"Yo, you two are back!!!"
Florence, who was feeding the pack animals, smiled and waved to Jared and Caroline, but his eyes widened in surprise when he got a good look at what Jared was holding in his arms.
"What? Is that your bounty, gentlemen?"
(Please don't make such bad jokes, Mr. Florence.)
Caroline's message through her consciousness was clear, and in fact, the girl in Jared's arms was still asleep, and it was a strange question as to why she had been brought along. After that, although Jared and Caroline woke the girl up again, she seemed to be quite sleepy. Sometimes she would fall asleep without taking more than a few steps, so quickly that she seemed to skip the necessary yawns. Jared had tried to talk to her to keep her awake, but it didn't work. In desperation, Jared and Caroline decided to take the girl with them after learning that her destination was also the City of Glory. As much as the girl's worrying quirks were a concern, Caroline and Jared also wanted to interact more with the people of this world. So after asking the half-asleep girl's permission, Jared had to pick her up and return to the wagon. The girl, as expected, fell asleep in Jared's arms. She looked like she couldn't get enough sleep.
"Mr. Businessman, is this a disease?"
After placing the girl in her arms, Jared was quick to ask his own questions. The softness of the girl's body in his arms was so completely tangible that Jared had given up on the hypothesis that the girl was a ghost, but even so, a situation like this still seemed very unusual.
"Well ..."
The knowledgeable businessman frowned even after hearing Jared's description.
"I haven't heard of this kind of disease, I have seen some other races have various abnormal reactions due to not adapting to the sunlight or the climate, but I have never heard of those who can fall asleep on the street like this."
As long as it's not a common phenomenon.
Jared shrugged his shoulders and gazed at the girl still in her sleep and Caroline by her side. The girl slept so well, she looked like she'd have no problem being taken and sold. But why wouldn't anyone notice?
"Here is your hire money."
Florence's words interrupted Jared's thinking, he came back to his senses, only to see Florence smiling and counting out a dozen gold coins from his money bag, then made a very exaggerated expression of flesh pain and handed it over." If you are staying in an inn, it will be enough for about half a month, but if you are staying in a high class inn, I'm afraid even three days will be a problem. But after deducting your food and travel expenses, that's about it. I hope you're satisfied."
You're a real businessman, you know what you're doing. But Jared didn't have any special feeling about it, it was natural for a merchant to pursue profit, and he couldn't be in this business if he confused personal feelings with business. He nodded, then reached out and took ten gold coins from Florence's hand, while leaving three in his palm, to which Florence narrowed her eyes a little happily, obviously understanding Jared's meaning." As long as it is with me in the car, free of charge is also possible, right?"
Although he said so, he took back the remaining gold coins.
"But I can't believe you're so open-minded."
"What do you mean?"
"You see ... after all we are businessmen ."
Florence scratches her head in some embarrassment.
"Sometimes it's annoying to be too clear-cut, and even though you know it's necessary, there are still people who want to be able to rely on good connections to get special favors. Honestly, I was prepared for this when I told you this. After all, businessmen are in the business of buying and selling, so you can't let unnecessary feelings affect your livelihood."
"There is an old saying in my country..."
Jared placed the gold coins carefully in his close pocket, then turned to look at Caroline, who was still watching the girl, and who seemed to be very interested in the girl.
"It's true that it's not very acceptable, but it's quite effective in avoiding trouble."
"A brother in arms ... must be a great businessman to say that."
Florence looked quite sympathetic.
For the rest of the journey, the beasts of burden were no longer able to be used, so they were replaced by ordinary horses. Florence was still in charge of driving, while Jared and Caroline were still guarding both sides of the wagon. According to Florence, Glory City is the largest neutral city in the area, and is also the city of merchants. Merchants from all over the world would come here to transport or pick up goods and conduct various transactions. It is also Florence's home, and according to this traveling merchant, it only takes about three days of traveling in a carriage to get there. But he also asked Jared and Caroline to continue to protect him, if anything happens, after all, the two of them should be able to deal with no problem together. After seeing their skills in the desert, Florence had already made up her mind.
(Jared?)
"Huh?"
Sitting on the right side of the wagon, bored and admiring the scenery, Jared suddenly heard Caroline's voice in his head.
(I've just been thinking ... things seem a little strange...)
"Really? Just by looking at you, I can tell you must be thinking about something."
Jared shrugged his shoulders and responded easily. In fact, Caroline had a habit of staring at things for long periods of time and thinking about things that had nothing to do with them. It was as if the scene in front of her was just a stimulant for healthy thinking. Jared had seen her staring at the sleeping girl, and had guessed that Caroline was thinking about something.
(The sand pirates, no matter how you think about it, are too unnatural.)
"Are you saying that you cared about your own life, but then you turned into a kamikaze and attacked like a kamikaze?"
Jared glanced at Florence, who was concentrating on the cart, and said in a voice so small that he could barely hear himself. But that wasn't a problem, as long as he "said" it, then Caroline could certainly "hear" it.
(Yes, from what we've heard from the mercenaries, the Sand Pirates rarely attack recklessly like this. What do you think?)
"It's not that they're drunk ... "Jared looked at Florence's back, a hint of gravity hidden in his eyes." It's that there's something that compels them to do it with everything they've got."
(Do you think there will be another attack?)
