Chapter 9: The Cursed Lands and the Girl Part 1

As luck would have it, an escort request came in just when I ran out of money.

We took on the task of escorting a caravan to Roshan.

Thanks to Jamil who looked like he could handle himself well, the job went smoothly.

Fortunately, we didn't encounter any incidents or accidents on our way to Roshan.

The task concluded without any trouble, and Jamil and I parted ways as usual.

"Then, take care."

"I'll contact you once I'm settled."

Jamil waved at me with a lively smile.

Just like in the story of the game, this guy would become the leader of the infamous Red Bear Mercenaries.

Thanks to the various stories we shared on our way to Roshan, I had become quite close to him.

To be precise, it was easy for me to gain his one-sided favor since I already knew Jamil's story and could talk as if seeing into his soul.

Anyway, he would be a great help to me in the future.

His promise to contact me once he was settled was probably sincere.

After wishing him success, I bought some simple snacks and hit the road again.

In about a day's journey, the city of Galopic which was built in front of the cursed lands, would come into view.

It's the most developed among the fortress cities erected to fend off the monsters and undead emerging from the cursed lands.

There are fortress cities in the Barak Empire and Lysette that border the cursed lands too, but because access was so strictly controlled, Gallopic was the best option for now.

I walked towards Galopic as I munched on hard jerky and dried fruit.

Carrying Ayla who had grown quite heavy was a bit difficult now, but I kept walking like that while treating it as a form of exercise.

It definitely wasn't because she was cute.

Anyway, the first thing that greeted me upon arriving in Galopic was an array of temples.

Mercenaries flocking to the city for hunting worshipped different gods, which explained the variety of temples there, unlike in other mainstream cities.

I too planned to visit "that place" before starting my activities in earnest.

It won't be a very large temple, though…

As I walked past grand buildings toward the city center, I soon saw a bustling scene filled with noisy merchants and even more energetic mercenaries.

Indeed.

The fortress city was bustling with life.

In the capital and other cities or rural areas, there was a tendency to dismiss and fear the fortress cities, but in reality, these cities were not shrouded in death as people imagined.

Monsters translated into money; money attracted mercenaries, and where there were mercenaries, merchants followed. This cycle inevitably brought vibrancy to the city.

Especially because undead are used as materials for magic tools.

It was a well-known fact that leather, horns, and bones obtained from ordinary monsters could be sold for money.

However, the fact that undead monsters were also valuable was obscured by prejudice and not well known to the general public.

Well, normally, they're just thought of as ominous.

The undead pouring out of the cursed lands were as unpleasant as they were powerful, but they were stronger than regular monsters.

People's fear of them was understandable.

That's why this place is teeming with mercenaries.

Of course, it was precisely because of this that the city thrived, despite being on the very edge of the cursed lands.

"Sir!"

"Are you looking for an inn?"

"Follow me!"

"No, I will carry your luggage for you!"

As I was looking curiously around on the main street, the young boys who seemed to have realized that I was a mercenary who had visited Galopic for the first time, came out of the alleys and grabbed me like nobody's business.

Among them, one even tried to snatch away my luggage.

– Snap!

I flicked the forehead of a boy who dared reach for my belongings, then showed a coin to the stunned boys standing around with dumbfounded expressions.

"Listen closely."

Their eyes were fixed on the coin.

"The most important thing to me, above all, is a meal."

– Gulp.

"So, only those confident in the taste of their food should raise their hands."

I scanned the line of boys and then pulled out an apple with my other hand.

"If anyone dares to lie…"

– Gulp.

"I'll cast a curse on them."

– Sssss…

The apple in my hand was a tempting red, but as soon as I finished speaking, it rapidly began to rot and quickly turned into black ash that scattered away with the wind.

The [Breath of the Forest] I acquired at level 12 was a simple spell that could make plants grow or decay. But it was quite effective for scaring children.

"Aah, aaah, aaaaah!"

Most of the boys screamed and ran off in terror, leaving only two who remained with tense faces.

"Hmm."

I looked down at them, stroking my chin, then threw the coin into the air and caught it again.

"Heads, it's you."

"Ye-yes!"

"Tails, it's you."

"Yes!"

As I opened my palm, the coin revealed tails.

"Lucky you. Of course, that's only if the food tastes good. My threat of a curse is real. If you're not confident, back out now."

"My mother's cooking is rumored to be the best in Galopic!"

"It better be true. Lead the way then."

"Yes!"

I threw the coin to the boy, and the boy lifted my luggage with an excited look on his face, then hesitated and touched his forehead, probably remembering the flick, and started leading the way.

Coincidentally, he seemed to be the same boy I had flicked earlier.

