Chapter 48

The next day, as the sun rose.

After finishing their breakfast at the inn, Helian and his party appeared outside.

It was still early in the morning, but there was a fair amount of foot traffic on the street in front of the inn. The fact that many people were dressed in armor suggested that this area, located on the north side of the city, was the "Labyrinth District," which housed the labyrinth.

"Well, that was a good meal. To be able to eat so much for just one large silver coin, the economy must be doing well."

Gardie, patting his satisfied stomach, seemed to have found the breakfast served in the inn's dining room quite filling. The meal was paid for separately from the accommodation fee, but as Gardie said, the portion size was indeed generous for breakfast.

Incidentally, Gardie had refilled his plate about five times. To serve five servings for one large silver coin, it was indeed quite a bargain. In Japan, that amount of money would be enough for a decent dinner. The pricing might be influenced by the fact that the majority of the inn's guests were adventurers, who were mostly physical laborers.

"Well, if you eat that much, you'd be satisfied, I guess..."

Seres responded with a somewhat exasperated tone. On the other hand, she seemed to be fairly satisfied with the quantity, though. Reeve didn't say anything, but from the way he had polished off two servings, it didn't seem like he had any complaints.

However, Helian, walking with the three of them following behind, had a rather grim expression on his face.

(Those guys... I can't believe they could eat that food so normally.)

He rubbed his stomach discreetly, trying not to let the others notice, and groaned inwardly.

In truth, Helian had been quite interested in the local cuisine. He was adventurous enough to order unfamiliar dishes at new restaurants. Coupled with a nostalgic longing for the food of a fantasy world, he had harbored a secret anticipation for the meals in this city. However, his expectations were thoroughly disappointed by the inn's breakfast.

It wasn't that the food was outright bad. In fact, at first, he even thought it was delicious. However, every dish was heavily seasoned and overly rich. He could only enjoy the taste for the first three bites; after that, it became a struggle to force it down his throat. He had been shocked by the strong flavors of European cuisine during a family trip, but this was on a whole different level.

He managed to finish the meal, but the thought of having to endure it every day was daunting. He would have to intersperse the local meals with the rations he had brought from home. While adapting to the local cuisine was important, getting sick before he could adjust would be counterproductive.

(The bath wasn't a soaking tub but a steam room... The cultural gap is really tough.)

When Helian, wrapped in a towel, entered the bathing area, he was greeted by a steam-filled room instead of a tub filled with water. While he managed to wash off the dust of travel, as a Japanese person, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. He hadn't expected a large bath like in a Japanese hotel, but he had at least hoped to soak in a tub. He sighed, determined to get used to the local customs as soon as possible, and continued walking.

"Seriously, you ate way too much for breakfast. Watching you makes me feel heartburn."

"What's your problem? Being able to eat is a blessing. Think back to the First War of Chaos a hundred and twenty years ago, when we fought for a month without proper supplies. Sure, it's delicious, but being able to eat until you're full is a luxury. It's not that bad, so I can't complain."

"Your comparison is too harsh. Sure, it was tough back then. Most of my peers died."

"My mixed unit only had five survivors, including me. Ah, what a nostalgic feeling."

It was a rather heavy conversation.

Given that the old Alkymaira had nearly been destroyed, its history was quite tragic.

Incidentally, Gardie was not originally intended to be a legion commander but was one of the mass-produced monsters in the early stages. He had earned his position as a legion commander due to his heroic survival during the turbulent period. As a result, he had a strong sense of camaraderie and was deeply trusted by his subordinates, embodying a hands-on leadership style.

"Don't have such a headache-inducing conversation so early in the morning. Choose your topics better."

"Don't worry. I've set up a soundproof barrier, so no one can hear us."

"Even if they did, they wouldn't understand a thing."

Reeve, though his expression didn't change, closed his eyes as if trying to suppress a headache. Regardless of the content, the fact that they were having a conversation was a good sign. It was much better than the tense silence that had prevailed the previous day.

