Extra in a Romance Fantasy

39 – Business

In the streets of her hometown, after exchanging countless greetings of reunion, time passed quickly.

I was finally liberated from the endless cycle of greetings.

“Wade, make sure to play with me later!”

“Wade! Stop by the store before you go back!”

After waving goodbye to those who left, I finally returned to the group.

But….

“…”

…The gazes of the group towards me were unsettling.

I can’t express it accurately, but what can I say, their eyes seemed to show a hint of annoyance.

“…What’s wrong?”

I asked curiously in response to their gazes.

Rachel, Ayla, and Estelle did not give any particular answer.

“Hmm… It seems to exceed imagination.”

“It surpasses expectations.”

Alexis and Cedric also sent me similar looks and muttered something incomprehensible.

Why are these people acting like this?

Although the question was never resolved.

“Let’s go.”

There was no need to resolve it.

In the first place, I spent too much time here than I thought.

It was my fault, but I couldn’t properly look back and had to return to the mansion.

With that thought, I led the group, and finally, the proper exploration began.

***

The exploration of the bustling streets of Raywood that started like that was not received poorly, contrary to expectations.

Raywood was certainly not a city that could be called glamorous compared to other developed cities, and there was not much to see, but surprisingly, that aspect worked in our favor, and the group showed a positive response.

The fact that the entire group was composed of foreigners seemed to have a significant impact.

Something like a culture unique to this place seemed to appeal to them refreshingly.

While cultural exchange between nations was lively, and with the easy travel facilitated by the advancement of magic, it was now simple to encounter the cultures of other countries. Still, there were things one couldn’t know about all of it.

Anyway, the exploration of Raekinwood proceeded successfully, and it was time to return to the mansion.

“You all go ahead.”

I didn’t board the carriage; instead, I stood in place.

“Wade, aren’t you coming with us?”

“I have something to attend to for a moment.”

There were still things I needed to do here.

Well, it wasn’t urgent at the moment, but I decided to handle it since I was already out here.

I might not come back to the bustling city anytime soon, and deliberately coming all the way here from the mansion with guests waiting wasn’t very efficient.

“……”

However, the looks from the group were unusual.

It was a gaze of suspicion.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that.”

I felt unjustly accused.

It’s not like I’m about to engage in something I wouldn’t want others to see.

“Then we’ll go with you.”

Estelle spoke with narrowed eyes.

“Oh, that’s a bit…”

“If you have nothing to hide, there’s no problem with us coming along.”

…Her words weren’t entirely wrong.

If there’s nothing to hide, and if what I’m doing is genuinely righteous, it shouldn’t matter whether others are present or not.

And I don’t have any reservations about what I’m currently doing.

However.

“…Anyway, I’ll be back in a bit.”

Since it wasn’t something worth revealing to the group, I gave a brief farewell and distanced myself from them.

I could feel a consistently warm gaze following me from behind, but fortunately, there was no one following.

Confirming that, I continued walking through the lively streets, eventually entering an alley between buildings.

Even though I had only passed one building, the lively atmosphere that was felt just a moment ago vanished in an instant.

Was it because something had actually changed, or was it simply because it was a place where sunlight seldom reached?

Without a clear answer to that question, I continued to move forward.

Into the alley.

Deeper into the back alleys.

The further I walked, the darker it became, and the atmosphere gradually sank.

And at some point, as I walked and ventured inward, individuals sitting on the roadside or leaning against walls began to catch my eye, one by one.

On the surface, they seemed far from leading exemplary and diligent lives.

Even in a city ruled by the virtuous Blue Noah, or in the comparatively bright atmosphere of Lakenwood, there were always people with a veneer and shadows lurking.

Most of the ones visible here belonged to that category.

Those pushed out from the mainstream or those who willingly plunged into the shadows.

Naturally, those living in a place like this were not likely to be kind and gentle.

Not that they were not, but from the beginning, multiple gazes were already flying towards me.

There were those blatantly staring, and others pretending not to while casting sidelong glances my way.

And probably, the sentiment behind those eyes wasn’t likely to be particularly friendly.

Yet, rather than overtly hostile emotions, what they displayed was mostly a high probability of wariness.

People in these places were accustomed to being cautious of outsiders, and at a glance, I didn’t resemble a resident from this side.

Fortunately, what could be considered lucky was that no one had directly approached me with a confrontation yet.

Of course, even if such a person were to emerge, it wouldn’t pose a significant problem, but the less trouble, the better.

…Hmm. Anyway.

“There are a lot of unfamiliar faces.”

It had been half a year since leaving Lakenwood.

During that six-month period, several unfamiliar faces had appeared in these back alleys.

I had my own fair share of acquaintances among the residents here, but most of the faces I saw now were unfamiliar.

Well, that wasn’t strange.

These kinds of back alleys existed everywhere, and since they rarely showed themselves on the outside, it was easy for various incidents to flip them over.

An organization could disappear overnight due to power struggles, or they could move to another city in the blink of an eye.

Also, there were many cases of people relocating cities due to minor warrants.

So, the increase in new faces wasn’t something to be surprised about.

Moreover, most of the individuals visible on the surface were usually insignificant nobodies.

As long as the ecosystem in the back alleys of Lakenwood hadn’t completely changed, I should be able to handle my business without any issues.

As I organized my thoughts, I continued to move deeper into the alley, and after a short while, I came to a shabby pub.

There’s no name displayed, but it’s undoubtedly a tavern.

