Puetji-1

I was at the Adventurer's Guild.

A sturdy building made of sandstone, just like the other structures in this area.

While the town itself had a relatively quiet atmosphere, the front of this building was bustling. People were constantly coming and going.

Those entering rushed in with bloodshot eyes, while those exiting couldn't take their eyes off the parchment they held in their hands.

This is the guild headquarters overseeing adventurers in the Puetoji region.

The interior of the guild was bustling with people, but a wall of bodies had formed in front of the bulletin board.

I’d like to see that bulletin board too, but it’s impossible to get a proper look with so many people crowding around.

Maybe the receptionist can tell me when it’s less crowded? I check the coins in my pocket, then approach the receptionist.

"Hello, I don't think I've seen you around here before. You came here looking for the liquid crystal stone, didn't you?"

"Amazing. You actually memorized the faces of adventurers around this area?"

"Everyone—after reporting requests and completing them repeatedly over just a few days, I’ve naturally started to recognize their faces."

"I see. So that’s how it is... I’m here for a different reason. I’m conducting an excavation of an ancient ruin."

I need to gather information from that bulletin board for my purpose, but given the situation... Are there any times when fewer people gather?

I ask while glancing toward the bulletin board.

"Recently, there's always a crowd here, so there's never a chance to rest. Probably... after a while, a few people will finish their requests and leave, so it might ease up a little. Try to take advantage of that opening."

Thank you so much. Um, while we're waiting, can I ask one more thing? What exactly is this rumored liquid gemstone supposed to be like?

"I'm not entirely sure myself. It's said to be liquid, yet it glimmers like a gemstone. Apparently, when a magician tries to use magic by touching it, nothing happens—yet they feel their magical energy being drained from their body."

"Nothing works, yet my magic energy keeps being drained?"

It felt like I'd experienced something like that before—or maybe not.

"I'm not a magician, so I can't say for sure. You're the one targeting liquid gemstones—what's your real goal, chasing ruins now?"

"Taro. I'm following the legend of the hero for a certain reason. Do you know anything about it?"

"Hero legend? Why are you digging into such a fairy tale? Weirdo. Around here, there aren't many ruins buried in the sand—nothing much to know about, really."

"I see... Thank you, anyway."

Just as the crowd in front of the bulletin board had thinned out, he handed over the gold coin. The man immediately grabbed it, flashed a cheerful smile, and then said nothing more.

From outside the crowd, looking at the bulletin board, there were countless requests related to liquid gems, making it quite a sight to behold.

Spotting someone familiar in the crowd before me.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to make a name for yourself in this town?"

"That's exactly why I'm here—preparing to make my mark. You can't get anywhere without gathering information first."

Coil spoke loudly and then turned his gaze back to the bulletin board.

The requests posted there ranged from mining and experimenting with unknown uses to escort duties.

Later, he heard that the mining area had become something of a festive atmosphere. If he had the time, it wouldn't hurt to take a look.

But there was a problem for me. Because of these requests, I couldn't gather any information about the ruins or tasks related to them. I had thought maybe if there were any such requests, I could learn something about the ruins, but that turned out to be a dead end.

Ultimately, I failed to collect any meaningful information about the ruins in Puetoji, and the day arrived when I had to head to Gram's village.

To the people of this town, the ruins were just something that had always been there—nothing special about them at all.

The ruins are in such poor condition, and since they're near a bandit stronghold, townspeople avoid getting close.

According to a guild official, the temple used for religious purposes has been newly established, so there's no real problem—currently, the ruins are completely abandoned.

Apparently, they're somewhat troublesome because they've become a dwelling for beastfolk.

The beastfolk there are small creatures like lizards and insects, so they're not particularly strong, but still...

It would have been helpful to know how the inside was structured, or have a map, or at least some history—but there was nothing, not even a hint of anything, unnervingly so.

I reread the copy of the hero’s diary again, but it seemed he had planned to visit this place after hearing rumors of a legendary monster here, so anything beyond that remained unknown.

According to the hero, there was a dragon here. If that were true, we’d be in real trouble...

The magic tricycle slowly moved along the sandy road. There were no sandworms on the path to the village, so we could proceed with ease.

So we continued at a relaxed pace. I drove carefree, but Gram and Erine looked grim. They were probably thinking about their friend, Erine’s lover.

The magic tricycle arrived at Gram’s village, Lunan Village, in less than a day.

Lunan Village was built on a small hill, constructed from stone or mortar—something like that—and consisted of similar houses standing side by side. A few villagers were outside, working.

"First, let's head to the village chief's house. I'll introduce you to Lord Taro. I think we'll be offered a place to stay for a while. After that, we'll visit the family of our friend."

"Understood. We'll follow Gram's suggestion."

Led by Gram, they made their way to the village chief's home.

The village chief's house was easy to identify—it was the largest in the village. As they approached, the villagers gave them strange looks.

It was only natural, really. With so few people in such a remote area, the arrival of a foreigner and a magic tricycle, one of only a few in the entire world, was bound to attract attention.

Surprisingly, as soon as they arrived at the chief's house, they were immediately granted entry—as if the chief had been expecting them all along.

Inside the room, several people were seated. All appeared to be of a certain age. The person sitting in the center spoke as soon as they saw us take our seats directly opposite them.