Episode 3: The Demon King’s Subjugation Team
The members of Garnet followed Trao’s instructions precisely.
Rio gathered intelligence on the Golden Fang, discovering the route and schedule of the Demon King’s Subjugation Team. Lilith and Dominique successfully monopolized and resold essential supplies, reaping significant profits.
Finally, the Demon King’s Subjugation Team began their expedition.
With Trao joining them, Garnet followed the team from a considerable distance—about an hour’s walk behind—to avoid detection.
Currently, they were traversing the wilderness of the Demon King’s territory.
Unlike the S-ranked Demon King’s Subjugation Team, Garnet was an A-rank party. Their basic stamina wasn’t as high, leaving them exhausted from the harsh journey. Additionally, Trao’s stinginess surfaced, making him reluctant to use recovery potions.
“…I’m exhausted, senpai,”
Dominique, the brainy mage with little physical strength, was reaching her limit. Her pale face peeked out from under her hood.
“It’s fine. Rest is free,”
Trao replied, entirely missing the point.
Garnet’s members respected Trao as their mentor, having learned essential adventuring knowledge from him and received financial and equipment support. However, this was their first time traveling together.
Now, all three were thinking the same thing:
(Perhaps it’s no surprise he got expelled.)
When Garnet was an investment target for Trao, he was generous with money. But as soon as they became comrades, his miserly merchant side became more apparent.
For instance, he chose the cheapest inns and booked a single large room for all four to save money.
While Rio and the others were seasoned adventurers, they were still young women. Trao, however, didn’t care.
Though he never made any advances, people around them assumed the worst, embarrassing Rio and the others.
The innkeeper, for example, clearly looked at them with such curious eyes. However, Trao was completely oblivious to this, and only Rio and the others felt embarrassed.
“Please, senpai, at least get yourself a private room,”
Rio begged.
“Why? It’s a waste of money,”
Trao refused bluntly.
It wasn’t about money but consideration, which Trao failed to understand. He didn’t see young women as a member of the opposite sex, hurting their pride.
The same applies to meals. Trao doesn’t judge food based on “what he wants to eat.” He strictly calculates the price and quantity of dishes, choosing the one with the best cost performance. Naturally, these meals end up being large in quantity but cheap in quality.
Regarding Rio and the others’ meals, Trao says, “You can eat whatever you like.” However, with Trao, the most senior member, eating such poor meals, they can’t bring themselves to eat better food. As a result, the quality of their daily meals gradually declined.
The more they traveled with Trao, the more the mentality of the garnet members were deteriorated,
Thanks to this, the trust in Trao, which was quite high at the beginning, has diminished considerably.
However, during frequent camping, Trao’s strengths shone.
He was exceptionally prepared, sparing no expense on practical items like tents and blankets, ensuring their quality.
His item bag was well-stocked with food and drink, allowing them to eat better than in town.
At night, he burned expensive monster-repellent incense, letting them sleep peacefully.
“Senpai is quite an enigma,”
After Trao quickly went to bed, Rio and the others whispered to each other.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
On the third day of walking through the Demon King’s wilderness, the distant location of the Demon King’s Subjugation Team was enveloped in a gray mist.
A dull, loud sound followed shortly after.
“It’s started,”
Trao murmured.
The Demon King’s Subjugation Team had finally encountered the Demon King’s army.
“Alright, let’s stay here until the battle ends. Keep an eye out for monsters,”
Trao instructed.
“Shouldn’t we go support them?”
Rio asked, surprised.
“Support? Why?”
“I thought we followed the team to support them in case of emergency,”
Trao hadn’t properly explained why they were following the subjugation team.
“They’re an S-rank mixed team. You guys just became A-rank. You’d only be a hindrance. Besides, they’re likely facing the demon Majin Becker and his elite soldiers, the Demon King’s guard. You’d be killed instantly.”
“Then … …… why are we here following them?”
Lilith asked, looking uneasy.
“Why? Because I’m a merchant. For money. Our ultimate goal is to defeat the Demon King, but not this time.”
“For money… you mean to sell our supplies at a high price when they run out?”
Dominique speculated, though unsure herself.
“Maybe, if things go well, but that’s unlikely,”
“? ”
Trao replied, not revealing his true thoughts.
Trao considered information a commodity and rarely shared his plans.
Hours passed,
leaving Garnet’s members in anxious silence.
“Shouldn’t we move closer to observe the battle?”
Rio suggested.
“Why take that risk? You’d be betting your lives. Is the reward worth it?”
Trao countered, silencing Rio.
Certainly, what Trao says is correct. It’s correct, but the other members of Garnet can’t help thinking, “That’s not the point!” A heavy atmosphere settled over the party, yet Torao remained completely unfazed.
Eventually, the sounds and lights of the battle ceased.
“Well, Let’s go. Stay alert of your surroundings.,”
Trao said, getting up. Suppressing their excitement, Garnet’s members began walking cautiously.
“They’re okay, right? The subjugation team won, right?”
Lilith muttered to no one in particular. However, her face was filled with anxiety.
The Demon King’s Subjugation Team comprised humanity’s strongest S-rank adventurers. They couldn’t lose. But one uncertainty lingered.
Trao hadn’t participated.
He was good at discerning what he could and couldn’t do. His absence suggested the subjugation team might have failed.
(Please, let them be safe,)
Lilith prayed, continuing to walk.
No one responded to her earlier question.
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