The Search for Thieves

The thieves that were kicked out of town seem to have come back for revenge.

It was information I just happened to overhear, but I couldn’t throw it away.

It seems the thieves, who attacked the village and were killed by me, were originally based in the slums of this town.

Would those thieves that were evicted from town be their companions?

If that’s so, who is the other party they’re getting revenge on?

I felt a chill.

Ok think calmly, the chances of me being their revenge target is small.

First, if this was the town they were expelled from, they would want revenge on the town.

Second, they had the tables turned on them because they attacked the village, so it would be unjustified resentment.

Third, it’s hard to identify my face, since this world likely doesn’t have photographs.

Although, it doesn’t give me peace of mind.

Even if it’s to get revenge for being driven out of town, I think it would be difficult if the knights were the other party.

Even if it’s unjustified resentment, there’s no reason to stop if the other side doesn’t think so.

And if you get the information from the knight or the villagers, it’s possible to arrive at me.

No matter what the thief’s objectives are, I can’t deny the possibility of being targeted.

Until the thieves that were kicked out of town are killed, I can’t sleep without worries.(TLN: the original Japanese is 枕を高くしては寝られない which roughly translates to “can’t sleep with a higher pillow” which refers to a saying that if you are expecting an attack to sleep with a shorter pillow so you can hear it coming)

Without any response from me, I hunted the thieves and was forced to receive the reward money.

That day I searched the town until the evening.

I didn’t go into the slums.

I couldn’t find any thieves, but I grasped the rough features of the town.

Because I have warp, it’s important to know the terrain of the town.

I’ve found the reason the slums are in the north.

Two rivers flow through the town of Vale.

Both flow from the south and exit through the north.

There was also a well in the back of the inn and such around, so I’m not sure to what extent it’s used for drinking water.

However, sewage is probably discharged into the river.

The water that flows into the city from the south is clean and becomes cloudier as it heads downstream.

When it arrives at the slums, it stinks.

No one wants to live is such a place.

In turn, the rich and powerful build their houses in the south.

The remaining north side in turn becomes slums.

I haven’t seen any thieves, is it because I’m being too careful?

I don’t think humans that can use judgment often appear, but if you were in this town since the olden days, it might be known.

Or perhaps thieves are only active at night.

I may not be able to meet them unless I enter the deepest parts of the slums.

There’s the possibility they’re outside of town, too.

While thinking of various things, I arrived at the labyrinth.

“How far can you take me?”

I equip my discount and ask the explorer at the labyrinth’s entrance.

“Seven floors.”

“Can you take me to the fourth floor.”

“Ok.”

There isn’t any money in the third floor.

I should get him to take me to the lower floors.

Kobolds die in a single shot of magic, also they die with a single blow from durandal.

The entrance explorer disappears at midnight.

I should get him to take me along tonight.

“…….How much?”

I asked because the other side wasn’t saying anything.

“Pay the level of floor you want to go to in silver coins.”

“Understood.”

It’s an easy to understand pricing plan.

It might have been common sense.

I took four silver coins from the rucksack.

I can’t cheat the item box spell in front of the professional.

The operation time might be weird.

When I passed over the coins, he took out his item box.

Oh.

It’s that spell.

Now that I think about it, if I remove Incantation Omission, will I have to talk to finish?

Without Incantation Omission or Incantation Reduction, the correct spell and timing are needed to invoke magic.

The explorer cast the spell of party formation.

I selected “Yes” for the admission confirmation, and the explored entered the labyrinth.

I entered inside as well.

“This is the fourth floor.”

“Eh?”

As soon as I entered , the explorer said that.

So suddenly, I couldn’t even react.

Ahead of the wall I just passed through, was the labyrinth entrance.

A black wall behind and a small room with three paths extending to the left, right, and front.

It’s very predictable.

“Party Released” comes to mind.

The explorer left through the wall behind the bewildered me.

Once you leave the entrance of the first floor, don’t you have to transfer using dungeon walk?

I thought that was the case.

The explorer didn’t cast anything, but I came here directly.

Incantation Omission?

I have no idea why.

Apparently, you can specify the designation when entering.

Or is it fraud?

Though always doing business in the labyrinth’s entrance, probably means it isn’t fraud.

Anyway, I took out durandal and advanced.

Mino Lv 4

There’s no doubt that it seems to be the fourth floor.

A level four monster appeared.

It’s a cow.

A brown buffalo.

However, it’s body isn’t that long and gives a kind of cramped feeling.

