Chapter 42. The Royal Capital II
Episode 42.
The Royal Capital II
The Eleven Articles of the Delvers are the eleven provisions established by the founding king, the man known as the first Delver.
And Article 7, the one I had just mentioned, was.......
"「When another Delver dies or becomes unable to manage their belongings due to unconsciousness or other causes, all Delvers may use those belongings for survival and return. However, the scope of use is limited to water, food, medicine, cold-weather gear, equipment, tools, and other articles necessary for survival and exploration」."
"......."
"The Exploration Crystal you mentioned belonged to a Delver who was already dead. I merely recovered it so I could survive."
If I had to be precise, the place where I found the crystal was the frontmost car...... that is, where the operator's cabin was.
But since the conductor had recovered the belongings of the dead Delver in the first place, it wasn't a false statement.
"However, Kaindel. You are not registered as a Delver."
"Of course not. Until just before departure, I was a stoker."
"A stoker, you say?"
"Is there a problem? Or shall I recite Article 1 right here?"
"......."
When I asked in a challenging tone, the man remained silent for a moment before muttering.
"......「Delver Article 1. Anyone who seeks to explore the unknown may become a Delver, regardless of age, gender, status, or species」."
It wasn't stated there, but under the regulations, Delver status could also be approved retroactively.
Though such cases were extremely rare.
"I was a stoker, but midway we were attacked by shadows and the train overturned."
"A train overturning...... you don't mean the <Armand> that departed in the fourth quarter?"
So that was its name.
Instead of answering, I nodded, and the surroundings buzzed again. All sorts of things happened during forest exploration, but a train flipping over was rare.
"When I came to my senses, all the surviving Delvers had already vanished into the forest."
"Ah."
The man let out an exclamation.
It sounded halfway between an exclamation and a sigh. A faint trace of discomfort and embarrassment crossed his ice-cold face.
I was about to pretend to sound aggrieved...... no, I really was aggrieved, so I simply spoke my mind.
"What could a mere stoker do in that situation? I rummaged through the wreckage of the broken train, managed to salvage one intact Exploration Crystal, and immediately entered the forest. Then I explored to survive, and in the end I survived and was able to return to the Royal Capital. That is all."
"......."
The man's gaze turned toward Kria and Seigrena, who were standing beside me.
The two quickly nodded.
"I-it's all true. If it weren't for Kaindel, we would all be dead......."
"His way of talking's a bit obnoxious, but he's not the type to lie."
I would have preferred them to put it more logically...... but perhaps those words were enough.
"Hm."
After a low groan, the man looked at me and bowed without hesitation.
"I apologize."
"......."
"It seems there was some misunderstanding on our side."
"......Don't mention it."
Only then did I feel the stinging gazes around me disappear.
Just when I thought the misunderstanding had been cleared up.......
"That fellow's quite something, isn't he?"
But that wasn't all.
"For a stoker, he's quick on his feet. He's got far more backbone than the guy we brought into our party this time."
"Kaindel, was it? Maybe I'll test his skills later......."
"Well, if he survives, that is."
[You have proven your innocence in front of many Delvers.]
[Your Fame increases slightly.]
......Even my Fame went up.
Fame was a stat that barely rose in the forest, but the city was different.
Here, even small actions and trivial remarks became subjects of public evaluation.
'The higher the Fame, the better.'
The more Fame I built, the wider my room to maneuver became, and the more trouble I could get away with.
To put it bluntly, once it exceeded 10,000, even killing another Delver could somehow be covered up.
Though it would cost some money.
"Then let's finish the settlement first."
"Pardon?"
"I mean the amount calculated from the Exploration Progress."
"Ah. The assessment is already complete. Let's go to the desk together."
I headed to the desk with the man.
Then the receptionist greeted us with a pleasant smile.
"The unique identification number of the <Lowest-Grade Exploration Crystal> is E-18870312-423. The registered owner has been changed from the late Albert to Kaindel. The discovery confirmation is also complete. Here is 35,000 seed......."
"Have you deducted the Return Magic usage fee?"
At my words, the receptionist looked somewhat surprised.
"Ah, that won't be necessary."
"Won't be necessary?"
"We'll waive the Return Magic fee for this settlement."
When I looked at her with suspicion, the receptionist smiled again.
"It is a token of apology for the Guild's rudeness. It is modest, but please accept it."
Even as she said that, the receptionist's gaze was directed at the man standing behind me.
'She's watching her superior's reaction.'
It was only 1,000 seed per person, and she was making a whole production of it.
"Thank you."
Still, 1,000 seed wasn't nothing, so I decided to accept the favor gratefully.
"Separately, there is something I would like to purchase."
"Yes. Please tell me."
