96 - Chapter 7: Prologue
We were sitting crowded together on the bed of a large wagon.
Other passengers heading for Beim had also begun checking their luggage and preparing to disembark as the gates came into view.
I, Lyell Wolt, pulled back the hood of my robe and checked Beim through a gap in the wagon's canopy.
When I scratched my blue hair, it felt a bit sticky.
The wagon had been moving constantly in order to hurry our arrival.
Because we had traveled without taking breaks, many of the men, women, and children around me wore exhausted expressions.
Gripping the blue Jewel Orb hanging from my neck, I looked at the walls and gates of Beim.
"It's even bigger than Central. So this is the City of Merchants and Adventurers."
It is a place that many adventurers and merchants aim for, and the road leading to Beim is well-maintained. While travel by wagon cannot be called comfortable, it is incomparable to others.
Nowem Foxus, having removed her hood, began tying her long brown hair into a side-tail.
Her purple eyes were looking at me.
"Lyell-sama, please check your luggage."
I nodded and proceeded to check my hand luggage.
Though it was a long journey, our luggage was sparse.
I wouldn't say one piece per person, but it was nearly that little.
Around us, some passengers were struggling with massive amounts of luggage.
Aria Rockwood, who had red hair and purple eyes, began complaining while brushing back her hair.
"I'm seriously so unlucky. What do you mean, 'linked carriage breakdown'...?"
The reason we headed for Beim on a wagon was that the linked carriage had broken down.
Since boarding a wagon that was departing on a provisional basis would be faster than waiting, we chose that option.
Of course, it wasn't as if there were no other means of transport.
Clara Bloomer, tidying her navy-blue hair with her fingers, looked at Monica, who was wearing a robe over her maid outfit and complaining with her red eyes.
"It couldn't be helped. Apparently, two of them are in a state where they cannot move due to regular maintenance. Besides, using a Porter would make us stand out too much."
Monica, whose blonde twin-tails were being pulled by a nearby child, countered.
"The fruit of love between me and that chicken coward standing out... I don't see the problem. This was definitely better than spending several days in that state. What is it? Are you dissatisfied with the maid outfit? My maid outfit is a battle dress designed so that I can fight in any situation."
Monica, who was originally an automaton discovered in a labyrinth, has a different set of values regarding what a maid is.
Why the ancients created such sophisticated automata and insisted on making them maids... I cannot understand it.
A distance that would take a few days by linked carriage took several times longer by wagon before we finally arrived in Beim.
Pale pink—when I said that, the person herself told me, "It's pink blonde!"—Eva, an elf girl with pink blonde hair peeking from her hood and long, pointed ears, was rubbing her backside.
"I don't care about that, but even if the road is maintained, this is grueling. I would have been better off walking."
Eva, who came from a clan of elves that performed arts while traveling, seemed to think walking would have been preferable.
Shannon Sarkrai, who had pale purple hair and golden eyes, disagreed.
She is the youngest among us and the most unreliable in terms of physical strength.
"No way. How far do you think we've gone? If we aren't using a Porter, the wagon is still better!"
The wagon, pulled by two horses, seemed to be one that had been brought out for short distances rather than long ones.
It was no substitute for a linked carriage, but it still allowed for a safer journey than walking.
This was because adventurers on horseback were keeping watch around us.
Miranda Sarkrai, who had pale green hair, dropped her fist onto Shannon's head.
As Shannon's eyes welled up with tears, Miranda spoke.
"You need to build up some stamina. At this rate, you're definitely just baggage."
"I never intended to become an adventurer in the first place."
Miranda, who pinched Shannon's cheek with a smile as Shannon turned her face away with a huff, looked very happy.
They are comrades forming a party as adventurers, and while they are reliable, they inevitably draw attention.
A man who looked like a traveling merchant, sitting next to me, teased me.
Having become acquaintances over the past few days, the man, who knew we were adventurers, gave a wry smile.
"Quite a biased lineup, isn't it? Isn't it tough being the only man in a garden of women?"
I nodded.
"It is. It's certainly tough. Ideally, I'd want to bring in more men to balance things out."
At that, the other man laughed.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. There are all sorts of adventurers in Beim, so a party like yours isn't exactly rare. However, from the perspective of those in the same profession, it apparently looks like a lot of work. It's just funny that to people who don't know the circumstances, it looks enviable."
Maintaining something like a harem is hard work.
When the job involves risking one's life, there are times when one cannot afford to talk about love or romance.
Problems between men and women are a source of worry for adventurers as well, and if possible, the adventurer acting as leader prefers to assemble members of the same sex.
Separating work and private life is, originally, the wise way to do things.
