episode_0049

All conditions for city promotion have been met.

Bookshelves have been installed around the village, and cobblestones have been laid on all roads.

A street with various technicians and merchants has emerged, and unused buildings have been renovated to create schools and small clinics.

It’s summer. Cicadas chirp, the sun beats down, and so on and so forth.

I was still in the early spring when traces of winter remained.

As I tore apart a dry bread on the shelf, determined to urbanize the village to lead a safer and more comfortable NPC life, within just a few months, my wish of achieving city promotion is right before my eyes!

“Haah, haah, Jack. Haah….”

The administrator sighed strangely, exhaling hot breath continuously.

Clutched in her hand was the city promotion application form ready to be submitted.

The completed application was almost as thick as a book.

Various documents related to the 200 evaluation criteria for city promotion were gathered as much as possible.

Once it goes through, the Land Development Evaluation Team will be dispatched to thoroughly inspect our village from the ground up to determine if it can indeed be promoted to a city.

In the game, you don’t actually receive such things directly; there are related quests.

Well, in one city, the quest involves rescuing the evaluation team that got kidnapped or attacked.

Let’s hope our village doesn’t get involved in such strange events.

“I’m going crazy… I’m so nervous I feel like I’m going to die….”

The administrator trembled, sweating coldly.

“A city… I’ve never even thought about it…. I thought I would just linger here, barely surviving, either getting kicked out after causing trouble or the village facing ruin…. A city….”

“Don’t be too nervous, Administrator. You’ll faint when the evaluation team arrives.”

“I don’t know, Jack…. I really don’t know…. Can I handle this stroke of luck…. It’s all because you moved for the sake of the village….”

“Haha, yes. I’ll continue to help you in the future. Administrator, don’t give up. You’re doing well now.”

“Thank you…. Thank you….”

It was decided to send the application to the Knights of Liberonne.

It’s a very important document. Things must not go wrong in the middle.

* * * * *

After seeing off the Liberonne party, I strolled along the river with Brasha, taking the pigs for a walk.

“Hey, Brasha.” “What?”

“Do you like living here?”

“Yeah. Of course I do. Why are you asking that?”

“Just curious. This wasn’t where you originally lived. In a way, you came here unavoidably.”

Brasha, who was a few steps ahead of me, stopped and looked back at me slightly bending her waist.

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“Just curious.”

“If you don’t like it, are you going to chase me away?”

“Even if I say go, I’ll catch you. How will I raise the pigs without you?”

“Hehehe. Then I can sit comfortably. I like it here. It’s a peaceful and cozy place.”

Feeling good, Brasha ran along the shallow riverbank with the pigs up to her ankles.

There aren’t any green pigs swaying around.

“Oh? Jack! Look, a boat is coming!”

Brasha, wringing out her skirt soaked with water, shouted.

In the distance, the starter ship slowly revealed itself.

Finally returning from the glorious first canal trade.

“The starter ship is back!”

Those watching from the watchtower also shouted loudly.

The slowly flowing boat reached the makeshift dock and came to a stop.

But something’s strange. There’s no one on the boat…?

By now, they should be shouting that they’ve arrived and unloading goods, but it’s eerily quiet.

“Brasha! Don’t go! Come over here!”

When I called out to head to the dock, Brasha’s eyes widened and she ran towards me.

“Why? What’s going on?”

“Take the pigs back to the farm. Hurry.”

As Brasha left with the pigs, she shouted to the lookout tower personnel.

“Ring the bell immediately!”

The bell at the lookout tower rang, and the red flag was raised. The knights would arm themselves and come this way.

Waiting for the knights, I watched the ship from a distance.

A foreboding feeling that they might encounter something sinister on the way.

The worst-case scenario would be if there were demons aboard.

If demons landed in the village without Reberone… it would be disastrous.

If what we prepared for city promotion were to be destroyed… just the thought is terrifying.

Soon after, amidst loud noise, heavily armed knights gathered.

With over forty people, it seemed like everyone in the village was mobilized.

Surprisingly, Adelheid and the 2nd squad leader were at the forefront.

“Ah….”

As Adelheid hesitated upon meeting my eyes, the 2nd squad leader stepped forward sharply and asked.

