Volume 2 Chapter 6 Where Is The Book(Ask)
So, we left the shop after getting directions to the main street. As we walked down the road, I couldn't help but stare at the silver coins in my hand. It was lucky to come across some unexpected money like this.
"But seriously, who just hands out silver coins like that?"
"That guy, Albert, must be really wealthy or something."
"He also seems well-bred. Quite the opposite of us, huh?"
Albert had two tasks for us. The first was to gather interesting rumors and stories, and the second was to get our hands on an old book that talks about this place. If things go well with the book, we could get twenty gold coins... which would be two hundred silver coins. We wouldn't have to worry about food for a while. It would be a shame to let this opportunity slip away.
"What do you think about what he told us earlier?"
"Just my impression, but it doesn't seem like he's involved in any criminal activities. Besides, if he just wanted to dismiss us, he wouldn't need to give us silver coins over tea."
"That's true. Do you think there's a way to accomplish this?"
"Well, we might hear something interesting at the guild or tavern, but I have no idea where to find the book. If it was something you could buy in this town, he would have already gotten it by now."
"So, it's a problem that can't be solved with money, huh?"
"Seems like it."
Leanne's guess seems to be accurate. It appears that Albert lives near Voljanath, judging by his frequent visits to Wallace's store and his extensive knowledge of this town. The fact that he has reached out to us for help suggests that the item we're looking for is not easily obtainable.
"So, we should search for places where Albert is unlikely to go."
"We could either search in another town or go to a place where old items are likely to be found."
If we were to go to another town, walking would not be feasible. Using a carriage would cost money, and besides, we don't even know the price of the book. If we are lucky enough to find it, we could inform Albert and receive a reward. Otherwise, it would be a wasted effort.
Another possible method is to go to a place where there might be old books still remaining.
"Hey, if it's a dungeon deep in the forest, maybe it's still there."
"Sounds like a crazy idea, Ark."
"I thought you'd say that."
"After all, we're not your average adventurers, and we can't just go fighting monsters like it's no big deal. We don't even know our Level Cap or skills, let alone have proper weapons."
Monsters are in the dungeon, and it's dangerous to go deeper without experience or some knight's help. Obviously, we're neither of those, and we're at a disadvantage here.
"Seriously, books don't just last for hundreds of years, do they?"
"But wit's twenty gold coins. With that much, we could eat something really fancy. If we give him something that looks valuable, maybe Albert will be happy."
"That's if we're still alive by then. If we do go, come up with a plan that I can agree with first."
Leanne looks annoyed. Seems like we need to figure out a way to do this.
When we delivered those herbs, Eric said, "If you want to make money, you've got to use your head more."
Our only possessions are three silver coins we just got and a lantern from that beastwoman. We could buy a knife with the silver coins, but it doesn't seem like a good idea to fight monsters.
So, it looks like we need to go deeper into the dungeon without fighting any monsters...
So, after thinking about it for a while, I had a brilliant idea.
"Not gonna lie, it's not entirely without danger, but I found a way."
"What's the plan?"
"For now, let's go to the Adventurer's Guild."
Leanne tilted her head in confusion and I took her hand as we made our way to the Adventurer's Guild. We followed the directions we had heard and finally made it to the main street. Along the way, we stopped at a shop to buy more oil for our lantern before entering the guild building.
The guild was just as crowded with adventurers as it was yesterday. It seemed like no newbies were showing up. Eric, who was sitting at the counter looking bored, noticed us and silently gave us a nod, so we decided to approach him.
"Well, it looks like you two are still alive. What's the plan for today? More weeding?"
"No, we received a request to find some old books."
"Books? Was that request on the bulletin board?"
"I met someone who is looking for old books about this region. They seem to be in trouble, so I want to help them."
"Oh, I see. That's a tough one. If it doesn't relate to our business, I guess it doesn't really matter."
Actually, we're in a bit of a financial bind, but let's keep that to ourselves. Eric doesn't seem too interested and looks tired, resting his chin on his hand.
"It might be quicker to ask a merchant for help, don't you think? I mean, asking adventurers like you... Hm? Wait a minute."
Eric touches his forehead and starts pondering something. Suddenly, his expression changes to a surprised one.
"The person who requested your help, was he a young, well-dressed man by any chance?"
"Do you know him?"
"A few years ago, we received the exact same request at the guild. Isara explained that it wasn't specific enough in terms of the item, so she withdrew it. But I never expected that he was still looking for it."
"Is that so? But why has he been investigating for such a long time?"
"Just to be sure, what did he call himself?"
"Albert."
Eric suddenly looked around anxiously and beckoned for Leanne and I to come closer. It seemed like he wanted to whisper something. Curious, Leanne and I followed his instructions. Eventually, Eric lowered his voice and began to speak.
"You know, Albert-sama is the lord of this region."
"Huh? Does that mean he's a noble?"
"That's right. At the very least, the Count is not the kind of person who would easily meet someone like us common folks. How did you two meet?"
"We just had a brief conversation when we entered a shop in the back alley. I explained that we were looking for work, and he offered us a job."
"I hope you didn't mess up."
"I don't think I did. I mean, I hope I didn't. Did I?"
"Well, there were no guards around, and you probably didn't think he was someone important."
"I felt the same way. Isn't it common for the servants to handle the work anyway?"
"I don't know the reason. But it seems like he's genuinely concerned about the state of his territory. Monsters have been increasing in this area recently, particularly in the dungeon. He's been thoroughly investigating it."
"The dungeon? You mean that forest?"
"That's right. This is not publicly known information, but there are research results suggesting that the water quality and ecosystem in this area are being influenced by the forest dungeon."
"Is the ecosystem really that extraordinary?"
"Well, the fact that you guys can easily gather medicinal herbs is one reason. Even though they grow naturally, the abnormal speed of their growth is unique to this region."
"Now that you mention it, that might be true. I heard tea leaves are a specialty here."
"It seems quite exciting, doesn't it, Eric?"
"!?"
Suddenly, Isara was standing right behind Eric without him noticing. When Eric turned around, he scratched the back of his head with a guilty expression.
"No, it's not like that. I just gave some advice."
"That's not your job. I heard there's a shortage of manpower behind the scenes, so help out. We're good here."
"...You guys, don't do anything dangerous, okay?"
Maybe because he couldn't argue back, Eric stood up and walked towards the back of the building.
"If you guys want to be adventurers for a long time, it's better not to get involved in unnecessary things."
Isara said in a cold tone and immediately left the scene.
"What are we going to do?"
"I don't know the details, but it doesn't change what we have to do."
By the way, I never would have thought that Albert was a noble ruling this region. But his background seems solid, and it doesn't seem like he would break his promises even if we get our hands on ancient documents. Maybe he'll even try to trick us more. As long as we get the money, we have no complaints on our end.
We quietly moved to the edge of the guild, listening intently as we waited.
If things went well, we could gain something without much effort.
"Let's wait a bit."
"I understand what you're thinking, for the most part."
It seemed like Leanne had understood my thoughts. Maybe because it wasn't a straightforward approach, she didn't seem too pleased.
After a while, the conversation I had been hoping for reached my ears. It was a group of four, looking experienced. Their equipment seemed to be of good quality.
"We're all set. Let's head to the dungeon."
Once the four of them left the guild, Leanne and I decided to follow them.
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