34 Naota Makes His Move

The people of the city seem to be gathering around the 4 adventurers.

Naota has readied his blade but doesn't unsheathe it. "Hey Naota!" Charter keeps his hand on Naota's shoulder. "Calm down, they might be just looking at us like that because we are new here." Charter says to Naota. "Seriously, do you seriously think that the death stares are because we are new here?" Tia asks Charters. "I think so..." Charter seems to be sweating.

"The king has invited all the adventurers to the castle! Please gather around!" The soldiers from the king's palace invite all the adventurers.

(This isn't satisfying...Something is strange about this place and those people. They were all looking at us. I also noticed some people looking at the other adventurers who got the princess. There seems to be something that the people of this city are hiding.)

Everyone gather around at the courtroom where the king is seated.

"As the party of Trovert city got my daughter back to me, I will be rewarding them about 20,000 gold coins as for the rest of you who travelled here I will be rewarding you all about 500 gold coins. I think the terms are right?"

In this world, even having a single gold coin would mean that one can buy a small house for themselves. Having 500 would mean that everyone would be leaving a comfortable life even without working.

"Wow...That's so much gold..."

"What are you expecting from the city of gold? They have unlimited supply of gold after all."

"Yeah that's true."

"This seems to be too real to be true." Tia says silently. "Don't you think too Naota?" Tia asks Naota and then looks at her left. "Eh? Naota? Eh?" Tia looks at her right and then behind. "Eh? Where did that idiot go now?" Tia seems to be confused and sweating.

Naota stands in front of a door. "There is some mana coming from here but this is the city lord's treasure room." Naota says to himself as he looks soothes his chin. Naota tries to unlock the door. "Seems like this is locked..." Naota says to himself. "It's obvious that it's a treasure room so it wouldn't be left open...Wait..." Naota brings up his skill tree.

(The assassin class...Because I was training with Tia, an assassin mentor. I had unlocked the assassin class and was working on it. There it is, like I thought, there is a pick locking skill too here.)

Naota clicks on the pick-lock skill.

(Yes! This should work!)

Naota's brain loads with new a skill pick-lock.

Naota removes a hair-pin from his pant. "I remember that Tia told me to keep a hair-pin with me. Now I understood why." Naota says to himself.

Naota begins to unlock the door.

(A little to the left and then right...Open sesame!)

"Yes! It worked!" Naota grins and opens the door. The room is filled with gold.

"Nothing but gold..." Naota says as he looks around the treasure room.

(But I sense mana in this room. It's like someone is trying to hide their mana but they are bad at it.)

Naota looks around a little more.

Naota tilts his neck to the left side of the room. He sees another door covered by gold.

"Another door huh? Interesting." Naota says as he opens the door.

Naota enters the room.

Naota's eyes widen as he looks at the blonde haired princess who is tied against the rope on a chair.

The princess looks at Naota. "Who are you?" The princess asks. "It seems like you are new recruit they were talking about. If you are then please make the process quick." The princess says. "What's your name?" Naota asks the princess as he walks towards her. "My name? It's a surprise that the new recruit doesn't know the name of the princess of this city. It's Princess Von Aster, the princess of the city of Gold." The princess says with a sad smile.

Naota begins to untie the ropes. "Huh?! What are you doing?" Von's eyes widen. "I am no guard nor am I any kind of person related to the king. I am an adventurer from the city of Bluemoon and I am here to free you." Naota points at himself.

"What are you talking about –" Before Von could complete her sentence a few guards appear behind Naota.

"YOU! WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Naota gives a cold glare towards the guards who shout at him. "Who's going to die first?" Naota questions with a cold and scary look on his face. "What's with this guy? His mana is increasing suddenly..." The guard says.

The city lord begins to sweat along with everyone in the courtroom. "What's this mana...Where is it coming from?"

"This mana...It's familiar to that of when Naota fought Pistom...This is his mana..." Tia's eyes widen. "Naota has gotten much more stronger now...I know it because of how confident he seems all the time since his fight with Pistom." Tia gives a smile. "I understand Naota, you do you, I will help you in whatever way possible." Tia begins to run of the court. "Tia..." Livonia looks at Tia. "Where is she going?" Charter looks confused. Livonia follows her. "What the heck?! Livonia too?" Charter sighs and begins to follow them.

"I don't need to know the reason why you are kept as a captive but I know this." Naota defeats the guards and smiles at Von. "Von Aster right?" Naota asks Von. Von nods. "Do you wish to get out of here, this place, this city, escape from it completely?" Naota turns around and asks Von.

Von's eyes widen, her eyes tear up.

(Those words...Those are the words I wanted to hear from someone since a long time...But...There is no escape for me...There is no way that I would escape from this hell...)

"I want to but..." Naota interrupts Von. "There are no buts! We are getting out of here." Naota closes his eyes and smiles