchalantly follow the executive assistant.
Jyakari and those who had heard sothing from him also glanced at him furtively, pretending not to, while Jack and Matthew wore expressions that said, ‘of course,’ and whispered sothing among themselves.
Of course, Harang had little interest in their reactions.
He simply kept the thoughts that had been ongoing for several days in his mind, wishing for the eting with the client to be over quickly.
* * *
“Tell sothing interesting.”
“……Yes?”
“I said, tell sothing interesting.”
“……”
The first words from the person in charge of this trade journey, Sheratiya Viyan.
Hearing this, Harang wore a dumbfounded expression.
Tell her an interesting story? Suddenly?
It was a completely unexpected request.
Therefore, he couldn't quite think of how to respond.
Fortunately, Sheratiya, seeing Harang like that, broke the conversational ice again.
“Ah, was that too sudden?”
“It was, rather.”
“Right. First, let introduce myself. I am Sheratiya Viyan. The person in charge of this trade journey. Of course, not only that, but I’m also the one who handles all major and minor affairs of the Viyan rchant Guild…… I’m practically acting as the rchant Guild Leader.”
“Ah, I see. That’s amazing.”
Harang nodded and offered a complint.
At this, Sheratiya smiled.
It was a relief.
It was the first ti he had used a complint since learning from Glen that ‘offering a complint to a stranger improves the atmosphere,’ and it seed to be effective.
“Yes, I’m amazing. I’m so incredibly amazing that I’m even handling all the paperwork unrelated to this trade journey.”
“I see. That’s amazing.”
“I can’t help it, you know? Nothing proceeds properly without passing through my hands.”
“I see. That’s amazing.”
“It’s the sa today. No, not just today, but since the trade journey began, I haven’t slept more than 3 hours a day. Phew, if only I had at least one competent person under , I could get so rest too…….”
“I see. That’s truly amazing.”
“Shut up. Don’t say ‘amazing’ without any soul from now on.”
“?”
“Why are you making a face like you don’t understand what’s going on. Do you want to die?”
Seeing Sheratiya suddenly get angry, Harang once again wore a dumbfounded expression.
What was this?
He had clearly done as Glen instructed, and the atmosphere was good at first?
He couldn't understand it at all, but seeing the other person’s expression, it seed that showering her with more complints wouldn't be a good idea.
He bowed his head deeply and said.
“I’m sorry.”
“Phew…… I think I made the wrong choice here.”
“Yes? What do you an?”
Harang wore a dumbfounded expression for the third ti, and Sheratiya frowned.
The thought, ‘Should I kick this fellow out of here?’ briefly flickered in her eyes, but she soon shook her head.
Afterward, with an attitude that seed to have considerably lowered her expectations, she continued her explanation.
“Anyway, I’m extrely busy right now.”
“I see.”
“And I’m under a lot of stress.”
“It seems so.”
“So I need rest. No matter how capable, thorough, and a genius I am, handling ten people’s worth of work alone with better stamina than most knights, resting well is important…… So, when I rest, I want to be completely thoughtless. I want to be completely free from work, responsibility, and pressure. Understand?”
“Hmm…… I understand about 40 percent.”
“……Anyway, to do that, I need soone next to who can tell interesting stories. Sothing so intriguing or stimulating that I don’t think about work at all…… Anyway, I need soone to chatter next to throughout my break ti.”
“Ah, so that’s how it is.”
“Did you understand this?”
“Yes, I understood.”
“For reference, this isn’t the first ti I’ve made such a request to you. I asked my executive assistant, Unt, first. If he had any interesting stories.”
“I see. Was it interesting?”
“If it was interesting, would I have called you? He only spouted trashy…… jokes that only old n would like, so I called you. Thinking that you, who look relatively young, might tell a decent story.”
“Aha……”
Now he understood, to so extent.
Why Sheratiya Viyan had called him.
And why she had suddenly asked for an interesting story.
“Hmm.”
Of course, understanding the question didn’t an he could imdiately spit out an answer.
Harang was an uninteresting person.
Until just six months ago, he had been trapped in the village, learning only killing techniques.
Days when he lacked the ti, stamina, and ntal energy to care about things like fun, gags, or humor.
Fortunately, he had laughed more often since staying in the Comrcial City Marzen, but that was a completely different story from making others laugh.
Then, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and Harang exclaid, “Ah!”
At this, Sheratiya asked, as if intrigued.
“Yes, it seems you’ve thought of sothing?”
“Yes. As it happens, sothing interesting happened yesterday. Huh? Should I say it happened yesterday? Is that not it? Things that have happened so far? Uh…… Just sothing I newly realized?”
“Shut up. Don’t talk so much. If you drag on the introduction like that, even the interest I had will disappear.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. But I can’t seem to organize it well……”
“I’ll organize it as I listen, so get straight to the point. I only rest for an hour a day. Even now, my precious rest ti is flying by, so speak as quickly as possible.”
“Understood. Then……”
Harang, after nodding, briefly closed his eyes to organize his thoughts.
Seeing him, Sheratiya frowned once more.
She had definitely told him to speak as quickly as possible, yet he was hesitating again?
Just as harsh curses were about to pour from her lips again, his eyes flashed open and fixed on Sheratiya.
Black pupils, rarely seen.
The mont she realized they were sparkling brightly, Sheratiya found herself already prepared to be drawn into the story.
“Until now, I didn’t know that my actions could affect others.”
And with Harang’s story that began imdiately after, she quickly beca engrossed.
* * *
Harang’s story wasn't a gag or humor.
It was rely a plain recounting of the realization he had yesterday.
However, that unadorned feeling gently perated Sheratiya’s heart.
She didn't show it, but her two ears, now wide open, accepted the other’s voice without addition or subtraction.
In that atmosphere, Harang’s story flowed slowly.
That just as he had been influenced by others’ actions, others could also be influenced by his words and actions.
That because of this, things could change in a completely unexpected direction.
That it would be fortunate if it were a good change, but the possibility of it being a bad change could not be ignored.
That for these reasons, he felt the need to be more careful about his words and actions.
“You think you need to be more careful?”
“Yes. It would be fortunate if it’s for the better, but…… No, in the first place, I don’t even know what’s good or bad. Just, the very fact that words I speak thoughtlessly can greatly affect soone else’s life, it’s sohow difficult. It’s burdenso, and a little scary too.”
“Hmm.”
“But then again, not saying what I want to say, not doing what I want to do because I’m thinking about others, that also feels frustrating…… There are so many things that are difficult and that I don’t understand. That’s why it’s also fun, though.”
“……”
“Ah, co to think of it…… You asked to tell an interesting story, but I don’t know if you found it interesting. I told it because I thought it was interesting…… Was it okay for you, Ms. Sheratiya?”
Harang belatedly expressed his concern.
To be precise, it wasn’t just concern; a little bit of curiosity about how she would respond to his words was also mixed in.
Perhaps because he had rarely spoken of his worries to soone like this before, it was a strange feeling.
Fortunately, that feeling wasn't bad.
What was even more fortunate was that Sheratiya hadn't found his story boring.
“It’s interesting. It was pretty good.”
“Is that so? That’s a relief……”
“However, you worry too much unnecessarily.”
“Yes?”
“To be more precise, the expression ‘overstepping your bounds’ would be perfect.”
“What do you an by that?”
“It ans that the possibility of words or actions from soone like you influencing others is almost nonexistent.”
The young lady of Viyan said, slightly raising one corner of her mouth.
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