Page 128

(Walson)

[Dog House] shakes as I lie in the driver's seat, facing the cold wind as we move forward.

After spending a night in the Nonokuta Town, we resumed our journey to the Sadin Village the next day after the sun rose.

At this moment, I'm trying hard to fall asleep, but the cold wind keeps blowing on my face, almost freezing me. I take out some fur from my inventory and cover myself with it. My body feels warm, but my face doesn't.

I try to cover my face with a blanket, but I quickly feel suffocated. My half-dead state became a stark contrast to the very lifely Rifle who drew our carriage with his tail wagging.

Damn, it's difficult to sleep. I should have made the cockpit more like a train compartment instead of an open carriage. But I can't sleep inside the car; that's the girls' territory.

I would have a sleepless night, and now I'm being further tormented by the low temperatures of winter. It's really awful.

After returning to the inn from the bathhouse, throughout the night, I nervously stare at the [Mini-map] and can't fall asleep, afraid that I'll be attacked if I doze off.

In the end, nothing happened, but I remained extremely tense, paying attention to every movement and sound. It's truly mentally exhausting.

After all, it was after experiencing an attack, and especially since I still have no idea why that enemy targeted me.

Judging from his use of a small knife with a paralyzing toxin, his intention was likely to capture me alive. But why does he want to capture me!?

Could it be some random abduction for ransom? Or is it a planned operation?

If that's the case, why capture me? If it's for money, my god, he dares to go against Melon and Grace. I truly admire his bravery if that's true.

Is it about the equipment that I made?

No, in that case, they wouldn't come after me but rather Melon and the others. I have never appeared publicly in a special capacity; nobody knows I have special abilities. They only know me as the "manager of the shop where the heroes like to work."

And moreover, to the outsiders, Melon is the leader of our group, and I'm just her driver, an insignificant carter. If the intention is to extort money using a replaceable carter, it doesn't make sense no matter how you look at it.

Could it be that someone found out that we have a good relationship? After all, when the heroes worked in my shop, we were seen together during our dates, and rumors were flying everywhere... But the risk is too great. If that inference is correct, they have already targeted the partners of the heroes. Are they looking for trouble?

... Could he be targeting my potions and other items?

No, besides the [$Eye of the Night Cat$] and the people from the [Mart Chamber of Commerce], I haven't let anyone else know about this.

Could I have been betrayed? I've been with the members of the [$Eye of the Night Cat$] for a long time, and each of them leads a very simple life. I've also helped them a lot...

Could they really betray me? No, it can't be. They're all so kind to me...

Could it be the [Mart Chamber of Commerce]?

... Those profit-seeking creatures shouldn't be that stupid, right? Are they giving up on making money by betraying me? Or do they want to capture me?

No, they shouldn't underestimate the power behind me.

Is it just a coincidence?

I can't understand... I can't figure it out...

"... Walson, you look tired, Did you not sleep well?" In the end, in my extremely troubled state, I attracted Grace's concern.

While lying in the driver's seat, wrapped in a blanket, I feel Grace's slender and warm fingers gently touching my cheek.

". . . . No."

"Huh? Really? Walson, didn't you sleep well? I thought the beds at the inn were quite comfortable?"

Then Barella also comes over to see how I'm doing, while Melon doesn't say anything, but practically holds a blanket and squeezes herself by the window, observing me.

Yes, I didn't tell them about the attack last night. They rarely get the chance to go out and have fun, and they'll soon have to deal with more problems. I don't want to spoil their mood while they can still relax.

"The people next door were making a lot of noise last night, and their loud activities kept me awake. How could I sleep?" I casually make up an excuse.

"Uh...," "...," "...," the girls exchange glances in response to my words.

"But, Master, we passed by your room last night and greeted the people next door. They are a friendly pair of adventurers, Fos and Les. They're quite famous in this area, and they are both male." Melon hesitantly speaks up.

Well, they have a strong brotherly bond, that's good.

"I see... Walson, would you like to come in and sleep? It's cold out here," Barella nods thoughtfully, apparently remembering my previous nonsense, and asks me.

"Huh? But there aren't any extra beds inside," I'm puzzled upon hearing her suggestion.

"Well, I don't need to sleep right now anyway. Do you want to sleep in my bed...?" Barella begins to suggest but is interrupted by Melon.

"Master, if you don't mind, you can have my bed..."

"...Walson, why don't we sleep together?" Grace suggests, and the other two girls immediately look at her with the same expression.

What? That look on their faces is like they lost a game and feel unwilling to accept it... Wait, could this be what the folk from my past life call a Shura Field?

And why are you getting involved in this, Barella?