Chapter 49: Suspicious Companion Part 1

A few days later.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone was knocking on the door from early morning.

"Who….?"

It was a messenger sent by Katharina. He hurried me while saying that Katharina was urgently looking for me.

What could possibly be so important this early in the morning?

I hadn't even eaten yet, so I made my way to Katharina's mansion feeling a little annoyed.

"You've arrived."

"What on earth could it be this earl…"

Before I could finish my sentence, a glint appeared before my eyes.

Again?

[A Chain Quest Appears!]

[Quest: A Suspicious Companion?]

A chain quest all of a sudden?

I quickly pulled out the old book from my belongings.

Sure enough, the book contained the details of the new quest.

[A suspicious companion has appeared. Start the adventure together with him.]

[Reward for refusing the quest: A fine horse]

[Reward for accepting the quest: ???]

A hidden reward for a quest?

Before I had time to think, I felt Katharina's gaze on me, as if she found something odd about me. I quickly closed the book and put it back in my belongings, then cleared my throat and looked at her.

"Ahem, what's the matter?"

"There's important news."

"I hope it's truly important."

Lately, Katharina has been calling me up and trying to get me involved in various matters so I responded with a bit of irritation.

"Someone volunteered."

"Huh?"

"Someone has volunteered for the deep-sea dungeon expedition."

…Already?

Someone had already stepped forward?

I thought we would wait at least a month.

I looked at her in surprise. Katharina clapped her hands twice with a triumphant expression. Clap, clap.

"...…."

Then, a shabbily dressed man appeared.

His hair and beard were so overgrown that it was hard to see his face clearly. What, was he some kind of wild animal? His stooped posture and sallow complexion didn't exactly scream "mercenary".

"My name is… Lloyd."

Lloyd, huh?

That was a new name to me.

"You volunteered?"

"…. Right."

"You're aware of what this entails?"

"I am."

Well, he was rather informal.

But he seemed older than me, so as a man of Confucian upbringing from the East, I chose not to dwell on it and smoothly moved on.

"Have you been fully briefed on the rewards and risks?"

"Yes."

"…. Well, alright then."

I nodded my head towards Katharina.

The reason for not verifying his skills was…

For someone with such a shabby appearance… his sword is quite remarkable.

Indeed.

The sword the man wore at his waist was no ordinary blade.

It was so large that even a grown man might struggle to hold it in one hand, and it shone with the unique shimmer of mithril.

Although the grip was tightly bound in leather, the gleam peeking through here and there couldn't be entirely concealed.

Such a sword doesn't wait for a master to choose it.

Such a sword, it tends to choose its master on its own.

Only those worthy could grasp a special blade like this.

So, he must possess considerable skill, without a doubt.

In the first place, unless one wishes to die, they wouldn't volunteer for such a task without confidence.

Moreover, if he were a nobody, Katharina would have dealt with him by now.

The timing of this "Suspicious Companion?" quest popping up at this moment was unsettling, but…

In such cases, the rewards are usually good.

Not only experience points, but there might also be special items to receive or unique titles to earn. The additional effects would surely be beneficial.

Not bad at all.

I glanced at him before asking.

"Will you be staying at the merchant guild's lodgings?"

"No. I'll arrange my own accommodations."

"Then come with me."

"….…"

Lloyd pondered for a moment before nodding his head.

I received some expenses from Katharina and left the mansion with Lloyd. And then…

…. Wait, what does this mean?

I frowned upon seeing the horse Lloyd had brought out.

Wasn't that the very horse I had claimed in Gallopik?

Was it not a mistake when I saw it at the Rabata port?

Lloyd mounted the horse and then silently watched me with a look that suggested I should climb up behind him.

…Damn it, it's too late to argue about that now.

I'll let it slide, generously let it slide.

So this was the reward for not refusing the quest, "a fine horse"?

I mounted the horse. Considering it bore the weight of two adult men with ease, it truly was a fine horse.

The stable master in Galopic insisted a <Knight > had taken this horse…

Lloyd looked nothing, absolutely nothing, like a knight.

Well, maybe a wandering knight.

What kind of person is he?

There were many things I was curious about, but it didn't feel right to ask.

We returned to the inn in silence.

I rented another room for Lloyd.

"We won't be diving into the deep dungeon immediately."

"Then when?"

"The tides will calm down in about a month. That's when we'll tackle the deep-sea dungeon."

"I see…"

"Until then, Katharina's merchant guild will cover our lodging and meals. If you need anything or have any requests, just let me know."

"..."

His reticence was excessive.

