第１８１２堀：表向きは意外と賑やかな町 (Part1)
Chapter 1812: A Town That Is Surprisingly Lively on the Surface
Side: Nina
While we were busy preparing for the party back at the port town of Glass, we have arrived at the town of Suana in the Kingdom of Usano. This is the town that oversees the village once called "The Edge," a nearly abandoned place where a series of disappearances had occurred. It is also the town where an adventurer’s guild staff member named Arka had reached out for help.
"Hmm, looking at it again, it’s surprisingly lively, isn't it?"
"It is. Compared to the state of the surrounding villages, the economy seems quite robust."
Just as Kishua and Sia remarked, the town of Suana is bustling with people. Between the street stalls and the shops, the place is thriving to a degree that feels unexpected for a town of its size. Well, that is simply how things go when a place is in the midst of development. It’s the stage where a town grows from a mere gathering of people into something larger, isn't it?
"I didn't pay much attention at first, but now that I think about it, it is curious."
Despite this vibrancy, there is no apparent reason for it. There are no festivals, no signature products, and no special resources to speak of, yet people are gathering and the town is buzzing. Well, one could argue that’s just the natural flow of things, but...
"I suppose I hadn't noticed because I’d grown so accustomed to the liveliness of Weed."
"Yes, we’ve become far too used to that place."
"I agree."
It’s strange that we hadn't realized it until now, but having spent so much time in Weed, which is even more crowded than this, we simply hadn't given it a second thought. Looking at it with fresh eyes, this level of activity is abnormal for a town of this scale. There must be some underlying cause...
"Well, it’s not like we can just go around asking questions carelessly. We should just head to the adventurer’s guild and speak with that staff member, Arka, as planned."
"True. Though, I wonder how much information we can extract without the Grand Master present..."
"Regardless, we’ve finished our work, so we just need to go and report in."
That’s right—we aren't just visiting the town for no reason; we are here to report after completing a job. We couldn't just walk around Suana doing nothing, or we’d invite suspicion.
"Though it was just a routine goblin extermination."
"That’s about all there is to find in the neighborhood, after all."
"The gap between this and Steve’s lot is staggering."
"That can’t be helped. Steve and his group are out of their minds."
"Or rather, the monsters of Weed are just abnormal."
Indeed. The strength of the monsters in Weed is not just a cut above; even we would struggle against them. If they were to employ their weaponry and tactics, we would have almost no chance of winning. We are outnumbered, and they have the advantage of the terrain.
As we discussed this, we arrived at the Suana branch of the adventurer’s guild. We had visited before, but it isn't particularly grand. It’s just a standard guild building, the kind you find anywhere.
"Still, it’s quite deserted for midday."
"The adventurers remaining at this hour are probably just on their day off."
"Yeah, it’s too late to be heading out for work."
As Kishua noted, the interior is sparse, with very few people. No, there is almost no one here at all. Only a handful of people are lingering near the tables or the quest board. It’s a typical scene for an adventurer’s guild during the day. Though, in Weed, there are always children and non-combatants around, so it feels much more crowded there. Thinking this, I headed toward the counter.
"Oh, welcome back. You were gone longer than I expected, so I was worried."
The receptionist waiting at the counter greeted us with those words.
"Hm? Longer than expected? We weren't on any specific mission, you know?"
Indeed, as Kishua said, we hadn't taken on a formal request. So, I didn't think there was any reason for the receptionist to be concerned.
"Ah, my apologies. I was just worrying on my own. You are an all-female party, after all. And above all, you are all quite beautiful."
" " "Ah." " "
Hearing that, it clicked. It’s not that female-only parties are rare, but they are prone to getting caught up in trouble for various reasons. Especially when they are beautiful. I’ve lost count of how many times people have told us we should have chosen a more respectable profession, or how many times we’ve been harassed by foolish men.
"Fortunately, we haven't had any of that since coming to this town."
"Yes, though that’s mostly because we haven't been staying in town."
"Is that so?"
"We were visiting nearby villages to hunt monsters. Mostly to raise our levels. Yes."
As I explained, I handed over the bag containing the goblin ears—our proof of subjugation—along with the magic stones. The receptionist checked them, looking satisfied.
"Yes. I have confirmed it. Please wait a moment while I fetch your reward."
She walked toward the back, presumably to retrieve the payment.
"Now, how should we bring up the topic?"
"That’s the difficult part. We know Arka’s appearance from the records we studied during our training in Weed, but how should we go about calling for her?"
"Mentioning we came from Weed is a bit too blunt; it might make the people in this guild wary of us."
Even though we had arrived, we hadn't really solidified our approach. Thankfully, it didn't seem like anyone here was suspicious of us yet.
"...For now, why don't we try talking to that receptionist who was worried about us?"
"Good idea. Let’s ask her to introduce us, as fellow women."
"No objections."
Since we couldn't think of a better plan, we had no choice. Just as we reached that conclusion, the receptionist returned.
"Thank you for waiting. Here is your reward. The total is..."
She performed her duties professionally, confirming the amount as we signed the necessary paperwork.
"However, you all have quite high adventurer ranks. Why are you hunting goblins?"
"We came here partly to look for an acquaintance. Hunting monsters was just something to do on the side to raise our levels."
Oh, Kishua is being surprisingly proactive.
"An acquaintance? May I ask who?"
"Yeah, someone named Arka who joined this guild."
"Arka-san? She is in the back right now. Shall I call her for you?"
"Please, do."
Kishua said this without hesitation, and the receptionist headed back into the depths of the building once more.
"Hey, Kishua. What happened to the plan we just discussed?"
"My bad. The receptionist asked why we were here, so I just told her the truth. It shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Well, I suppose. But be careful; there are risks involved."
"I know, I know."
Kishua really is careless about these things.