Chapter 18 - At the Cost of Ignorance (4)

When we dragged the Demon Contractor to the Temple, the Priests took him to the innermost chamber for interrogation.

Me? I stayed outside. I did want to watch how the interrogation went, but my HP started dropping when I tried to go deep into the Temple.

It wasn't just my HP dropping; I could feel something blocking me with all five senses. Rather than being solidly blocked like a glass wall, it felt more like the air itself was rejecting my existence. A feeling like it was getting hard to breathe?

So I just gave up. It was a mystery why it became hard to breathe just by going inside, but wasn't this a game I was trying to enjoy?

I had no intention of pushing through such discomfort to play. Moreover, it wasn't forced like the wagon ride, and I didn't have any interrogation-related skills anyway.

"..."

But if I had known I'd be left alone with the Kimchi Dumpling, I should have just gone in. The rate my HP dropped was about the same as my regeneration, so I probably could have lasted for a few hours.

I ignored the Inquisitor, who kept sneaking glances my way, and maintained my longsword. Compared to the True Two-Hander, its sharpness had dropped significantly, so it needed some tending to.

SHK. SHK. SHK.

I smoothly sharpened the blade with a whetstone I bought from a general store. Since I didn't have a specific skill for it, it seemed the system gave me a default correction, as my hands moved on their own.

CLATTER!

As I was doing that, the Inquisitor, who had been dozing off, pulled out her mace and shield. She could have just slept, yet she started maintaining her gear as if copying me, which made me involuntarily clench my fists.

I recalled seeing a theory once that encountering something excessively cute causes a reactive increase in aggression; I wondered if it was actually true.

"Thank you for waiting."

Fortunately, the Archmage returned before my cute-induced aggression reached its limit.

Whether it should be called hair or a mane... Anyway, the face visible beneath the long fur grown on the top of his head was expressing a rather subtle emotion.

"Archmage!"

"Oh... Maintaining one's weapons and armor saves one's life. You have done well. However..."

Saying so, the Archmage subtly looked around. I had a feeling I knew the reason behind that gaze, so I kept my head down and just sharpened my sword.

Right. Maintaining weapons in a chapel is a bit inappropriate, after all. I know that much.

But my concept was preparing to kill demons who oppose the gods, so I figured the gods wouldn't exactly get mad just because I did it in front of them.

"... Let us change locations for now. There is something we need to discuss."

Anyway, the Archmage returning meant the interrogation was over. Since I had just finished maintaining my sword, I stood up without making a fuss.

Of course, I made sure not to lighten the mood. It wasn't time for my persona to be in a good mood yet.

"First off, the interrogation has yielded no results yet."

"Is that so..."

Then why the hell did you come out? Sure, the time it took so far was incredibly long for a game, but still.

"Just as expected of someone who sold their soul to a demon. They are sickeningly stubborn and persistent."

While I was picking the right line to say, the Inquisitor scowled and growled fiercely. She was usually such a mild and clumsy Kimchi Dumpling, but whenever demons were involved, she seemed to turn into a veritable attack dog.

"No results, you say."

However, when it came to demons, I was the crazier dog! Haha!

"And you thought that was worth reporting?"

I pressed down my voice to create the most chilling atmosphere possible. I didn't forget to accentuate each and every word as if cutting them apart. Doing so makes a person sound incredibly pissed off.

"Calm down. I said there were no results, but didn't I also say 'yet'? It is simply that we have not found anything due to a lack of time. We will figure something out shortly."

And when would that be? Did I have to wait several hours like when getting a reward? Or did I need to clear something first before they'd give me an answer?

That wouldn't do. My full-dive session was ending soon.

[❖ The Evil Hidden in the Village

∎ Talk to the Bishop]

I glanced through my quest window while pretending to glare at the Archmage. It still hadn't updated.

"You had better bring me results before my patience runs out."

I had no choice, then. Since the quest progress was blocked, I just had to do something else until it opened up.

Ah, but maybe it was because I knew the direction of the Draugr incident from the original game? Leaving them to do the interrogation by themselves felt a bit uneasy. Why wasn't there a function to leave party members behind?

"As I thought, I should step in..."

"No, Inquisitor. I do not doubt your skills, but if the Hero steps in personally, it is highly likely that they will keep their mouths shut even tighter."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Being tortured directly by the Hero is a kind of honor to them... It is no different from a trophy."

I didn't know. If I was going to get stabbed in the back, I'd just have to take it. Better to go find another quest than to just waste time doing nothing.

I left the Temple, leaving behind the chattering pair. The streets at an hour too early to even be called dawn were still dark and damp.

"Ah, where are you going, Demon Knight?"

