I Became the Keeper of a Suspicious Forest - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 42

 

However, everyone he knew was from the Capital. This Village was also his first visit today.

 

His brow furrowed as he tried to deduce the woman’s identity while noticing the gazes following her.

 

‘It would be dangerous for her to walk around like that.’

 

Everyone in the Town Square had stopped walking and was staring at the woman. As an outsider with conspicuous hair color in a Village like this, she naturally drew attention.

 

Fortunately, she seemed to sense the gazes and pulled up her cloak’s hood.

 

Just as he felt relieved, the woman stopped walking in the middle of the Town Square. Then she began examining the papers posted on the bulletin board intently.

 

He could have simply passed her by and gone to the Guild, but strange curiosity led him to stand beside her in front of the bulletin board.

 

‘What is she looking at?’

 

He glanced at the paper she was reading.

 

【World’s Best Money-Making Market Vendor Assistant】

 

Duties: Customer service, bargaining assistance, product display and organization, change calculation, very simple errands, stall cleanup after closing, …

 

Qualifications: Loud voice, honest person who won’t run away, friendly person, …

 

Salary: 1 silver per day. No meals provided (possibility of raise depending on daily performance)

 

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‘The treatment at this shop isn’t very good.’

 

There was a lot of work to do, but the salary and compensation were poor. With shops like this, there was a high chance they would just exploit workers and delay payment or make excuses.

 

He had read the content, but questions still remained.

 

He had thought she might be a noble young lady, but seeing her examine job postings, his assumption seemed wrong.

 

Sionel was deep in thought when he suddenly noticed how unusually quiet everything around them had become and turned his head. Then he froze completely.

 

The woman, who had hidden her face tightly within her cloak, was staring directly at him.

 

And then.

 

“Excuse me.”

 

When Sionel couldn’t say anything under the gaze he could feel even though he couldn’t see her eyes, the woman approached him.

 

The crimson hair within the woman’s cloak came close enough to tickle his hand.

 

Had she perhaps noticed that he had been following her all along?

 

“If you’re not going to read it, could you please move your hand?”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“You’re covering it with your hand right now.”

 

The woman pointed at the bulletin board with her finger. When he looked in that direction, he saw that an entire posting was completely hidden beneath his hand.

 

When he quietly moved his hand away, the woman squeezed into the space as if she had been waiting for it.

 

【Seeking World’s Most Ordinary Inn Maid】

 

Duties: Room management, bedding replacement, customer service, kitchen assistance, laundry, luggage transport, errands.

 

Qualifications: Honest and diligent person (must be able to work from early morning to late night), preference for those who can read, inn experience preferred, someone who will care for the inn like their own inn. (Family-like workers greatly welcomed)

 

Salary: 3 silver per day. Room and board provided (no going out without permission. Going out possible with permission.)

 

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Sionel read the content and furrowed his brow.

 

The conditions seemed better than the previous posting at first glance, but several parts bothered him.

 

Going out possible with permission.

 

Especially the fact that they used a small trick, writing it in negative form first then adding the positive, probably worried there might be no applicants otherwise.

 

“Hmm….”

 

However, the woman seemed unable to find any major problems with the posting and studied it intently. Not stopping there, she reached out her hand as if to take the posting down.

 

“I don’t think you should take that job.”

 

Instead of the small hand that couldn’t reach the paper, a large hand with prominent knuckles appeared from behind and tore off the paper.

 

Perhaps because he could clearly see the woman who would suffer, Sionel stepped forward without planning to.

 

The woman’s body naturally turned toward him.

 

“Why? Are you trying to take it?”

 

He lowered his voice even more just in case, since he needed to hide his identity, but his counterpart showed no interest in that.

 

“Because I suspect they confine their employees.”

 

They were both wearing cloaks, but her unwavering attitude made it seem like she was seeing right through him from within her cloak.

 

“If you report postings like this to the Village administrator, the administrator will give the inn a warning.”

 

He didn’t know what circumstances had brought her down to the Village to work, but a delicately raised noble young lady would face harsh experiences.

 

Even after saying all this, the woman still showed no signs of backing down. Instead, she pulled down his arm. Sionel’s body stiffened.

 

Taking advantage of that moment, she snatched the paper from his hand.

 

Among nobles, touching someone’s body without permission is extremely rude.

 

This woman must have done this because she doesn’t know I’m a noble.

