Meanwhile, the Passersby…
A small crowd started forming as people gathered to watch.
"Who do you think's winning?"
"Wanna bet?"
A merchant grinned, pulling out a coin. "Oh, I bet that musclehead wins. One silver says he knocks that scrawny guy out."
A guard leaned in. "Deal! I bet on the shitman!"
More people joined in.
"Oi, let us in too! We wanna bet!"
Before long, the brawl turned into a full-on gambling event, with spectators cheering and placing bets.
"Yeah! Hit him, Shitman!"
"Use your kick!"
"Oi! Don't throw that weak punch! Go full power!"
The crowd grew louder, cheering and laughing as coins exchanged hands.
"Shitman! Shitman! Shitman!" a group started chanting, hyping up Hazuki like he was some kind of underground fighter.
On the other side—
"Muscle Guy! I bet 1 silver on you! Don't lose, damn it!!"
The two fighters, still throwing punches and kicks, started to realize—
They were no longer just fighting.
They were now entertainment.
Just as Hazuki was about to throw another punch—
"Shitman! If you win, I'll give you two silver!"
A new merchant stepped into the crowd, holding up two shiny silver coins.
"T-Two!?" Hazuki's eyes widened, his mind instantly filling with the image of food, drinks, and maybe even a real bed for once.
But in his moment of distraction—
WHAM!
Without even looking, Hazuki accidentally swung his fist forward—
And BAM!—it landed right on the big guy's jaw.
The man's eyes rolled back as he staggered… wobbled… and then—
CRASH!
He collapsed flat on the ground.
The crowd went silent for a second.
Then—
"OOOOOHHHHHHH!!!"
The cheers exploded, and people started clapping, laughing, and collecting their winnings.
"Shitman wins!!!"
The merchant grinned and walked up to Hazuki, flipping the two silver coins into his hand. "A deal's a deal."
Hazuki stared at the coins, still processing what just happened.
…
…Wait.
Did he just win… by accident?!
Crack! Crack!
Hazuki blinked. "Huh?"
A new challenger stepped forward, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles.
"Hey! I wanna have a brawl too! Let me in!" The guy grinned, flexing his arms. "If you win, I'll give you two silver coins! But if you lose… I'm taking your two silver!"
"EHHHH!?" Hazuki's eyes widened.
The crowd erupted, cheering like this was some kind of underground tournament.
"Go for it!!"
"Another match! Another match!"
"Shitman, don't wuss out!"
Hazuki looked at the two silver in his palm… then at the grinning bastard in front of him.
…
Was he really about to risk it all again?!
"No way, shithead!" Hazuki shouted, clutching his winnings and turning on his heels.
Before the challenger could react—
"In your dreams, asshole!"
Hazuki bolted, weaving through the crowd as laughter spilled from his lips.
"OI! GET BACK HERE!" The man shouted, but Hazuki was already dashing toward the city gate.
The crowd?
They howled with laughter.
"BAHAHA! SHITMAN'S RUNNING WITH THE MONEY!"
"THAT BASTARD'S SMART! HE KNOWS WHEN TO QUIT!"
"DAMN IT! I WANTED ANOTHER BET!"
Hazuki didn't stop. He ran past the gate guards, through the open road, laughing like a madman who just scammed the world.
"Well, no use staying here! I got an extra two silver coins… along with the money I managed to save up…!"
He kept running down the road, his heart pounding, his pockets heavier, and his luck finally turning around… maybe.
Hazuki kept running, panting heavily, until his legs burned.
Then—he realized.
Oh crap.
It was getting late.
Monsters are active at night!
His eyes darted around. If he went back, it was too far—plus, that challenger might still be there, waiting to rob him.
But if he kept going…
Damn it! Where the hell was I even going?!
Just then—the sound of wooden wheels creaking against the dirt road.
A carriage rolled past him.
"Hey! Wait!" Hazuki ran up beside it, waving his arms.
A man at the front pulled the reins slightly, making the horses slow down.
"Hmm? What do you want?"
Hazuki peeked inside the carriage. A woman, a child, and a few men—they looked like adventurers.
"Where are you going?" Hazuki asked.
One of the adventurers raised an eyebrow. "We're heading to Yumia Town."
"Can I come along?"
"We don't have enough seats."
Hazuki grinned. "I can sit on the back!"
The man clicked his tongue. "Tch! Fine. Pay first."
"How much?"
"20 copper if you sit in the back of the carriage."
Hazuki dug into his pouch, counting his coins.
"Deal!"
He hopped onto the back of the carriage, gripping the edge as it started moving again.
For now… he was on his way to Yumia Town.
As Hazuki sat on the back of the carriage, he leaned against the wooden frame, letting the breeze brush against his face.
Inside his mind, he thought, "Man, this is good. My first real adventure… or sightseeing… well, whatever."
His eyes wandered to the inside of the carriage, where he noticed a merchant sitting with a large bag and a big wooden box.
Curious, Hazuki tilted his head. "Yo, old man. What are you selling?"
The merchant, a grizzled, bearded man, looked up. "Hmm? Oh… just some dried meat and other things."
Growllll…
Hazuki's stomach rumbled.
The merchant grinned. "Oh? Hungry, are we?"
Hazuki cleared his throat. "O-Oh… How much?"
The merchant held up a bag of dried fruit. "This much costs six copper."
Without hesitation, Hazuki dug into his pouch. "Okay, give me one."
He handed over the coins, ripped open the bag, and started munching.
Crunch. Crunch.
"Mmm… not bad."
As he chewed, the other passengers stared.
Then, one by one—
"Hey, I'll take one too."
"Me too!"
"Old man, gimme two bags!"
Hazuki blinked as everyone suddenly started buying from the merchant after seeing him eat.
The merchant chuckled, rubbing his hands. "Hehehe… good business today."
Hazuki chewed slowly, realizing…
"…Did I just help this guy sell out?"
"Well, whatever."
Hazuki lay down on the back of the carriage, hands behind his head, gazing up at the vast sky.
His mind wandered.
Where exactly was Yumia Town?
What did it look like?
And more importantly…
How far was it from the capital?
Would it take hours? A whole day?
…Well, not like he had a choice now.
He glanced at the adventurers inside, who were happily eating their dried fruit, chatting amongst themselves.
"If monsters show up… well, these guys can handle it."
With that reassuring thought, Hazuki closed his eyes, letting the gentle sway of the carriage carry him into relaxation.
( End of Chapter )