Free City Vertas.
One of the Four Great Cities, located northeast of Middle Temple.
Known as both a center of trade and a cradle for adventurers, it was home to countless guilds and merchant houses.
Accordingly, an endless line of people waiting to enter stretched before the city gates.
“There really are a lot of people.”
Murmur, murmur.
Adelia muttered to herself as she looked outside the cart.
From merchants’ lavish carriages and rough-looking bands of adventurers to travelers who had come to Vertas for their own reasons.
People of all kinds were mixed together, waiting to be inspected before entering the city.
Having apparently heard that the Silk-road had fallen, they seemed tense, whether they realized it or not.
Adelia frowned slightly and spoke again.
“At this rate, it’ll take days just to get through the line, won’t it?”
“It’s all right. We’ll be using a different route.”
Rattle, clatter.
At the bald merchant company master’s answer, our cart leisurely passed the long queue.
Before long, another gate appeared.
A relatively quiet entrance, unlike the bustling main gate.
The bald merchant company master looked at it, explaining with barely concealed pride,
“It’s a special passage that only people with guaranteed identities can use. The inspection and customs procedures are much faster as well.”
“Oh...”
Adelia looked impressed.
That was understandable.
Having spent her whole life in the Holy City of Middle Temple, this was her first time in Free City Vertas since leaving her family.
After living trapped in a cage for so long, everything must have felt new and fascinating.
“Halt the carriage and present your identification.”
Shing—!
As the cart approached, the guards blocked the entrance with their halberds and stopped us.
Numbers floated above their heads.
【Lv. 41】
【Lv. 45】
【Lv. 39】
Their levels ranged from the high thirties to the mid-forties.
In truth, even at that level, they could hold their heads high anywhere.
‘The mercenaries the bald merchant company master hired only averaged around the mid-twenties, after all.’
And yet I felt nothing much even from guards like them...
It seemed I’d faced nothing but monsters ever since waking up in this world.
“Here you are.”
As if used to it, the bald merchant company master removed the badge attached to his chest.
Then he took a copper identification plaque from his inner pocket.
The guard examined them closely, nodded, and lowered the halberd blocking the gate.
“Elite Merchant Hakun Durdumel. Identity confirmed. Please report the imported goods to the Association by tomorrow...”
Mumble, mumble.
After reciting several more formal procedures, the guard allowed us through the gate.
He didn’t inspect our companions or the imported goods separately.
It clearly showed the trust and preferential treatment extended to an elite merchant who had earned the Silk-road badge.
‘Vertas is a city built on merchants’ blood and sweat.’
Since trade was the city’s heart and lifeblood, the city treated influential merchants with the utmost respect.
Of course, merchants also needed remarkable achievements to receive that kind of treatment.
“...Damn. That’s one creepy bastard of a monster.”
Whisper, whisper.
As we passed through the gate, the guards’ voices drifted in from behind us.
Their gazes were fixed on the Celestial Dragon Bird’s corpse.
Come to think of it, I remembered people outside the city looking at us in surprise as well.
—Holy shit, what is that...?
—I’ve never seen a monster like that before.
—No, how is it so... It’s bigger than most wyverns...
Well.
When else would they ever see a monster larger than a wyvern?
Even if they happened to encounter one, they’d be dead before they knew it. Ordinary adventurers and merchants had no way to fight a corrupted Divine Beast.
They’d either die running away or freeze to death where they stood. Either way, they would die.
...Unless they were blessed with the extraordinary luck of receiving aid from a Swordmaster-level expert who happened to be wandering the Uncharted Lands.
‘Anyway.’
Even after entering Free City Vertas, the attention directed toward us never ceased.
Passersby sent persistent looks toward the Celestial Dragon Bird’s corpse.
Murmur, murmur.
Still, most reactions amounted to simple curiosity and awe.
They were merely astonished by the monster’s enormous size and ominous appearance.
