“To appreciate gluttony to this extent is impressive.”
“Are they alive…?”
“They’re dead. No external injuries, so it’s clean.”
When we arrived at the scene of the attack, two more goblins had been added to the pile of corpses.
Both were clutching a soporific in their hands, lying on their backs.
I wonder if this is what happened to the first person who tried fugu.
I don’t dislike the courage to challenge.
“Shall we look for the carriage first?”
“Is that alright!?”
Hans was overjoyed, not expecting it to be prioritized.
If goblins are dying, there’s no worry about other monsters scavenging.
The at is inedible, so it doesn’t matter if it rots, and handling the poison seems tricky.
Prioritizing the carriage wouldn’t make much difference.
Besides, there’s a very slim chance the horse might be alive.
For Hans’s sake, we should reassure the horse quickly, or it would be pitiful.
“If the carriage is too far, we’ll give up, and we might pull back depending on the situation.”
“Of course!”
Hans nodded with a satisfied expression.
We searched for tracks and made an educated guess.
Since the destination was Selen, it seed they had run off to the east.
In this direction, we should deal with the soporific first—but well, let’s follow for a bit.
Following the tracks, we stepped into the grassland.
Though it looked smooth, walking revealed it was quite uneven.
Ignoring the main road made it worse for the carriage.
After crossing several hills and reaching a denser forest area, we spotted the carriage in the distance.
Surprisingly, it was closer than expected, but it seed to be in bad shape.
“Has it been taken?”
The carriage was overturned on a rock, with its wheels detached.
There was no sign of the horse, only a lot of bloodstains and pieces of flesh scattered around.
Even with [Presence Detection], I couldn’t sense the horse, nor were there any hoof prints.
Instead, nurous goblin footprints were found.
Given the proximity, they were likely the challenger’s comrades.
While I was examining, Hans boarded the carriage to check the state of the cargo.
With the possibility of the horse being alive completely gone, I peered into the loading platform.
Wooden crates were scattered, and scraps of dried at were lying around.
“Though a bit dirty, the cargo is safe.”
Saying that, Hans showed a cylindrical object.
It seed to be a textile.
“Even goblins won’t eat cloth. Where is it from?”
“The Duchy of Semgat.”
“Again—a long way.”
Semgat is located at the westernmost end of the empire.
It was an independent state that submitted six hundred years ago and still retains much of its old spirit.
Beyond the human territory west of the duchy is s Riez, Pidosius’s holand.
“Is the pattern influenced by s Riez?”
“Yes. Semgat has many craftsn, including dwarves and elves. Major workshops even present their work to the court. I only handle everyday items, though.”
Hans spread out the textile a bit while making a self-deprecating remark.
Though made of wool and modest in color, it had intricate patterns.
It didn’t seem as inexpensive as he claid.
Hans sorted through the scattered cargo and packed them into intact wooden boxes.
However, with the carriage damaged, it couldn’t be used even if the horse was alive.
“Shall I carry it to Selen?”
“I appreciate it, but carrying such a load over the mountains…”
When I took out my shamshir, Hans’s eyes widened.
“A Telpa’s Bag!?”
“It’s a loan from the comrcial guild. For this mission. It easily fits the cargo—wow, even this fits. Amazing.”
As the carriage disappeared, Hans’s eyes widened further.
I also packed the carriage’s debris and detached wheels, checking the inside.
There seed to be more space left.
Its capacity is comparable to Elphimia’s bag. That bag is quite sothing.
“Whether to Selen or Keril Village, I’ll take you wherever you want.”
“To Selene! And the cargo too, please!”
“Understood. Then, we’ll leave it at the Selen comrcial guild—”
“Please let accompany you!”
Hans eagerly requested.
Didn’t I just refuse?
“If you’re worried about the cargo being stolen, I’ll take it to Kerill Village. I’ll be passing through the forest. I can’t afford to be slowed down.”
“I’m confident in my legs! I used to travel on foot for trade a few years ago. Besides, I don’t have enough to cover the carriage repair costs because of the delay…”
Hans said, looking downcast.
In Selen, he could sell the cargo and cover the repair costs.
While he could also sell in Kerill Village, the scale is different from Selen, and he might be taken advantage of.
I see, he’s been targeted.
Other adventurers are wary of the soporific and avoid going out, but I’ve wiped out the horde, so it’s irrelevant.
Moreover, heading to Selen allows to defer paynt until later.
He must be aware of my rank. The escort fee will also be cheaper.
For Hans, everything is in his favor.
Well, if that’s his plan, I’ll use him too.
“I won’t accept an escort request. If you insist, follow at your own risk. Don’t expect protection.”
“Thank you!”
After collecting the cargo, we returned to the pile of corpses we left earlier.
I poked at the soporific with a knife, examining it.
It’s different from a snake.
While snakes inject poison through fangs, the soporific has no holes in its front teeth.
Upon close [Appraisal] of its mouth, I discovered its saliva contained poison.
Its front teeth weren’t particularly sharp.
Which ans it might be a type of poison that perates through the skin.
I assud it was the bite that poisoned, but even licking could be dangerous.
It’s quite potent and has many potential uses—but all I can think of is wrongdoing.
I shelved the idea of what to do with the poison and began stuffing the corpses into a double-layered leather bag.
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