Chapter 1: Orario

- Paul Drik -

"Yeah, he looks fine. You can let him enter Orario, Bob." Said Paul as he finished inspecting a caravan from an old merchant.

Bob nodded in understanding as he wrote the report in his folder. "Well? You heard the man! Orario welcomes you, but you better behave, or we'll meet again."

"Ah! Yes, thank you, mister adventurer." Responded the older man with some fear as he entered Orario through the heavily guarded gate.

After all, they were not random guards picked randomly, but they were adventurers from the Ganesha Familia. They were humans blessed by their god and now worked as gatekeepers. Their Familia is in charge of the security of Orario after the fall of the Astraea Familia during the Dark Age.

Fortunately, they weren't born during this time, as he heard from his senior that it was a chaotic period.

"Next!" shouted Paul, who suddenly became serious as he noticed the next group.

They were four people, all cloaked and hiding their faces with a mask.

Paul: "…"

Bob: "…"

'They can't be more suspicious than that!' thought Paul and Bob, exchanging eye contact and silently calling for some backup in case.

While they doubt there would be anyone dumb enough to cause a scene in front of Orario. It's better to be safe than sorry. Moreover, he even felt some pressure from those three adults, which was very suspicious. The fourth one seemed like a child, and even he could tell that the kid was nervous as the kid kept fidgeting around.

After all, Paul might not be in the Upper-rank adventurer in Orario. He was at least Lv.3 and can be considered a small powerhouse by the standard.

Now, he felt those three people were more or less powerful than him, maybe lv 4 or even 5, yet he couldn't recognize them.

After all, powerful individuals always leave some trace behind them, like their legend or reputation. Moreover, he couldn't see any insignia that might help him or Bob to identify which Familia they belonged to.

In conclusion, very suspicious!

He must investigate properly!

"Halt! State your business in Orario!"

The person in the center, who seemed to be the group's leader, stepped forward. "Hello, member of the Ganesha Familia. I am Suel, and I am nothing more but a mere travelling merchant who carries wares you've yet to dream of."

Paul, who understood the situation, gave a hard look to Suel as he inspected his appearance, hoping to gather more information from their mysterious travelling merchant.

The one named Suel exuded an air of mystery. He was reasonably tall but not like his other male companion. His attire is very distinctive and unconventional. Honestly, for Paul, he seemed to be out of place. He wore a long cloak or cape draped elegantly around his body. The cloak itself was a beautiful crimson colour that amplified his enigmatic nature.

The most striking feature of this man was the mask worn by this person. The mask covers their face with angular edges and unique patterns etched into their surface.

The second member of the group was a girl from Paul's long experience acquired by his visit to the brothel with his brothers.

She was unfortunately hidden like Suel, with a cloak or cape draped all over her body. They could only see her long, flowing platinum-blonde hair that cascaded past her shoulders. It is a shame since he could tell their female companion was a true beauty.

The third group member was very imposing, and compared to the other members of his party, the cloak barely covered his enormous body. The jet-black armour was imposing and intimidating as well. Even he could see the quality of the armour from his amateurish views, as Paul even envied this robust armour.

The last group member seemed almost inexistent when you compared them with the rest. Paul could even feel the shyness exuded by the kid, and not much information about it could be gathered.

'Very suspicious,' thought Paul, directing his gaze to the duo behind Suel.

"Then what about them? Are you guys together?"

"Oh? Forgive my manners, young man. Those two people behind me are two retired adventurers I met while travelling to Orario, and this shy lady is my little protégé. But don't worry; they are now following me as their boss." Said Suel with conviction.

"Right…" muttered Paul under his breath as he signalled Bob to continue the investigation.

"Then you said you came to Orario to sell your wares, right?" asked Bob with some aggressivity. However, his poor attempt at aggression didn't seem to faze Suel or his two staff, who gave him a weird look.

Fortunately, Bob was thick-skinned and didn't even blush under such a look. He was used to it now.

"Correct, sir." Affirmed Suel with a happy voice.

"Then where are they? I don't think they are hidden under your cloak. Am I wrong?"

"Correct again, sir! Indeed, they are not hidden under me, but I transported them very specially."

"…You won't show me even if I ask you?"

"Correct~!"

Bob: "…."

Paul: "…"

Paul held his forehead in pain as Bob gave him a pitying look.

"…Can you show me some of your ware to verify your proof as a travelling merchant? I can even recommend you to some members of my Familia if they are useful." Asked Paul after some deliberation.

After all, he couldn't pry the method as it is considered taboo even if Suel was weird, but he seemed friendly enough to participate in the conversation.

So Paul was willing to take a step back for Suel, and who knows, he might get a discount if he ever saw his stall in the city.

So Paul and Bob waited for Suel to answer as they silently waited. Fortunately, not even three breaths passed did Suel respond favourably to the suggestion.

"Of course! I won't embarrass you more than how about this potion?" said Suel mysteriously as he reached under his cloak and pulled out a glass vial with a blue liquid inside.

Paul and Bob could even feel the playful look Suel was giving them as the latter plucked out the cork of this mysterious potion.