Before the man could retreat to his room, I quickly caught up with him.

"What is it?"

"There's a month at our disposal, right? I was hoping you could teach my disciple during this time."

"..."

"He's adept with the sword. Though skilled, there are aspects he needs to refine. I believe you could be of help."

"...."

When he didn't answer right away, I became a little anxious.

"Of course, I'll ensure you're well compensated."

"…. Has this child volunteered for the deep-sea dungeon as well?"

"That's right."

"....."

Lloyd fell silent, seemingly lost in thought for a while. Then, after a long pause,

"Alright."

With a brief reply, he vanished into his room.

I spoke to the closing door.

"Then, I'll see you tomorrow."

The door closed. No response came.

What a strange fellow.

To agree without even discussing the compensation.

Regardless, since I had now secured the last member of our party, preparations for the deep-sea dungeon were nearly complete.

If the training of El and Roshanak goes as planned over the next month…

The deep-sea dungeon shouldn't be out of reach.

Of course, we'd need to prepare a suitable strategy and various items perfectly.

We could secure the items through Katharina's merchant guild, so there was no worry there.

"...."

But why did I feel this nagging sense of unease?

In any case, I had a late breakfast with El and Roshanak. Afterward, I took El to Lloyd and Roshanak to Iris, then headed to the marketplace.

My goal here was to find special items in the Echaits' market which was famously known for having everything one could imagine.

Near the square, a festival was taking place to celebrate the month of the harvest deer. The market was filled with the sound of singing echoing from all over the place, the appetizing smell of various food being prepared at street stalls, and the lively noise created by the vendors and onlookers mingling together.

"Deep-sea octopus skewers, only 20 coppers!"

"Blackberry preserves, imported directly from the Dark Forest! Try them!"

"Revolutionary magnifying glasses that could turn Solen upside down! Available for an incredible price!"

"Young man, interested in digestives made from Snow Mountain rabbit droppings?"

I made my way through the throng of vendors to the center of the square.

There, an event hosted by the Echaits Union Council was taking place.

I'm not too late.

I squeezed through the crowd to fill out a participation form.

Securing "that item" here would be a tremendous boon for our deep-sea dungeon expedition.

After submitting the form and lining up among the people to enter, I caught a glimpse of "that item" on display in the distance.

[The Sage's Flask]

The Sage's Flask was said to be used by the sage Ilodia from Roshan, who lived for 500 years without eating or sleeping, whenever he drank water.

It was the sole relic of the sage Ilodia and it contained just a sip of water he left behind before his demise.

Rumors had it that drinking this water could bestow upon one the wisdom left by Ilodia.

The Sage's Flask was a fairly famous item due to Ilodia being one of the three great sages of the world, but no one truly knew the effects it harbored.

Only tales of gaining Ilodia's wisdom circulated, much like legends.

Of course, I already knew the effects of this item.

Every year, when the month of the harvest deer arrived, the Echaits Union Council would invariably feature [The Sage's Flask] as a prize at their festival. However, the "trial" to claim this prize boasted such great difficulty that despite the numerous participants each year, none had managed to earn this Sage's Flask.

Well, this time would be different.

Since I was going to obtain the Sage's Flask.

-Ding-dong-dang!

The bell signaling the start of the event resonated far and wide.

-Woahhhhh!!!

The crowd's excited cheers echoed alongside.

"I wonder if anyone will pass the trial this time?"

"As if. Even that famed elephant from Roshan failed last year."

"Only the empire's saintess could possibly manage it, no one else."

"Ha! This is going to be interesting to watch!"

Murmurs and discussions fluttered from every corner.

And what was the "trial" for this item?

It was simply to "lift" the Sage's Flask.

One had to lift the Sage's Flask by any means necessary.

That was the sole condition.

Yet no one had managed to lift the Sage's Flask until now.

Even the mightiest warriors from across the continent had failed to raise it, despite its deceptively simple appearance as a small ordinary flask.

To date, only the saintess of the Barak Empire had succeeded in lifting it.

Because of this, there were rumors going around that perhaps only a god could manage such a feat.

Of course, those rumors were about to be dispelled.

Since I had arrived on the scene.

"Arghhhhh!!!"

One by one, the lined-up participants exerted themselves in various attempts to lift the Sage's Flask.

From those who desperately gripped and tugged at the bottleneck to others employing magic or trying to hoist it with items, the methods varied widely.

But despite their diverse strategies, no one achieved success.

One after another, individuals filled with resolve faced their limits and walked away once again. I watched their efforts with a relaxed gaze.

And then…

"Next!"

It was my turn.