Chapter 350 Everyone Has a Plan

The carriage sped along the highway and arrived at the city entrance.

A road where countless carriages passed by. After the carriage stopped at a station situated on one side, Ian stepped down from the carriage along with his members.

’Phew.... Are we really finally here?’

’I thought I was going to die....’

Mika said, staggering as she held her head. Everyone quietly nodded at her words.

Perhaps because it was a famous tourist destination, the road from Labyrinth to this place was perfectly connected.

Nothing dangerous or annoying happened, but the problem was the distance.

In terms of both time and travel distance, it was the longest trip of any commission they had done so far.

Although they took a day’s rest in a city midway, everyone was exhausted due to the considerable amount of time it took.

’Next time, let’s take more breaks on the way....’

’It couldn’t be helped because of the commission. Let’s do that on the way back.’

Taking longer rests in the cities they stopped at or increasing the number of transit cities would have been better for their physical condition. If this had been a vacation, they would have done so.

But since they were going on a commission, they couldn’t afford to be that leisurely. Even if the period was generous, one never knew what might happen along the way.

Since everyone was new to such long-distance carriage travel, they looked even more fatigued.

Of course, the same went for Ian.

’Maybe I should have just skipped it after all.’

’No, no matter what, that’s not right.’

Hearing Ian’s mutter, Rin replied with a serious face.

Before departing, Ian had considered just skipping the rank-up examination. Even if it was a simple commission, it was too far away.

Since he already met the conditions for promotion, he could have passed the examination by paying coins instead. He had more than enough coins thanks to his achievements during the last invasion.

However, the members were horrified upon hearing that and stopped Ian.

And when asked why he would do such a thing, Ian replied, ’It’s too far,’ to which everyone made a shocked expression and locked Ian in his room.

It was probably because the destination was a famous tourist spot.

It was also true that precisely because it was far, they wouldn’t have a chance to come here if not for an opportunity like this.

In the end, following the majority vote, they accepted the commission and arrived in Myrsil.

After everyone got off the carriage and recovered their spirits to some extent, they finally began to look around at the scenery of the city they had reached.

’Anyway... so this is Myrsil?’

’I heard that soaking in the hot springs here increases your mana. I wonder if it’s true....’

The road stretching from the city entrance led up to a high hill. Countless buildings were lined up along that road.

Smoke rising from various parts of the city, and a faint scent of sulfur.

And people.

’Wow....’

’This is incredible....’

Everyone muttered with admiring faces while looking at the city. It wasn’t because of the village scenery, but because of the massive crowd of people.

True to its name as a famous tourist destination, an enormous number of people were walking through the streets. It was difficult to even see the streets properly because they were obscured by people.

’It’s almost on the level of Labyrinth.’

’It feels like there are even more here?’

The crowd on the streets was comparable to the most crowded downtown areas of Labyrinth.

Not just the streets, but every shop they passed was packed with people.

Mika pulled out a small book from the pouch she was carrying. It was a tourist guide for Myrsil.

’When did you buy that?’

’I had to prepare in advance. Last time at the sea, we went without knowing anything and just stayed at the lodging and the market.’

No matter how famous a tourist spot is, there’s no way to know what’s in a city you’re visiting for the first time. Unless you have a book like that, the ways to get information are extremely limited.

Of course, the recommended lodgings or restaurants listed in such books are likely all shops that sponsored the writing of the book, so they can’t be fully trusted. Still, it would be better than knowing nothing at all.

Mika read the first page of the guide.

’First... it says to beware of pickpockets.’

’Pickpockets?’

Everyone looked up and stared at the streets of the tourist spot swarming with people.

Certainly....

It was an optimal place for pickpockets to roam around.

Nodding, Rin spoke toward Airi.

’Airi, you be careful too. Keep a good eye on anyone who gets close!’

’Y-yes.’

Airi nodded and became wary of the nearby pedestrians passing by.

’Forget it. Why worry about pickpockets.... Just go comfortably.’

’Ye-yes.’

As Lia spoke while waving her hand, Airi immediately answered and lowered her guard.

’Why!’

’Pickpockets aren’t idiots; why would they rob a mercenary? There are so many tourists around.’

Ian’s group consisted of mercenaries who looked to be of a certain rank at a glance.

When there were ordinary and defenseless tourists scattered nearby, there were no foolish pickpockets who would dare touch dangerous high-rank mercenaries.

The risk of being caught before even approaching was too high, the risk of being caught while fleeing was high, and the danger after being caught was also too high.

This was the reason why there were no pickpockets at all in Labyrinth.

This time, it was exactly as Lia said.

Ian and the members walked through the streets peacefully without any incident and entered the street where lodgings were clustered.

