Chapter 39 - 17: [Suspicious Lucky Day]

Chapter 39: Chapter 17: [Suspicious Lucky Day]

KNOCK, KNOCK.

A gentle knocking echoed through the room in No. 3 Barracks.

"Excuse me, are the two monks ready?" Randall’s voice rang out from the doorway. "The enrollment procedures are complete. Everyone is waiting at the city gates, and we’ll be setting off shortly."

Talia shoved Samael hard, pointed at her mouth, then at him, and finally gestured toward the door.

Samael shook his head. He pointed at the door, then at the empty wrapping cloths, ropes, and iron chains spread across the floor. They had made up a lie to get these from Randall, claiming they needed them to pack their adventurer supplies.

They had no supplies whatsoever! But going out empty-handed like this would absolutely raise suspicion!

Talia bared her teeth in frustration. Extending the sharp claws of her gauntlets, she drew a horizontal line across her neck, then pointed at the door.

Samael shook his head frantically, stepping between Talia and the door in a panic as he waved his hands wildly.

She couldn’t just kill him because their cover was blown! They still needed his party to earn their travel fare and cross the Ederic Empire!

"Two... monks?" Outside the door, Randall had no idea what was happening inside. Unfortunately for him, he was unwittingly adding fuel to the fire. Heaven knew he already had one foot in the Rondolan Royal Family’s garden compost bin.

The two communicated fiercely through silent gestures, frantically spinning around in a disorganized panic, shoving and pulling at each other. Finally, Samael patted his chest, signaling that he would handle it.

"Just a moment! We’ll be right out! We just need to... tie up our supplies a bit," he called out to Randall through the door.

"Do you need any help?" Randall asked.

"No! Thank you!" Samael replied briskly.

Where were they supposed to find any damn supplies? Talia pointed at the empty wrapping cloths and iron chains scattered on the floor.

Samael scanned the empty barracks room.

A mattress, a bed, a table and chairs, an iron trunk... an iron trunk?

It was a large iron trunk provided by the barracks for guests to temporarily store their personal belongings. Standing waist-high, it was completely empty.

Samael hauled up the two empty iron trunks from the head of the bed, haphazardly draped the wrapping cloths over them, and bound them tightly with ropes and chains into large, boxy parcels. Leaving no room for argument, he hoisted one of the trunks—which was more than waist-high—onto Talia’s back.

Was he kidding her?! Were they supposed to trek the whole way carrying square, empty iron trunks like two turtles?! Talia pointed at the trunk, then at herself, throwing her hands up in shock.

Samael nodded.

Talia raised her arms, crossed her forearms in an X shape, and mouthed the word, "No!"

Two hours later.

Huffing and puffing, Samael and Talia trailed behind the Garbage Beasts of Luojie City party, trekking through the wasteland. Iron chains crisscrossed over their chest plates in an X shape, firmly securing the two massive, boxy parcels to their backs. They looked like two giant, square-shelled, heavily armored turtles.

Luojie City’s charred wooden gates had been left far behind, gradually fading away on the horizon.

"This is insane..." Talia muttered. "Carrying such a huge, empty iron trunk?"

"SHH, SHH, SHH! These are our supplies..." Samael whispered back. "Remember, these are our supplies. There’s no shame in having a few extra supplies. If you don’t believe me, look at Randall."

Talia looked up, gazing at the figure taking the lead at the very front of the group.

It was a colossal mound of a backpack, almost as tall as a person.

The backpack was bulging at the seams; if not for the sturdy hemp ropes wound tightly around it, it would have burst open in the next second.

Two legs protruded from beneath the backpack, wobbling and trembling, yet marching forward with unwavering determination.

Strapped to the backpack was a bedroll, and slotted into it was a Beast-Driving Torch Bundle. Two chained strands of Healing Potion bottles dangled from it, alongside the familiar Wood Knot Black Bow. A quiver hung diagonally on the side, swinging back and forth with every step.

For some reason known only to Randall himself, a frying pan and an iron teapot were tied to the back of the pack, CLANKING loudly with his every step.

"The Sewage Worker is a freak with anxiety, don’t treat him as a standard adventurer! He even brought a teapot, and he’s still walking around wondering if he forgot something!" Talia retorted in a low voice. "Look at the other members! Look at the normal people!"

The rest of the party carried only simple backpacks with lightweight, thin bedrolls tied to the top. They bore a minimal amount of refined gear, with plain, small pouches hanging at their waists.

"That’s why Randall is the captain... Maybe he’s in charge of carrying the things the other members forgot," Samael whispered, defending his good brother.

"Insane!" Talia offered her objective and pertinent evaluation.

Meanwhile, at the front of the party, Assassin Elliot carried his own gear and supplies, glancing around to ensure no one else was paying attention to him.

Feigning nonchalance, he inched closer and closer to the giant two-legged backpack leading the group.

"Riska, where did you find this kind of adventurer?" Elliot asked in a low voice.

"...Hmm? What?" The colossal backpack hoisted its front half up like a giant slug made of assorted junk. A hand struggled to lift a half-unfolded map dangling over the front of the pack, revealing Randall’s head.

"I’m asking where you found these Knights! Did they fall from the sky after you wished upon a star? Or did you dig them out of a Holy Hall ruin from the Age of Gods?" Annoyed, Elliot snatched the map covering Randall’s head and the compass from his hand. "Damn it, give me the map, I’ll lead the way. But first, tell me where you found these two Knights who look like Holy Hall statues! They have at least level-seven strength! And they volunteered to work for free! How did you get so lucky?"