The inn we arrived at after following him was located in a slightly secluded area and looked old at first glance.

"...."

Perhaps my gaze when I looked at the old building wasn't very good as the boy who noticed my expression hastily added.

"It might look this way, but the inside is really cozy and clean."

Then, he quickly opened the door.

Indeed…

Just as the boy had described, the inside of the inn was very well maintained, clean and orderly. The fireplace burning in the center added to the cozy atmosphere. It seemed that the owner took great care in cleaning as there was not a single cobweb or soot to be seen.

I nodded at the boy who was looking up at me expectantly.

"You pass."

Upon entering the inn, a couple who appeared to be the boy's parents greeted me warmly.

Should I have a meal first?

I took a seat at an empty table and handed a silver coin to the landlord.

"Please make your best dish."

"Understood."

"Oh, and also a glass of minced lamb and goat's milk."

I slightly revealed Ayla who was sound asleep in my arms to the landlord who looked at me curiously.

"Ah! Yes, I'll get it ready."

While the main dish was being prepared, white bread with fresh butter, a bit of honey, and goat milk cheese were served first.

Compared to the meals I had on my journey here which consisted of thin soup, black bread, hard jerky, and a bit of dried fruit, this appetizer was quite a luxury.

I split the warm white bread in half and spread butter on it. The butter melted instantly from the heat of the bread. Then I drizzled golden honey on top and finally placed slices of goat milk cheese on it.

With the first bite, it felt like heaven appeared before my eyes.

Yes, this is the taste!

When I was almost finished eating the bread, the dishes started to come out one by one.

The first to come out was a bass steak. Just looking at the sea bass steak, sprinkled with salt and herb powder and grilled to a crispy skin, was enough to make my mouth water. The large crispy chunks of flesh were irresistibly tempting. The same went for the mushrooms and tomatoes fried in butter. I immediately picked up a fork and knife. When I cut into the flesh, the crispy skin broke apart. Biting into it, the juiciness and flavor of the fish spread in my mouth. There was no fishy smell at all, so this must have been freshly caught.

I eagerly devoured the dish. After such a long time without a proper meal, it seemed like I could eat endlessly.

"It seems to be to your liking."

As I consumed the fish plate, a bowl of stew rich with various ingredients was served next.

"This is a tomato stew with reindeer meat."

The stew was visibly thick. It contained chunkily cut reindeer meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, and peas. The highlight was the ice moss on top that melted in the mouth like cheese. The combination of the creamy sweet ice moss with the stew was exceptionally delicious.

I quickly finished the entire bowl of stew. The warmth it brought to my stomach made me think it would be perfect to eat a bowl before heading out on a hunt in the cursed lands.

Lastly, the dessert was a cream pudding made with a mix of fruits, milk, and honey. It was quite a generous portion for a dessert but after finishing it, I felt the satisfaction of a truly fulfilling meal.

"Ah…"

I was pleased. Patting my full belly, I stood up and addressed the landlord.

"Do you have any vacant rooms?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well then, I'd like to stay for about ten days. In the highest room if possible. The price doesn't matter."

"Yes, the room is ready. My son will show you the way."

At my call, the boy rushed over and picked up my luggage. Then he looked at me with a look that said, Surely you're not going to flick my head this time too?

"Very well. Oh, and please prepare a bath for me. Make it very hot."

"Yes!"

I picked up Ayla, who had neatly finished her plate of minced lamb and goat milk and followed the boy up the stairs. As expected, the room was very clean and cozy.

While I was unpacking and arranging my things, the bath was prepared. The boy was about to boast at length about the bathwater which he said was made with the cursed land's ice salt, so to keep him quiet, I handed him a copper coin and stepped into the wooden bathtub.

As I immersed myself in the hot water, it felt as though all my fatigue was melting away. The ice salt, they said was added, seemed to quickly make my skin feel smooth.

"Ah, this is nice…"

I leaned back leisurely and took a deep breath. Indeed, for Koreans, a bathhouse is the place to be…

I wouldn't wish for anything more if I had banana milk to drink. Haah.

-Kiiing! Kiin!

Ayla who had grown quite a bit was scratching at the wooden bathtub as if she was throwing a tantrum for me staying there for too long. Oh my, how long has it been since I came in…

"Ayla."

-Kiin!

"Wait."

-Kuun…

To my satisfaction, Ayla seemed to understand the command "wait" after being taught a few times. She stopped scratching the bathtub with her claws and just sat down on the floor. Then, perhaps because her stomach was full, she soon began to snore.

I should give that little one a bath too, once I'm done.

I closed my eyes slowly.

Starting tomorrow, the "real" hunting begins, so for now, I should enjoy this rest.