Chapter 15: The Adventure City of Advante

Leaving the dairy farming city behind, we headed westward.

Traveling through several cities and post towns, it took us ten days to reach our destination.

Finally, we returned to Advante, the city where we once called home.

“It’s still the same here.”

“Yeah. It feels like a puzzle, doesn’t it?”

“Is that a good thing? It’s too chaotic here.”

As we walked down the main street, we surveyed the bustling cityscape, which seemed even more chaotic to us, perhaps because we had become accustomed to the wide-open spaces of rural Malhas. 

The interconnected apartments, where neighboring buildings seemed to merge into one, cafes with outdoor staircases leading to the second floor, and houses that were indistinguishable from shops – the chaotic and inconsistent town layout resembled a maze-like dungeon crafted by humans.

“So, Saran, what’s the plan?”

“First, we’ll head to the ‘Dancing Duck Inn’ to secure a room. Then, Jurg and Rolo, you’ll check with the informants in the adventurer’s district. I’ll make appointments with the city mayor and other superiors.”

Saran seems to have become quite comfortable here, as he no longer insists on doing everything himself.

Back when we first met Saran in Advante, he didn’t trust us at all.

“I’ll stop by the church first.”

“In that case… Rolo, why don’t you go with her? I’ll handle both the Thieves’ Guild and the informants.”

“Eh…but…?”

“It’s safer than leaving Fimia alone, don’t you think?”

“If that’s the case, then I’ll handle that side.”

Hey! Hey! I hadn’t intended for things to turn out like this after going out of my way. Besides, sending Rolo alone to the Thieves’ Guild isn’t a good idea either. While I don’t think it’s particularly dangerous for him to be alone, they tend to judge people, and it might be easier for them to talk to someone like me.

“I’ll be fine on my own, you know? I used to do this alone all the time.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Jurg, you’re being a bit overprotective. I’m a capable adventurer too.”

“…You’re right. I’m sorry.”

I apologize sincerely. 

I’m supposed to be a friend, but what can I do if I disrespect Fimia?

My attitude toward Fimia wasn’t appropriate for a fellow companion. Perhaps I’ve been a bit too overprotective.

“But thank you for your concern.”

Fimia returns my smile with a small one of her own. It’s these thoughtful gestures that make her charming. She’s a bit like Rolo in that respect, and it’s comforting.

“Then I’ll go to the Thieves’ Guild. I’ll ask for information from ‘Drunken Bastard’ and ‘Cat Tower.'”

“Yeah. I wonder if they’re doing well.”

“‘Drunken Bastard’ might be in trouble. He tends to drink a bit too much.”

‘Drunken Bastard’ and ‘Cat Tower’ are informants who live in this adventure city. Both are highly capable, and if you want to know anything in this town, it’s best to ask them first. Even if they don’t know directly, they can usually put you in touch with someone who does. Of course, it’ll cost you a fair amount of coin.

“Now that everything’s settled… let’s grab a bite to eat first.”

Saran stops in front of a large wooden statue of a duck holding a sign.

“The Dancing Duck Inn.”

Our journey as adventurers began right here. Feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over me, I pause for a moment. Then Rolo lightly taps my waist.

“Let’s go, Jurg.”

“Yeah. It’s been a while since I had a meal here.”

I nod back at Rolo and step inside the inn. There’s a faintly familiar scent in the air, and it tugs at my heartstrings.

◆

“No luck.”

The first day of gathering information in Advante ended in failure.

It seems neither Rolo nor Fimia were able to find much useful information.

But considering how vague our questions were to begin with, it’s no wonder we came up empty-handed.

This is the Adventure City of Advante, after all.

If you ask something like “Anything unusual happening?” here, you’ll end up with too much information. Still, the Master of the Thieves’ Guild, ‘Salt Dog,’ offered to help.

He’ll take some gold, but it’s much appreciated.

“I didn’t get much from the church either. The only thing I heard was that the number of undead has been increasing lately.”

“I didn’t get much from ‘Drunken Bastard’ either. ‘Cat Tower’ seemed to know something, but he didn’t tell me because it wasn’t a reliable source.”

As the three of us eat mutton soup, we let out a small sigh.

I didn’t expect things to go smoothly from the start, but failing so miserably is disheartening.

“Hey, Fimia, what exactly is this ‘culling’? Are we talking about monsters?”

“It depends on the era. It could be natural disasters, epidemics, or monster attacks… It’s referred to as various ‘trials of humanity.'”

“Was ‘Scarred beast’ the result of that this time?”

At Rolo’s question, Fimia shakes her head.

“I don’t know. The last time humans were exposed to ‘culling’ was over three hundred years ago. The records are so vague that even the headquarters of the church in the capital may not have any records.”

“What happened back then?”

“According to what I’ve heard… ‘God’ descended.”

“…Huh?”

I involuntarily let out a stunned gasp, causing stew to dribble from the corner of my mouth. It’s certainly uncouth, but one can’t be blamed for gaping in disbelief.

“He’s not the god we worship. It’s some sort of higher being… to put it simply, it’s like an incredibly powerful monster that descended from the sky.” 

“What happened then?” 

“I don’t know the details. All I’ve heard is that it turned into something very terrifying.”

The scale of the anecdote is completely different. Compared to the self-proclaimed “Scarred beast,” who called himself the “Beast of the End,” this seems like a major event.

Indeed, considering that… it’s understandable to feel a sense of crisis at the appearance of a hero. Even I can’t help but think, “There’s still something more.”

“Yeah. Then… let’s focus on information related to monsters tomorrow.”

“That sounds good.”

As I nodded to Rolo and tore into my bread, Fimia tilted her head in confusion.

“Why is that?”

“It’s because of Scarred beast. He was attempting to cause a ‘Great Stampede’ as part of the ‘culling.’ Deciding to harm humans in that way might indicate a certain consistency, don’t you think?”

“That makes sense.”

In addition, there was a slight unspoken speculation.

If I were the hero… and if I were supposed to be the one to confront the ‘culling,’ then it must be something that could be resolved with violence. In this world, when it comes to violence that harms humans, it’s likely related to monsters.

“Oh, seems everyone is back.”

Just as we were about to finish our meal, Saran returned to the inn. As always, he was swift in his negotiations.

“Saran, how did it go?”

“The preparations are going well. Tomorrow, I’ll also need your assistance.”

He said, narrowing his eyes slightly as if she had grasped something.

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