The Price of Ignorance (4)

When I dragged the demon contractor all the way to the temple, the priests took him deep into the innermost chambers for interrogation.

Me? I stayed outside. I wanted to watch how the interrogation went, but the moment I tried heading deeper into the temple, my HP started dropping.

It wasn't just HP either—I could feel something blocking me with all five senses. Not like a glass wall cutting me off, more like the air itself rejecting my existence. The kind of feeling that makes it hard to breathe?

So I just gave up. I wondered why breathing got uncomfortable deeper inside, but this was a game I was trying to enjoy, right?

No point forcing myself through the discomfort. It wasn't like the carriage situation where I'd been forced, and I didn't even have interrogation-related skills.

"……."

But if I'd known I'd end up alone with Kimchi Mandu, I would have gone in anyway. The HP drain was about equal to the recovery rate, so I could have lasted a few hours.

I ignored the Inquisitor who kept sneaking glances my way and focused on maintaining my longsword. Compared to the True Two-Hander, its edge had dulled quite a bit and needed some work.

Ssshk. Ssshk. Ssshk.

I sharpened the blade with a whetstone I'd bought at the general store. Since there was no separate skill, the system seemed to provide auto-correction from the start, my hands moving on their own.

Clatter.

As I did that, the Inquisitor who'd been dozing off pulled out her mace and shield. She could have just slept, but starting to maintain her gear made it feel like she was copying me, and my fist clenched on its own.

I'd once seen a theory that seeing something excessively cute increases violence as a reaction, and I wondered if it was actually true.

"We've kept you waiting."

Thankfully, before my cuteness-induced violence hit its limit, the Archmage returned.

Whether you call it hair or a mane, the face visible beneath the long fur growing from the crown of his head showed a somewhat complicated emotion.

"Archmage!"

"Oh… Maintaining one's weapons and armor is what preserves one's life. Well done. However…"

The mage said that and glanced around. I knew the reason for that gaze and just kept sharpening my sword with my head down.

Yeah. Maintaining weapons in the chapel is a bit much. I know that.

But my concept was preparing to kill demons who oppose the gods, so I figured even if I did it right in front of them, the gods wouldn't get mad.

"…Let us move somewhere else for now. There is something we must discuss."

Anyway, the Archmage had come because the interrogation was over. Luckily my sword maintenance was finished, so I left without difficulty.

Of course I didn't drop the atmosphere. Concept-me wasn't ready to lighten up yet.

"First of all, the interrogation has yielded no results yet."

"Is that so……"

Then why'd you come out? Of course, the time spent so far was really long for a game.

"As expected of one who sold his soul to a demon. Sickeningly tenacious and stubborn."

While I was picking a matching line, the Inquisitor scowled and snarled fiercely. Normally she was such a pure and clueless Kimchi Mandu, but the moment demons were involved she turned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into a fierce dog.

"No results, you say."

But when it came to demons, I was the bigger rabid dog! Haha!

"Is that what you came to report?"

I pressed my voice ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠down as low as possible to create a chilling atmosphere. I didn't forget to put an accent on each word as if cutting them off. That made a person sound extremely pissed.

"Calm yourself. I said there are no results yet, did I not also say 'yet'? We simply lacked time to uncover anything; we will learn something soon."

So when is that? Do I have to wait hours like for rewards? Or do I have to go clear something for the answer to come out?

That won't do. My full dive is ending soon.

I scanned the quest window while pretending to glare at the Archmage. Still not updated.

"You'd better bring results before my patience runs out."

No choice then. With the quest progress blocked, I had no option but to do something else until it unblocked.

Ah, but because I knew the progression of the Draugr incident from the original, leaving them to interrogate by themselves made me a bit anxious. Why wasn't there a leave party members behind function?

"Perhaps I should step in……"

"No, Inquisitor. I do not doubt your skills, but if the Hero herself interrogates him, he is more likely to clamp his mouth shut."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Being tortured by the Hero herself would be a kind of honor… a trophy to them."

Whatever. If they tell me to take a hit to the back of the head, I'll take it. Better to look for other quests than waste time doing nothing.

I left the temple behind the chattering pair. The streets at an hour too early to even call dawn were still dark and damp.

"Ah, where are you going, Demon Knight?"

