After the wagon of the people of Urd departed from the city, the usual everyday sight could be seen spreading across the bazaar.

“Well then…”

　Lacq sat alone in a back alley slightly away from the bazaar.

　The signboard of “for rent” was just taken down and in front of him was a vacant store.

　This was the place Yamato contracted, and the future location of the Urd shop, where they will sell the products from that mountainous village.

　Being appointed by Yamato as the person in charge, Lacq came to check up on the store.

“The building is old, but the support pillars are solid…”

　This was not a popular place, since it was located in a back alley, and the store became empty with the pa.s.s of time.

　However, the two-story building was firmly made, and with a glance, anyone who saw it would understand that this was a good property.

“It's easy to come and go since there's a side entrance and a warehouse in the back…”

　Yamato properly inspected it in advance.

　The items to be sold in this store would be commodities from the village of Urd that would be carried here in a regular basis.

　So, it was a blessing that it had a warehouse to store the stock.

　Yamato might have chosen this vacant store based on his plans for the future.

『The products to be sold will be brought by a high-speed wagon』

　According to his explanation, the “high-speed wagon” is said to be completed soon in the village.

　A high-performance wagon car designed by Yamato and manufactured by the Mountain Clan blacksmith Gaton.

　The plan was to transport the goods from the village of Urd to the city of Orn at an overwhelming speed using one of the best horses in the continent, the Han horses.

　By using a special wheel and a flexible suspension, high-speed travel seemed to be achievable.

“I still cannot believe it. But it feels like if it's that person… he can make it.”

　Even to him, Yamato was a peculiar person.

　A villager with distinctive black hair and eyes, and unsocial and blunt manner of speaking.

　Whether the other party was a Knight Guard or the girl appointed as Consul Regent, his blunt tone and att.i.tude did not change.

　In addition, he had heard that during the kidnapping incident a few years ago, Yamato faced the “Empire's Second Prince, Loki.”

　In front of such a person, he rescued the girl Isis and made a safe return.

“As expected of Yamato-danna…”

　He had loved to be there, to see the moment the calm and collected Loki, also nicknamed “Crimson Mask”, had that att.i.tude blown.

“First, Orn's Consul Regent, then the Crown Prince of the Empire… as expected of him…”

　Although Yamato was just being himself, several dignitaries were involved in those actions.

　The person himself claimed to be a simple villager, but Lacq had the “hunch” that he would be involved in the uproar that would take place in the continent in the future.

◇

“Hmm?　…Ohh, you came.”

　It was then.

　Lacq spoke towards a pillar in the back of the store, where n.o.body should be.

“…To be able to discern my stealth.”

“Well, I've been in a good humor lately.”

　A woman came from behind the pillar.

　The voice sounded somewhat distorted, modulated, but it was definitely a woman the one Lacq talked to.

　Her face was hidden by a hood, but a slight glimpse showed she was at her prime.

“He's very difficult to investigate… that man named “Yamato of Urd” is a dangerous person, Lacq-sama.”

　The woman gave a warning.

　She couldn't explain it well, but she knew that person was dangerous.

“Well, if you say he's dangerous, he is. After all, he fought against that Sir Barrès and his magic sword “Mad Storm”.”

　An amazing fight unfolded as Lacq was watching from the evacuating wagon in the distance.

　Against that big sword, Yamato dealt against it with only a knife and mysterious martial skills.

　It was likely that Yamato was not serious since he never pulled the sword he carried diagonally on his back.

　Also, the person himself stubbornly said he was 『Not a swordsman. Just a simple villager. 』, truly, downright stubbornness.

“…I also told you last time, but if you give your permission, I'll erase this “Yamato of Urd”.”

　The woman advised Lacq as she pulled a black dagger from her waist.

　Yamato of Urd should be a.s.sa.s.sinated before his presence and power becomes increasingly dangerous. And if it was her, she could easily sneak into Urd Village, and carry out the a.s.sa.s.sination.

　Her words, the words of the most famous a.s.sa.s.sin in the continent were told with conviction, not conceit.

“Don't even try it… Even for someone like you, Yamato-danna has surely noticed your existence already.”

“That can't happen…”

　The woman a.s.sa.s.sin couldn't conceal her surprise in her voice after hearing the warning words of Lacq.

　Is she were to get serious, she could even sneak inside the castle of the Empire or the Kingdom and steal from them.

　But to hear that the man named “Yamato of Urd”, a mere villager, was aware that she was monitoring him.

“It seems like he also has vaguely guessed my true ident.i.ty. Yamato-danna, a person I can't really see the depth of…”

　It felt to him that since the first day, Yamato apparently noticed his real ident.i.ty.

　However, he didn't mind it at all, and spoke without doubting Lacq.

　Like a majestic ocean or the endless sky, the essence of Yamato was vast and dark.

“Lacq-sama… no, Lacquell-sama. Would you stop this playing around and return to the main house in the Holy City soon? “

　The woman a.s.sa.s.sin strongly called to Lacq using his real name, which she was told not to.

　She chided him on his choice of being a “shopkeeper of a dirty store in such a small trade city”.

“A little more… after the fun of playing around along Yamato-danna ends, I'll definitely go back to the main house…”

　Even after being called by his real name, Lacq dared to still use his playful tone as he answered. A little more until he got the “treasure” he was looking for.

“Understood… Just a little more time then, Lacq-sama.”

“Yeah… just “a little more”…”

　As he replied, Lacq moved his gaze towards the window, to the north. Towards the direction where the Urd wagon… where Yamato left.

(Still, the next time danna comes… “further turmoil” is sure to happen…)

　Lacq murmured those words to himself, so than n.o.body else would hear them.

　All the while holding the “red crystal of rock salt” he received as a parting gift from Yamato.

   OOOO