After parting with Leo, I headed straight to the inn.
It was a three story building named ‘Scent of the Moonlit Night.’
As I entered, I saw a few guests seated at tables.
Their gazes turned toward us all at once.
It was a look intended to observe the newly appeared group.
“Are you students from the academy?”
As I moved further into the shop, a man who appeared to be the owner spoke to me.
“Yes.”
“It’s been a while since I last saw students coming here.”
“That means there are other students besides us.”
“Yes, from what I remember, there should be a bit over thirty.”
No matter how many groups there were in the territory.
This was originally an educational institution.
The number of students was higher than any other group of people.
It wasn't surprising that those who had scattered were staying somewhere.
“If you're interested, look around the village. You’ll run into them easily.”
“I see.”
“Do you plan to stay here?”
I nodded.
“How many rooms do you plan to rent?”
“Two. I’d like rooms with beds if possible.”
“As it happens, the rooms you’re asking for are vacant. How do you plan to pay?”
I took a few eggs out of my backpack and placed them on the table.
The owner examined them with interested eyes.
“It must be hard to find things like this these days.”
“I obtained them by chance.”
“The contents are fine, I assume?”
“You’re welcome to check them right here.”
The owner shook his head.
“That would be a waste. Fine, I’ll let you stay for two nights for these.”
“No, make it four nights, please.”
The owner sent a sharp gaze my way.
“Are you planning to haggle with me?”
“Since it’s a barter, the value of the items is decided between the people trading. I thought these eggs were worth that much.”
Eggs were no longer a common food ingredient.
Depending on who the person trading was, they could even become a luxury item.
The guild in Vilne was a group that maintained itself by mediating requests and receiving commissions.
And those commissions were mostly food.
It was mainly unprocessed wheat or barley.
Eggs were quite rare.
“Do you dislike the trade?”
The owner caught his breath.
I could see the hand he held just from that reaction.
“You read my expression.”
“Yes.”
“Damn, I lost a psychological battle to a student.”
The owner wiped the cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
He furrowed his brow as if he were quite regretful.
“Other students accepted it all without a word of complaint, but I’ve never seen a bastard like you.”
“I can't stand doing things that result in a loss.”
“Sigh, I’ll accept the deal.”
The owner went behind the counter and handed over the room keys.
“I can provide meals if you want.”
“I’ll decline if it’s soup without any solids. You put too much water in that.”
The owner looked this way with a surprised expression.
“How did you know that?”
I furrowed my eyebrows.
I still remember.
There was a time I ate food at this inn and got a debuff.
How terrible must the food have been for that to happen.
I forcibly blocked [Clever] from trying to recall it for me.
“I understand your situation, but it’ll be better to put in a bit more sincerity.”
If he didn't change his mind, he would lose a finger to a mercenary in the future.
Sure enough, it remained to be seen if things would go as scheduled.
* * *
I opened the door and entered.
We rented two rooms, but for now, we all gathered in one place.
“Mmm…….”
Adela groaned as she looked around the room.
A creaking wooden bed and a table covered in dust.
Maintenance wasn't being carried out.
“Isn't there even a cleaning lady in this place?”
“It’s a disaster situation. It means the situation isn't plentiful enough to hire and employ people.”
“I suppose so.”
She approached the window and ventilated the air in the room.
“What’s the plan from now on?”
“It’s a rest for the time being.”
“Hmm, so that’s how it is.”
Adela scratched her cheek and hesitated.
“Hey, you know… thanks for now.”
“For what?”
“You paid for the room in my stead.”
“If it’s that, rest easy. I have no intention of letting you eat and play for free.”
Adela grew flustered and hugged herself.
“I-In what way?”
“I have no intention of taking payment with your body. It’ll be better not to have strange imaginations.”
“Haha, I, I knew that.”
She awkwardly tucked her hair back.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to act personally while we take a rest.”
She looked at him with a nervous expression.
“Don't go too far out.”
“Oh, really?”
The permission was granted more simply than she’d thought.
Tania and Serena, who were beside her, also reacted with surprise.
“Do you dislike it?”
“No, it’s good for me. It’s just strange because you’re letting me go so readily.”
