Most of the taverns in the city also served as accommodation.
«Do you want to see my special ability quickly above?»
He was offering me a room to show me his skill. This had already happened once, so it wasn't that strange. However...
«That won't work.»
«...Sorry?»
Seeing Erwen bewildered, I firmly rejected the offer. «It's late. I have to go home». A cat was waiting for me. «Show it to me later, when you can».
«¡Oh... wrong!»
He knew me well. As a player more interested in this world than anyone, if I saw that special ability now, I would spend the night experimenting with this and that.
«Oh, are you here?» When I separated from Erwen and got home, Missha approached me from reading a cookbook in the living room and sniffed me. «Smells like you haven't drunk that much».
«I didn't feel like it».
«Hmm, ¿es así?»
It was like something bad had happened. I didn't have to think much. «Today I met Erwen». I confessed it honestly before wasting the golden time.
Swish, swish.
«Ah... thanks». As ordered, I sat at the kitchen table. Missha put on an apron and started cooking, and I watched her silently from behind. His tail was moving.
When I finished the brief conversation and was about to go upstairs, Missha stopped me. «Wait, sit there». Had he caught me? «It's good to let your stomach digest before going to bed. I'll boil you some stew».
«...I see. You should sleep too.»
«Sleep in your room.»
Naturally I changed the subject. «Anyway, where is Ainar?»
I hadn't committed any crime, but for some reason I had a hard time looking her in the eyes. Was it because he hadn't told her he was meeting Erwen? Hmm, that was probably the reason. But if I told him he wouldn't have liked it... He had no choice.
«...Really?» The response came a little late, but she didn't seem very surprised.
«You're crazy?»
At my question, Missha giggled. «Why would I be? That's reserved for those who really have a chance». Saying that, Missha threw the pot full of stew in the trash. His words did not correspond to his actions.
"¿Por qué...?"
«Oh, it didn't taste good.»
« ¿Ya veo?»
«Wait, I'll boil you another one.»
Soon, Missha boiled a new stew and served it on the table. Then she went up to her room, saying she was tired.
What was that from a moment ago?
Still feeling the strangeness, I ate the stew from the bowl. As always, the stew suited my taste buds perfectly and went down easily. However, the other one didn't taste good?
No way.
After finishing eating, I cleared the table a little and opened the trash can. I stood paralyzed, holding the lid.
...Thank goodness I was honest.
The garbage stew was full of carrots. She already knew, from the moment she approached to sniff me, who I had met today.
***
Time was like flowing water. Stretching out his hand couldn't stop him, and what flowed once couldn't come undone. We only had one option, get on this ship called life and row towards our goal, no matter what the cost.
Yes, let's start another day.
Getting out of bed, I looked at myself for a moment in the mirror to motivate myself. This was the know-how of a player. At least something like that had to be done to not get tired of those repetitive missions.
«Bjorn... Oh, are you awake? Then go wake up Ainar for me».
«Okay.»
Since it was a repetitive search, my life these days was exactly the same every day. Get up at 7 AM, wake up Ainar, eat the food Missha cooked for us, and get ready to go out.
«The Library again?»
«Why, do you want to go with me?»
«No, it's okay. I'm taking Ainar to the training center later».
After breakfast was over, Missha and Ainar headed to the training center, where they purchased a monthly body-stretching pass, and I headed straight to the library.
«Have you come to read that book again?».
«It was more interesting than I thought».
«Haha, give thanks. I thought it would be like this, so I took it out in advance».
Recently, I was reading a series of ultra-long novels. It was a recommendation from Ragna and it was funnier than I expected. Since it was set in the maze, the content was also rich.
However, the characters are all too likable, so there is no sense of reality.
Still, as a novel, it was not unbearable. If I have to be honest, it was good entertainment. Aside from drinking, there weren't too many hobbies to enjoy in this world, which was a problem.
«Have a good day».
As always, around one in the afternoon, I closed the book I was reading, left the library and had lunch. The menu was a meat lunch box prepared by Missha. Eating it at the fountain, it was soon time to meet Rotmiller.
«Today you are late. About thirty seconds. To become a great guide, you must know the weight of time. Since you're late, let's start class right now».
It had been over a year since I started scout training with Rotmiller. To be honest, I thought it would be over in a month or two. But since Rotmiller's knowledge was like the sea, the more I learned, the more I realized that I still had to know.
