Arc 2 - Chapter 1: The Hero Archetype (4/4)

Through their conversation, Yu learned that sword fairies are living beings, just as he had previously thought. They would make a deal with a user and turn into a powerful sword for the user they made a deal with.

He wanted to learn more about sword fairies, but that was the only information he got. Lucia stopped talking about sword fairies when the number of people inside increased and Yu was reluctant to talk about it any further, so the topic was dropped.

Neko had not turned into a sword for her mother in the Sigma Tower. There was a possibility that it had something to do with the nature of their opponents, but there was also a possibility that there was something wrong with Neko, and he suppressed his curiosity so as not to say more and upset her.

While deboning the fish in front of Neko, Yu had the opportunity to learn about Lucia. Lucia Leafera was a wealthy woman who owned three inns, one of which also served as an adventurer guild. Lucia was also one hundred and fifty-two years old.

"Speaking of age, Neko, how old are you?"

There were stereotypes about little girls in fantasy universes being four hundred years old, so maybe Neko would claim to be four hundred or a thousand years old.

Neko didn't answer.

"I turned nineteen today."

"Happy birthday, Mr. Valarfin." Lucia wished him a happy birthday with a big smile on her red lips.

"Are you a foreigner in Rolderhelm? You don't look like a merchant, I thought you were an adventurer from the way you looked this morning. They, too, sometimes come home in a terrible way."

"We are not adventurers, I guess you could call us immigrants."

Merchant, adventurer, traveler; Yu was none of these. He was just a stranger from an unknown world.

"So you're unemployed?" Lucia's judgmental look made Yu feel ashamed of himself.

"Don't look at me like that, it's not my fault."

"We are the rich who are not yet rich, I prefer that."

Yu had finished sorting Neko's fish while Lucia put her fingers to her lips and smiled politely. While Neko blew on the hot fish to cool it, Yu cleaned his own fingers, and it was his turn to clean his own fish. 

"Everyone who comes to Rolderhelm says the same thing. Every merchant dreams of becoming rich, every adventurer dreams of becoming a famous hero. Others dream of getting rich in a shorter and easier way and turn to the casinos."

Lucia listed the dreams of the people who came to Rolderhelm. What happened to them was next. 

"Only a few merchants make the profits they dream of, and most go home with a pittance. Some unsuccessful merchants are forced to turn to adventuring to pay off their debts, and many adventurers find that their first mission is too much for them to continue in their profession. Gamblers, on the other hand, commonly end up as slaves."

From what Lucia had told them, merchanting seemed to be the safest way of earning, but it would only earn the Yu enough money to keep themselves afloat and would require a long time if they wanted to make a big profit. 

Adventuring was a source of income Yu was used to from stories, but its inherent dangers were enough to keep him away.

"Maybe you can become an adventurer with Neko's help, but you have to remember that it is a dangerous job. Most adventurers retire indefinitely for various reasons while still on their first mission, and it's not a profession usually chosen by fathers who want to take care of their daughters."

"Don't talk nonsense about who fathered who, you stupid elf."

"Oh, what a rude girl."

Luica relented because Neko was a child, but not everyone would be as understanding as she was. Yu would have to warn Neko about her vulgar language, otherwise they might get in trouble for their behavior.

"Adventurism doesn't seem to suit us, I would like to make safer choices."

Yu was still afraid of dying and would continue to be afraid. So he would stay away from dangerous things and if he had to do dangerous things, he would make survival his first priority.

"Hmm... What is the plan of the future rich to get rich?"

"My plan is making a plan for now."

Not even knowing where he was, Yu had no idea what to do. He could turn to casinos or do small demonstrations, but he felt that these were not the right choices.

"What can I expect from the plan of someone who can't even read or write?"

"Don't say such things in public!" It made him angry to have his shortcomings pointed out to him in front of a beautiful woman he had just met. "You'll see, I'll learn overnight."

Yu put a piece of the deboned fish in his mouth, and strangely, the food had no taste.

It wasn't that it was bad, Yu really couldn't taste the food he was eating. 

"What's the matter? Don't you like the food?"

When she saw Yu's shocked face, the elven woman thought something was wrong. 

"No, it's fine." Not wanting to make a faux pas, Yu straightened his posture and pulled himself together. "I haven't eaten something like this in a long time."

"Ah, I'm glad you like it." Easily convinced of Yu's lie and flattered, he returned to the subject. "But you don't look illiterate either, you have the features of a high-ranking person."

"I am, aren't I?" Yu smiled slightly. He was happy to be praised, but normally he would have given a more arrogant answer. "Of course I know how to read and write, I'm just unfamiliar with Rolderhelm's alphabet."

"Uh-huh, I see." Lucia nodded, crossing her arms behind her large breasts. "So you come from far away. I hope it's not Ethalot or Brahatul. You had a bit Aram face."

"I don't know where there are." Yu's eyes fell on Lucia's breasts. Her breasts covered her arms.

Lucia lifted her hips a little from where she was sitting and brought her face closer to Yu's, gesturing for him to come closer. She could feel her breath as he moved closer to her.

"Her ears are very attractive."

The elf's long, pointed ears poking out of her blonde hair revealed an interest Yu had never known existed.

"Did you come from Sigma Tower?" Lucia whispered.

"Can we... Can I be held responsible for the fire in the Sigma Tower?"

This question came to Lucia's mind before he could give an answer.

Yu and Neko walked the streets of the city with soot on them, and judging by their disheveled appearance, they could have been found in the burning tower in the morning, just as Lucia had done.

He couldn't explain what happened there, he couldn't convince people.

"I wonder what's going on out there," Lucia whispered again as Yu thought of an answer.

"We got caught in the fire and escaped, that's all."

"Bloods?"

"..."

Yu was going to leave it unanswered. Suddenly interrogated, he could not find lies to fabricate.

"We just... met the wrong people in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Wrong people?"

Yu couldn't answer that either. He was silent because he thought she wouldn't believe his story.

"Even if you don't want to tell me, please report your experiences to the police station."

"T-okay." He could do that if he wasn't going to be charged with fire or any crime.

"Don't forget, please."

Yu shook his head. He wanted to drop the subject right away.

"But are there less dangerous ways to make money than adventurism?"

"Arena fights may help you win a little bit, but it's gambling."

"I don't know how to fight."

Lucia covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. "Anyway, you're not going to fight, you're going to bet on the fighters. It's very popular in Rolderhelm, almost everyone has bet at least once or twice, but you shouldn't get too carried away, remember it's gambling."

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you."

He still hadn't finished the food on his plate, and he didn't feel like eating any more food he couldn't taste. He saw that Neko hadn't eaten either. They both thought they were hungry, but after a few bites they had lost their appetite.

"The money I spent on food will be wasted." He couldn't put another mouthful in his mouth.

"Can I ask you for some paper and pens for literacy?"

"Of course."

It was clear that the night was going to be sleepless, and the best thing he could do right now was to use the free time to study.