The two headed back to the Guild and were greeted by the busty blonde woman behind the counter once more.

Woman: I see you completed your Quest reasonably quickly! The payment for that was 140 gold coins, and speaking of gold: Congratulations on your promotion to Gold!

The woman set off a party popper in the two’s direction as she got their payment out. Itsuki took it and put it in his coin bag.

Woman: Now, what Quest do you want next? We have a few Gold-

Akeru: Actually, we are going to head west to Polisha.

Woman: Oh, the desert country! My sister works at the Guild there, well, one of them…I suppose we all work at the Guilds.

Itsuki: Actually, we never asked your name, now that I think about it.

Woman: Oh! How sweet~! Nobody usually asks me; I’m generally just the busty blonde behind the counter~! My name is Kiirojoshi!

Akeru: What is your sister’s name?

Kiirojoshi: Oh, that would be Akajoshi!

Itsuki: Yellow Girl and Red Girl?! Jeez, their parents are terrible at names…

Akeru: Well, Kiiro, we will be on our way. Hopefully, we will meet again!

Kiirojoshi: Take care, you two~!

The two adventurers left the Guild and looked at a world map outside the Guild to determine the best path to leave the country.

Akeru: It seems like to go west…we need to go through a checkpoint and show your Magica to them. It doesn’t seem like a long walk from here, but maybe we should get a caravan?

Itsuki: Those are usually 200 gold coins on average, but should we be spending money like that? I mean, I know Aurora set us up with that one Witch…but we don’t know what she will pay us or anything.

Akeru: True, very true…but it will take a day or so by foot. So the caravan should be less time but more money to be spent…Ugh, traveling stinks!

???: Well, well well well well~! Look who we have here!

Akeru:...Oh no.

Armando was standing behind the two with a large backpack on his back.

Itsuki: Oh…you again. Listen, we don’t want to buy anything…

Armando: Oh no, no, no! I wasn’t going to ask, but I overheard your conversation, and as it turns out, I am heading to Polisha as well! I have a personal caravan if you would like to join me~!

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Akeru:...No thanks-

Armando: Ah! The young miss wounds me….

Itsuki: Listen, we don’t even know you. How can we trust you?

Armando: Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmmmmm…That is true young sir… But, unfortunately, I cannot convince you to do so!

Akeru: C’mon Itsuki, let’s go…

Armando: However, I can give you the Armando guarantee that nothing wrong will happen!

Akeru: Isn’t that the same guarantee that sold us a book we didn’t know worked until Benjiro came by-

Armando: Shh shh shh shh shhhhhh! I made a tiny mistake; I apologize. Please just consider it! I would like to help you two achieve your goal of getting to the western country! Plus, I have free food, and you wouldn’t have to pay for anything, your company is all I need!

Itsuki and Akeru turned away and huddled, whispering to each other.

Akeru: I don’t know…this guy is shady...

Itsuki: Agreed…but at the same time, if everything is free…

Akeru: You can’t seriously be considering this?!

Itsuki: Hear me out…if he was shady, would he really be acting like this to us?

Akeru: You idiot! That’s how people get scammed!

Armando: I-I -I can hear you-

Akeru: Shut up, you freaky clown mask!

Armando: So harsh…

Itsuki: Maybe we can find a way to prove his trust?

Akeru: Hmm…I have an idea.

Akeru broke from the huddle and pointed to Armando.

Akeru: Take off your mask!

Armando: I-I-I can’t do such a thing!

Itsuki: No, she is right. Take the mask off…

Armando: I…my face is hideous!

Akeru: Do you want us to go with you or not?!

Armando sighed heavily and bent down, taking his mask off. When he rose his face back up, the two were greeted by another mask! This time it was a half sun and half moon mask. Akeru and Itsuki instantly started walking away as Armando put his other mask on and followed them.

Armando: Please, I did what you asked of me!! What more should I do to gain your trust?! I will get on my knees and beg! I will kiss your shoes-

Akeru: Idiot, you can’t kiss a shoe from behind a mask…

Itsuki: Listen, you did this to yourself.

Armando: Oh goodness…I am genuinely a failure…

The two suddenly bumped into Benjiro, who looked at them and sighed.

Itsuki: Benjiro?

Akeru: What are you doing out? Didn’t you say you had things to do when you KICKED US OUT?!

Benjiro: I am doing stuff…

Itsuki: Whatever you say…hey, can you call the guards or something to get this creepy clown away from us?

Benjiro looked at Armando, who looked back at Benjiro. The two stare awkwardly before Benjiro talks again.

Benjiro: Yeah, sure, give me a minute-

Armando: Benjiro!! Please don’t be mean to me like that!

Benjiro: Armando, why are you harassing these two?

Itsuki: Wait, you know him?

Benjiro: Unfortunately…that day you bought the book, I was going to tell him to move his stall. He didn’t pay the fee to put one there….

Armando: Oopsie! I forgot!

Akeru: This creep is trying to get us in his caravan to take us to Polisha!

Benjiro: Oh, is that so? Go for it.

Akeru: Excuse me?

Benjiro: Armando is…a bit much, but he has no combat skill or ill intent. You can trust him.

Itsuki:...Fine then.

Akeru: I-Is that a sure thing Itsuki-

Itsuki put his arm around her and looked at Armando.

Itsuki: Lead the way, clown.

Armando: Oh, thank you two- oh, and Benjiro, thank you for clearing my good name! When I return, I will pay that fee, okay bye~!

Armando quickly ran away as Itsuki dragged Akeru, following the clown merchant. Benjiro sighed and lit up a cigarette.

Benjiro: Armando, watch over those two brats for me…