16 XVI. Goodbye, Koto City

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Waking up as the sun hits my face from the window, I get up and stretch my body while letting out a big yawn.

I stand up from the bed and get my things in order, not wanting to forget anything before leaving, and making sure I didn't forget to buy anything I need for my travels.

After confirming my inventory, I equip my soft armor, and put my casual dandy outfit on, fix my hair, and splashed myself with some rosewater.

(A/N: Casual Dandy Outfit= White button up shirt, black slim fit pants, below knee brown boots, brown sash belt.)

All the girls I took to bed so far wasn't just because I looked good, but because I dressed well and most importantly smelled good.

Nothing ruins a handsome guy more than smelling like a wet dog.

Moving on, I gather the rest of my things and exit my room.

I go down the hall and make my way to the lobby/bar entrance area and find the Inn Lady working hard pouring drinks to some drinking adventurers.

Drinking this early in the morning? They're probably celebrating a successful quest or something.

I wave my hand and say my good mornings to the Inn Lady. I hand her my room key and ask for some meat for breakfast.

I don't see Tomoe around. She must still be sleeping.

I do genuinely hope she becomes stronger.

After waiting a few minutes while thinking of the pretty Catgirl, my breakfast arrives and I wolf it down.

Thanking the Inn Lady and complimenting her husband's cooking skills, I say my goodbyes to her.

Valister: "Goodbye, Inn Lady, thanks for the food! Give my compliments to the chef. Say goodbye to Tomoe for me."

Inn Lady: "Thanks for your patronage, boy, and good luck out there."

I turn and exit the inn and head to the North Gate, which was pretty far since we were closer to the Southern Gate.

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After an hour or so, I arrive close to the North Gate. I spot a carriage with a small red bird on the side of its door.

A couple of adventurers were already at the gate, standing in front of a largely built, well-groomed man with fiery red hair, a curled handlebar mustache wearing typical merchant-like clothes.

He doesn't look like a merchant that's for sure. At least, not a typical one.

He turns to look at my arriving figure.

Large Man: "Halt. State your business."

Valister: "I'm one of the adventurers who accepted the quest."

I take the tag the receptionist gave me out of my pocket and show the 'merchant'.

Large Man: "Hmph. That makes you the last one. Though, I had not expected an elf to be in a human city. I am Ren."

Valister: "My name's Valister."

The large man observes me for a few seconds before announcing to the gathered adventurers.

Ren: "Now that all of you are gathered, we must set off to our destination. Let us go."

I look at the carriage. It smells odd.

Whatever. Nothing that's in there is my business.

Ren, the carriage and its driver, and the two other adventurers then leave the gate while I follow.

I look around to the other adventurers as I'm walking, both of them male.

One was an average-looking guy with short dark blue hair swept back, and brown eyes, and the other male was also average and had greenish-brown colored hair cut into a short buzz cut, and yellow eyes. Both of them were around the same height of 5'7".

(A/N: 175 cm)

Both of them looked like they knew each other, as they were talking and joking.

I go up to them and introduce myself to them.

Valister: "Yo, I'm Valister. Looks like we're gonna be on this quest for a few days. Thought I'd introduce myself now."

Dark Blue: "Hey, Valister-san, I'm Aoki. Nice to meet ya."

Greenish Brown: "Heya, I'm Kuso. To be honest, I was hoping a girl adventurer would take the last spot. That way maybe I could peek on her while she's peeing or something. Unlucky, I guess."

Kuso' said this with a genuine face. I smile awkwardly.

Valister: "...Heh... well, you'll have to settle with me for a few days then."

Also, doesn't 'Kuso' mean shit in Japanese? He seems like a pervert, so the fact that he's called that fits I guess.

Plus, the greenish-brown hair looks like actual shit smeared on his head trying to pass off as hair.

I don't like perverts. What's the point of peeking when your just gonna get caught. Then you'll be hated by the ladies, destroying any chance you have with them. Unless you're in some sort of anime where you happen to be the lucky pervert who somehow gets all the girls, despite their crippling perverseness.

