Chapter 54

After leaving the Adventurer's Guild, I finally take a deep breath. I feel like I might have overdone it, and I'm a bit anxious about what's to come, but I guess I'll just have to go with the flow.

"Yuta, are you heading to the inn now?"

(Yeah. I want to take a break and call out Bell and the others.)

There's no one around, but I speak in a low voice to Sylph. It's quite troublesome, but I don't want to be looked at like I'm some kind of weirdo.

I head to the inn I was told about, relying on the map. According to Eltina, it's a mid-level inn that's a bit pricey but known for its delicious food. I'm looking forward to it.

"Yuta, someone is following you at a distance from the Adventurer's Guild. What do you want to do?"

...Is it a tail? I was briefed on the inn I'm going to, so they should know where I'm staying. What's their purpose?

(What kind of person is it?)

"They look like an adventurer, just wandering around the shops, but they're clearly aware of you."

Sylph can even see through a tail. That's reassuring. The question is whether this is a tail sent by the Adventurer's Guild to keep an eye on me, or if it's someone like Karl seeking revenge, or even a third party I don't know about. No, a third party doesn't make sense. I don't even understand what I'm saying.

(Sylph, can you keep an eye on that tail? It would help if you could figure out their purpose.)

"Got it. I'll keep an eye on them and let you know if I see anything."

(Thanks. I appreciate it.)

I feel like spirits are the ultimate ninjas. Only those with a high affinity to spirits can counter them, but since spirits are everywhere in town, it's hard to guard against them.

Even people who can talk to spirits are rare, but with me, setting up an information agency that holds the world's secrets doesn't seem like a dream. ...It sounds cool, but it seems like a lot of trouble. I'll just live a normal, happy life. I can't sense anyone following me, so I'll just trust Sylph and wait.

The inn with the strong-armed Torque... this is it. The name "strong-armed" is a bit unsettling, but the food is supposed to be delicious, and the exterior looks nice. I open the door and go inside.

"Welcome. Are you alone?"

A plump auntie greets me enthusiastically as I enter.

"Yes. Eltina introduced me. Do you have any rooms available?"

"Oh, if Eltina introduced you, you must be an adventurer, right?"

"Yes, I just registered today."

"Is that so... Being an adventurer is a tough job. You don't look very well-trained, are you sure you'll be okay?"

Oh, she's really pushing it. I can feel something about her that I can't resist. I thought I had gotten in shape from construction work and undead hunting, but I guess I still have a long way to go.

"Well, I'll do my best, so I'll be fine."

"That's good. Don't overdo it. Oh, you're staying overnight. How many nights? Our rate is 12,000 elts for breakfast and dinner. Since Eltina introduced you, it's 10,000 elts. My name is Martha. Nice to meet you."

She doesn't seem like a bad person, but it's hard to keep up with her pace. Eltina seemed reluctant to introduce me, but I guess it's okay to get a discount. ...I'll take advantage of her kindness.

"My name is Yuta. Nice to meet you, Martha. Can I stay for seven nights?"

"Seven nights, got it. However, you seem quite polite for an adventurer. What did you do before this? Oh, I shouldn't pry into an adventurer's past. Sorry."

She's energetic. She talks and concludes things on her own.

Seven nights should be enough to get a feel for life in the Labyrinth City. I need to buy a lot of things to improve my living conditions in the Land of Death.

"No, it's fine. That would be 70,000 elts."

"Got it. We're known for our food. Enjoy your stay. Hey, Karl, we have a guest. Show him to his room."

"Ah, yes. I'm looking forward to it."

Martha calls out to Karl, and a boy runs over.

"Bro, this way."

He seems to be showing me to my room. It feels homely and casual... I'm glad I don't have to worry too much about this inn.

"Here's your room. This is the key, don't lose it."

He says that and runs off. I wonder if he's like Martha. I open the door and go inside.

...It's about six tatami mats in size. There's one bed and a small desk... It's not much, but it feels like civilization. I almost want to cry.

I touch the bed, feeling a bit nervous. Wow. It's a bit hard, but it's a proper bed. I thought a straw bed would be enough. I underestimated this world. I'm sorry.

"Sylph, is this bed normal for this world?"

"Huh? I haven't used bedding before, so I'm not sure, but it's probably similar to this one. Of course, there are more luxurious and cheaper ones."

"Luxurious beds... I wonder what they're like?"

The level of civilization might be higher than I thought. I can't tell what this bed is made of.

"If you're interested, I can take you to a store that sells bedding. But the expensive ones use high-quality materials, so they're quite pricey."

"Hmm. I want to get a bed for the spring, and there are other things I need. I'll aim to get a luxurious bed when I have more money, but for now, I'll focus on getting the essentials."