“It’s a change of pace. Otherwise, you guys might get a debuff.”
Joshua gave a faint smile.
Adela and Serena seemed fine on the surface, but their insides were still a mess.
They needed freedom right now.
“Debuff?”
“It’s nothing. Anyway, I gave permission, so do as you like.”
A short while later, the female students all left the room and moved to the next room.
It was decided that Joshua and Luna would use the first room.
“Sisters, what do you plan to do from now on?”
Tania asked while unpacking her luggage.
“What about you?”
“I plan to wash up briefly and go to sleep right away.”
“What about you, Serena?”
[I plan to do that too.]
Adela sank into thought for a moment.
She had no intention of relying on Joshua for everything like this.
She wanted to investigate this village in her own way.
“I’m going outside for a bit.”
“Be careful.”
“Don't worry.”
Leaving Tania’s worried gaze behind, she came down alone.
People cast side glances this way.
A sticky feeling as if they were appraising her from head to toe.
Mercenaries without manners shamelessly acted unseemly.
‘Hah, I can't cause an accident from the first day. Let's endure, just endure.’
Adela suppressed her own fiery personality.
She slowly looked around the surroundings.
‘There are more diverse people here than I thought.’
It wasn't just mercenaries.
There were also people wearing clean uniforms or armor.
Knights who had left their knight orders and become wanderers.
Clerks of the guild.
People of various statuses gathered and were active.
“Let’s see.”
A request bulletin board was hanging on one wall of the hall.
She examined the types of requests.
Starting from escorts, there were things like finding people or exploring areas.
As she turned her gaze to the side, she saw a bulletin board for finding companions this time.
Knights and mages were basic.
They also looked for specific professions like professors or hunters.
‘The way things are running is surprisingly delicate.’
It was different from the knight orders.
The guild was growing its power by utilizing the disaster situation.
She thought it was an interesting idea.
Planting the perception that zombies aren't monsters to be feared, but monsters that can be hunted.
If it succeeded, it might be accepted as a new system.
“Oh, aren't you Adela?”
She turned her head at the sound of someone calling her.
It was a female student.
Fumbling through her memories at the thought of it being a familiar face.
“Kailey?”
“That’s right. Kailey Benessi.”
“You survived huh.”
“I was lucky.”
Adela turned her head and looked around the bulletin board again.
She was in the same grade as her.
The relationship wasn't anything more than that.
They weren't usually close and were actually closer to being on awkward terms.
So she was flustered when she greeted her first.
“How did you get all the way here?”
“A lot of things happened.”
“If it’s okay, why don't we sit at that table and talk?”
Adela distorted her eyebrows.
She’d intended to ignore her appropriately.
Kailey clung tenaciously.
“Let’s talk while drinking some cool water.”
At the mention of water, Adela changed her mind.
There was no reason to refuse if she was giving water for free.
“What, I thought it was just the two of us talking?”
When she went to the seat she guided her to, there was an earlier guest.
There were two male students she didn't know.
And one man of unidentified identity.
“These are my companions, so don't be too surprised.”
Adela sat down with a reluctant expression.
“Nice to meet you, senior. I’ve heard the rumors well, that you’re the smartest among the aspiring mages.”
A male student reached out his hand for a handshake.
She brushed it off without catching it.
“I’m sorry, but that rumor is wrong, so don't believe it.”
“Pardon? But I heard your written exam score was definitely first place.”
“That’s because a real smart bastard didn't take the exam.”
At the male student’s words, the suppressed anger wriggled once more.
Joshua came to mind.
Because he spent his school days lazily, she was able to be in first place.
If he had attended the exam hall even once.
He would’ve taken away the reputation of being a genius of theory.
“And I don't shake hands with people I don't know.”
“Ah, pardon me.”
The male student pulled back his hand without even being embarrassed.
He seemed to be used to this kind of thing.
“Kailey, when are you going to give me the water? I plan to get up after drinking just that.”
“Ah, I’ll prepare it right away. Just wait a moment.”
Kailey hesitated.
As if she were trying to hold her in this seat for a long time.
Adela thought for a moment.
Leaving the fatigue behind and dragging her heavy body out was for the purpose of collecting information.