Caroline asked, twirling her little umbrella in a somewhat puzzled manner. But Jared stretched out before answering her question with his eyes closed against the back of the wagon.
"If we get attacked again, won't we be able to prove our suspicions?"
Florence had noticed the suspicion, Jared thought, closing his eyes, and it would be ridiculous for him, with all his travels, not to be able to tell the difference between a "bandit" and a "desperado". Thinking of this, Jared suddenly remembered something else.
"Mr. Florence?"
"Yes?"
Florence asked, without looking back, after giving the horse, which was not working very hard, a whip to urge it on.
"Remember how you once said that you had to travel alone in the desert because the mercenary group you hired turned against you."
"Yeah."
Even a knowledgeable businessman can't help but feel downhearted at the mention of this.
"Because this batch of magic gems is very valuable, so I also specially commissioned a new mercenary group that knows nothing about the desert to do the work, I originally thought that those guys would look at the fact that I walk in the desert for many years of experience, at least they should not be out of the desert before I do, after all, this is also for their own good. But I didn't expect them to go into the desert for just a few days and then talk to each other about grabbing things and killing people. It seems that I am still too stupid ..." Florence sent over the voice of some helpless." However, those guys are also, do not want to come out of the desert alive, without a familiar desert people lead the team, I'm afraid that even the southeast and north-south can not be distinguished. I didn't hire a tour guide on purpose because I was afraid of this kind of thing happening."
And it happened, didn't it?
Jared laughed bitterly and didn't say the words out, but in his heart, he had already vaguely connected this matter with those sand pirates.
The question is ... if the hypothesis is really valid, then are these gems that Florence brought with her of any special value? This was the most confusing part of Jared's mind, and he couldn't possibly ask. And there was no guarantee that Florence knew anything. In Jared's experience, a businessman like Florence, who traveled extensively, was generally resourceful. But sometimes it's easier for the smart ones to do dangerous and stupid things. Because they think they've seen through each other's schemes, they're easier to exploit. In his conversation with Florence, Jared had sensed that this merchant was very confident in his experience, and those who relied on experience would often make the mistake of inertia. Once they take a deal for granted, there's a loophole to be exploited.
After all ... we have done the same thing before .
"Woo ...?"
Suddenly, Jared found that the carriage side of something moved a little, then the girl holding the doll wobbly sitting up, a half-sleeping expression and before there is no difference at all. Only to see her dazed and confused reach out a few times, and then turned ... Fortunately, Caroline's quick eyes and hands, a pull her. Otherwise, this girl is afraid that this way from the speeding carriage fell off.
"I say, Miss, it's a shame you're still alive and well."
Jared glanced at Caroline and said to the girl with a helpless, bitter smile.
"Kula this is ...."
The girl shifted her gaze in a trance, then set her eyes on Jared and Caroline.
"Ah yes, Kula is traveling with someone ..."
She rubbed her eyes and looked like she was still sleepy. But the girl was still holding the doll tightly in her hand and didn't seem to want to let go.
"Is this on the ... wagon?"
"That's right."
Jared waved at her.
"Awake from your nap? Your Highness?"
"Kula is not a princess ..."
I don't know if it's puke or shyness, but the girl buries her face in the doll, but her voice is still that lazy, undulating sound. Her eyes were half-squinted and her head was lowered. Her long hair swayed as she moved.
（Jared, ask the boy his name.)
"By the way, I said little miss."
After hearing Caroline's suggestion from inside his head, Jared waited for the girl to raise her head slightly and began to ask.
"If you could, could you tell us your name?"
"Name?"
Kula raised her head, but still hid the lower half of her face behind the muppet.
"Kula's name is Kula Oh? Aiufinia Ulysses Furlanica Inzado Berukelin. Just call it Kula, yo. ..."
"... Well, okay."
Jared gave up trying to memorize such a long name in a heartbeat, but Caroline was blithe.
"I can't stand names with more than five words."
In response to Caroline's proudly puffed out announcement, Jared replied in a helpless whisper. At that moment, Kura began to ask a curious question.
"Where's big brother's name?"
"My name is Jared ... her name is Caroline Deidreville Louise, just call her Caroline, and as for me ... there's no need for any acronyms."
It's too weird to reduce a two-letter name to one.
"Brother Jared ... and Sister Caroline?"
Kula cocked her head slightly, like a wary squirrel.
"Well, Kula remembers."
She nodded, then lowered her eyes to gaze at the doll in front of her, then ...
"Phew ..."
(Is ... sleeping again?)
"If it's not a disease, it's a great talent in a way."
"Hahaha, sure is an interesting young lady."
Florence, while driving the carriage, interjected with a similar smile.
"I've seen a lot of strange people, but even I, a traveling merchant, have never heard of such a skill as this young lady's ability to sleep when she says she will."
(But I don't seem to be bitter about it ... By the way, Mr. Florence.)
"Hmm? What can I do for you? Ms. Caroline?"
By the look on Florence's face, she's gotten used to Caroline's "thought communication".
(Are we going to sleep out tonight? The neighborhood looks unsafe.)
"That won't be necessary, please, Miss Caroline."
With that, Florence struck the horses with another whip, driving them to another quickened pace.
"Although it will take us several days to reach Glory City, we should be able to stay in the town of Tavare up ahead. After all, in a place like this, there's always something if you need it. So don't worry about sleeping in the wild, if everything goes well, we'll be able to get there before nightfall."