The Seventh Prince Runs Away from Awkward Situations Chapter 105

The road from Lucha to Rimis was not complicated, but it was a journey that required crossing several mountains.

It was a bit of a difficult journey for Ria, who was not used to riding horses, but it wasn't her equestrian skills or the rough road that troubled us.

“Are you wasting time again? How many times do I have to say we are busy?”

Me, Ria, and Ratel, who were looking around a shop after stopping by a somewhat large village, turned our heads at the stiff voice that poured cold water on us and glared at the culprit tormenting our journey.

The skinny and diminutive guide scanned the inside of the shop with eyes full of dissatisfaction.

“……Since we said we would just look around by ourselves, I wonder why he followed us.”

Ria muttered discontentedly.

“Should we secretly ditch him?”

Jing also asked me, not hiding his displeasure with the man.

To that extent, the diminutive man attached as a guide by the Lucha temple was a person whose speech was as sharp as his pointy face.

And although he wouldn't know, he had escaped death quite a few times in the meantime.

-Why are people called the winners of the Lucha Competition so slow?

-What are you doing right now? Surely you aren't thinking of running away?

-You just have to follow me, why so many words?

The last remark was mostly a rebuke directed at Jing.

Every time Jing, who didn't trust his guidance, checked with me if this was really the right way, he reacted neurotically.

And at the end, he inevitably glared at me.

Among us, Ratel was the only one he didn't get annoyed at.

No, to be precise, the opponent he got annoyed at only once was Ratel.

What was it?

Did he say his expression was disrespectful for someone going to Rimis thanks to other people?

He probably wanted to touch the pride of Ratel, who didn't perform much in the Lucha Competition, but there was no way the most monster-like guy among us would take a hit from such a thing.

However, for some reason, Ratel showed the dedication to join Jing and Ria's training that took place during break times.

And on that day, Ratel also performed a stunt of punching a hole in the ground with his fist.

That day was the last time the guide vented his annoyance at Ratel.

He must have instinctively realized Ratel's silent warning that the next thing to have a hole punched in it would be his body.

However, the man's annoyance toward us, who didn't express clear dissatisfaction like Ratel, remained the same.

Because the man urged us so much, Ria's equestrian skills, which had been clumsy, improved greatly thanks to him.

Jing seemed to have gained another wrinkle while stopping Ratel, who was about to slice the man's throat in the meantime.

“I can make it so he can never follow us forever.”

As if resolved to clench and unclench Jing's tender heart this time too, Ratel said while fiddling with his sword hilt threateningly.

“When Ratel says it, it doesn't sound like a joke.”

Ria said with a hearty laugh.

Jing, who knew that Ratel's suggestion was pure sincerity, could only laugh awkwardly.

“What useless chatter are you engaging in again.”

Although his hearing wasn't very good, he, who was quick-witted, snapped sharply at us.

Since Ratel's patience was truly on the verge of running out this time, I opened my mouth quickly.

“That ornament shop over there looks interesting.”

To be honest, the place I pointed to with my finger was a shop that was a stretch to describe as looking interesting even as a joke.

Because the bizarre atmosphere created by all sorts of stuffed animals and monsters filling the dark shop didn't seem easy for people to approach.

But the effect was excellent to that extent.

Because the guide's face turned pale as he turned his head following the direction my finger pointed without realizing it.

“Your aesthetic sense is incredible.”

Ratel, who looked in the direction I pointed along with the others, muttered.

I knew it wasn't a compliment, but I ignored him and stepped into the shop.

As soon as we entered, the smell of chemicals filling the shop pierced our noses.

Next to welcome us was the head of a stuffed orc attached to the ceiling of the shop.

The owner, who was working on stuffing a bird sitting in a corner of the shop, glanced at us entering.

However, perhaps judging that we weren't people who would buy taxidermy products, he lowered his eyes again and began to immerse himself in his work.

As I expected, the guide couldn't follow us in and was only pacing outside the shop.

Ria, who finally entered a shop she could look around comfortably, opened her mouth looking at the orc head hanging on the ceiling.

It, which exuded the only fierce atmosphere inside the shop where only stuffed small animals were scattered, was contributing the most to forming the overall bizarre atmosphere of the shop.

“……Is that real?”

As Ria asked me, Jing approached us and examined the stuffed orc head meticulously.

Inside the orc's wide-open mouth, huge molars were flashing threateningly.

“Well……. I can’t be sure.”

However, Jing trailed off as if he couldn't guarantee it.

“Of course it’s real. That is something really precious.”

The shop owner, who was quietly making taxidermy, flared up and intervened.

It seemed to be an item he had quite a bit of pride in.

“That is a taxidermy made by catching an orc leader. I bought it with money I saved for decades.”

He, who loved his job, added proudly.

It was a pity.

I don't know for sure, but it was certain that he bought the item by getting ripped off.

“Oh my…….”

Whether Jing also thought the same, he let out a small sigh of pity.

“What is it?”

Ria asked cautiously, gauging the shop owner's mood.

“Usually, if they say it’s a leader's head, ten out of ten are fake. A real one is about one in a thousand.”

Jing answered, lowering his voice significantly so the owner wouldn't hear.

