Volume 1 Chapter 88 Cause And Effect
"...So, there's another matter. It seems that the dungeon in the mountains is unusually hot, making it difficult to proceed deeper. Do you have anything in this store that can prevent that?"
In the heavy atmosphere, Edward quickly brought up the next topic. Maybe he wanted to finish the requirements quickly.
"...Well, I do have something, but I'm not sure if I have enough. Can you wait a bit?"
"Do you have one? That would be helpful. Oh, you don't have to prepare anything for me."
Edward put his hand in his pants pocket and leaned against the wall. It was humid inside the store, but it was somewhat better than waiting outside under the intense sunlight.
"Um, may I have a moment?"
Everyone, including me, turned our attention to Mel all at once.
"Maybe because of the heat, I'm feeling a bit dizzy. I'll go buy something cold to drink from a shop on the main street."
"Dizzy? Mel, are you okay?"
"For now, I am. But just in case something happens, I'll go with Fatina-san. Fatina-san, shall we go?"
Mel is leading Fatina by the hand. Fatina doesn't say anything, she just nods. And then the two of them leave the shop.
-Did she notice something?
Mel probably decided that it wasn't good for Fatina to stay in this place. I kind of understood that feeling. It would be strange for the usual Fatina to suddenly get into an argument and draw a sword. I wonder what could have made her so angry.
Maybe it's not just because she was trying to protect me.
This is just a guess, but could it be that Fatina herself feels insecure about being a beastmen... and got angry when it was pointed out? I wonder why... I just had a feeling.
While lost in thought, the inside of the shop was eerily quiet. The only sound I could hear was the soft rustling when Dario touched the hemp bags on the shelves. There was nothing for me to say.
Edward was just sitting there, watching Dario search for items in the same position as before.
"Hey, old man. Why did you say something like that? It sounded like you actually experienced it."
"...Because I actually went through something like that. There's no other reason. It's just an old man's ramblings. Forget about it."
Dario replied without stopping his hands.
"Well, don't say that. Maybe talking to someone will make you feel better. I'll listen since I'm free anyway."
Edward said in his usual tone. Dario paused for a moment, then started moving again.
"...It's been over ten years now. Back then, I used to run a shop with my fellow beastmen. We didn't just do blacksmithing, we also traded magic items we sourced from elsewhere."
It seems like this shop's business wasn't limited to blacksmithing in the past. The item Dario is looking for right now might even be from that time.
"One day, a person from the merchant guild I was working with came and said, 'We're going to open a new mine, so we want to check it out first and then gather workers.' We immediately agreed to it."
"A new mine? That's a pretty big deal, but it seems fishy. Why did you agree to it, old man?"
"If we can get high-quality ore near the town, we'll be able to make more weapons at a lower cost. Plus, it could be a way for many people who lost their jobs in Metis to earn a new living. That's why we headed out for the survey with the man."
"Oh, that's a noble intention."
"But the place we were taken to was quite close to the mountains. As expected, a drake appeared soon after we arrived. There were adventurers hired by the merchant guild, but as soon as they saw they couldn't win, they ran away. Most likely, the man couldn't gather decent people... because they were too stingy with money or something."
I heard a loud noise, like something being hit. When I looked, Dario was rubbing his red right fist.
"We beastmen are somewhat faster than humans without even training. Although we weren't treated particularly well, we had some gratitude for the deals we've had before. So, I thought we should buy some time for the merchant guild members to escape. Along the way, some of my companions were killed by the drakes. Still, we managed to escape to the town."
Dario said that much and started searching in another shelf.
"If it became such a big problem, those guys from the merchant guild won't get away for free."
"But that didn't happen! When I talked to the guards, they said that what happened outside the town had nothing to do with them!"
Dario suddenly shouted. His shoulders were trembling.
"I heard rumors later that their plan didn't have any permission from the kingdom in the first place. In other words, it was an illegal mine. The guards must have been paid off. They covered it up. Since then, that merchant never showed up in front of me."
Dario took out a small hemp bag from the shelf, small enough to fit in one hand, and placed it on the counter.
"...It happened one day after several years had passed. I was drinking alone at the tavern when a few customers walked in. Among them was the man from that time."
"He appeared again, huh?"
"He didn't notice me. Curious about why they had come to Metis, I pretended not to know and listened carefully. Eventually, as the drinks flowed and he became talkative, the man started telling stories from the past, laughing loudly and saying, 'I'm glad it was the beastmen who died that time.'"
Edward, who had been nodding along before, now wore a stern expression without saying a word.
"My anger got the best of me, and before I knew it, I had punched the merchant with all my might. He fell dramatically to the floor, finally seeming to remember who I was."
From Dario's words, anger and hatred could be felt.