‘It doesn’t seem anyone recognizes the Celestial Dragon Bird.’
From time to time, merchants bearing Silk-road badges passed us as well.
But their reactions were no different from those of ordinary passersby.
It made me realize just how exceptional the information network of our bald merchant company master, Hakun Durdumel, was.
‘I’d suspected something was up ever since he recognized Adelia’s identity at a glance...’
In truth, I’d never had an opportunity to assess Hakun Durdumel’s abilities in Loel.
By the time the player reached Vertas, he was already dead, mentioned only as the deceased husband of a widow NPC.
But Hakun Durdumel, whom I had now met in person, was a far more capable merchant than I’d expected.
With his level of competence, he was good enough that I could entrust future transactions to him and build a relationship of trust.
“We’ve arrived.”
How much time passed after that?
Having gone through Vertas’s splendid shopping districts and crowded streets, we finally reached our destination.
The golden sign attached to a three-story building shone brilliantly in the sunlight.
【Durdumel’s Golden Merchant Company】
A broad entrance large enough for cargo wagons to pass through.
Imposing octopus statues stood on either side.
Seeing them, Adelia muttered in bewilderment,
“O-Octopuses...?”
That’s right.
A little out of the blue, isn’t it, Adelia?
I had the exact same reaction when I played the game.
Normally, entrances like that were decorated with statues modeled after gargoyles, dragons, or lions.
‘But...’
I glanced sideways at the bald merchant company master.
‘...Now I understand why.’
Everyone had a favorite animal.
***
“Well then, see you again! Let’s go, Wilson!”
Hee-haw—!
DonOld went on his way with his loudly braying donkey.
Beyond the entrance stood a huge warehouse.
The moment the merchant company’s employees saw Hakun Durdumel’s arrival, they came rushing over in a panic.
Concern was plain on their faces.
“M-Master, what happened to the carriages? And how were you injured like this...?”
Durdumel answered calmly.
“Don’t worry. There was only a slight disturbance in the Uncharted Lands.”
“...!”
“There should be some goods left on the road toward Dawnguard. Assemble a team at once and recover them.”
“...Yes. We’ll take care of it immediately.”
The employees sprang into action.
The merchant company master’s orders spread quickly throughout the company, and a special team was soon organized to prepare for departure.
I silently watched the scene. The merchant company’s operations were quite well organized.
“Young Master.”
Then the bald merchant company master cautiously addressed me.
“Would you perhaps have time for a brief conversation...?”
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing serious, but I would like to discuss how to handle the Celestial Dragon Bird’s corpse. And, if the opportunity arises, I’d like to introduce you to my merchant company as well.”
Oh.
He was approaching it this way first.
I’d been wondering how I should bring it up myself.
Pretending to consider it for a moment, I nodded.
“Lead the way.”
“Yes. I’ll show you inside.”
Step, step.
Following the merchant company master’s lead, we headed deeper into the building.
Once we passed through the warehouse and entered the building proper, an even more lavish interior unfolded before us.
Red carpets covered the floors, intricate chandeliers hung overhead, and display cases filled with rare goods covered the walls.
Employees bustled about in every direction as well.
‘...So this is the scale of Durdumel’s Merchant Company.’
I couldn’t help but be impressed.
It was worlds apart from the 【Durdumel’s Golden Merchant Company】 I had encountered in the game.
Back then, the ownerless building had been abandoned in loneliness, left to gather dust. In its present state, it was no exaggeration to call it a symbol of prosperity.
“Please, make yourselves comfortable.”
When we reached the office on the top floor, we sat on the sofas.
...Wow, this is really soft.
It was the first comfort I’d felt since sleeping at the hotel in Dark City Dawnguard, and drowsiness began to wash over me.
Well, the last several days really had been exhausting. Once I’d taken care of this matter, I should immediately find an inn and rest for a few days.
“First, you two.”
Hakun Durdumel asked a question.
“Do you have identity plaques to use in Vertas?”