From its head, two horns extend.

It doesn’t have a single speck of adorableness.

The cow ferociously glared this way.

I’ll try to shoot “Fireballs” at it.

The Mino was beginning to charge.

Because it didn’t try to avoid it, the fireball hits it en route.

Although temporarily pressed back, it shook off the fire and started to charge again.

I sent the second shot.

The Mino was hit in the front again.

I wonder if it’s resistant to fire.

Though that feeling isn’t there.

But isn’t it kind of stupid to keep charging?

Just straight at me.

It’s not a wild boar damn it, it’s a cow.

I prepared Durandal, and the Mino stopped right in front of my eyes.

I released the third shot.

Its horn was swung.

It seems I can’t defeat it with three shots of “Fireball.”

Even though I received it with the sword, it’s power is considerable.

It would be a dangerous to be hit by that horn.

This is nothing but a bad situation.

I drove Durandal into it’s torso.

Hide

All that remains is its hide.

I made sure there was no one around and put it away in my item box.

I got scared and reflexively used Durandal.

It’s the fear that the monster will come and stab me with the horn.

This is scary.

It’s because it has horns.

If it was something like human skin, wouldn’t it pierce right through?

Even if you wear leather armor, it doesn’t mean your whole body is covered.

I could counter the Mino’s horn by getting the rank 5 or 6 full body armor, but it’s a waste of points.

Incidentally, the foot armor rank 3, Boots of Acceleration, as the name suggest, have increased movement speed. I thought it would increase the rate at which I explored the dungeon, but it only becomes fast in a battle.

The equipment level 5, Fragarach, doesn’t have MP absorption.

So, durandal must be out for MP recovery.

Surprisingly , the bonus equipment wasn’t useful.

Though plate armor may be sold, given the difficulty of movement and heaviness of the armor, it isn’t practical.

Given what I now know, the Green Caterpillar was great.

Even though it hurt, the ramming attack is just its body.

As for the Needle Wood, it just swings branches.

Branch arms.

Although the Kobolds’ were also scary, kobolds were weak.

Even a single shot of magic was enough.

Now that I think about it, was it bad I abandoned leveling up on the third floor?

If the level 4 Mino could be defeated in three shots of magic, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Or, since it’s my first time seeing it, it’s scary and is just a matter of getting used to it?

At any rate, there’s no doubt this is the fourth floor.

The explorer didn’t cast a spell.

If you choose which floor you want to go to when you enter the labyrinth, you should be able to go there.

Should I try and see?

Although I think it’s bad to enter and immediately exit, I can’t deal with the fourth floor.

I returned to the adventurers guild using warp and decided to do the experiment another day.

“After dinner, give me the hot water and lantern.”

“Thank you for your patronage.

Hot water and a lantern, as a special service will be 21 nars.

I returned to the Vale Pavilion and received the key.

When I ordered it, I was told the price.

The hot water is 20 nars and I’m certain the rent for the lantern was supposed to be 10 nars.

For some reason the 30% discount worked.

It’s my victory for consistently applying my discount skills.

Even though it won’t change that hot water has been 20 nars, was there some change in the way he treats me.

I wonder if I’m treated as a regular customer from today on?

No.

There was only one time where hot water wasn’t 20 nar.

It’s the day I paid with the inn bill.

One item is 20 nar, though I wonder if the 30% discount applies to multiple items.

Hot water is 20 nar but with a lantern it’s 21? I feel this is strange but pay gratefully nonetheless.

After, I confirmed the “2” character during dinner, wiped my body down with the hot water, and went outside with the lantern.

Already the sun is setting and it’s growing dark.

The lantern doesn’t burn brightly either.

It must be difficult to work with this light during the night.

It can’t be compared with a fluorescent lamp.

It’s only to the extent of being better than nothing.

It reminds me of the standing gas lamps during the Westernization movement of the Meiji period.

Even though a gas lamp can’t be compared to a fluorescent light, I think this darkness belongs only to this lantern.

I walked while illuminating the area near my feet.

But while it’s dark out, walking with a light is extremely noticeable.

Though there were few, now and then were people carrying lights, too.

There is light wherever someone is, so I know when to use judgment.

This is my limit with the judgment skill.

I can’t tell how many people are walking without a light

I used judgment at random but didn’t get a hit.

I walked towards the north.

I thought of asking the guy at the hotel if there was a bar somewhere, but decided not to do it.

