Chapter 7 - I Shouldn't Have Done That (7)

It wasn't a quest completion, but a quest update.

"Did you take care of all this alone...?"

"It's laughable to confess that you couldn't even handle this much on your own. Were you hoping to commit suicide?"

I reflexively shot down the mercenary's admiration—it was fun delivering these lines since they reacted to every little thing—and discreetly checked the quest.

「❖ People in Danger

◆ Recover Bodies 3 / 25

◆ Retrieve Belongings 5 / ?」

It was my first time seeing a game that gave out quests even for the cleanup.

More importantly, I hadn't done anything, so why did the count go up? Did it also count what the NPCs were doing?

In that case, I didn't see a need to step up. It might sound obnoxious, but doing petty chores like this ruined my image.

I leaned against a tree on the side of the road. The mercenaries sent by the trading company grumbled about something, but that was none of my business.

"Why did the demons..."

"I've run many merchant caravans, but this is the first time we've suffered something like this in the west."

"I'd at least understand if it were barbarians..."

If there was one thing I learned while waiting for the cleanup, it was that they really went all out making this game, seeing how they didn't even let the battle scars disappear.

Usually, if this much data piled up on the map, it would easily cause lag, so games typically erased battle traces—like cratered ground or weapon marks—even if they kept the corpses, but these guys didn't do any of that.

It looked like Deep Sea Pearl was going to completely dominate the next-generation gaming industry.

"Why did a horde of demons appear so close to the city?! This has never happened before!"

"We must protest to the city!"

That was an observation outside of the game, but I also learned something within it.

Seeing how this attack was so abnormal and unprecedented, it was 100% tied into something bigger. Considering the main storyline of 'Legend of Heroes' was 'the tale of an adventurer gathered to stop the Great Demon: Satan, who broke free from his seal,' it was even easier to guess.

"I don't see the bodies..."

"What?"

"Even if they were destroyed during the battle, there are too many people missing."

On top of that, they were missing corpses? It was definitely the work of demon followers, black magicians... or anyway, some related bastards carrying out a mindless terror attack.

So there would surely be a separate quest later on to find the culprits behind this incident.

It was obvious even without looking. With twenty years of gaming experience, making these kinds of predictions was basic.

"Let's return to the city for now. We need to survive first."

"To think they gobble up all that money yet fail to properly subjugate the demons... The castellan will have to pay for this."

I inwardly whistled while listening to the complaints of those who had barely survived.

Since they even showed conversations like this and the whole return process, it really felt like I was experiencing a genuine fantasy world. This game was truly fun.

"... Good work."

Escorting the returning survivors, I made my way back to the city. An elderly NPC with a rotten expression was waiting with a cigarette in his mouth. His expression wasn't rotten because of me, but likely due to the massive damage they had suffered.

"Just make sure to pay a fitting price."

However, since my concept was having a ruined personality, I didn't particularly care. I had saved this many lives, so was there any reason to show more consideration than that?

"Hmph, we won't stiff a guy backed by the Adventurer's Guild! Wait here!"

If I brought up the demonic energy antidote here, it'd break character, right? Alright. Let's just trust that he'll compensate me for it on his own.

Drenched in blood, I listened to the quest completion notification. Thanks to adjusting the BGM volume earlier, my ears no longer hurt.

But... if it was already chiming, what happens to the reward?

"I'll assign someone to you, so how about you head to the inn. We will pay you as soon as the situation is sorted out."

As I briefly narrowed my eyes at the sequence of events, the middle-aged NPC approached and spoke to me. I was once again impressed by the delicately rendered facial expressions, even though it wasn't a cutscene, and immediately accepted his words.

Come to think of it, the main quest hadn't even appeared yet, so there was no way the quest line would end here. Even the quest window had a single line showing an updated quest.

"It had better be enough to satisfy me."

I stared at him steadily before uncrossing my arms as a sign of affirmation.

I was planning to stop by the inn anyway, so the timing was perfect.

"Of course."

Or maybe the game developers intended this. Even a horribly dense player—like me, for example—would realize by this point in their playthrough that the filth on their body wouldn't just disappear on its own.

"Hey, you there! Escort this gentleman!"

If they made the game like this, there had to be a shower facility. Alright, let's see how they designed the shower function. I'd check out the inn while I was at it.

I had only gone as far as the entrance earlier, so I hadn't seen the inside of the rooms. What would it be like inside?

My heart pounded with anticipation.

* * *

Actually, scratch the pounding heart.

There was water and sewage plumbing, but not every room had an en-suite bathroom, so I was forced to use the public bath. They didn't even have hot water.

Soap was also an extra charge. And incredibly expensive at that!

Thanks to that, I ended up retracting some of my loyalty toward the game company.

When day broke, the trading company's NPC came to find me. He brought a hefty reward, and Official Izren of the Adventurer's Guild was with him.

"Our people owe you a debt."

First and foremost, they paid the price.