These people seemed to have been settled in this village for a long time.
She made the judgment that she could utilize them.
“So what’s the purpose of calling me? I’d like you to get straight to the point.”
“You’re an impatient lady.”
The man who’d been keeping his seat since a while ago opened his mouth.
“How did you enter Vilne?”
“If you plan to ask questions, would you first reveal your identity?”
“Haha, you’re bold. I’m Erwin Reinhold. Reinhold is a family that owns a territory in the south not far from here.”
Adela scowled at Kailey.
Until then, she was still rummaging for water in her backpack.
“And?”
“I’ll make a proposal to you, the lady of the Grace family. Won't you come to the Reinhold family’s territory with us?”
“How long does it take to get there?”
“If it goes as planned, it’ll be a month.”
“How many people are there?”
“20. It’s composed only of pure individuals without any commoners or lowlifes like mercenaries mixed in.”
Adela was sick and tired of it.
One group that divided people by bloodline, like the Moonlight Knights, was enough.
What kind of situation was it now?
If one had ability, anyone should be recruited.
Just thinking of Joshua was like that.
He was no longer a noble, but he was the most outstanding among the people she’d met.
“Is there a guarantee that the territory over there is safe?”
“I haven't confirmed it. However, I’m stopping there first because it’s the closest from here. If I’m wrong, I can just go to another person’s territory.”
“In short, the preparation is clumsy and the reward is uncertain.”
“W-What?”
Adela stood up abruptly from her seat.
To gain power, managing personal connections was also an important task.
But just because they were nobles didn't mean she could join hands with anyone.
She grabbed the water bottle from Kailey, who was hesitating behind.
“I’m sorry, Kailey, but let’s talk next time.”
“O-Okay.”
She opened the lid of the water bottle she took and drank it right away.
As coolness circulated through her body, her excitement subsided a bit.
“Aaack!”
Only then did she realize she’d made a mistake.
“I’d intended to extract information, but I got up too hastily.”
Adela reflected while letting her shoulders drop.
She lost her cool.
If it were Joshua, he would’ve led the conversation as he wanted.
Like when he talked to the owner a while ago.
“……Let’s stop.”
The fatigue suddenly grew severe.
It seemed acting excessively became a poison.
She climbed the stairs once more.
The first room visible when she reached the third floor.
She hesitated for a moment in front of the room where Joshua was staying.
‘It might become comfortable if I leave everything to him, but.’
Adela wanted to be proactive.
She made mistakes every time, but it was a greed she couldn't give up.
In that sense, she was a bit jealous of Leo.
He had two apprentice knights who relied on him.
‘Joshua called Leo an officer after seeing him. Could I also become that much within this group?’
A certain thought suddenly flashed through Adela’s mind.
Thud!
She threw open the door.
Fortunately, the door wasn't locked.
“Joshua, I have something to say.”
Joshua looked this way with surprised eyes.
He had his shirt off.
“What’s the matter?”
“W-Wait, why do you have it off.”
“Because this is my room. Isn't you, who burst in suddenly, the problem?”
Joshua’s expression was undisturbed.
Rather, Adela’s ears turned red and she felt embarrassed.
“So what’s the business?”
“Ahem, I just received a recruitment offer.”
“Is that so?”
Joshua reacted coldly and focused on what he was doing.
Heat rose to her face.
It was an operation attempted to have her value recognized.
The opponent was too nonchalant.
“What’s with that indifferent reaction.”
“Looking at the fact that you came to report that, it must be because you have no intention of joining over there at all.”
“T-The proposal was attractive, but I ignored it because I thought of you guys.”
Joshua seemed to sink into thought for a moment and then opened his mouth again.
“Who did you meet?”
“It was with a person who called himself a person of the Reinhold family.”
“By any chance, did that person introduce himself as Erwin?”
Adela flinched.
“That’s right, it was a name like that.”
“It’s good that you didn't follow. Going on an expedition following Erwin is a Bad Ending route.”
“Bad Ending?”
“It means you die.”
Joshua turned his gaze and stared intently at her.
“So is that all you want to say?”
“……Good night!”
Bang!
She closed the door and hurriedly fled to her room.
Joshua shrugged his shoulders.