Simple items needed for Delver activities can also be purchased here.
I stated the items I wanted to buy, and the receptionist soon handed them to me. After finishing the settlement and payment, I was about to leave—
"My name is Camille."
The man looked at me and bowed again.
"Kaindel. I apologize once more for today's rudeness."
"......It's fine. Mistakes can happen in the course of work."
"It is my responsibility to ensure such mistakes do not occur. I am sorry."
There was something familiar about the way he kept apologizing.
I studied the man, then instead nodded and said.
"That's true. Then please make sure you handle things properly next time, so no one else ends up in the same situation."
Only then did Camille's expression improve.
The kind of man who felt more at ease after hearing one reproachful remark than after being let off without a word.
"Then, once again, welcome back. I hope you have a comfortable time in the Royal Capital."
Camille left with crisp, disciplined movements.
"......."
So that was why he looked familiar—that fellow was Camille.
A talented member of the Delver Guild and a first-rate Delver. Depending on the choices, he was an A-rank NPC who could even be recruited as a companion.
'He also has the Trait, <Strict Principles>.'
In other words, when someone like him made a mistake, a sharp reprimand was better than telling him it was fine.
He wouldn't forget his own mistake, which meant I'd remain on his mind from now on.
If the timing was right, I might even receive small help from him.
"Done? Finished? Then you'll give me the crystal now, right?"
When I returned to my seat, Seigrena spoke in an urgent voice. Instead of answering immediately, I showed her the item I had bought at the desk.
"Before that, use this first."
I held out a single sheet of paper.
Seigrena took the paper and tilted her head.
"What's this?"
"A written agreement."
"What kind of agreement?"
"Sign this in exchange for the Exploration Crystal."
Seigrena flinched.
"Wh-what are you going to demand? Surely not the wealth of House Montrier—"
"Do you really think so?"
To swindle a noble in the middle of the city, even Fame over 10,000 wouldn't be enough.
"Read through it once, and if there's anything strange or unsettling, tell me."
Of course, there weren't any strange clauses.
This was a standard agreement Delver parties commonly signed after leaving the forest. Every clause was standard.
To sum up its contents in one phrase.......
"......It's a confidentiality agreement?"
"Right."
All information obtained in the <Eternal Forest> is both power and property.
For that reason, short-term parties commonly sign this kind of confidentiality agreement after completing a single exploration.
'The information about the shelter and the state of the <Woodman Habitat> too.'
I glanced at Kria. She was still tilting her head as if she had no idea about anything.
She didn't seem to realize that the reason I had gone so far as to bring an agreement was because of her.
"......."
That's right. Kria had now become a Necromancer, and it was best to hide that fact for the time being.
'Necromancers aren't openly ostracized like Black Mages, though.'
To be recognized as an officially sanctioned Necromancer by the Kingdom, one has to go through all sorts of troublesome procedures, and I couldn't easily prepare for all that right away.
Even if she became certified, that wouldn't do anything about people's prejudices. In other words, hiding it was the best course for the time being.
"I've read it all."
Seigrena, who had skimmed through the contract, looked at me and asked.
"But this clause—what happens if I break it?"
I barely held back the urge to say, 'It's written right there, you idiot......' and answered.
"You die."
"Hk......."
"......No, not that. Since you'd be breaking a clause, depending on the case, you might have to pay up to tens of millions of seed in compensation. If you're unlucky, you'll also serve a sentence. In short, you'll be branded a criminal."
"A cr-criminal......."
Seigrena's face went pale in an instant.
Like a noble, she seemed more concerned about the disgrace of becoming a criminal than the tens of millions of seed at stake.
'Information about the Habitat would only be worth a few hundred thousand at most, though.'
There was no harm in frightening her like this.
"I-I just have to not tell anyone, right! Right?"
"Right."
"Good......!"
Still, she seemed to want the Exploration Crystal more, and in the end Seigrena finished signing the agreement.
The signed agreement would be kept by the Delver Guild, so I could breathe a sigh of relief for now.......
Only after that did I hand the crystal to Seigrena.
"All right. With this, I too......."
Seigrena, grinning as if she had obtained a long-coveted jewel, suddenly cleared her throat and spoke.
"Ahem. Hey."
"What?"
"......Well, a lot happened, but. You worked hard, one way or another."
Seigrena smiled.
I couldn't tell whether smiling felt awkward to her or whether she was embarrassed to say thank you, but the expression was utterly ridiculous.
"......Yeah. You worked hard too."
I probably wouldn't have any reason to see Seigrena again.
A noble young lady wasn't likely to enter the forest a second time.
"If you ever come to House Montrier later, well, I'll at least treat you to a meal."