They suddenly felt a wave of pure magical energy within the vial as they stepped back in surprise. They returned from their senses as they saw Suel, who closed the vial.

Paul took a deep breath and gave Suel a deep look. "May I ask the name of this elixir and its property?"

"Fufufufu"

"This beautiful elixir that you just saw is the Sorcerer's Elixir. As for its effect, it is primarily used to enhance the users' magic, increasing the potency of their magic spell. It also grants other secondary bonuses, such as their movement speed." Revealed Suel as he enjoyed the shocked face of the two guards.

"…H-how much does it cost?" asked Paul with a trembling voice as he stared at the beautiful vial in Suel's hand with complicated eyes.

Even if Paul wasn't a magic user, he could definitively understand the potential of this elixir in Orario. He knew chaos would appear if this kind of elixir hit the market.

After all, this kind of elixir was too attractive for any magic user and even he would be moved by it if he was the owner of some magic, but unfortunately, he was only good at hitting things with his sword.

"Hmm…. How about 50,000 valis?" said Suel tentatively as he looked at his companion behind him, but sadly, they weren't helpful as they shrugged in response.

"… Fair enough." Said Paul as he signalled Bob to open the gate.

"Then Orario will welcome you, and I hope to find your shop soon, mister Suel." Said Paul with some solemnity.

"If you have any trouble during your stay in Orario, you can ask any member of our Familia."

"Then I will kindly accept your kind words and advice." Said Suel as he entered Orario with his two companions.

"Oh yes! One more thing Sir Suel!"

"Hmmm?"

"Sorry, I almost forgot, but before selling your wares, you must first acquire a permit from the guild, or else it would be considerer illegal." Said Paul with some embarrassment as he scratched his head.

Suel paused for a second until he continued and gave the guard a thumbs up.

Paul and Bob looked at the mysterious trios until they left their field of view. They exchanged gazes as Bob left the gate hurriedly while Paul continued the inspection alone.

After all, this news was too explosive not to inform their Familia, and it would be a shame if the other adventurer or big Familia like Loki or Freya were to clean up all the stock Suel brought with him.

~~~

- Suel -

"What an interesting little guard. What do you think, my dear Alfia?"

"…Boring." Said Alfia as she looked around Orario with some melancholy. She reminisced about her past when she was from the Hera Familia. It was a rough era but also a positive experience in her life.

"Ehhh, What about you, Zald?"

"… I'm feeling a little complicated, honestly. We once came here to destroy the very foundation of Orario." Said Zald in a heavy mood.

Suel patted his friend on the back as he decided to change the subject. "So what do you guys think we should do? After all, it's my first time in Orario compared to you guys."

"…Anything is fine." Replied Alfia.

"Same."

Suel: "…"

Suel held his forehead in pain to his useless members. While Suel was troubled by the sudden problem, their little companion, silent until now, finally manifested herself by grabbing Suel's attention.

"Brother, I'm hungry."

"Well, we did walk a long way from our last resting place, and eating sounds good, Haruhime." Said Suel as he patted the head of his dear protégé.

"Hehehe~."

"No, objection, right?"

"No" x2

"Then let's go around the market and find something to eat. We still have some time before finding an inn and resting for the night."

After a few minutes of walking, they finally arrived in the bustling market square of Orario. The market square was lively, where adventurers, merchants and residents went about their daily routines. Among those people was the group of four that stood out among the crowd for their weird clothes.

"It still a lively place… no, maybe even more lively back then." Said Zald as he was reminiscent of the past once more. It was indeed something he couldn't let out easily. After all, he was not supposed to be alive, but his fate and Alfia's changed after they accidentally met Suel, their benefactor.

"Come on, old friend! You shouldn't dwell too much on the past. Think about the future~" said Suel with a lively mood as he looked around like a child. Even Haruhime was more reserved than their dear leader.

"…Keep it down already. You are attracting too much attraction." Whispered Alfia with a tinge of embarrassment in her voice—something that both men noticed and, unfortunately, for Alfia.

"Hehehe, are you shy? Alfy~ Come on, follow my lead!"

Suel loved to tease people.

Alfia or Alfy didn't hesitate to punch Suel's face, who lazily sidestepped the punch.

"Careful, Alfy! That punch would have hurt me if I didn't dodge it!" said Suel with an exasperated voice as if he was scolding a child.

Of course, it only made Alfia even angrier as she was ready to blow up, but fortunately, Zald, who knew his party members' tempers, found something to distract them with.

"Hey, if you guys are done. I found a stall named Gourmet Grills, and it seems to sell skewers."

And sure enough, his little trick was effective as they silently arrived at the stall with the vendor, who was busy flipping skewers of marinated meat over an open flame.

The stout man with a twinkle in his eye became a little nervous at the sudden group of cloaked people coming to his stall. "G-G-Good day to you!" the vendor greeted them with a shaking grin. "Hungry for some food?"

Suel didn't hesitate to nod as he stared at the food longingly. "Absolutely! Meat Master! What do you recommend?"

The vendor's eye became a little strange by the sudden title.

'Meat Master…? Why does it feel a little strange.' Thought the vendor with a weird feeling in his heart.

"Uh… well, our signature dish is the Flamed-Grilled Medley—tender cuts of wyvern meat seasoned with our secret spice blend."

"Do you want to try?" added the vendor quickly, as he didn't want to lose customers.

Haruhime was excited by the food as she looked up to Suel, who nodded eagerly. They came to Orario after a long journey and deserved some excellent food. "Sounds good, meat master. We'll take four!"

'Again, with this weird name…' thought the vendor as he tried his best to ignore it as he skillfully plated the skewers, the meat sizzling and releasing a lovely aroma. He handed the plates to Suel, who eagerly accepted them.

They found a nearby bench and settled down while the poor vendor was trying to grab their attention simply because they forgot to pay the poor man. Fortunately, Zald noticed the situation by throwing a small Valis pouch to the vendor.

"Here's the payment for the skewers. You can also take the rest of the money for the trouble."

The vendor's grin widened as he accepted the pouch and weighed it. He felt much money inside of it as his earlier animosity quickly disappeared. "Thank you, dear master! Don't hesitate to visit again!"

