11 Gamble To Convince

The first time I arrived at the capital, I was in awe. There's a tall and sturdy wall surrounding it and most of the building inside was built with stone. Yes, there are also slums, but I won't go there for now.

My plan, for now, is to go to the adventurer guild. I ask around and it didn't take me long to find the capital adventurer guild. I'd say that this is the fanciest adventurer guild that I've ever seen and it's so large. I could see many kinds of people going in and out from there.

At first, I thought that I'd stick like a sore thumb there. But I guess it won't happen as I see someone dirtier than me or with weirder attire than me. Other than looking very weak, I guess I won't draw excessive attention from anyone here.

I see there are a few counters where people lining up. There are many people lining up at the woman's counter, so I guess I'll go where the line is the shortest and it seems to be a man's counter this time. So even in the other world people would do things like this?

I get into the queue and wait for my turn. And when it was my turn, the counter guard just ask me, "What can I help you?"

"Well, I'm thinking to get an easy and relatively safe quest to earn some money, do you have any recommendations?"

"How about a flower-picking quest?", he said quite annoyed

"Yes, can you recommend me one? I know I can check the board, but I'm sorry I can't read"

I could see him sigh and take out some paper. Then he starts explaining some of the quests to me. I'm asking for only a bluff so I guess I'll just pick some random quest and get to the main point.

"I'll pick this then", I said while pointing to one of the quests.

"Then you can go do the quest and go back here and bring the flower when you found them"

"Wait, I heard that there's someone searching for a Fledil flower, is that true?"

Suddenly his face turns serious and asks me, "why you ask?"

"No, it's nothing. I just wondered why he needs that flower as the pope already forbids someone to harvest or use the flower without his consent"

Suddenly he turns silent. When I looked at my surrounding, I also notice that the surrounding has also turned silent. It seems like I just attracting attention with what I just said. I have a bad feeling about this, so I'll end this conversation now.

"hahaha... Gossip is one of my hobbies you see. I hope that it won't offend you. Okay, I'll get going to do my quest now", I said hurriedly while turning my back to walk outside the building.

I didn't know what happen there, but the mood seems to be a bit off. Did I do something wrong there? I just hope to find more information regarding that quest. But I guess finding information regarding one of the strongest adventurers is quite risky.

For now, I can't go back to the adventurer's guild, so I have to use other means in order to get information about that quest, but how? Well, for now, let's just find a cheap inn. I believe I'll stay here in the capital until I get information surrounding that quest.

It is the evening when I'm sightseeing around the capital while searching for an inn cheap enough for me to stay when someone shouts from behind me

"It's him! I found him!"

I looked around only to find someone with ears and tails pointing at me. He's a demi-human, and he's shouting at a group of other demi-humans.

"Take him to sir Liber!", shout another demi-humans.

What the hell is happening here? Does the trouble start to come my way? This is the thing that I hate the most. I have to run before the situation turns worse. I don't know what they want from me, but I don't see good signs of this. Just when I turn my body, I found someone gripping my shoulder with a not-so-friendly smile on his face.

"Bro I need you to follow me"

I don't know what to do, as this person is clearly stronger than me. I don't have any choice other than to follow him did I? I just hope that I could be alive after this.

"Yes, yes. Slow down brother, you're hurting my shoulder here", I said resignedly.

To my surprise, he took me to the familiar building that I just went to this morning. It's the adventurer guild. Did the thing I did this morning cause me trouble now? I'm in deep trouble then.

He took me to the room inside the adventurer guild, the "staff-only" area. Before long I was standing while facing a door. The man beside me knocks on the door.

"Sir Liber, I've brought him"

"Get him inside", Said the deep voice inside.

The door opened and I see a demi-human with a tail resembling a tiger with a ferocious smile on his face. beside him, there's also a young tigress demi-human too, but she sees me with a serious face. I feel that these two people are really strong and could easily kill me if they want to.

"Good, now you can leave the room"

"Yes sir"

Now there are only three people inside the room. The atmosphere is a bit awkward as these two people see me without saying anything. All I can do is stand there and look downwards. I don't even have the courage to see them eye-to-eye.

"Sit", said the man while he also sit.

In front of him, there's a table and there's an empty seat near it. I see that the woman beside him seems didn't want to take the seat, so I guess that empty seat is meant for me. I sit there in a hurry and look at them with a confused faces.

"Is that true?", he said while observing me.

"I don't get what you mean sir?"

"The thing you said at the adventurer guild this morning. About the flower"

Oh so it's the thing he's talking about. Is he the requester? Does it mean that he's one of the strongest adventurers?

