Novel Bin Chapter 18: The Price of Ignorance (4)
Chapter 18: The Price of Ignorance (4)
When we brought the Demon Contractor to the Temple, the priests took them into their innermost interrogation chamber.
Me? I stayed outside. I really wanted to see how an interrogation would play out, but when I tried going deeper into the Temple, my HP started decreasing.
My HP dropping wasn't the only thing; I could also feel with all my senses that something was blocking me. It was as if the air itself was rejecting my very existence rather than like a glass wall preventing me from advancing. It felt uncomfortable to breathe.
So I just gave up. I wondered why breathing became so difficult when I tried to enter, but I was playing this game to enjoy myself, you know?
I had no intention of enduring that awkwardness. Besides, it wasn't a forced event like that carriage ride, and I didn't have any interrogation skills anyway.
“…”
However, if I knew I would end up alone with the kimchi dumpling, I would have tried entering, no matter what. The rate at which I was losing HP in there was somewhat slow, so I would have been able to endure it for several hours.
I was sharpening my Longsword, ignoring the Inquisitor who kept glancing at me. I badly needed to fix it as it had taken a lot more damage than my Zweihänder.
Scrape, scrape, scrape.
I was sharpening its blade with a whetstone I’d bought from a general store. Even though I had no related skills, my hands seemed to move on their own as if some sort of correction was applied.
Clatter.
As I did that, the Inquisitor, who seemed about to doze off, took out her shield and mace. She could just nap, so why had she decided to maintain her weapons? It seemed like she was copying me, a realization at which my hands clenched together automatically.
I once read a theory that aggression increased in response to seeing something incredibly cute. I wondered if that was true.
“I kept you waiting."
Fortunately, the Archmage returned before that cute aggression could reach its climax.
Should I call it hair or a mane? The face visible through the long strands of hair growing from his head conveyed some subtle emotions.
“Sir Archmage!"
“Oh… You're maintaining your weapons. That might save your life one day. You did well. But…"
He spoke while stealthily checking our surroundings. I felt like I knew the reason for his gaze, so I just continued to sharpen my blade with my head down.
Yeah. It's kinda weird doing weapon maintenance in a Temple. I knew that as well.
However, my character thought that God wouldn't be angry as he prepared his weapons to kill more Demons for him.
“…Let's move first. I have something to share with you."
The Archmage came out after the interrogation had finished. I had also completed my weapon maintenance, so I left with them without complaint.
Of course, the atmosphere around me wasn't relaxed at all. My character would never, ever lower his guard.
“First, the interrogation has yet to bear results."
“Is that so…"
Then why had he come out already? Of course, he was in there for quite a long time by game standards.
“As expected of someone who sold their soul to the Demons. Their snake tongues are slippery."
While I was trying to think of which line to use, the Inquisitor frowned and growled furiously. Usually, that kimchi dumpling was very innocent and clumsy, but when it came to Demons, she became a fierce hound.
“No. Results.”
However, when it came to Demons, I was the fiercest by far! Haha!
“Did you really just say that?”
I pressed my voice as hard as possible to create a bleak atmosphere. I didn’t forget to emphasize each word, making it sound like I was saying each separately. That would make me seem very angry, wouldn’t it?
“Calm down. I did say that there aren’t any results, but did you miss me saying yet? They just haven’t found out anything yet because they need more time. They will get something out of them soon.”
So when would that be? Just how many hours would I have to wait to get my Quest reward? Did I have to log out to get my answer?
I couldn’t do that. My Full Dive was almost over, after all.
「❖ Evil Lurking in the Town
∎ Talk to the Bishop」
As I pretended to stare at the Archmage, I looked through my Quest Window. Still no update.
“You better bring me results before my patience runs out.”
There was nothing I could do about it. As long as I was blocked from progressing the Quest, I had no choice but to do something else.
Ah, was it because I knew the outcome of the Draugr incident in the original game? I felt a little nervous leaving the interrogation to those guys. Wasn’t there some kind of function to leave some party members behind?
“As I thought, I should step in…”
“No, Inquisitor. I do not doubt your abilities, but if the Hero decides to step in, they are even more likely to keep their mouth shut.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Being directly tortured by the Hero is a form of honor to them… It’s like a trophy.”
Whatever. I had no other choice after all. Rather than wasting any more time, I should look for some Quests.
I left the Temple, leaving those two noisy guys behind. It was still too early to say it was dawn. The streets were dark and damp.
“Oh, where are you going, Demon Knight?”
I tried to sneak away to do some individual activities but was discovered yet again. I saw the two NPCs rushing after me a beat later, to which I tried to quicken my steps. It didn’t really do anything.