I shook my head, and Adelia, who had been checking my reaction, shook hers as well.
Of course, Adelia had proof of her Sacred Family status, but she seemed to want to use this chance to establish a new identity.
Hakun Durdumel nodded as if he had anticipated our answers.
“Then let’s go get identity plaques issued right away. If I vouch for you, they’ll be ready in no time without any special screening.”
“I’ll leave it to you.”
“Of course. Ah, and this is a bit of an aside, but...”
Hakun Durdumel trailed off.
After pausing for a moment, he came to the point.
“...What do you plan to do with the Celestial Dragon Bird’s corpse?”
Before I could answer, Hakun Durdumel continued.
“Normally, the most profitable thing to do with a rare monster’s corpse is put it up for auction. But the Celestial Dragon Bird is a special case. There are only a limited number of people who know it is a Divine Beast, and it has never once appeared on the market. Most of all, because you killed an Elder’s agent, there is the possibility that an investigation will be launched...”
Ramble, ramble.
To summarize the merchant company master’s lengthy explanation:
Handling the Celestial Dragon Bird’s corpse would inevitably involve tedious complications, but if we entrusted it to him, he promised to take care of every procedure himself.
Along with the guarantee that we would not have to lift a finger.
“I’m not saying this to rush you, but the corpse will decay, so it would be best to make a decision quickly. We’ll keep our commission to a minimum as well...”
“That’s enough.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll entrust it to you. Go and secure the Celestial Dragon Bird’s corpse.”
“...!”
Hakun Durdumel’s eyes lit up.
He immediately brought over the documents, and we finalized our contract.
The terms were extremely favorable. I was almost concerned that the merchant company would have nothing left to gain from them.
Of course, Durdumel’s intentions were obvious. More than the profit from the Celestial Dragon Bird, he wanted to hold onto a connection with the Sacred Family, even if only through a deal like this.
“Young Master, have you decided on lodgings?”
The merchant company master asked another question after the contract was completed.
“If you have nowhere to go, I’ll take you to your lodgings as soon as your identity plaques are issued. My wife happens to run a large inn in Vertas.”
I nodded.
We would have to meet him from time to time over the handling of the Celestial Dragon Bird’s corpse anyway.
Until then, it would be best to stay somewhere we could easily contact him.
“Let’s do that.”
After concluding our conversation, we headed straight to the guild.
Just as Hakun Durdumel had confidently promised, the identity plaques were issued in an instant.
The administrative process was so fast that I wondered if this was really all right.
‘Free City Vertas is normally one of the stricter cities in Loel’s world when it comes to vetting...’
Once again, I could feel the status an elite merchant held in this city.
“Honey!”
After arriving at the inn, I came face-to-face with someone familiar.
The widow NPC... no, Mrs. Durdumel, who was no longer fated to become a widow.
Mrs. Durdumel welcomed her lifelong companion with the happiest expression I had ever seen.
“By the way, who are these people...?”
“Ah, where are my manners?”
Once the joy of the couple’s reunion had settled, the merchant company master introduced Adelia and me as the people who had saved his life.
Hearing that, Mrs. Durdumel repeatedly bowed to us with a deeply moved expression.
“Y-You saved my husband’s life! Thank you so much...!”
Thanks to that, we were able to rest comfortably for several days under the Durdumels’ generous hospitality.
“Here! Have some more of this!”
“...Wasn’t the meal over?”
“Oh, what are you saying? There’s still plenty of food left.”
“...”
Their hospitality was almost overly generous, but well, anyway.
***
Step, step.
The fourth day after arriving in Free City Vertas.
Having recovered fully from my fatigue, I went out to the inn’s courtyard with Adelia.
“Adelia.”
“Yes.”
“Show me your swordsmanship.”
〔Reward: The sealed ‘Sword Lv. Max’ talent has been unlocked.〕
It was time to test the performance of the talent worth 179,312,341 points.