Ch.5050. Count of Lyon’s Territory (2)

The County of Lyon. This vast southern territory, ruled by the Count of Lyon who has been the leader of the aristocratic faction (anti-royalist) for generations, is a domain based on primary industries, as are most territories belonging to the Frankish Kingdom.

What particularly characterizes the County of Lyon… is that it borders the southern wetlands, providing abundant water resources, and boasts a considerably warm climate due to its southern location.

Combined with the characteristics of the Frankish region, which possesses the most fertile land on the western continent, the county has become one of the most prominent granaries and wealthy territories in the Frankish Kingdom.

The wheat they produce is enough to feed all the people of the county with plenty to spare. Like other territories in the Frankish Kingdom, viticulture and the brewing industry using grapes are also well-developed.

In particular, the sweet dessert wine produced exclusively in the County of Lyon is a product with distinct demand, and the influence of commerce that naturally developed due to its proximity to the largest inland logistics hub in the southern Frankish Kingdom cannot be overlooked.

Ah, of course, bordering the southern wetlands isn’t entirely beneficial.

It’s clearly advantageous that even during droughts, famines don’t occur thanks to the nutrient-rich water flowing in from the wetlands…. But perhaps as a trade-off, they suffer from attacks and invasions by various magical beasts from the southern wetlands and lakes.

Annual occurrences include colonies of magical snails, the specialty of lakes and wetlands, overbreeding and swarming in, and sometimes mid-tier or lower creatures from the wetlands, having lost territory disputes, invade human domains with their subordinates.

Therefore, to ensure the territory’s safety, military power must be maintained by necessity, and thanks to the properly maintained army, public security is so stable that slums don’t even form within the lord’s outer walls.

As a result, the city center features consistently clean and impressive scenery. As I entered the castle with ease, I briefly recalled the past while walking along the well-paved road.

Perhaps it was because they conduct thorough immigration inspections. After joining the line stretching out in front of the castle gate and waiting for about 10 minutes…

“S-Silver rank adventurer…!!”

“Please enter freely!”

Having passed through the complicated and troublesome inspection process with just a simple verification of showing my silver rank adventurer badge, I found it slightly surprising that this city was more adventurer-friendly than I had expected.

In this world, the profession of adventurer largely serves to absorb second sons and below who cannot inherit family businesses, preventing them from straying down questionable paths. Therefore, most adventurers become such simply because they have nothing else to do, and can hardly be called highly specialized.

Because of this, except for some reliable adventurers, the common image associated with adventurers is far from trustworthy—more like ruffians or riffraff.

In reality, the vast majority of adventurers affiliated with the Adventurers’ Guild are people who solve problems too small for territorial authorities to handle directly, living day to day on what they earn.

If someone has sufficient ability but lacks the talent to rise to mid-tier, they would naturally prefer to be recruited as a soldier in a stable territory rather than risk their life as an adventurer with no security.

Of course, such treatment is only given to the lowest copper rank adventurers.

From iron rank upward, the treatment differs even among lower ranks. Adventurers who have risen to this level are genuine specialists in battling large monsters or traveling, with both connections and skills. In most cases, they can function properly as respectable individuals…

‘…Ah, so that’s why?’

Therefore, it didn’t take long for me to reach a conclusion.

Right next to this County of Lyon lies the southern wetlands and great lake, areas with high concentrations of mystery and magical energy but not particularly managed, resulting in monster appearances at levels devastatingly higher compared to other regions.

Consequently, the quests posted at the Adventurers’ Guild in this county are characterized by high difficulty and excellent compensation. In this harsh environment, only adventurers who can survive remain, while the rest either leave or die.

As a result, the average quality of adventurers in the county naturally increases, which likely explains why the attitude toward adventurers in this territory is quite friendly.

The proportion of lodging and food services targeting adventurers in the territory’s industry is not insignificant, and perhaps due to the high average quality of adventurers, there aren’t any who run wild relying on their meager strength—

“—Hey! Do you know who I am?”

…Retraction. It seems there are indeed some inconsiderate adventurers after all.

※ ※ ※

Typically, an iron rank adventurer, while inferior to mid-tier, is clearly in the upper echelon among lower ranks.

For warriors, who make up more than half of all adventurers, they can at least circulate magical power within their bodies to enhance their physical abilities. Basic mages and priests also generally start at iron rank, so magic users are not difficult to find.

Therefore, iron rank adventurers can directly handle at least one supernatural power… Rarely, among those who obtain such supernatural powers, some become intoxicated with their own strength.

“I-I’m sorry…”

“You think sorry cuts it?! Tell the owner to come out!”

Just like those unsightly adventurer types over there, causing a commotion in a tavern in broad daylight.

Chain shirt, leather gauntlets, sturdy boots, and metal greaves. A longsword hanging from a leather belt around the waist, medievally flamboyant clothes, and a small shield about the size of a buckler… armor that seems oddly inadequate for someone trying to look impressive.

With that iron adventurer registration card proudly displayed at his waist, I surmised that this adventurer was probably showing off after having been promoted to iron rank not too long ago.

‘…And those guys?’

Behind this troublemaking adventurer, several other adventurers were gathered, chattering frivolously, and among them was a man who appeared to be a nobleman, cackling without dignity.

The adventurers who seemed to be part of the same party and companions of that ruffian all visibly wore iron adventurer registration cards, but surprisingly, they were quite well-armed as if they were veteran adventurers.

They wore some plate armor parts like breastplates or gauntlets—relatively expensive items for adventurers living day to day—and were heavily armed with at least three melee weapons and ranged weapons.

Beyond just focusing on appearance, they showed signs of preparing for actual combat, so no matter how negatively I tried to view them, I couldn’t say they lacked experience.

…Of course, considering they were heavily armed even when visiting a tavern, they might have experience, but not of high quality.

Especially that man making noise in the middle of them. Who is that guy wearing bizarrely designed, predominantly primary-colored attire that resembles a jester’s costume—something so strange I can’t believe it’s fashionable?

The colorful clothing would be quite expensive by the standards of this era, where fabric dyeing is considered somewhat luxurious, and he was the only one in the group not carrying any weapons.

Just as I was guessing he might be some idle noble’s son, they openly revealed their identity while starting to make a ruckus in broad daylight.

“This great one will pay! In the name of me, the third son of Count Lyon!”

“”””WOOOOOOOOOOH—!!!””””

Anyway. The sight of those idiots causing trouble was enough to make me frown, but I didn’t particularly need to get involved with such lowly types.

It’s always a loss to get entangled with filth. Especially when I needed to purchase alchemical solution for the “Moving Hut” plan, the very assumption of paying attention to them felt like losing somehow.

“…”

So I was about to pass through this noisy street toward the next district, where the Alchemists’ Guild was located in an area concentrated with high-end shops…

“Hey, look over there! There goes a barbarian!”

“”””—WAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!””””

Suddenly, as they uttered words that anyone would find offensive after hearing their leader’s (or sponsor’s) comment, I was about to turn my head with a hardened expression…

“Barbarian, catch this!!!”

-CRASH!

One of the gang members, his face flushed red as if drunk, threw a bottle that landed right in front of my feet. Naturally, I didn’t possess enough kindness to leave alone an idiot who was deliberately picking a fight with me.

…The time for retribution had come.