Chapter 11
A Transparent Lie
I left Chiefs smithy and made my way to the guild house. You just needed to follow the road in front of the smithy towards the north in a straight line and youd get there. My feet felt a bit heavy knowing the kind of atmosphere that would await me once there, but I couldnt hold onto these herbs forever. Their freshness was important.
AhhhIm tiredI hate this time of day
I grumbled without thinking. But this life as an adventurer was how I supported myself, it was necessary in order to live.
And more than anything, this whole deal about moving to another world had been something I had dreamed of.
Of course, there were things concerning killing that gave me pause. My life had been quite peaceful back in j.a.pan. And so it wasnt too surprising that there would be a resistance to fighting. But after having to survive in the forest without civilization and then the plains, I realized that it was important to be rational in terms of where you were. Or so I told myself. But that was why I had no intention of changing the way I lived. Though, it still made my heart feel a little heavier.
I stand in front of the guild. You could hear the drunken clamor of the bar from outside. I force a lid over my heart and walk inside.
Ho, Asagi. So youre back then.
Gardo. I didnt know you were back.
My luck seemed pretty good today. Gardo was here. The adventurers around us glared at me viciously but that was easily ignored. Apparently, they didnt like how frankly I spoke to Gardo.
Just a minute ago, really. You too?
Yeah. I picked some herbs.
Hehe. What a liar you are.
Its a not a lie. I have the herbs right here.
Im sure you do.
s.h.i.+t. Even Gardo knew now. Oh, well. This was necessary.
For instance, had I only been picking herbs and raising my rank, my level wouldnt match my rank. If I went out to the forests or plains in that state, Id just get trampled. In that case, I didnt see any harm in raising my level and learning how to fight in advance. I had speculated that this sort of thinking was what would separate the Rocks from the Gemstones.
After Gardo waved his hand and left, I went over to Rewards and untied the sack that was attached to my waist and placed it on top of the counter.
Im Asagi. Ive just returned from the Medicinal Herbs quest.
Well done. Ill take the herbs and your status card now.
I took the card out of my pocket and handed it over. The thing was really light.
Yes, I see. Please wait here one moment.
After this, they would check the state of the plants and determine the price. Id have some time until they were done, so I might as well have a light meal here at the bar. The stares of the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds would be annoying, but they would at least be quiet today. Now that I think of it, Ness wasnt here.
Excuse me, do you have anything light I can eat?
Sure.
I sat down at the bar counter and ordered something to chew on from the master. A few looks were turned towards me but I barely noticed. Ness really wasnt here, huh.
Ness aint here.
Gardo called from the table. It seemed that he had noticed my little search.
Looks like it. Thats kind of rare.
Well, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d had a good payout today. So its off to the brothel.
Hmmyou have such places here then.
Aye, he was quite determined today too, something about winning her over today Well, Im sure hell be back before you know it.
I see I was a little interested in this person Ness seemed devoted to, but not in the brothel itself. Diseases were no joke. It was a world of magic, so perhaps there were contraceptives and magical remedies, but I didnt know how trustworthy they were Plus, it seemed like trouble. Getting involved in the troubles of others seemed like a rule in itself when it came to these stories about other worlds. Well, I didnt receive any special conditions as a protagonist, so perhaps I was safe. Still, being extra cautious was the trick to survival.
Here you go!
Thank you.
I received the food from the master. Todays dish was chicken roasted with herbs, huh I quite liked this one. It was easy to eat because of the bone. It was also softer than wolf meat and very juicy. The sharp spices stimulated my tired and empty stomach. I finished it in no time.