Chapter 47: Just Let Me Go
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 47: Just Let Me Go
“That will be 34 gold.”
Are you kidding me?
“Isn’t that enough to buy a whole house?”
“Maybe a vacant shack in the Southeast…”
“Ah.”
So, even with a whopping 34 gold, homeownership is a distant dream. Then again, isn’t the Southeast a total slum? I didn’t actually plan on buying a house, but hearing that makes me want one even less.
I’m better off at the inn. It has an Auntie who’s a fantastic cook, the lovely Sera, and Tresha—who I have to pay a salary to. Well, Tresha... she works hard. And she seems to get along well with Sera.
I headed to the guild as soon as morning broke, and the settlement for the Lizardman sales was complete. Thirty-four gold—an absurdly large sum of money. With this, I could pay back my debt to Iris immediately and even buy a high-quality sword made of rare metal.
“Wait, no.”
I thought of something better.
“Dahlia. Where’s the best place to buy and sell things like monster corpses?”
“Monster corpses...? You mean materials?”
“Yes.”
For me, the most reliable way to increase my stats is, after all, consuming monster materials. The best move is to buy and eat high-quality materials with powerful effects that I can immediately incorporate into my body.
“There are quite a few auction houses in the Western District. They buy and sell high-quality monster materials, and most of the powerful equipment made from those materials is produced in the Northwest.”
“The Northwest, huh.”
It’s an area I haven’t visited yet. It makes sense; the Northwest is a wealthy neighborhood where only high-ranking, famous explorers go. Low-ranking explorers like me are usually content with the blacksmiths and tanners in the Southwest.
Expensive metals like rare metals brought in from other labyrinths or cities, or equipment made from the materials of powerful monsters found on the high floors of the labyrinth, are luxuries for low-level explorers.
The Northwest is also where the dismantler clans, who collaborate with the guild, sell their processed materials.
“Oh, and Aven.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“The point calculation is finished. Congratulations! You’re now Silver Grade.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry, but please understand. To promote to Gold Grade, you need to reach the 11th floor or higher. They said they’ll promote you to Gold as soon as you just set foot there and come back.”
“Uh, okay.”
Come to think of it, that makes sense. Didn’t I slice through a hell of a lot of monsters during my last trip to the labyrinth? I even took down the 10th-floor boss, the Orc Chieftain, all by myself. It’s a bit of a shame to be stuck at Silver Grade because of the floor limit, but they said they’d bump me to Gold the moment I hit the 11th floor.
My pseudonym is engraved on the Silver-grade Explorer’s Plate, which looks like a set of dog tags. There isn't much of a physical difference, but the psychological weight I feel holding that silver plate is significant.
I’m Silver Grade now, huh.
“Haha, wow. I didn’t expect it to happen like this.”
“I was very surprised too, Aven. I didn’t think you’d raise your grade this quickly. Until just recently, you were Brass Grade—”
“Hey, hey, hey! Let’s leave the past in the past.”
“Ahaha! Aven, are you blushing?”
“Ugh, it’s embarrassing. Anyway, I’ve received the payment. Good work, Dahlia.”
Dahlia gave a gentle nod and handed me a piece of paper. After signing to confirm I’d received the funds, I handed the paper back and took the heavy linen pouch, tucking it into my own pouch.
Is this the weight of gold? The world suddenly looks beautiful. A sense of peace is overflowing from the depths of my soul.
“To the auction house.”
I should head to the shops that sell monster materials and see if there’s anything good.
* * *
“This is incredible.”
This is the Northwest district of the Labyrinth City Calax.
It’s a world apart from the Southwest, where most buildings were two stories—three at most—with the occasional one-story shack. Unlike the Southwest, which was mostly brown due to the wooden buildings, the structures here are mostly made of stone. Above all, the atmosphere of the people walking around is slightly different.
It’s intimidating.
I looked around as I searched for my way. When I asked Dahlia, she said there are many large auction houses all over, but she advised against the Southeast since most of the trade there is illegal.
She mentioned there’s one massive auction house in the Northwest that sells high-quality monster materials.
“This must be it.”
Aureum Street. A city—or rather, a street—lined with legendary master craftsmen I’d only heard stories about. It’s a place overflowing with expensive materials, rare resources, uncommon rare metals, and finely crafted garments.
It’s a place known as the ‘Golden Street.’
In the past, even breathing the air here would have felt like a crime. Why? Because I had no money. But now?
Who am I? The owner of thirty-four gold coins.
I can proudly take my place in the parade of these wealthy bourgeois.
“Come to me, heavenly swords. Excalibur, get over here.”
Passing through the entrance of the street, where signs hung large and sparkled brilliantly, I found it teeming with explorers walking about with various weapons strapped to their waists or backs.
Glass windows, a rare sight in the Southwest, are common here. There are shops with entire walls made of glass, displaying finely crafted metal armor like works of art, and cool weapon shops with high-quality swords lined up along the walls.
Whoa, look at that axe.
