Roaring Heroes Battle the Overlord (Ainz)

Chapter 37 - The Stubborn Old Man

In late autumn, everything is desolate. The withered yellow leaves fall in a flurry, drifting alongside the hasty steps of the four travelers, leaving only the bare branches of trees pointing towards the sky.

They are in a small border town of the Baharuth Empire, with the territory of the Re-Estize Kingdom just beyond the town.

Although the two nations are sworn enemies, most of the fighting takes place in the northern plains, so life here remains relatively peaceful. Especially in the past three years, the Empire's high command has shifted from its usual aggressive stance to a more restrained one, strictly forbidding conflicts with the Re-Estize and recalling the stationed knights to the capital, leading to even laxer defenses here.

The Last Defender of the Way adventurer team only needed to register symbolically at a small border outpost to get permission to cross the border.

They are now buying long-lasting dried food, camping supplies, and gathering clean well water for their long journey ahead.

There's no point in hoping for a teleportation array or even a carriage; this place definitely doesn't have smooth roads leading straight to the cities of the Re-Estize.

Although the war has long since ended, the two nations are still officially hostile, and border transportation routes are scarce. Only profit-driven traveling merchants still brave the muddy paths with their mule-drawn carts, occasionally stopping in this small town.

For the wandering adventurers, the only option to reach the other side of the border is to trek on foot.

For Barrett, well water cannot substitute for drinking water, but there's no way a border town like this would have magically distilled water, so he resigned himself to it. He quickly drew a bucket of water from the well and filled his leather water sack.

Sean's shoulder will soon be fully healed, so as the injured one, he didn't have to work and spent his time strolling through the short market in town with Stella.

Perhaps due to the town's sporadic trade with the Re-Estize, some of the items for sale feature the unique style of the southern part of the Kingdom. Sean and Stella, both born and raised in the Baharuth, were intrigued by these items and lingered at several vendors' stalls.

Barrett took it upon himself to handle the procurement of supplies, not allowing EeDeChi to get involved. EeDeChi was happy to have some free time and went off on her own to find stores selling lycium chinense and dried red dates. According to her, she was running low on ingredients for her "health preservation" potions.

Stella still couldn't understand how EeDeChi, with no knowledge of alchemy, could be so sure that steeping these ordinary ingredients in boiling water would produce a potion that could extend life. But, given that the orichalcum-level leader must have her reasons, Stella decided she might as well try making it herself in the future.

The cleric girl in her white cotton robe held Ureirika's hand with her left, while Sean held Kuuderika's hand with his right, strolling together through the market. They soon spotted Barrett, who was engaged in a heated argument with a thin old man squatting on the ground.

"Why is this borago officinalis so expensive? A tiny bundle for 1 gold coin? Let me tell you, two months ago in Trellami City, a bundle of borago officinalis only cost 10 copper coins and was twice the size of this tiny one you're selling!" Barrett, with his sword strapped to his waist, glared down at the old man from above, his tone harsh and accusatory.

The old man had laid out a tattered yellow cloth in front of him, on which were displayed several strips of dried lamb, a large bundle of dried nettles, several bags of unknown herbs, and a few bunches of borago officinalis.