"...and even with those skills, you weren't able to tell there were bandits in the area…?"
"There weren't any in the area when I was surveilling it."
The green-haired woman asked, making the platinum-haired man frown as he responded.
"They must have either arrived after I moved on to another area or were already… following… those three…"
The platinum-haired man grumbled grumpily defending himself only to start blinking repeatedly as he began to piece together the events that could have occurred.
"By any chance, do you want to come with us? You could keep an eye out for the tracks of the bandits, just in case. Not to mention, we would gladly buy monster parts from you, mister…?"
The green-haired woman smiled, reaching out her hand for a handshake.
"..."
For a moment, the platinum-haired man stared at her hand, then at her partially obstructed face, and then lowered his gaze at the graves as if deep in thought.
"You can call me Norn."
He finally said, grabbing and firmly shaking the offered hand.
"Norn, alright. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, it's nice to meet you, Mister Norn. I'm Doyen Adonis."
"ADONIS?! THE ADONIS?!"
"Pffft…!"
The green-haired woman's smile widened as she introduced herself, and the baffled reaction of the platinum-haired man caused some of the merchants to snort and even burst out into laughter.
Especially when Norn began staring at Doyen's particularly colored hair as if noticing it only then and there despite it being her most distinctive feature.
"Do you have a camp somewhere nearby? I hope you either know how to store monster parts or at least gathered the ones that don't expire."
Doyen smirked while continuing to shake Norn's hand.
"It's better than you expect, lady Adonis. There's nothing of worth back in my camp. I can travel and hunt freely because, back in the day, my parents happened to stumble upon the Pocket Storage skillbook and use it on me. One Scourge Wolf fang."
Norn once again spoke without any pride before calling out to the side.
The next moment, an item he named appeared in his free hand…
"...!"
While the bodyguards let out gasps of amazement, the members of Doyen's caravan exchanged wary glances while the green-haired woman herself straightened her back, and just for a second, one of her eyes filled with suspicion could be seen.
"That's definitely something. Since it would be disrespectful to make a transaction right in front of fresh graves, how about we do that in the evening after setting up the camp for the day? I'm assuming you're willing to travel with us, Mister Norn."
"That would be the most proper thing to do."
Whatever feelings Doyen had about the platinum-haired man, she didn't express anything except for friendliness and understanding, making Norn react just as amicably.
"Let's go then."
Doyen finally let go of Norn's hand and beckoned him to follow her back to the caravan and her wagon especially.
As she moved, she discreetly made eye contact with one of the bodyguards and motioned at the driver's seat.
"I apologize for the inconvenience."
"I've been camping out in the wilds for a few weeks. This isn't any worse than that."
With the other merchant stepping down, Doyen climbed back on the seat, taking the reins. A bodyguard she motioned at sat beside her. She then offered a helping hand to Norn, who accepted, taking place at the farthest side.
The three people sitting in the driver's seat certainly weren't too comfortable, as the spot was designed for two at most, but it was still acceptable.
"Well, what brought you to these parts, anyway, Mister Norn?"
The bodyguard in the middle shifted after a stealthy nudge from Doyen and struck up a conversation.
"A journey of self-discovery."
Norn leaned back in the seat and answered, staring at the branches of the trees and the sky they obstructed.
"...huh…"
Needless to say, the bodyguard didn't quite buy that answer, and neither did anyone within the hearing range.
"By that, I mean I got kicked out of the house for speaking up to my father, and I am not going to crawl back on my knees apologizing and begging to be taken back."
"Ooohhh!"
With his head still up, Norn smirked and explained, this time earning himself a much more understanding reaction.
Some of the bodyguards and at least one or two merchants even trusted his words, either sharing or at least understanding the circumstances.
After that, the small talk continued as the caravan moved through the wilds.
As the evening came, so did the time to set up a camp.
Norn was surprised to discover that all the wagons, which seemed particularly bulky to him, were actually equipped with built-in retractable tents that could be easily set up within minutes, shortening the usually mundane task to a mere trifle.
Although most tents were the same, with enough space for three or four people to sleep comfortably, the tent that the last wagon transformed into was a sight to behold.
In comparison to the others, this one was a true palace of a tent, being set up from all sides of the wagon, with the exception of the side where the four-eyed goats were pulling it.
"Hey, is this lady Adonis's tent?"
"Wha…? Uphhh…"
Taken over by curiosity, Norn tapped the shoulder of the passing bodyguard and asked, raising his brows at the troubled reaction it caused.
"The service wagon?! Hoh! Good thing you didn't ask the lady boss about it. She doesn't hate that stuff but is very uncomfortable with them. You understand?"
"Sure…? She doesn't like getting served food and drinks…?"
The bodyguard breathed out in bewilderment before shaking his head and reaching out to pat Norn's shoulder, confusing the lad to no end.
There was another surprise waiting in stock for Norn besides the tents. As the camp was set up and the campfires were lit, the platinum-haired man noticed more people he hadn't seen before, all of them women between twenty and thirty years old.
Those girls were going around the camp in light attire, striking conversations with the merchants and bodyguards alike, offering and joining them for food and drinks - all preserved rations - clearly feeling at home.
"Ah! There you are, Norn! Come over, I'm Severyn. I'm in charge of monster parts! Showcase your goods!"
As he was about to go check the service wagon for himself, Norn got called out by one of the merchants who beckoned him while introducing himself.
With his attention diverted, the platinum-haired man walked over and entered the brightly lit tent Severyn kept open for him.
The inside was set up as a bare minimum of a shop, with the counter definitely set up solely for Norn's sake.
"You have the Pocket Storage skill, right? I've heard it keeps the items fresh. Open it up!"
Severyn straightened his back proudly behind the counter and called out with a jovial smile.
The next hour or so passed for Norn and Severyn to examine the parts and haggle about the prices.