TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 22
The border city wall village of the Starlon Kingdom.
As Kraush stepped off the carriage, he was met with a slightly irritating situation.
“Scram, kid. Why is some brat getting involved and ruining the mood?”
It was because he was having a dispute with the person who was supposed to guide him to a Broker that could help him sneak past the city wall.
“I told you, I’ll pay you!”
From Kraush’s perspective, the situation was utterly absurd.
The person who was supposed to introduce him to the Broker outright refused to help, solely because he looked like a child—even though Kraush was offering money.
“Sigh, kid. You have no idea what it’s like outside the wall, do you?”
The man, now visibly exasperated, looked at Kraush with tired eyes.
“The official road connecting the Empire and the Starlon Kingdom is safe because it’s maintained daily to manage the World Erosion.”
That much was common knowledge.
The official road was generally recognized as the route frequented by merchants and travelers.
In contrast, those who took these back routes were mostly individuals who needed to conceal their identities or outright criminals.
“But unofficial routes are overgrown with unchecked World Erosion. Brokers guide you through paths that avoid those dangers as much as possible.”
As he said that, he glared at Kraush.
“But here’s the thing. Even the bravest people often find themselves paralyzed with fear when they encounter World Erosion.”
World Erosion inherently creates a sense of repulsion in people.
It was, in fact, akin to an instinct for survival.
An instinct deeply engraved in the body that warned against entering dangerous places.
“If even adults can succumb to panic in those circumstances, what do you think will happen if a kid like you freezes up? The Brokers will end up dead alongside you.”
Hearing this, Kraush couldn’t bring himself to deny the man’s words.
After all, no matter how much money they were offered, the Brokers had no reason to take on that level of risk.
‘So, it all boils down to this appearance of mine being the problem.’
Being reverted to a younger body had its perks.
He was stronger, unshackled by curses, and physically well-conditioned.
But this youthful appearance constantly gave rise to annoying situations.
“I assume you’re trying to participate in the Empire’s Martial Arts Tournament or something. Whatever your goal is, just use the official road.”
“Do you think I’d be here if I could use the official road?”
“So what? Either way, I’m not going to guide you. Figure it out yourself.”
Saying that, the man abruptly turned and walked away.
Kraush, watching the man’s retreating figure, barely restrained himself from punching him.
‘Damn it, I’ve been to the Forbidden Zone, and this is how I get treated?’
He hadn’t expected that his Regression would turn out to be a disadvantage in this way.
“What will you do now?”
Crimson Garden, who had been watching idly without offering to help, asked.
She seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.
“Crimson Garden, don’t you have any magic or something? Like a spell to instantly turn me into an adult?”
“Do you think such a spell exists? It might be possible if you were to wear human skin, though.”
She made that grotesque comment with absolute nonchalance.
Feeling a renewed awareness of her identity as a World Erosion Being, Kraush pressed his hand to his forehead.
“Hey, kid.”
While Kraush was pondering what to do, someone called out to him.
He turned his head at the sound of the voice addressing him.
Standing there was a short-haired woman in her mid-twenties.
She looked at Kraush and gave him a bright smile.
“You want to get outside the wall?”
“What of it?”
Kraush replied curtly, and she crouched down.
Despite it being winter, she wore nothing but a thin T-shirt beneath her coat, leaving her chest exposed.
“If that’s the case, I think I can help you out.”
“Are you a Broker?”
“I’m not a Broker, but I am a Merchant.”
At her words, Kraush quickly deduced what she meant.
“You’re saying you’ll smuggle me out hidden among your goods?”
“Exactly. Brokers don’t usually check what’s being transported. Most of the cargo here falls into that category.”
Not a bad proposal.
“What’s the price?”
“Ten times the amount you’d pay a Broker.”
She immediately presented an outrageous condition.
How very Merchant-like of her.
She must’ve set the price high, expecting some negotiation on his part.
But Kraush had a different idea in mind.
“Just take the amount I’d pay the Broker.”
“Heh, in that case, I won’t take you. You’ll be stuck on this side of the wall, kid.”
“In return, I’ll act as your escort.”
At that, she blinked in surprise.
Then, covering her mouth, she burst into laughter as if she found the suggestion utterly absurd.
“Isn’t this kid overestimating his abilities?”
Kraush rummaged through his pocket.
Initially, he had been reluctant to use it because it was too much trouble, but given the situation, it seemed necessary.
