Chapter 8: To the Elf Village – Part 08
The next morning, guided by Sfenia, I made my way to the Adventurers’ Guild in the village of Marulo.
Though it was as small as the guild in the town of Tolson, there were still several adventurers present, even at this early hour, indicating that they were quite active. With three dungeons ranging from F to D rank, it was no surprise. Notably, there were a few elven adventurers around, likely due to the local population.
“Ah, good morning, Lady Sfenia. It’s rare to see you with a party,” greeted a sultry elven receptionist at the counter. It seemed everyone in the village addressed Sfenia with honorifics; perhaps she was of noble birth among humans.
“Good morning, Miran. This is the party from Euron that has been escorting the apothecary Hofena. They will be active here for about a week, so please take care of them.”
“Understood. If you have any materials to sell, please let me know… um…”
“I’m Soushi, D-Rank. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Soushi, is it? Nice to meet you.”
Thanks to Sfenia, the introductions with the staff went smoothly, which I appreciated.
Now, regarding the troubling matter of the Slave Hunters. According to Sfenia, the Village Chief was already informed about the situation, and they requested that we handle the disposal of the bodies here. It was astonishing how lightly they treated the bandits, equating them to monsters.
“Excuse me, we encountered bandits on our way here and dealt with them. I have their bodies stored in my Item Box. What should I do with them?”
Upon hearing this, Miran glanced at Sfenia. Sfenia nodded and replied in a low voice.
“I fought alongside them. It seems they were involved in the Slave Hunters, and they appeared to be affiliated with Mecalinan. There were also three adventurers who had fallen from grace.”
“Is that so… What does the Village Chief say about this?”
“Since they are not at a level suitable for handling here, we were instructed to report it to the Euron Guard. However, there are about twenty bodies, and we wish to dispose of all but those belonging to the fallen adventurers. I have already obtained permission from the Village Chief.”
“In that case, please use the monster incineration facility. Just a moment.”
Miran said this and went into a back room, returning shortly with a document.
“The Guild Master has granted permission. Here is the authorization.”
“Thank you. Sfenia, do you have any other business to attend to?”
Sfenia prompted me to ask something that had been on my mind.
“By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, have there been any reports of an increase in undead monsters around here?”
“Undead, you say? Yes, there have been continuous sightings for about a month now. While the numbers aren’t large, we have issued extermination requests.”
“I see… By the way, where have they been spotted most frequently?”
“Most sightings have occurred in the forest to the west of the town.”
The west refers to the mountain pass we crossed. However, a month ago seems rather coincidental. It aligns with the timing of the recent plague outbreak.
As I pondered this, Sfenia appeared intrigued.
“Is there something concerning you? Undead do appear from time to time, after all.”
“Well, yes. I had an unpleasant memory regarding the zombie dogs that appeared when we arrived. Additionally, corpses can spread disease…”
“I understand the connection between the plague and the undead, but the only solution is to handle them appropriately when they appear. The village should be vigilant about this.”
“Yes, I believe so… Actually, I have seen instances where zombie dogs were artificially created, which has me a bit concerned.”
At my words, Sfenia narrowed her eyes.
“Artificially? Are you suggesting someone is summoning the undead, resulting in the outbreak of the plague?”
“I merely considered that possibility for a moment. I apologize; I was just speculating based on my limited experience without any solid evidence.”
To be honest, I felt that my presence in this village was somehow tied to my Bad Luck skill, but voicing that to her would likely only earn me a look of disbelief. Perhaps she would understand once we began working together as party members.
“I see… However, if you have witnessed something like that in the past, it wouldn’t be surprising if it were happening around this village. Miran, please inform us if you come across any unusual information regarding the undead.”
“Understood. I will keep a close watch.”
With Miran’s assurance, it seemed the guild would remain vigilant. Their response to a stranger’s concerns was more than adequate.
“Thank you. For now, after disposing of the bodies, we plan to head to the dungeon.”
“Which dungeon will you be visiting today?”
“Today, we will be going to the F-Class dungeon. Tomorrow, we plan to tackle the E-Class.”
“I see. I’ve already explored all the depths of this village’s dungeons, so it wouldn’t be of much use for me to join you. However, please let me know when you decide to go to the D-Class dungeon. I will accompany you then.”
“Understood. We will likely head to the D-Class dungeon the day after tomorrow.”
So, it seemed we would gauge our strength in the D-Class dungeon. Sfenia was C-Rank, so it was unlikely that exploring the E or F-Class dungeons would contribute much to her leveling up.
Sfenia offered to guide us to the incineration facility, and we set off in that direction.