Not far from the village where the Cyclops had been subjugated, there was a city.
It was a central hub of trade connected to cities in all four directions. North, south, east, and west.
It was a place that traveling merchants passing by always stopped at.
Though visits were rare, whenever rare items were obtained, they were often sold here.
“The current bid is 15,000 gold! Is there anyone among our guests willing to offer 16,000 gold?”
The auction house was packed with wealthy individuals.
The auctioneer stirred up competition, raising the energy in the room.
The item currently up for bidding was a wand about a handspan in length with amethyst embedded into a wooden branch.
It was a magical tool similar to a staff.
“16,000 gold!”
“17,000 gold!”
The bidding price rose in increments of a thousand gold.
When no further bidders emerged, the auctioneer repeated the current bid three times, then struck the gavel.
The wand was sold for 20,000 gold.
“That’s expensive.”
Even an ordinary staff usually wasn’t that pricey.
Wands were typically used by professions like spirit summoners, who didn’t require high precision in magic.
Because of that, the supply was low and the prices were unusually high.
I clicked my tongue and unfolded the catalog.
The auction was progressing from low-priced items to more expensive ones.
“This bracelet is said to have been used by the legendary mage Gaul! Its harmony with fire-type magic is exceptional! Its performance is proven by history!”
As soon as the auctioneer’s introduction ended, a bidding frenzy began.
Starting at 20,000 gold, the bids soared in 2,000-gold increments, surpassing 40,000 gold in less than a minute.
The bids kept climbing until, in the end, it was sold for 70,000 gold, and its new owner was decided.
“Even if I scraped all of that together, it wouldn’t come close to a million gold.”
The debt I owed. One million gold coins.
It was a fictional debt I didn’t actually have to repay, but once again, I found myself thinking how absurd the number I’d named had been.
Rosaria’s family seemed to possess far more wealth than that.
…Wouldn’t life be easier if I just freeloaded off them?
The temptation crossed my mind for a brief moment, but I shook my head vigorously.
“I must not settle.”
Even if I couldn’t earn a million gold,
There were still plenty of ways to live warmly and comfortably.
But I had chosen otherwise because I had a bigger goal.
Before, it had been to defeat the Demon King’s army; now, it was to bring an end to this wretched string of misfortunes.
That was the driving force behind my life.
***
The griffon egg I had put up for auction was sold for 1,800 gold.
Compared to the magical tools at the auction house, it was a much lower price, but for a single egg, it wasn’t bad at all.
The buyer would probably use it as a delicacy at a noble banquet or try to hatch it and use it as a servant.
It was too much of a waste to eat it myself and too much trouble to raise.
Turning it into money like this had been the simplest option.
Pocket money secured.
On days like this, eating something delicious was the golden rule.
“Here is your order.”
A server placed a plate with a large steak on the table.
Alongside it came soup, salad, and even wine.
Determined to treat myself to a feast for the first time in a while, I had spared no expense.
I eagerly picked up my fork and knife.
I cut into the expensive meat and put a piece in my mouth.
Even before chewing, it melted gently on my tongue.
Thanks to the good spices used, the flavor was excellent even without any sauce.
As I swallowed, a comforting sensation spread through my entire body.
Now this was living.
“You’re pretty skilled, man. Griffons are sensitive to intruders, you know.”
A man plopped down in the seat across from me.
He had curly brown hair and a slim build.
Not exactly filthy, but he looked scruffy and disheveled.
He had a sword on his back, but he didn’t look like an adventurer.
He gave off more of a wandering merchant vibe.
He set down the wooden box he had been carrying beside him and looked me in the eye.
“There are plenty of empty seats, you know.”
It was late evening, so the place wasn’t crowded.
I couldn’t understand why he’d bother sitting at someone else’s table.
“I had business with you. Been following you since the auction house.”
“Bold of you to admit to tailing me.”
“Haha, I get that a lot.”
The curly-haired man laughed heartily and called for a server.
“A glass of cold water.”
All he ordered was cold water.
Before I could even say anything, he grinned and bared his teeth.
“Saving money’s just a habit of mine.”
Coming to a restaurant just to drink water—
I made a mental note not to turn into someone like that.
I tried to ignore him and continue eating, but just then, his stomach growled loudly.
“Well, this is embarrassing. I haven’t eaten all day.”
“If there’s something you want, just say so. I’ll buy it for you.”
“Oh, really!? Then I’ll have the same thing you’re eating!”
Wasn’t there a saying about generosity coming from a full storehouse?
I guess I was just in a good mood.
I called the server again and ordered the same dish.
When the steak arrived, the curly-haired man began eating like he was starving.
With his mouth full of meat, he wore a look of pure happiness.
“So, what business do you have with me?”
He swallowed what he was chewing and patted his chest.
After letting out a crude burp, he took a breath.
“You’ve got skills, I’ll give you that. Griffons are magical beasts sensitive to intruders, yet you managed to steal an egg.”
“Skip the small talk and get to the point.”
No need for chatter.
Straight to the heart of it.
“I’m looking to hire a thief.”
“And how do you know I’m a thief?”
“It’s obvious. The guts to sneak into a griffon’s nest and the skill to steal an egg without getting caught…. that’s classic thief work.”
“I’m a swordsman.”
I held up Shadow Fang like proof, but he just grinned.
