Chapter 56
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Journey
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Odobaekryeong.
The Hundred Cities that Wander the Labyrinth.
Unlike manors or castles that stayed attached to other territories, they rarely approached other cities.
The population of each of the Hundred Cities numbered not in the tens of thousands, but in the hundreds of thousands.
Consequently, they consumed vast amounts of resources daily, from magic stones and food to metal and leather.
The very reason the Hundred Cities moved ceaselessly was to maintain themselves by traveling through resource-rich parts of the Labyrinth, gathering and hunting.
That was why.
Why the Hundred Cities remained so far apart.
Even a single city could devastate the Labyrinth’s resources like a swarm of locusts.
If two were to converge, not only would the consumption of resources be unsustainable, but the risk of a dungeon break would also increase.
This was also why many territories chose to leave the safety of the cities and wander the Labyrinth on their own.
In that respect.
The gates were the arteries of Odobaekryeong.
They were the lifeline that bound together the territories scattered across the countless parts of the Labyrinth.
Without the gates connecting their spaces, Odobaekryeong would never have been known as a single entity.
But the gates were not a perfect solution.
Creating and using them consumed the power of a Divine Beast, so only high-ranking, castle-level territories could install them, and they naturally had distance limitations.
Territories that opened their gates on a rotating basis.
Territories that required individual certificates.
Territories that charged exorbitant fees.
Territories that would suddenly enter periods of isolation, and so on.
Not only did each territory have vastly different operating policies, but unexpected problems also arose frequently.
It was common for journeys to take longer the more territories one had to pass through.
“The gate to the Wandering Fortress is outta commission, I’m afraid.”
“What? But I heard it was always open for passage.”
“That was 'til three days ago, it was.”
The goblin soldier guarding the gate.
Adon’s nonchalant reply was due to just such a reason.
“This is a secret, mind you. But our lord's nephew, he made a pass at the Wandering Fortress Lord's daughter last week and got himself a slap across the face for it.”
“…So they closed the gate entirely?”
“That’s the long and short of it.”
“Closing the gate must be a huge loss for this side too, and for a reason like that?”
“Well, you can't put a price on the pride of the high-and-mighty, can ya now.”
“Th-Then is there another gate to the underground city that doesn't go through the Wandering Fortress?”
“Now that, I wouldn't know.”
“Ughhh.”
While the Myoto tribesman let out a pained groan at Adon’s indifferent words.
A member of the party behind him spoke up.
“Sir, do you happen to know when the gate might reopen?”
“That’ll be after the nobles sort things out amicably, it will.”
“Right, but I’m asking when that might be.”
“Hey now, how am I supposed to know that?”
“Come on, don’t be like that.”
A hood that concealed their face.
A small, slender frame.
Even fair skin and a clear voice.
Everything about them made it ambiguous whether they were a girl or a pretty boy. The figure approached Adon.
And smoothly.
After naturally slipping a magic stone into his hand.
They grinned at Adon, whose eyes had widened at the magic stone—more than enough for a day's worth of drinks—and spoke.
“The high-and-mighty may decide how the territory is run, but it's people like you, sir, who actually keep things moving. You must've heard something.”
“…Ahem! Well, there's a rumor an envoy will be comin' within a few days.”
“Is that so?”
Smoothly.
Another magic stone was passed over.
And to Adon, whose mouth was now hanging as wide open as his eyes, the figure leisurely asked.
“Looks like we'll have to stay in this territory for a few days. Could you recommend a quiet place to stay?”
***
[Winter Bear's Rest].
Far from what one would call the center of the territory.
Yet still relatively close to it to be considered the outskirts.
In a room at a high-class inn—too modest for a noble, perhaps, but one where a minimum of dignity could be maintained.
The Myoto boy was sweating bullets.
“Uh… My lord?”
“Yes.”
“As you know, this isn't my fault, you see? There were no problems until last week, you know?”
A bard.
A messenger of the Guild.
And the party's current guide.
Naru's excuse was perfectly reasonable.
It would have been difficult to learn that the gate had closed just three days prior while they were on the move.
But…
“As a messenger of the Guild, shouldn't you have been aware of this?”
“I-It's not that the Guild is lacking, you see! We were just moving so quickly that we didn't get the update!”
“You speak so proudly of the Guild's incompetence.”
“Ugh.”
Naru wore an expression of deep injustice.
But in the end, he couldn’t argue back.
Failing to provide information as an information organization was an inexcusable mistake.
Moreover…
“Besides, last time we were almost arrested because of that forged registration certificate.”
“That wasn't because the certificate was discovered! The gatekeeper was just trying to extort a bribe!”
“If the Guild's network truly spans every territory, a problem of that level should have been handled in advance.”
“W-Well, one of our Guild members was supposed to be the gatekeeper, but he called in sick with a hangover the day before…”
“…And you call that an excuse?”
“…”
As if he had nothing left to say, Naru let his rabbit ears droop. To Parsha, who was staring at him with cold eyes.
Dion spoke leisurely.
“Don't be so hard on him, Parsha. He did guide us here safely, didn't he?”
“My lord…!”
“Besides, it's only natural for a braggart to brag, right?”
“…”
“I see. No expectations, no disappointments.”
“…Then why did you bring me along at all?”
“With you around, we can get discounts at Guild-affiliated shops.”
“So that's why I had to rush through my handover in just a few days and even prepare a guide map.”
“Ahaha, I'm half-joking.”
“Doesn't that mean you're half-serious…?”
Ignoring Naru, who was now not just dejected but on the verge of tears.
Parsha asked with a deadpan expression.
