Merchant Noble is out (3/3 chapters for today)
Third Town (5)
(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)
“Arc-sama, you’ve already visited the two cities, right? Then let’s head east. No worries! We should hit the mountain range in three days at most.” (Mia)
“Alright, I’ll follow Mia, who knows the geography well.” (Arc)
With that conversation, they set off and traveled for a full two days. During that time, the scenery remained unchanged, and the monotony was quite tedious. Fortunately, Mia, who seemed to love talking, kept the conversation going, making the boredom somewhat more bearable even though the repetitive landscape remained a bit of a hardship.
“It’s completely deserted. Aren’t there any bandits or mountain thieves around?” (Arc)
“Haha, haha!” (Mia)
Currently, it was just Arc and Mia. Even though Mia was an adventurer, she wasn’t as combat-oriented as Yulia, so if they were attacked by bandits, she would be in serious trouble. However, Mia seemed unconcerned, laughing it off.
“Do you think there are only carnivores and no beasts around here? There are no wealthy people or merchants, let alone ordinary folks, so it’s impossible for bandits to be around!” (Mia)
“That’s true. In my previous territory, there were rich people everywhere, and where there were few people, there were bandits hiding out. I guess I haven’t shaken off that habit yet.” (Arc)
“Hmmm… Is this a sudden display of city pride? I, as an adventurer, consider exploring this world my life’s purpose, so I have no interest in wealth or power. None at all!” (Mia)
It seemed that Arc’s casual comment had caught her attention. From her reaction, it appeared that she might have a bit of an inferiority complex about the countryside. However, Mia shook her head vigorously, insisting that she didn’t mind at all.
After riding for another half day, a massive mountain range finally became visible in the distance. It was the natural boundary towering at the eastern edge of the Mikanda region.
“Oh, Arc-sama, the mountain range is faintly visible in the distance. It’s a natural barrier protecting the Mikanda region from the outside. The peaks never lose their snow even in summer. However, this very feature prevents the people of this region from leaving, with everyone born and dying within these confines! How lamentable it is. I vowed when I became an adventurer that I would one day cross this mountain range and venture outside.” (Mia)
It had been nearly three days since their departure from the third town. Arc found the unchanging scenery torturous, and Mia’s long-winded stories were starting to become a bit of a strain as well. When Arc grew too tired to engage in the conversation, Mia continued to recount her tales endlessly. It felt less like boasting and more like being read someone else’s diary.
As they continued, the faintly visible mountain range became clearer, and after a few hours, they reached the foot of the mountains.
“Arc-sama, we’ve arrived at the mountain range. If we go left from here, we will reach the sea. If we go right, we will follow the mountain range and eventually arrive at the first town.” (Mia)
So, they were currently at the eastern edge of the Mikanda region.
“Then let’s go left.” (Arc)
Faced with the choice of whether to go north or south, Arc decided to take the northern route. The reason was simple. He wanted to see the sea.
Arc had never seen the sea before. Though the Laplace Kingdom is located at the western edge of the western continent and has a relatively close relationship with the sea, the former Warden territory was inland. As a result, Arc had never had the opportunity to experience the sea.
“That’s an excellent decision. Indeed, seeing that vast sea will greatly change your perspective as the lord of Mikanda. I myself first saw the immense sea three years ago when I was 20. I was just riding around this region, and suddenly felt like going north. Looking back, I believe it was the mother ocean calling out to me! And so I…” (Mia)
As usual, Mia continued her endless chatter.
This woman was 23 years old. She seemed like an old person who could only find pleasure in reminiscing about her life so far. While her long-winded stories did alleviate some of the boredom, it was still overwhelming.
“Mia, doesn’t talking so much hurt your throat?” (Arc)
Arc subtly complained. However, Mia didn’t catch the underlying message and responded with a laugh.
“Haha, Arc-sama, don’t worry. By the time I could speak, I was already talking 10000 words a day. My throat is stronger than even a top adventurer’s! That was when I was 4 years old, being carried on my mother’s back while she worked in the fields. I would incessantly talk to her, and after about 30 minutes, my mother suddenly put down her hoe, went home, and said one thing, ‘I’m about to go insane from being talked at non-stop from my back,’ and she went to bed.” (Mia)
“Heh.” (Arc)
Arc, who found sarcasm hard to convey, was somewhat amused despite his frustration. He could understand how Mia’s mother felt. Even though only a few days had passed since their departure, the constant chatter was starting to drive Arc, who was used to constant communication as a merchant, a bit mad.
After several hours, just as Arc was reaching his limit with Mia’s continuous talking, Mia suddenly fell silent. She turned to Arc with a gentle and mature expression, completely different from her previous playful demeanor.
“Arc-sama, once we cross that hill, we will finally reach the sea. I will never forget how I felt when I first looked down at the sea from that hill. The emotion and excitement from that moment are still fresh in my memory.” (Mia)
She pointed to a small hill in the distance.
“I won’t say anything more. Please, savor the view from that hill with your own eyes!” (Mia)
Arc stood at the top of the hill and took a deep breath.
There was “eternity” before him. An endless expanse of emerald blue sea stretched out as far as the eye could see. The horizon blended seamlessly with the sky, creating an unbroken expanse of beautiful blue that reached into the distance. The vast ocean, even more grand than the expansive plains, stirred a sense of nostalgia within Arc. It seemed to possess a nurturing quality that made him feel as though everything in this world had been born from the sea.
“Beautiful… How incredibly beautiful.” (Arc)
As Arc stood there, forgetting all his fatigue and awestruck by the view, the chatty Mia remained silent. She simply smiled gently, letting a few tears fall as she gazed into the same eternal distance as Arc.
(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)
(Please consider supporting at https://www.patreon.com/bayabuscotranslation)
bayabuscotranslation 
🌅🌅🌅
LikeLike