Towards the capital of Ruttera

"You're strange yourself, assuming to be part of Neutron's party. I thought it was possible if you were their errand boy or their maid," Hayato grumbled.

"Tch, being called a freak by a freak is very painful. As you wish Hayato, now I'm going to find my friends. I'll pay you back as soon as I meet them," Rafe said as he stood up.

"Lyn must have lent me the money," Rafe said quietly.

"Wait a minute. Where do you think they are right now?" asked Hayato as he also stood up.

"I don't know. But Rex and the others are so smart, they'll find me in no time," Rafe replied.

"Then how are you going to find them if you don't know where they are?" asked Hayato.

"I'll just have to ask the guilds in each kingdom, or maybe ask those hardy adventurers who like to travel all over the world. Surely one of them would know," Rafe explained confidently.

"You will just make a lot of enemies and be hunted by many adventurers and other kingdoms in this world," said Hayato.

"What do you mean?" asked Rafe.

"Didn't I tell you, Neutron and the history that happened in the Acedia Era are taboo to know. Anyone who knows about it will be hunted by all the kingdoms in the world, you won't be able to escape because wherever you go you will be hunted. I'm sure if Rex and the others were in this world, they wouldn't be careless like you, they wouldn't break this taboo," Hayato explained.

"If you think all this is because of Xavier's revenge, then he won't stay silent after he brought you to the Superbia Era. He will look for you as soon as possible, right now he might not be able to rule the world. But maybe he is somewhere trying to rule it again," Hayato continued.

"Although I still doubt that Xavier has really resurrected, my teacher didn't mention this possibility to me either. What is clear is that I can't lose him now, she has to meet him," Hayato thought while looking at Rafe.

"I see. Your words also make sense, although there are many things I don't understand clearly, but I will definitely be overwhelmed if I have to fight many enemies directly at this time," Rafe said while clenching his fists.

"I have a suggestion for you," Hayato said.

"What is it?" asked Rafe with a serious look on his face.

"Go to the Elexia Academy with me. You can get a lot of knowledge about this world there, you can also get a lot of information there, because Elexia Academy is the only academy in the Kingdom of Ruttera, in the capital of Ruttera itself many tough adventurers from different parts of the world stop by, because that's where the main guild of the kingdom is located," Hayato replied.

"Without having to ask many people about Neutron, you can get information about Neutron there, and the risk of getting caught is very low. There is only one condition for everything to go smoothly, you have to become a student of the academy there," Hayato continued.

"How can I find out about my friends without asking for them there? You're so strange," Rafe asked.

"Because there is a lot of secret information circulating in the Ruttera capital, you just have to buy it. Besides, there are many other ways to get information there, you can sneak into some places to get it. But all that has risks, but it's safer than asking directly about Neutron and other Acedia Era history," Hayato replied.

"Alright, I more or less understand. But who is the Elexia Academy? Why do I have to be its student? Is he so powerful?" asked Rafe.

At that moment, Hayato let out a deep sigh. It took him a long time to explain about the Elexia Academy, which was a school for adventurers in the Ruttera Kingdom. If you wanted to become an adventurer and get an adventurer's card, you had to go to school there, and later, after graduation, the adventurer's rank would also be determined based on his ability.

Hayato also explained that while you are a student there, you are already half an adventurer and can take on quests. The difference is that they can't do quests in other kingdoms because they have to graduate from the academy first. Rafe could only nod in understanding after Hayato had explained it for quite a while.

"I didn't expect it to be so difficult to become an adventurer in this era, whereas in the past, you didn't need any permission," Rafe murmured with a deep sigh.

"How was it? Would you like to come with me? I'll explain the rest on the way," Hayato asked.

"Hehehe... there's no reason for me to refuse. It's my only option," Rafe replied with a laugh.

"That's good. Then we'll go to Ruttera right away, after we find a carriage to go there today," Hayato said with a happy smile, as he managed to convince Rafe.

