Chapter 19

I smile a little at the people, releasing a content sigh after they eat my food. Lucky for me, I also buy fresh ingredients to make delicious food. I cook another batch of food for myself and walk to the nearby bench after I'm done cooking.

I eat the food and enjoy the people cheering and laughing. I snap from my thoughts when I notice the leader of the city, Talgeyl, sitting next to me.

"Do you know how long it has been since I see them laughing and smiling like this?"

"I don't know… two months?"

"Hah! Try a year. It has been a year since I saw the people of Lordlake laugh and smile like this. Thank you."

"No. Problem. I'm glad that I can help. Ahem. I mean making a profitable deal with the people of Lordlake."

"Ha! You did not need to worry about us telling the queen and her people, you know? I have a reason that the people of Lordlake think of you as family. Also… Here"

Talgeyl takes out something, and I can see it is my stamp, the stamp that I deliberately dropped. I just hope my plan works.

"Ah, my personal stamp. It must be falling out of my pocket when I cook the food."

"I think it is a bit earlier than that, young man."

"Please call me Gerrald."

"Then please call me Talgeyl. Anyway, can I ask what kind of stamp it is? I might not be a magician, but I have studied magic in the past. I can feel the magic coming from it."

"Ah, it was a stamp that let me track anyone I stamp and send my location to the one I stamp in case I'm getting surrounded. My bodyguard has them on their body as insurance in case they betray me, and my family can track them or in case I need their help so they can track me."

The old man looks at me for a few seconds and says.

"Then stamp me."

"What? No! Why would you do that? It lets me track you, you know?"

"Will you keep an eye on me every day and every hour?"

"No. Why would I do that? That is rude, you know?"

"Then I don't mind."

I look hesitant and about to stamp him, but before I can do that, a giant of a man stops me. I look to the side and see Goesch standing next to me.

"Stamp me instead. I don't want him to be the one leading the group. He is too old to do that."

"Goesch! It is my duty as the current leader of this place to lead the people."

"You are too old to do it, old man. Let the younger people do it."

I decide to interrupt their bickering and say.

"You know I did not stay in this place for too long, right? I will return to Muse, in the Northern Continent, a year or so from now on."

Goesch looks at me and says,

"Then let me be your ally while you are here. You help us, and we will help you. That is a fair trade."

"Don't use the merchant language on me."

I look at them for a few seconds, see they did not budge, and release a fake sigh. In my mind, I cheer at the luck I have.

"You will not budge from this, huh?"

"No."

Goesch shakes his head with a slight smile on his face. I nod and stamp his hand for three seconds. When I feel a connection, I release it and put the stamp inside my pocket.

"Good. If you need any help, call us. We will help you."

"I will."

Goesch nods and gets back to carrying the food scrap to the storage.

"How long will you stay?"

I look at Talgeyl and say.

"The boat driver is willing to let us stay up to two days, but I plan to return later in the morning or afternoon."

"Hmmm, then we will make sure to prepare the best room for you and your companion."

"Thank you."

=//=

When the sun starts to set, the people of Lordlake give us the best room in a nearby inn that supposedly shows the beauty of the lake if not for the queen drying out all the water.

"If there is anything else we can do, please tell us."

"Of course. Thank you."

"We should be the one thanking you, sir."

After saying that, the woman bowed once again and left us alone in the meeting room. The room we are currently in is a giant of a room. However, rather than calling it a room, the people of Lordlake decided to give us the entire floor. There is a meeting room, seven bedrooms, three bathrooms, and one dining room. This floor is usually reserved for royalty or any big noble that decides to visit Lordlake.

"Thank you, boss!"

I snap from my thoughts and look at Gavaya in confusion.

"What? Why are you thanking me?"

"I finally got closer to a woman! Surely, I will get a wife by the end of the year! Your teaching is working."

Of course, it is working. You are doing it wrong the entire time. How can he directly ask any woman in his sight to get a wife? I only tell him not to do that and do it slowly. Talk to the woman, and don't force them to like him. That kind of thing should be common sense, but here we are.

"Anyway, when will we return?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Aww~ Can't we stay here for more than one day?"

"You don't need to worry. We will return in a week or so. As much as I want to stay here and help them, I want to explore the world, you know?"

"Oh well. Fair enough. Just make sure we did not go too early."

"That I can arrange."

"Thank you."

With that being said, my companion decided to explore the floor and leave me alone with my phone. I check what kind of tier Goesch is and nod when I see he is a tier-4 character. Another six points in the bag. It is a shame I cannot capture Silva, but she is a tier-2 target, so there is not much to lose in this scenario.

Tomorrow will be the day I get six points from Gavaya. While I already have someone in mind to copy, I start to get distracted by other options. The first one is Ninja Path, where I can sneak into the Sun Palace after we are done with the Nether Gate assassination group to steal the Sun Rune. However, there is a problem. I need someone to attach the rune to my body, and we come to the second path.

Rune Master / Magician path where I can get Jeane to let me attach the rune myself and have a magic attack. Chrodechild knows a small bit of magic because she comes from a magical family, but that's it. On the other hand, Jeane can cast a greater magic and let me play around the rune.

Urgh. I think I will still take Jeane, even though I can think of a few ways to get more points using the Ninja Path.