Chapter 109

“A pleasure to meet you, I am Meh.”

He had dark brown skin.

His eyes were large and dark and he wore a mustache.

He looked like someone from far to the southeast, even farther than the Empire, yet his western speech was fluent.

There was also a slight Maesh accent.

“I am Shion.”

I responded with a smile.

“I run a small art gallery.”

“An art gallery… you say?”

“Yes. I mainly deal in ancient books, but I also handle paintings and sculptures to some extent. Please feel free to visit if you’re interested.”

“I see……”

Meh looked at Veranio.

His tone suggested it was different from what he had heard.

Veranio hastily bowed his head.

“Department Head Meh, his skills are guaranteed. The gallery is like a side job. It doesn’t do well, anyway.”

Do you really have to say it doesn’t do well?

I grumbled.

It was even more unpleasant because the gallery really wasn’t doing well.

“If he is skilled and trustworthy, then that is good.”

Meh extended his hand.

His hand was, naturally, a dark brown color.

I took his hand without hesitation.

Meh’s eyebrows twitched at the unprejudiced touch.

West of the great mountain range, there were many who held prejudice against dark skin.

I understood.

A wariness toward the unfamiliar was human nature.

But wasn’t it also human nature to feel unpleasant when treated with wariness?

That’s why Shion’s unusual reaction was welcome.

The smile of Meh, who grasped that hand, deepened.

“Mushat. Was my reaction rude? My apologies, Shion.”

“Mushat. So you were from Horm after all, Meh.”

“I was, once.”

Exchanging the greetings of our homeland that prayed for God’s grace added to the pleasure.

Meh’s large eyes curved like a crescent moon.

“Still, I’ve lived west of the great mountain range for over twenty years. I’m about half a person in this place.”

“I also have only been in Merion for about a year.”

“Is that so?”

Shion and Meh smiled at each other.

Veranio looked at Shion with curious eyes.

It was because, for an eighteen-year-old, he was skilled at dealing with strangers.

He had said he wandered around since he was young, so he figured that must be why.

“By the way, you mentioned you were a department head.”

“Yes. I was in the middle of introducing myself, wasn’t I?”

Meh tapped his chest.

A small crest was engraved there.

“I am the Head of the Technical Department at the Bururade Canal Company.”

“Ah. I’ve heard of it.”

I stroked my chin.

“They said the Bururade Grand Canal could be completed thanks to the best waterway designer from Horm happening to be in the west. When you said you were from Horm, I had a feeling, and it was true!”

“I am but a humble engineer.”

“Just as Guild Master Veranio said, you truly are an important guest.”

I took out the metal case from my pocket.

It was the hard candy I carried around without ever getting tired of it. I put one in my mouth and offered one to Meh.

“Have candy.”

“Is it mint?”

“And raspberries.”

“It reminds me of my hometown.”

Meh smiled lightly, and I took it as a sign of acceptance and placed the hard candy in his palm.

Veranio watched the two men getting along and breathed a sigh of relief. If things had gone wrong, he would have been in big trouble.

“But I’m not sure why someone like me is needed, Meh. If the Head of the Technical Department of the Bururade Canal Company has come all the way to Merion, it must be because of the canal, but I can’t imagine how I could be of any help.”

I said, rolling the hard candy in my mouth.

“I’d like to hear the specifics now.”

“…It is not a difficult matter, but you must keep it a secret.”

Meh said, lowering his voice.

“It may be directly related to our company’s credibility.”

“As it happens, keeping secrets is my specialty.”

“…Hmm.”

He scratched his eyebrow in thought.

His large eyes flashed like a bird of prey as he looked at Veranio.

He naturally couldn’t trust me, a stranger, so he was likely pondering how trustworthy Veranio, who had made the introduction, was.

The silence was short, and Meh soon opened his mouth.

“Shion, are you aware that monster occurrences have become frequent on the Bururade Peninsula recently?”

“I think I may have… heard of it.”

“In terms of simple frequency, this year has seen 1.2 times more monster swarms discovered compared to the previous year. And the previous year was about 1.1 times that of the year before.”

“That doesn’t sound so significant.”

“And the year before that saw 15.2 times more monster swarms discovered compared to the year before that one.”

“……Does that mean monster occurrences have increased tremendously in the last three years?”

“Precisely.”

Meh nodded his head.

Veranio had at some point stood far off.

It was because the man with three scars had no talent for numbers, nor any interest.

I didn’t pay him much mind and blinked my blue eyes.

“It’s certainly strange, but that’s not something the Bururade Canal Company needs to worry about, is it?”

“We wish that were the case, but there’s a trend of monster occurrences being concentrated near the Grand Canal.”

“Hmm?”

“There have been 13 cases where monster swarms developed to the level of large colonies, and 10 of those cases appeared inside or in very close proximity to the Grand Canal facilities.”

“10 out of 13 cases is……”

“Yes, it is as likely as you imagine.”

Meh nodded with a firm expression.

“It must be a problem within the Grand Canal.”

Deep worry was etched on his face.

He looked as if he were being crushed by a sense of responsibility befitting his position as Head of the Technical Department, or perhaps even more.

The Bururade Grand Canal cuts through the peninsula.

The mere thought that something deadly might have mixed into the water that flows to countless people made his shoulders feel as heavy as a thousand pounds.

“…So I’m traveling through the cities with canal management facilities to identify the cause.”

“And because it’s a secret matter, you’re forming an exploration team with a local like me?”

“That’s right. I’m visiting trustworthy business partners and asking for their cooperation.”

“Hmm. Still, it seems like rumors will spread.”

“It’s a matter of time. That’s why we’re in a hurry.”

I could figure out Veranio’s scheme.

The Bururade Canal Company was a business of immense scale.