"It is sir"

"I see so it is the Huiphy orthodox empire huh...", He said under his breath but I still can hear it, "Where do you get that information from?"

From the novel? Of course, I can't say it loudly. But judging from his reaction, I believe that it's not general knowledge at this time. In the novel, that information is only known by the main character when the king suddenly falls ill, and it's the priestess that told him. So I guess it's a mistake on my part. By the way, I should also use this situation for my gain.

"When I'm travelling here, some traveller from the orthodox empire said it to me. I came from the countryside, so my knowledge is limited. But there's also a possibility that he's lying sir, you shouldn't believe that information just like that", I persuade him.

"But it's our only lead to find that flower for now", He said with regret face. Even the woman beside him also has a sad face.

"If I may know, why do you want that flower so badly sir? I heard that it's a medicine flower right? Do you have someone you want to heal?"

"It's my brother", This time it's from the woman.

"My son is sick, I want to have the flower for him"

I see, so even one of the strongest adventurer still face problems huh? So this father and daughter duo works as an adventurer while searching for the flower's whereabouts? I feel pity towards them, but I also have my own goal. I'm sorry man, but I've to use you.

"Following the rumour is risky and if the information is true, you won't be able to get the flower without the pope's consent. The exact whereabouts of the flower are unknown. Without sufficient information, I believe it'll be very dangerous sir"

"I'd do anything for my son", He said with a clear resolution in his eyes.

Seeing him like that, I almost lose my confidence in persuading him to help me. But I'll just consider this as another risky gamble that I have to take in order to achieve my goal. And if I achieve it, I'll heal his son using my lifespan as the price of using the evil dragon's power.

I take a deep breath and look him in the eye for the first time.

"If all you want is to heal him, I think I have another way for that"

I could see both of them taken aback by my words. It's no wonder. Imagine a weak boy from the countryside said that to you, but I'm not lying here.

"What do you mean?", I could sense impatient from his words.

"I mean what I said just now. It's just that it's still quite risky"

"Tell me! I'm not afraid of the risk, I just don't want to waste any more time to save my time. And if what you said is true, I promise I'll reward you handsomely"

"I'm not asking for any reward here. All I want is, for you to allow me to follow you to reach that goal"

"Presumptuous!", Shout the woman.

But the man raises his hand calmly.

"Allow you to follow me? What do you mean by that?"

"The cure for your son is located in Agrasha Empire. The journey would be quite dangerous", I paused for a bit before continuing, "To be honest, I have something to do there. I can't go there since it's dangerous for the weak me. But with your help, I can go there safely. It's a win-win situation for both of us, how about that?"

"Why should I believe what you said?"

"If you believe the gossip about the flower, you should at least consider what I said. And if you really going to the orthodox empire, it won't hurt if you pass the Agrasha empire while you're at it", I said convincingly with a smile, "And it won't be late for you to continue searching the flower in the orthodox empire in case you failed to find it in the Agrasha empire. Just count it as another reassurance, more options are still better right?"

And again, silence envelops the room. There's only one question hanging in my mind if he rejects my offer what should I do next?

"What if you're lying about this whole thing? About the flower and about the cure in the empire?"

Good question sir, so you're not all about muscle huh?

"It's as you said before. It's the only leads that you have. As for the cure in the empire, I won't explain it further until we get there. If you kill me right now, you have one less lead", I tried to close all of his possible actions including forcing me to say it using another method, "Even if I lie, it'll be exposed in the future. It'll be stupid for me to follow you if I lie to you, I can just ask for rewards here and run away right?"

"hmmm... you're right", He said in deep thought.

"But father, we can't just trust him like that, there's seems-", complain the woman.

"Enough. You said that, but do you have any leads to cure your brother? While we arguing here, your brother is on his sickbed and can't even move. What choice do we have here?"

Gotcha! With this, it'll be safe to say that I've won them over to my side. I don't care about the daughter though, just the father is already enough for me.

"So, what's your name?", he said with his eyes seeming like piercing my whole body.

"It's Neil sir"

It seems like all the confidence that I have all this time is leaving my body. Really, I can't defeat pure strength with just logic. I did lie a bit, but it's also for your guy's sake, so forgive me. There's no way I can say it's all from the novel, did I?

"Then we have a deal, Neil. I hope we can cooperate for many days to come", He said with a smile while showing his sharp teeth towards my face.

"Y-Yes, I hope so too", I said with a scared smile.

I could see his daughter humphing behind his back. Yes, she doesn't like me. This adventure is going to cost me a lot I think. I even start doubting my choice here. But the dice have been rolled, and the gamble is started. I can't back down now. I just hope that the evil dragon spirit would be more cooperative.