Chapter 22: Sub-Dungeon #1

Chapter 22: Sub-Dungeon #1

In the bustling commercial district of the frontier.

Wagner and I stopped by here to do some shopping.

To conquer the sub-dungeon of the underground waterway, “Contaminated Deposit,” proper preparation is essential.

No matter how skilled an adventurer is, they can’t perform at their best without adequate supplies.

“Wagner, how about this one?”

“It looks okay. It’s a bit worn, but I like the color.”

“No, I’m not talking about the design… Oh well.”

The first item I chose was a “Large Capacity Storage Bag.”

It looks just like a duffel bag used in the military, but it’s a convenient bag with a magic rune connected to an extra-dimensional space, allowing it to hold many items at once.

However, just like storage bags, there are luxury ones and cheap ones.

The bag I found now is apparently a frontier-level item, so its quality isn’t exactly outstanding.

「Large Capacity Storage Bag

-Equipment Item

-Durability 17/19

-A rugged bag that can carry a lot of luggage.

-Additional Option: 「Imperfect Extra-Dimensional Warehouse」」

「Imperfect Extra-Dimensional Warehouse

-Other items can be stored within the extra-dimensional space of equipment with this option.

-Items stored inside will retain their original properties until the equipment is destroyed.

-The “Large Capacity Storage Bag” can store 40 items.

-This rune has a defect.

A portion of the weight of items stored in the extra-dimensional space is added to the bag’s weight.」

In short, this bag can hold a lot of items, but it also becomes heavier.

Still, it’ll reduce the original weight of the luggage by less than a tenth, but low-grade storage bags do have functional flaws.

Well, anyway…

I’m not the one who will be carrying it, so it doesn’t matter.

“Here. Start using this bag from now on.”

I handed the bag to Wagner.

“Is it really okay? It looks like you spent quite a bit of money on it…”

“I’m lending it to you. As far as I can see, Wagner is the only one in our party who can properly use this bag. You’re the strongest.”

“I see. Alright.”

Wagner slung the bag over his shoulder and smiled with satisfaction.

Good. From now on, you’re our party’s porter.

With that, the bag issue is settled.

Next, I bought various tools needed for hunting.

Herbs for treating wounds, bandages, emergency scrolls, lamps for lighting and oil, and so on…

We can’t forget food either.

If you’re starving, you won’t have the strength to fight.

Dried grains, dried meat, chicken stock, water, seasonings, and various other ingredients.

Cooking utensils like large pots, mess kits, and ladles are also essential.

“Hmm.”

Wagner looked at me with an intrigued gaze.

“Are you planning to cook?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“You have many talents. I’ve only ever eaten preserved rations.”

I could almost picture the kind of life Wagner had lived until now.

He probably just forced down dry, crumbly bread with water, his meals solely for appeasing hunger.

Just like the lives of most adventurers.

But I don’t want to give up the pleasure of eating.

In the harsh life of an adventurer, where there are few amusements, you have to endure by eating delicious food, otherwise, what else is there to look forward to?

Moreover, there’s a bonus from the “Cooking” skill when you eat food prepared with care.

It increases stats and offers various benefits that aid in combat, so it’s a win-win.

Although my Cooking skill level is still low and not yet at a remarkable level, if I continue to train it, I’ll receive considerable bonuses later.

“Have you heard about the rest stop curry? I’m the protagonist of that legend. You can look forward to it later.”

“Oh? I’m already looking forward to mealtime.”

Finally, I bought a bundle of clothes by rummaging through the newly arrived ‘Brave Warriors’.

The design doesn’t matter; the goal is to have a variety of sizes.

Our party members have different body types, so choosing clothes is quite a task.

“Do you need clothes too?”

“You’ll see later.”

Wagner tilted his head, as if he couldn’t quite understand this part, but he put the bundle of clothes into the bag as I instructed.

Why would we need extra clothes to go conquer the Contaminated Deposit?

The reason for that will be felt more keenly through direct experience than a hundred explanations.

After finishing our shopping.

“Wagner, I feel a bit regretful just going back. Shall we grab some rat meat skewers?”

“Sounds good.”

Having completed our tasks, we headed towards the town center with a sense of accomplishment.

“Two skewers, please. With plenty of sauce.”

Taking a large bite of the chunky meat, I couldn’t help but smile.

It’s true that humans are animals that adapt to anything.

At first, I was disgusted by the thought of eating rat meat, thinking, ‘How could I possibly eat that?’

But now, just the smell makes my mouth water.

“Are you here with your dad? How cute. Here, have another one.”

The skewer vendor looked at me with a pleased expression and gave me a freebie.

What the heck? First Mitchell yesterday, and now these guys? Are they all blind?

‘Dad’? Following my dad?

Would a normal girl come to a place like the Garden Frontier?

I wanted to retort immediately…

But if I swallow my pride for just a moment, I can get a free skewer.

My heart wavered.

I stood there for a moment, lost in deep contemplation.

Pride?

Or practicality?

What is the right answer?

No, is this even a problem worth contemplating? I don’t even know that.

“Hey, this girl isn’t my daughter-“

“Dad.”

“⋯What?”

“Let’s go quickly. Mom must be waiting.”

Enduring the humiliation, I tightly grasped Wagner’s hand.

Was it a mistake to come with Wagner, who is so much taller than me?

If I had come with Flora or Mitchell, would I not have been treated as a daughter?

⋯No, who knows. If that were the case, I would have been treated as a younger sister tagging along with her older sister.

I’ve decided to call this incident “The Humiliation of Garden” today.

