Dark Night?
She probably meant that horse.
Though I was pretty sure I hadn't hit it, what if they tried to charge me for the horse's emotional distress or something?
He Xi, who was short on cash, had no choice but to lead Bruce toward the carriage.
The coachman opened the door for them.
The interior was more spacious and comfortable than it looked from outside, with a thick, soft carpet covering the floor.
The young lady named Annis was sizing them up with curious eyes.
"Sit," she said, indicating the seat opposite with her chin. Her elegant manner carried a hint of command. "Your dog is interesting. What's its name?"
"Bruce."
Bruce didn't seem to care for the incense in the carriage. He rudely let out a loud sneeze.
"Bruce..." Annis repeated, her full, rose-colored lips curving slightly. "Where are you going?"
"Rose Town," He Xi answered honestly, growing more and more puzzled.
"Oh? Going to become adventurers?" Annis's interest deepened. "As it happens, I need to take care of something near the edge of Gray Mist Forest. Looks like we can travel together for a while."
She said it casually, as though she'd already made the decision for He Xi.
He Xi hadn't planned on traveling with a strange person.
Even if she looked rich.
He glanced over the carriage ceiling. It didn't seem to have any dents or anything.
Annis saw right through his thoughts and gave a soft snort. "Of course your lousy branch didn't damage this carriage."
Her brows knitted slightly as she thought for a moment, then came up with an excuse. "But... you... you woke me from my nap!"
Then she added, as if she were entirely in the right, "Now that I'm awake, it'll be hard to fall asleep again. Keep me company and chat with me along the way.
"When we reach Rose Town, I'll pay you for your trouble. Think of it as... temporarily hiring you as a guard. You look like some kind of professional, anyway, right?"
After she finished, she muttered under her breath, "Who knows what kind of people call themselves tough these days..."
He Xi didn't catch her muttering, but he did pick out one key word and hurriedly asked, "How much is the payment?"
Annis rummaged through the little pouch she carried, then held up a gleaming gold coin between two fingers and waved it before He Xi's eyes.
It was about three centimeters across, and even in the dim light inside the carriage, it shone with an alluring luster.
"One Gold Shield," she said casually. "All the way to Rose Town."
He Xi's eyes widened.
A Gold Shield! He'd only heard of those since crossing over. He'd never seen one in person!
His mind began calculating at lightning speed.
As far as he knew, one Gold Shield could be exchanged for about a hundred Silver Scales, and one Silver Scale for about a hundred Copper Nails.
Usually, one Copper Nail could buy a piece of Black Bread big enough to fill your stomach.
Silver Scales and Copper Nails both weighed around three grams, but their shapes were entirely different. Copper Nails were thin and long, like the nails carpenters used, while Silver Scales were irregular, flat pieces shaped like fish scales.
But the Gold Shield before him was a perfect circle!
It was about as thick as a one-yuan coin from his previous life, and even wider in diameter—over three centimeters across.
They said a Gold Shield weighed thirty grams.
He Xi felt an urge to take it in his hand right away and savor its dreamlike heft.
Thirty grams of gold! Even before he'd crossed over, that would have been worth more than twenty thousand yuan!
He didn't hesitate. "No problem, Miss Annis. From this moment on, I'm your guard—Galen."
"Galen?" Annis murmured the name, then nodded, apparently satisfied. "Sounds like a warrior's name."
"Uh... something like that."
"Then, Galen, where are you from?"
To avoid explaining where Plint was, He Xi casually gave her the name of a larger place.
"Hord."
Annis's pupils widened slightly, but she quickly regained her composure and asked perfunctorily, "Hord?"
"The capital of Nordholt County," He Xi added.
"Oh..." Annis seemed to suddenly understand, then pursed her lips with a hint of disdain. "Now I remember. I think there is such a county. But I've heard it's nothing but farmers, with not a single decent adventurer. What kind of jobs could you possibly get in a place like that?"
He Xi decided to keep quiet.
Holder City was, after all, the capital of a count's lands, and it did have an Adventurer Guild—just not a very large one. Of course, on this young lady's mental map, it probably counted as "the countryside."
Annis studied his somewhat awkward appearance. His clothes were tattered, but he was good-looking.
Her interest in him grew.
Just then—
"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."
The rapid sound of hooves drew closer.
A loud voice immediately came through the window:
"Miss Annis, why is there a stranger in the carriage? Did you let someone on again without asking me?"
At the sound of that voice, the interest that had appeared on Annis's face during their conversation vanished, replaced by undisguised irritation.
She yanked open the carriage curtain and shouted at the Strongman riding a tall warhorse outside.
"Odin! Do I need your permission to let someone into my carriage?"
The man outside looked to be around thirty. He wore a suit of fine chainmail, had neatly trimmed brown facial hair, and sharp eyes.
He reined in his horse and rode alongside the carriage, his tone stern. "I accepted the guard contract, so I have to take full responsibility for your safety!"
"I don't need you!" Annis shot back without the slightest courtesy. "I don't know how you tricked my butler, but I'll say it again: I can let on whoever I want!"
Odin ignored Annis and spoke directly to the coachman, barking an order. "Fred, stop the carriage right now! Make that suspicious fellow get off!"
The carriage slowed at once.
"Who told you to stop?" Annis's cheeks flushed with anger. "Fred, keep going! Faster! Or I'll dock your entire salary this month!"
The poor coachman was caught between them, not knowing what to do. The carriage slowed, then jolted and began to speed up again.
A flash of anger crossed Odin's eyes. He clamped his legs against his horse's flanks!
"Neigh—!"
The warhorse suddenly accelerated, surged ahead of the carriage, then turned sharply and blocked the road.
The tall horse was like a wall, barring the carriage's way.
"Whoa!"
The coachman had no choice but to pull the reins again. The carriage lurched to a halt.
The carriage rocked violently. The momentum threw Annis forward and into He Xi's arms.
She steadied herself, her chest heaving with anger. Though it barely rose and fell, her delicate almond-shaped eyes seemed ready to shoot fire.
"Odin!! You're fired! Right now! Get out of my sight!"
She pointed a slender finger at He Xi, who sat inside the carriage looking utterly innocent and confused.
"From this moment on, he's my new guard!"
"Mister Galen!"
"He's ten thousand times stronger than you!"
Before you continue