(A/N: I'm looking at you, Anime Issei. I heard the LN counterpart was much better.)

Instead, they should aspire to be as handsome as me, and as tall as me, and all the ladies will drop their panties for you in no time. At least the older ones will, in my experience. It's not every day a frustrated older woman will get to do it with an elf. That's probably why I was so lucky.

While thinking these things, while absent-mindedly listening to some of Shithead's stories about how big his aunt's breasts are. Aoki listens intently. Looks like he's a bit of a pervert too. I'll name him Blueballs if that's the case.

I look back and the town is nearly out of sight.

Goodbye, Koto City.

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After walking a few more hours, looks back at us and informs us that we are to set camp here.

The perverted duo takes off their backpacks and retrieves their sleeping bags. I do the same.

Ren takes out a few pieces of wood, surrounds it with the rocks scattered around, and lights a fire.

I'm not much of a cook, so I take out some dried meat and eat some.

Ren, on the other hand, has the unnamed carriage driver cook him a meal, which consisted of plain gamey meat stew and bread.

The perverted duo are still talking about girls or whatever, which I've stopped paying any attention to.

Instead, I let my mind wander and eat my jerky. Some fresh deer liver would be good right about now.

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After everyone ate their meals, Ren had advised us to sleep early, while the driver keeps first watch for the night.

Ren: "After the driver will be... You. The elf."

Ren points his finger at me with a visible grimace on his face.

...What, is he jealous of my pretty face? Or is it the infamous racist I've heard about from Mom? Whatever, I don't really care what other people think of me or my race.

I respond with slight sarcasm.

Valister: "Whatever you say, boss."

Ren: "Hmph."

I can hear him grumble under his breath about elves and whatnot.

I move my sleeping bag near a tree and close my eyes, waiting for sleep to take me.

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After what seemed like a few seconds of sleep, I'm awakened by a small sound and an odd scent.

It smells faintly shit. The smell of fear.

I open my eyes slightly, and I look around camp to find the perverted duo still asleep in their bags.

I turn my eyes again and I can find the driver still awake, sitting on the driver's seat of the carriage.

I look to the carriage itself and find Ren awake and in front of the carriage's open door.

The fear scent isn't coming from Ren or the driver, but from inside the carriage.

Trying my best to filter out the scents of Ren, the driver, and the fear scent, I pick up another smell.

It's a female. Smells young, the early stages of puberty, around 13 to 15. It's not an elf or human. It's a familiar scent. Beastkin, I think, but not one I know.

I have no idea how demons smell since I've never met one.

The fear scent is coming from that kid inside the carriage.

Ren seems to be talking, so I strain my ears to hear what he's saying.

Ren: "It's time to eat, damn subhuman. We'll need you nice and plump for the Duke."

Ren then goes inside the carriage and closes the door. I couldn't hear much after that, or smell.

The carriage seems to have noise and smell cancellation cast on it. Noise for regular humans, and smell for search dogs or... search beastkin, in this case.

I do not like the way he said that she 'needs to be plump' for the Duke.

It makes my blood boil in anger.

But I can't be impulsive about situations like these. I have to take it in stride and plan out how I'm gonna help out this kid.

I should finish this quest and collect my payment and the proof of completion to the guild in the next city, then use my sense of smell and stealth to track down where exactly Ren is taking her.

Great, now I'm too angry to sleep. Luckily, I don't need much rest, since I'm a demigod and all.

While I was thinking of a plan, Ren comes out of the carriage with a half-empty bowl in his hand. Now I can smell a mix of fear and sadness coming from the inside of the carriage.

I feel the hair on the back of my head stand up, as I get more and more furious.

Calm down me, being blind from anger won't help anyone.

Phew.

This is my first time in this type of situation, so I can't be reckless. I need to be calm in order not to scare the girl when I rescue her.

Fortunately for me, I can disguise myself with my werewolf form. I won't risk revealing my identity.

I decided to at least rest my eyes in preparation for a long tomorrow.

Hopefully, we get to the next city as soon as possible.