"...Well, since it's come to this, I intend to do my best in my own way."
The man smiled.
"I see. Good luck with that. Now, I suppose we're almost there."
Just as he said that, the wagon stopped and joined the queue to enter Beim.
This part takes a bit of time, but at the entrance of Beim, a large number of guards were stationed to make the verification process efficient.
Since so many merchants use it, unlike the towns and cities we had stayed in until now, entry into the city is smooth.
The walls surrounding the city were thick and so high that one had to look up.
They weren't just piles of stone. The surface was smooth and seemed to have undergone some kind of magical treatment.
Once past those sturdy walls, what spread out was a city more vibrant than any place visited so far—the City of Merchants and Adventurers—the Free City of Beim.
Near the gate where massive amounts of luggage repeatedly entered and exited, we got off the wagon and stretched or loosened up our bodies.
With carriages, wagons, and linked carriages repeatedly passing through, the dust was intense and the smell was strong.
Nowem spoke.
"Shall we move immediately?"
The party members agreed with subtle expressions.
Various things had happened between her and the others, and now a confrontational structure had formed between Nowem and Miranda.
"Give me a break. Come on, let's go."
Thinking that they should at least get along on the surface, I walked ahead, and Miranda came up beside me.
"Hey, you aren't thinking, 'I wish they'd get along, even if it's just on the surface,' are you?"
Because she hit the nail on the head, I averted my gaze from Miranda for a moment.
Then, with a wry smile.
"L-look, wouldn't it be better if you got along after all? For the sake of the party."
Miranda looked at me and snorted.
"Hah, that has nothing to do with that girl. Besides, isn't this healthier than having some underhanded conflict behind the scenes? Also, what are we doing today?"
What we were doing refers to heading to the guild to register.
Of the two guild cards, a procedure is required to submit one to the guild side to use it as a home base.
If we don't do that, it is practically impossible to operate as an adventurer in Beim.
"Rest today, and then tomorrow, or maybe the day after?"
Normally, one would rest on the day of arrival and head for registration the next day.
However, this time there was a reason why we couldn't do that.
Leaving the smoky area near the gate and stepping onto the main street of Beim, several tall buildings stood in a row.
Some were even taller than the buildings in Central.
Not only the height, but the designs lacked unity and were all over the place.
A city that seemed to pursue functionality while also spending plenty of money.
That was the impression I had of Beim.
Aria, who had been listening, walked up to me.
"It's the same no matter where we register, right? Then let's just go to the nearest one."
Then, Clara cautioned Aria.
"Aria-san, information is important. There are four guild branches in Beim, and the headquarters is in the center. If they are divided into four to share the management of adventurers without any particular meaning, then it's fine, but if there are specific characteristics, it'll be a pain to move later."
Yes, there are four guilds in Beim, and even the guild headquarters is located there.
True to its name as the City of Adventurers, perhaps the number of adventurers is too large to be managed in one place, or perhaps there is another meaning, but there are four guilds.
When I gathered information in Central—the royal capital—I had found out that there were four guilds.
However, the details of how they operated were vague.
Since I only had information on the level of rumors, the current situation was that I was undecided on where to register.
Not knowing how much those rumors could be trusted, I decided to leave a few days before registering so I could gather some information to confirm.
Then, a voice spoke from the Jewel Orb.
The blue Jewel Orb had originally been nothing more than a simple blue bead.
But now—.
'Several reactions with no hostility, and one with hostility. They are approaching while staying cautious of us. Be careful, Lyell.'
The voice came from the Jewel Orb, and it reached only me.
The owner of the voice was Broad Wolt, my grandfather and the Seventh Generation head of the Wolt family, who had become a lord noble.
He had attained the rank of Earl, and the only version of him I knew was his appearance after he had aged.
But now, he existed within the Jewel Orb in the form of a man in his thirties.
With grey hair tied back, my impression of him was solely that of a kind grandfather.
If I asked others, I would get a different answer.
That he was a noble and strict person, fitting for an Earl.
I gathered everyone close and changed the direction we were heading.
Then, the reactions following us rapidly closed in.
Skills are stored in the blue Jewel Orb, and the successive heads of the family teach me how to handle those skills.
It should be a convenient tool, but my blue Jewel Orb possesses value beyond that of a tool.
—After all, I can receive advice from the successive heads of the family.
Shannon, who had been walking briskly after getting off the wagon, reached her limit and gave up.
"Wait! I can't anymore..."
Just as Monica tried to lend Shannon a hand, I let out a sigh.
The first to make contact was a person appearing in yellow on the surrounding map displayed in my head by a skill.
