Chapter 164 – Chapter 5: Gordburg – 2
The first morning in Gordburg was busy.
It wasn’t just us, it was everyone else. Farmers going to work and merchants carrying goods were all mixed together, making it completely chaotic.
I was barely able to find a restaurant amidst the crowds. I asked the owner while ordering food.
“How many general stores are there here?”
“There are about five or six.”
I thought that if Posao was going to do anything here, he would be running a general store, which he has been doing for a long time.
Even if I didn’t know anything else, I felt confident in my business skills.
“Of all the general stores, which one is the most recently opened?”
Therefore, it was calculated that by gradually reducing the number of targets in this way, ‘Posao’s Store’ could be found quickly.
“Most recent? I don’t know. “They are all old stores.”
“It’s been a long time?”
“I’ve lived here for 20 years, and these are the stores that have been around since then. There is no one who does not know about this business as it has been in the business for generations. I haven’t heard of a new store opening somewhere. “They have a solid position to begin with, so there’s no fool trying to force their way in and open a store.”
“…”
Ruyev, who was listening to the story, also looked embarrassed.
I also asked other questions. We also considered the possibility of running a business other than a general store. In Deseo, they traded hardware rather than general goods, so perhaps the products they handled may have changed.
But the owner answered that he did not know.
“Gordburg is a place where hundreds of merchants come and go every day. How can I know about all of this? If you’re really curious, go to the merchant guild and ask.”
So, I visited a place called the Merchant Guild.
Ruyev explained, pointing to the three-story wooden building in front of us.
“They say it is used to give money to the lord and get permission to do business here. He was told that commercial activities in Gordburg must be registered.”
“Then Posao must have written his name here too. Let’s go in.”
Obtaining information was not as difficult as I thought.
Ruev and I pretended to be merchants from far away and said we wanted to find out about the stores registered here, so we were given a large book with the names of the merchants written on it.
Palak. Palak.
If you search from the last page, you can see people who have registered relatively recently. I quickly scanned the list and looked for Posao’s name.
However, even as far back as January of this year, the name ‘Posao’ could not be found.
Ruyev asked.
“Is there no name?”
“Nothing.”
“You could have used a different name.”
“…”
What he said is right.
Posao has already made a name for himself in Deseo. If the political situation there was complicated, it was highly likely that he would not use the name Posao for safety reasons.
If he really did that… I can’t find it this way.
Chin.
I closed the book and went to see the manager.
“I’m looking for one person.”
“This is not that kind of place.”
“No. There’s no way you wouldn’t know. He is in his 40s, very tall and fat, and has a severe stutter.”
“… !”
As we listed the very clear characteristics, the manager looked up at us with ‘a knowing look.’
It wasn’t planned to be like this from the beginning. We had no intention of publicly announcing that we were chasing Posao.
If this manager had a close relationship with Posao, it was a dangerous matter that would be discovered quickly.
But now we are completely in limbo.
At least you have to throw this many dice to get a clue.
And… The gamble paid off.
“Oh, ‘that pig’?”
As expected, the manager knew.
No matter how many people there are in Gordburg, there will be no one in the world who even remotely resembles that guy.
“Do you know?”
“I know. About a month or two ago, the eastern gate was very noisy thanks to that pig. It’s quiet right now, so I don’t think anything special is going on. Well, I guess it’s because I’m so busy.”
“Can I listen a little more closely?”
“Go near the east gate. “I heard you live there.”
“Thank you.”
Fortunately, my wandering around so far wasn’t in vain.
It is unknown whether Fossao changed its name, but its appearance remained the same, so its characteristics were easily captured in Gordburg.
If the manager of the merchant guild knows… For better or worse, it looks like the face painting was definitely done. Thanks to its moderate popularity, it has become easy to dig up information.
I moved to the eastern gateway with Ruev.
I only found out later that the first place we entered was the South Gate, which was not a street for people who ‘reside’ in Gordburg, as there were mainly wandering merchants walking around.
It seems that most of the people living in the real territory live together in the east. Certainly, the closer you get to the east gate, the more private houses you see.
Excited. Excited.
I didn’t think it would be very impressive.
My heart began to pound as if it would jump out of my chest at the thought that I would soon be able to meet Tia.
“Ritz. Slowly put on your hood.”
“Yes.”
I pressed the hood deeply with trembling hands.
We don’t want Tiana Posao to run into us by chance.
Children run around screaming. All the men left to work, and only the women remained at home.
Everyone seemed to have no time to spare as they had to go do laundry early in the morning or take care of the baby.
It was a time to hide in the alleys between private houses to avoid suspicious eyes.
“Ahaha-!”
I heard a girl’s laughter from somewhere.
I lifted my head up.
Is it Tia?
It was very similar to Tia’s laugh. Without even realizing it, I instinctively ran towards it.
My heart feels like it’s about to explode.
“Look at this-! “I made it.”
“Oh my, ho ho ho!”
Hidden behind the shadows. Ruyev also followed and stayed by my side.
I peeked my head in the direction where I heard the voice.
“…”
A girl and a woman are having a conversation.
But… It wasn’t.
It’s not bright red hair, but normal brown hair. He looked much younger than Tia, so even from a distance I could tell it wasn’t her.
She sighed loudly, calming her pounding heart. Ruyev asked.
“Is it Tia?”
“No.”
