Chapter 293: Newbie (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 293: Newbie (1)
It was evening when I returned to the inn.
"You're late."
Oh, geez, you scared me. I'm sure I locked the door behind me—how did she open it? At least turn on the light or something...
When I lit the lamp, I could see Amelia sitting on the bed in my room. Hmm, what should I say in a situation like this?
She looks like she's kind of in a bad mood... But since when did I care about that?
I was feeling rather down too, so I just glared at her to hurry up and say what she had to say. Amelia slowly got up and passed me by. "We need to get to the location by midnight, so get ready."
So, it was time to leave. I should quickly get my gear on.
Slam.
After Amelia left, I put on the pieces of equipment I'd been keeping in a corner of the room one by one.
Slide.
Boots made from the second-grade material Wyvern leather.
Click.
A belt with expandable pockets that could store potions and scrolls.
It feels empty.
I didn't buy gaiters or a breastplate because it was impossible to purchase a full set of armor just by stripping five plunderers. I decided to invest all my money in a shield and weapon instead. And so, I chose a custom-made mace entirely made of the grade-three metal idium and a large battle shield made of the grade-five metal adamantium.
The grip feels good. Yeah, this is how big a shield should be.
Since they both weighed quite a bit, these two purchases exhausted all the money Amelia gave me, which was why my helmet was just plain iron. Well, you couldn't expect iron to provide more than a minimal amount of protection.
I didn't buy it to use as armor, though.
Back when I ordered this equipment three weeks ago, I was very concerned about the future, so I got a helmet made completely out of iron. The shape was similar to the one I used in my early days, with a T-shaped opening just so I could see. Of course, it had its differences. For one, the design was different since it was made at a different forge.
Is it because the opening is narrower than the first one I used? It's really uncomfortable.
The amount of my face left exposed was significantly reduced. My judgment was that exposing my face to the countless people I would be running into in the labyrinth from here on out could lead to problems in the future.
Actually, I don't know if there's any point to this now, but...
I sighed and shook off my concerns and then, after glancing in the mirror, left the room.
Amelia was finished getting ready and waiting for me in a chair at the end of the hallway. "Finally, you're here."
What do you mean by 'finally'? It didn't even take ten minutes.
"You..." Amelia turned around to look at me and flinched. "That helmet, where did you get it?" she demanded.
"I got it custom-made. Is there a problem?"
"...Custom made?" Once she heard my answer, Amelia simply stood there for a while, totally silent. Her face was cold and stony and the look in her eyes was intense, just like when she saw Nivelles Enze's identification tag on Farune Island. Of course, things were different now than they were then.
"Why are you silent when you're the one who asked the question?"
"...It's nothing." Both back then and right now, this selfish woman never gave me a proper explanation. "We don't have much time. Let's go."
But I knew the reason now.
***
In front of the sewer that was serving as our rendezvous point, the broker was waiting for us in black robes. It was a very strange feeling—I felt almost like I had become a smuggler. The broker didn't say hello, and neither did Amelia. When they extended their hand forward, all she did was put a pouch of money in their palm.
With the payment handled, the broker gave a cursory warning. "I'll say this one last time, but once you get down there, it won't be easy to come back up."
I was kind of amazed.
If you're going to say that, at least say it before you get paid.
It was clear they wouldn't give us a refund.
"That's something for us to figure out."
"Hehe, if you say so." At Amelia's stone-cold response, the broker laughed ominously and took out a key to open the steel bars leading to the sewers. Then they guided us inside. "Follow closely so you don't fall behind."
The journey to Noark was longer than expected. It was only after hours of walking through the maze-like sewers that the entrance appeared.
"Now, this is as far as I go. If you go inside and follow this map here you will reach a door. Once you get there, show this tag to the security guard, and they will let you in." The broker then handed over what would serve as our IDs and placed something that looked like a magical device near the wall to open the entrance.
What looked like a stone gate and an ordinary wall was pushed aside to reveal the stairs leading to the basement. But just as we were about to head down, the broker, who had not opened their mouth this whole time except when necessary, asked, "Can I ask just one thing? It's not common for a barbarian to go down to Noark. What's the story? You don't seem like runaway lovers—"
"Stop." Amelia shut them down. "If your job is done, you can go now." The tone exuded an air of professionalism. It looked like there was some murderous intent mixed in, too.
"...Excuse me. That was out of character. Go ahead. I have to confirm that the door closes." When the broker backed off with their tail between their legs, Amelia strode down the stairs and I slowly followed.
Boom!
Before long, I heard the sound of a door closing.
Man, it feels like I'm entering hell or something.
"Wait, hold on. We should check the map first." After descending the stairs, I went to open the map but Amelia stopped me.
