Jinrai shifted slightly, then spoke. "Well, like I suspected… nothing new. Actually, we didn't come here just for your account. We came to ask something of you."
Ulhem blinked, tilting his head slightly. "Ask something? What do you mean? What do you need me for?"
Jinrai leaned in a little. "You're an influential merchant in this region, aren't you?"
Ulhem frowned, visibly puzzled. "Influential? I wouldn't say that. I'm just a merchant who's been around for a long time. Certainly, my reputation is… somewhat tied to Ashvale. But why are you bringing this up?"
Jinrai didn't hesitate. "Because trust has clearly been placed in you. You were given letters — official communication — to deliver between Ashvale and the capital. That means something. Maybe you never thought about it, but you're more than just a traveling trader. You're the closest thing Ashvale has to a link with the Crown."
Ulhem blinked slowly, sitting in silence for a moment, as if trying to process it. "Well… I suppose, when you put it that way. But still, I'm not sure—"
"That's why we came," Jinrai interrupted. "We found something. The surveyor's real work. Detailed notes that can be used to recreate the road project. They're the key to restarting the progress."
Ulhem's face twitched with fear. Sweat began to bead on his brow.
The nurse stepped forward, alarmed. "That's too much. Do you have any idea what you're asking from him?" Her voice was sharp.
Ulhem didn't answer at first, his eyes flicking from Jinrai to the others, then down to the floor.
"I… I don't think I can do that. Not anymore." He took a shallow breath. "I've had plenty of dangerous encounters over the years — bandits, harsh weather, wild beasts — but this last one…" He trailed off. "This last one felt different. I truly thought I was going to die."
His shoulders dropped. "I think I've reached the end of my road when it comes to Ashvale. It's too much."
The nurse put her hand over her mouth, eyes softening. "It can't be…"
The room grew still. The rest of the group stood silently.
Jinrai, after a moment, nodded slowly, respectfully. Then he spoke again. "What if we accompany you?"
Ulhem looked up. His eyes flickered with disbelief. "What?"
"At least for the next few trips," Jinrai continued. "You won't be going alone. We'll be your escort. Nothing will happen to you. I can promise you that."
The nurse didn't speak this time. She looked at Ulhem and then quietly stepped back.
Ulhem was silent again. He looked down at his hands, gripping the blanket. Then slowly, he looked back up at Jinrai.
"I've seen what's out there. And if I'm being honest, it's not just about fear for my life." He swallowed. "It's the thought that one mistake — one moment — could mean no one comes home."
Jinrai nodded. "Let me ask you something: in all your years coming to Ashvale, delivering what people here needed… haven't you seen how much they rely on you?"
Ulhem looked at him and didn't answer.
"You know better than most," Jinrai pressed. "What life is like in a place like this. Isolated, overlooked. No major roads. No regular caravans."
He paused, then added more softly, "And now you have a chance to bring more than goods. You can bring the means to finish that road. You can be the one who links this town to the world."
Ulhem sat with it. His breathing slowed. "I suppose…" he said, "of all the times I traveled, this was the first time I truly feared for life like this." He looked at Jinrai again. "And if you're with me, I guess it won't be like before."
"It won't," Jinrai said firmly. "I give you my word."
Ulhem exhaled slowly and nodded. "Alright. I'll do it."
The nurse lowered her hands and gave a tiny, relieved smile. Jinrai stood, offering a respectful bow of his head.
"Thank you," he said. "You're helping everyone in Ashvale — more than you'll ever know."
As they stepped out of the infirmary, the group walked in silence for a while until Jinrai exhaled deeply.
"Very well," he said. "We're not stuck anymore. We have a prospect of progress now."
Jinrai turned to Amukelo, offering a rare, genuine smile. "If not for your simple idea to ask around about the merchant, we might be stuck for days. Or whoever knows, maybe even weeks."
Amukelo blinked. "It's nothing," he said, scratching the back of his head. "The more heads, the better."
"Well, I guess it's true," Jinrai said, "Simple yet effective solution."
Before Amukelo could say anything else, Bral piped up. "By the way, how did you learn to be so persuasive? Like, with everyone. Guards, the nurse, Eland, even that stubborn merchant. You always steer the conversation where you want. And also — how the hell did you get so strong? You move faster than any warrior I have ever seen, AND you can use complexed magic without a staff."
Jinrai chuckled, brushing his fingers along his jaw thoughtfully. "Just a few tricks I picked up over two decades ago… back at the front."
"The front," Bral muttered, rolling his eyes. "As if every war vet comes back like you. Most I met can't even hold a proper conversation."
Jinrai gave a sideways grin but said nothing more.
"Well," he said instead, "enough about me. The situation is still unresolved. We don't know if Shio is really responsible or not."
Amukelo tilted his head. "So how do you want to find that out?"
Jinrai laughed, almost sheepishly. "Yeah… I wonder too."
Amukelo's face went flat. "Wait, you don't have a plan?"
Jinrai shrugged. "I'm just a human after all, I don't know everything."
Idin chimed in. "We'd have to force whoever's responsible to act. That's the only way we'll catch them in motion. And the best bet for that would be the road construction. Once that starts again, whoever is trying to stop it is bound to act."
"If it wasn't Shio," Bral said.
Idin nodded. "Exactly. That's the uncertainty. We can't know unless we see someone try something again."
Bral added. "Well but how do we do it?"
All of them were silent, but after a longer moment Tharion broke the silence. "I have an idea," he said slowly. "It might work… but it might also put people in danger. That's why I'm not sure whether we should do it. "
Everyone turned toward him. Jinrai gestured for him to continue.
Tharion took a deep breath, then began, "We use bait. The toolbox. With a fake parchment. We lock it in a place that we say is secure — somewhere a smart saboteur would assume it's worth going after. If it's really them, they'll try to steal it. Or destroy it."
Jinrai nodded slowly, eyes narrowing as he followed the logic. "That could work. We catch them red-handed."
"But," Tharion added quickly, "that's the danger. If they think it's the real parchment, and they're desperate enough, they might do something reckless. They could harm someone nearby, or damage property to make sure the road never continues. It would mean putting innocent people at risk just to draw them out."
Idin crossed his arms, clearly considering the risks. "We'd have to ensure the area is well-guarded. Very well. Watch from a distance, be ready to act the moment something goes wrong."
Amukelo nodded. "I doubt whoever it is would engage in an open fight. They've worked from the shadows this whole time. It's more likely they'd try to sneak in, grab it or destroy it, and get out before anyone knew."