Chapter 79 – Monsters Hiding in Buildings (11)
Go to the meeting point and wait 10 minutes.
The adventurers to work with for this quest all gathered 5 minutes before the appointed time. It was about buttak, so it was to be punctual so that the evaluation would not be cut.
“This is Mevin Uzrit. A fire mage.”
The male wizard who came last introduced himself while covering the sunlight with his hand. He was introduced to me by me.
“This is Nord. A warrior who knows how to use a little magic.”
“I am Francesca Eitrinen, a half-dwarf rogue. The weapon is a throwing knife.”
“Call me Shios. Ah, as you can see, he is outside the warrior. Unlike that friend, I can’t use magic.”
The introduction ended with that. It was a very plain feeling, but the necessary information was roughly exchanged.
The position at the time of the battle was also implicitly determined. Frank and the male wizard attack from the rear, and me and the black-headed man fight from the front.
“You said you knew how to use magic. What is it?”
A male wizard named Mevin asked me. It wasn’t something like sympathy, but it was a look that was purely trying to know the ability of the party members.
“〈 Burning Touch 〉 and 〈 Freezing Touch 〉.”
Other spells were omitted. Runes are just scribbles when you go into battle, and Beast Returns are body enhancements.
“It is basic magic. Can we say that it doesn’t directly help in battle?”
“Well. It’s just a matter of writing it. Would you like to see for yourself?”
I chanted a spell and cast 〈 flaming touch 〉.
─Roaring!
Beast return was activated only in the palm of my hand, and as I combined the spell, the flame burned fiercely like a torch.
It looks hot from behind. First of all, I don’t have the confidence to be fed up with this without beast return and not bite the crab bubbles. Medvin widened her eyes.
“It’s a combination of water and magic formulas. Big hum. I was surprised. Are you really not a wizard?”
“It’s a little bit hard to say that I’m a wizard because it’s all about warming or cooling my palms…”
“If you are interested, join the wizard guild. The membership fee and annual fee will be covered by the bronze class.”
Don’t give a damn. The subscription fee and membership fee are in units of silver.
If you want to learn magic while taking the money, you have to find a master and go under him and play the role of Shidabari. If you get your boss wrong, you’ll end up going through hardships like Tirsi.
I would have to go see it because of the rune magic, but I don’t have any plans right now.
“Has everyone gathered?”
There was someone talking to us as we introduced ourselves. It is a familiar face. His one-armed peddler was.
“Thank you for accepting the request of this company today. I am the client, Robert.”
The young man with only one arm greeted the four adventurers gathered at the meeting place.
The guild leader’s son came directly. Even though I warned them that it was dangerous, they were extremely sincere.
“As you may have known, we ask you to protect us from the dangers that occur during transportation. Especially the safety of me and my party as much as the luggage.”
As Robert said while stroking the heads of the children who came with him, the warrior adventurer Sios raised his hand.
“Can I assume that protecting the party is a higher priority than Jim?”
“That’s right. I hope you give it the same importance as I do as a client.”
“Okay. I don’t know how much help we can be since there’s someone over there.”
The warrior adventurer pointed to a man near the wagon. An all-white-haired adventurer wearing a great sword was holding Gao with his arms crossed.
Damn that looks so damn majestic He felt as if he was saying with his whole body that he would fall behind if he pounced. I don’t think that person would ever get into a fight even if he did a poppin dance naked in a slum.
Perhaps that person is the silver class warrior mentioned in the request.
“Don’t say that. I hired them because I thought that only with you guys would the uphill journey be safe. Because I want to get these kids back home unscathed.”
Robert replied with a skillful smile.
But for some reason, there were only two children with Robert by his side. I remember there should be one more girl?
‘What happened?’
I wanted to ask about it, but I couldn’t get my mouth shut. The adventurer Nord, who is not Arthur Wayne, does not know that there are three children who have been kidnapped.
“The schedule is as scheduled. We depart, take one break for lunch, and disband when we arrive in the evening.”
It was a standard schedule for a wagon escort request.
The time adventurers spend on requests is 2 or 3 days round trip, including days off after arriving in the city. The average daily wage of a bronze class adventurer is 10 copper, so this request is 20 to 25 copper.
Was it a consideration to return the children to their homes as quickly as possible by paying 30 coppers for this request?
“Looks like the question is over. May I depart?”
We nodded our heads at Robert’s question.
─Rumble!
A carriage wagon crossed the gates and made its way to Haysbent.
***
There was no small talk between the four of us along the way.
Are you doing adak while working because you are a pro, or are you just quiet because you are awkward?
Anyway, it was a good situation for me.
─Swipe.
─Whiriririk.
I secretly carved the rune of ᚲ (Kenaz) on my forehead and covered it with my bangs.
My five senses were strengthened and I could hear the conversation in the carriage. There was an old man with Maburo, so Robert and the children rode in the wagon.
─If you go home now, won’t you see Mr.
-I just come to see your face once in a while. If my parents approve, I’ll drop by Wina’s house the day I come to Haysbent.
-Really? Do you promise?
─Okay. Promise me.
─Can I meet Mayla?
─That’s right. When you come to Sargadis, come to the Transport Guild. Samula, by the time you grow up, Miles will be a decent guild member.
─Yes! I will definitely come back! Say hello to Uncle!
Haha. Maybe by then I might have children too?
I don’t know the names of the individuals, but from the conversations it seems that nothing has happened to the third child.
‘A decent guild member.’
This is my personal opinion, but could it be that the girl was her orphan?
It seemed that there was no other reason for the child not to return to where he was. Did he decide to stay with Robert and become a merchant because he had no home to return to?
It didn’t seem like a big deal, so I unlocked the rune.
– Whiririk.