“No point trying to fool me. I’ve been a merchant for twenty years. I’ve met all kinds. I can tell at a glance.”
Well, well.
This guy was fully convinced I was a thief.
“Let’s say you’re right. Still, anyone could’ve stolen that egg if they knew where it was.”
“Humble, huh? But you know there aren’t many adventurers who could pull that off alone. No one wants to end up griffon food.”
“Alone? Did I ever say I was by myself?”
“If you had a party, you’d be eating with them.”
A sharp, immediate reply.
Hard to wriggle out now.
I figured it was time to drop the act.
“Fine. I’m a thief, and I stole the egg on my own. What’s next?”
“There’s a place I want to infiltrate.”
“A dungeon? Ruins? Don’t tell me it’s an assassination job or something.”
Given the nature of the thief class, uncomfortable requests like that weren’t uncommon.
I had kept a few common patterns in mind, but what came out was something entirely different.
“The City of the Dead.”
The curly-haired man’s eyes turned serious.
“I don’t know why you want to go there, but don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’ll die a pointless death. It’s not a place two people can handle.”
“You seem pretty well-informed. That means we might be able to talk!”
“Talk? I’m trying to stop you.”
The City of the Dead was both a ruin and a dungeon.
It was ruled by a boss monster so powerful that ordinary places didn’t even compare.
Even so, countless adventurers had gone there, only to disappear.
All because of rumors claiming vast treasures of gold and silver lay hidden there.
“So, it’s fine as long as there are more than two people?”
“You’ve got more members?”
“Member, or maybe… leader.”
The curly-haired man awkwardly scratched his head, then suddenly slammed his fist on the table.
“I’ll make sure the pay’s good; just help me this once!”
He was dead set on this, even though I told him it would get him killed.
“It’s better to hit easy dungeons multiple times. Go find someone else.”
“Wait!”
As I started to rise from my seat, the curly-haired man grabbed my arm.
“I’ve got a plan for the lich.”
I reflexively tried to shake off his arm, then stopped.
That’s surprising.
What lay at the heart of the City of the Dead was unknown.
No one had ever returned alive.
All that existed were rampant rumors about powerful monsters.
Of course, I had learned his identity in another timeline.
“Let’s talk in more detail in my carriage.”
Did he think I had agreed?
The curly-haired man gave me a thumbs-up with a wink.
***
We left the tavern and were walking along the street at night.
He didn’t seem like someone with a death wish, so I decided to hear him out.
“Heh, I believed you’d come along. Is money okay for payment?”
I hadn’t said I’d join, but the curly-haired man was already acting like we were comrades.
“I prefer magical tools.”
“What kind, exactly?”
“Anything rare and useful.”
“Perfect! The City of the Dead is piled high with them. Take whatever you like!”
That was something only possible after we cleared it out.
This guy… he’s a pro at counting chickens before they hatch.
“You said earlier you had twenty years of experience as a merchant. But you don’t look that old.”
If he had worked for twenty years, he’d have to be at least in his mid-to-late thirties.
But the curly-haired man didn’t seem much older than me.
“I started doing business with my father when I was three.”
“Then your actual experience isn’t that long.”
“I only started working as a peddler recently, but I was helping out at the shop from back then.”
“Sounds like your father believed in raising his kids tough.”
Even in a fantasy world where people tended to marry and find work young, starting at three was far too early.
Cases like this usually stemmed from family circumstances.
He didn’t need to explain, and I didn’t plan to press him. But he revealed the reason on his own.
“My mother ran away right after I was born. My father raised me while running his business, so this is just how things turned out.”
Even as he spoke about a dark past, his voice remained cheerful.
He was an optimistic guy.
“I guess this should be far enough.”
We had reached a rarely traveled road on the outskirts of the city.
I stopped walking and drew the Shadow Fang.
“Let’s get to the real reason we’re here.”
There wasn’t a soul in sight.
If we were going to have a fight, this was the place for it.
“What are you doing…? If it’s about the City of the Dead, I told you I’d explain it in the carriage!”
“Oh, so you’re going to keep pretending, huh?”
I gave him more than three seconds.
Then I closed the distance and brought my sword down. But he blocked it with ease.
“So swordsmanship is part of a peddler’s skill set now?”
In his hand was a thick, long two-handed sword.
It must’ve been heavy, but he drew it in an instant and parried my attack.
“There’ve just been too many bandits around these days,”
The curly-haired man replied smoothly.
“There’s no such thing as the City of the Dead. It’s just a fictional place from ghost stories.”
No one knew where it was or what kind of monsters were there.
Because no one came back alive?
No.
Because it didn’t exist in the first place.
It was nothing more than a baseless rumor, exaggerated and spread by people who loved a sensational tale.
A single lich was said to have lived there in the future, but even that claim lacked credibility.
Most people believed it was just bluster aimed at gaining notoriety.
“Fictional? I know exactly where it is.”
“Stop lying already. What’s your real goal?”
“I’m telling you. We’re going to the City of the Dead.”
“Haah… Looks like you haven’t been disciplined enough.”
I even bought him a meal, and this was how he acted.
I hadn’t wanted to resort to rough methods, but maybe forcing him into submission would be quicker.
I gripped my sword tightly.
“I won’t say anything if you run now. Just don’t stick around and get in my way.”
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