The Winbolt territory, where Tricia had been born and raised, had no sea. Perhaps because she had memories of a past life, Tricia wasn't particularly moved by it, but Luke seemed to have taken a real liking to the ocean.
"How about this area? That boarding house we talked about!" Luke asked, his tone bright and eager in neutral Standard American English.
"No way!" Tricia replied, her speech maintaining a sharp, clean neutrality. "It's way too expensive around here! Besides, there aren't any tenement buildings."
This area was far from the West Gate, which was closest to the Dungeon, and because they could escape by ship in an emergency (Stampede), many influential people and the wealthy lived here. The Edinbia lord's castle was also nearby. Perhaps because of that, there were frequent patrols by the military police, making the public safety quite good.
"I see..." Luke muttered, his voice dropping into a disappointed, neutral register.
"No, seriously," Tricia said, her tone level and practical. "Why don't you just buy one yourself..."
When it came to S-rank, the rewards were limitless. With his wealth, he could easily afford to own his own mansion.
"A house is just a hindrance for an adventurer, isn't it~" Luke said, his voice trailing off with a relaxed, modern cadence.
"I think it's nice to have a place to come back to," Tricia countered, her voice steady.
"...That's why something like the boarding house you're talking about making is just right!" Luke grumbled, sounding a bit sullen.
Next, the two of them went around to look at the artisan town in the north. Perhaps because the barracks were also nearby, there were many soldiers here, too.
"Oh! I've never been here before, it's fun! There are so many materials I've never seen!" Tricia chirped, her tone light and curious.
"Well, places like this have nothing to do with a Healer, right?" Luke asked, his voice neutral and analytical.
"I did come here to buy armor, at least~" Tricia said, keeping her tone breezy.
"Repairs... I guess that has nothing to do with you," Luke noted, a hint of dry observation in his speech.
Watching Tricia smile with a slightly wicked look, Luke gave a bitter smile.
With Tricia's skills, even broken armor and torn clothes could be restored to a brand-new, clean condition instantly.
"Wait! I thought you were wearing decent gear for a C-rank, but could it be..." Luke realized, his voice sharp with sudden clarity.
"Yup! I fixed up some secondhand stuff," Tricia stated, her voice crisp and satisfied.
This led to quite a lot of savings. Tricia and her group had much more money in their pockets than other adventurers.
Since Tricia repaired all the tools related to adventuring, there was no need to pay more than the initial cost. Eagle's sword, Anetta's staff, and everything else—if they had been repaired or bought new, it would have required a significant amount of money and time.
"Then aren't those guys having a hard time right about now?" Luke asked, his tone leaning into a casual, inquisitive rhythm.
"Hmph! Serves them right!" Tricia exclaimed, her voice firm and assertive.
Adventurers usually pay to repair their own weapons out of their own wallets, but Tricia had voluntarily repaired theirs as well. She knew that doing so would lead to raising their ranks faster.
"Didn't they get suspicious?" Luke asked, his voice maintaining its neutral, inquisitive edge.
"I think Eagle sensed something was up," Tricia replied, her speech measured and calm. "He didn't say anything, though. That guy, he rarely pries into things."
He was the silent type. He let Tricia be, saying she didn't have to talk about what she didn't want to. One could call it passive, but to Tricia, it was appreciated.
(Well, that might be why I was attracted to the pushy Anetta~)
Recalling being dumped, the good memories were quickly pushed out of her head.
"Anetta wasn't interested in me to begin with, so she probably just thought I was lucky for not costing any money," Tricia noted, her voice reflecting a cold, objective detachment.
That was how Tricia and Eagle went on adventures while other adventurers were taking up time with healing and weapon repairs. That was why they were able to raise their ranks at such a fast pace.
"If we go southwest or northwest, we'd have more room in the budget, but... the public safety is..." Tricia mused, her tone thoughtful.
"Either way, you wouldn't be able to settle down in that area, would you?" Luke asked, his voice steady.
"Ah! That's right! I almost forgot my original goal!" Tricia said, her tone brightening.
Even though Tricia was an adventurer, she wanted to build a space where she could live peacefully. The area near the West Gate had many adventurer towns, slums, and brothels, and it was noisy and bustling until late at night.
"But isn't it inconvenient if it's too far from the West Gate?" Tricia asked, her voice reflective.
"Wouldn't it be fine if it's close to the Adventurer's Guild?" Luke suggested, his tone neutral and helpful.
"Hmm... then maybe near the central plaza on the west side~" Tricia decided, her voice light and casual.