I tried to subtly do some solo activity, but I was caught again. I increased my walking pace as I watched the two NPCs hurriedly chasing after me. It was no use.

"Do you have some business to attend to?"

The Archmage also caught up and casually asked. Both of them looked ready to keep making those eyes—burdening me with their sparkling curiosity—until they found out my objective.

This was the downside of overly realistic NPCs. If it were a normal game, they would have just silently followed me around.

"... Dammit, do you two only hunt demons when someone hands you the information?"

"...!"

"Oh..."

For some reason, the two of them looked deeply impressed by the excuse I came up with on the fly.

"That is a profoundly meaningful statement. I have learned a valuable lesson."

... What kind of meaning was even in what I just said?

"As expected of someone like you...!"

As a player whose quest was blocked, I was just naturally going to look for another quest. Since I hated wasting time, I figured I'd do some side quests or at least grind for levels.

But it seemed that kind of player diligence resonated differently with those two.

Two pairs of sparkling gazes, carrying a different meaning than before, pierced into my back. It was burdensome.

"But isn't it difficult to ask around since it is currently nighttime?"

I wanted to reply, what does it being night have to do with anything, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

In a normal RPG, nighttime just means the sky gets dark and monsters get a bit stronger, but in this game, shops and all sorts of places closed down. That is, the NPCs got off work.

In other words, you couldn't receive quests, and getting information through dialogue was tough. It was another flaw brought about by excessive realism.

However, I had one last resort remaining.

[Somon: Adventurer's Guild]

"Welcome to the Somon Adventurer's Guild..."

The Adventurer's Guild operated 24 hours a day.

"Ah... I see. Many requests gather at the Adventurer's Guild... Among them, there could be ones related to demons. My thoughts were too short-sighted."

I half-ignored the Archmage's words. I guess there was some kind of automatic affinity correction due to the story. Otherwise, there was no way he'd marvel at such a bizarre thing.

"What brings you here?"

Meanwhile, an NPC with a tired expression asked for our business while sitting at the counter. I didn't know exactly, but he was probably an official.

"A request. Regarding demons."

"Ah... You're an adventurer. Then I will check your adventurer's token first."

The NPC, who sported dark circles just like me, adjusted his glasses and took my adventurer's token. The iron token spun around in the NPC's fingertips.

"It has been verified, Adventurer."

He muttered lethargically in a dragging tone.

"There aren't many requests regarding demons... Hmm, are ones suspected to be from demons okay too?"

However, attitude and competence weren't necessarily proportional.

I checked the list of requests the NPC told me about. It would have been nice if he just showed me the request forms, but having him specifically dictate them to me was somewhat inconvenient.

"Exclude anything within this city, or anything more than a day's travel away."

So, by the time I heard the third explanation, I decided to set a restriction in advance.

"Also take out anything that requires staying in one place for more than a few weeks."

"Yees."

The NPC seemed to find it easier with these conditions provided, as he flipped through the request forms with a much better expression.

"And don't just speak; show me the request forms yourself."

"Uh...? You can read?"

... It seemed this world had a setting with a high illiteracy rate.

There was nothing weird about the setting itself, but since the effect it had on players was rather inconvenient, I felt a slight ache in the back of my neck. Technically speaking, I was illiterate too, but I could read because the game system provided translations... Still, it was inconvenient.

"This is... new. I thought the Sage simply had you register as an adventurer for the ease of our journey. But to think there was also the option to obtain information from the Guild."

"Haha, technically, I did recommend registering with the former intention. To think the Adventurer's Guild could be used in this manner... One truly cannot match the experience of an active adventurer. I realize once again that true learning lies outside the Tower."

While I looked through them, the Inquisitor and the Archmage whispered behind me. Perhaps because neither of them were true adventurers, they seemed quite shocked by my usage of the Adventurer's Guild. I didn't really understand why, honestly.

FLIP.

Anyway, I focused on the NPC flipping through the request forms. Even after a dozen or so forms passed by, not a single one was set aside.

"Um..."

When I heavily scowled, the NPC read my mood and rolled his eyes around nervously.

"There is exactly one request that fits the conditions. However... the Temple has already taken up this request..."

What. Only one? And the Temple took it?

"I will show it to you for now. It's a request where the Lord declared he would pay the reward to whoever solves it first, after all..."

I took the request form without uncreasing my forehead. Recently, consecutive deaths from unknown causes in the city. The victims died in various ways. The common testimony was the stench reeking from the crime scenes...

My forehead, which I thought was furrowed to its limit, crumpled even more at the overly familiar details.

"I have already solved this."

