A Peculiar Anomaly
The merchants warmly welcomed Radie and me into their tent.
"My deepest apologies! We should have hosted you in a far more formal setting...!"
"Not at all. This is already more than enough."
"T-To think you are so humble as well! We haven't prepared much, but please, have some black tea and refreshments!"
"Thank you. I will gladly accept."
Radie took a sip of the black tea first, then signaled me with her eyes.
Radie nods slightly, signaling that there is no poison!
What is this? If they aren't trying to poison us...
In the Velheim I knew, unconditional kindness did not exist.
Looking at Radie's reaction, they didn't seem to be her acquaintances either.
Since I needed to win their favor for a favorable negotiation anyway, I decided to test the waters and took a bite of a cookie.
"Oh, these cookies are truly delicious! The subtle aroma of butter is exquisite. Thank you for the warm hospitality."
"Oh! I am so glad our humble snacks are to your liking! I apologize that we couldn't prepare anything more luxurious inside a dungeon!"
To a merchant, providing a satisfying reception is a matter of pride!
By appealing to the merchants' pride, Luck increases by 1.
For now, it seems their goodwill is genuine...
Should I probe to see when we supposedly met?
"It's been a while. Seeing you again brings back memories. Things were quite chaotic back then..."
"P-Pardon? You've met us before, Lord Doran? It certainly was a chaotic situation... but we are just glad you are safe! And you as well, Lady Radie!"
The merchants look at you with puzzled eyes.
What, we've never actually met face-to-face?
It had only been two weeks since Radie and I teamed up.
If we had made a connection during that time, there was no way I wouldn't remember.
As I quickly searched my memories, Radie nudged my foot under the table and subtly pointed to her abdomen with her middle finger.
The spot where she had stabbed the Night Stalker with her dagger.
Ah...!
"...I am just glad my sacrifice was of help! It was a grueling battle, but as a warrior, it is only natural to step forward for neighbors in need!"
"Oh! What magnificent chivalry...! Thanks to the two of you defeating the Night Stalker, we were able to safely receive supplies from the surface! Thank you so much!!"
As I uttered those righteous words, the merchants bowed deeply in gratitude.
I recalled hearing that while I was unconscious and receiving treatment at the temple, some merchants had visited the tent to express their gratitude. These must be those very people.
Though Radie had turned most of them away.
As I elegantly sipped my tea, new alerts popped up in the log window.
The merchants are deeply impressed by your elegant demeanor! It is exceedingly rare for an adventurer, who usually behaves like a ruffian, to possess such refinement.
The merchants' evaluation of you rises! They will treat you with much greater respect and caution.
Luck increases by 2!
Refinement...? Is this the benefit of a modern education?
But I didn't let my guard down.
I knew all too well that the merchants of this world moved strictly by profit and loss, not by emotional debts like gratitude.
What is it they really want?
Observing them closely, I realized the merchants' greedy gazes were locked onto the inner pocket of my robe.
The place where adventurers typically kept their valuables.
Only then did I realize what they were after. Curving my lips into a smirk, I placed an object on the table.
A rune containing the power of the jaguar monster, the Night Stalker! Absorbing this rune allows you to use the special skill 'Shadow Leap'.
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️
Rumors say this rune demands a terrifying price! Careless absorption is highly discouraged!
A claw-shaped rune, a common drop from beast-type monsters.
The merchants' eyes went wide as they stared at the claw I had produced.
"T-This is... the rune containing the power of that ultra-rare monster! To think I'd lay eyes on it myself...!"
"Runes are already incredibly expensive and rare, but since the source monster itself is so scarce... It really did exist!"
I let them look to their hearts' content before speaking.
"Are you perhaps interested in this item?"
"Mmm... It is certainly a dream item, but... purchasing it is far beyond our merchant group's financial capacity. Besides, rumors say the Night Stalker's Rune is highly selective of its wielder... We are content just to have seen it!"
"I see. That is a pity."
I smiled gently and tucked the rune back into my breast pocket.
Since it was an item that was notoriously difficult to sell in the first place, I hadn't expected them to buy it anyway.
And I had already achieved my minor objective.
The merchants are highly satisfied after witnessing such a rare sight!
The spoils of a strong and rare monster are like an adventurer's medal of honor! Feeling a sense of awe toward you, the merchants will offer more favorable terms during negotiations!
Nice, it worked perfectly.
Deciding that this was enough, I cleared my throat and got down to business.
"Ahem... Shall we discuss our business now?"
"Ah! We've kept you for far too long without realizing! Come to think of it, what brings you to this place?"
"We need a sturdy log raft to cross the wetlands. The rafts currently for rent at the docks seem a bit unreliable. Would it be possible to commission a custom-built one?"
"Ah, actually, about that..."
The merchants glanced at each other, exchanging uneasy looks, before one of them spoke with difficulty.
"...I am afraid it will be difficult to fulfill your request right away, Lord Doran."
"May I ask why?"
"To be honest, we are also having trouble procuring lumber. We don't have a single log left in our possession."
"It sounds like there's a story behind this."
