Chapter 111 – Water Capital Jupno
After staying at the first observation point for a few days, the number of scarabs fell at a steady rate. Apparently, many of them had scattered until the population returned to normal.
Had that not happened, it could have resulted in a stampede, which would have been very terrible indeed.
And so Menew felt quite relieved as he and the others headed to the next observation point.
There were fifteen points in all, but things went smoothly after that, and they were able to visit two to three spots a day.
As they were closer to an old battlefield, the numbers tended to be a little higher or lower than usual. Regardless, it was about twenty days later when they finally arrived in Jupno.
Ultimately it was a long journey that took nearly a month.
As soon as they arrived in Jupno, they headed to the Adventures Guild.
This was so they could make a quest completion report while Ellie was present. They also converted the crystals into money. It was not good to store those.
“Thank you so much for your help! I wish I could hire you for the trip back as well, but I know that you’re busy. I will just hitch a ride on some wagon.”
Ellie said, and paid them extra.
“Let’s meet again, Ellie.”
“Aye! By then, I hope that I will be able to speak with scarabs as well!”
Menew and Ellie shook hands firmly. Just then, the doors of the guild opened, and they turned to lok.
“Oh, if it isn’t Menew!”
“Sety!?”
Now this was quite a coincidence.
Menew then introduced her to Ellie and Mofusen. Thanks to Sety’s personality, she fitted in with the others immediately.
“Ellie, you sure talk a lot.”
That was Sety for you. She wasted no time in blurting out what everyone was thinking, but would not say.
“Eh? No, this is quite normal for me. I never really thought about it.”
“Ahaha! You have quite an accent too. But I like it!”
“Sety, are you also…”
“Aye. I came here on my way to Caprichio. And I was just thinking about gathering more members. So I’ll let you join me.”
“Great. Thank you, Sety.”
Kanon looked pleased.
However, Ellie had a serious expression.
“Caprichio. Do you mean the ancient dungeon?”
“Yes. Are you interested too, Ellie?”
“No. My hands are full with the scarabs already. But…I am pretty sure that dungeon was sealed off twenty years ago.”
“Eh?!”
Menew and Sety were surprised.
“You should ask someone here for details. I better get going. If you ever need anything, come to the Farmers Guild. They might be able to help.”
Ellie said, leave the stunned Menew and Sety. She then exited the door of the building.
As they did not want to go as a large group, Menew and Sety represented the others and went to the counters. There, they got an explanation that lined up with what Ellie had said.
“It hasn’t functioned as a dungeon for twenty-three years. Instead, it’s been seen as some kind of strange trial… But after three years, when the number of people who returned was less than half, they decided to close it. If you want to take on the challenge, then you will have to speak with the Guild Master…”
And the Guild Master was currently busy taking care of things after the war.
“We will do anything to help. Could you somehow make time for us?”
“I will send a message on your behalf. Please come again tomorrow.”
As they had no choice, they returned to the others and explained what had happened.
“Well, we will just come back tomorrow then.”
Said Mofusen.
“If he is busy with the war, then there is nothing we can do. But then again, perhaps we can help with some of the work.”
“Indeed. Though, there is something that is bothering me, so I will go and do some research later.”
Said Totto and Ralph.
Menew and Sety had been so enthusiastic about going, but there was nothing that they could do.
And so they promised to meet up with her tomorrow morning, and then they went out to get rooms at an inn.
That was when they finally got a good look at the city.
“Wow! There is a boat running through the city!”
Water roads ran in every direction, and narrow boats…gondolas were moving in great numbers.
It really was beautiful. The buildings were painted in various colors, and there were bridges in different places.
Some of the gondolas sold food. It was easy to see that they were the main mode of transport in the city.
“You can ride on them over there.”
“Hoho. Let’s go and look.”
“Well, we may not be able to find an inn if we don’t ride one.”
Most of the guilds were concentrated around the city entrance. Of course, the Merchants Guild was there as well.
It was probably so that newcomers would not get lost.
They left their carriage at the guild, and then they got into a gondola.
A young, muscular man in a sailor uniform rowed the boat. His name was Artie, and after they made the request, he agreed to take them to an inn. And while they initially meant to part ways after that, he then offered to be their boatman for the rest of the day. And so they gladly accepted.
“So after the inn, you want to go around and visit different stores, and then I take you to the library?”
As they had not eaten yet, they would get some food, and then Ralph would visit the library.
“If I have to wait long, that means I get to rest. But don’t worry, I’ll work hard when I have to.”
Artie said. And then he took them to the inn that he recommended.
The inn above the water had a calm, homely atmosphere. Dry flowers hung from the wall and had a mild fragrance.
“It’s my family’s inn. We have the best food in the city.”
He was very blunt. While it was clear he was not unbiased, it was doubtful that he would outright lie to customers.
Besides, they liked the atmosphere of the inn.
A kind-looking woman then came out, who was Artie’s wife, and they took four rooms and received permission to use one as an atelier. And then they returned to the boat.
Artie was a businessman in a tourist location. He knew not to pry into their personal affairs, and focused on being a guide and boasting about his home.
They knew that there was no way the food that he recommended would be bad.
As they had been traveling, most of the food they had to cook by themselves. And so Menew and the others enjoyed eating out for the first time in a while.
Thanks for this chapter!