«Now that it seems like you know all the basics, let's move on to the intensive course».
«Before that, what happened to what I mentioned yesterday?».
«Do you mean setting up a school?»
«Sí.»
Rotmiller was the first to mention the school, but the more he received training from this man, the more he thought the school would be a great success. Even if you didn't have hearing as big as a fairy's, a sense of smell as good as a beastman's, or innate guiding abilities, it was possible to acquire the skills of a guide. The master of hard work, the essence of Rotmiller. This alone was attractive enough, but having started from the bottom, even this man's teaching skills were first class.
But he still doesn't know his own worth.
Honestly, it was a wonder why he didn't do it yet. Unlike the dwarf's forge, he did not need any initial capital.
«Consider it seriously. You've been playing for months since then».
«I'm not playing, I'm taking advantage of the time I didn't have before to train».
«If so, shouldn't you do it even more? Sometimes teaching can help you learn».
«That's... hard to deny. In fact, I have learned a lot from teaching you».
«So, your answer?»
«I still don't feel like it».
I bit my lips in silence. It seemed that Rotmiller did not want to leave the profession yet. «Really? Let me know when you decide. I'll help you».
«Thanks for the words, at least».
«They are not empty words, I am sincere.»
In fact, I already had a rough plan. First, he could rent a training center at first to use as a school and market it to human children hoping to become explorers. Once established, it could place ads in the Scout Guild and operate a separate, scout-only class. That would make more money, anyway. Of course, it would take considerable time to establish itself.
Pero Rotmiller es humano.
Humans pay less taxes. If you secured a position and received a certain amount of benefits, you would have no problem putting food on the table for the rest of your life.
However, all that means nothing if this man says no.
If capital was an issue, he was willing to invest to some extent. The concept of the stock market was still new in this world, but it was not completely non-existent. It was also perfect for money management.
«Today's lesson is over».
Anyway, after receiving training for a few hours, today's class was over. It was around 8 in the afternoon. Was it because it was an intensive course? The explanations were longer than normal so we finished an hour late.
«Then tomorrow... No, tomorrow I won't be able to come», Rotmiller said.
«Let's say three days to be sure».
«Let's do it. Take care of yourself this time too».
Anyway, the scheduled daily routine ended there. In the afternoons, I would usually have a drink with the explorers introduced to me by the Dwarf or Mr. Bear and listen to industry trends, or meet as a team to socialize, but today I had no one to meet. Now that I had completed my special routine that took place every midnight on the 15th my schedule was completely empty. It's been a long time since I had my own time.
Should I go to the library again? Or go warm up at the training center?
I debated it, but I walked into a tavern I saw on the way home and ordered a drink to myself. Yes, there had to be days like this from time to time.
Clink.
I pour myself the warm beer and organize the thoughts floating in my head.
The truth is that nothing is happening these days.
These kinds of repetitive days didn't bore me. To be honest, it was comfortable and pleasant. But on the other hand, anxiety grew more and more because he knew that these dream days would not last forever.
Still, it may not be over yet. I didn't find out anything at the Round Table either.
The Round Table I attended two weeks ago showed no major signs of change. Spilling information and acting harshly, as usual, everyone else looked at me in amazement and I acted bored as I focused on the information the members were sharing. That was all that happened that day. There was no information to intrigue me and the meeting itself ended after two rounds.
Oh. I guess something strange happened.
If I had to highlight anything about this meeting, it would be one thing.
«Then see you next month. Pshehe.»
At the end of the meeting, Clown said goodbye for the first time, not to me, but to the other members with a somewhat meaningful tone of voice.
Does that mean something interesting will happen the next time we meet?
Well, I didn't know. It could be a simple whim. That was Clown's character in the first place. Nor was it as if he were a prophet or a mind reader.
I should get going.
After sitting alone in a bar for an hour, looking pathetic, I got up and headed home. When I arrived, the scrum sisters had already returned from the training center and were arguing. Well, it was closer to being a one-sided fight, to be exact.
«Ainar! Didn't I tell you to keep your halberd in one place?! Do you think you can become such a great warrior?»
«That... I was going to do it later! Really. I wasn't being lazy, I swear!»
«This is the last time. If you do this again, do it yourself-Oh, Bjorn. When did you come? And dinner?»
«Not yet.» Even though I drank, I didn't order food on purpose.
«Really? I'll fix it soon, go wash. Hey! Ainar! Where do you think you're going? I'm not done talking to you!»