“Yes? Why?”

“Because one guild isn't enough to obtain a leader's head. The price is that enormous. No matter if it’s money saved for decades, it’s not something one can afford while running a small shop like this.”

“Heok, then what about that mister?”

Ria looked at the shop owner in surprise.

“What do you mean what about him? We just have to let him be.”

Despite my answer, Ria couldn't abandon her lingering attachment.

“Still, shouldn’t we teach him so he can argue with the person who sold it?”

“It will be useless. If they pulled off such a big scam, the human who sold the item would have already fled with the money. Unless they had quite a big liver, they would have flown the coop long ago.”

Even if we told him the truth, the probability was high that it would take time for the owner to accept it.

He might even get angry at us saying we are lying.

“It is best to bury the cruel truth and let him live in a happy lie.”

At my answer, Ria nodded her head making a groaning sound.

Ria and Jing, having given up on informing the shop owner of the truth, began to wander around the shop and look around without the guide's nagging for the first time in a while.

Fortunately, since the shop owner was a person who felt pride in his hobby rather than money, he looked quite satisfied just by Ria spitting out exclamations continuously while walking around the shop.

I, having confirmed the two taking a breather after a long time, killed time looking up at the fake stuffed orc in the center of the shop.

“So, what is the real reason for calling us here?”

Ratel, who approached without a sound before I knew it, asked in a monotone voice.

“If you leave this village and go a little further, a forest will appear.”

Since it was a natural sequence for him to ask about the intention of my actions by this point, I answered obediently.

“Even if that man suddenly acts capriciously, just accept it. Don't go on about killing him or not.”

“Is that all?”

Whether my warning was blander than expected, Ratel asked.

“There is more, but this is all I will teach you now.”

I cast a glance for a moment at Ria, who was looking around the shop excitedly.

It seemed better to say the rest when I was sure Ria couldn't hear.

Because it wasn't content to be spoken of lightly at least.

“Is that also a truth better buried than revealed?”

Ratel, who noticed the direction of my gaze, asked.

Thinking he was a guy who surprisingly didn't miss things in conversation, I shook my head.

“No, because this is a truth that requires mental preparation.”

Leaving the guy crumpling his expression unable to understand my words, I continued.

“And we should take a breather if only for Jing's life extension. It seemed his white hairs increased because he was worried you would kill the guide continuously.”

Giving a small rebuke, I raised my head again and looked at the fake orc attached to the ceiling.

Although it was an imitation, the reason that it was exquisite enough to be hard to distinguish from the real thing was sufficient to appreciate it.

***

“Since the sun will set soon, let’s rest in front of there today.”

Not long after leaving the village and entering the forest, the guide slowed down his horse and said, as I expected.

“Saying the sun will set soon, do you perhaps have bad eyesight?”

Jing, who had endured the man's nonsensical urges in the meantime, furrowed his brow unknowingly and worried about the man's eye health.

His gaze headed toward the sun floating high in the sky.

Let alone the sun setting, the sun hadn't even passed its highest point.

The guide frowned as if Jing's worry was unpleasant.

“If you don't know how quickly the mountain sun sets, stay still. Since there is a cabin in front of there, we will spend one night there and go.”

Jing, who must have crossed mountains a hundred times more than the guide, burst into a hollow laugh, but the man was stubborn.

“……I can’t just smack him once, right?”

He glared at the back of the head of the guide going ahead and sought my opinion in a low voice.

I shook my head watching him resembling Ratel more and more as days went by.

“Just leave him be. Because the cabin that person speaks of is the last place we can take a breather.”

At my answer, Jing drove his horse without saying another word.

Leading the horse hoping to escape from his uncomfortable obedience as soon as possible, something blue began to be seen in the distance.

“……My goodness.”

Ria, who likewise discovered the magnificent view in front, spat out a small exclamation.

A river huge enough to be unbelievable for being in the mountains was revealed.

It was a picturesque scenery.

Next to the sparkling river, a single cabin was situated, and we could tell that was the place to stay the guide had mentioned.

Jing, whose reaction was relatively dull, also opened his mouth as he realized the scale of the river as we approached closer.

“To think there is such a huge river in the mountains, it is surprising.”

That must be so.

Because that wasn't created naturally.

I looked at the small island floating alone in the middle of the river in the distance.

What was hidden inside there was also not created naturally.

“Squeak.”

I, who was lost in thought for a moment, snapped out of it at the cry made by El hiding inside my clothes and pressed my chest with my hand.

The guy, who usually hid as if dead because he didn't want to be caught by Ratel, suddenly made a sound.

As expected, Ratel, who possessed monster-like hearing, turned around and looked at me.

“What was that just now?”

“What?”

When I feigned ignorance, Ratel narrowed his eyes.

“…….”

Although the guy glared at me without a word, I utilized my thick face skin actively and feigned ignorance.

Fortunately, there was one person who broke Ratel's silent pressure.

Bang.

Before we could even arrive, the door of the cabin opened violently.

“Everyone!! I have been waiting!! You really came well!”

With the appearance of the man welcoming us violently to the point of being excessive, the El crying incident could be buried quietly.