Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Cunning Town, Party Quest #5
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Creaaak-.
As I pushed open the wooden door, the smell of alcohol assaulted my nose.
-Rowdy clamor-.
People drinking and making a racket.
"Cunning Town's in an uproar nearby."
"Talking beasts are attacking humans, right?"
"Fuck, where the hell did those monsters even come from—."
"Shh, check that out. Someone's here."
There were maybe ten people.
A few gazes turned my way.
'Getting underestimated in a place like this could get you killed.'
Huu-.
I tensed my lower abs and scowled fiercely.
Then I approached the woman who looked like the innkeeper.
"Hey, ma'am."
She was pretty old, and one eye looked fake—milky white pupil.
Scritch-scratch-.
She wiped a glass and spoke.
"Gotta take a shit? What's with that face."
"How much for a night?"
"500,000 Ether per person."
Fucking expensive—!
"Ahem, what kinda stuff you sellin'?"
"God, what a pain. Malax!"
Creak-creak-.
Soon a hulking brute came stomping across the wooden floor, shaking it noisily.
"Yes, ma'am."
His hair looked freshly shaved, teeth sparse and missing some.
His face was wrinkle-free, but there was an axe blade embedded in his left forehead.
How the hell is he even alive?
Before I could dwell on that question, the axe guy led me to what looked like a storeroom.
It was packed with cheese and wine, cabbage and sausages.
There were also explorer supplies like Ether torches, ropes, and daggers.
"You got a ton of goods here?"
I asked the axe guy.
He scratched his head.
"We bring 'em from the city."
So these are goods sourced from Cunning Town.
Sausage per link: 50,000 Ether.
Cheese, wine: 100,000 Ether.
'Fucking expensive!'
Anyway, I'd learned this inn had an impressive stock.
I went straight back out and told Hammer about it.
"500,000 a night? What kinda rip-off bullshit is this?"
Hammer fumed.
"But better than camping out and dying!"
Hammer paid the landlady in Ether for the rooms.
2 million Ether.
His bold decision gave me chills.
"Hammer, that's too much Ether to waste!"
2 million could buy how many chickens?
But Hammer seemed to have his reasons.
"We can expense it and get reimbursed after the mission."
"Heh heh heh, then I'll take bread, cheese, and dried fish!"
Free bed and food.
'Being an explorer rocks.'
Ever since becoming one, my luck had been through the roof.
My life was so happy now it almost scared me.
Hammer, Hermit—my companions were all so capable.
Even that Felix guy was growing on me.
'I have to protect this life no matter what.'
Just then, a man with a flushed, drunken face approached us.
"Heard your important mission failed and your whole party deserted?"
Kekeke-.
The guy laughed noisily.
Bald, with triangular tattoos covering his face.
"......"
Clink-.
Felix's hand went to his sword hilt.
Before he could slit the guy's throat, I hurriedly spoke up.
"Cut the tongue-wagging and get to the point."
"Whoa, touchy. Fine."
Swoosh-.
The triangular-tattoo guy laid a map on the table.
"Name's Walker, traveling merchant."
"Skip the intros. What's this map?"
"To get to Cunning Town, you gotta cross these hills. Bandits and monsters show up a lot, so the more people in your group, the better."
He wanted us to join his caravan.
Tap-tap—Hammer tapped his foot twice under the table.
Signal that it was a good offer.
More people would make traversing Night Land easier for us too.
But one thing bugged me.
"You're paying the way, and we're doing the dirty work?"
These guys planned to use our party as escorts.
Nailing the point, merchant Walker chuckled huhuhu-.
"I'll cover food costs and Ether torches on the way."
"I'm in."
Swoosh-.
Hammer stood and extended his hand.
The room was a four-person setup.
Hermit clearly wasn't thrilled about sharing with us guys.
But it beat camping outside.
"Eek! A rat!"
Hermit freaked at the mouse scurrying over the bed.
Hammer laughed ha-ha-.
"Proof this inn's safe. Animals instinctively know secure spots!"
"Hammer, can we trust that merchant?"
Felix asked while sharpening his sword.
We were all thinking the same.
People living in Night Land weren't normal.
Mostly criminals who'd fled the Empire, breaking its laws.
So caution was natural.
But the inn bed was worlds comfier than the muddy ground.
I passed out the moment I lay down.
When I came to, it was morning.
Merchant Walker waited out front.
"Brothers, let's hit the road!"
Walker was a talkative guy.
He never shut up, but it was great for intel.
"You crossed that thornwood forest? Puahaha! No way!"
He didn't buy our story of cutting straight through theforest.
Apparently, even around here, that forest had a rep as dangerous.
"Monsters live there, they say!"
That's when Hermit spotted something in Walker's baggage.
"Isn't that witch mushroom? Super addictive—growing or selling's banned."
"Oh man, mages are so knowledgeable. That's my main cash cow."
"No way they trade witch mushrooms in Cunning Town too!?"
"Kekeke, not something you buy or sell easily even there."
"Walker, ever hear of a skilled blacksmith?"
