This was the third day since leaving Streamwood Town. Nearly forty carriages displayed the Apocaya Merchant Guild's formidable strength. Between the caravan's own guards and employees, plus three mercenary groups, there were nearly two hundred people.
Havent sat on a carriage, chatting idly with Paimon, who rode beside him.
"Paimon, do you know what the guild is hauling? There sure is a lot of stuff."
Paimon had a blade of grass between his lips. Since Wells had ordered him not to drink, he looked completely listless.
"Ha~"
Paimon let out a huge yawn and said lazily,
"Nothing but potions, magic crystals, magical beast materials, and the like. They come to the Northern Frontier once a year to purchase supplies before the snow falls."
After hearing Paimon's answer, Havent nodded slowly.
"Damn, that must cost a fortune. Why don't they form their own guard force? Isn't it risky to hire outsiders?"
"Who knows? Maybe they're just rich."
It was already nearing dusk.
The orange-red sun hung close to the mountain line on the horizon. A few scattered clouds gradually reddened beneath the sunset. It was late autumn, and the weeds along both sides of the road had already yellowed, rolling back and forth like waves beneath the gentle breeze.
Havent sat at the back of the carriage, his back against a cargo crate as he watched the scenery slowly recede. The evening breeze brushed against his face, and he narrowed his eyes contentedly.
"Prepare to make camp~"
A mounted mercenary rode over from the front and called out to Wells, who wore a full suit of iron armor.
The convoy slowly came to a stop. Havent stood up, stretched, and jumped off the carriage, intending to relieve himself nearby. After only taking a few steps, he heard something and turned back to find Paimon following him.
"You need to pee too?"
Paimon nodded and quickly caught up. The two walked side by side toward a small grove not far away.
"Hey, Will, I know there's a hot spring nearby. Let's go soak in it later."
"Is that really okay? They have that kind of service out here in the wilderness?"
Paimon draped an arm around Havent's shoulders and rolled his eyes.
"What are you talking about? It's an open-air, natural hot spring."
"Oh, oh~ But sneaking off now that they're setting up camp doesn't seem too good. If we don't help, your uncle won't let you drink later."
Paimon coolly brushed his bangs aside.
"It's fine. I hid the liquor a long time ago. Come on, come on. I'm telling you, you'll regret it if you don't take a dip in that hot spring."
Havent shook himself dry, pulled up his pants, and followed Paimon despite his doubts.
More than ten minutes later.
"Holy crap, Paimon, this really is comfortable~"
"Right? Right? I'm telling you, my uncle brought me here. It'd be perfect if we had some liquor. I should've stolen a few bottles earlier."
The two boys soaked bare-chested in a hot spring about twenty square meters wide. Steam rose around them, opening Havent's pores as the fatigue from sitting in a carriage all day vanished completely.
Hearing that his friend wanted a drink, Havent raised his right hand. The ring on his index finger glowed faintly.
"Here~ Catch."
Seeing a dark shape fly toward him, Paimon hurriedly sat up in the hot spring and clumsily caught it. Once he steadied himself and looked at it—
"Holy crap! Will, where did this come from?"
Havent submerged his whole body beneath the water, leaving only his head above the surface.
"I made a wish to Aladdin, and then liquor came out."
Paimon held the bottle and examined it closely, trying to make sense of the words written on its surface.
"Aladdin? What god is that? How come I've never heard of him?"
"Aladdin~ Aladdin is..."
"Forget it, there are so many gods that I wouldn't know even if you told me. Ha~~~ Will, this liquor tastes amazing~"
Paimon, who was guzzling from the bottle, had already lost interest in learning which god Aladdin was. He had become immersed in the wonderful taste of the Black Thorn Havent had brought from Baiman City.
"Hey~ Slow down. Leave some for me."
Seeing that Paimon had already finished the second bottle and was about to go after the third, Havent rolled through the water to snatch it away.
"Burp~~~~"
After drinking his fill, Paimon relaxed in the hot spring and let out a loud burp.
Havent picked up the bottles and shook them. That damn guy had actually drunk all four bottles.
"Paimon, shouldn't we be heading back? By the way, how did Uncle Wells find this place?"
He looked around and got no response. Havent turned his head and saw that the bastard had drunk too fast and gotten lightheaded from the hot spring.
Seeing Paimon about to fall asleep, Havent stood up, walked over, and patted Paimon's face.
"Hey~, wake up. Don't sleep here. You'll catch a cold."
A faint pain came from his face. Paimon laboriously opened his eyes, saw his good friend before him, and grinned broadly.
"Hey~ Will, why are you here? I'm telling you, there's an open-air hot spring nearby. It's really great. I'll take you there..."
Looking at the delirious Paimon, Havent shook his head speechlessly. He went over to the rocks and put on his own clothes first, then came back and dragged Paimon, who had already fallen asleep in the hot spring, out.
Paimon lay on the ground like a dead pig, completely motionless. Havent had to exert every ounce of strength before finally managing to dress him.
Looking at the snoring Paimon, Hailante hesitated for a moment before ultimately hoisting his good brother onto his shoulder and heading toward the camp.
Just as Havent trudged away with Paimon on his shoulder, pairs of blood-red eyes lit up in the woods not far from the hot spring, watching the two leave.
After walking several hundred meters, Paimon, jostled up and down by Havent, suddenly sat up. Then Havent felt a warm sensation spread across his backside.
He set down Paimon, who was vomiting violently, then looked back. There was a large stain of liquor on his butt, and Havent kicked Paimon in the ass in fury.
After vomiting a few more times, Paimon finally sobered up. He looked at the ground, then at his good friend's backside, and gave an embarrassed smile.
"Hey, Will, that liquor of yours was really amazing."
He looked at the ground again and said regretfully,
"It just didn't stay in my stomach for very long. How about we go back and wash up?"
Havent gave Paimon a huge eye roll and irritably reached out to pull him to his feet.
"Let's go! You brat, I should've just left you there and made your uncle come pick you up."
Seeing Havent was still angry, Paimon scratched his head awkwardly and pleaded with him.
"Don't be angry, Will. We're good brothers. There are wolves around here. What if you leave me behind and I get eaten by wolves?"
Seeing that Will still ignored him, Paimon found it a little strange. His good friend wasn't usually this petty.
"When we get to the next town, I'll treat you to a feast, Will. Why are you... hmm?"
Just as he was about to say a few more words to stop his friend from being angry, he suddenly felt Havent tightly grip his arm.
"Shh~, don't say anything. Run!"
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