Seirei Gensouki's
Chapter 144: Restoration Journey to ~

That day, Rio-tachi took a detour around the check station and then managed to pass through it by using the mountainous and forested area that barely arrived at the next post town before night.

「A-We finally arrived」

Murakumo Kouta muttered those words in a tired voice while looking at the entrance of the post town.

「Maybe I was really in vain because we traveled through the forest. How long have we been walking through the woods? 」

Saiki Rei, the senpai Kouta walking by his side was responded with a faint breath.

It had been two days since they left the capital of the earl Claire region, Creia. They continued to move during that time, so it was natural for the two of them who had come from a peaceful Japan to become exhausted like this.

Nevertheless, it becomes clearer on the side of Christina and Celia who are basically living a sheltered life to have much less stamina than Kouta-tachi.

Nevertheless, Christina and Celia continued to move gallantly without saying a complaint. Both are currently rehydrating themselves with water from their pumpkins.

Distance The average human distance in one day is about 30 ~ 40 kilometers. But, we have barely covered half of that distance since we traveled through the jungle 」

Rio replied to Rei's question with an indifferent face.

「Shortly about 20 kilometers …………. . 」

Kouta's face stiffened upon hearing the fact that the distance could be traversed in tens of minutes by car.

Then–,

「It takes about 2-3 weeks until we arrive at the fortress of Restoration. The road ahead is still long. We will move tomorrow also 」

Vanessa, the knight of Christina's bodyguard who moves in from the side.

"Yes……… . 」

Kouta could do nothing but nod at hearing that.

「By the way, let's enter the city immediately so that we can secure our lodging today. Since I will make a lighter dinner, please go to bed earlier than usual 」

After Rio said those words with a wry smile, they all continued on the short journey towards the inn.

And then, as soon as Rio entered the post town, he was struck by a faint feeling of unease. He felt someone staring at him.

（N?）

When he saw the origin of that gaze, he saw several adventurers gathered together near the entrance of the post town as if they were looking at Rio-tachi who had somehow appeared outside the post town.

Adventurers were spreading everywhere, it was not a rare sight to find adventurers who had just finished their work in such a place. Real adventurers may be quite curious about outsiders.

It is possible that they may be doing vigilante work to protect a post town left unguarded.

"What are they looking at? 」

Christina whispered to him. Vanessa who walked by his side also kept her vigilance. It seems that the two are paying attention as well.

「Keep your eyes away from them. Because it will be troublesome if we suddenly get into a fight. Don't let them find any abnormalities, basically let's act as if nothing happened. Now please follow me 」

Rio muttered those words to be heard by all the members. And just like that with him walking quickly in front, they went to the post town.

Since the post town was established along the highway, it only had one and the main road was straight. After entering the post town while strengthening his vigilance on their backs, he felt the gazes of those adventurers dispersing.

「I'll find lodging. Please wait in this place, everything is 」

Rio entered a fairly normal inn while saying so.

Then, after bribing the innkeeper in the same way as yesterday, he decided to rent a private room.

◇ ◇ ◇

A certain bar in the post town where Rio-tachi arrived.

Although the adventurers who made this post town their headquarters usually roamed this place, this bar was rather quiet today.

Two men were drinking liquor in one corner of this bar.

The first is an adventurer in the middle of his age thigapuluh―― Who became a mediator of adventurers who made this post city as their base ―― and the last is an adventurer in the second half of the in his twenties.

「Then, how did it go? Any results today? 」

The younger adventurer asked the older adventurer sitting in front of him.

「We are watching closely as you said since the inspection at the northern inspection station became tighter, traffic decreased for the time being. There are only a total of 4 groups of travelers entering this post town today. We call people who seem similar to your description. Now it's dinner time. We might get the right information at the nearest bar or dining room of an inn. Reports must be coming soon 」

So the older adventurer said that as a fact.

"I saw"

Younger adventurers throw short replies while eating dishes on the table.

「………. . Hi Is it really alright for us to receive a large sum of money for this kind of work, Arein-san? 」

The older adventurer suddenly asked that question.

「You are still impatient even though you have not finished your work, right?」

The young adventurer named Arein smiled wryly at him.

「Well, as you said. I mean isn't this the kind of work that even some novice adventurers can complete? 」

The older adventurer replied awkwardly while scratching his head.

「Do you think so? 」

Arein sneered at hearing that.

「Hah, please stop by talking as if you are trying to test me. I was quite unfortunate to end up as a fourth rank adventurer in this city. I can't follow what you think, second rank adventurer thinks of 」

The older adventurer frowned in displeasure.

「That guy is bad news. I'm younger than you anyway. No need to show such humility, right? 」

Arein retorted so while shrugging his shoulders.

「Huhm, it has nothing to do with age. In addition, an adventurer should show minimum respect for their client rights 」

"Great"

After saying that, the door of the bar suddenly opened along with the entry of many adventurers.

「Oh, friends. How outcome? 」

The older adventurer greeted the other adventurers who had just entered the bar.

"No results . I think it's all save for the last group held 」

「Last group arrested? 」

The older adventurer asked in a confused voice.

「This group Orin. Eh? 」

The adventurer in question then looked at the young adventurer in his mid-teen standing in front, Orin.

「Yes, we can't make contact. Although they were inside the inn, for some reason they booked a private room and cooked their own dishes by borrowing the kitchen 」

「Hou. In short, they avoid public gazes, right? 」

Arein asked that question with an interested tone hearing the information from Orin.

