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Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes
Not the Typical Old-Timer
Doriachi immediately granted Hikaru’s request, and the next morning Hikaru was able to meet the elder. The one guiding them to their place was none other than Duinkler.
「Are you sure about this? Don’t clan leaders have other things to do?」Hikaru asked.
「I guide His Majesty’s savior. There is nothing more important than this.」
Apparently, they went drinking late into the night, and after that he had to take care of paperwork that had piled up while he was gone. He didn’t get much sleep as a result.
I guess that means we’re that important, Hikaru thought.
Hikaru, Lavia (Drake on her neck), and Paula got on a carriage pulled by what seemed like a donkey with six legs, a monster the locals called a Posidonkey. Duinkler, who didn’t bring a translator, also rode with them. While the carriage wasn’t as huge as the one Katy created, it was big enough to carry four people without any problem.
「Horse is important.」Duinkler said.「So we catch and use wild Posidonkeys.」
There didn’t seem to be any place in the city to breed cattle.
「The elder we are going to see. My relative.」
「I see.」
「Other leaders volunteered to be guide, but I was selected because of that.」
This was the first time Hikaru learned that the other leaders wanted to be their guide too, not just Duinkler. Then again, he didn’t really mind whoever took the job. They were all just a bunch of older men and women anyway, save for the young and lean Grucel.
「What did you talk about with His Majesty last night?」
「Oh, curious, are we? What do you think we talked about?」
Duinkler nodded, seemingly enjoying this quiz.「You talked about traitor, perhaps?」
Duinkler went straight to the point. Caught by surprise, Hikaru blinked repeatedly. Even with his mask on, the other party could see his reaction.
「Hahaha. You seem to not be very good at hiding things. People can read you that way.」
「I just didn’t expect you to guess it right away
」
Duinkler laughed.
What did he just say? Hikaru thought. Lavia wore a look that said “Really?” Wait, wait. What does he mean, traitor? Where’d this come from?
Hikaru decided he should gather whatever information he could. Duinkler made a wrong guess, which turned out to be convenient for Hikaru.
「For the record, the king didn’t give me any specific names.」
「Yes, of course. His Majesty is a wise man. He would not say anything that will cause trouble later on. But he wanted to hear stories from an outsider like you. Also about the technology you used in killing the Yamamaneki. Am I wrong?」
「I can’t tell anyone about that tech.」
「I understand. Powerful people don’t show their trump card.」
Hikaru put his brains in full power as they talked about completely different things. Duinkler was thinking there were traitors in Dream Maker.
I see. The Yamamaneki doesn’t show up there normally. That’s why the garrison wasn’t really prepared.
「Where does the Yamamaneki appear usually?」Hikaru asked to confirm his suspicion.
「In the mountains way north. Far from here. The one that attacked was weakened by the barrier.」
「Barrier?」
「I can’t say any more than this. Of course, it is information about our technology, so if you can provide something as valuable, I can tell you.」
Duinkler clearly wanted to know more about the revolver, but Hikaru wasn’t about to tell him about his weapon just for a mere barrier.
「That’s unfortunate. I thought it was strange how there were no guns in the city when you have plenty on your ships. So it was all the traitor’s fault.」
For a moment, Duinkler appeared sad, realizing that Hikaru wasn’t going to share information. An older man showing that kind of face didn’t really affect him in any way.
「It is just as you said. We have to take down the traitor. For His Majesty.」
For the king and not for Dream Maker, huh? That sounds like something he would say, all right. Traitors, huh? If they have access to the barrier, it’s gotta be one of the clan leaders, or even more.
However when Doriachi was cured, they all looked happy and deeply moved.
No, they were probably just faking it. There’s someone wearing a “mask”, just like me. But what they’re doing is too risky. A Yamamaneki could destroy the whole city. What’s the point in ruling a nation in ruins?
The carriage rode on, rocking on the road. Hikaru couldn’t seem to wrap his head around the matter.
The elder lived on the second floor of a simple five-story apartment complex shaped like a rectangle. The interior design had a black and white motif. At first glance, one would find it hard to believe that an old person lived there.
「I thought we’d be shown to an old house, or a treehouse, or a cave.」Lavia muttered.
I know, right? Hikaru thought as they climbed to the second floor.
「Oh, welcome. Come in.」
They were greeted by a plain-spoken elderly who talked in a language Hikaru could understand. He wore what seemed like light summer clothes. His once long, silver hair had turned gray, and was tied in a bun, although it was hard to tell the difference between the colors.
With his beard dangling all the way down to his chest, he clearly looked like an old person, but he moved in a spry fashion that belied his apparent age. However, he seemed smaller compared to the rest of the taller citizens in Dream Maker.
「Surprised? The secret to my fitness is this: a special sauce made by fermenting blue papaya underground!」he said as he showed a jar swarming with flies.
Now he acts like a real old man, Hikaru thought as he politely asked him to put the jar back.
「So you are guests from Vireocean.」
「You knew?」
「Why, of course. My grandfather was born and raised in Vireocean and settled here.」
「What
?」
He knows someone who lived five hundred years ago?
「My grandfather was a Man Gnome. My name is Wakamaru, a name I inherited from him.」
Man Gnomes had life spans three times that of humans’. It was normal for them to live for over two hundred years. As such, his grandfather being there five centuries ago was nothing strange.
Now that I think about it, Kaglai seemed a bit too obsessed about this case. I guess to him, five hundred years isn’t that long.
Hikaru and the others were offered seats in one room with a beautiful table cut from a large tree.
「I’m Silver Face. This is Star Face and Flower Face.」
「Oh, those are fascinating aliases. What about that creature?」
「


」
Hikaru didn’t think Drake, disguised as a scarf, would be exposed. But now that the old man knew, there was no point in hiding him.
「His name is Drake.」
Called on by his name, Drake lifted his head, as though asking if he was allowed to move. Duinkler and the guard were startled.
「I see. Drake. A young dragon?」
「No, a drakon. Young White Drakon is what he’s called, apparently.」
「A drakon
」
Wakamaru stared at Drake with bright eyes. After a while, he nodded.
「You want to hear about old tales, yes? There are drakons in them as well.」
The old walking encyclopedia began talking.