Seeing the man greet him so unexpectedly, Flynn responded a little awkwardly.
"Hello? We meet again. I still haven’t found that person yet."
"Ah, not yet? You’ve come all the way here investigating."
"Yes, somehow... Um, I have a favor to ask. Could I request your cooperation?"
"Huh? Ah. Sure, but I need to move all this stuff quickly first. Honestly, I should’ve done it early this morning, but I drank too much last night and overslept."
The brown-haired member of the merchant group scratched the back of his head with a sheepish laugh.
"Could we talk after I finish this?"
If it had been the Commander here, he probably would’ve ignored any excuses and demanded cooperation for the investigation. That would’ve been the proper response, but Flynn couldn’t bring himself to act that way.
The man didn’t seem to be lying or avoiding him, so Flynn soon nodded and said, "Should I help you? We’ll be done faster that way."
"Oh... really? I’d appreciate the help."
As the brown-haired merchant spoke, Flynn stepped over to the cart and pulled out his medium-sized artifact. The artifact, small enough to fit in one hand, touched the ground, expanded to the size of the cart, and soon transformed into a large container.
Flynn began transferring the boxes from the cart into the artifact. The man’s eyes widened in astonishment, and he exclaimed, "Wow, is that... an artifact?"
"You know about artifacts?"
"Yes! We sometimes handle magical tools in the merchant group, so I’ve seen a few. But I’ve never seen one that gets this big."
"Ah, most of the common ones are small, but this is a medium-sized artifact. It can store more. If you shrink and lighten it, you can carry it like a small one."
"Wow... then, Investigator, are you a mana holder?"
‘Oops.’
Only then did Flynn realize he’d slipped up.
Normally, artifacts require mana to use. People without mana won’t experience much effect even if they touch one.
There are rare artifacts made with pre-injected mana so even ordinary people can use them, but those are expensive and hard to find.
Flynn, eager to finish helping and continue his investigation, had momentarily forgotten he was concealing his mana—at least until the fire broke out in the neighboring village.
But by now, the villagers probably knew he and the Commander put out the fire last night, so he decided it didn’t matter and replied casually.
"Yes, I’m not on the combat side, but I have some mana."
"I see. Really... mana is so convenient. I’m jealous."
"Haha, yeah. It’s handy, for sure."
As the man’s brown eyes sparkled with admiration, Flynn couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. He awkwardly chuckled and focused on transferring the boxes into the artifact. The merchant group member also carried the remaining boxes.
Once the last box was in, Flynn shrank the artifact and picked it up.
Mana holders are often called blessed. At the very least, they’re stronger and life is more convenient for them compared to those without mana. It’s seen as an innate gift, not something earned through effort.
That’s why conversations like this always left Flynn feeling slightly awkward and uncomfortable. No matter how modestly he spoke, the other party often felt deprived.
Usually, even people labeled as non-mana holders possess a tiny amount of mana. It may not be enough to cast magic, but even a little mana can enhance physical performance or intellectual ability.
For that reason, it’s widely believed that more mana is always better. Especially in the Raina Logia Empire—renowned for its mages—many people possess at least some mana.
Perhaps that’s why, in this empire, it was rare to find someone completely devoid of mana, like the young man standing before him.
Hoping to avoid deepening the man’s sense of deprivation, Flynn changed the subject.
"So, where do we need to go?"
"Ah, it’s nearby! This way."
Despite Flynn’s concerns, the man didn’t seem bothered. Flynn felt even more apologetic for pitying him, so he silently followed.
The place the man led him to was off to the side of the mountain trail, in a sparsely populated area. Contrary to Flynn’s assumption they’d take the boxes to a shop, he grew puzzled as they moved deeper into an isolated spot.
Wary the man might be leading him somewhere secluded on purpose, Flynn tensed and scanned the surroundings.
After walking a while, the man paused, inspecting the ground. He swept aside fallen leaves with his foot, revealing a large wooden board hidden beneath.
Flynn was startled to see such a concealed door in this remote area. But the man casually lifted the board.
Though it seemed heavy, he raised it with ease, exposing a hole large enough for two people. A rush of cold air flowed out from within.
Flynn blinked in surprise as the man gestured inside.
"Just put them down here—it’s fine."
"In... here? ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) What kind of place is this?"
"I heard it’s a storage spot our merchant group uses for materials. It’s hard to find since it’s so remote. Haha, I’ll be scolded if they know I brought an outsider, so please keep it secret."
"Ah, yes. Don’t worry."
Flynn, having accidentally discovered one of Delberg’s secrets, decided to investigate inside without revealing his intentions. The man grabbed a lamp hanging at the entrance and led the way.
He waited for Flynn, shining the lamp to light the path. Flynn felt slightly nervous but stepped down into the dark hole.
The deeper they went, the colder it became. The Frost region was already frigid, but underground felt like stepping into a freezer. Flynn rubbed his arms, his senses numbing from the chill.
The man ahead also shivered, despite his much thicker clothes. Oddly, he seemed colder than Flynn, even though he was more bundled up.
"It’s really cold, huh? There’s a ledge here, so watch your step."
The man pointed the lamp at Flynn’s feet. Flynn, who nearly tripped anyway, let out an awkward laugh and kept following. After descending further, they reached flat ground and a large room lit by several hanging lamps, filled with stacked boxes.
"Just pile them here—it’s fine."
"Wow... there’s a lot down here. I had no idea this was all hidden underground."
"The Frost region’s temperature is so low, the locals store things underground. Thanks to that, our merchant group doesn’t need separate freezers. This works as a natural one."
"A natural freezer...?"
"Could you take out the boxes we brought earlier?"
"Ah, sure!"
Flynn opened the artifact. Together, they moved the boxes, stacking them neatly among the piles. Flynn thought the front was getting too high, so he tried to carry a box to the back, but the man stopped him.
"These will be moved again soon, so it’s better to stack them in front."
"I see."
At his words, Flynn stacked the boxes in front as instructed.
He’d been wondering for a while—the boxes didn’t feel as heavy as expected. Flynn wanted to check the contents, but decided it was better to finish the job and leave. Acting carelessly might cause misunderstandings.