"There's no need. I already know how to get to the castle."
Oh, right. She's from here.
Anyway, after giving up my role of scout for the first time in a while and just following her, we reached our destination, a cavity so vast that it was hard to believe we were underground. I could see a stone gate much larger than the gates of Rafdonia in the distance.
"Hahaha, don't just stand there and come on over!" One man stood in front of the castle gates, a human with a body as stocky as a barbarian's.
Amelia leaned in to whisper to me. "Don't do anything to attract his disapproval. Despite his cheerful tone, he's one of the strongest fighters in this city."
"Why are you silent when you're the one who asked the question?"
"...It's nothing." Both back then and right now, this selfish woman never gave me a proper explanation. "We don't have much time. Let's go."
But I knew the reason now.
***
In front of the sewer that was serving as our rendezvous point, the broker was waiting for us in black robes. It was a very strange feeling—I felt almost like I had become a smuggler. The broker didn't say hello, and neither did Amelia. When they extended their hand forward, all she did was put a pouch of money in their palm.
With the payment handled, the broker gave a cursory warning. "I'll say this one last time, but once you get down there, it won't be easy to come back up."
I was kind of amazed.
If you're going to say that, at least say it before you get paid.
It was clear they wouldn't give us a refund.
"That's something for us to figure out."
"Hehe, if you say so." At Amelia's stone-cold response, the broker laughed ominously and took out a key to open the steel bars leading to the sewers. Then they guided us inside. "Follow closely so you don't fall behind."
The journey to Noark was longer than expected. It was only after hours of walking through the maze-like sewers that the entrance appeared.
"Now, this is as far as I go. If you go inside and follow this map here you will reach a door. Once you get there, show this tag to the security guard, and they will let you in." The broker then handed over what would serve as our IDs and placed something that looked like a magical device near the wall to open the entrance.
What looked like a stone gate and an ordinary wall was pushed aside to reveal the stairs leading to the basement. But just as we were about to head down, the broker, who had not opened their mouth this whole time except when necessary, asked, "Can I ask just one thing? It's not common for a barbarian to go down to Noark. What's the story? You don't seem like runaway lovers—"
"Stop." Amelia shut them down. "If your job is done, you can go now." The tone exuded an air of professionalism. It looked like there was some murderous intent mixed in, too.
"...Excuse me. That was out of character. Go ahead. I have to confirm that the door closes." When the broker backed off with their tail between their legs, Amelia strode down the stairs and I slowly followed.
Boom!
Before long, I heard the sound of a door closing.
Man, it feels like I'm entering hell or something.
"Wait, hold on. We should check the map first." After descending the stairs, I went to open the map but Amelia stopped me.
"There's no need. I already know how to get to the castle."
Oh, right. She's from here.
Anyway, after giving up my role of scout for the first time in a while and just following her, we reached our destination, a cavity so vast that it was hard to believe we were underground. I could see a stone gate much larger than the gates of Rafdonia in the distance.
"Hahaha, don't just stand there and come on over!" One man stood in front of the castle gates, a human with a body as stocky as a barbarian's.
Amelia leaned in to whisper to me. "Don't do anything to attract his disapproval. Despite his cheerful tone, he's one of the strongest fighters in this city."
"Do you know him?"
"If you've lived in Noark for a while, you can't not know him."
Hmm, is that so? He doesn't seem that strong...
Anyway, after that, we handed the man in front of the gate the ID tags we received earlier.
"Oh, ho! Looks like that guy has finally found some proper ones. Nice to meet you. I am the Gatekeeper, Lek Aures! Oh, I guess you don't want to reveal your real name. Don't worry. No one here uses their real names, anyway. Have you decided on your new names yet?"
Lek Aures, who introduced himself as the Gatekeeper, then asked us for our names and we gave him the ones we chose in advance. Amelia was Emily.
"Bjon, son of Thor." I just went with a pseudonym I'd used in the past. "Nivelles Enze" was also a pseudonym, but I figured it was better to create a new one just in case. Of course, it didn't matter much. This was just to engrave names on the tags, but I had been told no one in the city asked for names.
"Haha, I think it's been almost five years since I've engraved a barbarian's name on a tag." When the gatekeeper returned the tags, they were engraved with the pseudonyms we'd given him.
"Is there anything else left to do?"
"No, the admissions process is over. Head that way."
"...It's not that door that opens?"
"Hahaha, don't you think it'd be a waste to open that big door when it's just two people entering?" Lek the Gatekeeper then opened the side door.
As I watched the stone door slide open, I was reminded of the day I first came to this world. Yeah, it was just like this then too.
Boom.
Then the door opened completely and an unfamiliar city came into view.
"Emily and Thor Bjon."
"Thor is my last name, my first name is Bjon."
