Chapter 72
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After leaving the “Silver Orchid” base, I headed to the “Golden Lion” base to secure my sleeping spot for the night, just as planned.
There were probably adventurers who watched the strength test with Ferris, but I arrived at my destination without anyone calling out to me along the way.
I could feel some eyes on me, including those waiting at the reception, so I thought it would be bad if I made a mistake in how I interacted with them, which made me cautious.
When it was finally my turn at the reception, I tried to complete my stay while still pulling the cart behind me.
”Are you here for a transaction or lodging?”
’For lodging. Just one night, please.’
The man in charge asked me this after seeing the cart loaded with my belongings, and while I answered, I was a bit troubled by his next words.
”Okay, lodging it is. Could you please show me your adventurer registration card?”
’Huh? Is that necessary?’
”Well, we can’t lock up tents, and it’s not unusual for someone to use the space without permission. So, when we find a suspicious person, we check their registration card against our records.”
’I see.’
”Also, including those kinds of people… we keep records to ensure that anyone who causes trouble can’t use this base again, so we can refuse them at the reception.”
’I understand…’
Well, in a place like this, if they want to maintain security voluntarily, that much is necessary.
As I was agreeing with the man’s explanation, he suspiciously asked me again to show my registration card.
”How about your registration certificate…? If you are a member of ‘Golden Lion,’ the registration fee will be a bit cheaper.”
Last time, the person coming in showed their ‘Golden Lion’ registration certificate.
Since it’s more beneficial than the adventurer’s registration, everyone must have been showing that if they were part of ‘Golden Lion.’
As “Mose,” I couldn’t show my adventurer registration as “Koji,” and of course, I didn’t have the ‘Golden Lion’ registration either.
So when I answered that I had neither, the male receptionist, while refusing my stay, suggested another option.
”In that case, you can’t use this base. However, I don’t really recommend it, but I’ve heard that at ‘Gem Snake,’ you don’t need a registration certificate.”
’Is that so?’
”Yes. But that’s mainly because most users are family, and if there are other users, they might take your loot.”
’Oh…’
Since he mentioned that they might take your loot, there must be other risks involved too.
When I asked why he was introducing such a place…
”Unless something serious happens, they usually won’t take your life. Since you’re alone, I thought it might be better than camping outside.”
Was it because they might want to keep me alive for future visits?
The downside of spreading bad rumors seems bigger, but… well, even if they tried to silence me, if I went into that base and didn’t come back, someone who knew the victim would spread the rumors anyway.
If that’s the case, I thought it would be better to prepare for the possibility of not being able to enter the “Golden Lion” base, even if it comes with some disadvantages. I could suffer some damage, but at least I wouldn’t die.
So.
I originally had no intention of getting close, but after hearing the talk, I decided I would definitely not go to the “Gem Snake” base. Since there were adventurers waiting behind me, I figured it would be rude to keep arguing, so I decided to leave the “Golden Lion” base.
* * *
Well, my plans have gone off track.
If I can’t use the “Golden Lion” base as “Mose,” should I go back to “Koji” and check in for a place to stay?
However, even though the grass is tall enough to hide in most places besides the square, pulling a cart around would still make me stand out.
It wouldn’t be surprising if someone was watching me because of the situation with Ferris, so even if I changed my appearance along the way, I would probably be noticed right away.
I could go back to the 3rd District for a bit and then come to the 4th District as “Koji,” but… huh?
While thinking that, I looked up at the rocky mountain, which is the entrance to the 3rd District, in the opposite direction of the “Golden Lion” base.
Now that I think about it… I haven’t seen it from above, but the peak, which is about 50 meters (� 164 feet) high, seemed pretty flat.
If that’s the case, it might be a place I could use freely as my own base.
If I “change my appearance,” it would reveal that “Mose” is “Koji,” but if I “disappear,” my true identity wouldn’t be exposed.
I could come down while remaining invisible and then appear as “Mose” in a deserted area from above.
If that’s the case, I think it might be fine to just disappear and kill some time in the air for a while, but it would be better to check the mountaintop too for future reference.
For now, I search for Ferris’s location.
’…’
Maybe because of the distance, I can’t sense the magic stone’s reaction, but I can sense the tonfa’s reaction, even though it’s not moving inside the base.
If she were outside the base, she would have the tonfa with her, so she’s probably inside the base.
If I hide behind the mountain from the “Silver Orchid” base, she shouldn’t be able to find me.
It seems she’s not sensing magic power; she’s just “seeing” me.