The woman’s gaze shifted toward Kraush’s hand.
What Kraush pulled out was a badge engraved with Balheim’s insignia.
Everyone in Starlon recognized the mark of Balheim.
As proof, the woman froze on the spot.
But the real reason she stiffened wasn’t just the insignia; it was the faint blue light emanating from the badge.
That blue light was something everyone in Starlon had at least heard of.
Especially criminals, who knew in excruciating detail about the Balheim Sword’s reach, would recognize it immediately.
The blue light only appeared when held by a direct descendant of Balheim.
It was a unique identification of Balheim’s lineage.
“Wh-what?”
Before she could stammer further, Kraush had already clamped a hand over her mouth.
With her lips firmly sealed and her eyes filled with the sight of the Balheim insignia, Kraush slightly pushed back his hood, revealing his glowing blue eyes.
The black hair and blue eyes of Balheim’s bloodline only solidified her realization.
“Now, you get it, don’t you?”
Her face turned pale as she nodded vigorously.
Ever since Kraush had silenced her, she had been too overwhelmed by his aura to move a muscle.
“You can tell others if you want, but it won’t do you any good. No one would believe you anyway.”
After all, no one would expect someone from Balheim to avoid the official road and take a route like this.
When Kraush finally released her mouth, she turned away with a flustered look.
“L-let’s go!”
From the moment she saw Balheim’s insignia, she already understood Kraush’s capabilities.
In truth, she probably wasn’t even counting on him to act as an escort.
She must’ve decided it was better to simply accept the money and smuggle Kraush out than risk provoking him.
‘I like how business-minded she is.’
Her sharp thinking made her easy to deal with.
＊ ＊ ＊
Following her lead, Kraush soon arrived at a large carriage.
The carriage, covered with black fabric, was lined with iron cages.
And inside those cages were none other than Erosion Species.
It seemed she was a Merchant who illegally captured and sold Erosion Species.
If you’re among the Erosion Species, even Brokers won’t be able to see you.
Those creatures are all asleep due to sleep magic, so there’s no danger.
“Speak once the Broker’s guidance is over.”
Kraush rummaged through his pocket and flicked money to the Broker.
She hurriedly took the money and opened the iron cage door.
“C-come in.”
Kraush walked inside with heavy steps, and the woman locked the iron cage door behind him and covered it again.
Meanwhile, Kraush roughly settled down and plopped down.
Then, Crimson Garden landed on the carriage floor.
“There are quite a few rare ones here.”
“That’s how they get their price.”
Kraush looked at the Erosion Species with a displeased expression.
All the Erosion Species here were the so-called Drug Erosion Species, causing hallucinations and auditory hallucinations.
“Out of their minds.”
Leaning against the wall, Kraush thought he could never understand those who enjoyed pleasure using Drug Erosion Species.
Meanwhile, the carriage began to move with a rattling sound.
Judging by the way their bodies were being pulled to the inside of the carriage, it seemed they were heading underground.
It must be a back road passing through the city wall.
As Kraush waited silently, several hours passed.
There was a brief sound of voices from outside, and shortly after, footsteps approached this way.
Clank-
Then, the sound of an iron door opening echoed.
When Kraush stepped out, the Merchant Woman he had seen earlier was standing there.
“Where’s the Broker?”
“He’s gone. The guidance ends here.”
That means figure out the rest on your own.
As Kraush lightly stepped off the carriage, the Emerald Sky came into view.
A sky changed by the influence of World Erosion, unlike Starlon.
To Kraush, it wasn’t such a strange sky.
And that sky was proof that they were outside the border.
‘As long as it’s not red, there’s nothing to worry about.’
Kraush turned his gaze from the sky to the Merchant Woman.
“By the way, where are you headed? Just so you know, I’m going to the Empire.”
Kraush said this with a smile.
Understanding the meaning behind his smile, the woman answered with a slightly flustered expression.
“W-well, I’m also going to the Empire.”
It didn’t matter where her destination was.
Since Kraush had mentioned the Empire, her destination had to be the Empire.
“Good. Let’s go.”
Kraush said this and walked to the front of the carriage.
He then lightly climbed onto the driver’s seat, and the woman reluctantly sat beside him.
As she started the horses moving again, Kraush looked around.
It seemed there was no one else in the carriage except for her and the Erosion Species.
“Aren’t you going to hire any other guards?”
