Volume 13 Chapter 1 Arrival (Map Included)
Here's the map to Border City Parker.
After arriving at Border City Parker, Al rushed to the Levy Merchant Guild's branch to contact Naresh. Unfortunately, no one there knew him, so he couldn't meet Naresh right away. Since Desmond came daily, Al asked him to check on his situation. He wished he had informed them of his arrival earlier, but it couldn't be helped.
Luckily, Al knew about the city from Madoc and Najira, who had stayed there for a while. They mentioned a tavern and inn called "The Rabbit Hunter," known for its amazing grilled chicken, located a bit away from the city gate on Craftsman Street. So, Al decided to head there for now.
The place was small and not very noticeable, mostly serving locals. The first floor was a tavern. When Al opened the door and stepped inside, there were only a few customers. A large pot was hanging over the fireplace, giving off a delicious smell.
"Good evening. Do you have any rooms available?"
There was no reply right away. As Al wondered what to do, a man appeared from what looked like the kitchen. He was a tall man in his thirties with short black hair.
"Welcome! I don't think I've seen you before. Are you here for a meal or to stay?"
"Uh, can I do both, please?"
The man nodded lightly at Al's response.
"Sure thing. It's a one-man operation here. I'm busy, so I can't offer much service for the lodging, is that okay? The rooms are small but private, and you can use the well in the back freely. It's 10 silver coins for one night with meals included. Does that sound good? Oh, and drinks are extra."
Al had heard the inn was simple, but the owner seemed nice. He thought 10 silver coins was a bit pricey, depending on the meals.
After getting the room key, Al put his things in the room and returned to the tavern. Soon, a stew arrived--a clear, slightly yellow soup with chicken and plenty of vegetables. Taking a sip, he enjoyed its gentle flavor, with a hint of spicy leaves that made it tasty. It was quite delicious.
When he honestly said so, the owner smiled brightly.
"Thanks! I'm glad to hear that. You're young, but are you an adventurer? It's rare for adventurers to come to this place. Did someone recommend it to you?"
"Yeah, do you know Madoc and Najira? I think you'd remember Madoc because he's really big..."
When Al said this, the owner responded with an "Ah." It seemed he remembered the two. Madoc had mentioned visiting the weapon repair shop in the town, so it was probably unusual for him to be a customer here.
"That beauty and the beast combo, huh? Of course, I remember. Najira really enjoyed my cooking. I wonder how she's doing? I think she said she was going to the border city, Lester. Is she doing well?"
It was Najira that Madoc remembered, not the other way around. Well, either way, it was good news for Al.
"Yeah, they're working together as adventurers."
When Al said that, the owner looked a bit unhappy. Maybe saying "together" was a mistake. Al quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, I heard there was a civil war in the Tempest Kingdom, and things were pretty tough here too. But it seems a bit calmer today, right?"
"Ah, thanks to 'Brother' Naresh, a knight related to the Count Senet family of the Tempest Kingdom, who came here about 3 months ago on Margrave Rain's orders. Now, it seems the refugees on the west side of border city Parker are quietly working on the land."
Al asked about the west side of Border City Parker, thinking it was the neighboring country. He learned that the border is actually the river from Jewel Lake. A fortress is there, and the area between the fortress and the river has become a settlement for refugees. As for Naresh, he must have received the knight title and seems quite popular.
"Wow, is Naresh really that amazing?"
"Yeah, there was a time when things were really rough. The refugees and the people from the slums were fighting, and there were deaths almost every day. But now, it's peaceful. Still, it seems the civil war is ongoing, so prices haven't gone down."
Not just the owner, but other customers nodded at Al's question. It must be a popular topic. Al felt really happy. However, it seemed the civil war still cast a shadow over life here.
"I see..."
While eating, Al listened to various stories about the current situation in border city Parker.
* * *
The next morning, Al visited the Levy merchant guild again, but Naresh and Desmond were both busy, so he couldn't get in touch with them. With some free time, Al asked a merchant guild member to send a message to his inn, the Rabbit Hunter, and decided to walk around border city Parker a bit.
His main goal was, of course, the spellbook. He had heard from the two about places that might sell it. They mentioned that there could be hidden treasures in the slum's open-air market (bazaar). There, colorful tents were set up, and various items were spread out on cloths laid on the ground for sale. There were many stalls selling suspicious food, but there was also a place where magic tools were gathered.
Al knew there were many shady shops. Thankfully, in Border City Lester, a reliable shop called Lara helped him avoid bad purchases--unlike in the capital, Rain, where he once bought useless spellbooks. With gold coins from selling wyvern materials, he now looked for an official spellbook shop.
Humming, he entered a shop with a spellbook sign and greeted the young shopkeeper cheerfully.
"Hello!"
"Welcome..."
The shopkeeper�s tone dropped when he saw Al, who looked young and wore black leather armor. He likely mistook Al for a rookie scout. But anyone who knew quality would recognize his armor as high-grade Big-Mouthed Lizard leather and might think he was skilled for his age. Used to these reactions, Al continued speaking.
"Hi. I want to ask about spellbooks."
"Spellbooks? Um, did someone ask you to come?"
Al shook his head.
"Do you have the 'Sleep' spell or the 'Paralysis' spell?"
The shopkeeper looked surprised and thought for a moment, then licked his lips and smiled again.
"Unfortunately, both are out of stock. How about the popular 'Magic Missile' spell? It's 30 gold coins."
"Thirty gold coins? That's pretty expensive."
'Magic Missile' spellbooks are usually sold for about 10 gold coins in the capital. Even if the price goes up a bit, 30 coins is just too much. It's clear they are trying to sell it at a high price. But it's a problem if this kind of thing happens in a regular store. He should talk to the Levy merchant guild and Naresh later.
"Huh? N-no, it's not expensive at all. With the war about to start, spellbooks have really gone up in price..."
"I'm leaving."
The shopkeeper looked nervous as he explained, but Al just smiled. He wanted the spellbook, but not at that price. Maybe if he dressed more like a magician, it would help? Probably not. Even with over 80 gold coins, he wouldn�t buy anything here. As Al turned to leave, the shopkeeper, missing a chance with a good customer, just gave a wry smile.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)