Ch.58Faelus Veil (5)

“Hmm… I should start preparing to leave this city.”

Life in this Vale hasn’t been bad, but I am an adventurer.

I’ve seen one of the 52 Wonders of the World, so now I should see the next attraction, shouldn’t I?

*Rustle rustle!*

I spread out the map and began searching for the remaining three locations on this Faerûn continent.

First.

Shahelm, the city where potions were first developed by humanity.

Second.

Fernheim, the birthplace of Karyl.

Third.

The Crusis Mountain Range, the highest mountains in Faerûn and home to the most beautiful scenery.

“Hmm… It’ll be a bit of a roundabout journey, but if I draw a line like this… and this… I can travel without overlapping routes.”

I drew imaginary lines on the map, deciding where I would go next.

First, I’ll visit Shahelm, then Fernheim, and finally see the Crusis Mountain Range before departing for the next continent.

In truth, the Crusis Mountain Range was the closest, but I deliberately placed it last because I wanted my final memory of this continent to be its most beautiful place.

Shahelm-Fernheim-Crusis.

After visiting these three attractions, I’ll catch a ship to the next continent from Lykard Port, which isn’t far from Crusis.

It was truly a perfect plan.

“Hmm… When would be the best time to leave this city…”

Summer isn’t the best time for traveling, but if we’re being strict about it, nobody should travel except in spring.

I rolled around in bed thinking about when to depart, and soon decided to leave next week on Shinday.

If I’m going to leave, it makes sense to depart at the beginning of the week, doesn’t it?

“Shinday…”

I suddenly recalled learning from my tutor about why a week has 10 days and the origins of each day’s name.

A week is 10 days.

Shinday (兟日)-Saekday (索日)-Jeopday (接日)-Yeokday (懌日)-Saday (社日)-Cheonday (闡日)-Seongday (成日)-Chukday (逐日)-Myeolday (滅日)-Wonday (願日). Among these, Shin-Saek-Jeop-Yeok-Sa-Cheon-Seong are weekdays. Chuk-Myeol-Won are holidays.

-In the broken world, the survivors from Earth advanced (兟) and searched for continents (索), then landed on them (接) and rejoiced in their survival (懌), after which they gathered (社) to illuminate the darkness (闡) and built villages and cities (成). Then they chased away the darkness (逐) and vanquished it with light (滅), for they wished (願) for eternal peace by defeating darkness with light-

…That was the teacher’s explanation, and it was indeed how people understood it.

The memory of receiving my first education while living in ruins that I was almost embarrassed to call home is still vivid.

I remember going to the Education Guild to hire a tutor, and feeling furious when they immediately demanded extra payment, claiming the area had poor security.

In the end, I had to pay 1.3 times the normal fee while trembling with anger, because I desperately needed to learn how to read, and began learning letters and culture from a tutor full of pretension and arrogance.

Come to think of it, considering he taught me diligently even in those shabby ruins, at least the extra fee must have gone into that teacher’s pocket.

“Sigh… I’ve been thinking about my hometown lately.”

I suppose being in the same city, despite differences in scale and development, naturally makes me more nostalgic.

I thought I had no attachment to the city of Parcifal, but it’s the only place I’ve lived until now.

It’s where I first saw the sea, where I captured the horizon and clouds with my own eyes, and where I learned letters and culture.

“Returning home in glory…”

I recalled an ancient saying as I looked outside.

The moon was slowly rising, but the night streets were more vibrant than during the day, with scantily clad women seducing drunken men.

It wasn’t particularly strange, considering that even in Parcifal, the streets were brighter at night than during the day.

Someday, when I’ve visited all the famous places in this world, I will return to my hometown of Parcifal, clutching all the experiences I’ve gathered in my soul.

The reason was simple and straightforward.

Because it was my hometown.

The place where I was born and raised.

And the place to which I must someday return.

“I can’t go back yet…”

I muttered, rolling my blanket into a cocoon shape, and soon fell asleep, intoxicated by the warmth.

*

It was Chukday.

With just two more days until I bid farewell to Faerus Vale, I was preparing for the long journey ahead.

I was not only shopping but also taking on any job I could find to earn travel money, completing quests and collecting silver and copper coins.

“Um… excuse me…”

“Yes?”

“Is there some trouble in your family?”

“…?”

When I took on my tenth quest of the day, the receptionist asked me cautiously, and I could only respond with a question mark, unable to understand what she meant.

Is there trouble in your family?

What kind of creative nonsense is this?

Of course, people here wouldn’t know I’m an orphan, but is proselytizing by individuals legal at the central branch?

“Well… you’ve completed nine quests just today… wouldn’t it be better to rest now?”

“What are you talking about? I’ve only completed nine quests.”

“No, I mean, it’s good to see you working hard, but there should be limits. If you collapse from overwork, we can’t take responsibility.”

“Isn’t an adventurer responsible for themselves? It’s just nine quests, how is that overworking…”

“But haven’t you been working for over 12 hours today?”

“So what?”

What… is she trying to say?

As I stared blankly, another adventurer stepped between us and cleared his throat, attempting to explain the situation.

“Good grief, you’re making this difficult… Ahem! So… what’s your name?”

“Viktor.”

“Right, Viktor. Simply put, if you collapse from working too hard, it complicates things for the guild. If a young person like you collapses, not some elderly adventurer, it damages the guild’s image. If you die during an adventure, that’s not our concern, but if you stagger and fall inside the guild, things get complicated.”

“Ah… but I’ve only been working for 12 hours.”

“You do know that the standard working day is 12 hours, right? Haven’t you heard of the rule of 12 hours work, 12 hours leisure, and 12 hours sleep?”

“No, I don’t. I’ve always worked 240 hours a week.”

“Good grief…”

When I said that, everyone in the guild stared at me with wide eyes.

What? Why are you looking at me like that?

…Am I the only one who has experienced working 240 hours a week?

“Judging by your eyes, you’re not lying… but take it easy. If you die from working 240 hours a week, think how sad your parents would be.”

“I’m an orphan.”

“…”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

*

After a bit of commotion, I was able to leave the guild normally and completed my tenth quest cleanly.

Afterward, I considered taking on an eleventh quest, but given what had just happened and not wanting to worry those who cared about me, I concluded it would be better to return to the inn and rest for the day.

“Well, rest is important too.”

The division of 12 hours each for rest, work, and leisure originated from the ancient empire, but neither then nor now has this custom or law been properly observed.

Flexible working hours were common—working more on busy days and less on slow days—which was practical, and as long as the contracted wages were paid properly, everything was fine.

Moreover, this wasn’t an era of universal poverty like the First Age; with just the minimum wage, one could easily make a living working 12 hours a day.

In my case, however, I had so many financial goals that I worked more to earn more money.

If time is short, I can reduce my leisure time, and if that’s not enough, I can cut down on sleep.

If you rest all you want, play all you want, buy all you want, and eat all you want, when and how will you save money?

I’m just a bit more diligent than others and have a bit more stamina.

Not all efforts are always rewarded, but making efforts that can be rewarded is ultimately about one’s own ability, isn’t it?

In that sense, I really chose my profession well.

As an adventurer, no one takes responsibility for you, but in return, you get to keep all the rewards of your efforts.

I’m just an orphan whom no one will remember, so even if I die, it’s just a return to square one.

And if I achieve great feats, no one can diminish my success by attributing it to lovers, friends, or family.

“When I go to Fernheim, I should make a substantial donation.”

I muttered this as I turned off the lamp, gazing at the Wonday night.