 

“Originally, job postings with these kinds of conditions are considered good. Haven’t you done much work before?”

 

“Then, you’re doing this knowing that?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Why…”

 

Sionel trailed off. They were having too much conversation for a first meeting.

 

Aside from being polite to others, he wasn’t the type to show this much interest in strangers, so Sionel felt suspicious of his own behavior.

 

However, the woman didn’t seem to find it particularly strange and readily opened her mouth.

 

“Rather, isn’t it good that I don’t have to go home? Why bother when clashing with family would just make me angry for no reason.”

 

He could sense killing intent directed at someone in her voice.

 

And the woman put the paper in her bosom and walked away without even saying goodbye.

 

My gaze keeps going to her. That’s what Sionel thought at the time.

 

* * *

 

‘Now what do I do.’

 

Ponia tapped the table while counting the number of people inside.

 

She had safely entered the guild using the badge.

 

Those noisily drinking and chattering paid no attention to her. There were quite a few people wearing cloaks inside the guild as well.

 

They had completely let down their guard and were just drinking heavily, leaving many openings. However, there were too many of them.

 

She fingered the powders inside her cloak.

 

These people were too scattered in all directions to use paralysis poison. Even if she put it in their alcohol, unless everyone drank it all at once, they would quickly notice something was wrong.

 

Ponia stared at the stairs placed on the left.

 

If the first floor had such a free-roaming atmosphere, then the place where proper paperwork and business was conducted would be upstairs.

 

If she could just get up to those upper floors, she would be able to find the contract her father supposedly signed and the money too.

 

The problem was that no one was going up the stairs.

 

‘I can’t go up naturally like this.’

 

If she couldn’t enter through normal means, she would have to cause a disturbance. The question was what to use for that disturbance…

 

“Ah, this is really annoying me to death!”

 

Just then, two men sat down at the table where Ponia was sitting. The two people, who had looked displeased even before sitting down, began bickering.

 

“That’s why I told you. When we make plans, listen to what people say before you act.”

 

“How many jobs have we ruined because of you taking forever just making plans, and you want me to wait again!”

 

Whether they had returned from working together, the man who had been speaking energetically waved money and papers around.

 

“If it wasn’t for me today, do you think you could have screwed over those bastards?”

 

The face of the man who had been talking about plans turned red. The conversation between those two seemed similar to the method used against her father.

 

“Anyway, let’s just drink some beer and go upstairs. I’ll report that I was the one who achieved results from this job, so keep that in mind.”

 

“How can that be! I worked on it together too!”

 

“If you have complaints, why don’t you try something? But Monde, are you confident?”

 

It would have been nice if it escalated into a physical fight, but the man called Monde seemed unable to handle his opponent’s force and didn’t push further.

 

Ponia’s eyes lit up.

 

They had appeared at the perfect timing.

 

‘How grateful this is.’

 

Right now, no one was watching this way.

 

“You two are still working together?”

 

A smooth voice slipped between the two who were having a war of nerves.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“According to Volke, last time you secretly created results by yourself.”

 

“What? Denny did?”

 

The man who had been cowering opened his eyes wide. Ponia deliberately made exaggerated gestures like shrugging her shoulders and spoke loudly.

 

“Yeah, so he bragged about receiving differential compensation for it.”

 

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

 

The man called Denny jumped up and shouted.

 

“I already heard everything. You complained that he just pretends to use his brain and always takes a share of the money, and that it’s embarrassing to go around together because he’s so pathetic and has no presence.”

 

“You!”

 

His patience had reached its limit. Denny’s face turned red with rage as he grabbed Ponia by the collar and lifted her up.

 

However, that action didn’t last long either.

 

Thud!

 

With a dull sound, Denny collapsed to the floor. Monde stood holding a broken bottle, breathing heavily in his excitement.

 

“Damn it… who do you think has been keeping you company all this time.”

 

Ponia quickly backed away.

 

Denny got up from his spot and touched his head, then as soon as he saw blood coming out, he lunged at Monde.

 

Crash!

 

As they grappled back and forth, throwing punches and using whatever tools they could grab, the surrounding area became complete chaos. The attention of those at other tables was also drawn to them.

 

Ponia picked up the things that had fallen to the floor and cautiously climbed the stairs while keeping an eye on the situation.

 

Unlike the noisy First Floor, the Second Floor was quiet and empty of people.

 

‘Good, now I just need to find where they keep the documents…’

 

“Hey there! Who are you!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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