Chapter 5

The reference room was quiet, with only one person deeply engrossed in writing something in the back. I checked the map of the area displayed in the reference room.

This town is located on the eastern side of the kingdom, fairly close to the mountain range that forms the border with the empire. Although it may seem close to the border, the mountain crossing is harsh, and one has to take a detour, so on the map, it appears to be the closest town to the border, but in reality, there are several other towns that are closer.

There are about two dungeons that can be reached within half a day, making it a popular town for adventurers. The guild's booklet describes it as an adventurer's town. However, adventurers are like rootless grass, and not many actually live in this town, so it doesn't have a large enough population to be considered a major city. The nearest major city is about two days away by carriage. The capital is written to be over a week away by carriage, as it involves passing through several towns and cities. If you go directly, it might be a bit faster, but there's no information on how long it would take to travel on foot.

In the end, I was checking the map and information about this town in the reference room when Instructor Leonis came back, so I didn't get to investigate much. There are apparently records of monster distributions, so I should come back and check if I have time.

"Let's go."

"Yes, please."

I received a simple tour of the town. The exterior is reminiscent of medieval Europe, with many stone houses, though some use bricks. There are no wooden houses like those in Japan.

This town is fan-shaped, with the lord's mansion at the center in the back. There are three entrances to the town: the East Gate, the Central Gate, and the West Gate, each guarded by gatekeepers.

The first gate I entered when I came to town was the East Gate. The East District, where the East Gate is located, is relatively populated by adventurers. There is an adventurer's guild, and the area is lined with affordable inns, taverns, and shops selling weapons and armor. It's a place with a lot of adventurers, and the security is somewhat poor.

The Central District, where the Central Gate is located, has a main street leading straight to the lord's mansion. Two main streets intersect this street at right angles, dividing the area into Central District 1, 2, and 3. Central District 1, being close to the lord's mansion, has many high-end stores. If you cause trouble in this area, you'll be quickly apprehended by the guards, so be careful. Central District 3, near the gate, has a lively market with a variety of goods at reasonable prices, from daily necessities to food. Central District 2 is an office area where the guilds, except for the adventurer's guild, are located.

As we walked from the East District into Central District 2, we were told, "This is it," and we entered a building that looked like an elegant mansion. Inside, there were several counters. I thought we would go to one of the counters, but a clerk called out to us.

"Hey, isn't that Leonis? What are you doing bringing a young kid around in the middle of the day?"

"I'm looking for a room. It's perfect, can you help us?"

"Looking for a room? Are you cheating on your wife? I'll tell her, you know?"

"Ha, I have no interest in this kid. I just want to rent a room to him. I'll be his guarantor."

"Ah, that's suspicious. I can't rent it to you without your wife's permission."

It seems to be a real estate office. The clerk, who seemed to know Leonis, led us to his desk.

Still... Leonis looks in his 40s and is clearly married... I, on the other hand, look like I'm in my teens. In this world, being a lolicon isn't a crime, right? I think... in my original world, the age difference wouldn't be that big, but in the current situation, it's quite a gap. Is it normal here?

But... to be honest, I don't find him attractive. I don't have a fetish for muscular men. I think he's a good person, and I'm grateful for his help, but I can confidently say it won't turn into a romantic relationship.

"This kid is a new adventurer, but he's naive and would die if left alone."

"Ah, he doesn't look like an adventurer. Is he in the wrong guild?"

"Ah..."

I'm wearing proper armor and carrying weapons and a shield... isn't it strange that I don't look like an adventurer? In a fantasy world, people who carry weapons are usually adventurers or knights, right? I didn't see anyone carrying a sword while walking here.

Ah, maybe they have some kind of four-dimensional pocket or something, so they don't carry anything?

"This kid has potential. I'm keeping an eye on him."

"Hmm. But, you know, we need to be paid on time every month. The adventurer's guild's guarantee isn't worth much to the merchant guild."

"Ah, that's not a problem. Right?"

"Ugh! Yes, I'll work hard and earn the money! I'll keep the room clean and won't cause any trouble."

Renting a place is indeed difficult. You can't just rely on trust; there are rent guarantee companies for that... Well, if asked if I can pay, I can only say I'll try my best.

"Hmm. I see. So, it's not cheating, right?"

"I have no interest in this kid. He's just an acquaintance."

"Um... I'm sorry. I don't have the time for romance right now. Also, I don't find you attractive."

"Hey..."

"I understand. If you say so, I'll rent you a room. What's your budget?"

"Up to 2000G per month, and it needs to have a room for alchemy."

"Ah!?"

I was surprised by the amount, which is more than twice my current funds. Yes, I understand it's monthly, so it's high, but I don't have that much money, so it would be a loan. It feels wrong to borrow from someone I just met today.

"I know you don't have the money. I'll cover the first month for you."

"An adventurer? 2000G per month?"

"Ah, I... I don't know the going rate, so I'm sorry."

"That's true... Most adventurers don't have a home, so it's hard to say what the going rate is. The standard is based on a regular household. If I recommend a place, it will be in the West District or the back of the West District, which is far from the adventurer's guild and quite expensive. Can you afford it?"

The West District is densely populated with many houses. The back of the West District continues into the outskirts, which are said to be difficult to live in. The lord's mansion can only be reached from the Central District, so the back of the West District is quite far. It's also far from the East District.

