A Barbarian Strolls Through the City (1)
Last time I sat on Nes, many people expected it, but I didn't actually do it.
I have my own tastes, after all.
In the end, many spectators poured abuse on me, but I ignored them. The spectators soon gathered in small groups and left the area.
After I was satisfied, the knight Alkan took them away. He didn't seem to carry out the 'execution' of Jeti, Nes, and Emongs as requested by Netia.
Instead of execution, what else did he plan to do?
“Then, I will confirm the payment.”
“Please do.”
Mary left to handle the remittance I requested.
With that, only Netia and I remained. She was beaming with joy, as if the incident had ended safely.
“It really ended well, thank you, Barca-nim.”
“I wanted to hit her more.”
“You hit her so hard that her face was unrecognizable….”
That woman needed more punishment.
She was a mouth that drove others to ruin.
Netia tilted her head, not understanding what I meant, but she changed the subject.
“Barca-nim, Sir Alkan said he has something to give you.”
“Huh?”
What Netia handed me was a somewhat large pouch.
“Holy…!”
Inside was an item that I could never obtain even if I tried: a thing that the church wouldn't sell unless you had high intimacy with them…!
“Church Potion…!”
“Yes! When I told the church that you saved me this time, they said to bring it to the benefactor!”
“Hallelujah—!”
One priest saved, and they gave five mid-grade potions?
In the game, to get this, you'd need to pay one gold per piece, right? As expected, people who believe in gods have really good hearts.
“Thanks, Netia. Please tell the church folks too. This is something I'll use well.”
“Yes! The church folks will be happy too!”
While talking to Netia, Mary called from inside the Exploration Office.
“Mary, it's all done?”
Mary didn't answer but handed over a sheet of paper. It was the amount paid for this purchase.
Let's see how much I got.
“...1 gold coin and 47 silver coins?”
“Yes. This is the amount excluding the Goblin Amber. Congratulations, Barca-nim. You made an unusually large amount for a lower floor.”
“Kki⋯!!”
“Kki?”
“Kki Aaaak———!!!!”
People around me looked at me like a madman, but since I was a barbarian, they understood.
But I wasn't done being surprised…!
1 gold and 47 silver?
After just clearing the 4th floor?
No matter how no party, this is…!
“Barbarian Shock—!”
Even in the second dungeon, I could earn this much…!
Thank god no party!
Of course, I almost died, but since I survived, it's fine!
“Then, I'll proceed with this amount.”
Unable to speak properly, I nodded.
Then Mary skillfully sorted the gold and silver coins and put them in a small pouch.
“Barca-nim, be careful of pickpockets.”
“Thanks! Is Mary busy today?”
“Yes. Probably because of church-related issues, I'll be working overtime for a while.”
“That's a shame. Then, let's eat together sometime! I'll treat.”
“Yes, I'll look forward to it.”
Mary immediately focused on her documents after finishing the greeting, as if she was really busy.
Though it was a shame, I couldn't disturb a busy person, so I headed to Netia.
“You worked hard! It's all over?”
“Yeah. It ended perfectly. Here, this is your share.”
I handed Netia 25 silver coins from the earnings.
“25 silver coins…? Too much! What did I do…!”
“If it weren't for you, I would have died, right?”
“That's the same for me….”
“Thanks to you, I got the potion too. So I have the bigger gain. Think of it as a donation to the church.”
“Understood. Then, I'll gratefully accept it.”
“Good. Then, shall we go eat something delicious?”
“Yes, let's! I know a delicious restaurant, so let's go there!”
Restaurant.
I really like it too.
“But I can't enter as a barbarian.”
“…Huh!?”
Netia widened her deer-like eyes.
That would be surprising. Because barbarians are forbidden from restaurants.
“Let's go once, Barca-nim! You won't know unless you try!”
Netia, looking at me with a face that didn't understand, grabbed my arm and led me.
While enjoying the soft touch of her hand, we walked the streets, and gazes were felt. Again, it seemed like the gazes of those who despise barbarians, so I looked around.
“Oh ho?”
This time, the gazes were not contempt, but curiosity and shock mixed in.
Yeah, yeah, the barbarian can eat with the priest.
Receiving the stares of others felt this good. I strutted with pride, showing off my relationship with Netia, feeling an emotion I had never felt before.
