Chapter 13: Towards Oz – 04
Two days later, we set off towards Bartran as scheduled. Although it was a four-day journey on foot, we managed to arrive in three days by incorporating some light running as part of our training.
Lady Shizuna was surprised, but when I explained it was for training, she complied without complaint. Although she was still treated as a guest of the royal family for convenience, she seemed eager to grow stronger before we reached the Kingdom of Oz.
Upon arriving in Bartran, I reported our arrival to the governor, Mr. Rodnik, and informed him that we would be staying for two nights. Naturally, one of those days would be dedicated to exploring the dungeon.
Bartran had both D-Class and C-Class dungeons, and we would be entering the D-Class this time. Just like in Barbadoza, it was impossible to take Lady Shizuna into a C-Class dungeon. While Larni was eager to join, Mariane firmly stated, “No E-Rank Adventurer can be permitted into a dungeon of C-Class or higher, regardless of the reason.”
In any case, after escorting Lady Shizuna, we would head back to the royal capital, where we would likely tackle a C-Class dungeon then.
The D-Class dungeon in Bartran had ten floors, and while allowing Lady Shizuna to gain experience, we cleared it without any issues in a single day. The boss on the fifth floor was a standard one, and the treasure chest contained a third-grade potion. The drop rate was disappointingly low, likely because it was a boss we had already defeated. However, in the D-Class dungeon of Barbadoza, we had obtained a rare weapon. This suggests that if the boss is a Rare Boss, it might maintain the same rarity as the first encounter, even if it has been defeated before. If this is true, it would be excellent news.
The boss on the tenth floor was also a standard one, and Lady Shizuna acquired the skill of Wind Attribute Magic.
The day after conquering the dungeon was spent resting and shopping for supplies.
While walking through town, I felt incredibly uncomfortable as people called out to me, referring to me as “the Hero.” Although I received some discounts while shopping, I felt a sense of guilt, as I was not accustomed to such treatment.
“Soushi-dono, you seem to be quite popular in this town,” remarked Larni as we walked through the streets with our group of six.
Freinir responded cheerfully, “Soushi-sama defeated the Kin of Twilight in this town. That’s why he’s regarded as a hero here.”
“The Kin of Twilight? The ones even spirits fear? Now that you mention it, Princess Margalotte did mention something like that. I never would have guessed it was you who defeated them, Soushi-dono.”
“It was an incredible battle. Many townsfolk witnessed it,” Freinir added.
“I see, that explains the treatment. It hasn’t been long since we parted ways, but ‘Soul’s Guidance’ has certainly made a name for itself,” Lady Shizuna mused.
Indeed, Lady Shizuna was right. Keeping up with the changes in this situation was quite challenging. I hoped not to find myself in a more troublesome position, but it was a mystery what the skill of Bad Luck expected from an old man like me.
The next day, we departed Bartran and, as expected, aimed for Euron while incorporating some running. Lady Shizuna’s stamina had been rapidly increasing lately, allowing us to cover the four-day journey in just two days.
While it was unusual for the journey to be uneventful, it left me with a sense of foreboding that something might happen later.
Finally, we arrived in Euron after a long absence. Since we reached the city at dusk, we first secured accommodations for the night and planned to report to Viscount Barius the following morning.
Despite our unannounced visit, the six of us were quickly ushered into the reception room. There, we faced the viscount, his steward Rodan, and Anatoria the Crimson.
“It seems you have been quite active, Soushi-dono, and so has ‘Soul’s Guidance,'” Viscount Barius remarked with a smirk as everyone took their seats. He still exuded more of a warrior’s aura than that of a noble.
“Yes, there have been various strange circumstances,” I replied.
“That alone wouldn’t be enough to defeat the Kin of Twilight. What rank have you achieved?” he inquired.
“I have reached B-Rank, while the others are at C-Rank but will likely advance soon.”
“That’s good to hear. Those with strength must hold appropriate titles and positions. But has Soushi-dono grown younger in my absence?”
“Yes, it seems my appearance has changed. Perhaps it’s a trait of adventurers.”
In truth, I had checked my reflection in a mirror at the inn in the royal capital, and I indeed appeared about ten years younger. While it was a pleasant surprise, the more shocking aspect was how much I had begun to resemble something other than human as an adventurer, which left me less moved by the change.
“Hmm, such things can happen, I suppose. But I am glad to see Lady Shizuna in good health. I am pleased that any doubts have been cleared,” he said.
“I owe much to the viscount. The ‘Fortuner’ party that escorted us to the royal capital was truly remarkable,” Lady Shizuna replied.
“Thank you. They are adventurers I trust as well,” Viscount Barius said.
Listening to this, I felt happy to hear my acquaintances praised. It was true that Zeal and the others were exceptional both as people and adventurers.
“By the way, Soushi-dono, you and your party plan to cross the southern border into the Kingdom of Oz, correct?” the viscount asked.
“Yes, we plan to head there via Tolson,” I confirmed.
“Indeed. Recently, there has been an increase in undead in this area. We have been dealing with them as they appear, but it seems some group has begun to stir again,” he explained.
“I understand. We will remain vigilant,” I replied.
The viscount’s mention of “some group” undoubtedly referred to the Country of Mecalinan.
The Barius Viscounty had been experiencing undead disturbances for some time, seemingly orchestrated by spies from Mecalinan.
Their goal was to create chaos with the undead to tarnish the reputation of the Kingdom of Oz, as it was believed to be a “necromantic nation” that employed undead. Of course, this was a misunderstanding regarding the spirits that Lady Shizuna also handled.
“However, if it’s just monsters, it shouldn’t pose any problem for you. We are also careful to ensure that the public sentiment does not shift towards a particular country, so your cooperation in this matter would be appreciated,” he added.
“Understood. Has there been any movement from the Kingdom of Oz?” I asked, perhaps a bit too forward.
The viscount responded without any sign of irritation. “The Kingdom of Oz rarely issues external statements. If possible, it would be helpful if the High Priestess of Oz could formally declare that the Kingdom has no connection to the undead.”
The viscount glanced at Lady Shizuna.
However, Lady Shizuna merely shook her head quietly.
“I apologize, but it seems both the High Priestess and the High Priests are extremely fearful of external contact, so it may be difficult,” she explained.
“Hmm… I see. I am merely a viscount and not in a position to speak directly to other nations. The party to complain to is not the right one in the first place,” he said, nodding.
It was clear that the true culprit behind the undead disturbances was the meddling Country of Mecalinan. Ideally, we would expose the wrongdoers and condemn Mecalinan. However, matters between nations are rarely so simple. Especially since the Kingdom of Vermillion is silently under pressure from the northern empire, it is unlikely they can afford to provoke neighboring countries easily.
It was indeed a troublesome situation, but as we headed towards the Kingdom of Oz, we would need to remain mindful of these delicate relations.