There’s a mist town that’s rumored to be somewhere in the wasteland.
It is commonly known as Mist Town in Tsige, but it is still not known what its real name is.
But there’s no doubt it exists.
Even though it is called a mist town, this fact is unshakeable.
The many ingredients, materials, and equipment that the fortunate adventurers who manage to reach the Mist Town can get.
The number of adventurers, who were skeptical about this at first but have now experienced it first hand, continue to increase, so of course the truth of the story will solidify.
The many goods and information that’s brought to Tsige.
With all those accounts, it is said there’s already no people who doubt its existence.
“Adventurers can communicate at the Mist Town. Isn’t that good enough?”
A dwarf artisan stirs a quite big mug of beer despite his physique as he answers my question.
I, the Rank A+ adventurer Bir Sheet, have met with the best luck in my life.
I made it to the Mist Town.
No, I wandered into it, huh.
I can understand why so many adventurers don’t want to use the words ‘arrived’ or ‘reached’ when they return to Tsige.
They don’t know how they got there.
Even when they try to remember it in detail, it is still a mystery.
We camped at the spot we investigated thoroughly beforehand, and we got attacked by demi-humans.
This was an event that happened on the 4th day of entering the wasteland.
We reached the middle of the wasteland’s entrance and the ore mining location we were heading to and planned on staying for 10 days was now in sight.
Even though it was an important collection request that we were loaned valuable magic bags for, the 2 parties that were acting together with us have scattered, and our party was also running away with no plans at all in order to survive.
I saw a number of them being killed, but I didn’t have the leeway to confirm who exactly were the ones that died.
It was the first time I saw that type of demi-human.
They looked similar to Ogres, but their movements and strength were on a whole other level. They moved in such a coordinated manner as if they had military training.
They wielded a variety of weapons, and could use magic expertly. The power was not inferior to us adventurers by any means.
I immediately activated the one-use magic tool trump card to fight back the surprise attack, which dealt a decent degree of damage to the other side, but it didn’t connect to a decisive blow.
These Ogres (tentative) are incredibly troublesome opponents.
Running and running in what’s possibly the direction of the mining location in the dead of the night.
I lost consciousness at some point in time and, by the time I noticed, I was at a hill where I could see this town.
The night cleared and the clear sky spread.
The town in front of me was bigger than anything I have seen before, making me doubt it being called a town.
I was taken aback.
And then, my knowledge and experience allowed me to find the answer to this strange experience.
That this is most likely that rumored Mist Town.
I was so excited I didn’t notice someone was close by my side until he said ‘you are finally awake, huh’.
“Who are you?!” (Bir)
“The one who carried your almost dead ass to a safe place.”
The one who answered my wariness with a calm voice was an Orc.
I could tell at a glance that his eyes had intelligence.
The Mist Town has Orcs and Lizardmen that are completely different from the ones we know, owners of high intelligence.
That there are a great variety of races living peacefully in one community.
I could tell in an instant that the Orc in front of me was exactly that.
“You saved me there. Thanks.” (Bir)
“…Hoh, a hyuman adventurer lowering their head and thanking me in their first meeting is rare.”
“If you were hostile and intended to kill me, I would be dead a long time ago. I have entered the wasteland countless times already. I have also lived in Tsige for a long time. I have no prejudice towards demi-humans and mamonos…at least that’s my intention.” (Bir)
I can’t really say there’s absolutely no prejudice.
But I can push that aside and do my best to learn about the other side.
And thus, I said ‘that’s my intention’.
Most of all, I can tell that the Orc here is stronger than me.
This is purely by instinct, but my instinct is the accumulation of my experiences whispering to me.
Knowledge and experience are equally important assets, and they are things you should rely on.
“I see. If you are going to show decorum, you are worthy as a guest.”
“Guest?” (Bir)
“Yes. Even if I saved you, there’s the need to see if you have a good degree of decency before allowing you inside the settlement, right?”
“Settlement…is the place there really the Mist Town then?” (Bir)
“Adventurers call it that. So, what will you do? I think it is fine for you to go in, but I don’t mind only doing medical treatment and returning you to your original loca—”
“I would like to go there!” (Bir)
My response was instant.
It is the Mist Town.
It is the El Dorado that brings fortune to the ones who go there.
“Alright. Follow me then.”
The Orc sitting on a rock stands up.
He is still friendly and I don’t feel a shred of animosity.
Also, he is big.
That Ogre was pretty big too to the point that not even two hyumans would reach that height, but this Orc matches that.
Hm, now that I think about it…
Feeling that I had a number of questions inside of me, I decided to ask the brawny and intelligent Orc.
“Got it. Also, there’s a number of things I would like to ask.” (Bir)
“If it is fine for you if we do so while walking and only questions I can answer, then I don’t mind.”
“We entered with 3 parties to the wasteland and we were partially wiped out by the attack of demi-humans.” (Bir)
“Umu.”
“It seems like I was fortunately saved by you, but are there other adventurers who have arrived here? That’s my first question.” (Bir)
“…Aah, now that I think about it, I still haven’t introduced myself. I am Saisaris.” (Saisaris)
True.
I still haven’t introduced myself to him.
This is bad. Could it be that I unconsciously saw him as being below me?
He seems to have completely mastered the common language from what I have heard, and I feel no stupidity.