This inn's bed is comfortable enough. I also need a sofa, table, dishes, cooking utensils, clothing, armor, and small items. I need grains and other food supplies, and seasonings too. I need to work hard to earn money. In a way, the trouble at the Adventurer's Guild turned into money, so it might have been a stroke of luck.

"By the way, what about the person who was following me?"

"They saw you enter the inn and are now heading back to the Adventurer's Guild. I'll let you know if anything happens."

They probably wanted to confirm that I was staying here. They left quickly, so it doesn't seem like a big deal.

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

I say thanks and lie down on the bed. Ah, the softness is wonderful. It's great that I don't get sand in my face when I roll over. I want to sleep, but Bell and the others are waiting, so I need to summon them soon.

"Okay, I'll summon Bell and the others. Let's go for a walk together."

"Hehe. I think they'll be happy."

First, I'll summon Bell. I imagine her in my head, and she appears with a *pop*.

"Yuta, Bell is here!"

I hug Bell as she jumps on me and pinch her cheeks. Her soft cheeks feel great.

"Bell, wait a moment. I'll summon Rain, Turu, and Tamamo now."

"Okay."

I hold Bell, who has calmed down, and summon Rain. She rubs against my head with a *kyu-kyu*. I pet her head to calm her down, then summon Turu and Tamamo.

"We've arrived in the Labyrinth City safely. Did you all behave well?"

"Good girl," "Kyu," "Yes," "Ku."

I pamper Bell and the others, listening to their enthusiastic responses. I was quite lonely being apart from them for just half a day. Am I dependent on them?

"Okay, let's go for a walk in the Labyrinth City."

"Walk," "Kyu," "Walk," "Kuku."

"Once we're outside, you won't be able to respond. If you see something you want, let me know, but it can't be too expensive."

They respond enthusiastically, but they don't seem to fully understand.

"If you see something you want, Sylph, let me know. I also want to get souvenirs for Dine and the others."

"Hmm. For us, just giving us alcohol is fine. If you see a liquor store, can you buy some alcohol?"

Sylph, are you giving up? You can give yourself alcohol... Well, it's easy, so it helps. It's a bit sad, though.

"Got it. I'll definitely get alcohol during our stay."

When I say that, her cool beauty expression breaks into a smile. It really is easy. She's right.

"Let's get going. Today, we'll just wander around and buy things we like."

I could get a lot of information from Martha, but it's nice to explore the Labyrinth City without any preconceived notions.

I leave the inn, leaving the key with Martha at the counter. It seems we can have dinner in about two hours, but there's plenty of time for a walk.

Armor and other items might be better to buy from recommended stores, so today, I'll focus on food-related things. I wander around the Labyrinth City, captivated by the animal ears and tails. Just looking around is quite fun.

"Yuta, the person who was following you reported back to the Adventurer's Guild's guild master. It seems their purpose was to confirm your whereabouts."

(I got it. Thanks.)

I say thanks in a low voice. I was so captivated by the city that I forgot about the tail. Well, it doesn't seem to be a problem, so it's fine.

As I wander aimlessly, I come across a street with food stalls. Wow. The smell of grilled meat is irresistible. The desire for meat that I had been suppressing is suddenly released.

"Yuta, I want to eat this," "Kyu," "Meat," "Ku."

Bell and the others are already waiting in front of a skewer stall, ready to eat. They're quick. I nod to them and call out to the stall owner.

"Sir, what kind of meat is this? How much for one skewer?"

I'm already fixated on the meat. It looks like chicken. The fat is dripping and sizzling. It's yakitori... I can't resist. The only downside is that it's being grilled over regular wood. I wish it was charcoal.

"Welcome. Is this your first time in the Labyrinth City? This meat is from a bird called a Rafbird, which can be hunted in the sixth layer of the labyrinth. It's cheap and delicious, a specialty of the Labyrinth City. One skewer is 100 elts."

So it is chicken. To celebrate our arrival in the Labyrinth City, I'll have yakitori and premium beer. Should I go for it?

"Wow, a specialty. Then I'll have 20 skewers."

I pay 2,000 elts and chat with the stall owner. Bell and the others are peeking at the grill and sitting on the owner's shoulder, acting freely. My heart is racing.

Hey? Bell, Rain, you're drooling. Tamamo, your tail is almost on fire. Are you okay? Turu is waiting patiently, but her eyes are fixed on the meat.

I finally receive the grilled yakitori and put it in my magic bag. Bell and the others are disappointed that they can't eat it right away, but I can't let floating yakitori create a ghost story in a crowded place.

I select and buy some interesting food from the stalls, storing it in my magic bag. Pulled by Bell and the others, I head back to the inn. They all seem eager to eat the meat. I feel the same way, so I have no complaints. I just want to eat the meat quickly.

Thank you for reading.