If the light point is blue, they are an ally. If there is hostility, it is red. And if they aren't particularly conscious of us or are otherwise, they are displayed in yellow.
The map is the Fifth Generation's skill, and the light points are the Sixth Generation's skill.
Those tell me the movements of the people around me.
"Do you need something?"
The person showing a red reaction was observing us.
Other people who had tried to make contact were also observing us.
The opponent was a small man with narrow eyes.
"If you noticed, you could have just stopped. Oops, I'm not a suspicious person. Though saying that makes me sound more suspicious, doesn't it? I'm what you'd call an information broker. Though, I guide newcomers through Beim."
Since the narrow-eyed man greeted us, I conducted the negotiations.
"A sightseeing guide?"
"No. Ah, but that's not entirely wrong. It's just that my customers are adventurers."
He likely approached because we are adventurers.
While I was wondering what his goal was, the man immediately—.
"Now then, let me give a detailed self-introduction. I'm a former adventurer. Currently, I provide paid guidance for newcomers visiting Beim or adventurers who have gained strength elsewhere. From the characteristics of the guilds to basic information, and choosing shops when shopping. Why not leave it to me?"
He seems to be the type who makes money by guiding country bumpkins through Beim and teaching them the basics.
The voice of the Third Generation spoke from within the Jewel Orb.
'As expected, when it's this large and complex, there's a limit to doing it yourself... I'd like to try using my skill, but using it here is a bit much.'
The Third Generation's skill, Mind, is a skill that interferes with the mind.
It is a convenient skill that can be used to extract information from an opponent, but if the difference in power is too great, using it is meaningless.
Besides, there were even people around us who seemed to be monitoring us.
"What is the market rate?"
When I asked that, the narrow-eyed man said with a smile.
"Two silver coins for a full day. Oops, it's certainly a high amount, but it's well worth it. It's cheaper than wasting several days after arriving in Beim, and above all, you can choose shops that suit you, right? Besides, there are dangerous places everywhere. I think it's a huge merit to pay money and know in advance rather than wandering into a place where thugs gather and causing a commotion."
The map floating in my head is complex, and it certainly seems like it would be a struggle to walk around searching.
Even if we go out on a day off, we should know where the dangerous places are.
I took two silver coins from my pocket and then confirmed with the opponent.
"You say a full day, but there's not much time left today."
Whether he understood that or not, as I tried to produce the money, the display changed from yellow to blue.
"I'll introduce you to an inn as it is today, so tomorrow is fine."
I looked at the opponent with a suspicious gaze.
"Don't you think we'll run away? Besides, today is free just for introducing an inn? You won't make any money."
The narrow-eyed man laughed.
"No, sorry. Yeah, it looks like there's no merit for me. But I get a referral fee just for introducing you to an inn, so it's fine. Yeah, it's certainly rare outside of Beim. But I'm grateful that you're worried about my finances. I'll accept tips anytime."
I started to open my mouth, but decided against it.
When I handed over several large copper coins, the narrow-eyed man asked me.
"You're generous. Now then, assuming eight people are staying, what price range are you hoping for? You'll probably definitely use it for several weeks, so it's better to aim for a place lower than the amount you've set. However, if you have room in your pockets, a high-end inn is no problem for the sake of safety first and healing the fatigue of the journey."
He makes a living dealing with adventurers in Beim.
There's probably no point in me worrying.
When I told him the amount, he immediately gave me several candidates. I asked him to guide us to an inn that seemed to have good conditions, and we began walking with the narrow-eyed man in the lead.
The Fourth Generation, reluctantly agreeing.
'Two silver coins for guidance is painful. But instead of walking around, getting introduced to some shops and getting a tour of Beim... considering the time, it's probably the right answer.'
Unless they are solo, adventurers generally spend a significant amount on lodging for several people just for one night.
The larger the scale, the more the expenses increase.
Thinking of that, being able to shorten several days for two silver coins was a grateful story.
At that moment, a voice could be heard from afar.
Turning around, a boy with a greatsword on his back was being approached by an information broker similar to the narrow-eyed man.
His top was light... or rather, he was wearing only undergarments, but his lower body had metal armor around the waist. And he had knee pads on his boots, making him a boy in a very unbalanced outfit, who shouted loudly.
"Two silver coins? Don't screw with me! Who's the idiot who'd pay that much for a simple guide!"
The Sixth Generation, hearing that voice, teased me.
'Lyell, it seems you're an idiot. Why don't you say something back to him?'
I decided not to get involved and continued forward.
The narrow-eyed man also gave a wry smile.
"Ah, are they really kids trying to become adventurers in Beim? This is why I call out to kids like that."
He seemed exasperated with his fellow professional.