Ch.47Career Change

“I’m sorry, but I’m canceling my offer to take you to Zemest. We need to go to the Plague Dungeon as soon as possible.”

Those words from my mouth must have felt like a death sentence to Albert and Elize.

It wouldn’t be hard to imagine how they received my statement about taking them to the Plague Dungeon, considering they had barely escaped from the Third Western City because Elize was about to be sacrificed to that very dungeon.

Therefore, I decided to clearly explain my thoughts to reassure Albert and Elize.

“Let me clarify that this is absolutely not about sacrificing Elize. If you don’t trust me, you can stay here while we go to the Plague Dungeon alone. We’ll leave you with several days’ worth of provisions and the goblins’ magic stones for the barrier spell.”

“…What exactly do you plan to do at the Plague Dungeon?”

“Our party has means to find special traps or hidden doors that other adventurers can’t detect. Thirty-eight years ago, these weren’t discovered before time ran out and the dungeon overflow occurred, but now we believe we can locate hidden mechanisms or boss monsters inside the dungeon. If our prediction is correct, we might achieve a different outcome than thirty-eight years ago.”

“And if your prediction is wrong?”

“Then I promise to use all my power to take you to Zemest.”

“……”

“Just so you know, it would be impossible for you to defeat all of us, steal the horse, and escape to Zemest. Even before considering your shooting skills, Ancestor is a specially trained horse that only obeys my commands.”

Strictly speaking, the manual stated that Ancestor would obey my commands only “while I’m alive,” but there was no need to honestly reveal that fact.

I wanted to reassure Albert and prevent him from getting any ideas, not engage in a life-or-death battle.

“…Very well. It seems following you would give us the highest chance of survival.”

“I’m glad you understand.”

“However, from what I overheard, the Plague Dungeon has appeared in a different location than thirty-eight years ago. Going to the previous location won’t help us find it.”

“Hmm, that changes things…”

“Didn’t you hear where the Plague Dungeon has appeared?”

“Unfortunately not…”

If we know the Plague Dungeon has appeared but don’t know its exact location, we have no way to investigate.

We can’t just recklessly search around the Third Western City, so our only option is to hear directly from someone who knows its location.

“…We’ll have to visit the mayor of the Third Western City and get the information.”

“I doubt he’ll tell us willingly.”

“No, actually, because of the current timing, the mayor might be more willing to share information.”

“The current timing…what do you mean?”

“It’s been more than a day since you left the city with Elize. The mayor has likely realized that Elize has escaped from the city. If an adventurer who somehow knows about the Plague Dungeon’s appearance shows up the day after the orphan girl they secretly planned to sacrifice disappeared, do you think they could ignore it?”

“Isn’t there a possibility they might try to silence us?”

“I’ll go to the mayor’s residence alone. An adventurer planning to enter a dungeon wouldn’t go alone, and trying to silence me would only make the situation worse.”

Adventurers challenge dungeons in hopes of striking it rich. This applies even to the notorious Plague Dungeon.

From the mayor’s perspective, we would appear to be “adventurers trying to conquer the dungeon before others to get rich quick.”

But the moment he refuses to provide information or attempts to silence us, we become troublemakers who could expose news about the Plague Dungeon to the city.

For a mayor who wants to keep the dungeon’s appearance secret, it’s clear whether that would be beneficial or harmful.

“For that reason, we’ll head to the Third Western City first. We’ll hide the carriage at a sufficient distance, and I’ll enter the city alone to meet the mayor and ask about the Plague Dungeon’s location.”

“A forest more than 2 kilometers from the city would be good. We shouldn’t get too close in case Albert or Elize are spotted.”

“Then we’ll travel by carriage to that point, and once we reach the forest, I’ll detach Ancestor and ride to the city.”

Having decided our plan, we quickly packed up the tents and canopies before departing in the carriage pulled by Ancestor.

With Ancestor’s power equivalent to 8 horsepower, pulling a wagon loaded with a few cargo boxes was no problem, and utilizing the advantage of not needing rest, we were able to reach a small forest 2km northeast of the Third Western City after about 3 hours of continuous travel.