I tried a little solo activity but got caught again. Seeing the two NPCs hurrying after me belatedly, I picked up my pace a bit more. Fat chance.

"Is something the matter?"

The Archmage also caught up and casually spoke. Both of them looked set to keep those eyes—sparkling with curiosity and burdensome—until they figured out my purpose.

The downside of overly realistic NPCs. In a normal game they'd just trail after you.

"…Damn it, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do you only catch demons when someone brings you information?"

"……!"

"Oh……"

For some reason my offhand excuse left both of them looking deeply impressed.

"That… is a truly meaningful statement. I have learned something."

…What meaning was there in what I just said?

"As expected of you……!"

I was just, as a player, going to look for other quests since one was blocked. I hate wasting time, so I was going to do side quests or at least some leveling.

But that player's diligence seemed to hit the two of them differently.

Two pairs of eyes sparkling in a different way from before stabbed into my back. It was burdensome.

"But is it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not difficult to gather information at night?"

I wanted to answer what does night have to do with it, but I couldn't.

Normally in RPGs night just darkens the sky and powers up monsters a bit, but in this game shops and everything close. Meaning NPCs clock out.

So you can't take quests and it's hard to get info through dialogue. Another downside of excessive realism.

But I still had one last resort.

"Welcome to the Somon Adventurer's Guild……"

The Adventurer's Guild operated twenty-four hours.

"Ah… is that so. Many commissions gather at the Adventurer's Guild… among them there may be ones related to demons. My thoughts were too short."

I half-listened to the Archmage's words. There must be some auto affinity correction from the story. Otherwise he wouldn't be admiring even the weirdest things.

"What business brings you here?"

Meanwhile, an NPC with a tired face asked for my business while sitting at the counter. I wasn't sure but he was probably a clerk.

"Commissions. Related to demons."

"Ah… so you are an adventurer. Then first I will verify your adventurer plate."

The NPC sporting dark circles like that adjusted his glasses and took the adventurer plate. The iron plate spun this way and that at the NPC's fingertips.

"Verified, Adventurer."

He muttered listlessly in a drawn-out tone.

"There aren't many commissions related to demons… hmm, are ones merely suspected of being demonic also fine?"

But attitude and ability don't necessarily go hand in hand.

I checked the commission list the NPC was telling me. It would be better if he showed the request forms, but him spelling them out orally was a bit inconvenient.

"Exclude anything outside this city, or more than a day's distance from the city."

So around the third explanation, I decided to set limits in advance.

"Also remove ones that require staying in one place for several weeks or more."

"Yes."

The NPC seemed to find it more convenient when conditions were presented like this, and flipped through the request forms with a better face.

"And don't speak them—just show me the request forms."

"Huh…? Can you read?"

…So this world has a high illiteracy rate setting, I guess.

The setting itself isn't weird, but the effect on the player was a bit inconvenient, so my temples throbbed a little. Strictly speaking I was also illiterate but the game system provided translation so I could read… still inconvenient.

"This is… new. I thought the Sage had only registered you as an adventurer for the convenience of the journey. But there was also the option of obtaining information from the guild."

"Haha, strictly speaking I recommended registration with the former intention. To think the Adventurer's Guild could be used this way as well… I cannot match the savviness of an active adventurer. Once again I realize that true learning lies outside the tower."

While I examined them, the Inquisitor and Archmage whispered behind me. Since neither was a real adventurer origin, they seemed quite shocked at using the Adventurer's Guild this way. Honestly I don't really get it, but.

Flutter.

Anyway, I focused on the NPC flipping through request forms. Even after over a dozen request forms, nothing was being sorted separately.

"Um……"

As I crumpled my expression thoroughly, the NPC rolled his eyes nervously.

"There is exactly one commission that meets those conditions. However… that commission has already been taken up by the temple……"

What. Only one? And the temple already took it?

"I'll show it to you for now. It's a commission where the lord declared he would pay the reward to whoever solves it first……"

I took the request form without smoothing my brow. Recent surge of unexplained deaths in the city. Victims dying in various ways. Common testimony is a foul stench emanating from the crime scenes……

At the all-too-familiar content, the brow I'd thought was already at its limit furrowed even more.