“It’s dangerous to stay here for a long time. “Can’t you still remember?”
Even though we were near the eastern gateway, it was still not easy to find any traces of Tia. To see a ‘memory illusion’, you need to come in contact with a place or object, but you can’t even see anything similar.
I suggested it to Ruyev.
“Let’s go to any store. There may be some clues left.”
“If it’s around here… I saw a general store. “I will guide you.”
We left the alley and headed to the general store. Since there was no one there, I didn’t pay much attention and went straight inside.
Clutter.
It’s a neat store. The only ‘general store’ in my life was the dirty and smelly store in Posao. It feels like this place is run by someone with some kind of humanity.
The owner with strong arms greeted me.
“Welcome.”
“I came because I wanted to see things.”
“Look at it to your heart’s content.”
I looked at the objects hanging on the walls and the products on the shelves. I looked through them one by one as I walked, but there were no memory illusions left.
Is there no income here either?
The moment when I was about to take a regrettable step.
“… !”
I saw a sword leaning in the corner.
A red sword illuminated by the light coming from the window. A sharp day that shines brightly as if bathed in sunlight.
I couldn’t believe it.
Because that knife wasn’t something to be shabby leaning here.
Luyev also followed my gaze and bit his lip.
“This guy’s sword… Why here?”
The store owner came out with a smile on his face.
“Are you looking for a long sword? Ah- this?! It’s a great practice sword! It is light but quite sturdy, so it would be a great fit for beginners who are just learning to use a sword. If you have a young son who wants to become a knight, I think this would be a great birthday present. What do you think, are you interested? Would you like to hear it?”
I held out my hand. I didn’t mean to give the sword to the owner.
Because that was something I had to grab.
Chin.
A familiar feeling that fits tightly in your hand.
I have this sword… Is it finally possible to catch up again after half a year?
Syring-.
I laid the sword down in my hand, laid it horizontally, and examined it carefully.
Rose Sabel.
Rose Sabel seemed as if she had been waiting here all along to meet me.
Leaving the hand of its longtime owner, it came to rest against the wall of an unknown general store… To tell you what happened so far.
She closed her eyes to answer the wait of this sword.
Let me know. Rose Sabel.
As if responding to my call, memories unfold one by one.
He was the original owner of this sword.
Tia’s past.
* * *
Finally, the two arrived in Gordburg.
The house that Posao had purchased in advance was a mansion with a small garden. It was slightly larger than Tia’s house and smaller than Posao’s general store.
Still, compared to the houses around here, it was a nice mansion that could be said to be ‘living well.’
Tia looked up at her house with her flushed face.
“Here… “Is this the house we will live in the future?”
“Yes. It’s ‘our house’. “I got the keys too.”
Jinglang.
Posao showed the key and grinned.
Running away is over now. A new home and a new life were truly right in front of me.
“It’s a pretty house.”
Perhaps remembering the hardships she had endured, Tia wiped away her tears.
They moved into their new home. I decided to keep the furniture left behind by the previous owner of this house and organize the clothes and important stolen items I brought with me.
The couple’s housewarming ended earlier than expected because there was nothing in the house from the beginning.
“It still doesn’t feel real.”
Tia lay down on her bed to rest her tired body. She asked, with Posao lying down next to her.
“What, what?”
“It means ‘our house.’ Everything seems awkward. I don’t even know where the room is… “I suddenly felt like I had sneaked into someone else’s house.”
“Hehe. Dog, Ganchana Tia. You’ll get used to it soon.”
The two people’s eyes met.
“Oh, would you like a massage?”
“…”
Swoosh-.
Posao’s squishy palm rests on Tia’s chest. The girl unbuttoned her clothes so that Po Sao’s hands could crawl around freely.
New home. A landscape where everything is unfamiliar. When something is so different that it makes my heart tremble to the point of being a little afraid.
For Tia, Posao was the ‘only companion’ she could rely on, and his touch was the most familiar.
“Ha…”
It was when my plump breasts slowly rose under his soft touch.
Thump thump thump!
Suddenly, someone knocked on the front door.
Startled, Tia quickly put her clothes away and hurried to her door.
“Who are you… ?”
When she opened the door and stuck her head out, there were about ten people in the garden.
A woman who came as a representative greeted me.
“You’re new here, right? Oh! “It was a young lady!”
People opened their mouths in silence. Beautiful red hair flowing over her shoulders, and ruby eyes so beautiful that you don’t even feel jealous.
It was surprising that the new person who moved in was a ‘girl,’ and they seemed quite surprised to see her pretty face as if a goddess had come down to earth.
The woman explained.
“I am here. My name is ‘Rhodia’ and I live right across the street. “I heard that my potential neighbor has moved in, so I came to say hello.”
It was a warm welcome from the neighbors. They seemed to have been curious about who would be the owner of this house for a long time.
“Ah… Yes nice to meet you! “My name is Tia.”
“Miss Tia! Ho Ho! Nice to meet you. But- you didn’t come alone, right?”
Not only was the girl unable to move alone, but there was no way for her to own a mansion like this alone.
Since Tia seemed too young to be married, it seemed natural that she had come with her family.
It was at that time that she briefly wondered how Tia would explain it.
“Hehe. Well, nice to meet you.”
Suddenly Posa Oga revealed her face above Tia’s head.
People’s eyes turned that way.
… And she was ‘astonished.’
