CH 117

We walk around the city after having lunch. First we visits item shops, and then shops that sell foodstuffs.

We’ll be able to cook if I rent a house, but this is also going to come in handy when we’re in the dungeon.

As we go around the shops, I notice there’s a lot of variety when it comes to portable rations here. I spot a corner in one where we can try samples, and I’ve never had one this good before.

I would still say that it’s better to take the time to cook, but it feels like it would be a great thing for people without anything like an item bag to carry things with them. It should decrease the amount of things they have to carry around by quite a bit.

There are a lot of solid bars too, but is there anything like dry frozen food? The type that you soak in hot water and eat? I would be able to make soups pretty easily, and with a wide variety of flavors too, if there was something like that here, but I don’t see it anywhere. Do I sense a business opportunity?

“Is something bothering you?”

I ask Mia. As we go around the stores, I notice there are times when it seems like her mind isn’t here.

“I-it’s nothing. I’m just tired because we visited so many places today.”

It’s true, we’ve been walking a lot today, starting from the merchant guild. Traveling has been improving her stamina, but it’s still not great. And there was the time we spent investigating things about the dungeon too. She’s probably not too used to that either.

“I see. Maybe it’s time to go back to the inn.”

Hikari and Sera look concerned too.

“I’m fine. It’s not bad enough that I can’t walk.”

“Don’t push yourself. We can continue tomorrow.”

Sera suggested that it would be a good idea to get equipment for Mia, so I wanted to check that out too, but it doesn’t have to be today.

After a bit of a back and forth, we decide we’re going back. Mia looks like she feels bad about it, but I wish she didn’t. If anything, I want her to not be afraid to speak her mind more. I’m not very sensitive when it comes to these things, and I’m not good at picking up on small details either.

She’s become pretty meek ever since she was made a slave. That might sound like a charming change for a girl, but I liked her better when she was more energetic and a bit of a tomboy. To be more precise, I liked how she was easier to deal with.

We go straight back to the inn, and take it easy there.

Leila shows up when we’re having tea in the dining hall after we’ve had dinner. Casey is with her too. They’re wearing matching outfits, or rather, the uniform of their academy.

So this world has school uniforms too. It’s a bit strange how they kind of look like military uniforms.

“Have you had dinner, Leila and Casey?”

“Yes, in the dormitory. That is why we arrived here a little late.”

If that’s the case, I’ll just order something to drink for them. Of course, I’m buying.

“What did you do today?”

Since she’s asking, I tell her about going to the merchant guild, checking out houses, going around stalls, and all the stuff we did today.

“So you are planning to go to the dungeon?”

“We might as well test our skills while we’re here. And I want some magic stones too.”

“That means your house won’t get much use even if you do rent one.”

“Maybe. How do you, or rather, how do most people explore the dungeon?”

“Well… Let’s say you start on the twenty-third floor. You will most likely advance to the twenty-fifth floor, register it, and then use the device to come back. Of course, you could also advance further if you felt you could still go, or you could go back to the twentieth floor and use the device there if you felt you could not get through the twenty-fourth floor.”

Sounds simple enough. I ask if there are items used to come back, and Leila says there are, at least in theory.

“There is an item called return stone. However, it would cost at least three hundred gold coins, although it also appears rarely in treasure chests in the dungeon. If put up for auction, it is guaranteed that one of the major clans will buy it. It can also be acquired in treasure chests dropped by defeated bosses. We have gotten our hands on one before.”

Of course, there are some people who won’t sell them. It’s an item that could save their lives after all. Apparently the guild has a few in case of an emergency.

“You will probably be staying in the dungeon a lot. Some of the people who rent houses do so because they are afraid they won’t find an inn when they return, or rent one together with people they know.”

Leila and her party stay in a dormitory, and worst case scenario, they can go home.

And also, while this isn’t common, some people hire others to take care of the houses they rent while they’re away. They cook, do laundry, and all sorts of other chores like it was an inn.

This can be arranged through the guild, and some adventurers, mostly veterans, even buy slaves just for this purpose.

Mia, who has been quietly listening this whole time, looks up and reacts for a second, before returning to her original position and quietly listening again.

“Also, I’m sorry, but I asked people about renting houses, and no one I asked was very familiar with it.”

“Thank you for asking. I’m sure you’re busy since you just returned to the academy.”

“You have done more than enough for us, so don’t worry about it. We will have to attend the academy for the time being, so we won’t be able to explore the dungeon with you, but how about we go together when we have some time?”

“Sounds good. By the way, how far have you gotten?”

“The twenty-seventh floor if I remember correctly.”

“Then that will be our goal too.”

“I’m sure you can do it, but don’t overdo it. The dungeon is not like a normal hunt.”

It’s getting late, so I propose that I accompany them back, but they say it’s fine because they will be going by wagon. Apparently there are wagons going around the city at specific intervals. They sound like regular buses.

Still, I leave the inn with them and accompany them to the wagon. I feel people’s attention on me, but I don’t really know why.