"Hahaha! Ah, that's right. Anyway! Welcome to Noark, you two!"
So, I've ended up all the way here.
***
People often thought of Noark as a den of criminals. That was natural because this was the place where those who had committed sins far too grave to live aboveground ended up. This was also Orcules's lair.
"It's surprisingly normal."
There were no bloodstains on the walls, the streets were clean, and the faces of the people walking by weren't all that scary.
"I don't know what you were expecting, but this is also a regular place where people live, you know."
Geez, can't a newbie be surprised?
"Follow me."
First, I followed Noark native Amelia around to take a look at the city and ask her whatever questions crossed my mind. "What are those stones embedded on the ceiling?"
"Magical devices. They use mana stones to emit light."
"What about that moving doll-like thing?"
"Golems called patrols. They all belong to the lord of the castle."
"Oh, and is there a market here too?"
"There is, but it's not big since there is only one alchemist in the city. Most food products are rationed by type."
Hmm, I see.
"Then what if you want to eat something specific?"
"You can hand in mana stones at the alchemy workshop and apply. But it takes about two days, and the price is much higher than aboveground. Are you finished asking questions?"
"...For now."
"Good. Because it looks like you're drawing attention."
"Huh?"
"We're being tailed. Let's speed up." Amelia then sped up without asking for my opinion so I hurriedly followed after her.
"Tailed? It's been less than ten minutes since we got here."
"Barbarians are not particularly common in this city. They would have noticed you came from the overworld as soon as they saw you."
I had a feeling I knew what she was getting at. In Noark, it was rumored that devils inhabited the overworld. I could only imagine how much they coveted the wallets of newbies fresh from the overworld who still had all their money from aboveground with them.
"Weren't you just saying this is a regular place where people live?"
Amelia tilted her head at my question. "And what's strange about that? Isn't it natural to have people like this in a place where people live?"
Uh, is it?
"I guess that's fair."
Not being able to logically refute this, I just casually accepted it. It wasn't like Rafdonia was all that different in the first place. Even in Rafdonia, three types of people roamed the outskirts at night: criminals, adventurers with the strength to defend themselves, and if neither of the above, those who believed in forced minimalism.
"Then what now?"
"We'll go to the back alley where the patrols can't see us."
"Huh? Back alley?"
For a moment I wondered if I heard her wrong but Amelia gave me a logical reason for the move. Harming an ordinary citizen born in Noark was considered taboo, and you'd be hunted down by the lord of the castle for punishment, but apparently hurting everyone else was okay.
"These are guys who specialize in targeting newcomers so they'll have a lot of things with them."
Ha, you should have led with that. I guess native citizens have a totally different thought process. Yeah, farming always comes first no matter what.
Trudge.
After entering the alleyway and wandering for a bit, we came to a natural stop at a dead end and turned around.
"Where are you going like that? When you know you won't get far." As if on cue, a group of fifteen plunderers appeared before us.
"Did you think you could escape into the alley?"
"To think you would walk in here on your own two feet. This is why newbies don't last long."
"We all experienced this as newbies, too, so don't resent us too much."
The city's old guard was clearly excited at the thought of robbing some newbies. It was like watching a game flop just before the end. Tsk, this was why you should welcome newbies with open arms.
"Huh?" Looking around the group, I caught sight of a human man and flinched. But because I didn't know for sure yet, I needed to confirm. "You there."
"Are you talking to me?"
When I singled him out, the guy stepped forward as if his curiosity was piqued. The man, who had a physique large enough to be mistaken for a barbarian, was wearing a shiny breastplate. It was made of a material I couldn't not recognize.
"...That's lithinum."
"Ha, what about it?" he asked.
What do you mean, what about it? Haven't you ever heard of put-pocketing?
It was common sense for a veteran to donate an item to a newbie. I had actually just been getting embarrassed about being naked from the waist up so this worked out perfectly.
"Take it off. Before it ends up with blood on it."
It was time to evolve into a civilized person.
"Do you know him?"
"If you've lived in Noark for a while, you can't not know him."
Hmm, is that so? He doesn't seem that strong...
Anyway, after that, we handed the man in front of the gate the ID tags we received earlier.
"Oh, ho! Looks like that guy has finally found some proper ones. Nice to meet you. I am the Gatekeeper, Lek Aures! Oh, I guess you don't want to reveal your real name. Don't worry. No one here uses their real names, anyway. Have you decided on your new names yet?"
Lek Aures, who introduced himself as the Gatekeeper, then asked us for our names and we gave him the ones we chose in advance. Amelia was Emily.
"Bjon, son of Thor." I just went with a pseudonym I'd used in the past. "Nivelles Enze" was also a pseudonym, but I figured it was better to create a new one just in case. Of course, it didn't matter much. This was just to engrave names on the tags, but I had been told no one in the city asked for names.
