Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 415: Provocation
Once Tauro realized that the mountain village’s new source of income might be an ingredient used in illegal drugs, he couldn’t simply let the matter pass.
“Where are those leaves being shipped?”
Tauro asked the village chief directly.
“Who’s this boy? Is he your apprentice, Garde?”
The chief had apparently mistaken Tauro for a young apprentice indentured to help with Garde’s merchant work.
“No. He’s one of the adventurers we hired temporarily. The adventurer who used to accompany us retired, so we brought in a new group.”
“You’re an adventurer at your age? That’s remarkable! The shipment goes to—ah, no. I can’t reveal that to outsiders.”
Thinking he was speaking to a harmless child, the chief nearly answered before catching himself.
“I hope I’m wrong, but is it being taken to the territorial capital?”
Tauro continued without regard for the refusal.
“W-What?! Why would you…? As I already said, this is an important source of income for us. I can’t discuss it!”
The chief was painfully honest.
For Tauro, that reaction was answer enough.
“Tauro-san, the chief is clearly troubled. Could you please stop pressing him?”
Garde hurriedly intervened.
“Let’s begin our transaction instead. Chief, will you take the usual amount?”
“Y-Yes. The usual amount, please. And—”
Just as the chief began negotiating with Garde over the bulk purchase, another customer arrived.
“What’s this, Chief? Weren’t you supposed to do business with us today?”
The newcomer was a thin, sharp-eyed man dressed like a merchant. Five burly, armed men accompanied him as guards.
“G-Grado-san! This is Garde. He usually arrives a few days later to deliver our farm produce. Garde, this is Grado-san—the merchant who saved our village.”
Recognizing Grado as a fellow merchant, Garde smiled and offered his hand.
Grado ignored it.
“Chief, you have an appointment with us today. You’ll give our business priority. Or are you saying that crops you can buy at any time matter more than continuing your dealings with us?”
Grado looked down on Garde and addressed the chief in an overbearing tone.
“I’m sorry! That isn’t what I meant! I’ve known Garde for years, and he’s always made sure we had food. I couldn’t simply turn him away. Of course, I’m grateful to you as well, Grado-san. I’d never dream of ending our business relationship!”
The chief desperately tried to placate the arrogant merchant.
“Do you still not understand? We’re this village’s most important business partner. Leave your goods and disappear. We don’t have time to waste on you.”
Grado openly sneered at Garde and at the two children among the adventurers, trying to drive them away.
“Is that because you intend to use the plants you buy here to manufacture dangerous drugs?”
Rather than conceal his suspicions, Tauro went straight to the heart of the matter.
“…What did you say, brat? Looking more closely, there are two children pretending to be adventurers. If you disappeared in an isolated mountain village like this, who would ever know?”
Grado had been caught off guard, but he seemed to decide that his side held the advantage in both numbers and skill. Instead of backing down, he signaled to the armed men with his eyes.
At his command, the five men slowly spread out to surround Black-Gold Wings.
Their movements were far too disciplined for ordinary hired muscle.
They were clearly experienced fighters.
“I see… Poison can serve as medicine when used properly, so I deliberately provoked you to learn how you intended to use the crop. Unfortunately, your reaction has given me the answer.”
Tauro sighed.
Understanding what he had done, Ragune and the others reached for their weapons.
“Chief, you’ll tell no one what happens here. Otherwise, calamity may befall this village.”
Grado ordered the chief to remain silent about the violence he was preparing to commit.
“Ah…!”
The chief froze, unable to decide what to do.
Garde was equally overwhelmed and nearly lost his nerve beneath the killers’ open bloodlust.
The five men drew their weapons: two swords, one spear, one bow, and one dagger.
“Take down the man with the greatsword and the woman with the spear first! The rear guard can deal with the two brats!”
The scar-faced swordsman who appeared to lead the guards ordered his comrades forward.
A second swordsman joined him against Ankh.
The spearman challenged Ragune.
Assuming Zion was a support-oriented rear guard, the archer immediately aimed at the hooded girl.
At the same moment, the dagger-wielder rushed Tauro, whose shortsword hung at his waist.
Black-Gold Wings responded instantly.
Tauro used his agility to evade the dagger’s rapid close-range thrusts.
Even so, cold sweat formed beneath his clothes.
These men were strong.
As the dagger-wielder thrust again, Tauro drew Shortsword Tauro and lightly cut the man’s wrist.
Unable to respond to the precise counter, the injured man dropped his dagger.
Tauro immediately stepped inside his reach and drove the shortsword into his right thigh, destroying his will to continue fighting.