120
“Hey, you bastards!!!”
The coachman started with a string of curses before belatedly realizing his mistake.
As the servant responsible for driving the carriage and its esteemed passenger, he was in no position to shout such obscenities for all to hear.
Now aware of his error, the coachman repeatedly apologized to the passengers within the carriage. Yet, just as he finished, the carriage door swung open.
“…”
A man descended from the carriage, exuding a sharp aura as he glared at Johanna.
Considering that an overturned carriage could lead to serious injuries, the earlier incident was undoubtedly perilous. While Johanna had always trusted her sense of distance and believed she’d maintained “ample” space, others clearly didn’t see it the same way.
The man began striding toward Johanna with purposeful steps.
Johanna, sensing the man’s intensity, debated how best to respond. Fortunately, Hamus and Viktor stepped forward slightly faster.
The man scowled, shouting at Hamus. However, upon learning Hamus’s identity, his expression shifted to one of surprise, and he quickly retreated back toward the carriage.
Not long after, the owner of the carriage appeared, having been briefed by the man.
‘That’s Clemens…’
Ray narrowed his eyes as he looked at the carriage’s occupant.
Clemens appeared to be in his early thirties, holding a cane that seemed more like a fashion statement than a necessity. However, his slightly tilted posture gave off an uneasy impression.
“Pleased to meet you, Sir Hamus. What a coincidence meeting you here.”
With a smile, Clemens greeted Hamus first.
Hamus, being a formal knight of the Osiris Countdom, naturally wielded considerable influence within the territory.
From Clemens’s perspective, there was nothing to gain by antagonizing such a figure.
The situation unfolded much as Ray had anticipated.
Hamus mediated, Johanna apologized, and Clemens accepted the apology, bringing the conflict to a close.
“To where were you headed?”
In response to Clemens’s question, Hamus glanced at Ray and Johanna before answering.
“Our guests expressed a desire to visit the harbor, so I decided to accompany them.”
“That’s excellent. If you don’t mind, why don’t we travel together? I happen to be heading in that direction myself.”
With a friendly demeanor befitting a merchant, Clemens extended the invitation.
Ray subtly raised the corner of his mouth toward Hamus, who inwardly sighed but accepted Clemens’s offer.
After hearing their conversation, Ray approached Johanna.
Johanna still lingered near the children, seemingly troubled by something.
The children, still shaken, breathed heavily.
Ray alternated his gaze among the poorly dressed children and warned them.
“Don’t loiter around where carriages pass.”
“S-sorry…”
After exchanging a few words, Ray flicked a few coins toward the children with his fingers.
Unable to catch them immediately, the children scrambled to chase the coins rolling on the ground.
“Come on, Johanna. It was good that you helped those kids, but next time, please give more space when avoiding carriages.”
“…Just going to leave now?”
“This isn’t Phillip’s County.”
“…”
Acknowledging quickly but with a slightly sulky face, Johanna passed by Ray. She still seemed somewhat upset.
Ray grinned as he watched the children pick up the coins and wander off.
In Phillip’s County, children like these were rare.
Jimmy’s orphanage was still operating actively, and families struggling financially could receive some support. Additionally, whether orphans or not, those deemed talented were given opportunities for proper training, though consistent results were expected.
This system barely functioned due to the small size of Phillip’s County and the voluntary efforts of knight-level personnel.
Despite this, the welfare budget wasn’t trivial, often causing Phillip’s Count some distress.
Long-term, the Phillip’s family could secure a significant number of high-quality individuals, but there was no guarantee they wouldn’t eventually leave for other territories.
In this context, taking orphans from another region wasn’t feasible.
Even if they had shown extraordinary promise, it might have been different, but…
Neither their reaction when nearly hit by the carriage nor their reflexes when receiving the coins nor their composure during conversation impressed much.
‘Normal won’t do. Rare is questionable too.’
If only they were slightly better than Karen, Ray would have taken them anyway, but finding such a child proved harder than expected.
‘Maybe the probability boost period really ended once Luna was drawn…’
Muttering under his breath, Ray boarded the carriage.
The carriage was spacious enough that even with four additional passengers, it wasn’t overly cramped.
With shoulders brushing against Ray, Johanna grumbled and moved to a corner.
After brief introductions to ease the awkwardness, light conversations began.
“You’ll find many fine goods at the harbor. Is there anything specific you’re looking for?”
At Clemens’s question, Hamus glanced at Johanna.
Looking somewhat shy, Johanna held her dagger and emitted a faint sword aura, eliciting genuine admiration from Clemens.
“Truly remarkable.”
“Since this young lady needs custom armor, we thought to visit the harbor to both assess quality items and develop her discernment.”
Repeating Ray’s recently concocted excuse, Hamus earned a gleam in Clemens’s eyes.
While it was regrettable that Johanna served a less powerful house, her current skill level indicated great potential. With the added appeal of being a female knight, fostering a relationship now could prove valuable.
Clemens engaged more enthusiastically in the conversation, his pleasant manner easing everyone’s laughter.
It seemed the atmosphere would remain harmonious until they reached the harbor.
However, Ray, who had remained silent until then, brought up a sensitive topic rather casually.
“Clemens, your right arm seems uncomfortable?”