「No, I don't know to that extent ………. . 」

「Ahn, aren't you trying to investigate the innkeeper? 」

"I did it . But, it seemed like the innkeeper also did not know much about them ……. 」

Orin retorted with a sullen face as if unhappy with the question from the old adventurer.

「Ceh, useless chapter. In the end you did the work of half a donkey 」

「S-Hal-things like that! Ah, come to think of it. They all used hoods to hide their faces. How about that? 」

「" How it's "my ass. You should know as far as you look at the way they walk in the city. What's with your winning appearance 」

And then, when the older adventurer rebuked Orin, he,

「Well that's okay. We'll get our second chance when they leave town tomorrow. You can try to make contact with them at that point. Let me go with you when it's 」

Arein said those words from the side and then drank a beer with a nonchalant expression on her face.

◇ ◇ ◇

The next morning, after leaving the inn, Rio-tachi went outside the city.

By the way, they were a little behind schedule as everyone overslept due to their accumulated fatigue for Rio and Vanessa.

When they arrived around the city gate and faced towards their destination,

「Oi, friends there. Judging from your appearance, you guys are correct travelers 」

Several adventurers suddenly appeared and called out to Rio-tachi.

「............. Right, and you guys? 」

Rio who stood in the front row replied as the party representative.

On the other hand, Vanessa who was standing at the end of the formation raised her vigilance.

「Ups, we don't try to fight. We just want to ask you something 」

The middle-aged adventurer raised both of his hands as a sign of not being able to bear it.

「We are in a hurry. Please hold if you want to ask something that needs time to be answered 」

Rio kept his vigilance while staring at the adventurer.

「No, it only takes a moment. Ye . No, does anyone among you know about a man named Lucius? 」

「………. . I know a guy who has the same name as him but I don't know if they're the same guy 」

Rio replied after pausing for a moment. His train of thought came to a halt for a moment as an unexpected name suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Although he was thinking of answering that he did not know about the name, he could not help his curiosity when he heard Lucious's name and then tried asking them indirectly.

"Oh that's right . The Lucius I know is the leader of the mercenary merc Heavenly Lion 』. And first rank adventurers. What about that information? 」

The middle-aged adventurer asked that question in a curious tone.

「………. Yeah, that's a famous name. He is the person I know 」

Rio agreed after a slight pause.

He tries to find information regarding Lucius around Almond alone when he is still living with Miharu-tachi.

Although they have been inactive for the past few years, his name is famous around him along with the name 『Heavenly Lion Mercenary』.

That's why he believes it's not an artificial rumor.

"I saw . Sorry to stop you in the middle of your journey. Already okay 」

「........ Is it okay? 」

Rio was disappointed by the event that ended in an unexpected way.

「Yes, we confirm that you guys are not our target」

"What do you mean? "

Rio looked at the man with a suspicious look.

「K-We can't say the details but we are looking for someone. We are just acting as messengers. We call someone who looks like what our clients are looking for. As for you guys, I can't see you guys as the ones he's looking for because you look so natural. Well, that's the point 」

The middle-aged adventurer told them with a suggestive answer.

「............... In short, is your client someone named Lucius? 」

「Sorry, I can't answer your question. I have to keep my client secret 」

The middle-aged adventurer gave a clear refusal.

（What should I do?）

Rio became very impatient inside.

Asking forcibly would seem unnatural and he did not think that he would get the answer even if he asked the middle-aged adventurer. Causing a commotion in this kind of open space in the middle of the road was also impossible.

First, he didn't have time for that. Because he's currently escorting a group of fugitives.

（Should I remain alone in this place to investigate? I can do it later as long as I leave the job of escorting them to Aisia in her spirit form. Better details about the route to be taken have already been decided. There were forest routes as well, so it was unnatural for us to join without prior arrangements. First of all, what kind of explanation should I pass on to sensei-tachi?）

Rio looked at the adventurers while being bothered by such things for a few seconds.

「What's up, Haruto? 」

Celia called out her name from behind.

「No, it's nothing. How about we go 」

Rio shook his head and then turned to look back. It felt like he was doing something he was reluctant to do but, he cleverly hid it so that no one would know the unusual changes about him.

「See you, Lads. Sorry for calling you when you were in a hurry 」

The adventurers then left after saying those words.

Rio looked at their backs with an impatient look.

「Lucius yes. To think that I would hear that name in a place like this 」

Vanessa muttered those words.

「You know about him? 」

Christina who was standing next to him asked with a slightly surprised face.

Rio listened to their conversation with an indifferent face.

「Ya, fine. He is a fallen noble of our kingdom 」

Vanessa replied in a porridge voice.

「Is that？ I don't know about him」

「That was when I was a beginner. It's been a decade old story. Although it was a fairly famous story at that time ………. . So it's only natural that Christina-sama doesn't know about that 」

"She……… . . All right, it's okay. We'll talk about it later. Let's go"

Christina urged them to leave immediately as she might feel that they could not continue this conversation any more than this in this place. So, they all left the city.

After that, at that time――,

（I'll stay in this city, Haruto. I should be able to dig up information, right? About instructions to find Lucius）

And then, Aisia's voice echoed in her head.

（………. Aisia）

Rio stopped in place and then showed a puzzled face.

In fact, he really wanted to ask her to do that.

Although it was clear that he was no match for this kind of activity due to his extremely attractive appearance and reserved personality, he was able to travel around adventurers to gather information in his spirit form.

But, he wondered if it was okay to leave such a job to Aisia.

This was his own problem and in doing so he would involve Aysia in no way as his accomplice.