"Sure. If I run out of money for food, I'll drop by."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Seigrena giggled, then spotted Alon coming this way and rose from her seat.
"What are you doing? Creeping along like a grub. You did finish everything properly, right?"
"Y-yes......."
"Then hurry up! Surely you know where House Montrier is?"
"I-I understand......."
Alon's expression had soured even further by the time we reached the Royal Capital, but what could I do? They'd brought it on themselves.
Honestly, I was also curious about how that party would end up, but now wasn't the time to worry about others.
After exchanging a glance with Seigrena, I finally looked at Kria and spoke.
"Anyway, where is your home?"
"We don't really have a home."
"Then where did you stay before going to the forest?"
"Hm. There is a place where we'd been staying long-term......."
A lodging.......
I nodded and said.
"Let's go there first."
"Okay."
I left the Guild with Kria. It was already night outside, but the Royal Capital's night wasn't dark like the forest. Instead, it was filled with lights bright enough to hurt my eyes.
"......."
I saw well-paved roads, streetlamps lined up at regular intervals, and crowds strolling peacefully beneath those lights.
For a moment, I fell under the illusion that I hadn't been sucked into a game, but had come on an overseas trip to some famous tourist destination. The things I had done just before—walking through the wild forest and risking my life—felt like a dream.
Step.
The illusion faded quickly. Blades hung at people's waists as if it were only natural.......
People with appearances so distinctive they didn't even look like they were in costume passed by me.
A beautiful woman with pointed ears, a dwarf who barely came up to my waist, a reptilian humanoid with scaled skin, and so on.......
"......."
The unreal scenery, combined with my fatigue, made me feel almost drunk.
"Are you okay? Want me to carry you on my back?"
At Kria's words, I shook my head.
I followed Kria in that daze for quite a while. Then I looked up at a three-story building that resembled an inn.
"It looks a bit expensive."
"Does it......? I'm not sure."
Come to think of it, these two had enough money to carry around several high-grade potions.
Typical bourgeois bastards.
"Kazen will probably wake up without any problems once he rests a bit. If his condition worsens, we'll have to go straight to a temple, so tell me. Let's rest well today and talk tomorrow."
"Where should we meet?"
"I'll stay here too, so how about the restaurant on the first floor around one in the afternoon?"
"Hm. Sounds good."
Anyway, since I was going to formally ask them to join my party, there was a lot to work out, including reward distribution and our plans going forward.
After parting ways with Kria and Kazen, I paid for a room and went upstairs. For reference, the daily rate here was 3,000 seed.
'Damn expensive.'
Of course, it was worth the price.
The fairly spacious room even had a private bathroom. Should I be grateful that the game's era wasn't completely antiquated?
"Hoo."
After washing up, I flopped onto the bed.
Perhaps because I'd spent weeks sleeping on bare ground with only a blanket, the mattress felt almost uncomfortably soft.
"......."
But sleep wouldn't come.
I was definitely tired, but somehow I didn't feel as though I'd fall asleep no matter how long I lay there with my eyes closed.
"......I feel like I chugged an energy drink on an empty stomach."
In the end, I tossed and turned in bed for a bit, then got up and sat at the desk.
On the desk there was paper along with a pen. I would probably have to pay an extra fee if I used it, but right now I wanted to scribble something and organize my thoughts.
'Things to do from now on.'
Now that the first exploration was over, there was a mountain of things to handle starting tomorrow.
My class had been decided and my general direction was set, so now it was time to refine my growth build.
'There are more than a few things I need to check.'
First, I needed to pin down exactly what had changed now that the game had become reality. That would broaden my options too.
"Options......."
I suddenly recalled what had happened at the guild.
The moment I had rebutted Camille and shut down the <Forced Event> that was originally unavoidable.
Thump.
My heartbeat became clearer.
Only then did a word that accurately expressed my current situation come to mind.
"......High risk, high return, huh."
As my options increased, so did my chances of clearing the game.
And in fact, that very thing was the essence of <FoS>.
'Easy, Normal, Hard, Hell.'
Four difficulty levels in total.
Naturally, the higher you climbed, the difficulty rose exponentially, but paradoxically, so did the odds of clearing the game.
Items obtainable from weak enemies and safe maps are lousy. With those alone, there's a limit to how far you can grow.
In that sense, I was effectively challenging a new difficulty I'd never experienced before.
'What should I call it?'
While I muttered to myself, my gaze drifted outside. A waning moon hung in the sky.
The moment thoughts of the Frost Sun and the Ash Moon crossed my mind, my mouth opened on its own.
"Lunatic."
Difficulty, Lunatic.
If there is a place worse than hell, perhaps madness is the right name for it.
I set down the pen and stared at the cold moonlight for a while.