The Ultimate Sage Who Faked Incompetence and Was Disinherited Just Wants to Enjoy His New Life! - Episode 13: The Great Merchant

Episode 13: The Great Merchant 

Three days later, we arrived at the Adventurers’ Guild. Liner and his party were already waiting. Though we occasionally exchanged greetings, we hadn’t taken on a request together since the Goblin distribution survey. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Liner.” 

“Oh, you’re here. Well, the other party hasn’t arrived yet, though.” 

I exchanged greetings with the mage, Luciana, and the hunter, Bales. They all seemed the same as usual. 

“Have you guys taken on escort requests before?” 

“Nope, this is our first time. I heard that doing them was one of the advantages of ranking up to Silver. So we thought we’d give it a try. Besides, it seems like you need escort experience to reach Gold Rank anyway.” 

“Yeah, I heard the same thing from the Guild Master just the other day.” 

Liner and the others looked surprised. 

“So, the rumors were true. Normally, escort requests pay well and boost your reputation with the guild. So adventurers prioritize them.” 

“That’s true. If we had a four-person party, we probably would’ve taken one, too.” 

Luciana kept glancing at me as if to say, “Join our party already.” Avoiding eye contact, I decided to ask about the other party instead. 

“What kind of people are in the other party?” 

“It’s a veteran duo—Razor-san and Matilda-san. Since they’re Silver Rank like us, you’ve probably met them before.” 

“Oh, those two?” 

I did recognize them—a swordsman with streaks of white in his hair and a mage who looked young enough to be mistaken for his daughter. They had been working as a duo for a long time. 

Just as I was nodding in understanding, Razor-san and Matilda-san arrived. 

“Sorry for the wait. Waking up early is getting tough these days.” 

“Razor, don’t talk like an old man.” 

Matilda-san immediately scolded him. It gave off the vibe of a long-time married couple. After exchanging greetings, Razor-san got straight to the point. 

“Actually, the Guild Master asked me to take this request. He wants you guys to gain experience with escort missions.” 

“So that’s why he was so eager for us to take it,” 

Liner said, sounding convinced. 

It seemed like the Guild Master had set up this request for us. The fact that it required six or more people was probably no coincidence. 

“Well then, Razor-san, we’ll be in your care.” 

“Yeah, leave it to me. It’s been a while since my last escort mission, but I haven’t lost my touch. By the way… have any of you ever killed a person?” 

At those words, Liner’s group fell silent. 

It was clear now—this was why the guild required escort experience. Fighting monsters alone wouldn’t get you to the higher ranks. As adventurers, we’d inevitably face bandits or other human threats. When that time came, could we bring ourselves to cut them down? That was the real test. 

“Fel, you seem fine with it.” 

“Yeah, I have experience.” 

“Oh my, for someone so young, that’s impressive.” 

Matilda-san praised me. Though I wasn’t sure it was something to be praised for, it was a path every adventurer had to walk eventually. 

Liner and his team remained silent. 

— 

We headed to the inn where our client was waiting. It was one of the top two most luxurious inns in the town of Colibri. After checking in at the reception, we were told that our client was already waiting in the lounge on the first floor. 

“Apologies for the delay. I’m Razor, the leader of our group.” 

“Oh, no problem at all. Thank you for accepting my request. My name is Sancho Galindo. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

“Wait… are you *the* Sancho Galindo, the great merchant?!” 

Liner exclaimed in shock. 

I had heard of him before—one of the top five merchants in the Kingdom of Fortune. 

“A great merchant? No, no, I’m still far from that level.” 

Sancho-san laughed heartily. But his expression suggested he didn’t mind the title. 

It seemed we had landed a very important client. We’d have to ensure his safety and make a good impression. 

I also needed to make sure Lilia didn’t pull any pranks on him.

Sancho-san had come to the town of Colibri this time to purchase high-quality magic stones at a low price. His plan was to take these stones back to the commercial city of Everan. He would then transport them to the royal capital for resale at a higher price. 

As we continued talking, I learned that he was also purchasing a large quantity of low-quality magic stones. Apparently, these would be used to replenish the magic power of other stones. 

It seemed there was some method to pour magic power back into depleted magic stones. It allowed larger stones to be used for longer periods. Large magic stones emitted stronger magical energy and were used to power sizable magical devices. I had never seen such large devices before. But I might get the chance if I ever visited the royal capital. That was a trip I definitely wanted to take someday. 

“By the way, I’ve been wondering…….. is she a Fairy?” 

Sancho-san had been glancing at Lilia for a while. He finally turned to face us. It seemed Fairies were rare not only in Colibri but elsewhere as well. 

“Yes, she is. It looks like they aren’t seen very often.” 

“Oh, absolutely! I’ve only ever seen one in my entire life!” 

So, Sancho-san had encountered a Fairy before. That meant Lilia wasn’t completely alone in this world. This was good news! I thought she would be happy to hear it, but… she showed no reaction at all. 

“How did you come across a Fairy?” 

“I rescued her from a seal. One thing led to another, and now we travel together.” 

“I-I see…” 

Sancho-san gave a wry smile. A sealed Fairy was something incredibly rare. The contract between Lilia and me was an extraordinary case—one that few people could replicate. 

Even my mother likely never suspected that Lilia had been sealed inside that book. If she had, she would have searched for a way to break the seal. 

Once everything was ready, we set out. There were five wagons in total. It seemed that most of the trip’s focus had been on acquiring magic stones—three of the wagons were loaded with goods, while the other two carried Sancho-san and his attendants. 

In addition to us adventurers, Sancho-san had also hired about five mercenaries for protection. They all looked like seasoned warriors. Their expressions were grim. With them around, we might not even have a chance to fight. 

We passed through Colibri’s western gate and onto the main road. If we continued west on this path, we would eventually reach Everan. It was one of the Fortune Kingdom’s most prominent commercial cities. So far, Colibri was the only place I had been within the kingdom. So I was excited to visit somewhere new. 

“Razor-san, why did Sancho-san even hire additional escorts? He already has plenty of protection.” 

I asked the question that had been on my mind as we rode along the western road. 

“Fel, don’t you know? Apparently, this road has been getting dangerous lately. He just wanted to be extra careful.” 

“Wait… does that mean there are bandits?” 

Liner asked, his face turning pale. Seeing that, Razor-san smirked—a mischievous grin. It was much like the one Lilia had whenever she was about to pull a prank. 

“That’s right. And isn’t that the perfect opportunity for training? Don’t worry—these guys aren’t professionals like us. They’re much weaker than monsters. There might be a lot of them, like Goblins, but they’re nothing to be afraid of.” 

Razor-san let out a hearty laugh. Comparing bandits to Goblins—it was clear he was a veteran in this line of work. 

I needed to learn from his attitude.