Chapter 22 - Prosperities of vice

The adventurer guild 【Fishermen】 was frequented by adventurers that advanced past G rank, and were above beginner level but below intermediary.

People here weren’t as new as the ones in New Beads, and there weren’t any veterans pretending to be friendly. In a certain way, you could say this was where the most adventurer-like adventurers gathered, and it was the liveliest place in the Labyrinth City due to the sheer amount of people. 

It was busy from morning till night with posters for monster hunting and material collecting quests and requests asking for and offering assistance from adventurers. It was to the point where this room that could easily hold over a hundred people felt small.

Two male adventurers were standing there chatting about good ways to get rich and about work, while looking at the board.

“There’s this weird F rank party that’s been coming here lately Marcus.”

“What do you mean weird Willy?”

“Like… Imagine you just completed a labyrinth exploration, what do you do?”

“What do you think? I’m gonna cash in the materials and magic stones, eat and drink, and get ready for the next one.”

“Eat and drink with your partners right?”

“Well yeah, when you’re done with an adventure you go out and eat and drink with everyone to celebrate your success. That’s how an adventurer does it.”

What the adventurers were saying was true.

Adventurer parties regarded ‘bonds’ and ‘harmony’ as virtues, and party members supporting each other like family was the ideal.

It was common sense for them to go eat and drink in the guild’s tavern to show off their good teamwork. Adventurers and guild employees looked down on inharmonious parties.

“Sorry, let me through.”

“Hn? Ah…”

Marcus heard a voice behind him and instinctively cleared the way, but he was surprised when he saw the four people behind him.

The man in front had a knapsack stuffed with what seemed like materials.

“Hyuu! Looks like you made a lot of money. Where did you go?”

Peeking through the gaps in the knapsack was a mountain of oni-type horns and wolf-type fangs.

They were hard prey for the kind of adventurer that went to Fishermen, but they had a fair amount of magic energy, so the guild would buy them at a good price. They were excellent spoils of war.

“Ice Den Of The Rakshasa.”

“Seriously? Just the four of you? Not bad.”.

“Thanks. We need to cash this in, so see you later.”

And then, they went straight to the reception desk.

“I didn’t know about that party. Did you, Willy?”

“Marcus, that’s the weird party I was telling you about.”

“Eh? Are they that weird? I think they’re pretty normal.”

Marcus responded to Willy with a quizzical expression, but Willy pointed to the party with his chin as if to say ‘just watch’.

◆

“Yes, eighty three hobgoblin horns, three Rakshasa horns, and thirty six Blizzard wolf canines. So…”

The receptionist responded to Nick with a nod and counted coins.

She neatly made stacks of ten gold and silver coins and pushed them to Nick.

“Forty eight thousand and twenty four hundred and fifty dinnar. Please accept it.

“Thank you.”

Nick took the money while trying to hold back a smile.

“Alright, then just like we talked about, eight thousand and twenty four hundred and fifty goes to our common wallet for medicinal herbs and consumable goods.

I’m going to write this in the account book and we’re going to check the actual money later.”

“Alright.”

“Understood Nick. “

“Yes.”

“Alright, then each of us gets ten thousand.”

Nick handed over everyone’s cut, and they happily took it.

“We should talk if anyone needs equipment, to discuss if we should pay with our common wallet.”

“Don’t worry Nick, we’re all stingy so we’ll ask about that soon.”

“I guess. Well then…”

““““Nice work everyone!””””

◆

“Eh? They’re leaving? It’s not even night yet.”

Marcus was surprised to see the four adventurers leaving. This place also has a tavern, and most adventurers leave after eating and drinking. Even adventurers coming back from a failed adventure would have a drink so no one could tell they failed, almost no one left right away.

“That’s right.”

Willy nodded.

“They’re not gonna order food and drinks?”

“Doesn’t look like it.”

“What are they, Single Meal Fifth…”

“The dragon girl goes around eating by herself like Fifth.”

“Is that a new fad? Or maybe they don’t get along?”

“No, some people saw them when they were exploring labyrinths and said their teamwork is perfect. They even say that they’ll get promoted to F or D rank in no time.

“I don’t get it…”

Nick’s party’s actions seemed strange to the average adventurer. Someone as powerful as Single Meal Fifth could do strange things and people would just accept that it was just how he was. You couldn’t judge someone that could beat any monster by themselves by the same standards as everyone else.

But Nick and the others were not that strange. They had the potential to go up to a higher rank, but they weren’t strong to the point where they were seen as beasts. Each performed their role well, and covered for each other’s weaknesses like a regular party.

“Hey Willy, how come they’re doing so well acting like that?”

“I dunno, that’s why I said it’s weird.”

The adventurers around them thought they were strange, but Survivors was slowly accomplishing more and more.

And then…

◆

“Everyone! Thank you so much for coming to Agate’s live show today!”

““““““““““Agate!!!!”””””””””

More than five hundred people were gathered in the western park of the Labyrinth City.

It was very cramped, but all of them were entranced by the idol on stage.

“I prepared a new song for today. Please listen to “Blue marionette!”

“““““““““Oooh!!!!””””””””

The whole place was feverish.

Agate was a little different than most popular idols at the time, who were mostly small and put on very lively performances. She was tall and slender and had a graceful singing voice and stage presence, meaning she combined coolness with cuteness.

She didn’t rely on flashy choreography, and was the type to have absolute confidence in her voice.

You could say she was more like a classic trobairitz than an idol.

She probably wasn’t in the run for the most popular idol in the Labyrinth City, but quite a few people sympathized with her stoic attitude, one of them being Nick. After seeing various live shows, she became his favorite idol.

“I’m so glad I’m alive…!”

Nick frantically waved around a blue light, Agate’s trademark color.

He was not just living in the moment without a care for the future like he was before, he only indulged in his hobby after securing enough money for his livelihood.

He did not just get a front row seat, he even had money to buy merch.

Nick felt alive.