I questioned him to gather info on scale processing.
"Skilled one?"
He thought long and hard, then nodded.
"Oh yeah, heard Narakje kidnapped a dwarf to make gear."
"A dwarf?"
"Short guys with bushy beards."
Hard to picture from description alone.
We swapped info like that until time got late.
As we prepped to camp, Walker urged us on.
"Hammer bro, just a bit farther and you'll see the city!"
He wanted to skip camping and push on.
We'd hunted tons of attacking monsters today too.
Raked in 1 million Ether.
Night Land demanded constant tension, piling up double the fatigue.
Skip camp in that state and keep walking?
Hammer asked.
"How much farther?"
"Half a day!"
"We can go tomorrow."
"Honestly, guards are loosest now—perfect time to sneak into the city."
Walker chuckled huhuhu- while scratching his nose.
Suspicious as hell.
But Hammer saw merit in his pitch.
We were on an infiltration mission ourselves.
Sneaking in would be ideal.
"Pull any shit, you're dead."
Crunch-.
Hammer clenched his gauntlet fist and shoved it in Walker's face.
Walker panicked.
"Whoa—! I know your skills; why would I screw you? Hell, I'd hire you as my personal escorts!"
Didn't sound like a lie.
"Especially that mage girl's amazing. How many spells you know?"
"Secret."
Hermit huffed and turned away.
We ditched camp and walked a bit more.
"There it is!"
His claim wasn't a lie—after two real hours, the walls appeared.
Stone walls that looked sturdy enough.
Maybe two meters high.
"See? Told ya—just a little farther!"
Ether torches burned at regular intervals, which blew my mind.
How much Ether did that add up to?
'Fuck, this city's overflowing with Ether!'
No wonder thieves everywhere sang Cunning Town's praises.
The main gate was swarming with folks chasing quick riches.
"Open the damn gate!"
"Why won't you let us in!"
"We barely escaped the monsters!"
"Hammer bro, this way. Over here!"
Walker led us to a side wall.
There was a small hole in the city wall.
He knocked twice—tap-tap—and a voice came from the other side.
—Walker?
"Yeah, it's me!"
—Holy shit, perfect timing! Get in quick! Hurry!
Rustle-.
Someone cleared stones from the other side.
A hole big enough for one person opened in the outer wall.
Walker crawled in worm-like.
We followed the merchant, and finally entered Cunning Town.
'...The thieves' city!'
It was night, so dark I couldn't see much.
But the Ether torches lit here and there? Nice.
"Hammer bro, welcome to Cunning Town. Gotta run—business calls!"
Whoosh-.
Walker vanished fast with his group.
Whew—Felix sighed in relief.
"Thought that guy'd betray us. Surprisingly smooth."
Right? Better connection than expected.
Without Walker, we'd be stuck at the gate.
As tension drained from my body, Hammer clapped—smack-.
"Now the real fun begins. See this face?"
Flutter-.
Hammer unrolled a scroll for us.
Portrait.
Incredibly detailed, down to the mole by the eye.
Whose face got drawn this meticulously?
"We gotta find this girl in the city. About ten years old."
"Hammer, this our mission?"
"Yeah. Scatter and regroup here tomorrow same time."
Better to split than stick together, sure.
But suddenly being alone felt daunting.
'Find one kid in this vast strange land—when?'
Swoosh-.
Then I felt a hand on my pocket.
Thieves' city, huh.
Pickpocket already?
"Pretending not to notice? Sloppy as hell."
I grabbed the guy's wrist—crack-.
"L-let go...!"
A panicking girl.
More like a young girl, really.
She looked young.
Short purplish hair made her seem boyish.
And that mole by the eye was super familiar.
"Huh, you...!"
The face from Hammer's portrait?
That's when.
"Where'd she go?"
"Grab her! Grab her!"
"...Gasp!"
Someone yelled angrily.
The girl panicked like a rat caught mid-steal.
"L-let go!"
"You little brat. Not just my pocket, huh?"
"Let go!"
Why was Hammer looking for her?
Finding her this quick felt great—but—!
"Who are you?"
"......"
The kid's eyes wavered at my question.
Not spilling easily.
"Hmph."
—Possessions Insight.
I activated the skill.
「Possessions Check Success!」
「Half-eaten bread x1」
「Eagle Button」
Curious what she had.
Possessions can reveal identity sometimes.
Eagle Button?
That's the one Ezekiel gifted me.
The one that upgrades items!
'If I'm lucky, maybe upgrade my weapon again.'
I slipped my hand into the kid's pocket.
My pickpocketing skills were top-notch—she didn't notice.
'Kid, thieving's done like this.'
The tiny button now in my hand.
「Eagle Button: A button exquisitely crafted from gold and jewels. Bears the crest used only by the Emperor ruling the Human Empire and his direct family.」
"Ooh...."
I slipped the stolen button back into her pocket carefully.
First time in my life returning a pilfered item.
'This is way above the paygrade of a small-time crook like me...!!!?'