Chapter 281: Uneasy
Our team were the only ones in the carriage on the way back. Retze wanted to do some small talk so he sat with the coachman.
Retze and Ash must be pretty tired out from climbing the chains. I went ahead of them so that I could help them with the luggage, and it was pretty obvious that they had a hard time. My physical abilities are top notch so I was totally fine, but it’s clearly difficult for them, no matter how I think about it.
Surprisingly, Khan and Dinosso climbed up like cats despite being huge, and Butler seemed weightless as the trio scaled the chains with minimal shaking. It was amazing.
I should practice climbing too, given that I was the one who made a racket with all that shaking and clunking. I managed to go up the chains thanks to my strength, but it was still a bit embarrassing.
The levels closer to the surface could be explored in a day. A day trip is usually enough for exploring upper levels, and adventurers usually enter in the morning and leave late in the evening. Moreover, carriage rides also cost a pretty penny, so it’s very rare for people to return early.
Folks who stay overnight to go deeper down the Labyrinth are usually the only ones returning while the sun is still high up in the sky, but the guild didn’t stop us to check since we’re using the carriage used by those who work on the 20th floor.
「I wanna eat something delish, but I wanna take a bath. 」
「The only places that have baths that can pass your standard are either the brothels or the inn where the hero is staying, you know? Chris and I are going to the brothel, though. 」
Dean quipped, as if to tease me. Well, I know he’s all for teasing me.
「I just wanna borrow the bathroom. 」
He guffawed at my reply.
Butler’s lukewarm smile and nod rather than the snickering made me wanna make a run for it!
Actually, all I could do back in the Labyrinth was to listen quietly to people talking, so I’m quite happy bantering with them. Without participating in conversations, it was just being a spectator, or should I say it was really alienating.
The carriage swayed as we chatted about anything and everything we could talk about.
When we arrived at the fortress city, we went first to the Guild to have the materials from the Earth Crawling Snake assessed and explain the gist of the situation in the Labyrinth. We left that to Dean and Chris, the guys who were gonna rank up.
It was decided that we’ll return to the Guild when Glasses is back. We got our claim checks for the materials and left them to the appraiser. Chris and Dean disappeared around this time. You two spendthrifts, go ahead and get yourselves milked dry!
「The hero already went home. You can stay in that expensive inn, you know? 」
Retze said. He’s definitely teasing me!!
「If everyone won’t come with me then I don’t want to. Besides, I can just go home and take a bath there. 」
『Supreme Bliss of Heavens』, the place where the hero stayed, is Chris’s favorite brothel.
The brothel has its own bath, and they even have magic circles for air conditioning. They also replace the beddings, towels, linens and sheets and other fabrics for each guest. The level of cleanliness was unheard of in this world, so I wanted to check it out once just, but I couldn’t help but feel conscious of Ash’s stare.
「Why did he return so suddenly? I presumed he sojourned here because he intended to continue conquering the Labyrinth. 」
Butler was perplexed.
「It’s probably because it was my — his birthday so he’s summoned back. 」
She’s completely without any sort of consideration for her younger brother’s circumstances or opinion.
「Mm. So she has the intention to celebrate it, huh. 」
Ash commented, and I just shrugged in reply.
The reason why Sis held me back during my birthday wasn’t to celebrate it, but to prevent anyone else from celebrating it with me.
Ahh, but maybe since it’s her lackey doll, she’s celebrating it properly as its owner?
The deities relay detailed information about the heroes from time to time to me ever since I agreed to name spirits. It’s a mystery why her lackey made a doll version of me. Based on Sis’s personality, I don’t think she can stand the fact that someone else possessed something that was hers — or at least what she designated as hers — even if it’s a fake. Oh well, I don’t really care one bit whether they have some sort of internal dispute or anything else.
We head back to the inn after buying bread, eggs, apples and other stuff from the stalls. I asked the old boss of the inn for a tub and some hot water before heading to my room.
The inn we’re staying at might not be as expensive as the one the fake hero stayed in, but it still cost a bit more than ordinary lodgings. The room is equipped with a fireplace and two adjoining bedrooms. Ah, but my gut feeling is that there aren’t enough rooms, or should I say there’s not enough beds.
「You’re so diligent. 」
Dinosso half-exasperatedly, half- admiringly commented when I started burning insect repellent herbs. I hate itchies!
We left Ash and Butler behind with the other luggage and made our way to the well. The tub was for Ash.
「It’s amazing that you’re fine with this. 」
Dinosso and Retze poured cold water over their heads and started scrubbing.
「Get used to it, just get used to it. It’s a pain-in-the-neck having to boil water. 」
Dinosso and Retze seemed perfectly fine.
I’m okay with undressing, but I can’t summon the courage to pour water over myself. Both of them doused themselves and started wiping their bodies.
「Don’t know when to give up, huh. The sun will set at this rate. 」
Retze also urged me.
「Khan doesn’t like the cold either, we’re comrades! 」
「Urk… 」
The King of the Desert might not show it on his face, but he seemed really cold! His movements slowed down.
「Haa, can’t be helped then, here you go. 」
Dinosso dipped his hand to the bucket and steam rose from it. He requested his spirit, apparently.
Today’s a sunny day, so this much is fine. Khan still looked cold, though.
Butler went to the well after we were done. After everyone freshened up, we returned to the city to have dinner.
Whole roasted fowls and dishes made of wild boars were specialties of the fortress city. Although they also have the normal ones, the most delicious dishes were those made from monsters. Humans truly are sinful creatures; they deliberately let the animals run free in the forest so that they would monsterfy. Ah, but I still eat them.
「Good job, everyone! 」
We toasted each other with wine and delved into the food.
Butler carved the roasted wild chicken stuffed with mushrooms and onions and served it to us. I also looked forward to tasting the huge lump of wild boar meat. Meat lover Dean wasn’t with us, but he’s probably eating something tasty where he was.
「Please be at ease, this store only handles creatures that have been monsterfied. 」
Butler said.
Apparently, there are fake shops that disguise regular meat and claim them to be monster meat. Selling chicken or pork legs with the feet attached is considered proof that the meat is authentic, and some stores even go as far as presenting the heads with the horns to prove themselves. I’d rather not see that.
The whole roasted chicken was surprisingly juicier than expected. The skin was probably brushed with maple syrup; it’s quite sweet.
「Ahh, it’s so nice being able to talk normally. 」
Delicious food, free conversation — ahh, bliss, bliss it is.
「Yeah, I can finally ask the things I wanna know. 」
Dinosso smirked.
「Eh? 」
「Well well, we can’t do that here, let’s wait until we’re in the room. 」
Retze was also grinning.
「Mm. 」
Khan nodded.
Everybody agreed with that!? Ahh, this is making me so uneasy!!
NEXT CHAPTER
RELEASE RATE
I Got Transferred in the Middle of a Mountain
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 80 hours
Thanks for the treat.