Let’s Make Saving a Habit - Chapter 4

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 4
He unfolded the note with an expression of disbelief, rubbing his eyes as though questioning what he saw.
“…Did you know we would meet from long ago?”
I smiled brightly and offered an answer that diverged slightly from his question.
“The nearer the future, the more accurately I can predict it.”
“Ha… I apologize for underestimating the value of your information. You’re making a terrible deal—this hardly befits a proper merchant. I’m ashamed on your behalf.”
“You think I’m making a losing bargain?”
A laugh escaped me unbidden—the kind of cynical chuckle one wouldn’t expect from a child.
“I assure you, I’m not, Merchant Leader.”
I had painstakingly gathered hundreds upon thousands of pieces of information from my previous timeline, all for use in this moment.
And to the Merchant Leader, I had revealed merely one among the countless secrets I possessed.
With just that single revelation, I had escaped the hellish Village with ease and taken my revenge against Cecilia, who had sought my death.
How could this possibly be called a losing bargain?

✦ ✦ ✦
After resting in the Village for several days, the Trading Caravan resumed its journey toward the Capital.
Seizing this opportunity, Cecilia attached herself and me to the very rear of the caravan.
It was then.
“You there!”
“Y-yes?”
When the Merchant Leader pointed directly at us, Cecilia’s face grew anxious as she looked toward him.
There were caravans that collected protection fees from those pursuing them, after all.
“I’ll have the child ride on a horse.”
“Ah…”
Relief washed over Cecilia at those words, and she hesitantly approached, her eyes darting uncertainly. The Merchant Leader’s brow furrowed deeply.
“You’re an adult—you’ll walk.”
The Merchant Leader’s expression was utterly frigid as he spoke.
Cecilia’s face flushed with shame as she cried out at him.
“W-who said anything about riding? I won’t let our child ride on your horse either!”
“This is no path for a young child to walk, adult or not. She’ll tire quickly and fall behind.”
The Merchant Leader tilted his head slightly, his expression puzzled.
“A true mother would naturally wish for her child’s comfort. To insist on the child suffering for the sake of pride—something doesn’t add up.”
The Merchant Leader, knowing that she and I shared no blood relation, deliberately struck at that very point.
Cecilia bit her lip hard, yet she had no choice but to lower her head.
“…I… I’m grateful.”
It was an unexpected windfall.
Though it had been I who first requested a supply wagon, a horse was far superior to one that jolted about so violently.
And what pleased me most was that Cecilia would be walking.
I waved my hand cheerfully at Cecilia in farewell and walked toward the Merchant Leader.
Without expression, he lifted me lightly and placed me upon his horse.
“Let’s depart!”
Mounted on the horse, I pressed my face into an impassive mask and leaned against the Merchant Leader’s back. The support was surprisingly comfortable.
It was true that being a child came with many restrictions. But such privileges unique to childhood made it not entirely unpleasant.
How long had we been traveling like this?
A low voice reached me from above.
“…You’re smaller than I expected.”
“I’m still just a child, after all.”
“How old are you?”
“Seven years old.”
Upon hearing my age, the Merchant Leader’s voice carried a note of surprise.
“My son didn’t seem nearly this small when he was seven.”
“Well, I didn’t have much to eat growing up, so it’s only natural.”
“….”
Oops. I hadn’t meant to leave him speechless this time.
Having lived such a harsh life, misfortune spilled from my lips whenever I opened my mouth.
A few seconds passed.
He seemed to realize he needed to break the awkward silence and hastily spoke.
“Our Trading Caravan is called Ageratum. If the Orphanage doesn’t suit you, come find us. Someone as clever as you would always be welcome.”
“You’re not just after my Abiliter ability?”
“Ha, well, that too.”
I crossed my arms with a knowing smirk.
“Still, I appreciate the offer. I’ll consider it if all my plans fall through.”
Of course, my plans would ‘never’ fall through.
Do you know why Native American rain dances have a 100% success rate?
Because they continue the ritual until it rains.
I planned to use my ability to grind through reset after reset
1)
until my plans succeeded.