After walking for a while, they reached a large square with a fountain. From the square, well-maintained main roads led to various districts. The party planned to split up from here and go their separate ways.

"Alright. As I mentioned this morning, we'll part ways here. I don't want any unnecessary trouble. If you get into a conflict with the locals, avoid retaliation and retreat. I repeat, do not kill anyone."

The most frightening scenario was accidentally killing someone due to a lack of control in their fully humanized form. While Gardie, who was accustomed to this form, was less of a concern, Reeve and Seres rarely took this form. Therefore, they were instructed to avoid retaliation as much as possible.

"Reeve will investigate the Labyrinth District, Gardie will explore the Outpost District where the Adventurer's Guild is located, and Seres will accompany me as my guard and for negotiations. I expect each of you to fulfill your roles."

The three subordinates acknowledged their tasks.

First, Reeve left, heading north. The tasks assigned to Reeve and Gardie were to gather geographical information about the city—essentially to fill in the map—and to familiarize themselves with the city's general layout and customs. The former was the primary objective, while the latter was a secondary goal. Geographical information was crucial for any task.

Next, they planned to part ways with Gardie at a fork in the road about ten minutes from the fountain square. Gardie would head south to the Outpost District, which housed facilities for those venturing into dangerous areas, such as the Adventurer's Guild, blacksmiths, and stables. Since this direction was different from the Commercial District, where Helian and Seres were headed, they would act independently from this point on.

Before parting, Helian emphasized to Gardie:

"Alright, Gardie. From here on, you'll be on your own. Remember, this is a human city. Don't try to use physical language or other monster habits. Got it?"

"Sure thing, boss! I'll get the job done, no worries."

Gardie grinned, showing a smile that could scare even a crying child, and confidently declared his readiness.

...I'm worried.

His feelings were akin to those of a parent sending a child on their first errand or a trainer releasing a wild beast from its cage.

However, always being with them was inefficient and hindered progress. After all, he was only one person. If he couldn't delegate tasks, he would never be able to conduct a proper investigation.

Moreover, Gardie was known for his efficiency in getting things done. He had been repeatedly instructed, and it was time to trust him. A broad-minded approach was essential for a leader. If he couldn't trust even Gardie, who was relatively easy to manage compared to the "Three Originals," he would never be able to send other legion commanders on solo missions abroad.

"Then I'll leave it to you. I'm counting on you for good news."

Encouraging him, Helian sent Gardie off, who left with a satisfied smile.

Despite his usual menacing appearance, Gardie's smile was somewhat unsettling. However, since the incident with Nogard, where they had destroyed a shop, Helian's fear of Gardie had significantly diminished. At the time, he had been exhausted and sleep-deprived, but after a stern reprimand, he had overcome a certain barrier. It was a silver lining, though he had no intention of forgiving the incident.

"Alright. Let's go, Seres. I'm counting on you for the journey."

Interrupting his thoughts, Helian addressed his subordinate. Initially, he had planned to have Reeve as his guard, but after last night's meeting and some reflection, he decided to change the roles. Seres was here as a result of that decision. In the world of [Tactics Chronicle], it would have been different, but in this reality, he was hesitant to send Seres, whom he barely knew, on a solo mission.

Reeve and Gardie had frequent interactions after the transfer, but he had hardly spoken to Seres. Until this mission, they had only exchanged words in the audience chamber.

He hoped to use this opportunity to understand Seres better and build a level of trust that would allow him to assign her solo missions.

"Leave it to me, young master. No matter what enemy comes, I'll—burn them—no, that's not allowed, right? I understand. Don't worry, young master. I'll keep it at Medium Rare."

...Perhaps the role change was a wise decision.

Despite her supposed intellect, Helian had some doubts about Seres's character traits. Nevertheless, he started walking towards the Commercial District.

*The next chapter will be posted on [November 27th (Saturday)].*