Protagonist Knows Everything

Chapter 36: Stowaway

Admin Note: Triple chapter today as I forgot to post this week. Dont forget to read chapter 37 and 38 ? ~Makarovfey

Come to think of it, this is a phrase that I used frequently in my previous life.

Especially when I was the team leader.

Whenever I tried to hand over the work to the employees they just glanced at each other with eyes begging to not hand them that work.

I used to say that everytime.

Who can do this?

Some may see this as wrong but it helped distribute the work effectively.

Sain asks back in embarrassment, Huh? What are you talking about?

Wait, boss. Am doing something important right now.

[Would you like to use the unique ability Who can do this?]

[Nod.]

[Please set the problem you want to solve.]

The Secreed curse.

[We will proceed as directed, please review and approve.]

The draft document popped up before my eyes and without much delay I signed it.

-Kim Ill-do.

[Using unique ability Who can do this?]

[Browsing]

[Search completed.]

[Suitable subjects found: 1. Would you like to view the location?]

[Nod.]

[Suitable person: Jariel Juana.]

[Apprentice nun at the Temple of Parmel in the Halo Territory.]

[Distance from subject: 70 km.]

[The location info will keep updating until the first encounter with the subject.]

It was a good service worth all of the 100 points.

I cleared my thoughts and spoke, Sain. Please lend me the fastest horse you have.

Well, that

Time is crucial. Please trust me.

As always, Sains hesitation completely disappeared when I asked her to believe in me.

She said with a serious tone, Who else will I trust?

Will you depart today?

I nodded with a firm expression, turned back and said, I am going home to grab some travel supplies. Ill be leaving in an hour.

Tay!

Kasha held my arm tightly.  I wondered if she had calmed down a little, but she was still shaking.

In fact, if anyone said all that to me, Id just laugh it off as random nonsense.  But she was convinced that she was cursed.  It also meant that she believed in me.

What is it?

Im dying arent I?

I dont want to die yet. There are many things I want to do, eat, sleep, go places. I dont want to leave Elena alone, the Hagnut Guild and Tay.

Despite her young age, she was much more experienced due to her job as an adventurer.  But now she was afraid, like a baby bird that had just left its mothers nest.

I calmly replied, Well, you might die, after about 100 more years.

At my words, Kasha smiled despite her tears.

It was a very contradictory expression, but it looks weirdly well suited.

Sain lent me the express carriage that she got from the Siris.  She got us the horseman that she used for important meetings as well.

Ron lent us the precious horse and carriage for a regular price and sent a message.

Its a selfless loan, use it anyway you want.  I am a merchant after all.

Huh?

No. Someone who does things like this is the one we should be most wary of.

I picked up Kasha first and told Sain, Please tell Ron. I am grateful for this. Dont say that youre going to pay this favour back. Just dont.

Yeah. Okay.

Then Ill be leaving. If things go well, Ill be back in a few days.

Sain clenched her fist to her chest and said, Dont worry well take care of this place. No need to worry about the work.

I didnt mean that

Mr. Tay and Ms. Kasha always help me. This time Ill help you two.

Her face was filled with determination.  After seeing that expression, my worries dissolved away.

I will explain to Elena that you two went on an emergency quest. You dont have to worry about it.

Yes. Ill be back soon anyway.

Sain smiled softly at my answer.  We left the Hagnut Guild like that.

The scenery felt different from all our previous rides.  As for horses and carriage, it seemed that the coachman from the Siris Corporation was not an ordinary coachman.

Tay. Can I sit here?

Kasha, who had been silent for a while, suddenly asked.

I replied calmly, Its a bit narrow.

Oh is that so.

What is it? Come on sit down.

Kasha stuck her butt next to me.

And leaning back, she said, This is the first time I am feeling like this.

Its the first time youve been cursed.

No. Am not saying that

She was a little hesitant to say.

She said, I was an adventurer and I faced death several times. Thats why, before I was in a dungeon, even when I was trapped alone.

I cried a lot. Its quite embarrassing.

How is that embarrassing?

She just laughed at that, then she looked straight at me and said, But now, there are no tears at all.

Why?

The wagon running at great speed suddenly rattled.  The horses cried out and suddenly stopped.  Inertia made me lean on the other side.

What happened?

Thats weird. The carriage suddenly stopped, did the wheels get caught on something?

Sorry. Please wait a minute.

The coachman got off his seat.

We dont have much time and the wheel got stuck like that? Now of all times?!

The coachmans voice sounded concerned.

I need to repair this.

Please quickly, we dont dont have time.

Oh are you resting? I wont make it loud then.

What are you talking about?

The coachman said that and started working without making much sound.

Oh, but one thing, Please be careful.

So what are you talking about?

Then I heard Kasha saying, Ooh. I want to brush my teeth.

She looked dizzy.  As I stared, Kasha just giggled, saying it was a joke. But just one look at her eyes and it was clear, she was sleepy.

I said, I think it will take a while. You should sleep.

No way!

Kasha shook her head while rubbing her eyes several times.

What if I fall asleep and never wake up again.

The only thing you cant wake up from is the second sleep.

I slept last night, wouldnt that count?

Probably not. Von broke the stone just this morning, am sure of that much thanks to the records.

Probably not. You can sleep a little.

Didnt you say you were sleepy since we started this journey?

As I said that, Kashas face contorted into a weird one which she used to make when she was mad.

But I understood that and calmly said, Still, you should get some rest.

