Chapter 250: Shopping in the Fortress City
I left Ruta at the horse rental shop.
“He might try to escape or act up, but take care of him,” I said. The stableman looked a bit tense, but after I handed him a little extra in fees, he became quite friendly. I figured it would be fine.
Next, I headed to the inn to drop off my luggage. I slipped a few coins to the innkeeper, asking him to keep an eye on comings and goings. Of course, I took my valuables with me, but left the heavier items in the room. The door locks, but theft is common in inns.
The inn that Retze arranged was quite decent, probably a step above average, likely to accommodate Ash. Most adventurers usually end up in cramped quarters, sleeping side by side.
The room had two beds: one for Ash and the butler, and the other for me and Karn. I guess Karn and I would be on the floor. It’s pointless to expect a room for each person or a bed for everyone in this world. Inns typically pack in as many guests as they can.
The sheets were freshly laundered, and the straw bundles used as mattresses were new. It was a good inn among the decent ones. Still, I wasn’t keen on bugs, so I quietly left some insect repellent on a plate.
The purpose of my outing was to replenish the food I had consumed during the journey from Kanum and to have dinner.
Taking a calm look around the Fortress City, it seemed quite prosperous. There were more people here than in Kanum, and the adventurers were well-equipped, with many well-dressed individuals. There were plenty of shops, and even performers in the square making a living. The cobblestones were well-maintained, and I didn’t see any vacant houses in sight.
However, when I glanced into the alleys, I noticed some emaciated individuals leaning weakly against the walls, and children with eyes that glinted with desperation. It was clear that not everyone living here was happy.
In the streets frequented by adventurers, there were many shops selling items for the forest and labyrinth. Brown, smoked fish hung from hooks, and various types of dried meat were neatly packed in boxes. Stacks of firewood, hard-baked biscuits, and plenty of cheese were on display.
Hats, cloaks, knives, and bags were all available. There were sharpening stones for swords and deer hides. There were many things I had never seen before, making it quite enjoyable. Oh, a new water flask would be nice.
“What are you planning to do with all that you’re buying?”
“Uh…” I hesitated. I hadn’t really splurged on fish or meat, but I had picked up several types of hard rye bread and a bit of cheese—before I knew it, I had bought quite a bit.
“I’ll eat it all in the labyrinth!”
“Well, I know you can carry it and move, so I guess it’s fine,” Retze sighed, adding charcoal and some alcohol for water. Those were bulky and heavy to carry from Kanum.
I had brought black peat cut into slabs and dried, so I passed on the charcoal. I definitely needed to buy more water.
The heat output from burning peat is about half that of the same weight in coal. However, it’s double that of wood, so it should be sufficient. If it’s dried too much, it crumbles easily and is hard to handle, but it burns well. I had dried it after digging it up from the place Reed was likely aiming for right now.
Dean, considering the weight, bought a large amount of dried meat and a bit of salted meat. Well, it was meat. Ash and Chris picked up some types of dried fruit that weren’t commonly seen in Kanum, the butler chose spices, Karn got some alcohol, and Dinoss was selecting nougat. After securing the bare minimum for the labyrinth, everyone was pretty free with their purchases.
“Ash, these dried grapes from this shop are large and sweet!”
“Mm.”
Using [Appraisal] while safely searching for delicious items, I managed to snag a taste of one and recommended it to Ash.
“Oh, you’re right! I’ll get some too!”
Chris also tried one and seemed to decide to buy some.
“Karn, this alcohol isn’t watered down.”
Karn had alcohol, cheese, and nuts. He was drawing energy from the spirits around him, so with Baylis nearby, he was fine. Eating was just a remnant of his human days. Apparently, he could drink as much as he wanted without getting drunk.
The nougat Dinoss was choosing was made by binding nuts and dried fruits with sugar and syrup. He mentioned he’d buy some as souvenirs for the kids on the way back if they tasted good, picking up various kinds little by little from different places. Dad looked like he was having fun.
After finishing our shopping, it was time for dinner.
On a plate with a roasted onion, they served meat cut from a piglet roasting by the fireplace. Along with that, a bit of liver.
In this Fortress City, it seems there’s a custom of eating liver before entering the labyrinth. Is it for vitamin replenishment? It’s rich in vitamin A, and too much can lead to toxicity, so moderation is key, but this amount should be fine.
It appeared they had also brought liver paste and smoked items. There were lemons soaked in honey, along with dried limes and vegetables.
The portable food here consists of cheese, dried meat, and biscuits, with maybe some dried apples. I was worried about the nutritional imbalance, but if they had a habit of eating liver, maybe I could relax a bit? That aside…
“This pork is so tender!”
The meat, seasoned with just a sprinkle of salt, was incredibly delicious.
“This shop uses two-horned demon beasts for their pork. It’s a specialty of the Fortress City,” Dean said proudly.
It seemed the choice of this shop was Dean’s idea. As expected of the meat master!