**Proof reader : Truffle**

A few minutes after I running in the direction where Meru flew away, I feel a presence of person following me. Though I was running at a considerable speed, I couldn't completely shake off the presence behind. It's kinda bothered me so I stopped on the spot and look back, there was....

[Oh? Why did you stop your feet? We should hurry to find Meru-sama] (Freud)

[....what are you doing here?] (Wazu)

There was Naminissa's personal butler, Freud with his usual shady smile. He still keep his cool face even when I glared at him.

(TL : Change Floyd to Freud --- フロイド = Furoido = Freud --- it's sounds better for me)

[The reason why I was here is simple. Under Naminissa-sama’s command, I’m going to cooperate with Wazu-sama] (Freud)

[....cooperation? I didn’t ask for help] (Wazu)

[Do you have any idea about the location where Meru-sama was taken?] (Freud)

[No. I’m counting on you then!] (Wazu)

I will receive his goodwill obediently this time. I must not lose sight of my purpose. The most important thing now is to return Meru to my head.

[So, where was Meru taken to? It’s a hot spring town in the north, no?] (Wazu)

[Yes, it seems there is no doubt, and about the girl that the peddler was talking about, if he wanted to make her fight with Wazu-sama who has stopped being human, there is only one person that comes to my mind. Probably, she is “The Northern Hero Haosui”. Because the hot spring town in the north is where Haosui-sama lives] (Freud)

[Oi, who is the person you have called stopped from being human?] (Wazu)

How rude!! I am still a human being.... for now!! Would you like me to show you my guild card? I don't show it because there are so many problematic people in the skill column.

[And then, Northern Hero Haosui was it? Even though she is a hero, is she really a companion of that kind of peddler?] (Wazu)

[How should I put this, Haosui-sama is not interested with good and evil. However, a strong person has the tendency to seek another strong person.... I wonder if it's the case this time] (Freud)

[....sigh] (Wazu)

[Well, we will understand when we meet her in person] (Freud)

Freud bowed elegantly. That's a gesture of a perfect butler but for some reason I feel some ulterior motive every time he does it.

[So, how can I head to that hot spring town from here?] (Wazu)

[Let’s see.... if you proceed at the previous speed, there is a village across the river ahead, let's stay overnight there first. Since there are several choices from there, let’s talk about the details at the inn] (Freud)

[I understand, let’s go then] (Wazu)

Just like that I followed Freud’s suggestion. I ran at the same speed as before. I gradually increase my speed because I suddenly want to know how fast he could run. Freud caught up without dropping a single sweat not long after.

Huh? could it be he's as fast as me?

[Even though I was speeding up, you could catch up to me easily huh] (Wazu)

[Because I am a butler] (Freud)

On second thought he is a dubious person indeed....

I arrived at the other side of a river in fearful speed.... I was running too fast so I ran through on the top of the river just like that. Of course Freud as well.... we head towards the village at that speed.

There was person shedding blood from a shoulder who had collapsed on the roadside. The moment it entering our line of sight, we rapidly dropped our speed and headed there to help.

[Are you okay?] (Wazu)

As we approached the person who collapsed, we found out that it was an old man. I called out but there is no response from him and he also doesn't seems to be conscious. Freud checking the condition of the old man.

[....he is still alive] (Freud)

Freud took out some bandage from out of nowhere to treat the wounds in an appropriate manner. I brought the old-man to a shady place nearby and let him rest.

[Is he perhaps from the village ahead? If it so, something might have happened there] (Wazu)

[Well.... we will know when this person gets up] (Freud)

There are two mixed feeling inside me now. Of course I want to save Meru as soon as possible but at the same time I couldn't abandon the person in front of me. I am getting impatient because I can't handle these two well. I inhale a deep breath to calm me down. Then, Freud who noticed my condition calls out.

[Don't worry. His purpose it to make Wazu-sama go to the hot spring town, not to bring harm to Meru-sama] (Freud)

[I knew it....] (Wazu)

Though there is no guarantee of what that peddler said is true.... but it's relieving my frustration a little.... I feel pathetic right now.... fwuh.... let's believe in Meru.... in order to meet Meru in my usual self.... let's think positively....

[Ugh, this place is....]

Freud ask about the circumstances when this old-man woke up. This old-man is Buff-san. He is an inhabitant of the village ahead. As for why he was wounded and collapsed, it seems his village was attacked by bandits a while ago. They managed to repel the bandits because their number are small.

It seems that he was looking for his cows that got scared and ran away. He lost his consciousness in the process because he went to search for his cows without treating the wound first.

I consulted with Freud in a low voice because there is a possibility that the bandits attacking the village again.

I decided to head to the village with Buff-san while Freud is going to search for the cows that ran away to bring them back.

Freud went into the forest nearby to look for the cows. I carried Buff-san on my back and headed to the village.