“Is something the matter?”
The Archmage quietly asked as he followed after me. I felt like they would continue to look at me that way—their eyes glittering with curiosity, which was burdensome for me—until they found out what I was planning on doing.
That was the disadvantage of too realistic NPCs. If it was any normal game, they would just follow me around and nothing more.
“…Bloody hell, don’t you need information first to hunt Demons?”
“…!”
“Oh…”
For some reason, those two seemed deeply impressed by my words.
“What meaningful words. I have learned something yet again.”
…What did he mean by that?
“As expected, you…!”
I was just looking for another Quest as a player since my current one was blocked. I hated wasting time, so I wanted to look for a Sidequest or at least level up a bit.
However, it seemed my diligence as a player touched those two somehow.
Two sets of sparkling eyes were stuck to the back of my head once more, for different reasons this time. How burdensome.
“But it’s still night right now. Won’t it be difficult to ask for information like this?”
I really wanted to ask her what that had to do with getting information, but I didn’t.
In most RPGs, nighttime would only make things dark and strengthen monsters. However, in this game, they even closed shops and the like. That meant NPCs went home to sleep.
In other words, it was pretty difficult to gather information on Demons by asking around. Another downside of this excessive realism.
However, I still had one more card up my sleeve.
* * *
* * *
「Somon: Adventurers’ Guild」
“Welcome to the Somon Adventurers’ Guild…”
The Adventurers’ Guild was open 24/7.
“Ah… Right. The Adventurers’ Guild gathers various kinds of requests… Some may be related to Demons. My thoughts were too shallow.”
Halfway through the Archmage’s words, I wondered if there was some kind of favorability correction due to the plot or something. It would otherwise be bizarre that they admired me for even these simple things.
“What brings you here?”
Meanwhile, a tired-looking NPC sitting behind one of the service windows asked after our business. I wasn’t exactly sure, but he seemed to be a clerk.
“Requests. Related to Demons.”
“Ah… So you were an adventurer. Please let me check your Adventurer’s Card first, then.”
The NPC, whose dark circles were as deep as mine, fixed his glasses and took my Adventurer’s Card. He turned the iron card between his fingers for a bit.
“I have verified its authenticity, Sir Adventurer.”
He groaned pathetically in quite a languid voice.
“We don’t have that many requests related to Demons… Hmm, are requests suspected to be related to Demons okay?”
However, one’s attitude wasn’t necessarily proportional to one’s ability.
I attentively listened as the NPC read the requests off of a list. It would have been nice if he had shown us the actual forms. It was a bit inconvenient to judge the request just by listening to the details like this.
“Exclude those that would require more than a day's travel from the town."
After hearing the third explanation, I decided to put some limitations on the requests.
“Also exclude those that require a week’s stay or more."
“Understood."
The NPC was now looking through the requests with a much brighter expression, as though the conditions I’d given were convenient for him.
“And you don't have to explain them to me. Just give me the request forms."
“Huh…? You can read?"
…It seemed that this world's literacy wasn't that high.
The setting wasn't particularly weird or anything, but its impact on the player was rather uncomfortable. It made the back of my head tingle somewhat. If you thought about it, I was also illiterate, but I could read everything because the game system translated it for me… As I thought, this really made me feel uncomfortable.
“This… This is interesting. I thought you recommended I register as an adventurer to make our journey easier, Sage. To think the guild also provided information."
“Haha, quite frankly, I did recommend you register with the former intentions. So the Adventurers' Guild can be used like that as well… This old man really can't keep up with an active adventurer. I realize once again that true learning lies outside of the Tower."
While I was going through the requests, the Inquisitor and Archmage started whispering with each other behind me. They seemed slightly astonished at my use of the Adventurers' Guild, probably because they weren't seasoned adventurers. Actually, I wasn't sure about what they were talking about.
Rustle.
Anyway, without further ado, I focused on the NPC as he rummaged through the requests. Despite having already gone through dozens of requests, he didn't hand out any of them.Thi/s chapter is updat𝓮d by nov(e)(l)biin.co/m
“I…"
As the NPC noticed me frowning, his eyes seemed to spin.
“There's only one request that fits all of your conditions. But… We have already transferred it to the Temple…"
What? Only one? And the Temple was involved as well?
“I’ll show it to you right away. It came from the Lord. He declared that whoever settles it first will receive the reward…”
I received the request without relaxing my brows. A series of mysterious deaths in town in recent days. Victims with various causes of death. The common nominator was that a certain stench could be smelled at the crime scenes…
After confirming the familiarity of the contents, my eyebrows relaxed a little.
