Chapter 33: Branch, Silly Dog, and Carriage

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Branch, Silly Dog, and Carriage

William had secretly transported a few of the strongest goblins to a long-abandoned mine and begun his research.

As it turned out, his research was a success.

With the help of special materials purchased from the black market, the cycle for a goblin to hatch and become capable of labor was astonishingly shortened to a mere two months.

The profits from the Black Stone Mine soared, proving him right.

He knew, of course, that if the church ever found out about this, it would be a death sentence.

However, the monetary rewards were enough to make him take the gamble.

Besides, the church had no authority in such a remote place.

What’s more, the profits from the mine were just the smaller part of it.

’What if I could package these rapidly produced goblins as a special type of "cargo" and sell them to other "customers" who also ran mines or had certain... special tastes?’

This was supposed to be a river flowing with Gold Coins, but now, someone had forcefully cut it off.

"Damn it!"

...

「On the plains in early autumn.」

Hesia felt like his legs were filled with lead.

He trudged along the dirt road, which was riddled with ruts and potholes from carriage and horse traffic.

A full week of long-distance travel and Magic practice had left him utterly exhausted.

Fortunately, the gains were quite obvious.

Not only had his total Magic Power increased, but he could now consecutively cast three enhanced Earth Spikes.

His control over the Earth Spike Technique had also grown stronger, allowing him to achieve a level of precise manipulation that was previously impossible.

Most importantly, he discovered that he could also gain proficiency just by casting the Magic during his regular practice. Currently, his Earth Spike Technique’s proficiency was Level 2 (6/20).

The efficiency just wasn’t as high as the gains from actual combat.

A week ago, after confirming that Print’s goblins did not originate from the Black Stone Mine, he had chosen to leave.

All he could do was hope that the clearing of the mine would serve as a warning to the potential mastermind behind it all.

As for the truth, he clearly lacked the power to investigate it further at the moment.

What’s more, he had no idea when the Infiltrator he had encountered before might return.

Remaining near Print would have undoubtedly been a very unwise decision.

Of course, there was an even more critical problem—he was almost out of money!

Neither the area around Print nor Oak Town had an active Adventurer community, let alone an Adventurer Association.

Therefore, he and Bruce set off on a journey to Rose Town.

The town belonged to the Twilight Duchy, which was under the Jade Federation, and it bordered the vast and dangerous Gray Mist Forest. It was the most famous gathering place for Adventurers in the region.

’First, I’ll get certified as a Mage Apprentice there, then register as an Adventurer, and then start making money as soon as possible.’

But the thought of all these tangled and troublesome matters still made Hesia frown.

Unlike Hesia, Bruce, who was beside him, was engrossed in his own exploration.

His head was buried in a bush, trying to find the small creature that had been on his mind for the entire journey.

"Bruce!" Hesia called out weakly. "Let’s go!"

Bruce let out a WOOF in response, but his attention was instantly drawn to a new sound.

CREAK... CREAK...

An opulent carriage, completely out of place on this dilapidated dirt road, was slowly approaching from behind.

It was pulled by a magnificent black horse, powerfully built with a steady gait, a full size larger than any horse Hesia had ever seen.

Even the wheels, also a size larger than those of an ordinary carriage, gave off an extraordinary air as they rumbled dully over the ground.

Bruce immediately trotted over, curiously inspecting the big, rotating things.

Then, he turned to the black draft horse and barked, "WOOF! WOOF WOOF!"

It was as if he were saying hello, or perhaps announcing his presence.

The black horse merely snorted disdainfully, flicked its tail, and continued its steady pace without so much as lifting an eyelid.

Watching Bruce’s carefree and energetic display, and then thinking of his own empty Money Bag, Hesia couldn’t help but mutter with a wry smile:

"Must be nice, not having a care in the world..."

Just then, Bruce finally concluded his "research" of the carriage,

and trotted proudly over to Hesia, a perfectly straight stick in his mouth.

CLACK.

He dropped the stick at Hesia’s feet, then looked up, his canine eyes filled with joy and expectation, his tail wagging furiously.

"Hesia! Look at the treasure I found!" Bruce’s voice was filled with an excitement that begged for praise. "It’s for you! Now we’ll have something to play with on the road!"

Hesia looked at the stick by his feet, glistening with Bruce’s saliva, then at Bruce’s eyes, which were practically screaming, ’Praise me, praise me!’

The frown that had been creasing his brow from exhaustion and worry involuntarily softened.

’Who could say no to a perfectly straight stick?’

"Silly dog."

He muttered, bending down to pick up the "precious gift" and weighing it in his hand.

Then, he threw the stick forward!

The stick carved a beautiful arc through the air.

WOOF!

Bruce let out a cheerful bark and excitedly chased after it.

However, rather awkwardly—

the stick landed with a THWACK right on the roof of the opulent carriage.

’Oh no,’ Hesia thought.

Bruce also realized he had caused trouble. He stopped chasing the offending stick and ran back to Hesia’s side, watching the now-stopped carriage warily.

The carriage curtain was pushed aside by a slender, fair hand, and a pretty face, tinged with anger, peered out.

She had beautifully shaped, almond eyes, but right now they were slightly narrowed, carrying a natural air of superiority.

Her voice, laced with clear displeasure, began a crisp interrogation: "Who has such poor manners, throwing..."

But her words trailed off abruptly.

Her gaze fell upon Hesia’s face—dirt-stained but with well-defined features. The impatience in her almond eyes faded slightly, replaced by a flicker of surprise and curiosity.

What intrigued her even more was the fluffy dog at his feet, which was staring at her with the same nervous expression as a person. Her curiosity piqued even further, as if she had just discovered a new and interesting toy.

"Fred, have him and his dog get in the carriage."

The driver, Fred, was taken aback. He turned and tried to reason with her, "But, Miss Annis, Mr. Odin will be catching up soon. If he sees us letting a stranger into the carriage, I’m afraid..."

"Do you listen to him, or do you listen to me?" Annis raised an eyebrow impatiently, her tone now tinged with more obvious anger. "Besides, who knows what tavern that drunkard has wandered off to now? This isn’t the first time. Why should we waste our time on a liar?"

The driver knew he couldn’t win against the young miss. He could only offer a moment of silence for Mr. Odin in his heart before sighing helplessly.

He jumped down from the carriage, walked over to Hesia, and bowed slightly. "This way, sir."

Hesia didn’t understand their intentions. He instinctively touched his empty Money Bag and said warily:

"Uh... I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t mean to do that just now."

The driver’s face was expressionless as he simply repeated the "this way" gesture.

Just then, the voice came from the carriage again:

"Get in. Or would you rather discuss how you’re going to compensate me for my Dark Night, which is worth 30 Golden Shields?"