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Longtail – Yorin Ochre – doesn't know if he's made the right decision.

But then, when the king's astrologer, who was not tall and had pale skin, asked him, "Do you know some reliable friends who would be hired to accompany your master on his journey?"

"Just call me Longtail, sir. You lack guards?"

"Actually my friend. He's going to the south. Maybe one or two people will be enough. ”

At this time, he should have asked jokes such as "what are you going to do", "southeast or southwest, which lord's territory", or "I didn't think you would be short of guards, I heard that you are a rising star in the court".

But he just said, "How am I, my lord?"

"Y-you, Longtail?" he looked surprised, "what about your position in the palace?"

"I think an adult like you will pay me a word and let me pack up and leave. ”

"But would you like to?"

At this moment, he hesitated.

"It depends on what you promise me. He habitually haggled, but knew in his heart that he wouldn't mind what the other person said.

He was tired of guarding the dungeons and guarding the side doors in this Amber Palace. He was a low-class Hhyar (the hairy neck was ironclad), and he had no title or land, and he would never get ahead here. "Given that you promised me wine, and did give me wine, I am sure you will not break your word easily. He added.

The lord, the new star of the court, smiled.

"First of all, the cost of the trip is three gold coins. And perhaps, if you do your job well this time—and if you will, I invite you to be my bodyguard, or the chief of affairs of my mansion?"

"Of course that's good, sir. He said, "It's decided?"

"But it's all empty promises. And if things don't work out, you probably won't be able to go back to the court to take office. ”

"Ah...... But at least your servants should be able to barely help me for a while?

"Actually," the Hejar smiled at the time, and said calmly, "I have only one maid to date. I guess if you don't mind, I should be able to feed you both. ”

"Only one maid! you're a weirdo......"

Nagao muttered.

And the adult held out his hand—he couldn't remember the last time he shook hands, so he was stunned.

"Well, it's settled. "To reside," said the lord, "my name is Moshi Toyo, and I am now the king's astrologer, and my name is unknown. ”

"I remember who you are. Longtail, Jorin Ochre," he learned, "is now a palace guard, but soon a vagrant." ”

He held the hand. Through the leather gloves, he noticed that they were very slender and slender hands. And he remembered how three years ago, when the court was in turmoil, this Hhyal walked on the chaotic battlefield, and not a single drop of blood had the honor of staining his clothes.

He didn't think it would be too bad to gamble on such a peculiar person.

-

A few days later, Nagao was taken to meet the master he was about to follow. They met in the square inside the gates of the Spinel Academy, the first time Nagao had stepped into such an academy, and he had noticed the neatness and solemnity of the place, and had seen the beautiful crimson columns with his own eyes.

Things are gathered by like, and people are grouped.

That friend of Moshi Toyosui also seemed to be as polite as he was. But Nagao's instinct is that Opal Zirconia-sama wasn't as friendly as Moshi Toyoho, and he didn't seem to be the type to act impulsively, such as negotiating a personnel change in a few words.

But again, he doesn't seem to be any more difficult to get along with than Moshi.

With normal and natural social etiquette, he walked towards the longtail with a slight nod and examined the inferior Heyal who would accompany him on his next trip.

Nagao is open to this scrutiny. It was much easier to get used to than shaking hands with him suddenly.

His slender ears stood up in spirit, and the hair on his tail was combed and drooped softly, and his face was washed and trimmed, and there was no problem with his appearance. And he is quite confident in his size. He wasn't as good as those noble knights from the Great Heyar, but since they were just ordinary guards, what else did they want to find?

His net worth included at least a decent long and short sword, as well as a dagger.

"May God bless. I've heard you can be called Long Tail. Opal Zirconium said that the tone was very similar to that of Moshi, the kind of restrained and preppy style.

"May God bless you. Yes, my lord, just call me Nagatail. So what should I call you?"

"You can call me Mr. Opal. ”

"Yes, Mr. Opal. ”

"Where is your hometown?"

Ochre is a surname with a very southeastern mountain color.

"It's also south, sir, but it's a small place. ”

"That's good. If you stop by, you can go back to your hometown. ”

"Thank you, sir. ”

These short and crisp questions and answers seemed to make Opal Zirconium feel a little fond of him. So he seized the moment to smile. Opal Zirconium returned with an indifferent smile.

The fair-skinned Hyaar had a bird perched on his shoulder.

Edelweiss, he thought, is a common bird, but no one has ever kept it. I heard that it was because they were stupid and disobedient to discipline, and they only ate and ran away.

But the bird had no rope to hold it, but rested peacefully on his shoulder. Rare.

At this moment, the young man of Nakhyar put his hand over his shoulder. The edelweiss leaped briskly onto his knuckles. Then he walked up to Mo Shi and handed the bird to Mo Shi.

"I'll leave it to you for now. ”

"I'll do my best. Then he added in a whisper, "I hope Duna will enjoy raising birds." ”

Mo Shi stretched out his hand, and the Edelweiss came to his hand obediently, its soft feet and pointed claws grasping his knuckles, and the soft gray-white down feathers were piled up on the back of his hand like a ring trembling slightly in the wind.

"I don't think the mine is going to be easy to find. Opal said to Moshi, "It must be deep in the mountains, transporting ore by sheep's intestine trails – or no roads at all." ”

"Then the alchemy and mint can also be clues. ”

"Even if I do find out about those violations, how do I prove they are guilty?"

"You don't have to prove it, you just have to record the exact point. If your investigation yields any results, the king will certainly send his cronies to find out. And if you can bring back some ore, or even some witnesses – that's even better. But it's all about safety. ”

"It looks like I'll have to judge the situation myself. ”

"I'm sure you'll do better than I do. ”

Nagao listened from the sidelines, silently jotting down the relevant information. He knew he couldn't talk too much at this point.

As for the long and boring journey when he actually embarks on the journey, he should have the opportunity to chat with Opal Zirconium and know more. It's not that he doesn't know about the southern mines, so maybe he can help.

(//)

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