“So, do you intend to simply wait here until the gate opens?”
“What choice do we have? There are no other gates nearby.”
It wasn't as if the relationship between the two high-ranking territories had completely broken down into war.
If the issue would be resolved in a few days, there was nothing wrong with taking a short break.
Dion spoke nonchalantly, finishing with a bright smile.
“So let's just think of it as a vacation and relax for a few days.”
“If only it were that simple…”
And so, a moment later.
With his ears drooping.
Dion watched Naru’s retreating back as he trudged back to his own room, then tilted his head.
“The braggart's looking a little down, isn't he?”
“Of course he is.”
“Of course? Why?”
“He came along to earn your trust, my lord, but he's done nothing but mess up.”
Naru was a messenger of the Guild, dispatched to form a cooperative relationship with Dion.
But despite taking on the role of guide, he had only exposed the Guild’s shortcomings instead of proving its capabilities.
It was only natural for him to be disheartened.
Hearing Parsha’s observation, Dion wore a strange expression.
“Is that how you see it, Parsha?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Hmm… I see. I suppose that's how it would look if you think about it 'normally'.”
“This is obvious, regardless of what is normal or not.”
Did she really have to explain such simple common sense?
As the dark elf maid gave him a rare, pitying look, Dion rose from his seat.
“Can't be helped, then. I'll just have to cheer him up in a 'common sense' sort of way.”
“…?”
What was he planning now?
Ignoring Parsha's suspicious gaze.
Dion left the room with light steps and, without any warning, threw open the door to the adjacent room—Naru's room.
*Fling!*
“Hey, braggart.”
“Eek?! W-What is it?”
He must have been in the middle of changing.
To Naru, who hastily grabbed the clothes he’d taken off to cover his half-exposed torso.
Dion said with a wide grin.
“Let's go have some fun.”
“…What???”
***
“Asking me to guide you to a fun place all of a sudden… Don't you think this is a bit out of the blue?”
“I already said we should think of it as a vacation, didn't I?”
“Even so, it’s just so sudden.”
Was it because he’d been dragged out before he could even change his clothes?
Or was it because he’d had to run around frantically gathering information about the territory?
Grumbling all the way, Naru guided Dion and Parsha to the commercial district.
Though it was on the outskirts of the Demon Lord’s domain, it was still a high-ranking, castle-level territory with a gate.
The bustling streets of Yeosu Fortress, filled with all sorts of buildings, weren't conspicuously flashy, but they were sufficiently luxurious.
Armor made of paper.
A restaurant specializing in mineral cuisine.
A jewelry shop for the Ore Tribe.
Just looking at the shops, which were rare in other territories, was entertaining in its own right.
But the place Naru guided them to was a little removed from such ordinary shops.
“Hmm, is this it?”
“Yes. I heard it’s worth visiting at least once.”
“A beast racing track… This should certainly be interesting.”
Ants the size of a forearm.
Rabbits with horns on their foreheads.
Wolves drooling saliva.
Lizards with only one eye.
Watching the various beasts run wildly, tearing at each other on the track.
Dion nodded.
The race track was one of the most popular spectacles in Odobaekryeong.
Perhaps because it wasn’t a city.
Even a small, makeshift track featuring only small beasts was enough for some light entertainment.
“Stab it! Stab it to death!”
“Why is that damn one-eyed lizard so slow!”
“If you're a hunting ant, then run faster like one!”
…Of course, for some people, it was something to go absolutely crazy over.
The spectators, veins bulging on their faces, shouted more beast-like than the beasts on the track.
Seeing the betting slips clutched in their hands, Dion chuckled.
“The race track is always more fun for people-watching than beast-watching.”
“If that's the case, we should have gone to the fighting arena.”
“Nah, that's too boring. Half the matches in the fighting arenas are fixed anyway.”
“You talk like a professional gambler for someone who's never even been to an arena.”
Dion smirked.
Then he turned to Naru.
“What do you think, braggart? Want to place a bet?”
“I believe gambling is the fast track to ruin.”
“That’s only if you lose. If you win, you could strike it rich and turn your life around, couldn’t you?”
“Usually, the people who say that are the ones who lose the most…”
Perhaps because he’d heard similar lines often in his line of work.
Just as Dion smirked at Naru’s distinctly unenthusiastic expression.
The horned rabbit, which had been running gleefully around the track, was suddenly gobbled up by a glutton ant.
And amid the screams and gasps.
A particularly loud commotion erupted from one section of the stands.
*CRASH!*
“Aaargh! My, my money!”
“You bastard! You said the horned rabbit would win this time!”
“I-I bet my whole month's salary.”
“Ahem, how strange. The heavens clearly told me that betting on the horned rabbit would bring great fortune…”
A dozen or so gamblers, all clutching betting slips and foaming at the mouth.
The large, lizard-headed man in rags, who remained calm despite being surrounded by them, scratched his head.
And as if he couldn’t understand.
He put on a thoughtful expression before smiling awkwardly and saying.
“My apologies. It seems I misread the signs.”
“…”
“It is a poor substitute for an apology, but I shall not charge you for the reading, so please pay it no mind.”
“…”
The large, lizard-headed man smiled benevolently, as if granting a great mercy.
And the gamblers, who had been staring at him blankly, each picked up a broken piece of wood or a chair.
*WHAM! BAM! THWACK!*
“Keuk, kegh! W-Wait. Let's talk this over, ugh!”
“…”
As Dion watched the lizard-headed man getting beaten up by the gamblers with a peculiar expression.
Parsha concurred with a deadpan face.
“Indeed. It seems watching the people is certainly more entertaining.”