Can you afford it? I don't know if I can earn enough to pay for it.

I'm sorry...

But I'll try my best to earn enough. And... I want a bath. I'm being selfish, I know.

"I don't know. But I was told that staying at an inn is not an option. My preference is to have separate rooms for alchemy and sleeping, and if possible, a bath."

"Alchemy, I see... Then, is that a reasonable price?"

"Is it?"

"Generally, the monthly income is around 2000 to 4000G. For adventurers, it depends on their abilities. They can earn a lot in one go but might get injured and have to rest. There's a lot of individual variation, but alchemists are different. They can earn a lot! Even a beginner alchemist has demand, so it should be fine. If you can't earn enough, you can always work for a merchant."

Hmm...

I don't understand the value of the currency, but considering the rent as a percentage of a regular household's income, it's quite a lot. Can I earn that much?

"Hmm... Is the rent high?"

"Yes, it is. But if you can do alchemy, you can earn that much. This town has many adventurers, but few alchemists... Most are affiliated with stores, so there's a shortage, and you can earn a lot. Here's a recommended property. It's an old building, but it has a well and a bath. It's a bit noisy, but it's cheap for its size, at 1700G per month."

It's a tough decision...

I thought 1700G would be tough, but...

I was originally planning to stay at a 50G inn... 30 days x 50G = 1500G. With a bath, it's not that expensive, is it? But, it's different from staying at an inn, so it is expensive...

However, considering the facilities needed for alchemy... I glanced at Instructor Leonis.

He knows the going rate and can predict my future earnings. Can I trust him...? It might be tough, but...

"It's fine. Adventurers earn well because of the risks. If you're solo, you don't have to worry about sharing, so with alchemy, you can earn enough as long as you don't slack off."

He seems confident.

Well, since he's an instructor, he probably knows a lot about adventurers. I have to trust him.

"Understood. I'll take it."

I decided on the recommended property.

Making a quick decision... I'm a bit worried about not investigating properly, but if the room for alchemy is limited, this expense is necessary.

"Are you sure about the quick decision?"

"Well, if I can secure a place to sleep, that's fine. I have other preparations to make. I'll work hard to earn the money."

"Hmm. Are you sure it's okay?"

"On the contrary, it would be dangerous to put this kid in an inn. It's full of men hungry for women... You understand, right? If he works diligently without being picky, it should be fine."

"Well, that's true. If you can do alchemy, you can manage financially. I'll show you the place."

What does he mean?

Is it that dangerous to stay at an inn in this world? I heard that criminals get caught by the guards, but is it still dangerous?

As we followed the two people who were showing us around, I observed the surroundings.

It's not a big city, so there aren't many people, but it doesn't seem particularly dangerous. There must be some issues somewhere.

We walked for 10 minutes from the real estate office to a house on the outskirts of the West District.

It doesn't seem to be a bad place... However, it's about 10 minutes from the West Gate, making it an inconvenient area. If I want to sell medicine, the Central District and East District have more shops, so it would be difficult to sell here unless I have exceptional skills.

This area has many workshops and is not a residential area. Townspeople rarely come here as customers.

However, it's not a problem to supply to merchants. There's a stable managed by the commercial guild right in front.

Next to the stable, a large building that looks like a warehouse is unloading a lot of cargo. Several carriages are lined up, and people are giving loud instructions. The stables manage the horses for the carriages. It's like a terminal for transportation in modern times, where merchants temporarily store their goods for pickup and delivery.

By the way... it smells a bit like animals. The smell is coming from the stables.

The entrance to the back of the house is closer to the merchant's gate, not the West Gate. Since only carriages can use the merchant's gate, you have to go to the West Gate.

In short, this place is quite far back in the town, and ordinary people rarely come here.

Incidentally, the neighbor is a blacksmith. The sound of hammering, "kan-kan," is constantly echoing.

Despite the lack of foot traffic, it's quite noisy... It might be tough to live here with the sound of hammers, horses, and carriages.

"What do you think? The first floor is a shop and storage + bath, the second floor is living space with a kitchen, dining room, and two bedrooms, and the basement is for alchemy and other work."

"It's spacious... and it's quiet inside."

The house we were shown was comfortable inside. It seems to have soundproofing, blocking out the noise from outside. It's a large house with a basement and second floor, which would be a mansion for one person. I was considering rejecting it due to the noise outside, but this is fine.

"Yes, the previous tenant did soundproofing because it's noisy outside. However, it will be noisy when the shop door is open. Also, it's an old but sturdy house. This area has little foot traffic, so daily shopping is quite far. However, alchemy involves odors, so the conditions are quite good. The previous tenant also had a shop, so you can keep it open."

"Understood. I don't plan to open a shop, so is it possible to renovate?"

"In principle, you need to return it to its original state when you leave, but if that's possible, it should be fine. I'll confirm with the landlord."

"Understood. Thank you."

I received the keys, and the real estate agent and Leonis left. The contract will be handled at the office, where Leonis will sign it as the guarantor and pay the rent. It's smoother for Leonis to sign... I can't pay, so I have no choice but to ask him... I feel bad about asking him to do so much.

"...I guess I have no choice but to rely on you... I owe you a lot... Can I ever repay you?"

If I was being deceived... I have no money and can't do anything.

It's pointless to think about it, so I'll focus on what I can do.