Chapter 7: I Shouldn't Have Done That (7)

Chapter 7: I Shouldn't Have Done That (7)

It wasn’t actually the end of the Quest, but an update.

“So you’re saying you got rid of them all by yourself…?”

“Isn’t it quite embarrassing to admit you can’t handle something of that level this quickly? Are you suicidal, perhaps?”

I reflexively brushed off the mercenary’s admiring exclamation—it felt so good using these lines because they responded so well to everything—and then checked over the Quest.

「❖ People in Danger

∎ Bodies recovered: 3 / 25

∎ Items collected: 5 / ?」 It was also the first time the game gave out a cleanup Quest.

I didn’t even do anything, so why had the numbers gone up? Was it counting what the NPCs were doing, too?

In that case, it seemed I didn’t actually need to step up. I wasn’t shameless, but doing such chores just didn’t seem like something a cool character would do.

I leaned against a tree at the side of the road. The mercenaries sent by the company muttered something, but that was none of my business.

“Why did Demons…”

“I’ve been to many places, but this is the first time I’ve seen something like this happen in the West.”

“I’d have understood if those barbarians had attacked them, but…”

While waiting for things to settle down, I learned that the game didn’t even erase the traces of battle.

Usually, if that much data is accumulated on a single map, it would often cause lag. Despite all these corpses and battle marks—the dents in the ground and the cuts created by weapons—they hadn’t removed anything.

It would seem the next-generation game industry had their work cut out for them.

“Why did a group of Demons appear like that near the city? Something like this has never happened before!”

“We must report this to the city!”

This information wasn’t in the game, but there were some things I could infer.

Given that this raid was so unusual and unprecedented, it 100% had to do with the plot. Considering the plot of Legend of Heroes was ‘the Great Demon is breaking its seal: the story of the brave Adventurers who gathered to prevent the re-emergence of Satan,’ it was easy to guess what it meant.

“I can’t find any more corpses…”

“What?”

“Even though the battle caused so much damage, too many people are missing.”

Did the number of corpses not add up? That must be the doing of a Demon Follower or a Warlock… In any case, this was definitely a terrorist attack by these kinds of people.

That meant I would definitely get another quest to uncover the true culprit behind this incident.

That much was obvious, even if it wasn’t spelled out for me. With my 20 years of experience as a gamer, predicting something like that was pretty basic.

“Let’s return to the city. We have to live first to see the end of this.”

“To think they couldn’t even properly subdue these Demons despite receiving so much tax money… The Lord’ll have to pay for this.”

I whistled internally as I listened to the complaints of those who barely managed to survive.

I felt like I was experiencing a real fantasy world, making it extremely fun to play, especially because I could hear these kinds of conversations happening and watch as they proceeded with returning to the city.

“…Good work."

And like that, I escorted those heading back to the city. That old NPC with a rotten look on his face was waiting for me with a cigarette in his mouth. He didn't look like that because of me but because the damage the Demons had caused was extremely severe.

“Reasonable payment."

However, the personality my character setting dictated wouldn't go well with this kind of thing, so I didn't really care. It was enough that I already saved so many of his employees' lives, so I had no reason to be any more considerate toward him.

“Hmpf, I wouldn't cheat a man backed by the Adventurers' Guild out of his money! Just wait!"

If I brought up the Demonic Energy Neutralizer right here, that would make me quite the bastard, wouldn't it? Fine, I should trust that things will get taken care of properly for now.

Soaked in blood, I heard the tune marking the end of the Quest. As I had adjusted the audio settings, my ears didn't feel like they were bleeding anymore after hearing the sound effect.

However… Seeing how that tune already appeared, what about my reward?

“We will send someone over soon, so how about returning to the inn for now? We'll pay you your due payment after everything has been sorted out."

When I narrowed my eyes slightly after thinking of that, the middle-aged NPC approached me and spoke up. I was seriously impressed by how delicate their expressions were despite this not even being a cutscene. I immediately understood what he meant.

Well, the Main Quest hadn't appeared yet, so there was no way this was the end. I also saw a new line in the Quest Window informing me that the Quest updated.

“It'll be enough to satisfy you fully."

I lightly glanced at him and uncrossed my arms as a sign of affirmation.

I was thinking of stopping by the inn anyway, so this was actually pretty good timing.

“Naturally.”

Or perhaps that was what the game company intended to happen. Even an extremely dull player—unlike me—would realize at this point that the dirt and blood on one's body would not naturally disappear.

“Hey, you! Show me around."

In that case, there should be a shower facility in here somewhere. Alright, I should take a look at this shower function and tour the inn while I'm at it.

I had only seen the inn's entrance area and hadn’t even looked at the rooms. I wondered what they were like.

My heart was pounding in anticipation.

* * *

* * *

Well, that anticipation was short-lived.

While there were water and sewage facilities, the rooms didn't have their own bathrooms, so I had to use the common bathing area. There also wasn't any hot water.

Also, soap wasn't included and had to be bought separately. That stuff was hella expensive!

Thanks to that, I lost some loyalty toward the game company.

