"I have to admit, I am genuinely surprised to see you here, Mr. Faust. I never expected that, even if it happened purely by coincidence, I would find myself meeting you face to face again. To be completely honest, I am quite... surprised...~" she said.

Foriel belonged to one of the beastkin races. Unlike some beastkin who only possessed a few animal traits mixed into an otherwise human appearance, much of her appearance resembled that of a goat. Even so, it wasn’t enough to make her look strange or unpleasant. If anything, it gave her a distinct appearance that made her stand out.

She was quite tall, though she wasn’t particularly muscular.

Rather than having the physique of a warrior, she had the build of a slender woman with long limbs and a graceful posture. Her frame was lean, but it suited her surprisingly well.

That said, one thing that definitely stood out about her was the fact that she had a very generous chest.

"Tell me something," she continued. "What exactly is someone like you doing all the way out here? A person who conquered the business world and established a company powerful enough to be considered a superpower in its own right. What is someone like that doing in a barren place like the Demon Continent?"

"Well, just like you, I’m looking for opportunities to expand my business," I replied.

"I see..." she said as she slowly nodded.

For a moment, she looked thoughtful.

"Well, as a merchant myself, I can honestly believe that explanation."

Then she smiled slightly.

"Still, I have to admit that it feels a little strange seeing you here. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who practically has the influence of one or two entire kingdoms resting in the palm of his hand while personally traveling through dangerous territory like this."

Her gaze remained fixed on me.

"Although, to be fair, I do believe you’re incredibly powerful. In fact, your strength is so difficult to measure that it almost feels impossible to gauge properly. I mean, judging from the way you killed that demonic snake earlier, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were absurdly strong."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"But even then, I still think it’s a little strange. You’re the head of an enormous company. Most people in your position would have someone else handle this kind of work for them."

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"Even if your reason for coming here is business, personally traveling through the Demon Continent still feels like a risky venture. Don’t you think so?"

I supposed her suspicion was only natural.

After all, from her perspective, someone with my status shouldn’t have much reason to personally travel through a dangerous place like this.

At least, not without some hidden motive.

Even so, I chose not to say anything.

Giving additional explanations would probably create more questions than answers, and I had no particular reason to reveal more information than necessary.

Because of that, I simply remained silent.

"Silence, huh?" she said with a small chuckle.

She didn’t seem offended by my lack of response.

"Well, I suppose that’s only natural."

She leaned back slightly in her seat before crossing one leg over the other.

"Still, you could at least entertain me a little. After all, you’re currently riding in my carriage, and we’re both heading toward the same destination."

"Well, I probably would," I said. "Just not in the way you’re expecting."

The moment those words left my mouth, one of her eyebrows rose slightly.

"Oh?" she asked.

Then her smile widened.

"Was that your way of flirting with me?"

She fluttered her eyelashes playfully.

Honestly, I had no idea how she managed to arrive at that conclusion.

From my perspective, I wasn’t flirting with her at all.

At least, that wasn’t what I intended.

Still, if she wanted to interpret my words that way, I wasn’t exactly going to complain about it.

She was attractive enough that having her misunderstand me in that direction wasn’t exactly the worst thing in the world.

"Anyway," she continued before I could say anything else, "before we get too distracted, there’s actually something I’ve been curious about."

She folded her hands together.

"Do you think the two of us could become good business partners?"

I remained quiet as she continued speaking.

"I’m a trader and a merchant, and I also manage my own business. Considering your position and my own experience, I think establishing a connection between us could be beneficial for both sides."

A confident smile appeared on her face.

"Wouldn’t you agree?"

Honestly, I couldn’t think of many disadvantages.

If there were any drawbacks, they were probably overshadowed by the advantages. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Working together with someone like her didn’t seem particularly dangerous from a business perspective.

If anything, it seemed like it could become quite profitable.

Her experience as a merchant was obvious, and judging from the confidence she carried herself with, she wasn’t someone lacking in ability.

The potential benefits were easy enough to see.

Even so, I didn’t answer immediately.

Part of the reason was because I didn’t want to encourage her too much, even though I admittedly found her company enjoyable.

The other reason was because I was still evaluating her.

Everything about her suggested that she was more capable than she initially appeared.

From the look in her eyes, she didn’t strike me as someone who could be fooled easily.

Nor did she seem like the kind of person who could be manipulated with simple words.

She looked observant.

Careful.

The sort of person who paid attention to details that other people would overlook.

That alone made her worth taking seriously.

The more I observed her, the more I felt that she was someone I should keep an eye on.

Not because she was dangerous.

Rather, because she seemed capable.

Very capable.

The type of person whose future actions would be interesting to watch.

While those thoughts continued running through my mind, the carriage gradually began to slow down.

The change in movement immediately drew my attention.

The wheels rolled more slowly against the ground until eventually the entire carriage came to a complete stop.

My thoughts were interrupted.

Curious, I turned my attention toward the nearby window.

Looking outside, I was greeted by a sight that immediately caught my interest.

A town.

Buildings stretched across the landscape beyond the carriage.

Roads connected various structures together, while people moved about in the distance, creating the unmistakable atmosphere of a functioning settlement.

After spending so much time traveling through rough terrain and barren landscapes, the sight of civilization felt surprisingly refreshing.

Foriel noticed where my attention had gone.

A small smile appeared on her face.

She seemed pleased by my reaction.

Then she gestured toward the town outside the carriage window.

"Welcome, Mr. Faust," she said.

There was a faint hint of pride in her voice as she spoke.

"To Agrulius."

She allowed the name to linger for a moment.

Then she continued.

"One of the towns located within the Demon Continent."