Wait. But the reward for this is a whopping 500,000 Gal? Would the Temple even give me this reward...? Somehow, I felt like they wouldn't and would just swallow it up themselves...

"Pardon?"

"...?"

Curious about the conversation I was having with the official, the Archmage and the Inquisitor subtly approached from behind. Of course, I paid them no mind and returned the request form.

I obviously didn't even think about bringing up the Temple. That would ruin my pride.

"Is there really nothing other than that."

"Yees. If a demon appears, the city guards step forward to subjugate it. Plus, since this is the frontier, there aren't many demons to begin with."

Tsk. So that's the setting. Then there are no hunting grounds at all? And no grinding-type side quests either?

Unbelievable. The game is so strange. In a game about hunting demons, they didn't even make any demon hunting grounds nearby. Does that even make sense?

I quickly racked my brain, but I still felt rather at a loss. You normally play RPGs for the taste of clearing quests and hunting, so I wondered what I was supposed to do if those two were missing.

"In that case, is there anything like this? People suddenly disappearing, or an increase in people running amok without reason... I mean things that are a bit different from the usual. It doesn't necessarily have to be a request, but haven't you heard any rumors?"

As I was lost in thought, the Archmage smoothly interjected. The NPC looked flustered and then alternated between looking at me, the Archmage, and the Inquisitor.

"I don't think there's anything specifically as a request... More importantly, are the three of you a party...?"

"We are traveling companions."

"I see... Then are you two also adventurers...?"

"That is correct."

The Archmage and the Inquisitor also presented their adventurer's tokens. The NPC fumbled with them and soon his eyes widened.

"Y-You are the Sage of the Magic Tower and an Inquisitor."

"There is no need to be so surprised. So, have you not heard any rumors either?"

"Uh..."

The NPC suddenly became sharp and alert, grabbing his head a bit. Then, it didn't take long for him to let out an exclamation.

"W-Well, it might not be a big deal, but I did hear some adventurers chatting about how pickpockets have decreased a lot lately."

"Pickpockets, you say?"

"Yees... Not only that, but they said the number of beggars wandering the streets for alms has also decreased significantly."

The NPC stopped there and backed off, saying he wasn't certain. His point was that he had never paid attention to them himself, so he didn't know if it was really true.

"Other than that, there's nothing else that comes to mind..."

"No, that is sufficient."

However, just as the Archmage said, that was enough. In a game, something like that was undeniably a flag.

"Looks like there are more demon bastards."

It bothered me a bit that it didn't pop up as a quest, but considering this game's track record, I couldn't be sure it wasn't one yet. Even just going by my persona's feelings rather than a gamer's, it was quite a suspicious point.

So, I laid out my grim deduction. The Inquisitor must have had a similar thought, as her elegant brows rose and her eyes filled with a blazing heat.

"Are you saying that degenerates who have forgotten the gods' grace still remain in this city?"

When the Kimchi Dumpling and I reached a state where our eyes were rolling back in fury, the Archmage pressed his forehead as if he had a headache. However, seeing as he didn't deny our opinions, it seemed he also acknowledged the possibility.

"... Are there demons in the city?"

Caught in the middle, the official was the only one who gained a new realization. He widened his eyes and stuttered.

"It is not certain. However, it is well worth investigating. By the way, if any more related information comes in, could you contact the Temple?"

The Archmage stopped there, then added another word as if realizing something belatedly.

"I will send an official document to the Temple just in case. Please relay the message to your superior as well."

"I would be grateful if you did."

The official, having suddenly been burdened with more work, gained a sour expression. However, since it wasn't my problem, I gently looked away. I had more work to do than that person anyway.

"Then... we must personally meet the pick...pockets and beggars to hear their testimonies."

For instance, the task the Kimchi Dumpling just mentioned. Because I had to hit the streets and hear it for myself.

[❖ Ominous Omen

∎ Talk to a pickpocket 0 / ?

∎ Talk to a beggar 0 / ?]

At that moment, a translucent window popped up on one side of my vision. It was another quest, separate from the one currently in progress.

My premonition was right.

"... The Inquisitor is correct. Meeting them first and hearing their stories should be our priority. They would know their own affairs best."

"However... how are we supposed to meet them? Do we just roam the streets?"

At the Inquisitor's rather uncertain question, I moved the quest window aside and internally disagreed.

If things stayed the same as the original game, probably not.

"That is possible, but naturally, there are more pheasants in the mountains than in the fields, and more fish in the sea."

Of course, pickpockets and beggars were mostly poor, and 'Legend of Heroes' allocated a separate residential district for such people.

"Let's go to the slums."

The shantytown where the poor but deeply resentful live, also known as the 'slums'.