There might be others who can find me while I’m invisible, but… if that happens, I can just return to the 3rd District while staying hidden, and then come back to the 4th District as “Koji.”
Thinking that, I headed toward the mountain at the entrance and decided to go around to the back.
* * *
Once I entered the path to the 3rd District and confirmed that there were no people around, I became invisible along with the cart.
Then… I retraced my steps back to the 4th District and floated toward the mountaintop.
The shape of the mountain was close to a funnel, and its walls became quite vertical from a certain point.
Because of that, nothing was obstructing me as I floated, and I was able to rise to a height where I could look down about 3 meters (� 9.8 feet) to the mountaintop.
That was good, but…
’…Why is there grass all the way up here?’
Yes.
For some reason, there was grass spread out on the mountaintop, which was about 30 meters (� 98 feet) in diameter.
The mountain itself was rocky, so it was a pretty strange sight.
Looking only at the mountaintop… it was similar to a cheese tart, even though the color was different.
Because of that oddity, I became cautious and decided to place a box made from Magic Armor before landing.
*Thud…*
’…’
*Clunk*
Hmm.
Since there was no particular abnormality just by placing the box down, I decided to press it against the ground… even with enough force to dent the ground, it only made a dent.
This could be because it’s a Magic Armor, so I tried placing a 100kg (220 lbs) iron block with “Imitation”… but there was still no abnormality.
Hmm… I guess there’s no point just staring at it.
So, I decided to cautiously land on the summit.
*Thud*
’…’
Landing at the edge of the summit, I could feel the softness of the grass through the Magic Armor.
**
When I created a shovel and started digging, I found that there was normal soil beneath the grass.
I had already noticed this when I pressed the Magic Armor box against the ground, but it seems to have the same structure as the plaza below.
If that’s the case… will the hole I dug fill back in after a while?
To check that, I left the hole as it was and placed a cart and a simple tent in the center of the summit.
…
……
………
”Phew.”
By the time evening came, I removed the Magic Armor and relaxed in my normal form.
The hole I dug and the dented grass returned to normal after a while, and since there were no other changes, I judged that there was no danger.
If there was a problem… it would be the cart.
Things that don’t move or aren’t in use get absorbed by the dungeon, so like the people at the base did, I needed to give it some stimulation from time to time.
Considering the time it took for the hole to disappear, absorption would probably start in about 30 minutes, so I thought of a device to give it stimulation every time the time came…
The only things I have right now are my personal belongings and the magic stones I collected, so as long as I can secure a share for Iris and Seria, I might as well absorb everything here, right?
The loot I got is only what I found on the way here, and it’s way less compared to what I could earn if I focused on making money.
If I need to make up for that, I can just share what I earn from tomorrow onwards with them.
Thinking this, I decided to turn all my stuff, including the cart, into magic power and spend the night with simple tools that I wouldn’t mind losing to the dungeon.
It seems that if I stay inside the tent, it counts as being in use, so I set up a good quality one that I used when I lived in the forest.
As for lighting… it might be visible from below.
So, I covered the ceiling and surroundings with light-blocking cloth to reduce the light, and I finished my meal in that dim lighting.
After eating, I wiped my whole body with a cleaning sheet and turned the used ones back into magic power outside.
Then, I returned to the tent, laid down a mat, and rested.
”Haah…”
For now, Iris and Seria can use the “Silver Orchid” base.
Next… my immediate goals are to aim for the magic item that can break curses and to deliver magic stones to Ms. Monoka’s orphanage.
Ms. Monoka’s part is fine, but Iris’s is all about luck… oh, and I also need to help Seria gain combat experience.
Well, that shouldn’t be a problem as long as we act together.
Whether that will remove the effect of the title “Minor Recovery” is a different issue.
Seria also wants a magic item that can break curses, but if I happen to get one, I plan to give it to Iris, of course.
That’s the agreement I have with Iris, and it’s not the same with Seria.
Iris is definitely a noble, and I can guess that the woman she wants to break the curse on is someone close to her, so she won’t give up easily.
Well… if I can get a second one, I might as well give it to Seria for free, so I hope she can accept that.
Even if the Iris situation gets resolved, I plan to keep using the dungeon, and with Ms. Monoka’s situation, I intend to stay in the city. So, I can continue to take Seria around and train her as a Cleric.
While doing that, I might end up getting a magic item to break the curse.
Now then… today, I tested my strength against Ferris and forced my body to move using Magic Armor.
I feel fine now, but there’s a chance I might have taken some damage, so I should apply some medicine.
So, I made the medicine I created before for burns again and applied it all over my body before going to sleep.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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