300,000 Gal in cash, five bottles of demonic energy antidote, five rolls of hemostatic bandages, painkillers, and so on. Just as I thought, what I had given out to the merchant group members had returned twofold.

"It's a bit more than the standard amount for a rescue request. Are you satisfied with it, Adventurer?"

"It's sufficient."

Phew, standard rescue request fee or whatever, with this many bonuses on top, I had no room to throw a fit.

I shoved the items into my inventory. I still had plenty of space, so I could play Tetris with it later.

"Do you have further business?"

Aside from that, the NPCs not leaving their spots somehow smelled like a quest.

"Not me, but..."

"I'd like to entrust you with another request."

"... Pardon?"

My gamer intuition was spot on. It really was a quest.

Even though the official supposed to be mediating the request looked like she was hearing this for the first time.

"Speak."

THUMP.

I closed the inn room door and leaned against the wall right next to it (with my arms crossed). They had come in just as I was about to leave, so I was fully equipped, meaning I must have looked pretty badass.

"Such a rotten attitude..."

"Elder..."

To me right now, that was the equivalent of being told I acted well, so I gratefully accepted the compliment.

"It's demon extermination. The location is the Northwest Forest."

"What? Sir, our guild has already assigned that to another adventurer..."

"That's because I haven't heard a single word about them resolving it!"

The old man slapped his leg and shouted at the top of his lungs. He truly was a man with robust vigor for his small frame.

The middle-aged NPC rubbed his head, and Official Izren shrank back.

"Do you think only a couple of people make their living off the Northwest Forest? I wouldn't be doing this if you Adventurer's Guild bastards had sent a competent guy in the first place!"

"That's..."

"Enough! Now that I've seen his skills, I'm sending him!"

Temper aside, he seemed to be quite a good-natured person, seeing as how all his requests were for the sake of others.

"So, I just need to exterminate the demon in the Northwest Forest?"

I didn't dislike characters like that. Though I had no intention of acting politely toward him.

"Right."

"Haa... Since you are so adamant, I will proceed with mediating the request right away. However, to the adventurer who already set off..."

"What does it matter if they can't get it because they lack the skills?"

"You still have to pay the cancellation fee."

"Hmph."

While the official and the company head bickered, the middle-aged NPC spoke to me with an exhausted expression.

"Ahem... I'll explain the situation."

It seemed he had given up on breaking the old man's stubbornness ages ago. The middle-aged NPC detailed the request for me. There was nothing worth paying close attention to.

A demon had appeared in the Northwest Forest, and the bastard was a bit cunning so it still hadn't been caught. He wanted me to catch it so people could safely travel to and from the forest. That was the summary of it.

If there was anything unusual, it was that this was a request from the original game, just like the previous sewer quest?

I wasn't entirely sure, but the full-blown main quest would probably appear after this. Since they said it was a remake, it might have changed, though.

"I won't ask you to leave today. But it would be best if you caught it as soon as possible."

"The reward."

"The bounty we placed on its head is 700,000 Gal."

"And."

"... Since this is a private hire, I'll add an extra 200,000 Gal if you catch it."

No, I was just asking if 700,000 Gal was the final reward.

I could raise the price like this? I hadn't even leveled up the 'Negotiation' life skill yet. I put it off to level other things up.

Was it seriously possible even without the skill?

"...300,000 Gal."

I had stayed silent for a moment to ponder the game system. At that, the price went up even further.

"But only if you catch it. We can't pay you if you fail."

"... There's nothing I can't catch, so just have the money ready."

Mom. I always thought I was bad at negotiating prices, but I guess I wasn't. Or was the concept the problem? Mom, should I work with this kind of concept in real life, too?

"Then I will draft the contract for a 700,000 Gal bounty and a 300,000 Gal private hiring fee, totaling 1,000,000 Gal. There is no advance payment, and while there is no set deadline, the reward will only be issued upon retrieving the objective. The mediation fee is 5% as always."

It seemed the official had settled things with the old man in the meantime. Her pen moved swiftly as she drew up the contract.

「❖ Danger Lurking in the Northwest Forest

◆ Travel to the Northwest Forest」

And the moment I signed the contract, a new quest was added.

"Then I'll head out right away."

"Wait, right away? You can rest for a day before—"

"I have no intention of dragging my feet when it comes to demons."

My funds would double just from clearing this one quest, so what was there to rest for?

In contrast to my beaming inner thoughts, I made my voice sound as if it were possessed by Arctic ice. The old man, the middle-aged NPC, and the official gaped like fish for a moment before their eyes turned solemn.

"I suppose we should cover your expenses."

"... Well, since this is pocket money given at your discretion, the guild won't tap it."

The elderly NPC said so as he pulled out more money from his inner pocket. The coin pouch I reflexively accepted was quite heavy. It was 50,000 Gal.

"The Northwest Forest is quite far. You'll need to secure a wagon heading there."

A wagon. So basic inter-city travel was done by wagon?

"A horse."

