"First of all, we would have already forcefully pulled you inside the carriage. I'm an adult, do you think you can resist my strength if that happened? Second, we are from Magna Commerce owned by Lord Zaude. Take a damn look at the majestic symbol of our carriage. It's well-known here. Why would do something immoral to tarnish our hard-built reputation?" The driver pointed to the Cross Symbol that has the words written "Magna" on its body. "Lastly, there are people here. Kidnapping happens at night here."
"And... How old are you again??"
"28," Neru answered
"??" The driver almost spat. "What!? You're already 28!? Why do you look 18 years old then!?"
"Babyface?" Neru shrugged. "Well, don't judge a book by its cover."
"Tsk... Nah, you're just a brat." The driver cleared his throat and then went to his seat to drive the carriage. "Come... With your kid's strength, it would be too dangerous for you." He said as if he didn't believe that Neru was 28 years old.
Neru decided to ignore that statement about the gap between his strength and the driver. After all, he wasn't a normal kid. He grew up fighting
"Well, if that's the case. I would be grateful." Neru smiled.
The road they were in was bustling with carriages. It was indeed not suitable to kidnap people at such a time and place.
'It seems these guys are big shots. A kind one at that... Lord Zaude? Magna Commerce?' Neru took the initiative for the driver to inspect him for security purposes of people inside.
"Well, you're clear. There are some kids here that carry lethal weapons and rob naive people who travel first in this country."
"If such kids really do something to you guys. Then they are stupid kids. After all, they should know who they shouldn't offend, right? Well, if your commerce is really as popular or powerful as you say it to be." There was a faint smile on Neru's face as he said this.
The driver gave Neru a thumbs-up with a toothy grin. "You're quite a clear-headed brat."
Just like that, Neru entered the carriage cautiously. Then, he saw two guys looking at him.
Beluer gave Neru an encouraging smile. "We heard the conversation. What's your name kid?"
"Neru... And you?"
"I'm Beluer. A Peak Qi-Refining Realm Cultivator that's responsible for the safety of the son of destiny. Beluer introduced himself and looked at Zaude with fanaticism.
'Son of Destiny? Neru raised his eyebrows. 'Is he on the man beside him?' Neru looked at Zaude and smiled.
Zaude frowned at Beluer's words. "Don't talk nonsense Beluer. I am not the son of destiny or anything. I'm just a man who strives for peace in our country. I fail or succeed but it doesn't make me the son of destiny.
'Peace?' The corner of Neru's mouth twitched. 'It seems this so-called Zaude is fated to become a great man or a foolish idealist depending on whether he could achieve his goal. Well, it's none of my business.'
'This kid gives me a sense of danger. Is it my imagination?' Zaude gave Neru a deep look. 'Maybe not...'
Neru dressed with stitched leaves made him look like a beggar. This made Zaude feel that Neru was quite pitiful. How could such a kid be dangerous?
"You've lost your memory, right?" Zaude smiled.
Neru nodded. "Yes sir. Why?"
Beluer on the side became silent at this moment.
"Do you want to restore your memories?"
'Does this guy have the means to restore memories? How much power does he have?'
"I think I won't be able to repay such a favor. I want to regain my memory naturally and through my own!"
Neru patted his chest with a determined expression. He couldn't let others mess with his crafted convenient excuse. Not to mention, what memories to recover? They might find something wrong if he really lets them do something to him that relates to his mind such as reading memory.
'Well, that's a pity. A rich merchant helps a kid who lost his memory recover them. It would be a good boost to my reputation.'
A glint appeared in Zaude's eyes. As for the method recovery, it's a potion that could stimulate the production of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Acetylcholine Neurotransmitters a hundred times thus helping the brain to recover from certain damages or chemical imbalances. Of course, there was a price to pay. The one who consumes the pill would lose 1 year of their lifespan every year due to forcibly speeding up the production of BDNF and Acetylcholine.
As for the perfect potion? Why would he give it to a mere kid? Everything he did was to make his reputation good!
All of this didn't escape Neru's eyes. Although it was subtle to notice. As someone who lived two lifetimes, Neru could confidently say that the so-called righteous lord Zaude in front of him was a damn fake!
'Tsk... Planning to use me?' Neru scoffed inwardly. He just stepped into this world and he already encountered its darkness. Fortunately, he was not naive. If it was other kids, they would have easily believed.
"Well, since that's the case. I'll just give you some money so you won't have a hard time in our country..."
Zaude gave Neru a gentle smile. 'Although it's a pity. At least, I could give him a good start. Helping people is a common sense for my crafted character after all.'
"I'll gladly take it..."
Beluer sighed. "As expected of my lord. You really look at everyone equally."
Neru shook his head a little. 'What a fool.'
Just like that, Beluer let Neru sit at his side. The journey to the Capital City of Cross Country took longer than Neru had expected. They stopped three times and every stop has a distance of more than twenty kilometers. The first stop was at Gakuen City, a place where the fourth strongest cultivation clan "Satete Clan" was located. Satete Clan is a bloodline family with the ability to innately make their body become transparent liquid.
It gives them an excellent ability to escape and a strong affinity for water cultivation techniques.
As for the second stop...