“What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

“The Startship has returned, but something seems off. We should search inside.”

After explaining the situation to the 2nd squad leader and the knights, a sense of tension appeared on their faces.

“Then the Captain and I will go.”

Having heard all explanations, the 2nd squad leader stepped back, taking Adelheid’s wrist.

“We are not residents of this village or instructors, right? We shouldn’t get involved in such dangerous matters.”

“What nonsense! If they let us eat and sleep here, we’re residents! And as instructors, shouldn’t we set an example in times like this?”

“What are you talking about!? Why did we come here…?”

The 2nd squad leader turned to the knights, his words trailing off.

No one in the village knew that they were officers of the notorious Remugen Mercenaries, as long as they didn’t boast about it.

Almost revealing his true identity, the 2nd squad leader grabbed Adelheid’s wrist and pulled her away instead of arguing with me.

“Captain, we should leave. Let’s return to our lodgings for now…”

“No. I won’t do that.”

“Captain?”

Adelheid gently pushed the 2nd squad leader’s hand away and looked at me.

“I will check what’s inside.”

“Captain! It’s dangerous! Why would you go in without knowing what’s there!”

“I have to go in… There’s no other way…”

“Excuse me…?”

Adelheid placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and looked at the knights.

“I’ll investigate. You all stay here.”

For a moment, I felt a sense of intimidation from Adelheid, reminiscent of her days as a mercenary captain.

“Jack.”

“Yes.”

Adelheid looked at me and spoke.

“I’ll go in. So…”

As Adelheid was about to say something, she lowered her head.

“Never mind. If I come out alive, we’ll talk then.”

“Captain! I’ll go in instead!”

The 2nd squad leader clung to Adelheid’s arm, his voice trembling.

While the two of them were having a melodramatic moment, I checked the potions at my waist.

I carried various potions with me, preparing for different scenarios. Fortunately, I had everything I needed.

“For now, I will go in. Please, one of you, protect me.”

Taking out a potion bottle, I headed towards the ship, followed by Adelheid.

“Jack. If I can repay you with this, it’s enough for me.”

What is she saying?

“Captain!”

Ignoring the 2nd squad leader’s desperate cry, Adelheid led the way as we approached the ship.

* * * * *

“I don’t see anything on the deck for now.”

Adelheid and I stood side by side, leaning over the railing, but not even a common mouse could be seen beyond the railings.

“I should check below the deck. I’ll ask the 2nd squad leader to bring a torch.”

“No need. This will do.”

When he took out a potion bottle emitting fluorescent light from his waist, Adelheid hesitated and leaned his upper body back.

Since the last time he drank the pig frenzy potion and got into a fierce fight, just looking at the potion made him panic.

“It’s not for drinking.”

“Okay….”

Adelheid, who jumped over the railing, grasped the knife and walked slowly.

As Adelheid opened the door leading to the floor, he forcefully threw the potion bottle through it.

With the sound of the bottle shattering and its contents spilling onto the floor, it began to emit a considerable amount of light temporarily.

“Let’s go in. It won’t last long.”

Following behind Adelheid, who was descending with the knife aimed downwards, they went down below deck.

“I don’t see anything here.”

Despite searching inside in tension, there was nothing visible.

No people, no monsters, no trade goods.

“This is strange. If we were attacked by monsters or thieves, there should at least be traces left.”

“Oh? Wait a moment. There are items left here.”

A purse containing gold coins and a receipt were found in a drawer inside the inner compartment.

Upon examining the contents, it turned out to be a record of the trade goods carried when they first set sail.

From this, it seemed that something happened on their way back.

“If the money is still here, then at least it doesn’t seem like an attack by thieves or mutiny.”

“There’s no reason for mutiny. Hmmm… Then what could it be…. Where did everyone go….”

After carefully surveying the surroundings, they decided to leave through the doorway.

“Just a moment, Jack.”

As I turned towards the stairs, Adelheid called me and stood me up.

At that moment, as the effect of the fluorescent potion ended, the interior quickly darkened.

Everything except the light coming through the rectangular door in the ceiling was plunged into darkness.

Even Adelheid standing before me was barely distinguishable in the darkness.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Jack, I have something I want to ask.”