Chapter 6 : Sophia

A little way to the intersection, we saw a merchant wagon loaded with goods on the road to the village. I waved my hand. When the carriage stopped in front of the two of us, Veene came up behind me and grabbed my cloak.
"Hey, please stop."
Only one person is driving the vehicle. A lady 1,6 meters with long blue hair and sharp ears. She is wearing a green suit and holding a sniper rifle in her hand. The most distinctive feature on her face is her golden eyes and a rather sinister smile.
"What do you want ?" She watched us cautiously while reloading her rifle.
"Young lady, are you on your way to that northern village. Could you give us a ride ?" I drop the dagger down while putting my hands up in the air and cover Veene.
"...10 iron coins, how do you feel ?" She looks behind her carriage and then lets her guard down.
"I only have a few silver coins right now."
"...That's more than enough."
She took a silver coin that I gave her and gave me 90 iron coins back. We both went up to sit with the driver at the front of the carriage as there was not enough room in the back. Veene seems quite cautious towards the woman driving the car.
"My name is Hades and this companion of mine is Veene. May I ask what is the name of this young lady?"
"You're quite a mouthful, Hades. My name is Sophia, an elf merchant." She said it proudly.
"Is that so, that explains the items in the back."
"I usually sell the best items for my clients. I have everything from household items to magic items."
"Huh. Strangely, you don't have someone to protect these things with."
"Of course I have."
"Huh"
Suddenly I saw a little fox, with soft orange fur with six black stripes running from the head to the tail, jumping from behind Sophia.
"I would like to introduce to you all, this is Puff. My lovely pet, he can sense murderous intention from afar so he can inform me."
"So that's why you didn't shoot us."
"Yeah about that. Sorry, if it hadn't been for my cute pet, I would have shot you. Speaking of cute."
Sophia suddenly turned her eyes to Veene in a strange way. When Puff appeared, I saw Veene looking at him with a look as if she wanted to touch its silky fur. Sophia reached out her hand over Veene's head to pat her when Veene suddenly jumped back.
"What happens?"
"Sorry, my companion is a bit scared of strangers."
"In that case, Do little Veene wants to hug Puff ?"
"..Yes..."
Sophia ordered Puff. Puff jumped into Veene's lap. Veene smiled happily while stroking the fox's silky fur.
"Thank you, Miss Sophia."
"Miss!! I'm maybe 52 years old, but I'm not old enough to be called miss by the elf's standard."
Veene giggled while Sophia seemed a little annoyed at being called a miss.
After a while, Veene started to yawn and fell asleep on my shoulder while still holding Puff in her arm. Sophia, after noticing Veene's deep sleep, glanced at me suspiciously and said.
"Just now, when you were paying, didn't you seem to know that 1 silver coin equals 100 iron coins."
"Huh. That..."
Neither of us wanted to wake up, so we just talked quietly. Damn, now I need to make up an excuse.
"That's because...Ummm."
"If you don't make it clear, I will report it to the police."
"Because Veene and I lost our memories."
"Really ?"
It seems that reason is not too convincing to her.
"So where's your ID?"
"What ID?"
"From the look on your face, you probably don't have an ID card, so what do you have?"
"We only have two cloaks, some old clothes, and two boots. I am the keeper of the purse with only a few silver coins and a dagger."
Now I try to be honest and innocent or she will hand me over to the police.
"Really ?"
"Of course what I said was true. We both woke up with only our names and some rather vague memories of that forest."
Sophia sighed wearily.
"Then I'll call the police to confirm your identity. May Morlock help you get through this."
"Morlock ?" I accidentally speak out loud.
Sophia looked at me with a questioning face then laughed.
"You have freaking hard amnesia. Even Morlock can't ring a bell."
"Hehe...hope this lady will help me discover more about this world."
"When you get to the village, go to the library and read it yourself, you idiot."
The four of us continued on the road to the village.