Taking a moment to survey the exterior of the pub from outside, I soon found myself stepping in.

Clang—

A clear sound from the bell on the door announced the entrance of a guest.

Though overall worn, the place seemed to have its own interior design, a modest effort in its own right.

Considering its rather run-down appearance, it was surprisingly a decent tavern.

“Welcome… What the…”

Whether it was the sound of the bell or just a reflex to greet a guest, the waiter sitting at a table abruptly stopped mid-gesture, looking at me.

Then, he stared intently at my face and sighed.

“…Who’s this kid?”

Tutting, he clicked his tongue.

“This ain’t the place for a kid like you. So, say your nice words and leave, okay?”

If there were a director looking for an extra street thug, they might applaud and cast him with that tone and attitude.

It had been a while since I encountered someone who fit the term “thug” so perfectly, and I silently admired that fact.

Of course.

“Where’s the boss?”

That’s a different matter altogether.

“What? The boss? This guy’s out of his mind. Hey, I’m saying it nicely, isn’t it obvious you shouldn’t be here? So why don’t you leave while you can?”

With a theatrical gesture, the waiter approached me step by step, distorting his expression.

“I tried to send you off nicely with a generous heart, but it seems that won’t work.”

With exaggerated movements, he raised his arm, and just as the waiter reached out to me, a middle-aged man from inside the shop walked over.

“What the hell’s going on here? Why is it so noisy… Oh…”

The man, who had been walking out with a calm expression, immediately faltered upon seeing this side.

More precisely, when our eyes met.

Although it was a face I hadn’t seen in a long time, I silently observed the man without making any particular movement.

“Oh! Boss! It’s nothing! Just a strange kid who suddenly came in… Boss, you don’t have to worry! I’ll take care of it in no time!”

The waiter, upon seeing the boss’s face, ignited the determination to handle me.

Perhaps it was to decisively handle the matter and leave a mark, even if only symbolically.

However.

“…Shut up and stay huddled in the corner.”

“…Pardon?”

What came out of the boss’s mouth was different from what he had anticipated.

“If you utter another word, I’ll yank out every single tooth you have.”

The boss, regardless of whether the employee showed a startled reaction or not, intensified his already menacing demeanor, glaring at the employee to make it even more intimidating.

“….”

Though not entirely oblivious, the employee, with a face full of doubt, covered their mouth with both hands and quietly retreated.

I silently observed the employee’s reaction, then turned my gaze towards the boss.

“….”

The ferocious expression from a moment ago had vanished, and the boss appeared visibly anxious, enough to be easily recognizable.

“…Wade.”

Then, with a visibly deflated demeanor, he called out my name.

“That… while you were away, someone from another city arrived. That’s why I don’t recognize your face. S-so… could you… overlook this?”

Seeing the boss sweating profusely and speaking in such a manner made me, no matter who I was, feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Someone might think I’m devouring people.”

So, I decided to lighten the mood.

“If you don’t know someone’s face, that could happen. I understand.”

Continuing with a smile, I added, “So, this time, I’ll let it go. People make mistakes, after all.”

“Thank y—”

“But you know, there won’t be a third time, right?”

“….”

The boss, who seemed about to say something, promptly closed his mouth.

And the amount of sweat pouring down since earlier doubled.

…Well, this should suffice.

People in this secluded world occasionally need doses of tension injected into them.

Otherwise, they tend to underestimate and engage in unnecessary actions.

“Well, leaving that aside. You understand why I’m here, don’t you?”

“…Of course.”

“Then follow me.”

The boss, who had been looking at me with uncertain eyes, finally turned and began to move towards the inside of the shop.

I followed right behind. Leaving the still bewildered gaze of the clerk behind.

Entering the interior of the shop, there was a room that strongly conveyed the feeling of being the boss’s exclusive space, just beyond the door.

The boss sat inside, behind the desk, and I took a seat on the chair opposite without waiting for the boss to suggest.

“Phew….”

The boss, taking a deep breath, rested his hands on the desk and asked, “So, what brought you here today?”

Still looking at the boss, whose gaze had changed a bit from earlier, I spoke.

“Everything that happened in Raikenwood while I was away, anything worth paying attention to.”

“That’s not difficult.”

As if anticipating my words, Henson nodded lightly and began to lay out the events that had occurred in Raikenwood during the six months I was at the academy.

Most of them were things that could be vaguely called incidents but didn’t really need much attention. The owner of the miscellaneous store on 3rd Street injured his back, and his son took over; the owner of the fruit store around the square got married, and so on.

Information is information, but the importance is infinitely low.

Well, for this kind of village standard, they might be incidents enough to be called that.

Anyway, Henson’s stories were all about such things.

Things that were okay to know and okay not to know, those trivial things.

But I wasn’t disappointed.

The fact that there were only trivial stories meant that there were no big incidents.

Rather than haphazard changes causing confusion, maintaining this gentle atmosphere was much better.

“…That’s about it.”

Henson’s lengthy story finally came to an end. I nodded silently without saying anything.

“Well, what’s next?”

Henson’s gaze sank.

Indeed, even if he didn’t know much else, he was quick-witted.

He had noticed that there was a main topic apart from all this.

Henson’s prediction was right. I hadn’t just come to hear the ins and outs of Raikinwood.

I opened my mouth while meeting those intense gazes.

“The situation on the front lines, trends in each nation, and information on their suspicious movements, all of it.”

Preparation was necessary for the twisted future.