Huh. I dont want to sleep. Tays still awake.

I knew I couldnt win so I just lay down on the narrow seat.  However, I had no intention of sleeping.

Do you know my record of days I went without sleep?

Uh?

Three days.

Kasha just smiled, understanding what I meant to say.

You dont need to stay awake because of me

Who said anything about staying up for you? I just told you my record.

Thank you. Tay.

I cant sleep, so lets talk. Where were you and what did you do before you entered the Tower of Eternity?

Kasha was silent for a few moments, as if she was searching her memory.

I dont remember well. I was very young.

Hmm.

I just remember that I used to be very hungry all the time.

I laughingly replied, Thats why you eat so much.

Is that a terrible thing? Many people tell me that I eat a lot.

I didnt say it was bad. To work hard, you need to eat a lot.

Anyway, then one day.

We had a hearty conversation after that.

How many minutes have passed?

The first time I did a Class B quest by myself, Elena cooked a meal all by herself to congratulate me..

Its wonderful.

Huh. At that time, her cooking was very clumsy, she cut the potatoes and carrots in strange shapes. But it was delicious.

I guess. Youd eat anything thats even remotely edible.

If you say that again

Suddenly, her voice went down.  I waited for a while and then jumped up without knowing it.

Kasha?

I couldnt hear her breathing.

At that moment, my back was soaked with cold sweat.

I hastily checked her condition.

Zzzzz

Shes sleeping well.

I felt her breathing as I placed my hand near her nose.  She was sleeping like a soldier exhausted from training, peacefully.  

It was the first time I saw her sleeping like that.  Seeing her in that condition I felt relieved.

Why am I so relieved!?

Of course I am relieved. I thought I lost my precious A plus adventurer.

But I cant just feel relieved with that.  Kasha was cursed and had entered the first sleep. Next one wouldnt take much longer.

Why is it taking so long?

In frustration, I opened the carriage door and went out.  When I went to check on the coachman, I was surprised.  Apparently, the coachman who should be passionately repairing the wheel, was lying on the floor.

I hurried up to him to check his condition.

He wasnt dead.  He was just asleep, no he was unconscious. As if he had fainted outside.

Is it narcolepsy?

At the same time as I said that, I heard a voice from somewhere.

Thats not it. I just stunned him for a moment.

I want to talk to you in private.

The sound was coming from inside the carriage.  Honestly, I was incredibly surprised, but thanks to my experience, I was able to answer calmly.

This wagon was chartered by us. Did you pay? Or are you just a stowaway

Are you Taylor Mason?

Who are you?

I am a person named Nortel Rhime.

This time, I was surprised out of my wits.

Nortel. Nortel Rhime!

Father to both Sain and Von, the monster who tricked Celia and changed the magic circle, endangering so many lives.

Did he just show up here? What should I say first?

Of course, this is how it goes.

It is an honor to meet the famous Nortel Rhime.

Now show me your face.

You shouldnt have known my name.

No way. Youre the person who went all the way to the Eternal Tower right before facing Dame.

How do you know that?,  Nortel asked without any signs of bewilderment in his voice.

But I still couldnt see his face.  Needless to say, I didnt answer his question, but Nortel opened his mouth as if he got the answer himself.

I recently lost contact with Celia. She said she didnt want to meet me anymore.

It looks like youve an useless wind on her as well.

I just brought her back to reality.

Then Nortel burst out into laughter.

Reality?

You told her she could be a great sage, you lied to her.

Why do you think its a lie? Celia obviously had the talent of a high sage. If she tried hard she could surely become a great sage.

You have trampled the sprouts of great talent. Are you aware of what youve done?

Is this guy hidden talents in front of me?

Hundreds of words came to my mind to refute him.

But I swallowed them all.

Lets get to the point. Why did you stow our ride?

Actually, I went to the Hagnut Guild first. To see my daughter. Needless to say, she knows everything.

By the way, that child is no longer interested in her father she last met 8 years ago. Something urgent happened to the guild, so she told me to come back sometime later

My boss is so cool.

I am glad my boss isnt the kind of person whod ditch work just for a relative.

I got a rough understanding of the situation. It looks like theres an adventurer under the curse of Secreed.

How did you know that again?

Dont get excited. My daughter didnt tell me about it. I have an intelligence network of my own.

This time, he was discussing intelligence in front of me.  I took a peek at him and said.

Oh, I guess you heard it from your son.

!

He must be the one who used the Secreed stone. Your son is veryyoung, unlike your daughter.

Nortels silhouette looked stiff.  

After a while he spoke.

I heard that you were the one behind Hagnut Guilds abnormal growth.

I thought it was a lie or at least an exaggeration.

Im asking again. Why did you stow our ride?

Nortel burst into laughter, As you said, my son did something stupid. I just asked him whom he had cursed.

Keep speaking.

But looking in the direction of the wagon, I realized that my help wasnt needed. Are you going to the Halo estate?

I nodded.

Nortel glanced up and down with pure admiration and said, Then you must have known. The fact that there are talents of the saintly class resides in the Halo estate.

This is a little surprising.

Did he also know about the person named Jariel.

I replied pretending to be a bit surprised.

What?!. I knew a little bit.

Hahaha, well shes quite famous, itd be surprising if you didnt know about her.

So Lorelies name has already reached Kelk

Okay. Okay. Jerials rumors

Eh? Lorelie?

Who is that?