落とし穴外伝：蛇の道は蛇 (Part1)
Dungeon Side Story: Set a Thief to Catch a Thief
Set a Thief to Catch a Thief
Side: Orelia
We navigated the Adventurer District, weaving through the throngs of children, until we finally managed to locate an eatery.
That said, it was one of the inexpensive establishments we’d been briefed on beforehand.
"Wouldn't it have been better to just ask the innkeeper for information?"
"Walking the streets serves a purpose, too. There were areas where the children rarely venture; those spots are likely where such people would recommend."
"I see. That makes sense."
Prol’s reasoning was sound.
If someone were attempting to commit fraud by invoking Yuki-sama’s name in a place teeming with children, the kids would react instantly. The fact that no such commotion was occurring suggested that these swindlers were operating in the shadows, away from the children’s watchful eyes.
As we discussed this, our turn in line arrived.
The eatery we had chosen was a joint venture between the Adventurer Guild and Weed. It operated on a system where you ordered at the counter, paid on the spot, and collected your meal yourself.
The prices were remarkably low.
At these rates, even the children working in the cleaning industry could afford to live here. In other words, if one were content to eke out a modest existence in Weed, this place was perfectly adequate.
"What'll it be?"
The woman attending to us was a bit plump and had a friendly air.
Unlike specialized restaurants, the menu was limited—a strategy to keep costs down. To be specific, if you wanted curry, you had the choice of the popular pork cutlet curry or plain curry. If you wanted ramen, it was either chashu ramen or standard ramen.
The options were narrow, but having a variety of dishes available at all was a blessing.
"Um, I’ll have the ramen and an onigiri, please."
"Got it. Take this and hand it over at the pickup counter."
I paid the fare and moved along.
Holding the wooden tag inscribed with "Ramen and Onigiri," I handed it to the woman at the pickup station. It served as our receipt.
There was almost no wait time before the ramen and onigiri appeared on a tray. I took it and headed toward the table where Hovis and the others were waiting.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Welcome back~. So, you went with the ramen, Orelia?"
"And over here, we have the grilled meat set and the grilled fish set."
"Yeah, I was just in the mood for fish."
Hovis had the grilled meat, and Yayui had the grilled fish.
I felt a bit like the odd one out, but I’d been craving ramen, so it couldn't be helped.
Just then, Prol arrived as well. Her tray held a bowl of curry.
"Sorry for the wait. Shall we begin?"
We started our meal without making any particular comment on Prol’s curry. After all, our primary objective here was the investigation.
I intended to keep an eye on our surroundings while we ate, but...
"..."
Everyone’s hands stopped, Prol’s included.
The reason was undoubtedly the meal itself. Because...
"...Well, I suppose the quality matches the price."
"Indeed..."
"But it’s perfectly edible, isn't it?"
Unlike Prol and me, who were offering harsh critiques, Hovis and Yayui seemed to be eating without issue.
No, it wasn't that the food was inedible. Compared to the flavorless gruel we were served back in our days as slaves, this was a world apart. Calling it "bad" was simply a sign that our palates had become refined.
And above all else...
"It just goes to show how exceptional Yuki-sama’s home cooking truly is."
"Indeed. We owe Yuki-sama a debt of gratitude."
"It’s seasoned with love, after all~."
"Haha, I’m sure that’s true."
Yayui nodded honestly at Hovis’s remark without a hint of denial. We nodded along, too. That was undoubtedly the truth of it.
It wasn't that this eatery was bad. Providing food to so many people at such a low cost required certain compromises, and maintaining a consistent flavor was a necessity for a place like this. In that sense, this eatery was doing a commendable job.
It only served to highlight how much care Yuki-sama and the others put into our own well-being.
As I ate, feeling a renewed sense of gratitude for my current circumstances, a group of adventurers at the next table began to speak.
"Man, this is good! What is this curry stuff?"
"This ramen here is tasty, too!"
It seemed that for adventurers visiting for the first time, the food was more than satisfactory. Whether it was a blessing or a curse that they didn't know something better existed, I couldn't say.
"Hmm. However, it seems unlikely we’ll gather any information regarding that fraud here."
"Indeed. There are far too many eyes about."
It would be impossible to pull off a scam here. Not every adventurer was ignorant of Weed’s policies, and more importantly, the women working here were citizens of Weed. I couldn't imagine them staying silent if someone were running a scam in Yuki-sama’s name.
"By the way~, wouldn't it be easier to just meet the person in question?"
"It’s not that we can't, but it would reveal that we are investigating. The swindlers might flee or go into hiding."
"But we have reports, don't we? What about those?"
"I suspect the people who filed them don't actually believe any serious action will be taken. After all, the reports came from adventurers who haven't been in Weed for long. Furthermore, there is a prevailing sentiment that travelers who get swindled are at fault for being gullible. There’s a possibility the actual damage is far greater, so if we start asking around clumsily, our presence will be exposed immediately."
I see. So that was why Guild Master Rock and Ovik-san had told us to conduct a quiet, low-profile investigation.
The only other option would be to turn this into a massive public disturbance. If that happened, Milly-sama and the others would step in, and the entire nation would be thrown into an uproar. Milly-sama’s judgment, then, wasn't so much reckless as it was a recognition that they had no other choice.
"Um, so what do we do now?"
Before I knew it, we had finished our meal and had nothing left to do but leave. If we didn't have a plan, we would just be aimlessly wandering.
"Let’s see. Let’s try asking for a place where one might gather information, as if we were newcomers. And let’s ask the types who look like they’re up to no good."
With that, Prol cast her gaze in a certain direction.
We followed her eyes, and there, gathered together, were men who looked every bit like common thugs.