Chapter 4

「The First Town Rubierute」 Part 1

"I know this is a late introduction, but my name is Rita Farren. I am the maid of Lauren Roberts, daughter of the Rubierute noble household."

While driving the carriage, Rita nods her head a little before speaking to me. Her brown eyes become fixed onto me. Apparently, she was waiting on some kind of self-introduction.

"Hmm, I am a traveling wanderer. You can call me Arc."

I introduced myself roughly and returned to watching the road. Of course the name was that of my game character. In this body, I feel that using the identify of my character is the most suitable course of action.

But still, to think that the girl in the carriage was actually a noble. Although I had planed to not stand out too much, it appears that the plan is on the verge of collapsing. I have to make adjustments quickly, lest I get caught up in more troublesome things.

"Arc-sama, is your destination perhaps Rhoden?"

Rhoden? Is Rhoden a region? Or is it a country? I have no idea what it is.

It was a name that was never brought up in the game.

"No, as a traveler I merely wander around. So something like a destination... would prevent me from going very far."

While saying a suitable response, I stare at the dusk stained hills, in hopes of invoking a relaxed atmosphere.

"Is that so? We are heading towards the town of Rubierute, which Lauren ojou-sama's father rules. Buckle-sama well be pleased with the subjugation of the bandits, so would you kindly stay with us until we reach the mansion.

Your deception of a worried father was brilliant, you even managed to pull out a warm and inviting smile.

However, I will absolutely refuse that invitation. It would be nothing but a hassle to meet with a feudal lord.

In the first place, my helmet can't come off. I can't greet an aristocrat while wearing this helmet. Even in modern times, you couldn't get away with meeting a governor wearing a full face mask. In fact, in my world you couldn't even talk with convenience store clerk with a mask on.

I have to use all of my energy to avoid this meeting.

"I appreciate the offer, but gratification is not what I was after. Your feelings are more then enough."

"Receiving nothing, for saving both ojou-sama and myself... Buckle-sama would be displeased with that..."

She said so persistently. I was at a loss. Her expression said she would not relent unless I accepted a gift of some kind. I need to come up with something I desired. But was there anything good I could ask for...

"Very well, as a traveler, I would be very thankful for something to make my passing easier."

"Traveling..., ah, you can take this if you like. Only nobles can use the silver passports, so I only have a copper one. Showing this within the territory, should smoothen out any problems you have while traveling."

From a breast pocket she pulled out a sheet of copper a little smaller then a business card. She then stretched out her arm to hand it to me, who was on horse back.

Receiving it, I noticed a family crest in the middle that had some type of characters inscribed around it.

"Thank you very much."

I thanked her for it, before putting it away with the other goods piled in my pouch. While doing so she spook up.

"Arc-sama, I can see Rubierute."

When I look in the direction of her voice, the appearance of a city was seen in the distance.

Water from the river flows around the city's borders, by being channeled through a large moat.

Was the width of the moat around 3 meters?

A Wheat field stretches beyond one section of the moat, and a small wave of wheat occurs when the wind blows. The field was also protected by a small moat of its own.

The city walls seem to be made from reliable stone, with a height of maybe 5 meters? If you compared them to a castle's walls it might look unreliable, but for a city the walls were quite sturdy.

I wondered if it was normal to find a town this big in such a medieval era?

The city gate seems to be 5 meters in width, and had watchtowers built in to both sides. There are a few guards at the base of the towers, standing guard and looking around. In front of the gate stood a stone bridge, but it was not the same as the drawbridges I saw often in the game.

Kl〜ing, Kl〜ing.

From the center of the town an evening bell rings, echoing trough the area until it reaches here.

"Arc-sama, that was the gate closing bell. We'll have to hurry a little."

Though the gate closing bell sounded, the gate would not close immediately. Before the gate closed we had to get the carriage close to the gate. Though since it is the carriage of the feudal lord, they could open the gate again, even if it is difficult work for the guards.

We seem to be at the city's east gate. I then noticed that all the guards were standing around carrying spears.

One of the guards noticed the face Rita, and started running in our direction.

"Rita-dono! Who is this?! What happened to the escort troops and Sir Maudlin!?"

One by one the guard fired off questions. The guard that ran up may be the captain because he was the only one that wore a helmet.

"On the highway we encountered a bandit ambush, an hour ago. Sadly, Maudlin-sama and the other escorts fell to the hand of the bandits. Arc-sama appeared and managed to kill the remaining bandits.

"What!?"

The guard captain looked between Rita and myself with an astonished expression. Upon hearing the story, the other guards all became noisy.

"We preserved Maudlin-sama's and five other escort's bodies, I ask that you go to retrieve them. I will take ojou-sama to the mansion, and report back to Buckle-sama."

"Yes! I will prepare a body collection unit immediately. We ask that you gain Buckle-sama's permission to act."

After giving a salute , the captain starts to run around giving out orders.

After she saw that, she stepped down from the driver's seat and bowed to me again.

"Arc-sama, thank you again for this time and before. If there is anything you ever need, please visit the feudal lord's mansion and ask for ojou-sama's personal maid, Rita Farren. I promise that I will help as much as I'm able to."

"Understood. You wouldn't happen to know where I could sell these horses for a good price would you?"

