After reaching the ground, Arti immediately said, "Even though I'm long-winded, you'll still have to look for me properly. I'll be sure to thank you. Well then,'' he said and left. It seems that the destination is the Eltralieu Academy with Franlleure.
I thought that if I stayed at the academy with many students, my wishes would come true naturally, but I was reminded of that when we parted.
''Feng......''
I sigh as I look away from Arti.
The air on the ground is delicious.
The danger of the labyrinth is gone, and a sense of security envelops me comfortably.
But just as the sun is going down, my feelings are also going down.
'Oh, ......'
Today's labyrinth exploration, which I had planned to try out as a solo challenge (solo play) while checking out Dia's skills, only to have the unexpected happen.
I walked out to the hospital, where Dia would be, while sorting through the day's events in my head. At any rate, I'm going to report back to you that I was able to explore solo until the fifth level.
I reach the hospital in Valt 1.
Then I walk straight to the ward and enter the ward where Dia would be sleeping.
The ward was filled with magical light.
The pale light bubbles I saw during the fight with Tida filled the hospital room.
'......? Dia, what are you doing ......?
What? - Rehab.
Dia sat cross-legged on the bed and continued to shine from her arms.
'You know what? Didn't the doctor tell you to rest?
'I'm told. But I can't wait to get back into the swing of things. It's kind of like this week is for rehab. ......
Just relax, okay?
With that, I placed my palm on Dia's head.
Dia stared at my arm and then nodded honestly.
'All right. If Christ says so, I'll do it.
Do it. You don't want the hospital stay to be needlessly long, do you?
Haha, yeah.
Deere laughs happily - after fogging up the magical light - and then goes over the course of today's events with me.
'So, Christ. Have you gone to the labyrinth since then?
'Yeah, I made it to the fifth level on my own with no problem. Honestly, I think I could go further.
I wasn't going to tell you everything.
I want to keep quiet about Arti in particular. Partly because I don't want to worry about Dia, who isn't in his prime, but also because I feel I can solve that guardian (Guardian) on my own.
Whether I get what that thing wants or defeat it, I can end it alone.
No, I have to end it alone. That's what I thought.
'Haha, you see. Christ can do it alone. You don't need me to be there. You should have more confidence.
Thank you. Dia was right. But it would have been better if you hadn't been there.
I knew that there was a lot I could do on my own.
But at the same time, I was sure that I would feel safer with someone else there. I was about to tell her that I would feel safer with Dia's presence, but she interrupted me before I could.
'-No, I can't be the same person I was. Christ, just wait and see. I'll be back in a minute, and I'll be worthy of Christ.
...... um, yeah. Okay.
I was caught off guard today, thinking it was the same as usual Dear, but I was suddenly overwhelmed by the eyes that held firm conviction.
'I'll be out of the hospital in, er, ...... about six more days, right? As I recall, it was the Nativity that day. We're in the middle of the festivities.
A festival?
Suddenly Dia speaks as if she remembers something.
Apparently, there is a festival in the Confederacy at the time of discharge from the hospital.
''Ah. Yeah, there's a festival centered around the Fuzzyards, where the heroes who founded the Confederation are celebrating their birthdays. The whole country holds a national festival in the days before the Nativity, and on the day of the Nativity, a grand ceremony is held in the cathedral.
I had never heard of a festival before, but Dia explains to me that it's a festival.
I didn't know that. I'm from a country so far away that I didn't know about it. But it's just as well. When we get out of the hospital, we should take part in that as a celebration.
I like that. All right. I'll fix it for you as soon as I can.
The air in the room becomes cheerful as they talk about the festival.
-- and time passes as Dia tells me what the Nativity is all about.
In the midst of it all, there was only one thing I wanted to ask Dia.
It was a tug on my heart.
What happened on the ninth level.
About the treatment of slaves at that time.
I'm not sure what kind of answer Dia would give ...... I was curious about.
I just didn't want to ruin this cheerful atmosphere.
I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.
Thus, I ended my visit to Dia with a swirl of emotions in my chest.
◆◆◆◆◆ ...
I walked around town alone.
After the labyrinth exploration and Dia's visit was over, I didn't have much to do.
I thought about hiding in the labyrinth once more, but before I left the labyrinth for running out of MP, I don't want to act in such a way that Arti will notice me.
As I walked, I made a plan.
Thanks to the money I sold off the magic stone of Tida as an example, my options are endless.
However, I've already provided for the necessities of life, and I've already arranged everything I need for the labyrinth.
Before the first challenge with Dia, the things I bought at the request of the toolmaker are still in my 'belongings'. Things like files, cutters, needles, thread, pots and pans, and leather bags remain untouched.
When I think about it now, these things may not have been necessary.
I can bring as many tools as I want thanks to the 'belongings' system.
Therefore, I can go through normal explorer's problems such as repairing armor and tools, and finding water and food. You can take dozens of swords, water and food, even if it's enough for years.