The center of Edinbia's town was a large plaza. There was a temple, a clock tower, and a theater, and large markets were frequently held there. And as if to surround the plaza, shops stood side by side. Each guild was also in that row. The Adventurer's Guild was on the west side, the Artisan's Guild on the north side, and the Merchant's Guild was located on the south side.
"A lot of the time, we eat in the adventurer town or around the guilds, too," Luke remarked, his voice steady and informative.
Adventurers generally didn't cook for themselves. They did simple cooking while adventuring, but it was nothing more than a meal lightly heated over a fire. It was natural, since they usually stayed at inns. Tricia was hesitant about that, too.
(The kitchen, what should I do...)
If it were her, she would want one, but what about other adventurers?
(Luke is from the nobility, after all.)
The man walking happily beside her didn't seem like much of a reference.
By the time the sun set, they had returned to the central plaza.
"Are they still running a slave market at this hour?" Luke asked, his tone dropping to a serious, neutral register.
"Really, huh," Tricia replied, her voice hushed and grim.
It seemed the carriage had arrived late. A large crowd of people had gathered, putting prices on the slaves.
"Not going to take a look?" Luke prompted, his voice calm.
"Because tomorrow it could be me," Tricia said, her tone flat and somber.
(I was just lucky.)
There were two types of slaves in this country. Criminal slaves and general slaves. Criminal slaves were those who had escaped the death penalty, and general slaves were those who had been sold for money or who couldn't pay back their debts. They were also called debt slaves. Although the two were distinguished, their futures were equally bleak.
The lord of the Winbolt territory was a person who cherished his people. That was why he had built an orphanage, provided education, and raised them with care. Amidst many children being sold by their parents into slavery, Tricia's childhood had been on the lucky side.
"If I fail to make a living, that's what will happen to me," Tricia explained, her voice steady but tight with restrained emotion.
She explained it to Luke, who didn't seem to understand the meaning of Tricia's words, while feeling a bit irritated.
"You wouldn't end up like that," Luke said, his voice firm and reassuring. "You'll survive stubbornly."
"...Right," Tricia whispered. "I'll do my best!"
Seeing her mouth turn up, Luke felt a little relieved. Tricia hadn't been very energetic today. He had wanted to cheer her up somehow, but it hadn't gone very well.
"Hey, can I join you again? For walking the town," Luke asked, his tone warm and hopeful.
"I'm not paying for your escort services!" Tricia laughed, her voice light and teasing.
This time, Tricia was laughing properly.
Summary:
Tricia and Luke walk through the city of Edinbia, discussing potential locations for Tricia's dream boarding house for adventurers. They visit various districts, with Tricia reflecting on her past life and the survival skills she gained while being dumped by her former party. The mood shifts from lighthearted exploration to a grim encounter with a slave market at dusk, highlighting the harsh realities of the world.
Trivia:
- Tricia possesses memories of a past life, which influences her worldview.
- The Edinbia territory is home to an S-rank adventurer named Luke who is currently financially secure.
- Tricia has been covering repair costs for her former party members to speed up their rank progression.
- There are two classes of slaves in this country: criminal slaves and debt-ridden general slaves.
- The lord of Winbolt, Tricia's homeland, is noted for his benevolence and efforts to care for the vulnerable.
Notes:
• Tricia - A pragmatic C-Rank healer and orphan with dark, shoulder-length hair and obsidian eyes, she hides her exceptional healing expertise and rare "Reset" skill—which reverses physical damage and restores items—to avoid exploitation. After being ousted from her party, she lives in Edinbia, using her memories of a past life to build financial stability and a passive income empire while assisting low-rankers.
• Luke - A silver-haired, blue-eyed S-rank adventurer and noble-born son of a Marquis, he is Tricia's wealthy childhood friend, protector, and mentor. Though notoriously surly and a solo fighter, he maintains a mischievous, carefree persona for her sake. As her confidant and manager, he supports her passive income empire and dungeon ventures, balancing his overwhelming combat power with devoted companionship.
• Anetta - A blonde, manipulative adventurer and Sorcerer skilled in offensive and healing magic. Once part of Tricia and Eagle’s party, she used her influence to usurp Tricia’s position as Eagle’s romantic partner, leading to Tricia’s expulsion. Known for her hostility toward Tricia and a nuisance to fellow adventurers, she maintains significant control over the party while showing little regard for others.
• Eagle - A B-rank adventurer and former party member of Tricia, this swordsman has reddish-brown hair and bright, orange-tinted eyes. Growing up with Tricia in an orphanage, he is gentle but easily swayed. Burdened by guilt after betraying Tricia—his long-time companion—to pursue a relationship with Anetta, he maintains a stoic demeanor, though his history with Tricia remains a source of visible discomfort.