I say so pointing to the line up of horses taken for the bandits. Keeping the six of them is out of the question. I want to sell them , but I'm not sure where to sell them.

"If it is horse-trading, there is a place named Danto's stable close to the east gate. I think you will be taken care of immediately if you say I referred you"

"I see, well take care then."

Entering from the east gate, she lead the carriage on the left path, while I take the right path that was pointed out to me.

The place I wound up at was a wooden building with a stable on the side. The signboard, that had a picture of a horse carved into it, was on display. After tying the horses to a post nearby, I entered the stable that had one man taking care of a horse inside. The man was not tall, probably only 160 centimeters, and had a sturdy figure. He was also bold and had a beard that grow to his chest.

"Excuse my, I was reffed to this place by Rita of the Robert's estate. I want to sell a few horses."

When I told the man what I wanted he looked surprised for a bit, but after a quick head to toe inspection he had a smile on his face.

"Is that so. I am the owner of the this stable. Have you a letter of introduction, Danne-sama?"

"No, I don't have an introduction letter but I was told by Rita that I could sell horses here. I can't afford the time to let the other party write up an introduction letter."

The Stable master had a questioning look, trying to discover the meaning of my words. I don't know if I misspoke, but this is a place that someone in service to the feudal lord recommend. Because of that connection, trust should be possible.

"The Robert house's ojou-sama was attacked by bandits. I lent a hand in their subjugation. The 6 six bandit horses were the spoils of war. You see?"

"What! Lauren-sama!? Attacked by bandits who used 6 horse... this uncle hasn't heard anything like that... Anyway, lets take a look at those horses."

Danto followed me outside while stroking his beard, to look at the horse I had tied up. He takes a lamp from the front desk and looks over each horse one at a time.

"I will pay 45 suk for this one here, 30 suk for the others, and 1 sok for all of the saddles."

I didn't understand the units or the know the prices, but that should be enough to cover traveling. I nod at the amount offer, thankful that this full body armor hides my inner thoughts.

"Thank you very much. Because we have to pay it in gold, it may take a while. Hey, boys! Put the horses inside!"

After he bowed, he yelled to the back of the stable. Two boys rushed out of the stable and took the horses back with them.

After waiting a while, the manager appeared again with a large bag. We take the bag over to a table so I could confirm the contents. 10 pieces of the the gold 1-yen size coins were piled up. Suk appears to be the unit of the gold coins. There were 19 gold stacks and 6 silver stacks in total.

"196 suk in all, you can check for yourself."

I counted the approximate number, and drop a few coins on the table to see if they fall at the same rate. There seems to be no problems in particular.

I put them in the leather pouch I already had. I feel that it has become a good weight. Although the gold coins are small, they weight is equip to a 500-yen coin. Though I feel that it is not pure gold, the money is still heavy.

"Thanks for your help. By the way do you know were I could find an inn?"

"An inn is it? There is Mara's place on the main rode near the center of town… Does Sir not already have an inn suited for you to stay at?"

"I am a traveler, if it is a place I can lay my head it is enough."

I thank the manager of the stable and start walking towards the center of town. Night has completely fallen and the area is shrouded in darkness. Occasionally, I would see people hurrying along, but the numbers dwindled as time pasted. However, each time I pasted someone they were startled. It couldn't be help, a man in full body armor walking around at night was scary.

I found a busy street around 10 meters from the central part of the city. In the city of Rubierute, only the east an west sides seem to have a gate. However, the streets of the southern sections don't seen to connect to the main road.

Two-story wooden buildings stand in line on both sides of the street, and several shops were giving off light. The place with barrel on it's signboard is probably a bar, as I can hear the hustle and bustle of the people inside.

I tried to call out to a dizzy man that was outside the bar.

"Hey, I'm looking for Mara's place. You know where it is?"

" Mr. S-Shiny Knight, I-It itz the building over there!"

Slurring his worlds, the pointed to a building across the street. I thank the man then enter the building to the sound of a doorbell ringing. The sound caused a middle aged man to appear behind the counter. The man opens his eyes wide when he saw me and rushed my way.

"Well well well, a knight is here! What kind of business brings you to this dinky little inn?"

"Um, I'm here to rent a room for the night."

"Eh!? A-A guest? At my inn?!"

The innkeeper was surely surprised, as his voice became higher with each moment. Well my the outward appearance is a knight after all. When I showed affirmation, the innkeeper timidly handed me the room key.

The charge for the night was one silver piece. Firewood and cooking would cost 1 sek(the silver coin) apiece. You were charge with setting the fire and cooking your own meals, truly a cheap inn. In Japan the meal was included with the nights stay, the concept of a separate charge was from the west.

I go up the stairs at the side of the counter to the second floor. When I enter the assigned room, there was only a small wooden window, and the bed that had a thin cover on it. I place the lamp I received on the edge of the window, as I sit down and take a breather.

Physically I am perfectly fine, but I am mentally fatigued from this day.

I haven't eaten anything all day, but I didn't feel hungry. I really do not understand how this body works. It might even be possible that I don't need to sleep, but let's give it a try anyways.

Since this inn doesn't have any security, I better not take off my armor. It would be bad if I was attacked in my sleep.

I turned off the lamp, and set in the bed with my back to the wall. I close my eyes and folded my arms.

Do my eyes even close? While questioning such a thing alone, the night kept advancing on.