After waiting for a while, that person finally returned with several others.
Their appearance did not look like that of good people. Well... just by looking at where they live, there is no way they are good people.
The looks in their eyes also seemed very unfriendly, and I was sure they would do something to us.
Luke and I immediately got down from the horse carriage and did not walk toward them; instead, we waited for them to approach us.
If we had not come down from our previous position, I think it would have only been like provoking them to do something.
"Who did you capture this time?" asked a man with dark grayish-brown ears above his hair, who stood at the very center.
"I-I only captured them because they passed the road up ahead. That is usually what I do, right? When we encounter groups like them."
Suddenly, that person stepped forward alone a few steps toward the two of us, and I think he wanted to introduce himself to us, perhaps?
"Are you two merchants? Your horse carriage is not like what most people have. Tell me, why did you come to this city?" he said without stopping his gaze toward me.
"We are just ordinary travelers. We came to this city simply because we saw the route on the map," I replied.
He fell silent for a moment before asking me again.
"There are humans inside, right? I want to see who they are and what goods are inside," he said.
As if they had been listening to our conversation, Yuu-chan and Hime came out from inside the carriage and stood beside us.
In my opinion, I think they are the kind of group that wants to plunder merchants passing through their territory.
They earn money by stealing from merchants who come to their area and consider them to be acting presumptuously, allowing them to do whatever they want.
Dealing directly with people like them is truly troublesome.
"Two young girls and two men, you are truly very suitable for that role. Get back into your carriage, I will escort you to the leader of this city," he said.
Hime and I looked at each other in confusion before getting back inside, then followed the man who mounted a horse to escort us to that place.
Wait a moment, he could be lying and merely taking us to a quieter place to take something from us—
—
That man brought us back to the main road we had already passed when we came here. Am I the only one being too excessive in judging him?
The fact that he brought us through this road means he truly intends to introduce us to the leader.
Although I do not know the reason why he decided to take the four of us there, I think he has a good side.
Along the way, several merchants greeted him and even smiled as if he were an important person here.
Finally, we arrived in front of a house whose yard was wider than the building inside it.
A gate stopped our carriage, and that person was talking with the guards protecting this place.
Inside, there was a small fountain before reaching the rather large house, and the rest was merely empty grassy ground without any plants on it.
I think this house is indeed the leader's residence, but... isn't the decoration somewhat strange?
Usually, a leader's house would have more guards and a yard that is properly arranged and well maintained, right?
But this house is only like a large building surrounded by empty grass fields and enclosed by a tall fence, guarded by only a few people.
Behind the fence there are also tall trees that seem to block the view of anyone trying to see this house's yard from outside.
This place truly feels strange...
That man finished speaking with the guards and said something to me.
"You may go in first, I will follow behind you," he said.
The gate was opened, and the sound of what seemed like a rusty gate being opened could be heard in both my ears.
The sound was truly quite noisy, making me certain that this gate had been built a very long time ago for it to produce such a sound.
Does the leader of this city's residence have poor facilities? Is this truly a city?
Luke and I immediately drove our horse carriage into the stone-paved road and stopped near the fountain.
Luke opened the window and asked the two of them to come down, because he and I wanted to park the carriage.
Hime and Yuu-chan immediately followed Luke's request and got out of the carriage before walking toward the house.
—
"Yukito, this place is very strange, isn't it? I feel something is not right," Luke said after we had parked the carriage.
I nodded slowly after thinking for a moment.
"I feel the same. Something is bothering me, but I do not know what it is," I replied.
We both got down from the carriage and hurried toward the two of them who were still standing right in front of the rather large house.
They stared at the house not with joyful expressions, but like people confused about where they were.
What they felt was the same as what we felt, so it was only natural for them to think that way.
"Hime, why haven't you gone inside?" I asked.
Hime turned toward me after hearing my voice.
"Ah, no one came out from inside, so we can only wait here," Hime said.
The sound of a horse's footsteps began to be heard behind us, and of course we knew who it was.
That man got off his horse and walked ahead of us. He knocked on the door of this house while trying to open it from the outside.
What is he doing? Of course the door should be locked since an important person lives there— U-uhm, but...
The man stopped knocking on the door and stepped back a few steps, as if feeling that the door would be opened soon.
Creak.
The door truly opened after the man stepped back. Everything felt very strange now—
"Now then, please come in," said someone who appeared from inside the house.
He was a young man wearing a male servant's uniform. With polite manners and a bow, he truly was a servant of this house.
The man who had knocked on the door also did the same, bowing toward us, indicating that we should enter.
The four of us immediately went inside the house, of course with many questions in our minds.
The people here truly behaved strangely; they seemed to welcome us, even though earlier that man looked as if he wanted to take our valuables.
After we entered, the floors here were entirely covered with red carpets that looked very luxurious.
The paint covering the walls also did not look like ordinary paint; its white color almost resembled marble ceramic.
The chandelier hanging from the ceiling also seemed to be made of gold. The interior of this house was truly extraordinary.
Although the yard and the exterior looked ordinary, the interior was truly remarkable.
I stepped forward a few steps to take a closer look, perhaps my eyes had been focused on how luxurious this house was.
The impression was not like the residence of a leader such as a king or the like, but more like that of a Marquess.
I turned back to tell the others how luxurious this place was.
"Hey, you guys, this place is amazing, isn't—"
My eyes suddenly trembled, my entire body froze, and my legs could not move even though I wanted them to.
My chest trembled uncontrollably. The three of them had already collapsed on the floor; they seemed to have fainted because of something.
"Ahaha~! You people, merchants rich from inheritance, right? Your instincts and trust are too easily deceived. Are you actually amateur adventurers~?"
"Hihihi, you so confidently followed the wishes of someone you had not even met for a day. Are you really that trusting of one another?"
That voice suddenly sounded as if it filled my ears. I tried to look in every direction, but I could not find the source of the voice.
Is he using some kind of magic to remain unseen?
Cring.
I immediately gripped my sword to stay on guard in case that person wanted to attack me from a blind spot.
"Come now, come now, why are you so afraid~? You yourselves were so brave at first, yet now you suddenly become afraid?"
"Do not worry, I have no intention of killing you. But—"
Suddenly his voice disappeared for a moment, provoking me to raise my own voice.
"Come out! Fight me and face me here!" I said.
I was already slightly consumed by anger because the people precious to me had collapsed and I had not yet been able to check their condition.
"I need your bodies to increase my wealth. Enjoy it~," he suddenly whispered near my ear.
And when I turned back to see him—
BAM
My head was struck with a blunt object that instantly made me dizzy and heavy.
Only a few seconds after that, my body could no longer endure it. My consciousness faded, I found it difficult to breathe, and finally my body collapsed on the floor along with my companions.
A... I—