Unless I return as a fearsome lich, infamous throughout the continent, today’s humiliation will repeat endlessly.

I’ll engrave it in my heart.

Today’s humiliation.

My act of pretending to be an innocent girl just to get a free skewer.

I roughly tore into the sweet and spicy skewer, clenching my small fist.

Wagner gently patted my shoulder.

“People tend to judge others easily based on their appearance. Estel, don’t worry too much about it.”

“⋯Yeah. Thanks.”

“I experience that often too. People often call me a bear just because of my large build-“

“No, you are a bear. This is a bit different.”

“⋯.”

Wagner’s shoulders slumped dejectedly.

Just then, I noticed a crowd gathered in the middle of the street.

It looked like a spectacle, with people forming a circle around something.

What’s going on?

I tried to see inside the crowd.

‘Ah, I can’t see anything.’

Even standing on tiptoe or jumping around is useless because I’m so short.

Damn this tiny body of mine.

I turned to Wagner.

“Dad!”

“⋯You seem to have gotten used to that title quickly.”

“I can’t see. Lift me up.”

Wagner lifted me up and placed me on his shoulders, and then I could finally see what was happening beyond the crowd.

“Ah.”

There were familiar faces.

Dawson, the leader of the Vigilantes, and his subordinates.

In front of them, several people with swollen faces were kneeling on the ground.

Judging by the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like a pleasant event.

“Listen up, everyone.”

Dawson said, resting his mace on his shoulder.

“These guys broke the rules of the frontier. They repeatedly acted selfishly, only looking out for themselves, and thereby disrupted the order of the community. We, the Vigilantes, couldn’t stand by and watch. Hey, tell us what you did.”

Dawson kicked the back of one of the kneeling men.

CRUNCH.

The man, who had his face buried in the ground by the fierce kick, trembled and barely managed to get up.

“⋯I, I… hunted monsters without permission…”

“I can’t hear you, you bastard. Louder!”

Another kick.

The vigilantes standing behind Dawson chuckled as if they were playing a fun game.

The gathered crowd only murmured in low voices; no one tried to stop the Vigilantes.

“I… secretly hunted monsters without the Vigilantes’ permission…!”

“Fred, why did you do that? Control is only meaningful if everyone follows it without exception. We’re all trying to succeed together, so why don’t you listen, huh?”

“Th-that’s…!”

“Enough. Stop making excuses. If you did wrong, you should accept your punishment like a man, right?”

Dawson aimed his mace at Fred’s head a couple of times, like a batter stepping up to the plate, and then raised the mace high into the air.

‘The main story of the frontier has progressed this far.’

「Vigilante Monster Control」.

The Vigilantes, whose power had grown increasingly, began to exert influence on the frontier under the command of the cruel leader, Dawson.

Controlling monster hunting around the frontier and demanding a portion of the spoils as tribute were among the atrocities committed by the Vigilantes.

I subtly glanced at Wagner’s face.

It would be problematic if he suddenly stepped forward, driven by his flimsy sense of justice.

“Don’t worry, Estel. I have no intention of acting rashly.”

Wagner said in a low voice, noticing my gaze.

Deep wrinkles were etched on Wagner’s forehead.

“Besides, Fred’s gang also has a bad reputation. It’s unfortunate, but it’s ultimately his own doing.”

“Yeah.”

“But… I don’t like it.”

Wagner glared at Dawson with a stern expression.

I wanted to joke that he looked like a gorilla when he scowled…

But it wasn’t the right atmosphere.

Dawson brought down his mace.

CRACK.

THWACK.

Unpleasant sounds of heads bursting echoed in succession.

It took less than 30 seconds for Fred and his gang to fall, one after another, becoming corpses.

“Kyaak!”

“Hieek…”

“Hoo- Well, I mean… they didn’t have to go that far… How cruel.”

The crowd lamented.

It was a gruesome sight, but I didn’t look away.

In the world of “Nine Stars,” a weak-hearted person who looks away here cannot survive.

I have to get used to it.

Otherwise, I’ll be the one to suffer next.

“What are you guys doing here!”

Two guardsmen ran over belatedly.

The Vigilantes didn’t even bother to look at them anymore. They just exchanged glances and smirked amongst themselves.

“Nothing happened, why are you here?”

Dawson said nonchalantly, wiping his bloody mace.

“What? What are all these corpses, you bastard!”

“⋯Bastard?”

Dawson’s cold eyes fixed on the guardsman.

The guardsman flinched and took a step back.

“Wh-what’s with that look?”

“I helped you, didn’t I? Why are you making such a fuss? You guys were so slow to do your jobs, so I just cleaned up a few pieces of trash for you.”

Dawson’s subordinates tapped their weapons, subtly surrounding the guardsmen.

The Vigilantes were not inferior to the guardsmen in terms of skill or the quality of their equipment.

It was natural for the two guardsmen to be flustered, unable to do anything.

‘A major clash is imminent.’

The simmering tension between the Vigilantes and the Guards, which had been hidden beneath the surface, was about to escalate.

“Let’s go.”

I hopped off Wagner’s shoulder.

I’ve seen enough.

It’s time for me to get back to my own business.

As I walked away from the crowd, I felt a gaze from behind.

“⋯.”

It was Dawson.

His hyena-like grayish-white eyes.

Dawson, with his mace resting on his shoulder, watched me with a circling smile.

A killer’s smile played on his lips, as if saying, ‘You’re next.’

“Estel?”

Wagner turned back to me, who had suddenly stopped walking.

“No, let’s go.”

Yeah, laugh it up, you bastard.

You’ll bitterly regret not killing me when you had the chance, because soon…