After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

”It’s from Jonathan,” he said, voice hoarse. ”And it seems like there will be trouble.”

”What did he say?” Gwen’s eyebrows furrowed as she peeked over the letter, and her frown deepened even more.

Before they could discuss the letter, one of their guards arrived, saying they had visitors. He looked tense, which automatically caused the others to be guarded.

And rightfully so, because three people way above level 30 went to visit them.

There was a ’No Trespassing’ rule outside of wars, so they naturally did not enter the areas beyond the public areas, which was the lounge as well as the stores.

This was fine until the damned bastards started using their aura and intimidating their customers away!

Ryan and Kleid decided to just let them into the meeting room to see what this was about. If there were a conflict, it was better for outsiders not to know.

Gwen—who knew aborigines would not take kindly to a woman at the same table— went to ask the cooks to bring some snacks and tea, while Ryan and Kleid talked to the newcomers.

They were Wazan, a high-level fire elementalist, with mostly dark red hair with streaks of white (due to his age), which was now combed to the back of his head.

Next to him was Erggo, a bulky man with short hair. He was a Level 32 Swordsman, with a perennially arrogant expression on his face.

Finally, there was Loin, a tall brunette with his thin hair tied to the back. He was a Level 31 spearman.

All of them were far superior to them in level, and they were not in Alterra, so they were naturally careful.

”How can we help you?” Ryan asked. He was a bit of an introvert, so he couldn’t be gregarious at all, but he at least knew how to be a professional.

”We are from Valov Town,” Wazan said—nothing else—as they stared at them, no doubt looking for reactions.

Kleid was genuinely unaware of the tensions with that town—there had been no direct contact and what they knew was on a need-to-know basis—so his expression was neutral.

Ryan seemed to naturally lack dynamic facial muscles, so he didn’t have any outward reactions, either.

”I see, welcome to our place,” was all he said. ”I... if you wish to form deals, we usually have representatives from each team going with a caravan. You should find them in the frontage shops.”

He pretended not to have any idea what this was about. In cases like these, it was better to pretend the situation was peaceful unless the other side explicitly ruined it.

That said, the reason he forwarded them towards the merchants was that there would be less need for violence.

Just a bit of money would do, and perhaps a commercial deal would calm things down. They were from Valov Town, a town with a lower level than Ferrol, so they would be unlikely to use their strength to force deals, especially when other local entities were paying for a certain price already.

It so happened that the teams this time had pretty decent guards, so they could at least protect themselves. With Ferrol’s new rule, if the Valov men attacked, they’d go to prison anyway.

In this batch, Bianca was leading the Woodworker’s Team. She got her beau, Eloi, a Twinwave Town mercenary, to accompany them this time. They rented out a stall for their shop, and its performance, as always, was stellar.

There were also various representatives from various other businesses, and they were open to making deals with whoever caught their eyes.

They also had quite good standards too, and not just anyone with money was accepted. Their standards of choosing had to do with some moral code of sorts, and the entity should be easy to talk to.

In their words, why get stressed for a bit of gold when there was someone out there who’d fit better?

With this, it was unlikely for the Valov men to seal a long-term deal, but they could probably get a one-time deal just to calm things down. Ryan took note to facilitate the deals later, should they decide to go along with him.

While they were not afraid of territories their level attacking them, trouble should still be avoided while it could.

”Hmn, we’ll take note of that,” Wazan said, noncommittal. He had no time to see the products, though he did hear some good things.

He leaned down a little, going straight to the point. ”When would your caravan head back to Alterra?” he said, a grin creeping up his face. ”We’d like to travel with you.”

”What?”

What for? Their levels would let them pass through to Alterra with little problem as long as they weren’t careless.

Ferrol and Alterra had been partners for so long. It wouldn’t have been difficult for them to find one who could sell them the map.

”If we refuse?”

”We recommend you don’t,” he said, being vague on purpose. ”We...would really like to have capable guides for this trip, you see.”

Ryan narrowed his eyes at them. ”What else do you want?”

Wazan smiled. ”We’d also like to know more about the culture before heading in.” He took out a bag of gold, placing it on the coffee table between them.

”We’re bound by oath not to take bribes, sorry.”

”It’s a mere help for your lifestyle,” he said, looking back and seeing Gwen looking from the side. ”To give your lover a good life.”

Ryan’s eyes sharpened.

”No need to be so tense,” Wazan said, finally standing up.

The other two followed and saw the snacks being carried in. One took them in his space, and they left.

”We’ll be in the inn. Tell us the schedule of your return.”

...

When the unwelcome guests finally left, Ryan rubbed his forehead and headed inside. Gwen and Kleid followed after him, with Gwen’s expression particularly dire. ”They just assumed we’re going to escort them to Alterra, right?”

Kleid was just confused. ”Do they have to go all this way to get that? Ferrol Caravans go to Alterra once a week.”

”They’re likely going to take us hostage,” Ryan said.

”What?”

”We’d still need to investigate, but there should be more people in his party than just the three of them.”

There was no reason for Valov to go to the branch and announce their presence. They could have just headed straight to Alterra because the traffic between the two towns was consistent.

Approaching them like this was an attempt to get people on the inside with money, which failed spectacularly, and also to have Alterrans close to them as needed...potentially as hostages.

Valov could be underestimating them, thinking they wouldn’t know what they were planning. Even if they knew, they probably thought the Alterrans wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

Or they might have hidden cards. In either case, it was troublesome.

Kleid was extremely worried as he was clueless. Fortunately, Gwen filled him in on some information he needed, now that Valov directly contacted them.

Ryan didn’t say any more. He simply started writing a report, including Jonathan’s letter as well. He went to the Post Office to write directly to the captain.

”Valov Town has arrived, and they are absolutely not friendly.”