As the day dawned, the NPC from the merchant company came to me. My reward and the Adventurers' Guild clerk, Izren, were also present.

“My people are indebted to you."

They gave me my reward first.

300,000 Gal, five bottles of Demonic Energy Neutralizer, five bundles of hemostatic bandages, painkillers, etc. It seemed that they paid back the things I had handed out to the people.

“The reward is a bit higher than one usually receives for a rescue mission. Are you satisfied, Adventurer?"

“It's sufficient enough."

Phew, there was no way they skimped on anything, seeing the reward and all the additions.

I stuffed everything into my inventory. There was still a lot of space in there, so I could just play Tetris later.

“Do you have any more business for me?"

When I noticed that the NPCs didn't leave their seats, I could practically smell the emergence of another Quest.

“I don't…"

“I have another request I want you to take care of."

“…What?”

My experience as a gamer didn't betray me. It was another Quest.

Although the clerk in charge of brokering quests seemed unaware of that request.

“Speak."

Clack.

I closed my inn room's door and leaned against the wall next to it (arms crossed, of course). They came in just when I was about to leave, so I was wearing all my equipment. Acting cool was of the essence here.

“Rude bastard…"

“Sir…"

His words meant I acted out the character well, so I gratefully accepted the high praise.

“It's eliminating Demons. The location is the Northwestern Forest."

“Pardon? Sir, we already assigned this request to other adventurers…"

“But I've yet to hear that it's been complete, now have I?!"

The man hit his leg and shouted loudly. He was indeed a guy with a lot of energy despite his small stature.

The middle-aged NPC behind him raised his head while Izren shrunk.

“Did you know that more than one or two guys make their living in that forest? If you Guild bastards had sent the right person to take care of this from the start, I wouldn't have to do this!"

“That's…"

“Enough! Now that I've seen his skills, I'll let him do it!"

His temper aside, he did seem like quite a good person, seeing that he made this request for the sake of others.

“So I have to eliminate the Demons in the Northwestern Forest. Is that it?"

I didn't hate characters like him. I didn't even have to worry about being polite or anything.

“Yes."

“Sigh… Since you have your mind set on this, I shall delegate the request to him right away. Instead, regarding the adventurers who set out first…"

“What d'you want me to do when they don't have the skill to deal with something as simple as that?"

“You'll have to pay a penalty fee."

“Hmph."

While the clerk and old man were talking, the middle-aged NPC came to me, looking quite exhausted.

“Ehem… Let me explain the situation to you."

He appeared to have given up on going against that old man's strong-willed nature. The middle-aged NPC gave me the request’s details, although there wasn’t much to it.

A Demon had appeared in the Northwestern Forest and, due to its apparent cunning, hadn't been caught yet. It had to be killed so people could safely traverse the forest. That was roughly it.

The only unusual thing about this Quest, if anything, was that it had appeared in the original game, much like the sewer Quest. However, it had been a Sidequest.

It seemed a bit long-winded for a tutorial, so I wondered if the Main Quest would appear after this. They might have reorganized the order of Quests due to the game being a remake.

“I won't ask you to leave right away, but it would be good if you caught the thing as soon as possible."

“And the payment?"

“The bounty on it is 700,000 Gal."

“And?"

“…As this is a private employment, I'll give you an additional 200,000 if you manage to catch it."

No, I was just asking if my reward would be 700,000 Gal.

How did I manage to raise my reward like that? I hadn't even acquired the [Negotiation] skill yet, you know? I didn't even try before because I didn't have it.

Was it possible to negotiate even without the skill?

“…300,000 Gal."

I had fallen silent for some time while pondering the game's system. I raised the price even higher.

“Only after you’ve successfully caught it. If you can't, then I won't pay you."

“…There's nothing I can't catch, so just be sure to prepare the money for me."

Mom. I thought I was bad at negotiating, but I guess I was wrong. Or was it because of my roleplaying? Mom, should I just play out this kind of character in real life as well?

“In that case, your reward will be the 700,000 Gal bounty and a 300,000 Gal personal employment fee for a total of 1,000,000 Gal. There won't be any advance payment and no set deadline, however. The reward will only be paid out after the requested object is brought in. As always, the broker fee is 5% of the reward."

In the meantime, it seemed the clerk had concluded her talk with the old man. She quickly wrote up a contract.

「❖ Danger in the Northwestern Forest

∎ Move to the Northwestern Forest」 The moment I signed the contract, a new Quest was added to my list.

“I shall leave right away then."

“Wait, that early? Even if you take a break for a day or t—"

“I have no intention of wasting any time dealing with that Demon bastard."

If I completed that quest, my savings would double, so why should I take a rest?

Unlike the smile I wore inside, I made my voice sound as cold as the arctic winds of the North Pole. The three NPCs opened their mouths in disbelief before their expressions turned serious.

“I will have to reimburse you for that."

“…Well, since this is a form of allowance given at your discretion, the Guild won't touch it."

The old NPC took out even more money as he spoke up. The money bag I caught out of reflex was quite heavy. There were 50,000 Gal in there.