“This has already been resolved.”
Hold on a sec. This request paid 500,000 Gals? Would the Temple pay out that amount…? I felt like they would take it themselves without giving us even a crumb…
“Pardon?”
“…?”
Perhaps curious about what kind of conversation I was having with the clerk, the Archmage and Inquisitor stepped closer to me again. Of course, I returned the request to him without paying them any attention.
I didn't even think of explaining my connection with the Temple to him. Because it just wouldn't be cool.
“Is there really nothing else?"
“Yes. If Demons appeared, it would be the Town Guards who would come forward to subjugate them. There also aren’t many Demons here because we're close to the border."
Hmm. So there was that kind of setting. Did that mean there were no hunting grounds around here at all? Was that why there were no other Sidequests related to Demons here?
What the hell? This game was very strange indeed. There were places without any hunting grounds nearby in this game whose main goal was to hunt Demons. How did that make sense?
I tried to quickly work it out in my head, but honestly, I felt quite lost. RPGs were supposed to be all about clearing Quests and hunting, so what would happen now that both things were missing?
“Then how about things like people suddenly disappearing, or going berserk for no reason…? Things that are a bit different from the norm. It doesn't have to be related to a request. Have you heard about anything like that?"
As I was agonizing over this situation, the Archmage quietly intervened. At first, the NPC was quite flustered before looking at me, the Archmage, and the Inquisitor.
“I don't think there were any specific requests like that… Rather, are you three in a party…?"
“We are with him."
“I see… Then you two are also adventurers, right…?"
“Correct."
The Archmage and Inquisitor also handed him their cards. After stammering a little, the NPC soon opened his eyes wide.
“Y-you are the Sage of the Magic Tower and an Inquisitor?!"
“It's nothing to be so surprised about. So, have you heard any rumors?"
“Uuhm…"
After grabbing his head a little, the NPC suddenly jumped up before exclaiming.
“Well, it's nothing big, but I've heard some adventurers say the number of pickpockets has dropped drastically these days."
“Pickpockets?”
“Yes… Not only that, I also heard that the number of beggars wandering the streets has also decreased.”
The NPC paddled back, however, saying it wasn’t anything confirmed. He meant that he never really paid attention to these people, so he didn’t know if it was true.
“Other than that, I didn’t hear anything else…”
“No, that’s already plenty.”
However, the Archmage stopped him there. That was definitely a flag.
“There must be more of these Demon pawns around.”
It seemed like this would turn into a proper Quest eventually, considering the game’s track record. I was sure there was something behind it. It seemed pretty suspicious, not only from a gamer’s standpoint but my character’s as well.
That was why I drew that grim assumption. The Inquisitor seemed to have come to a similar conclusion, barely able to contain that blazing heat within her.
“Are you saying there is another Demon servant who forgot the grace of God in this town?”
While the kimchi dumpling and I were deeply distracted, the Archmage touched his forehead as if troubled about something. However, he didn’t disagree with our conclusion, which meant he didn't deny the possibility of it being the truth.
“…There’s a Demon in our town?”
And caught in the middle of all that was the clerk who had come to his own realization. He stammered with his eyes wide open.
“We aren’t sure. However, it’s worth looking into. By the way, could you inform the Temple if you get any more information about this situation?”
Then the Archmage added something as if he had forgotten to say it earlier.
“Just in case, I shall send an official letter to the Temple. Please inform your superior as well.”
“I would appreciate it if you would.”
The clerk’s face, after suddenly being given more work, became stiff. However, it had nothing to do with me, so I just turned away. I had a lot more work to do than him.
“In that case… We’ll… have to meet the pickpockets and beggars to get their testimony on the matter.”
For example, the thing the kimchi dumpling just mentioned. I had to investigate and talk to many people.
「❖ Ominous Sign
∎ Talk to pickpockets: 0 / ??
∎ Talk to beggars: 0 / ??」
That was when an opaque Window appeared before my eyes. It was a new Quest, separate from the other.
My hunch was correct.
“…She’s right. Meeting with those people and listening to what they say should be our top priority. They would know best about this situation.”
“But… how do we find them? Should we just walk around the streets?”
When the Inquisitor asked me rather hesitantly, I closed the Quest Window and silently denied her opinion.
If it were the same as the original, that wouldn’t work.
“We could find some like that, but aren’t there more pheasants in the mountains and fish in the sea than in the meadows?”
In the end, pickpockets and beggars were poor people, and there was a designated area where they could be found in Legend of Heroes.
“Let’s go to the slums.”
A shantytown where poor but ill-intentioned people lived. The so-called ‘Slums’.