Chapter 14: Demon’s Lair – 04
The castle walls of the Royal Capital stood tall and formidable, reaching just under ten meters in height. Surrounded by a moat, a drawbridge lay before the castle gates. I had heard that Mecalinan, despite being a small nation, excelled in military strength, and seeing these walls made it clear why.
As a B-rank adventurer, I was allowed entry into the Royal Capital without any hassle. However, I couldn’t help but notice the grim expressions on the faces of the guards stationed at the gate; they looked worn and haggard. Given the looming threat of war, it might be understandable, but they seemed to lack any vitality.
Upon passing through the castle gates, I found myself on a wide central avenue. It was at least twenty meters wide, with cobblestone paths stretching far into the distance, culminating at a second castle wall. Beyond that wall, the spires of the castle were visible, indicating that the area beyond was likely reserved for the nobility.
Regardless, my first destination was the Adventurers’ Guild. I approached a nearby adventurer party and inquired about its location; they informed me it was just one street to the west of the central avenue. As expected, the Adventurers’ Guild was not situated directly on the main thoroughfare.
I began to stroll down the street. Although it was my first time in this city, I quickly sensed something was amiss.
Regardless of the Royal Capital’s central avenue, there were an unusually high number of closed shops. The few people I encountered were sparse, and most walked with hunched backs or drooping shoulders. Moreover, they all appeared noticeably underweight, suggesting they were not getting enough to eat. Compared to the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Vermilian, it was hard to believe this was a capital city at all.
Turning onto a side street, I soon spotted the Adventurers’ Guild.
The building was appropriately large, but as I entered, I was taken aback by the strange atmosphere inside. About a hundred people were present, most of them dressed in similar dark attire that gave off a military vibe. They all seemed to be Awakened Ones, but their faces bore a distinctly rough demeanor. They resembled a group of criminals more than adventurers.
On the other hand, I did see a few familiar adventurer styles, but they were huddled together at the edge of the lobby.
I made my way past them and approached the reception counter, where a young receptionist greeted me. She, too, bore a weary expression.
“Excuse me, my name is Soushi, a B-rank adventurer.”
“Ah, yes, Soushi-san. How may I assist you today?”
“Well, if possible, I would like to contact the Adventurers’ Guild in Oz. Is that feasible?”
“Contact? If you are referring to the Magical Communication Device, I’m afraid that is not permitted.”
The “Magical Communication Device” functioned similarly to a telephone. It was installed in guild branches, and Mariane used it to communicate with the Grand Master of the Empire.
“Ah, I see. By the way, how long would it take to walk to Oz from here?”
“With an adventurer’s pace, it would take about two days to reach the border. However, I’ve heard that crossing the border is currently quite difficult.”
“Is that true even for adventurers?”
I asked this because I believed that the guild guaranteed freedom of movement for adventurers.
However, the receptionist lowered her gaze and shook her head.
“I’m afraid that even adventurers cannot cross freely at this time. The guild has lodged complaints, but improvements have been slow to materialize…”
“Has the Grand Master been informed?”
“Yes, I believe the Guild Master has already communicated that.”
Hmm, if that’s the case, there’s not much I can do as a mere adventurer.
While it was understandable that communication was difficult, the inability to cross the border was a serious issue. To be honest, while crossing the border might not be impossible for an adventurer, doing so could lead to a guilty verdict due to the mysterious functions of the Adventurer Card.
Come to think of it, there were suspicions that this guild was entangled with the royal family. That made me question whether the Guild Master was truly in contact with the Grand Master.
“Hmm… By the way, I can still take on quests and explore dungeons, right?”
“Yes, of course. However, please be aware that the prices for buying magic stones and materials are considerably low, so it won’t be the same as other guilds.”
“Is there a reason for the low buyback prices?”
“Yes, I’ve heard it’s due to disruptions in distribution…”
The receptionist furrowed her brow, looking troubled. It seemed there was an uncomfortable reason behind it. It appeared that Mecalinan’s Royal Capital, including the guild, was facing various issues.
“I understand. Also, I have some rather important information. Have there been reports of strange monsters appearing in Mecalinan? You know, monsters that seem to be made from the bodies of humans stitched together?”
“Ah, you mean the monsters referred to as ‘Demons.’ I believe one was reported to have appeared in a northern town.”
“Actually, there’s a hole near the southern road where one is likely to emerge. You see—”
I recounted the events leading up to my arrival in this city to the receptionist. Her demeanor was skeptical, which was understandable; even in a fantasy world, it was quite an outrageous tale.
“I’ll make sure to relay your story to the Guild Master.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
Given the atmosphere of this guild, I was unsure if the Guild Master would take action upon receiving the information, but being in the Royal Capital, there should be a fair number of higher-ranked adventurers around. I intended to take action if I was still here, but whether I would still be in this city by then was uncertain.
In any case, this was all I could do for now. I glanced through the quest board and confirmed that there were no worthwhile requests before leaving the guild.
That night, I decided to rent a room at an inn near the guild.
As the traveler had mentioned on my way here, the inn’s meals were dreadful. A single hard piece of bread and a thin soup with scant ingredients was even worse than the cheap lodgings I had stayed at in Tolson. If this was the standard across the capital… judging by the people I had seen on the streets, it seemed likely that it was the same everywhere.
Desiring information, I bought drinks for an adventurer party that caught my eye in the dining hall and struck up a conversation.
“What’s the situation in this country like? It can only be described as the worst.”
The leader of the party, a loquacious young man, was clearly chosen for his ability to speak.
“I understand there’s a food shortage, but what else is happening?”
“First off, we can’t move about freely anymore. We adventurers are somewhat better off, but merchants can’t move at all. That’s why goods aren’t circulating. Materials can’t be sold either.”
“I see.”
“Well, in reality, only the merchants favored by the nobility are moving about, and they’re unfairly lowering the buyback prices… but, uh, that’s a secret.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Then there’s the issue of slavery. Even ordinary citizens can quickly find themselves enslaved for the slightest infraction. Those poor souls are being exploited by certain individuals, and it’s a dire situation. That’s why no one dares to walk outside. Adventurers are somewhat protected for now, but it’s best to avoid trouble regardless.”
“That sounds troublesome. By the way, I’m part of a party in Oz and would like to return there…”
“That’s impossible right now. There’s a conflict with the opposing noble faction in the south, so the border is heavily guarded. The king has also mentioned something about invading Oz soon.”
“That’s concerning. So, does that mean we’ll be stuck here for a while?”
“Looks that way. Unless the marquis in the south does something, it’ll remain like this… but, uh, that’s also a secret.”
“I won’t mention it.”
It seemed that things were quite complicated.
I continued to gather information, and it became clear that the current king was either a tyrant or a fool. Nobles and merchants were monopolizing wealth, forcing the common folk into a life of hardship. Just by observing the state of the city, I could feel that this was indeed the case.
However, if the situation was as dire as it sounded, I would need to take some action soon; otherwise, I might find myself stuck in Mecalinan for years. I wanted to avoid that at all costs, but the question remained: what should I do? That was the dilemma I faced.