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“And that is how it was! Once we opened the lid, its true identity turned out to be nothing more than a rat. No one could ever have imagined a rat that large, and as the rumors spread on their own, fools started crying, ‘It is a new species of monster!’ and the guild, swallowing that whole, ended up being dragged around by it!”

Gust laughed, and I nodded.

To be honest, once he had revealed the identity of the monster that understood language, I had nothing more to discuss with him.

So I wanted to wrap this conversation up quickly… but this man was even more talkative than I had expected.

I was not quite fed up with Gust going on and on about things I had not even asked about, but I certainly had not expected it to continue until dusk, and I had started thinking about what to do for dinner.

(So the one that understood language was a mutant bird monster after all…)

From the size he described, there was no way it could be a genetically enhanced soldier.

In other words, a miss.

I had wanted any lead at all, but at this rate, there was almost certainly going to be nothing.

Judging that there was no need to listen any further, I took out my memo pad and set my pen to it.

Seeing that, Gust stopped talking on the spot and stared intently at the moving pen.

“I understand that you wish to trade with me. What do you desire? And what can I gain?”

Though it was not my native language, I showed him those stiff words, and Gust smiled, reassured that communication between us was indeed possible.

Since my expression did not change, it would probably be difficult for him to gauge the difference in mood, but perhaps he had sensed some traction, because he spread both arms and expressed his delight grandly.

“What I can offer are magic items from my country, which is called nothing less than the Kingdom of Magic.”

There was no question that those words caught my interest.

Magic items produced by Seizeria, a magic nation, would surely never be obtainable within the territory of the old Empire.

However, that statement was a little dangerous—or so I had thought, but the other men, who appeared to be his guards, remained on alert about our surroundings as though they had not heard our conversation at all.

I had thought they would at least react to what he had just said, but it seemed they were people who had been thoroughly brought into his fold.

That was what I thought, but something felt off.

(No, this is just like…)

I had no certainty.

Still, feeling suspicious of Gust, who kept smiling without saying his next words, I checked, thinking surely not.

“Is this it?”

Gust laughed and revealed the trick, as if to say correct.

“For example, a magic item such as this that blocks sound—like this, it allows us to speak without our conversation being overheard. Naturally, it has other uses as well… but I need not say them.”

There was no doubt it would be useful for stealth operations.

On top of that, even when I closely watched that spherical magic item Gust had taken from his pocket, I could not sense any reaction of magic power from it.

It might simply have been that my detection ability was low, but if it possessed a highly advanced magic-concealment function, then it was certain to be a useful tool.

“What other kinds are there?”

It was attractive enough of a proposal that I asked without thinking.

No matter what he wanted, there were still plenty of items left that I could convert into money.

But before that, I needed to know what he could prepare.

“Let me see… if we are speaking of something you might want—how about this ‘Farseeing Tube’?”

From its name and appearance, it was clearly a telescope.

Unfortunately, I already possessed eyes that could see far away, so I urged him on to the next thing.

“Oh? I had been fairly confident in that one… then how about this?”

So saying, he pulled a bottle filled with blue powder from a large bag.

“If one sprinkles oneself with this powder, one can blur one’s form for a short time. If one moves, one’s presence will be noticed, but it is highly effective for things like ambushes.”

Since I already had camouflage ability, and since it looked difficult to use no matter how I looked at it, next.

Then he brought out a single sheet of material.

Apparently there was such a thing as a portable refrigerator.

Since I already had a cooler box, it was not something I particularly wanted.

Then, perhaps aiming for the opposite this time, he produced a portable heating device.

If asked whether I wanted it, I did, but it was for humans, so it was obviously far too small.

On top of that, being portable only made that even more so.

When I conveyed that, he lightly smacked his forehead and silently declared, “That was a mistake.”

“Indeed, if it is made for humans, the size is insufficient. Good grief, to think I was so hasty that I failed to notice even that…”

After showing a gesture as though thinking for a while, Gust said, “In that case,” and took out two rods.

According to his explanation, these two rods always pointed toward each other’s direction.

(I see. It is a usable tool, but…)

Since it was not something I especially wanted, I shook my head to show that I did not need it.

Certainly, it would be convenient to have, but at present I did not get lost, and its value would also change depending on how great a distance it remained effective over.

Gust sank into serious thought over whether even this was no good.

I felt a little bad for him, so I took up my pen and flipped open my memo pad.

“I understand that you have a variety of goods. So then, what do you seek from me?”

Seeing the written memo, Gust lowered his head and remained silent for a while.

What would he ask from me?

I had room to spare in the number of wine bottles.

I did not have many ornaments, but a few rounds of trade should be possible.

Even if he demanded something else, I had assumed I could obtain it if I went into town.

However, what Gust wanted was different.

“…Weapons.”

That word made me ask back without thinking.

That was probably why he stated it clearly.

“What I seek are the weapons of the Empire, which once boasted glory upon this continent.”

That was an extremely dangerous demand.

Rather than “for what purpose,” would not seeking such a thing itself touch on a taboo for a magic nation?

But I did not ask his reasons.

Even I, who had once been a trainee soldier, recognized it.

For only an instant, but Gust had clearly shown it to me.

The answer reached by those among my compatriots who had once become volunteer soldiers with a clear reason to go to war—those who had been robbed of family, friends, or lovers.

I could sense no magic power from Gust.

Because Seizeria valued magic so highly, those who could not use it were discriminated against.

I had no intention of asking, nor any need to ask.

(So Seizeria is going to repeat the same mistake again.)

It had been like that back when I was human too.

The internal strife brought about by excessive magic absolutism—there had even been stories that the Empire had flowed weapons to the rebel forces and provoked it, but in the end, this country had not changed since that time.

That was also one of the reasons the Empire had been able to maintain the eastern front despite Seizeria’s superior magical technology.

Now that I looked carefully, there did not seem to be anyone among the guards who looked like a mage.

Gust had class-changed from negotiation partner to person of interest, but that did not change the fact that he was a human I could make use of.

If asked, “Do you want magic items from a magic nation?” I would unquestionably nod.

One could also say that we both had things we wanted, and our interests merely happened to align.

The north, because of the damage it had suffered, would probably not head south for a while.

I had already driven in a warning with the south, so even if it moved northward, it should remain within a tolerable range.

The west would not move.

Then how was I to hold back the east that remained?

Was this not one possible answer?

The problem was whether any weapons still remained that could be used in this world two hundred years later.

I folded my arms and thought.

I could not imagine there were any—to find weapons from that time with magical measures applied to them was something I could not possibly guarantee.

After much thought, the conclusion I arrived at was “difficult.”

More than anything, I felt a sense of danger at the thought of that gun muzzle being turned toward me.

If it were an antique like a musket, that would be a different matter, but if I was going to search for something like that, it would be easier to hand over a handgun that even mass-produced trainee soldiers could carry.

Technically, automatic rifles would be impossible, and there would also likely be the issue of ammunition because of the way they sprayed bullets, but considering the possibility of it being aimed at me, I could not hand one over.

For the same reason, rifles were impossible too.

I did not want to hand over anything with penetration power, since it seemed likely it could punch through my defense.

“I understand your concerns. One actual item is enough. Even if it is broken, so long as it is in good condition, that will do. I have gathered skilled smiths.”

Gust took up the posture of persuasion as I kept agonizing… but his point was off.

Could it be that the power of guns had not been accurately conveyed to him?

Now then, in that case, how should I respond?