"Yes, indeed..."
The merchant sighed and lowered his head.
The story they cautiously revealed was as follows.
"...An anomalous phenomenon?"
"Yes... There is a small forest not far from here, but whenever the lumberjacks enter it, they lose consciousness and collapse. Since no one knows the cause, everyone is becoming reluctant to go there..."
"Have you tried commissioning adventurers to investigate?"
"O-Of course! But perhaps they think we are trying to rip them off, because they've been highly uncooperative...! We managed to hire a few and sent them in, but even they were carried back unconscious..."
The merchant's shoulders slumped. Radie finished her tea, turned to me, and asked,
"So, what are you going to do?"
"..."
I pondered deeply before speaking.
"What were the symptoms of those who collapsed?"
"Symptoms? Well... those carried back on stretchers usually regained consciousness within an hour or two. There were no external injuries... and because everyone collapsed at the same time, they said they didn't see any attacker."
"No external injuries, and no one saw an attacker..."
"...Ah! Those who woke up said they heard a strange sound right before they blacked out!"
"A strange sound?"
"Yes, they said they faintly heard a soft melody..."
"A melody... Did the collapsed people look peaceful?"
"H-How did you know?! You hit the nail right on the head! Everyone looked as comfortable as if they were in a deep sleep! One of them even had chronic insomnia but woke up feeling completely refreshed, saying he hadn't slept that well in ages!"
The merchants marvel at your outstanding insight!
Intelligence increases by 1!
After a moment of deliberation, I slowly spoke.
"...Very well. I will resolve this anomaly for you."
"R-Really?!"
"On one condition. Once the problem is solved, you must build a raft large enough to carry my entire party across the wetlands."
"But of course! We will handle everything from construction to rental free of charge! With someone of your high reputation taking the job, we couldn't ask for a more reliable savior!"
"Understood. I will return once the matter is settled. ...Thank you for the tea. I appreciate the hospitality."
I smiled, gave a polite nod, and stood up.
I waved lightly to the merchants seeing us off and stepped out of the tent. Malton was waiting near the entrance.
"Ah, Malton. Did you wait long?"
"I heard the gist of it. A Night Stalker, was it? It seems some exciting things happened while I was away."
"I was planning to tell you later when it was just us. ...Where are the guild members?"
"I figured the conversation would drag on, so I sent them back first. They should be resting by now... Should I go call them?"
"No, actually, this is better. They would only be in the way right now."
As I strode forward, Radie asked in bewilderment,
"Do you actually know what that anomaly is, Lord Doran? No matter how much I think about it, I can't figure it out..."
"I'll explain on the way. But before that, we need a few supplies..."
I gestured toward Radie's backpack.
"Radie, pull out some of your bolts. Malton, grab your cooking utensils."
"Bolts? Why my bolts?"
"Cooking utensils...? Why on earth do you need cooking utensils out of the blue?"
"You'll find out soon."
Radie and Malton exchanged puzzled glances but followed me.
"So this is the forest... For a place with such creepy rumors, it looks surprisingly normal..."
Arriving at the forest where the strange phenomenon was occurring, Radie muttered as she looked around.
On the surface, it looked no different from any other woodland.
"So... what have you been fiddling with this whole time?"
"Just wait a second. It's almost... done!"
Earplugs made by plucking cotton to fit inside the ears. Though crude in quality, they are sufficient to block out sound temporarily.
Earplugs made by pulling off the compressed cotton from the tips of Radie's bolts.
Staring at the pathetic clumps of cotton, Radie shot me a highly skeptical look.
"...What is this? Don't tell me you ruined my bolts on purpose just because I shot a few earlier..."
"Of course not. We're going to plug our ears with these before entering the forest."
"Plug our ears?"
"Yeah. You've already guessed that the anomaly is related to sound, right? They might fall out, so take plenty. Don't forget to wet them with water before putting them in. ...Malton, I made some for you too."
"Thank you. But are you not going to use them?"
When Malton looked at me curiously, I smiled and waved my hand.
"I'm fine. I plan to transform anyway. Instead, hold onto my clothes for me."
"Certainly. Hand them over."
Without hesitation, I stripped off my clothes and handed them to Malton.
At that, Radie, who was standing nearby, shrieked in horror.
"Ugh...! I told you not to just strip naked in front of me without warning!!"
Strength increases by 2!
"Ah, right. Sorry. Force of habit."
"Don't just say sorry with your mouth! Go change somewhere else!!"
"Alright, alright, I'm going."
I trudged behind a tree to undress, then returned wearing only my robe.
"That ability of yours... is quite troublesome to use in front of others. Having to undress every single time."
"It used to be, but lately, I actually like it because it boosts my stats."
I replied nonchalantly and focused on my Disguise skill.
As I immersed myself to the absolute limit, a chilling radiance emanated from my entire body.
Sensing a precursor completely different from anything before, Radie and Malton held their breath.
Finally, my tightly closed lips parted, and an unfamiliar incantation spilled from my mouth.
"O primordial crystal, awaken beneath the blue starlight, devour the magic, and crush the intruders!"