"This has already been resolved."

Wait. But the reward is a whopping five hundred thousand gal? Will the temple even give this reward…? Somehow I feel like they'll just swallow it themselves……

"Huh?"

"……?"

Curious about the conversation I was having with the clerk, the Archmage and Inquisitor casually approached from behind. Of course I paid them no mind and returned the request form.

I didn't even consider mentioning the temple. That wouldn't be cool.

"Is there really nothing else?"

"Yes. When demons appear the city garrison goes out to subjugate them. Being a border region there aren't many demons to begin with either."

Tsk. So that's the setting. Then there are no hunting grounds at all? That's why there are no related grinding-type side quests either?

Geez. This game is weird. In a game about hunting demons, they didn't even put demon hunting grounds nearby. Does that even make sense?

While rapidly turning my thoughts I felt somewhat lost. RPGs are originally about the fun of clearing quests and hunting, so if both are missing what's left?

"Then is there anything like this? People who suddenly disappeared, or an increase in people running amok for no reason… things that are a little different from usual. It doesn't have to be a commission—have you heard any rumors?"

As I was lost in thought the Archmage quietly cut in. The NPC looked flustered then glanced between me, the Archmage, and the Inquisitor.

"I don't think there were any as commissions… more importantly, are the three of you a party……?"

"We are traveling companions."

"I see… then are the two of you also adventurers……?"

"That is correct."

The Archmage and Inquisitor also presented their adventurer plates. The NPC fumbled over them then soon widened his eyes.

"Th-the Sage of the Magic Tower and the Inquisitor!"

"No need to be so surprised. So have you not heard any rumors either?"

"Uh uh……"

The NPC suddenly became sharp and clutched his head a bit. Then before long he let out an exclamation.

"Th-this might be nothing, but I've heard some adventurers talking about how pickpocketing has decreased a lot lately."

"Pickpockets, you say?"

"Yes… and not only that, the beggars who used to wander the streets seeking alms have also decreased a lot."

The NPC said that much then backed off saying it wasn't certain. His point was that he'd never paid them any mind so he didn't know if it was true.

"Other than that nothing really comes to mind……"

"No, that is enough."

But as the Archmage said, that was sufficient. In games that kind of thing is always a flag.

"Looks like there are more demon bastards."

It bothered me a little that it didn't show up as a quest, but considering this game's track record I couldn't be sure it wasn't. Purely from the concept's feelings without being a gamer, it was a pretty suspicious part too.

So I laid out my speculation sinisterly. The Inquisitor seemed to think similarly as her eyebrows rose and she filled them with blazing heat.

"So the mongrels who have forgotten the grace of God still remain in this city."

As Kimchi Mandu and I both entered eye-rolling mode the Archmage pressed his forehead as if his head ached. But he didn't deny our opinion, so he seemed to acknowledge the possibility as well.

"…There are demons in the city?"

The only one stuck in the middle who gained a new realization was the clerk. He rounded his eyes and stammered.

"It is not certain. But it is worth investigating. Speaking of which, if any related information comes in, could you contact the temple?"

The Archmage said that much then added a line as if realizing late.

"Just in case I will send an official notice to the temple. Please also convey this to your superior."

"I would be grateful if you did that."

The clerk's expression turned awkward at suddenly being given work. But it wasn't my business so I gently looked away. Anyway I had more things I needed to do than that guy.

"Then… I suppose we must meet the pickpockets and beggars in person and hear their testimonies."

Like the thing Kimchi Mandu just said. I have to run around on foot to hear that, after all.

An opaque window floated up in one corner of my vision. A quest separate from the one already in progress.

As expected, my hunch was right.

"…The Inquisitor is correct. Meeting them first and hearing their stories should take priority. They know their own affairs best."

"But… how do we meet them? Do we just walk around the streets?"

When the Inquisitor asked rather awkwardly, I dismissed the quest window separately and denied it inwardly.

If it stayed the same as the original, probably not.

"It is possible, of course, but by nature there are more pheasants in the mountains than the fields, and more fish in the sea."

Of course, pickpockets and beggars are mostly poor, and Legend of Heroes gave such people a separate residential district.

"Let us go to the slums."

The shantytown where the poor but desperate live, commonly called the 'slums'.