In other words, the explorer Aikawa Uzumi cannot buy the same things as the explorers in this world.
You don't need a map as long as you have a "map".
You don't need a bag as long as you have your "belongings".
It's a good idea to bring in a lot of spares, not mending products.
I think about this as I take out the bag of gold coins from my "belongings".
I rattle the bag and remember the time I got this large amount of money.
A single magic stone in Tida was worth 40 gold coins.
That value was worth the change even if he got a house, which showed how valuable the Guardian's magical stones were.
It was so expensive that I wondered if it was an event item or a rare item of the kind I would later regret selling, but I couldn't afford it because of ...... Dia's hospitalization costs.
Of course, the country's high priest asked me to dig deep to find out where I got this magical stone. I was even told that this one magic stone would advance the 'magic stone line' and 'magic stone technology' for years, and I was held for a long time.
In the end, I just blurted out the story about where to get it and told him that I had defeated a strong-looking boss.
They asked me for details, but I was so selfless that I pretended I didn't remember them well, and finally forced my partner to leave because he was seriously ill.
Looking back, I acted rather suspiciously.
I was in a hurry, so I had no choice but to do it, but this might resonate later. ......
As I continued to walk thoughtfully, I ended up in a residential area away from the labyrinth.
It was lined with rude wooden houses that were out of proportion to the jewel-encrusted streets. And all around us, people were trying to get home, sensing that it was getting dark.
Children, tired of playing, were walking.
An old woman, looking tired, is carrying her bags.
A swordsman, who must have returned from the labyrinth, was limping along.
A woman, who was probably doing housework, is bringing her clothes indoors after drying them outside.
I had never seen anything like this before, as I had only lived in the vicinity of the maze until now.
Then I came up with an idea.
I'm pretty sure it was ...... worth buying a house too, right?
He regrasps the bag of gold coins.
I'm renting a corner of the tavern now, so I have no trouble finding a place to live. However, I can't take advantage of that kindness forever. Normally, a searcher's way of being is to use his own income to get a place to stay.
I have a gold coin, a symbol of income, in my possession.
It's not just a place to stay, but an amount of money that can be used to buy a house.
I start to walk.
I don't walk aimlessly like before, but with a purpose.
◆◆◆◆◆
-- and a few hours later.
A wooden house big enough for one person to live in.
In my world, it's a four-bedroom house.
In such a house, a woman and I were facing each other in one of the well-cleaned rooms.
Then, would you accept a one-year contract on this property?
Since I had most of the shops in Valt in my head, I soon after that I reached a shop that dealt in housing. When I presented the money I had, they welcomed me and the conversation went very quickly.
However, buying both the land and the house would be pricey, so we settled on a rental contract this time. In the first place, I don't intend to stay in another world forever. I'm living in the hope of returning home in a year, so I opted for the contract of renting the house for one year only.
I'll bring the detailed contract with me at a later date, so you can use it right away, okay?
The attendant replied with a beaming smile.
It was a sales smile that didn't leave any room for error. As a customer service representative, I want to learn from him.
Are you sure you want to go to ......?
You've paid your bills. I've written up this contract. There's nothing wrong with that. All we have left is a detailed options agreement.
Oh, I see.
I'll leave you to it.
With that, the attendant walked out of the house.
Then I was left alone to check the house again.
It's a first-class piece of single-family property that you wouldn't normally sign up for. It's a house that sparingly uses magical construction techniques unique to this world, and it's said to have excellent seismic and heat resistance.
In addition, a "magic stone line" has been drawn to the inside of the house, and it comes with magic tools that can be used to flush, boil, and ignite water using magic power shared from the Valt Country. They are all expensive pieces of equipment, and they are all custom-made items ordered from Hoosier's.
I test out the magic tools in the kitchen, which is more luxurious than the tavern where I work.
The jeweled craft-like object is lit with a light touch of magic.
Next is the lock.
I'm going to go out of the house to check out the high-class lock, which is made of magic stones and iron. As a modern person, I'm more sensitive to locking the door, so the perfection of this one is of particular interest to me.
I open and close the door several times with a lapidary lock.
The thing itself is an old-fashioned, large lock, but it closes the house tightly.
It was worth all the absurd requests I made at the shop.
I was able to get something close to my original world home.
The contract money is 10 gold coins.
This does not include maintenance and wear and tear costs. If you consider that if you take out any kind of damage, you'll be charged further money, it's quite an expense.
Nevertheless, I made a lot of detailed requests and tried to keep this private space as close to the original world as possible.
In other words, I believed that in the long run it would alleviate stress and make for a better place to rest and relax. Most importantly, it was an aid to mental stability.
'Ha, ha, ha,'
It was fun.
Time to examine the many properties.
Time to think about what you need.
Time to talk about my needs.
All of this gave me a lot of pleasure.
The act of splurging was fun.