~~~

- Entire Party -

"So what are we going to do now, Suel? Aren't you going to the Adventurer Guild for the permit?" asked Zald as the group returned to the main street.

It was getting pretty dark since they ate their delicious skewers from their visit to the market.

"Mmhh, this is indeed something we should consider." Said Suel as he scratched his chin.

It didn't take long for Suel to consider the situation as they set off toward the towering structure that housed the adventurer guild. They entered inside it, and it was bustling with many adventurers of all levels coming and going.

Suel and his distinctive party made their way to the front desk amidst the curious glance from the nearby adventurers, where a receptionist with a friendly smile greeted them. "Welcome to the guild! How can I assist you today?"

Suel cleared his throat and calmly replied. "I'm here to inquire about obtaining a merchant's permit. I've been told that I could get here?"

The receptionist nodded in understanding as he smiled in response. "You came to the right place! We sell permits for any merchant willing to sell their wares in Orario, but we have a procedure for that. Please fill out this form with your personal information and some details about your merchandise."

Suel accepted the form and a quill as he took a few minutes to fill the form. Zald, who knew the quirk of his employer, couldn't help but peek over his shoulder as he immediately held his forehead in pain.

The receptionist was surprised by the sudden situation chalking up to something else as she accepted the form from Suel.

"…"

The receptionist finally understood as the corner of her mouth twitched.

"U-uh, dear merchant, is that correct?"

"Of course! Is there something wrong?" asked the obvious Suel, whereas Zald was ready to bust out of the guild in case. He saw what his dear benefactor wrote in the form, and he would honestly not feel surprised if they weren't caught by the guild for suspicions.

"L-L-Let's review together, shall we?"

"….I don't understand why but sure."

The receptionist took a deep breath to calm her boiling emotion as she kept her professional smile with much difficulty. She didn't know if the man was playing around or if he was just stupid.

"Your full name is Suel Suel. Is that correct?

"Correct!

"…"

"As for age, you wrote: Old enough?

"Yep."

Now even Alfia felt a little speechless by the situation as she completely understood that it was simply Suel was playing around.

"Okay, okay, let's go with that…" muttered the female receptionist as she began to feel powerless. She wasn't good at dealing with special people.

"As for your residence, you wrote: Somewhere…!"

"Yep."

The woman took off her glasses as she massaged the bridge of her nose.

'Calm down, Eina. You can't explode in public. Maybe this person is dumb, and it's not his fault.'

"And you are here to sell… stuff?"

"That's correct, I have stuff with me!" said Suel with a lot of happiness.

Eina destroyed the quill in her hand as she doubted reality and gave up. "…Just don't sell weird stuff or banned item, okay?"

"Here is a booklet of banned items in Orario." Eina threw a small booklet to Suel as she couldn't be bothered to keep her sanity with this kind of customer.

"Ah! Of course, miss! In the name of Suel, I will never sell a banned item!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever…" muttered Eina as she didn't want to communicate with this Suel individual anymore.

"…Please pay the fee of 500 Valis for the permit. Once that's done, you'll be officially recognized as a merchant within the city."

Suel counted out the valis and handed them over to his victim—uh receptionist, who stamped his form and handed it back to him along with a small badge bearing the emblem of the adventurer guild.

"Congratulations! You're now a registered merchant in Orario!" said Eina cheerfully with a strained smile. "Make sure to display your merchant's badge whenever you sell your… stuff."

Suel nodded appreciatively. "Thank you for your help. I appreciate your assistance."

Suel and his party finally left the guild building and returned to the main street of Orario. The only thing left for today was an inn.

They walked in silence until Zald broke the silent atmosphere. "You are a real bastard, you know that?"

Alfia snorted in amusement but didn't deny Zald's statement, but the real blow came from Suel's dear protégé.

"Bad brother."

Suel dropped on the road as he began to rethink life.