«Tsk! You caught me!»
Leaving behind Ainar, who was being scolded by Missha, I went to the bathroom to wash. When I returned, a table was generously set. Since it was going to be difficult to eat like this tomorrow, I assumed she was being more attentive than usual.
«Thank you always, Missha».
«It's nothing new...»
After lunch, we played a card game that Missha bought at the market and spent time together late into the night. Today it was better to sleep late.
«The sun is starting to rise.»
«We should call Urakburak and Aruru next time!»
«Are you going to say that again? I don't know Aruru, but Abman should stay home. Has wife».
«Then we can ask his wife to come too!»
What was this boy talking about? It was bound to turn into a pointless argument if I left them alone, so I stepped in and fixed it. «Okay, okay. Let's go to bed. Wake up as late as possible».
Tomorrow night the maze would open.
***
[You have entered the Crystal Cave on the first floor.]
In the dark it was difficult to see even an inch ahead. Considering we had just entered the maze, this was obviously an anomaly, but no one was startled. Since then, we had been through this several times.
«Leait».
A sphere of light with a faint glow rose above our heads, illuminating the area. The first thing we saw was the stone on the floor located on the wall of the dead end.
«We have returned to the right place. At this rate, it is not a special phenomenon, but something that can be considered a rule».
It was a dimensional instability bug with a 100% chance of success. As always, Raven walked over first and put her hand on the stone. The structure of the magic flow when the portal was created was so unique that, apparently, she could not perceive it after one or two attempts. Of course, I didn't know where I planned to use that information either. Did it have any use?
[The portal has been opened for the first time. EXP+2]
Anyway, when we entered the portal, we were greeted by the unique flat air and ground of this place. Damn.
[You have entered the Lair of Beasts on the second floor.]
Why this one of all places?
«Mr. Yandel, what are you going to do?»
«...Let's go down again.»
Although I had been taking Rotmiller classes for over half a year, this place was exasperating. There were too many crossovers and complicated rules. To the point that even Rotmiller crossed this floor with his sense of smell and advised me that it was better to leave.
«So, the Goblin Forest again?»
Did I even need to say it? Returning to the first floor, we headed to the Goblin Forest, the one we used the most. Finding your way in the Land of the Dead or the Rock Desert wasn't too difficult, but this route was still the fastest.
«We could earn portal opening achievement points there. We're going to move fast, so follow us closely».
I took out my compass and began to find my way seriously. We left the dark zone without getting lost even once, and even after we crossed the border between the dark zone and the common area and advanced along the shortest route. I didn't have to ask Mr. Bear once for the address of the portal. That was because he already dominated the Crystal Cave.
In fits and starts.
It had been just over two hours since I entered the maze.
«Mr. Yandel». Raven stopped me from above Ainar's back. «There is something strange».
«...¿Raro?»
«Mana swirls in the central region, as if dozens of people are casting a joint spell...»
Joint spells were when magicians used high-ranking magic or joined their unique manas to amplify the strength of a given spell. For reference, it was often used in large-scale raids. But it was not often used on the first floor.
«...Black magic. I can also feel the cursed mana.»
To think that they would even use black magic. The situation was getting serious. «It must be Noark, right?»
«Yeah. It is well known that there are many dark wizards on Noark's side».
«No wonder they were so quiet. This is a headache».
«What are you going to do?» Frightened by the current situation, Raven unusually showed a trembling side of herself. Yes, I needed to be the alert here.
«Nothing changes. Let's speed up a little more. Let's get out of the first floor as quickly as possible».
Quickly giving orders, I resumed our stopped movement. About five minutes passed.
«Something is coming from behind!» Raven suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs.
¡Voom!
A cluster of red light passed in front of us from the back hallway in an instant and disappeared across the other side. There was no time to dodge it or react.
«...What the hell was that?»
«No I do not know. I think it's mana, but...»
It was sinister madness. A kind of magic Raven didn't know about?
«Hey, Bjorrrn... Shouldn't we keep moving?»
Following Missha's advice, I took the initiative to pave the road again and analyzed the situation. There was no clear answer. Maybe that was why.
«We... are fine, right?»
Even knowing the leader's role in this situation, he couldn't answer that question. When everything was unclear, only one thing was too obvious. The times that felt blessed, and felt more fleeting because of it, the peaceful days had come to an end from now on.