'Ha, ha, ha ......, ha ......'
Then, after a quick laugh, I let out a huge sigh.
An overwhelming feeling of weakness takes over me, and it all transforms into a feeling of regret.
Simply put, I've done too much.
I got too carried away.
I realize that I wasn't as normal as I thought I was.
I used the skill "?" too many times in the Tida fight. ?" many times during the Teada fight, and it's probably due to the fact that I've been straining my nerves to not use the skill all day.
The sludgy emotions seemed to be seeping into every part of his body.
The result of keeping a lid on the bad emotions pouring in one after another - this is the result.
I'm sure the stress has unintentionally exceeded your capacity and your body has tried to dissipate it on its own.
'Too much ....... I wish I had a roof over my head and could even sleep ....... The money should have been spent on exploring the labyrinth .......
Just keep eating at the bar.
There is no point in cooking at home.
There is no need to boil water.
If you want to take a bath, it is more efficient to go to a special facility for that day only.
A key is the most important thing.
What are we protecting in this house? I can put everything in my 'possessions' so I don't have anything to put in the house. It's a wooden house to begin with, so if the door itself is broken down, it's usually broken into.
I slowly re-lock the house and look at where the attendant has left off.
'That guy was amazing ....... He even made me buy things I didn't need to buy .......
In retrospect, it was a great storyteller.
I suppose he welcomed me in the store because I looked like a kid with a lot of money that I didn't measure up to.
I sat down and stared blankly at the street in front of the house.
The house sits on top of a sunny hill and overlooks a residential area.
Great location. It's sunny and close to the labyrinth. However, the proximity to the labyrinth was a negative factor for the general public, so it also means that the property was left behind.
It was completely dark.
The town has been quieted down with fires burning in the background.
'Haha, you've done it: ......
Well, when I'm alone with my thoughts...
...... hmm?
I could hear the sound of animals running in the depths of the darkness.
If you listen carefully, you can tell that it is the sound of something like a horse's hooves clattering down the road.
''-- Magic [Dimension].''
Somehow, I try to figure it out with magic.
I can even feel the carriage running and know that it's similar to the one that carried the slaves before.
--slaves again.
I remember the slave who was made to fight against monsters in the labyrinth and was covered in blood.
It's definitely one of the factors (stress) that caused me to spend a lot of money.
Honestly, it's probably a problem that I personally can't handle. It's so ingrained in the culture of this world that it's useless to take advantage of it, but it's useless to fret over it.
The head that has been cooled down by the dissipation will solidify the response to the slaves in the future.
Yes.
There's no point in helping them.
Even if you save a slave, it's hypocrisy. It's nothing but self-satisfaction. If you are truly concerned about the existence of slaves, you need to resolve the issue from the perspective of the country and its culture.
Do I have the guts to do that? Absolutely not.
Make no mistake.
I don't have the luxury of worrying about such things.
What I have to do is rather use my slaves to clear the labyrinth.
'Hahaha.'
Today, I recreate the dry laughter that floated against the flanlure and others.
And then my brain, now logical, dredged up a plan.
A plan I had conceived a few days ago.
It is a truly lousy plan to find a talented slave.
You can replace the word "slave" with "vulnerable". In the end, you're going to find people who can do what you want and use them as pawns.
But while it was a lousy idea, it was also an efficient one.
What makes me better than others at spending my money? It is a "display".
It's a display that allows us to see details of things and people. It's a lead that even a skilled merchant can't get.
It's easy to find an unburied genius.
The ones that have been leaders of some kind, or have achieved status and fame are the ones that do. But there is a big price to pay for such a person's cooperation. When it comes to taking the initiative, it's a dream come true.
But if you're dealing with someone who isn't using his or her talent, it's easy to take the lead. He has talent, but he lacks ability and confidence. To put it bluntly, it's someone like Dia.
It's easy for a slave to meet that requirement.
I go over the remaining funds and finalize the plan.
I put the keys to the house in my 'belongings' and stand up with enthusiasm for the next time and walk towards the clanging carriage that will be loaded with slaves.
As for the house, I've splurged.
I'll admit it. But I will use the remaining money for the labyrinth. This time the plan is perfect. If it's not a house, it may be delayed, but if it's something with an 'indication', there's no way to go wrong.
However, inevitably, we'll have to turn our feet to the unsafe parts of the Valt, but that won't be a problem. On top of his level in the Tida battle, he has extra power in both HPMP. If I get caught in a rough patch, I can handle it.
I take out a large piece of cloth from my 'possessions' as I walk and wrap it around me like a scarf.
I hide my face as much as possible and follow the carriage.
And then, as the city begins to fall into the darkness of night, and the city becomes tainted with midnight - I reach a different place than the previous slave market.
Even though the location has changed, the format is similar to the previous slave market. This would be another place to buy and sell slaves, no doubt.
Based on the information I got before, I blend into the slave market.