“This carriage is something else. The speed is completely different from walking with a pack horse.”

“What’s truly impressive is this horse’s stamina. It pulled the wagon at almost a trot for three straight hours without showing any signs of fatigue.”

“Yes, it’s certainly an extraordinary creature.”

Horse movement speeds are generally classified into four levels: walk, trot, canter, and gallop.

A gallop, which corresponds to running at full speed, consumes too much energy to maintain for long periods, so when traveling long distances at high speed, it’s common to alternate between canter and trot to manage the horse’s pace.

However, Ancestor, who needs neither food, water, nor rest, could gallop all day if desired.

There was no point in carrying just one party member at full speed for dozens of kilometers, and galloping while pulling a carriage could cause severe shaking or overturning from minor impacts, so we didn’t do that.

Above all, I wanted to avoid demonstrating abilities that exceeded common sense in front of outsiders like Albert and Elize.

“Anyway, from here I’ll go alone. Everyone should set up a barrier and wait.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright by yourself? Wouldn’t it be better if at least one person went with you?”

“Jessica needs to stay here to set up the barrier, and considering the possibility of outlaws or pursuers coming after these two, it’s better to have as much of our strength remaining here as possible.”

“Alright. Be careful.”

Leaving Jessica, Seth, and Mina in the forest, I rode Ancestor alone toward the entrance gate of the Third Western City.

After presenting my license card and passing through the entrance gate, I saw a cemetery with numerous tombstones arranged between the double circular ramparts.

It seems the entrance to the Third Western City is located on the outer wall, slightly beyond the safe zone.

‘Grave Around… dishonorable as it may be, it’s a fitting name.’

My first impression of the Third Western City was one of overall depression.

In contrast to Zemest’s lively atmosphere, there was almost no sound of hammers from blacksmiths or the bustling noise of daily life, making me wonder if the tragic memories from thirty-eight years ago still lingered.

But I had no time to quietly appreciate the atmosphere of the Third Western City. The most important task now was to find the mayor’s residence and learn the dungeon’s location.

City sightseeing could wait until after everything was resolved.

“Halt. What business do you have here?”

“This is the Third Western City Mayor’s Residence. If you have business inside, present your license card.”

When I arrived at the mayor’s residence following the signposts, two guards at the entrance of the two-story building stopped me and demanded identification.

Following the guards’ instructions, I showed my Frontier License Card and put on a friendly smile as I spoke to them.

“I’m William J. Kim, an adventurer. I have an urgent matter to discuss with the mayor.”

Although adventurers typically speak informally, from now on I needed to sweet-talk officials to obtain information.

A slightly humble attitude would help ease their wariness.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but I believe he’ll see me if you tell him I’m here to talk about ‘the recently discovered dungeon.'”

“…I’ll go inform him. Wait here.”

The two guards looked at each other briefly before one turned and entered the mayor’s residence.

It took less than two minutes for that guard to come running back out.

“The mayor says he’ll see you right away. Follow me.”

“Understood.”

I followed the guard, deposited my revolver in the weapons storage room, and entered the reception room located on the first floor of the mayor’s residence.

The mayor of the Third Western City, sitting on an ornate sofa, was a tall, thin man with neatly combed back gray hair and a dignified style with a mustache and beard connected around his mouth.

“Mayor, I’ve brought the adventurer I mentioned.”

“Good work. You may leave now.”

“Sir? But when a visitor comes, at least one person should remain as a guard…”

“This is a confidential business discussion. I won’t say it twice.”

“Understood.”

As the guard left the reception room, the mayor gestured toward the sofa opposite him and spoke in a tired voice.

“I’m Donald Anderson, Mayor of Grave Around.”

“William J. Kim, adventurer. I specialize in exploring ancient ruins and dungeons.”

“I heard you wanted to talk about a dungeon.”

“Yes, the very one you’re thinking of. The worst dungeon that demands the sacrifice of innocent women.”

Mayor Donald rubbed his temple, let out a deep sigh, and asked in a lowered voice:

“How much do you know?”

The eyes of the thin gentleman I had initially perceived had transformed into those of a sharp hunter.