From Veranio’s perspective, he would have wanted to put the canal company in his debt in some way.

‘I’ll play along since I still owe him for what happened before I regressed. And I was planning on checking out the Grand Canal at some point anyway.’

Once a decision was made, there was no reason to be slow to act.

“The investigation of the cause will be handled by you, Department Head Meh… so my job would be to protect you from any potential monsters, I suppose?”

“That would be it. And Meh is fine, Shion.”

“That doesn’t sound too difficult.”

I tapped the table a couple of times.

“What about the payment?”

“For now, this much has been allocated.”

Meh raised his fingers.

The middle, ring, and pinky fingers, making three.

The way he raised his fingers was also the Horm style.

“Thirty?”

“Three hundred.”

“…Three hundred!?”

I said, startled.

“It’s not silver coins, is it?”

“Gold coins. We intend to pay you in the currency of Schmeizen, Maesh or Erta, whichever has the highest market value at the time of payment. If you wish, Konland or Empire gold coins are also possible.”

“…That’s not an amount you give to a mere mercenary.”

“If we can protect the company’s honor, it is not excessive.”

Three hundred gold coins surpassed a diligent worker’s ten-year salary.

It seemed the rumors that the Grand Canal swept up all the money in the Bururade Peninsula were true.

“There will be additional compensation depending on the progress of the work.”

“That’s not really important, but I’d like to ask a small favor.”

I smiled sweetly.

“I’m not even a proper mercenary, so it would be inconvenient for me to join the exploration team empty-handed. I was wondering if I could borrow the name of a family I’m acquainted with.”

“You would like us to say that the family provided assistance to the Bururade Canal Company, is that what you mean?”

“You catch on quickly.”

“It is not a difficult request, but……”

Meh stroked his mustache.

“Which family, might I ask?”

“You will surely know the name. They were Merion’s foremost noble family for a long time.”

I said, as if whispering.

“Verchello.”

***

“So you’re saying we are now helping the Bururade Canal Company?”

Serena de Verchello said in surprise.

“I’m sorry for proceeding with this on my own, my lady.”

“No, thank you. We are only grateful, but……”

She did not hide her bewilderment.

“…Why?”

“How about we call it a sign of my favor? My way of making a pass at you.”

“…You really are like an old man, Shion.”

Ugh.

Shion Pollinglight (37 years old, regressor) was slightly hurt.

It was because he couldn’t deny being called an old man.

“…In any case, I have no ill intentions. Haven’t I always said it? I’m rooting for Verchello.”

“Thank you, thank you so much. So much that I feel bad for just bringing you bread!”

“My lady, you can be, no, you must be more proud of this bread.”

I mumbled on the walnut-filled bread.

While not as good as the pumpkin pie from the Great Imperial Palace of Cordis, it was close.

No, really! Wasn’t Amethus, who rarely ever expressed likes or dislikes, inhaling the bread like a madman!

“Then when will the exploration team be formed?”

“In a moment.”

“Excuse me?”

I gestured.

Outside the Art Gallery Lamponé, Veranio was standing and waiting.

“To be honest, I didn’t want to go down into the sewers, so I was going to send Amethus……”

Amethus, who had been inhaling the bread, shook his head.

His jade eyes were so firm they seemed unbreakable. I let out a small sigh.

“It seems I’ll be the one covered in filth.”

“…Oh dear.”

Serena covered her mouth.

It seemed like I was going through too much trouble and the fact that I was even helping the Verchello family made it seem even more pitiful.

“Why the long face, my lady?”

“I just feel bad for always receiving so much.”

“I received this bread, didn’t I?”

“Don’t joke around.”

“But I’m being serious.”

I let out a small laugh.

I pushed the rest of the walnut-filled bread into my mouth.

As my mouth felt a little dry, I washed it down with Seram-ade.

It wasn’t a bad combination.

I stood up, dusting the breadcrumbs from my hands.

“If you really feel that way, then would you have a meal with me when I get back?”

***

The Merion branch of the Bururade Canal Company was located about a half-hour carriage ride from the Merion city center.

It wasn’t a long walk either, as it was a short distance along the canal after leaving the east gate.

“You’ve arrived.”

Meh waved his hand and greeted me cheerfully.

He extended his hand with a good-natured smile on his face.

“Mushat. Have you been well, Shion?”

“Mushat. It’s only been two days, Meh.”

Has it?

Meh shook our clasped hands up and down.

He was a cheerful person.

“The others have all arrived.”

“I only see two others.”

“Yes. Four in total. It’s enough considering the scale of the Merion sewers.”

“…So we really have to go down to the sewers.”

“It can’t be helped.”

I covered my face with my hands.

The Merion canal management facility was connected to the sewers.

There were rumors that an ancient dungeon with vast treasures sleeping within lay beneath it, but I had no interest.

I knew I would have to go in, and there was a reason I had to, but I still didn’t want to.

“Please wait just a moment. The protective magic suits are almost fully activated. You can exchange greetings in the meantime.”

I nodded and walked past him.

‘So he was a mage.’

A light flickered behind Meh’s head.

The symbol of a mage, a Halo.

I didn’t know how many stars he had engraved in his soul, but he didn’t seem to be at a laughable level.

As I approached, the two who were standing at a distance came closer.

Both were quite tall.

They looked even more massive in front of me, who was on the shorter side for an eighteen-year-old.

The taller of the two offered a greeting.

“Are you the one? The last member of the exploration team. A pleasure to meet you.”

The man extended his hand to me.

“I am a guest of Del Conti, Pneuve… uh.”

“Oh.”

I recognized the man.

Pneuve Freira.

The man I had defeated when he fought as the dueling champion for Verchello.

Pneuve also recognized me.

He couldn’t not.

Pneuve asked, his hand trembling.

“You are… Viscount Rampo?”

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