When the magic was turned off, the five senses returned to normal.
Anyway, I don’t think rune magic is bad in that it’s good to use one magic for multiple purposes. Let’s catch me and beat the goblins who can use magic.
‘But if I catch a rune mage who is not a goblin or half-human, will mana succession happen?’
It’s a problem as it happens when it happens.
It’s like killing people and stealing mana, so it’s like going straight to a human sacrifice pagan shaman. Even if it were me, if I said, ‘An adventurer who killed the rune wizard and stole mana appears’, he would be an asshole.
‘I’m glad I can’t be seen by others.’
Is there no trash rune wizard worth keeping alive like Tabula? If you beat that guy, you’ll be sure.
“Chew chump! (Rice!)”
The schedule was peaceful.
In the fall, birds flying around ate bugs and grains, and a cool breeze blew on us as we walked.
The carriage also kept pace with us, so it felt like we were at least drinking.
Even the young kobolds scattered in the meadow were not seen, perhaps because it was the time when food was plentiful. It could be that they were abused by the adventurer escorts who passed here earlier than we did and left behind.
“It’s nice to be comfortable.”
As Shios happily muttered, surprisingly, we were able to arrive at Haysbent without a single battle.
─Mr. Mm. Mmr.
As the sun was almost setting, the gate was full of people, and we had to wait in front of the gate for tens of minutes.
“Next!! Write down your ID and the purpose of your visit!!”
No, at first I thought it would take a while because there were so many lines, but it wasn’t. Compared to Sargadis, the identification process was so thorough that the line did not shrink.
“Looks like something happened.”
The escort was roughly finished, and Fran, who came to my side, spoke in a low voice. I was the same. Because this strict investigation means that there was a separate order.
“Because of the kidnapping case.”
It was then. The silver class greatsword warrior, who hadn’t said anything the entire time he was moving, said that while looking straight ahead.
“Over the past 10 days, six children have been abducted in Haysbent alone. One of them was found dead.”
What the greatsword warrior said calmly was that the nape of his neck was frightening. Even though I already knew the contents, seeing the effort to prevent it in front of my eyes, it felt different from reality.
“Is it because of the bandits?”
“I don’t know what caused it. I was told that not a single child was ever found among the five who went missing.”
“Is that so.”
Two of them are right next to you. I joked like that to myself, but the unpleasantness still lingered.
Wheein-.
The gates of Haysbent felt somewhat gloomy, perhaps because of the shadows cast by the setting sun. Is it my imagination that the city I’m seeing for the first time looks like the camouflage of another creature?
“Next!! The wagon over there, come here!!”
We waited for nearly an hour before finally being able to stand in front of the guards.
The guard, whose tiredness was visible in his stern face, moved his pen to the wooden board in his hand in a cold tone.
“The representative, please tell us the purpose of the visit, the number of people, and your identity.”
“It is a wagon from the Transport Guild. There are four Bronze class adventurers, one Silver class, me and two of our guild’s coachman and children.”
“Children?”
Robert responded calmly to the guard who lightly blinked his eyes.
“Yes. Weena Enberg and Ricardo Diltan, citizens of Haysbent.”
“… Good Please show your ID. If possible, please use your citizenship card.”
Those of us holding the adventurer plates had no choice but to unpack our bags. Sios and I presented our long-term residence permits, and each of the others carried at least an ID.
The problem was the children. Although he was old enough to have an ID card issued, he had been kidnapped and had nothing to prove his identity.
“I will sign as your representative, so can you let me in?”
At Robert’s words, the guards frowned and consulted.
They muttered, then looked at them and sighed as if they were embarrassed by the anxious children.
“Whoa… Sign here And after entering the city, I recommend that you stop by the guards with some means of proving the identity of the children.”
“Thank you.”
With the consideration of the guards, the trouble was somehow resolved. It must have been because it was hard to imagine that these children would be involved in kidnapping crimes.
─Tumble.
Upon entering the city, the first thing that caught my eye was the Colosseum in the middle of the city.
I know that Britannia’s Colosseum was also introduced from Romania like a bathhouse, but this is the first time I’ve actually seen it. The size was smaller than expected, but it was so tall that it seemed like it could be seen from anywhere in the city.
Although I will probably never fight as a fighter in the Colosseum.
“Adventurers. You may disband now.”
Said Robert, who entered the city and stopped the carriage. Mevin laughed at his words.
“If you plan to hire someone on the way back, please let me know. It’s the first time I’ve ever had such an easy escort.”
Haha. This is really, these days, it’s just a loss. Anyway, thank you for your hard work. Goodbye.”
Robert scratched his head and laughed, climbed back into the carriage and drove away. Left behind, we saw each other’s faces.
“Chemm. Thank you all for your hard work. Anyone going out for a drink?”
Shios said that, but since we didn’t even fight together, what kind of bond do we have that we would go out for a drink together? In front of the awkward smile and silent reply, the black-haired warrior made an embarrassed expression.
“It doesn’t look like it.”
“It seems so. If we meet later, we’ll have a drink then.”
While reciting ‘BEST 1 most meaningless words to say to a high school classmate’, Mevin left. Since the wizard guild members can stay for free at the guild in each city, they are probably headed to the guild.
“Well. I need to get a lodging too. See you again.”
Shios, who greeted awkwardly, also left. Fran and I laughed and moved on to her steps.
“Should we take a shower after unpacking at the inn? The work was comfortable, but you sweated.”
“Aren’t you going to take a bath yet? Heysbent opens the baths after 8pm.”
“Hmm.”
There are cities that do that to save maintenance costs, but on the subject of building and operating such a large coliseum, public welfare bathhouses are reduced management.
It was an easy feeling to know what kind of city Heysbent is.