"Haha, I think it's been almost five years since I've engraved a barbarian's name on a tag." When the gatekeeper returned the tags, they were engraved with the pseudonyms we'd given him.
"Is there anything else left to do?"
"No, the admissions process is over. Head that way."
"...It's not that door that opens?"
"Hahaha, don't you think it'd be a waste to open that big door when it's just two people entering?" Lek the Gatekeeper then opened the side door.
As I watched the stone door slide open, I was reminded of the day I first came to this world. Yeah, it was just like this then too.
Boom.
Then the door opened completely and an unfamiliar city came into view.
"Emily and Thor Bjon."
"Thor is my last name, my first name is Bjon."
"Hahaha! Ah, that's right. Anyway! Welcome to Noark, you two!"
So, I've ended up all the way here.
***
People often thought of Noark as a den of criminals. That was natural because this was the place where those who had committed sins far too grave to live aboveground ended up. This was also Orcules's lair.
"It's surprisingly normal."
There were no bloodstains on the walls, the streets were clean, and the faces of the people walking by weren't all that scary.
"I don't know what you were expecting, but this is also a regular place where people live, you know."
Geez, can't a newbie be surprised?
"Follow me."
First, I followed Noark native Amelia around to take a look at the city and ask her whatever questions crossed my mind. "What are those stones embedded on the ceiling?"
"Magical devices. They use mana stones to emit light."
"What about that moving doll-like thing?"
"Golems called patrols. They all belong to the lord of the castle."
"Oh, and is there a market here too?"
"There is, but it's not big since there is only one alchemist in the city. Most food products are rationed by type."
Hmm, I see.
"Then what if you want to eat something specific?"
"You can hand in mana stones at the alchemy workshop and apply. But it takes about two days, and the price is much higher than aboveground. Are you finished asking questions?"
"...For now."
"Good. Because it looks like you're drawing attention."
"Huh?"
"We're being tailed. Let's speed up." Amelia then sped up without asking for my opinion so I hurriedly followed after her.
"Tailed? It's been less than ten minutes since we got here."
"Barbarians are not particularly common in this city. They would have noticed you came from the overworld as soon as they saw you."
I had a feeling I knew what she was getting at. In Noark, it was rumored that devils inhabited the overworld. I could only imagine how much they coveted the wallets of newbies fresh from the overworld who still had all their money from aboveground with them.
"Weren't you just saying this is a regular place where people live?"
Amelia tilted her head at my question. "And what's strange about that? Isn't it natural to have people like this in a place where people live?"
Uh, is it?
"I guess that's fair."
Not being able to logically refute this, I just casually accepted it. It wasn't like Rafdonia was all that different in the first place. Even in Rafdonia, three types of people roamed the outskirts at night: criminals, adventurers with the strength to defend themselves, and if neither of the above, those who believed in forced minimalism.
"Then what now?"
"We'll go to the back alley where the patrols can't see us."
"Huh? Back alley?"
For a moment I wondered if I heard her wrong but Amelia gave me a logical reason for the move. Harming an ordinary citizen born in Noark was considered taboo, and you'd be hunted down by the lord of the castle for punishment, but apparently hurting everyone else was okay.
"These are guys who specialize in targeting newcomers so they'll have a lot of things with them."
Ha, you should have led with that. I guess native citizens have a totally different thought process. Yeah, farming always comes first no matter what.
Trudge.
After entering the alleyway and wandering for a bit, we came to a natural stop at a dead end and turned around.
"Where are you going like that? When you know you won't get far." As if on cue, a group of fifteen plunderers appeared before us.
"Did you think you could escape into the alley?"
"To think you would walk in here on your own two feet. This is why newbies don't last long."
"We all experienced this as newbies, too, so don't resent us too much."
The city's old guard was clearly excited at the thought of robbing some newbies. It was like watching a game flop just before the end. Tsk, this was why you should welcome newbies with open arms.
"Huh?" Looking around the group, I caught sight of a human man and flinched. But because I didn't know for sure yet, I needed to confirm. "You there."
"Are you talking to me?"
When I singled him out, the guy stepped forward as if his curiosity was piqued. The man, who had a physique large enough to be mistaken for a barbarian, was wearing a shiny breastplate. It was made of a material I couldn't not recognize.
"...That's lithinum."
"Ha, what about it?" he asked.
What do you mean, what about it? Haven't you ever heard of put-pocketing?
It was common sense for a veteran to donate an item to a newbie. I had actually just been getting embarrassed about being naked from the waist up so this worked out perfectly.
"Take it off. Before it ends up with blood on it."
It was time to evolve into a civilized person.