Both Hamus and Viktor turned their gazes sharply toward Ray.
Anyone with knight-level senses could easily detect something amiss with Clemens’s body.
Though conventionally polite people would refrain from mentioning it, Ray pressed on.
“Your right leg also seems awkward. Did you perhaps suffer an accident recently?”
The man guarding Clemens openly revealed his intent to intimidate.
But Clemens quickly silenced him, laughing and responding.
“I have a contract with a spirit. One of the conditions involves ‘restrictions’ on parts of my body.”
“Ah, my apologies.”
Some spirits, especially malevolent ones, impose such conditions merely to torment their contractors, requiring things like mana exhaustion or interference with bodily control in exchange for granting strong powers.
“Still, it must be inconvenient. Have you considered revising the contract?”
“Made in ignorance during my youth, it’s hard to alter. Frankly, I have little complaint about the contract itself since I receive significant help from the spirit.”
Plop!
A small lizard-shaped spirit appeared, exhaling cold air.
The temperature inside the carriage, which had been slightly warm, dropped instantly.
As Clemens lightly wiggled his finger, the contract mark inscribed on the spirit’s body briefly appeared and disappeared.
Seeing the ice spirit for the first time, Johanna gasped, while Hamus and Viktor stared curiously at the spirit.
Ray nodded and leaned back in his seat.
His eyes, momentarily activated with power, were filled with blood that threatened to trickle down.
Johanna looked at Ray, who covered his eyes with his collar, with a puzzled expression.
*
The carriage arrived near the harbor.
Near the harbor, numerous merchant stands were set up with staff ready to greet customers, but the scale here far surpassed what they’d seen in the market earlier.
Even the furniture arranged by merchants for their guests hinted at high-quality craftsmanship, not easily obtained elsewhere.
Under Clemens’s guidance, Johanna got the chance to view armors crafted by master artisans.
Ray followed Clemens indifferently.
Although the equipment here was of high quality, most paled in comparison to the items Ray had seen at the Magic Tower’s conferences in the past.
Watching Johanna’s joyful excitement for a moment, Ray spoke.
“Could we take a look at some jewelry?”
“Ah, jewelry? We have some fine pieces. Follow me.”
As Ray followed Clemens, naturally, Hamus, Viktor, and Johanna trailed behind.
However, Ray waved his hand lightly.
“I’ll go alone and return soon.”
Whether it was Hamus, Viktor, or Johanna, each reacted differently but ultimately stayed put following Ray’s words.
Clemens regarded them with an interesting glance.
Through a merchant’s keen eye, the hierarchy between them was evident.
Even the knight of Osiris Countdom and the promising squire of Phillip’s Count placed themselves below Ray.
Moreover, they did so without any apparent discomfort.
Curiosity piqued, Clemens dismissed his guards temporarily and personally led Ray to a warehouse.
“Do you know of a precious gemstone exclusively mined in the Rubia Kingdom?”
“Aquanix, correct?”
“Yes, exactly. A gemstone with a striking blue hue. Even in the Empire, jewelry properly utilizing Aquanix is quite rare.”
Saying this, Clemens opened several boxes.
As Ray gazed at the necklace adorned with a gemstone emitting a blue glow, he spoke.
“It’s not because of the spirit, is it?”
“…Excuse me?”
Confused by the unexpected comment, a thin wrinkle formed on Clemens’s brow.
“What do you mean?”
“The physical disability—it’s not due to the spirit contract, is it?”
In a fleeting moment, Ray analyzed the surface contract mark of the ice spirit using his abilities and Aptel’s assistance. Although he couldn’t fully decode it, he confirmed that it contained no clause restricting physical functions.
“Given that you handle such expensive merchandise, it’s unlikely you’ve avoided treatment due to financial reasons.”
Shifting his gaze to a radiant hairpin glowing blue,
“If not, then either you suffered a recent injury or… you were born with this condition.”
The atmosphere sharpened.
Despite the icy breath exhaled by the spirit, Ray remained unfazed.
“Judging by your reliance on the spirit excuse, I assume the latter.”
“This hairpin is truly beautiful.”
Adding this remark, Ray faced Clemens directly.
“Perhaps a genetic condition… a family history?”
“…That’s incredibly rude.”
Clemens could no longer maintain his composure.
The muscles in his right arm, which failed to move properly due to atrophy, trembled.
“What exactly are you implying?”
“In the past, those suffering from diseases untreatable by divine power were considered cursed by the gods and persecuted. People threw stones, and the church carried out executions without hesitation.”
Divine power, based on information inscribed in genetic material to restore the body, naturally couldn’t address hereditary illnesses.
Burning people alive for something beyond their control was undeniably absurd.
“It was a very uncivilized practice. Families plagued by hereditary diseases were almost wiped out. Had I been from such a family, I would have surely cursed both God and the world.”
“…What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Ah, well…”
Ray grinned.
“I wanted to express my disdain for religion.”
In some worlds, intangible entities were revered as deities.
In others, tangible beings were worshipped.
However, even when the object of worship existed, it wasn’t omnipotent enough to solve all problems, making life crueler for some.
The heavy gazes of Ray and Clemens locked onto each other.
(To be continued)