"After that, that guy kept hurling all sorts of insults at me about beastmen. Saying things like you all are worthless. Stupid and filthy. No one would mourn your death, there are plenty of replacements... Then I was dragged outside by the merchant's bodyguards I was sitting with and beaten up."
"That's a terrible story."
"The guards passed by nearby, but they didn't even try to stop it. They just laughed and walked away. It's a well-known fact that the guards in this town don't do their job properly, but they treat beastmen even worse when they're the victims."
I remember the crime scene I passed by earlier. In Metis, even the guards rely on the adventurer's guild. The defense of this town seems to solely depend on the mood of the adventurers. And to make matters worse, there's an increase in the number of monsters within Cretia's territory.
"But I didn't want to leave this town. I didn't want to admit defeat. Besides, by that time, I already had dealings with the Clow Merchant guild."
"You and that store have been together for a long time. Maybe since before my predecessor."
Edward says, looking up at the ceiling. Perhaps he's reminiscing about the past.
"The Clow Merchant Guild never complained, even when dealing with beastmen, and they paid well. Honestly, I didn't want to do business with humans anymore, but I had to in order to survive. Looking back now, maybe it's because deep down, I still wanted to believe in humans..."
Maybe that's how it was.
Having actually spoken to Elliot and Chester, they don't seem like bad people to me, at least.
I remember what Chester said to Fiione the Thief in Trasverum. He said he wouldn't do business with someone he didn't trust.
Even though Dario has been hurt and beaten down, there's something about the trust that the Clow Merchant Guild has that makes him think there's still something there.
"So, that's why you gave advice to that girl as a fellow beastman?"
"Yeah, no matter how helpful we try to be, in the end, we're not treated equally as humans. I wanted to convey that. Those merchant guild... like the ones from Wiol Merchant Guild, they're causing trouble."
"Hmm? Hey, wait a minute. Did you just say Wiol Merchant Guild?"
"Yeah, now that I think about it, the Clow Merchant Guild was based in Trasverum too."
Edward glanced at me and smiled. I just nodded.
"I see, I understand the situation. But what happened to you, what you felt, it's not everything in this world. Can't you understand that?"
Edward said, trying to persuade, and Dario looked down.
"Yeah... I understand. Well, at least I think I do."
"Hey, let me tell you an interesting story. The Wiol Merchant Guild got into some trouble and went out of business. Now, the leader and his son are in jail with their members. And guess who solved the problem? It was Boss Chester and these three people."
"What? Really? Is that true? The famous merchant guild..."
"It doesn't benefit me to lie. If you don't believe me, I can take you to Trasverum after they conquer the dungeon."
Dario's wrinkled face showed nothing but shock. Trembling, he stared at me.
And then, with a sob, tears began to flow from his yellow eyes.
"Oh... Is that how it happened? Oh, thank you. Thank you, Ark. Now, maybe the people who died back then can rest a little easier."
"No... It was just a coincidence that the Wiol Merchant Guild hired adventurers whom I had a grudge. I didn't do it on purpose to destroy the merchant guild."
For Dario, it might have been a good story, but it was just something that happened in Trasverum, and it was just a side thing.
I fought with Allen and the others for the key. That's all.
"Even if that's true, thanks to you, I feel better. I finally feel free from the past. Thank you. Really..."
Dario just cried while putting his hand on the counter of the store. It seemed like all the emotions he had been carrying were released at once.
I wonder how much time passed after that. The door of the store opened, and the two came back.
Dario ran to Fatina with his swollen face.
"Fatina, I'm sorry. I used to think that all humans in this world were enemies, but that wasn't true."
"Old man, I also got angry suddenly earlier, I'm sorry."
Fatina apologized to Dario in a small voice. Her drooping beast ears seemed to express her feelings. She must be feeling really down.
"Oh, forget about all that. It's fine now. Here, take this."
Dario grabbed Fatina's hand. Then he took something out of the sack and placed it on her palm.
"What's this?"
In front of Fatina's gaze was a necklace with a sparkling blue diamond embedded in it. Inside the gem, she could see something swirling like a white vortex.
"This is a very rare item that we obtained in a previous trade. It's an amulet that emits cold air. If you wear this, you'll be able to venture into the depths of Mt. Zepart's Dungeon."
Dario also gave the same item to me and Mel. When I touched the amulet, I felt a chilling sensation all over my body. It was too cold to wear all the time.
"Fatina, try doing what you've been thinking. I mean... I always pray for your safety."
"Old man... thank you."
Dario hugged Fatina and gently ruffled her hair. Seeing the two of them like that, Mel smiled and Edward shrugged his shoulders.
Before long, the two of them separated, and Fatina came back to my side.
"Shall we go to the Inferno Pathway?"
"Yes!"
Fatina, with a big smile, replied cheerfully.
Her ears were already standing up straight.
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