*Tug* *Tug*

"Hey."
"What?"

*Tug* *Tug*

"Isn't there a better solution than this?"
"I don't know what you are talking about???"
"Are you sure?"

*Tug* *Tug* *Tug*

"....Yeah, I'm sure."

I really don't have a better solution than this.

*Tug* *Tug*

"This is weird no matter how you look at it!!! Why did you have to remove your shirt? Why do I have to drag you? And! Why! Do! I! Have! To! Be! Tied up!!??"
"....I didn't have rope."

This is the solution I came up with after countless trial and errors. The rock stockade I made was too heavy. I tried to make it smaller but once it gets smaller past a certain point, it loses its durability.

The second version had weights on both hands and legs but it hindered her too much. We met some monsters and running away became troublesome.

Finally, the third version is what it is now. I basically removed the weights, which makes it easier to escape from monsters. She doesn't try to escape, so I went along with it.

However, I didn't let my guard down. I still needed her to show me to the nearest town, so I used my shirt, and some parts of my pants, as a rope. I don't have much cloth, but I secured enough to secure her arms to mine.

I made it so that she has something like a backpack straps firmly secured around her shoulders and wrist. At the other end of that rope is me. My torso is tied to the straps around her shoulders. My wrist is tied to her wrist. If she runs, then she will drag me along. If she tries to remove the 'ropes' I can just yank my arms back and stop her.

It isn't perfect but with this, she can lead the way to the nearest town and it prevents her from escaping. Win-win situation, if I say so myself.

The only downside is that I am a shirtless turtlekin tied to a rabbitkin. My pants also transformed into shorts, so yeah... I really don't know which of us is in a more embarrassing situation right now.

"Don't worry about it. As long as we reach the town and complete a contract of employment, everything will be over."
"You expect me to be tied to you even inside the town looking like this!?!?"
"Ok, I'll remove everything when we reach the town."
"You perverted turtle!! You still want to strip and tie me up!?"
"...Ah, no. I mean I will remove all of the ropes when we reach the town. You can escape, we can part ways, or you can follow me to be my employee. Do what you wish."
"Heh, starting to trust me now?"
"Almost, but I am not there yet. I trust the guards won't let people run wild inside the town, so I can finally relax once we get inside."

Ah, now that I think about it. What am I going to do about gold? I don't have gold specifically for the beast continent.

In the central island, you can use gold from your continent to buy products from merchants of another continent. However, the change they give is either the gold of your continent, or the neutral gold of the central island.

It's one thing to acquire gold by being a merchant and some other continent buying things from you, but getting gold from other continents by using gold from your continent has always been banned because it might seem that you are trying to starve their continent of their currency.

It has always been checked if you have gold from other continents before being allowed passage back to your continent.

I guess I have to sell a few things once we get to town. I'll check the prices and see what is profitable once we reach the town.

"Are we there yet?"
"It's still some time away from the nearest town but if you want to settle with a village then we can reach one by nightfall."
"If it takes us until nightfall to reach the village, how long would it take to reach the town? We won't reach the town until tomorrow?"
"We should reach the town by tomorrow afternoon."
"Let's just continue to the town. It has more commodities and a better market. I need to see the standard prices of the market today."
"If you want us to get there faster then get these ropes off me, or at least walk faster!"
"Hahaha, That's a funny joke. If you really want me to move faster, how about I make a sled so you can pull me?"
"Tch!"

That actually doesn't sound that bad, which brings me to the next concern. I would need a wagon, a monster or animal to pull the wagon, and goods I can sell.

I am starting from nothing gold-wise but I can sell some neutral goods. I have to make up my capital to start my business. Along the line, I could even buy some raw materials and make some simple items using my skills.

However, that will have to wait until I gain some fame because a little merchant can't defend a 'mysterious supplier'.

It might take some time to acclimatise my crafting style to this continent but once I start, I should be able to sell my work like ice on a hot day.

"Halt!"
"Stay right there and move your hands away from your weapons!"

Great, my first town in the beast continent. This is a pretty good size of a town too! It is a nice tall wall and the sentries are patrolling above it.

I don't really see the inside of the town that much but from what little I can see through the gate, there are a lot of varieties of beastkin inside the town. That is good! It means there should be a large variety of products being sold here, rather than a specialised one to cater to the dominant population here.

The guards are primarily wearing light armour. It must be the armour style of this continent. The dwarf continent has full heavy armour as the dominant style, so I guess these types of armour is what compliments their fighting style best.

Hmm, these guards should either be dogs or wolves. It's hard to tell but those ears and tail should be from the canine family.

"Hey, we are now in town. Release my bindings already. I said I don't mind you tying me up to appease your insecure cowardice but looking like this is embarrassing!"
"You're not the only one embarassed. You think I enjoy looking like this? However, if I try to move right now, I feel like they are going to start attacking."

*Aim* *Aim* *Aim*

"Look, I only tried to remove the rope tied to me and they started aiming their bows at us."
"I told you we should have removed these a few minutes ago!"
"And I should have listened."

I knew something like this would happen.

"Stay where you are and no sudden movements!"
"Who are you two?"

*March* *March* *March*

"...Thanks to you, we are now the focus of attention!"
"...Don't forget that they also have us surrounded with their weapons pointed at us from every direction."
"Stop that whispering!!"
"Who are you two?"

We will likely be interrogated after this. Ah, we will also be searched for weapons and possessions. Even if they release us, they will likely monitor us for some time. I won't be able to hide my storage skill if I sell things not found in their search.

At the minimum, I should have one space equipment if I want to have enough items to start a merchant life. It's a good thing I already have the items I want to sell selected. I don't have money for an inn, and I don't know any private place to sort out my things to sell, so I already arranged what I want to sell in a space bag.

It's a space bag but it's the lowest tier of space bags. It's more accurate to call it a space pouch, and right now it's strapped to my thigh.

I noticed how this rabbitkin was shocked when I used magic. There is also the heavy drain of mana when using even the common magic, along with the very slow regeneration of mana. All of this must mean that there aren't that many magicians here. Therefore, I won't be using magic too much from now on. I would still use them in emergencies, but I would keep it to a minimum.

I'm a merchant, I don't need to be the one to fight. I'll train enough to defend myself but I will leave everything else to my guards!

*Slice* *Slice* *Slice*

"We will now search you for weapons! If you make any suspicious moves, we will attack!"

*Search* *Search* *Search*

"Sir, we found a space bag!"
"Put everything together and search for it later. Don't forget to list everything that you found. Even if his majesty declared 'survival of the fittest' the town would still need to be ruled by laws, according to the hero's will! I'm looking at you, George!"
"Sir, I may be a ratkin but I won't steal!"
"I know, I'm just reminding you because our little guest here is staring at you! Now, escort them back to the station, and inform the captain! For everyone else, Go back to work!"
"Yes, sir!!"

Oh, he caught that glance, eh? I wasn't staring that much but it must have been obvious to a town guard. The items in there aren't that precious but it would trouble me to lose my starting money.

"You two will now be escorted to the station to be questioned. If nothing else is suspicious about you then you will be released with as little hassle as possible. If you hide things, it will only delay your release, so I advise you to cooperate. Now, I will need your names."
"I'm Mia!"

Hmm, my new name. I can't use my previous names because it is already known. I could do a combination like I did when I was a dwarf but let's just stick with the name I received now.

"I'm Frank Stein. I'm a soon-to-be merchant."