"Lyn, I'll find you soon. Just you wait," Rafe muttered after nodding his understanding to Hayato.

The two of them immediately went to the market to look for horse-drawn carriages that would leave for Ruttera Capital. There were tons of carriages going there, only three gold coins were needed for the fee. Hayato deliberately chose a carriage that was already full of passengers so that it could leave immediately, as it would take up to nine days to get to Ruttera Capital.

"Duke Lorbein's group of carriages is ready to leave," an adventurer on horseback shouted as he approached the carriages in the group.

At that moment, the carriage that Hayato and Rafe were riding in started to move. In a group, there were about thirty carriages carrying various kinds of goods, ranging from people going to Ruttera Capital, goods, pets, adventurers' equipment, crops from Rhymus City, and others.

There seemed to be dozens of adventurers following the group of carriages, no bandits would dare to approach them, and the journey went faster without any major obstacles. Rafe also got a lot of information about the current state of the Ruttera Kingdom from the other passengers.

Five days had passed on the journey. Tonight, the wagon train continued its journey through the dark wilderness, but the passengers and other adventurers seemed calm, knowing that their safety was assured. Rafe and Hayato could be seen chatting with other passengers who were also heading to the capital.

Suddenly, a ball of fire shot into the sky from the front of the group. All the horse-drawn carriages suddenly stopped. The passengers were shocked to hear an adventurer shouting.

"A group of nightwolf monsters is approaching from the west of the forest! All adventurers, please stand by your positions, all passengers, please calm down and do not leave the group!" the adventurer shouted loudly.

"Why are the Nightwolf monsters attacking in groups?" an adventurer near Rafe's wagon asked in amazement.

"Nightwolf, a C-rank monster, shouldn't be the type of monster to attack in a large group," said another adventurer.

"Even though it's only a C-rank monster, if it's a group like that, it's definitely going to be troublesome. Especially since they can also attack with the Fire Element," said another adventurer.

"Nightwolves? Is it that dangerous these days?" muttered Rafe quietly.

"Rafe, we must go to the forest immediately. I feel a very dark mana glow coming from there," Hayato whispered.

"Huh? I don't feel anything," Rafe replied.

"Anyway, we have to go to the forest. The adventurers won't be able to handle it, the people here are in danger," Hayato explained.

"Why don't we leave it to the adventurers? Wouldn't it be suspicious if we were the ones facing it? We don't have adventurer cards either," Rafe suggested.

"Tch. What an idiot, why does he only use his brain in situations like this?" Hayato's mind grumbled.

"He's so dangerous, I'm pretty sure those adventurers won't be able to do it," Hayato coaxed while pulling Rafe's hand.

"Even though I can't feel anything," Rafe said quietly as he stood up.

"Show me where it is," Rafe said quietly as he looked at Hayato.

"Sorry, we have to relieve ourselves for a while," Hayato said as he got out of the car.

"Be careful, you better not go far," a passenger said. Rafe and Hayato just nodded in understanding.

The two of them ran quickly towards the western forest, Hayato in front and Rafe behind him. Still, Rafe was confused because he couldn't feel what Hayato was saying. Suddenly, the sound of many footprints came from the distance.

"It looks like we've run into this group of monsters," Rafe said as he stood by.

"Let me take care of them, Rafe, the main character of this world has to show his skills in an event like this," Hayato interrupted as he drew his sword.

In the distance, the figures of a dozen wolf monsters approached. Their figures looked very large and ferocious. The group of monsters was not only one, but there was also a group of night wolf monsters running towards the carriage group.

"They don't seem to be attacking, they're just running away, did something scare them from there?" muttered Rafe in amazement as he sensed that there were many monsters running eastward at another spot.

"I only need to defeat this group, leave the rest to the adventurers! Ice Slash!" Hayato shouted as he slashed forward with his sword at a run.

Continued...