“Oh, yes, I do some Erosion Hunter work. I’m quite skilled, actually. I can handle up to a 2-star World Erosion.”
Surprisingly, she was quite capable.
Considering just the level of experience, she might be similar to himself.
“From 3-star and above, it’s easier to just run away, and hiring someone costs more anyway. So I travel alone. The problem is bandits, but it’s rare to encounter the crazy ones living outside the city walls, right?”
Since she said so, Kraush took it as it was.
“Excuse me, what is your name, Mr. Balheim?”
At that moment, she seemed a bit bored and asked a question.
Looking at her, Kraush let out a chuckle.
“There’s no point in introducing ourselves, is there?”
“Y-you’re right! Let’s not introduce ourselves. Giddy up!”
As if not wanting to stir up trouble, she quickly urged the horses forward.
Thanks to that, Kraush had a comfortable journey, leaning back against the seat.
‘It would be nice if some World Erosion appeared on the way.’
While the Merchant Woman hoped that nothing like that would happen.
＊ ＊ ＊
Clip-clop, clip-clop!
Ten days since the carriage journey outside the border began.
The Merchant Woman, seemingly experienced, skillfully chose routes without World Erosion.
Thanks to that, Kraush spent his time solely on aura training under Crimson Garden’s guidance.
Though he had set aside ample time for the journey to the Empire.
If World Erosion occurred along the way, he could stop, but there wasn’t enough time to go looking for it.
‘I can do it on the way back.’
So, Kraush trained leisurely without worrying.
Before he knew it, night had fallen.
While Kraush wrapped himself in the blanket the Merchant Woman had given him, she attached a bell to the end of the carriage.
It was a bell that would ring immediately if anything approached.
“How much further do we have to go?”
“At this pace, about five days left. We’re going quietly without any World Erosion this time. Is it thanks to you, Mr. Balheim?”
The Merchant Woman said this with a playful smile.
Initially, she had been uncomfortable around Kraush during the first ten days.
But after getting a sense of his personality, she realized he was more generous than she thought.
“Must be nice to be from Balheim. It seems like you have everything in the world.”
So, she started talking to him like this.
“Is the world that small? I didn’t know the world was so small.”
“Oh, come on, maybe you’re just too young to feel it? Ordinary people worry about their daily meals. You don’t have to worry about that, Mr. Balheim.”
That was certainly true.
But there is a clear difference between nobles and commoners.
“Yes, nobles don’t worry about such things. But just as we don’t know you, you don’t know us well either.”
Kraush looked out at the lawless area.
A nation built by overcoming World Erosion in this barren wasteland.
And it’s the nobles who maintain it.
Many forget that.
Even the nobles themselves.
Because there are quite a few among the nobles who neglect their duties and only commit despicable acts.
‘There must be power struggles because it’s peaceful.’
When that peace is broken, the ones who die first are those who only chased power.
“Hehe, is that so? Then I want to become a noble too. Should I reserve a spot to marry into the Balheim family?”
What’s a woman in her mid-twenties talking about?
“I have a fiancée.”
“Oh, really? Your fiancée must be very cute, Mr. Balheim.”
“Cute?”
Kraush thought of Bianca for a moment.
He knew she would grow up to be quite beautiful.
In fact, he had been caught up in troublesome situations because of men enchanted by her beauty, even though she was his fiancée.
So, in terms of looks, she was indeed superior to anyone.
‘If you say she’s cute.’
Indeed, if the way it followed chirping like a chick could be considered cute, then it might have been cute.
“Maybe so.”
“Puhuhu, despite looking mature on the outside, you have a childish side to you. You haven’t experienced love, have you?”
“Sorry, but I have.”
Kraush said so and got up from his seat, leaving the blanket off.
“It was a love that ended the moment it began.”
Kraush’s gaze turned outward.
At that moment, the Merchant Woman, seeing this, felt a question arise as the Crimson Garden above the sky cawed.
“Looks like it’s time to work.”
“Oh dear.”
Ting-a-ling!
At the same time, the bell she had hung began to ring.
The Merchant Woman belatedly drew her weapon and rose from her seat.
Beyond the Pitch-Black Forest, figures that looked as if black liquid had taken human form were approaching.
The problem was that their numbers were not just one or two.
“Just like a Lawless Zone.”
Symptoms that occur when the master of World Erosion is killed but not properly purified.
One of those symptoms was the Black Humans.