Clang—.
“Barbarian. Trying to kidnap a priest in the street, you have guts. I'll have the guards follow you.”
Those who were jealous of me reported it, and I almost got dragged away by soldiers, but thanks to Netia's fervent defense, I survived…!
“T-thankfully! Barca-nim!”
It was not thankfully at all.
If you have physical contact with a barbarian in the street, it's considered kidnapping, so they warned me not to touch again.
Leaving the unfortunate incident behind, we arrived at the restaurant, but we were kicked out again.
The restaurant owner said that if word spread that the priest is fine but barbarians are provided food, wild barbarians would come and it wouldn't be good.
So, I took her to the skewer shop I went to last time.
“Really sorry.”
“Ah, no! This is delicious too! How about walking the streets while eating like this?”
We both held skewers in both hands and wandered the streets.
Enjoying the scenery that couldn't be seen in the game, I asked Netia about things I didn't know, and she answered without showing any displeasure.
“We've walked quite a bit, but there's still a lot to see!”
“Yeah.”
It felt like we had walked almost an hour, but it was still the market. There was still a lot to see, so we continued wandering the market until we suddenly realized.
“This place is too quiet, isn't it?”
Even though we hadn't entered the back alleys of the city, this place was quiet as if we weren't supposed to make noise.
Soon, we found out the reason.
“Starting the auction! Today's first item is this guy, an explorer who went down to the 9th floor!”
Slave auction.
I wasn't that surprised because I had bought slaves in the game sometimes and used them, but… for Netia, who had only seen good things inside the church's fence, it must have been a shock.
“40 silver! 50! 60! 80!!! 80 silver has been bid! No one bids more than 80 silver at 80 silver!?”
80 silver.
An amount equivalent to about two-thirds of the gold I earned today. It wasn't too little to buy a 9th floor explorer, I thought.
Considering 4-person party, rations, consumables, etc. If you think about it, the amount a lower floor explorer earns when entering the dungeon is roughly 6 to 10 silver.
Unless you're a special case like me, lower floor explorers don't earn that much, so that price is reasonable.
When so many slaves were bought and sold and the heat reached its peak, we left that spot.
Even though Netia had left her seat, she didn't say a word for a long time. The silence of us sitting without saying anything was broken by Netia, who had finished thinking.
“Why….”
“Huh?”
“Why do people buy slaves.”
Most people in the auction house were explorers. Of course, there were some who weren't explorers mixed in.
“Because they want to go down the dungeon.”
“You can just get a party and go to the dungeon…?”
“That's true. But Netia, even looking at cases like mine, can't get a party?”
“…Huh?”
“When I met Netia, I was alone, right? Barbarians can't be accepted into parties, so I can't get one.”
“H, but…! Most people there were humans!”
“Those people would be betrayed by humans in the dungeon. You experienced it too, Netia?”
“…Ugh.”
Humans can betray at any time, and they can hide their abilities and ruin parties.
In addition to that, like Netia's party, there are differences between men and women, and between races.
Considering all that, even getting a party requires vigilance.
“But slaves are different.”
“How are they different…?”
“They can't betray, can relieve stress, and can be used as bait.”
I didn't use them that way, but it was a quite famous method in the gallery. It probably wouldn't be that different here either.
Netia seemed shocked by my explanation and couldn't open her mouth for a long time.
“I was also thinking about slaves. Even if I can do it alone up to the 5th floor, it will be impossible from the 6th floor.”
Getting a party is hard, and there's no guarantee not to be betrayed in the barbarian's position.
Except for Mary, no one in the exploration office listened to me, so I think I need to seriously consider it.
“Yeah, that's right….”
“But with Netia, it's fortunate.”
“Ah···, that reminds me, Barca-nim.”
Ah, this feels like bad atmosphere.
Just a moment ago, it was good. Did it have to do with my slave advocacy speech?
Paying back with my body…!
But despite my earnest gaze, Netia said in a trembling voice.
“The bishop said that after hearing about this incident, he will forbid dungeons for a while, so it will take some time to party…!”
Ah, that side?
Paying back with my body meant becoming a party member….
Being able to use Cure and Heal, and also being able to party with a priest from the lower floors is a huge thing.
But why?
Tears wouldn't stop from my eyes.