✦ ✦ ✦
After two weeks of traveling through several villages, we arrived at Catalea, the Capital of the Empire.
During our journey to the Capital, I had grown quite close not only to the Merchant Leader but also to the other members of the Trading Caravan.
Of course, Cecilia was not about to let that slide.
As an example, whenever I tried to converse with anyone from the Caravan, she would swiftly whisk me away.
She seemed concerned that I might become attached to the Trading Caravan.
The moment we arrived at the Capital, Cecilia roughly pulled me away from the Caravan.
Since I had already coordinated with the Merchant Leader, I followed her without complaint.
“Where are we going now?”
“There won’t be any Gambling House that would take a child like you, so we’ll have to go to the Horse Racing Ground and try to win some money.”
“Then where will we sleep?”
“…Right. Let’s find an inn first.”
As I followed her without any particular resistance, her expression seemed to relax somewhat.
However, the grip on my wrist showed no sign of loosening.
It was clear I couldn’t break free with my own strength, so I would have to proceed with my plan as intended.
I slowly surveyed my surroundings and activated my ability.
[Overlaying current viewpoint onto Viewpoint 2.]
Then I spoke calmly.
“…I wish I could have thanked the Merchant Leader before we left.”
“Huh? You’re the one who received help, so what would I have to do with it?”
I was about to retort that she could never have crossed the Monster Forest alone, but I quietly closed my mouth instead.
How much longer did we walk?
I spotted the Merchant Leader approaching from behind with the Security Guards.
The way the Security Guard narrowed his eyes suggested he suspected I was being forcibly dragged away.
It felt like deception wouldn’t work in this situation.
I came to an abrupt halt and muttered with an exasperated expression.
“What is this? Did I really have to stage such a dramatic scene? Fine, I’m exceptionally good at acting anyway.”
“Tania, what did you just….”
I ignored Cecilia’s words, memorized the locations of the surrounding buildings, and then loaded the viewpoint I had saved earlier.
[Loading Viewpoint 2.]
As I hesitated momentarily due to the gap between the two viewpoints, Cecilia furrowed her brow irritably as if asking what I was doing.
“My apologies. I was momentarily distracted.”
I moved forward casually, watching for the right moment.
And as the buildings I had memorized came into view, I instantly summoned tears and collapsed to the ground.
“Please save me, Auntie! I was wrong. I’ll do anything—please don’t sell me!”
“What, what? What are you…!”
As the flustered Cecilia hurried to lift me up, it happened.
Right on cue, the Merchant Leader arrived with the Security Guards and pointed at Cecilia, shouting.
“There she is!”
The Security Guards swiftly surrounded both Cecilia and me.
Separated from her with ease, I wept bitterly and clutched at a Security Guard’s pant leg.
“That woman said she’d sell me off. She said I’d fetch a good price because I’m an ability user…!”
So immersed was I in the act that my voice even cracked with emotion.
“Please help me…”
Moved by my pitiful display, the Security Guard’s expression grew grave as he knelt down to meet my eyes.
“Do you know her?”
“N-no, I don’t know her at all. As soon as she found out I was an ability user, she tried to drag me away somewhere.”
As I trembled and let my anxiety show, he slowly patted my back in comfort.
“Your parents?”
I closed my eyes quietly and shook my head.
Upon seeing my tattered clothes and gaunt frame, the Security Guard murmured barely audibly.
“Ah, so it’s a trafficker targeting orphans…”
With a grave expression, he posed a question to me.
“Little one, do you happen to know where that woman was trying to take you?”
“Toward the market where the central clock tower is, down an alley—I heard something about a Black Market Shop…but I don’t know the exact location…”
The Black Market Shop I mentioned was indeed a place that had long been used for illicit dealings in ability users.
Or rather, since I’ve returned to the past, I should say it’s being used for that now.
He would never suspect that a child could possess such information.
Once he confirms it’s an illegal trading location, he’ll naturally believe I obtained the information from Cecilia and interrogate her accordingly.
1)
The act of repeatedly resetting the game until obtaining one’s desired outcome

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