Episode 28.1-2

It's already been 20 years since Nark succeeded his parents to run <Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn>.

Unlike his father who was a depth-crawling adventurer of <Dungeon of Swords>, Nark has never stepped foot inside a dungeon in his life. But he's had experience working as an adventurer, and seen a fair share of veteran adventurers in his life, so he's confident in his ability to distinguish them.

From Nark's point of view, the adventurers Arios and Lecan were clearly a cut above the rest.

The two came to the inn on the eighth day of month 1, Zaka Kingdom year 117. A cold wind blew in when the two arrived on that awfully cold day.

"Hello."

As Nark who was washing his knife behind the counter turned to look at the door, he saw an amiable-looking young man coming in through the door. He's got a slender figure. But you can tell at a glance that the light armor he's wearing is no ordinary equipment, he must be an adept adventurer.

"Oy. Close the door right away."

"Oh yes. Excuse me. Come now, Lecan-dono. Please get inside."

Nark was taken aback when he saw the individual who came in after the slender man.

For a moment, he thought a dungeon-dwelling magic beast had showed up.

That was just how big and overpowering that adventurer was.

He's wearing a light armor with the same material and design as the young man. Meaning these two aren't impromptu party members, they've worked together in a party for some time.

"Err, do you have rooms available?"

"Yea. We do."

"Two rooms?"

"No problem."

<Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn> only has five rooms. Each room can only house one person.

But three of those rooms are permanently in use, so only two rooms are vacant.

"How much is it for one night?"

"Five big copper coins without meals."

Ordinary guests would have gone out right away and never come back once they heard that.

Of course they would. The inn is situated quite far from the dungeon, neither is it facing a big alley. The building isn't exactly high-class. It doesn't have a horse stable. The furniture and facilities don't look remarkable either. And it's got no bodyguard. Five big copper coins to stay in this kind of inn is just too much.

However, the slender young man moved on to the next question without so much as looking surprised.

"How much is breakfast and dinner?"

"Breakfast is one big copper coin. Lunch is two big copper coins. Dinner is three big copper coins."

"Hee. We can have lunches too then."

"If ya ask for it in the morning, sure."

The young man turned around and looked at the big man behind him.

The big man gave no response. Which is probably his answer.

"Then, rooms for two please."

"OK. Go up the stairs, yer' rooms are one at the end and the one next to it."

"Understood. May ask you to prepare dinner for us now?"

"Yeah sure. Gotta wait for the missus to come back, but ya should get it by the Fourth of Water Buffalo. What's yer names?"

He asked their names to put in the inn register.

"This big man here is Lecan. I am Arios. And you mister landlord?"

"It's Nark."

Afterward, Lecan and Arios went upstairs to their rooms.

Nark drew water, heated it up and brought it to the two's rooms.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

About half a period later, the two came back down with refreshed looks to them.

The dining room has four tables each having four chairs.

"You got booze?"

The big man, Lecan, asked.

It's a calm yet deep voice. Sounding somewhat similar a groan of a wild beast.

"Yea."

(This guy's presence ain't like yer' ordinary folk.)

Nark has never gone in a dungeon, but he did work as an adventurer for a time in his youth. Besides, he's lived in this town, Tsubolt, for decades, and had opportunities to see several big-name adventurers in person.

This big man, Lecan's got the aura of a big-name adventurer to him.

And despite his lumbering size, he produced almost no sound when he was coming down the stairs, he's undoubtedly skilled.

"For two."

"Yea."

Nark went behind the counter, took fermented Kizolt liquor from the shelf, and two wooden cups before pouring the liquor in them. The fermented liquor was not stored in a barrel or a clay pot, but in a glass bottle. A transparent amber-colored bottle with an allure that never gets old no matter how long you gaze at it. It's a high-class booze.

He put two cups on the table.

"Two big copper coins for two cups."

The big man took two big copper coins from his chest pocket and left it on the table.

Nark took them and headed back to the counter when he heard someone spoke behind him.

It's the slender young man's voice.

"Cheers (Joo Jood)!"

Then a sound of wooden cups getting knocked together.

The big man didn't say a word.

"Man, that was too much, Lecan-dono. I never would have imagined we would run all the way here from Vouka."

Nark stopped moving for a second.

(What?)

(Running from Vouka to this town?)

(Nah can't be.)

(Ah, right.)

(Must be out of cash, these folks couldn't take a carriage.)

Nark started walking again, but then he it hit him that no penniless man would stay at his inn.

"I cast <Recovery> on you. <Acceleration> too."

(<Recovery>?)

(Yer' tellin' me that big dude did?)

(Guy's a <Recovery> practitioner with those looks?)

(And <Acceleration>?)

(Never heard that magic before, does it speed up yer' running or something?)

He got behind counter and fetched a jar with dried Posu inside.

"<Acceleration> is such a wonderful magic. That really took me by surprise. And yes, I could keep running once you cast <Recovery> when I was about to drop dead. But, that only made me feel like a dying horse who got whipped right back up, you know?"

"Which got us here in eight days. Would have taken 40 days on a carriage."

"Did we really have to be such in a hurry?"

"The faster we get here, the faster we get in the dungeon."

"No no, let's enjoy the trip more. Talking with new people along the way, gazing at the sceneries and townscapes, and enjoying local cuisines in the regions we pass by, doesn't that sound fun?"

"We had meals and booze along the way here."

"Yes, when we were in a lodging. We literally spent all day running forever."

"I wanted to get in <Dungeon of Swords> ASAP though."

"Okay okay."

(Eight days?)

(Nah, musta misheard that.)

(No way you can run here from Vouka in just eight days.)