"If you want to borrow a horse, I can lend you one. But you'll have to pay for it. Horses are precious."

The old man said that and proposed a price after a brief calculation.

"Since I know your skills, I can drop it down to 500,000 Gal."

I felt like my eyes were going to pop out at that moment.

What did he just say? 500,000 Gal? The payment for cleaning the sewer was 400,000 Gal, and the reward for the quest I just cleared was 300,000 Gal!

"Since we are the ones in a hurry, we'll return the money if you complete the job and bring the horse back in one piece. However, if the horse dies or gets hurt, we'll be taking a penalty fee. Around 2,000,000 Gal."

Ah, don't tell me. Was this a system where horses could be attacked too? And horses were expensive to match historical accuracy? I had charged in on a horse earlier—I nearly screwed myself over.

The back of my head felt a bit numb. It was because open-world games rarely ever placed such restrictions on mounts.

Or were they planning to give me one separately later? Although I had a gut feeling that wasn't the case.

"... And a wagon."

Since I was giving off the vibe of a king of bluffs who wasn't totally blind to reality, I decided to compromise on this. I felt a bit defeated.

"You can find wagons at the wagon rental station."

The official replied, and the middle-aged NPC shouted down to the lower floor of the inn. "Errand boy!" Soon, a boy with freckles across his cheeks and nose came running up.

"If you're heading to the wagon rental station, you can let this kid guide you. Or you can just send him if you have no intention of going yourself."

"I believe I said I was going right away."

Should I go straight there, or stop by a general store first? I pondered for a moment before deciding to just go straight there. I wanted to know what kind of messed-up system this was.

"I'll pray that God is with you, you rude punk."

"... May God be with you."

"I wish you luck in battle, Adventurer."

Leaving the send-off from the three NPCs behind, I immediately walked out of the inn. It was a good thing I got dressed beforehand. Thanks to that, I didn't have to show them the sight of me fumbling around to pack my bags.

"Please come this way, sir."

Meanwhile, the boy stepped out of the inn with a cheerful stride. As I moved my feet to follow him, the zweihander strapped to my back made *CLANK, CLANK* noises.

"Sir, you're an adventurer, right?"

The boy kept glancing back at me while scurrying ahead. His bouncing curly hair was so adorable it made me want to pat his head.

"... No."

On a separate note, the answer to that question was a bit tricky. Was I—or rather, was this character—an adventurer? That felt a bit ambiguous.

Sure, considering the adventurer tag I possessed and how the situation was playing out, I seemed to be affiliated with the Adventurer's Guild... but wasn't that just an occupation rather than an identity?

Lore-wise, he was just working as an adventurer for money; he didn't seem like the type to genuinely consider himself one. Come to think of it, being an avenger or a wanderer fit his identity much better.

"I am not an adventurer."

So I would deny it for now.

"... Ah, so you're not..."

I guess I answered too firmly. The boy's cheeks, which had been flushed with excitement, visibly drooped.

I kept saying this, but they made these NPCs so damn well.

"... But I do similar work. Do you have something you're curious about?"

"...!"

The boy's face lit up again at my casually added words. His chubby cheeks flushed with color.

"Um, then, have you ever seen the ocean?"

Ah, even though I tend to get overly immersed, I'm not the type to get attached to NPCs. But in this game, it was actually going to be harder not to get attached.

How was I going to reset my playthrough later on?

"I have."

I'd manage somehow. I was already curious about how the reactions would change when I brought in a different class and a different concept. For my second playthrough, I'd pick a Fighter class with a more cheerful personality that loved interacting with others.

"What does the ocean look like?"

"... It's blue like your eyes, and filled with rolling waves like your hair."

"Is the ocean a similar color to my eyes?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

Giving a few replies to the chattering boy, I headed toward the rental station. The conversation flowed so smoothly and lively that I briefly forgot the boy was just an NPC.

"Wait a moment! I know the best wagon driver heading to the northwest!"

So a sudden intuition came over me.

Ah, this game. It would be worth playing even if they didn't hand out mounts. With interactions with NPCs being this free and diverse, it could never fail just from that fun alone. Though they would catch some flak for it, of course.

"... Ah, those Crazy Pearl bastards."

I merely moved my lips so no sound would escape. It was hopeless. My beloved problem child had returned as such a beautiful game; there was no way I could resist loving it.

"Here, it's this mister!"

"I heard you were heading to the Northwest Forest... Is that correct, sir?"

"... It is."

"Then you came at the perfect time. I was just about to depart. If you had missed this wagon, you'd have had to wait another three days."

... But isn't this a bit much? What kind of open-world game designs its transportation system like this?

I had only wanted to check the system and look around the town a bit before setting off...!

"The fare is 10,000 Gal."

It wasn't like I didn't want to browse the general store or prep my gear by wandering around. But the driver's remark about 'three days' was too massive, so I ultimately paid the fare and boarded the wagon.

It was the moment my loyalty, which had already wavered over the shower issue, chipped away once again.