There are explorers with massive axes on their backs, and people carrying things too large to be called swords over their shoulders. There are women who look like mages at a glance, and people walking around with elegantly shaped, long great bows.
I guess all the high-ranking explorers gather here. If I stay here too long, I might start developing an elitist complex.
“There it is.”
A massive material shop boasting an incredible size appeared at the end of the street. It’s a gargantuan building that commands an overwhelming presence even on Aureum Street, where land prices are notoriously high.
“Auction Lymain…”
When I switched my left eye to that of the Direwolf Alpha, I could see a vast amount of mana swirling inside. It was that childhood feeling of standing in front of a toy store.
Stepping inside the magnificent building constructed of pure white stone, the air felt slightly different from the cool breeze outside, as if the internal atmosphere was being managed. Even though it’s a place that buys and sells monster corpses, I expected some smell, but there was none at all.
Whoa, what is that?
There were display stands with massive scales, as if someone had ripped them off a dragon’s back. Elsewhere, terrifyingly sharp fangs, polished to a shine, hung from hooks.
What do I need right now?
Hmm.
I thought about it for a long while, but isn't what I need ultimately muscle? Tough, untanned hides or even bones would be good.
“Hmph.”
Contrary to my expectations, everything is just... okay? I was hoping to buy some monster blood, but it seems material shops sell things for making tools like armor and weapons, not blood used as an alchemical ingredient.
I went up to the second floor and found a wider variety of materials, but...
“Nothing useful here.”
The shop is incredibly spacious and crowded with people, which is starting to wear me out. I didn't realize there were this many people in Calax. I guess no matter what city you go to, people always swarm the downtown area.
Maybe it’s just because I’m a country bumpkin.
I sat down on a sofa in a corner of the shop to rest for a moment, then stood back up.
What’s going on? Must be a celebrity or something.
As I tried to head out, I saw a large crowd gathered in the distance. A celebrity? Or did a good item show up?
A high-ranking adventurer? What do you have to do to become famous in Calax? The head of a clan is bound to be a high-ranking adventurer anyway.
Hmm.
This is a place like a giant department store where countless people come and go. A few famous people passing through shouldn't be a big deal.
“I just want to leave.”
There are too many people. I wondered if I should take a detour, but then—
—Click, clack.
The distinct sound of high heels made a clear statement even amidst the murmuring voices of the crowd. Perhaps because it was on marble tiles, the sound was exceptionally sharp.
The sound seemed to be getting closer. Should I take a peek at who it is? Not that I’d recognize them anyway.
—Click.
The crowd continued to draw near. The murmuring grew louder, and the air felt restless.
“You.”
Someone stopped right in front of me and spoke.
“What did you just say?”
“What the...?”
An unknown woman stood before me with her arms crossed, glaring at me with a frigid gaze.
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
Looking around, I realized I was suddenly in the center of the crowd. It wasn't that I had walked into it; the people had swarmed around me. From the looks of it, they were following this woman standing in front of me.
“I didn't say anything.”
“Are you trying to deceive my ears right now?”
“Hah, wow. Are your ears something special...? Oh. They are special.”
I wondered what could be so special about her ears, and then I saw them.
She’s a beastkin.
Bright yellow hair. Large, fluffy ears poking upward. A thick, bushy tail and bright golden eyes.
“Look, I’m telling you, I didn't say anything.”
“I heard you loud and clear.”
“What exactly did I say to you? I’m telling you, I really didn't say a word.”
What is wrong with this person? Picking a fight out of nowhere with someone just standing there. Is this normal in the Northwest?
“‘Nothing useful here.’ That’s what you said.”
“And what exactly does that have to do with you? Is talking to oneself forbidden in this neighborhood?”
Every time I opened my mouth, the people nearby flinched in surprise. It’s like they’re NPCs reacting to a prompt. What on earth is going on? Since I obviously did nothing wrong, there’s no reason for me to act submissive.
“How can it not have anything to do with me?”
“I’m asking what you mean by that. What does this giant material shop having nothing useful have to do with you picking a fight with me? What, are you the owner of this shop or something?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, really? My apologies.”
Wait, shit, is this for real? The beastkin woman standing before me with a furious expression is the owner of this massive Auction Lymain.
Damn, beastkin hearing is terrifying. I was nowhere near her, yet she heard me muttering to myself?
“This scent... You, you’re a Direwolf, aren't you? And not even a common one.”
“Hah, wow. How did you know that?”
The muscles I had gorged on yesterday and recovered as quickly as possible were those of the Direwolf Alpha. They were agile, well-balanced muscles, so I used them often.
“Trying to deceive my nose and ears? You’re a thousand years too early for that.”
“Well, it’s not like I was trying to hide it.”
The beastkin lady was staring at me intently. Why do I keep ending up in situations like this?
“I’m leaving now, so if you could move out of the way...”
“Without buying anything?”
“Like I just said, they don't have what I’m looking for.”
“And what is it you’re looking for?”
“That’s... complicated.”
“Tsk. Follow me.”
“Wait, why?”
“I said follow me. Direwolf.”
Seriously, just let me go home.