If I enter a bar without the intention to drink alcohol, it’ll be exposed when I come back and receive the key.

The guy may know of a seedy bar, but may worry about losing a customer, but I want to go to a seedy bar.

It’s troublesome to ignore the recommendation to a safe bar.

As I was heading north, there was a brightly lit street.

Many adjoining buildings facing the street have their doors flung open.

It’s a brothel.

A woman is being displayed in a shop window, another woman on the first floor calls out to the man walking down the street, and the man chooses a woman.

It creates a very festive atmosphere.

It might just be festive compared to the night.

Or, possibly because I’m horny.

Yeah…..

I have no intention of entering.

Although I have no intention of entering, what I see is making my heart throb.

My heart is pounding.

Wait.

Calm down.

I need to think about this calmly.

There’s also diseases.

There’s the risk of being ripped off, too.

Not entering is the correct choice.

In the first place, I don’t think they could compare to Roxanne’s beauty.

Even if there was one, it wouldn’t be picked for a first time customer.

Having decided not to enter, I gazed at the brothel calmly.

I hear the buzz of the brothel district.

It’s kind of fun.

Though,……I can’t understand the words.

From what I hear from the brothel, it probably a good thing I don’t understand the language.

The women, guests, and pimps were all talking in a language other than Brahim.

I don’t mind, since the hotel and guild speak it, but it seems many people don’t speak Brahim.

It’s the same as the first village.

The local language isn’t Brahim.

The brothel will cater to the local population.

Somewhere out there, there may be a prostitute that understands Brahim.

I took in the atmosphere for a while from the street, then walked off.

Even though I can’t understand the words, there is no reason to enter.

I’m considered an outsider and could get dragged into strange problems.

Since I’m not entering and only listening from the outside, I don’t know how I appear to the surroundings.

Since there is light, there is the possibility of attracting attention.

Although, I wonder if there aren’t many timid men who don’t enter after coming in front of the brothel.

I kept with my wishful thinking, but it didn’t change much.

After that, I wandered the town until the lantern’s light ran out and then, warped back to the Vale Pavilion.

Because it’s bad to come out the inner wall, I came out of the entrance outside wall.

I didn’t see any adventurers use field walk in the town.

It might be bad manners to use it however they please.

Even if there wasn’t privacy.

Since it’s the middle of the night, it should be fine to transfer to the outside wall of the Vale Pavilion.

Returning to the inn, I gave back the lantern, went to my room, and slept.

I awoke in the middle of the night, left the key, and used warp to appear at the slums.

Success!

It’s dark and I can’t see anything, but this should be the place I came a while ago.

I think I see the brothel in that direction, but it seems to be closed.

Just in case, I used judgment.

Information for one person came to mind.

Seems like there is someone here.

Although I know from using it in the labyrinth, apparently judgment doesn’t depend on the presence of light.

27-years old, Villager Woman

The other party is pretty.

In this darkness, the other side won’t be able to see me.

What are you doing in such a place?

When I had that thought, it suddenly became bright around the corner of the road and out came a man with a torch.

There were three men.

The three of them were thieves.

It’s the first time I found thieves in this town.

However, their level is low.

Every one of them was in the single digits.

Among the thieves that attacked the village, only two were worth money.

The Lv 19 was worth money but not the Lv 11, that might be the point.

If they’re level isn’t even in the double-digits, I think they’re a bit half-baked as thieves.

The three people have begun to move separately while lighting up their surroundings.

Is it bad to be here?

When I was thinking about leaving with warp, I heard a sound from the other person.

The three men headed towards the noise.

The figure of the woman is lit up by the torches of the men.

The woman tried to rush away but tripped.

The thieves rushed at the woman.

She said some words I couldn’t understand, while the men surrounded her.

One man kicked the woman’s stomach.

“Stop at the face.

body, body”

Do you really have to say such a thing?

It’s just that kind of feeling.

The three men beat the s*** out of her.

The woman tried to appeal, but was ignored.

Before long, a man grabbed her by the hair and dragged her away.

Four people went around the corner and disappeared.

Silence returned to the vicinity.

Since the thieves are gone, I’m not worried about being found here.

Although I’m no longer worried……

I saw something unpleasant.

Because it’s unnatural for a young woman to be in such a place, I wonder if she wasn’t a whore.

Were you trying to escape……..did you need to pull the tea……….were you trying for new clients?

It might be where thieves use violence as punishment.

Thieves certainly exist in this slum and seem to be responsible for the violence.