Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Ancient City, Leorados (1) - Party
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1.
"Thank you so much once again! If it weren't for you, Hanson-nim, I would've died right there on the spot!"
"Thank you!"
The merchant Robert and the mercenaries bowed their heads deeply. Unfortunately, one mercenary was missing from their ranks. He'd ended up as zombie chow in the end.
Poor bastard.
I let out a quiet sigh inwardly and shook my head.
"It was just my duty as a knight."
"Not at all! I don't know if there's anything I can assist a knight like you with, but if you ever need help, please come to the Leas Trading Company and ask for Robert! I'll help you anytime!"
"Same for us. If anything comes up, just let us know!"
Their earnest gazes were a bit overwhelming, so I simply replied that I understood.
"Then, may our paths cross again if fate allows."
"Yes. Safe travels!"
I left the carriage depot and strolled through the streets.
The place I was in now was Leorados, the only ancient city in the eastern Boris Region.
Built in an era when magic had reached its peak long ago, the structures here still stood strong without any major issues.
Whoever built this place were real monsters.
I'd heard that the city had survived the zombie plague thanks to ancient protective spells. That was why it remained so lively and bustling.
For now, I should find an inn.
I'd planned to rest for about a week in Valone, but with nothing but lunatics around, I hadn't gotten any proper rest lately.
Which one looks good?
As expected of a major city, there were plenty of inns lining the streets, and kids were out promoting them.
"Come to the Wind Inn! Our food is delicious, and the rooms are super clean!"
"Our food is the best! The Fragrant Inn has Leorados's top chef!"
These kids were pros at this, their sales pitches smooth and practiced. I listened for a bit before picking one.
「Where the Wind Lingers」
The name overflowed with poetic sentiment, like something a bard had dreamed up. Even considering city prices, it seemed pricey, but after all the gold Robert had given me, money wasn't an issue.
"Welcome!"
A pretty waitress greeted me with a smile as I opened the door. There were quite a few mercenaries inside, but none looked like lowlifes.
"I need both food and lodging. For about a week."
"That'll be 10 silver! If you stay a month, I can discount it to 35 silver. How about it?"
I chuckled at her pitch and handed over a silver coin.
"I'll start with a week and see."
"Thank you! Shall I prepare your meal right away?"
I nodded and followed her up the stairs. She assigned me a room, and it was in great condition.
"If you'd like a bath, just let me know anytime. One free per day!"
No wonder the price was high—they had services like this.
"Sure. Thanks."
I tossed a gold coin to the woman who'd shown me the room, and she beamed, bowing deeply. Once she left, I unpacked my gear and set it down.
The city looks nice, and so does the inn.
The streets were clean, with hardly any beggars in sight, which meant solid security. As expected of the Boris Region's sole ancient city.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Strength: [46 → 48] 💨 Agility: [46 → 47] I opened the Status Window to distribute my stats, then brought up the Shop.
「Current Gold: 21,827G」 Still plenty left.
The village had been a nightmare, but it left me with a lot. I'd leveled up a whopping five times and raked in tons of gold. And this was after buying magic.
「Magic: Water」 「Allows you to create water. The amount depends on the mana invested.」 Now I have all the essential magic spells.
The shop's rank had gone up, expanding the magic selection, but honestly, I had no clue which ones I needed. Just from names and descriptions, it was impossible to gauge their power.
For now, what I really need is a weapon.
I'd maintained it as best I could, but my current blade was too badly damaged. Durability was low overall, and my dagger had shattered completely from all the fire I'd channeled through it.
I need something tough that can handle fire well.
As an ancient city, they probably had weapons here. But the good ones would cost a fortune.
If worst came to worst, I could buy from the shop, but that felt like a waste when I could probably find something here.
Should I ask Robert?
The thought crossed my mind briefly, but even as a merchant, he probably didn't have that kind of cash. And if he did, it'd wipe him out—he didn't look that rich.
In the end, I'd have to scrape together the funds for a sword myself.
What kind of job can make me some money?
As I pondered, voices from the hallway snapped me out of it.
"What is it?"
"Your meal is ready, but you haven't come down, so I came to check. Is everything alright?"
It was the waitress I'd tipped earlier. I chuckled and stood, opening the door to see her face.
"All good."
I tossed her another gold coin and headed downstairs. I sat at the prepared table, and a savory aroma hit me.
Stew loaded with meat chunks, plus mixed rye and wheat bread. It wasn't bad, but not fully satisfying.
"Hey."
I called over a server and ordered an extra roasted dish. Too hungry to wait, I dug in.
Slurp―
Travel stew was always thin slop, but this had plenty of solids for texture. Sour tomatoes mixed with rich meat flavors.
Nice.
It melted away my fatigue. I tore bread, soaked it in broth to soften it, topped with meat. Pure heaven.
Sizzle―
"Here's your garlic-roasted pork."
The aggressive pork scent assaulted my nose. I grabbed a piece and shoved it in.
Crunch crunch―
Hot. But the pain was worth it. Each bite exploded with fat, ravaging my mouth in the best way.
Chew chew―
Garlic brought a subtle sweetness. Soaked in meat juices, how could it taste bad?
When the meat got heavy, I'd switch to stew. Bread on the side, then back to meat when it felt light. Repeating that cleared the table in no time.
"Hoo..."
Finished, I leaned back, eyes closed, savoring the aftertaste.
Bang!
"Fucking lizardmen bastards."
A vulgar rant pierced my ears. I opened my eyes and turned to see mud-caked guys flop into seats.
Those are the ones who were rolling around outside earlier.
Just from their speech and mannerisms, I could tell. Eavesdropping might yield something useful.
Lots of mercenaries here, huh?
That meant decent paying gigs for mercs. Otherwise, money-hungry types like them wouldn't gather.
"How long do we gotta keep doing this shit?"
Drinks and meat arrived, and they started griping right away.
"What choice do we have? Lizardmen bounties are up, and there's no other way to make this much right now."
"True, but... ugh, fuck."
I ordered a drink and listened quietly, gleaning some valuable info.
Leorados was surrounded by vast swamps inhabited by lizardmen tribes. And their numbers were insane.
At least 1,000 strong.
Lizardmen were fiercely aggressive, constantly expanding their territory. With that many, it was a headache.
If you don't cull them periodically, the city could be at risk.
They didn't breed or grow as fast as goblins, but that horde size was still dangerous.
Lizardmen hunt... I should check it out.
With no connections, I'd need to find a party at the mercenary guild. Assuming it was still operational.
At least it should be fine here.
With that thought, I stood and returned to my room, locking it before lying on the bed.
Wonder how much XP and gold lizardmen give.
Tough bastards, so probably a good haul. I drifted off with high hopes.
*
The next day, after breakfast at the inn, I asked around and found the mercenary guild.
"Name's Hanson."
The bald receptionist checked, then nodded.
"Registered as a porter. Planning to join as one?"
"No way. Upgrade me to mercenary."
Porter's next step was bronze-rank mercenary. Prove yourself or log some porter time, and it was yours.
"Requirements met."
He nodded and handed over a wooden tag without fuss. That was my proof from now on.
"Can you hook me up with a party?"
"I can try, but whether they'll take you is another story. I'll see what I can do."
I sat on a guild bench, ordering a simple drink. Soon, the bald guy called me over.
"These guys agreed to take you. Introduce yourselves."
"I'm Pepsi, silver rank. This is Cork, silver."
Names that evoked cola and wine.
"I'm Deon, silver rank."
After the last intro, I bowed slightly.
"Hanson. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah. No point wasting time here—let's talk on the way."
"Sure."
I stood and followed them. And so began my mercenary debut.