“The Northwestern Forest is quite far away. You will have to get a carriage to take you there."

A carriage. So travel between cities was done by carriages, huh?

“I'll go by horse."

“If you want to borrow a horse, I will lend you one, but it'll come at a cost. Horses are precious."

After saying that, the old man gave me his price after some calculations.

“As I know how skilled you are, I can lend you one for 500,000 Gal."

I instantly felt like my eyes would pop out of my head.

What now? 500,000 Gal to lend me one? My reward for clearing out the sewers was 400,000 Gal, and the reward for the Quest I just cleared was 300,000 Gal, you know?

“As we are requesting this of you, I will return the money after you’ve completed the task and brought back the horse. However, if the horse dies or gets injured, you will have to pay a penalty fee. About two million."

Ah, it couldn't be. Was there a system that let enemies attack horses? Was the price based on their value in the past? I had ridden one and almost killed it off. I almost fell into ruin there.

I felt the back of my neck tingle slightly. I mean, these kinds of penalties were rarely enacted on means of transportation in open-world games, after all.

Or would they give me my own horse later on? I had a feeling that they wouldn't.

“…The carriage it is."

Even if I was the king of bluffing, I was aware of the reality of things, so I decided to give up on the horse. I felt a little defeated.

“You can find one at the horse carriage rental."

As the clerk answered me, the middle-aged NPC shouted to the lower floors: “Messenger!” and soon, a boy with freckles on his cheeks and nose ran up the stairs.

“If you plan on going to the horse carriage rental, let this kid guide you. If you don't want to go there in person, just leave it to him."

“I said I'd go right away."

I considered whether I should really leave right away or check out the general store first, but then I decided to just go. I wanted to know what this system was all about.

“I pray that God will be with you, you bastard."

“…May God be with you."

“I wish you luck, Adventurer."

I immediately left the inn with my back turned to the NPCs seeing me off. It was a good decision to gear up early. Thanks to that, I didn't have to show them a scene of me packing my luggage first.

“Come this way, sir."

Meanwhile, the boy walked out of the inn with cheerful steps. When I moved to follow after him, the Zweihänder strapped to my back made clicking sounds.

“You, you're an adventurer, aren't you?"

The boy walking ahead looked back toward me. His fluffy, curly hair seemed so soft I wanted to pat his head.

“…No.”

Apart from that, I had already decided how to answer his question. Calling this character an adventurer was a bit difficult.

Of course, judging by the adventurer's card in my possession and my current situation, it seemed like I belonged to the Adventurers' Guild… It was my job, though, right?

According to the official setting, he just became an adventurer to earn money, so I didn't think that he would really consider himself one.

This guy was more of an avenger, a wanderer. That type of identity was what fit him best.

“I am not an adventurer."

So, I decided to deny it for now.

“…S-so you're not…"

It looked like I answered a bit too harshly. The kid's cheeks, which had been flushed with anticipation, paled and drooped.

I keep saying this, but these NPCs were really well-made.

“…But I'm something similar. Is there something you're curious about?"

“…!”

At the words I added, the child's expression brightened again. His fair skin seemed to flush easily.

“So, erm, have you ever seen the sea?"

Ah, I usually wasn't the type to grow overly attached to NPCs, even if I strove to immerse myself in my character as much as possible. However, it would be really hard not to fall in love with these.

How could I bear to reset my game file later?

“I have."

It would work out somehow. I was curious how they would react to characters of other classes and different character settings. I should choose the Fighter class next and give them a more pleasant and friendly personality.

“What does the sea look like?"

“…As blue as your eyes and full of waves, like your hair."

“The color of my eyes is similar to the sea?"

“Yeah."

“Woow."

And so, I made my way to the carriage rental while answering the boy’s questions. Our conversation was so smooth and lovely that I almost forgot that he was actually an NPC.

“Wait a sec! I know the best carriage driver going to the northwest!"

One thought popped up in my head.

Ah, this game. Even if they didn't give me a personal means of transportation, it was worth it. The interactions I had with these NPCs were so lovely and colorful that something like this wouldn't ruin my experience in the least. It was a little annoying, but I would still have a ball with this game.

“…Ah, those crazy Pearl bastards."

I covered my mouth to ensure no one could hear what I just said. It was all useless. My sore eyes were finally blessed with such a wonderful game, so I couldn't help but love it.

“Here, that's him!"

“I heard that you're going to the Northwestern Forest… Is that right?"

“…Yes."

“In that case, you're right on time. I was about to leave. If you missed my carriage, you would've had to wait three days for the next one."

…But wasn't that a bit too much? What open-world game would design their transportation system like that?

I just wanted to check out the transportation system, look around the town for a bit, and then leave…!

“The fare is 10,000 Gal."

I badly wanted to wander the general stores and maybe do some maintenance on my weapons, but the three-day wait the coachman mentioned was too shocking, so I ended up paying the fare and boarded the carriage.

It was then that my loyalty to the game company, which had already become shaky due to the bathing problem, decreased once more.