From the gentle hills up to the middle of the slope where it became increasingly steep, countless lodgings were lined up without any gaps.

’Could all of these be hot springs?’

’The guide says not all of them have hot springs.’

Lodgings that had hot springs had separate signs hanging at their entrances. Of course, such lodgings had several times higher accommodation fees.

And the center of the hot springs here was located in the highlands.

In other words, it meant that the further up you went toward the center, the more abundant the mana and the higher the quality of the hot springs that welled up.

This bottommost area was actually mostly shopping districts catering to tourists and general lodgings; to enter a proper hot spring, one had to go further up.

’Where is our lodging?’

’Wait a second....’

Ian had only received a simple map and a memo with the name of the lodging written on it.

Estimating the location roughly, Ian pointed toward the upper part of the hill.

’Probably up there.’

...It was quite far up.

Normally, it would be a lodging where it’s difficult to even get a room, but thanks to coming on a Guild commission, the accommodation was already reserved.

It was a place where the Guild had established a regular contract due to periodic transport commissions.

’...Let’s go up.’

’Just how far up is it....’

’Is this... a tourist spot...?’

Since it was located high up, it seemed like a high-end lodging, which was good, but it was a daunting height.

＊ ＊ ＊

After climbing the hill for a long time and reaching almost the very top, they arrived at the lodging.

Everyone sighed with tired faces and went into the lodging to unpack.

’It’s much wider than I thought.’

’I’m taking this side!’

The members who came inside each moved their luggage into the rooms.

A short while later. After briefly looking around the interior of the lodging, deciding on their respective rooms, and tidying their luggage, the members gathered in the living room one by one.

Tanya, who had brought Lia and Ian’s luggage inside, also returned to the living room.

’How long will the Captain’s work take?’

’Probably an hour or two?’

Ian and Lia didn’t enter the lodging immediately but went out first to meet a herb merchant said to be nearby.

The goods could be received on the day of return, but they went to meet the person in charge of the commission first to announce their arrival and check the goods in advance.

Ian said they could go in first, but it felt a bit wrong to enter the hot springs first while the Captain was working.

Everyone intended to rest in the living room first and wait for the two to return.

Rin glanced around the living room. Airi seemed to still be in her room.

Gathered in the living room now were only the three: Rin, Tanya, and Mika.

As if this were her chance, Rin spoke in a slightly lowered voice so that Airi in the room couldn’t hear.

’This is perfect timing, let’s do ’that’ now.’

’’That’?’

Rin nodded with a meaningful face.

The plan to get Airi and Lia closer. It was time for the third attempt.

’...You haven’t given up on that yet?’

’Of course not!’

Unfortunately, the last two attempts had failed.

However, there was one final resort left.

Rin pulled something out with confidence. It was something she found while looking around the lodging.

’Alcohol?’

It was prepared by type on one side of the lodging as if it were only natural.

’It’s not exactly anything strange, is it?’

’I suppose so.’

Lia and Airi were the types who almost never drank alcohol normally unless there was a special occasion.

But on a day like today when they all came out to play, the two wouldn’t stubbornly refuse and back out.

’We didn’t come here to play....’

’It’s basically the same thing!’

It was an argument that couldn’t be denied.

Since they were to stay here for a few days and then just receive the goods on the last day to return, it was all over.

In the meantime, though it was called work, there was really nothing to do but play in the hot springs.

It’s said that if there are no mercenary groups to entrust this commission to, the Guild staff have to go out themselves—it was a schedule that showed very transparent intentions.

’Let’s start drinking with Airi first. Then the Captain and Lia will return soon anyway. If they talk to Lia, they’ll become close in no time.’

They had a welcome party on the first day of Airi’s joining, but Airi hadn’t drunk alcohol then.

Airi’s wariness was so strong that it was awkward, and they spent quite a lot of time listening to Airi’s story.

In fact, today was effectively the first proper welcome party.

Rin, Mika, and Tanya looked at each other and nodded.

＊ ＊ ＊

After personally checking the herb fields and finishing the initial part of the commission, Ian and Lia returned to the lodging.

Strangely, the lodging was quiet as if no one were there.

He thought it would be quite noisy by now.

Ian tilted his head slightly.

He thought that if it were Rin, she might be drinking with Airi, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

Perhaps everyone had fallen asleep because they were tired.

As Ian moved his steps into the lodging with that thought, he saw the sight of the members collapsed in the living room.

’...?’

Empty liquor bottles rolling on the floor.

And at the table, Airi was sitting all alone.

’Airi?’

When he called her name, Airi lifted her head.

A face tinted slightly red.

Airi looked at Ian and said.

’Ah. Captain.... You’re here. Please sit here. Lia, too.’