Even though I understand that it is foolish to judge an individual by their race…
“I am Bir Sheet. Please call me Bir.” (Bir)
“Bir then. It will only be for a short while, but it is a pleasure. As for your question, a number of adventurers were sheltered in our settlement last night. They may be your comrades, but I can’t say for sure.” (Saisaris)
“Can I meet them?” (Bir)
“Of course, You will be able to meet them almost immediately once you are in.” (Saisaris)
“I see, so there were other survivors…!” (Bir)
“If I remember correctly, it was 3 or 4… I was outside, so I don’t know in detail.” (Saisaris)
“No, thanks for all the information, Saisaris. Also, what I am most curious about is if that Ogre-like demi-human has come here…” (Bir)
“The Clinica Ogres, huh. No, they haven’t been brought here. Well, you were unlucky. There’s an endemic disease going on between them, you see. A lot of them have gathered at the mine that’s close to where the ingredients for the treatment are located.” (Saisaris)
Clinica Ogre.
It is an unknown race.
There’s a whole lot of undiscovered demi-humans in the wasteland.
Stuff like this occurs on a daily basis.
But that fighting power is a threat.
Once I return to Tsige, I must definitely report this to the guild.
“?! Gathered? Then what happened to the hyumans managing that mine?” (Bir)
“Crushed, without a single one remaining. It seems like they are utilizing a part of the residential facilities.” (Saisaris)
“…!” (Bir)
Impossible.
So even without the surprise attack, our wasteland mission this time around was fated to fail?
If we had that information beforehand…is the regret that remains in me.
Even if I know that regretting possibilities is the thing that you must definitely not do in the wasteland, I end up doing it.
“Now then, I will go back to patrolling. Someone else will be guiding you at the front of the gate. Have a good stay, Bir.” (Saisaris)
I chatted with Saisaris after that for a while while walking.
We didn’t get attacked by mamonos on the way once and arrived at the entrance of the town.
Saisaris pointed at the gate and made a quick turn, returning to his patrolling duty.
And then, I was guided by an adventurer hired by the town, who I haven’t seen before, and entered the Mist Town.
After being politely told about the cautionary points and the things that must be explained, I reunited with one of the adventurers that was in the same party as me, and two from the parties that accompanied us, both from different parties.
I slept soundly in the room I was given, got guided in the city the next day, and night came.
I was introduced to a tavern after being told ‘if you are looking for some booze instead of just a meal’ and I am now talking to a dwarf at that place.
I have not met Saisaris since then, and I haven’t seen the hired adventurer that taught me about a lot of things about the town either.
Also, everyone just calls this place Mist Town.
There’s no way a place this big doesn’t have an official name.
I got curious and asked the dwarf, but the answer he gave me didn’t have the name.
“…A nameless town, huh. How mysterious.” (Bir)
“Mysterious? Kakaka, it is not such a grandiose thing. It is not like everything born in this world has a name from the start. That’s basically how it is.”
“…? Is that a riddle? Well, I am not so foolish as to put my hands on things that there’s no need to know about. I don’t know how long I can stay here, but I just have to treasure my time here.” (Bir)
Those are my true feelings.
I was thrown riddle-like words and I can tell clearly that I am trying to dig too deep here.
This dwarf, the blindfolded woman doing her best cooking, and the winged demi-human, the lizardmen surrounding the table at the back, and there’s a mamono that I have never seen before and don’t know if to call it a half-fish person.
There’s small fairies that clearly have a different height and figure, making a ruckus at a table that’s clearly not for people, and also a cat with a long tail.
I would die if I were to clash with any single one of them.
If you don’t want to die, don’t resort to violence even if it kills you.
My knowledge, experience, and intuition are all shouting that to me.
It is not something as lukewarm as just whispering it to me.
A really fierce alarm was ringing in my head like a headache from a 2 day hangover.
I am still not drunk here, but I have resolved myself to stop using armor from tomorrow on and go with a no guard plan. I feel like a shirt and pants would be safer.
“How long you can be here, huh. Right. The places you can move in should have already been specified. Move as you please in that sphere, eat as you please, drink as you please. If there’s anything you need, you can buy anything that is possible for you, and you can return to Tsige when you want.”
Tsige is currently at war.
They are going against one of the 4 major powers, the Aion Kingdom.
Tsige sought for the independence of the aforementioned country and took advantage of the coup d’etat.
If asked whether I have the time, I should be answering with ‘I don’t’, however, I am not a soldier but an adventurer.
I have decided to live with myself as my foremost priority and die by it.
Even though I have gotten this fortune of entering the Mist Town, there’s no way I would instantly go back to Tsige!
If I were part of the top class adventurers like Alpine, the story might have been different, but I don’t know if I should be proud about this or not, I am one of the many A+ adventurers.
I have already decided to enjoy this place to its fullest.
“Speaking of which, all the residents here know about Tsige, huh. That’s honestly unexpected.” (Bir)
“There have been a good amount of adventurers like you coming here pretty often recently. In exchange for letting them stay and looking after their necessities to a certain extent, we hear about a variety of things from the adventurers. The adventurers are almost all based at Tsige, and there’s a number of them who come from small-scale residential areas called Bases. We share all the information we get, so it is not really that surprising of a thing.”
True.
Most of the adventurers that have wandered…were invited(?) were from Tsige, and the remaining ones are from the Bases.
It wouldn’t be strange to consider the information to be truthful if everyone says similar things.
“It is clearly something that benefits adventurers most, and I can’t help but feel somewhat dubious about it though…” (Bir)
“It is a difference in the sense of values. Of course, we will be hearing what you have to say too, Bir.”
“If it is something someone like me knows and the things I have heard around, then I don’t mind telling you as much as you want.” (Bir)
“Hahaha, good. It seems like you are a good guest. Here, drink, drink. The booze here is superb.”
It is certainly tasty.
Tsige is developing its food industry at a fearsome speed, but the beer in the Mist Town is tasty on a whole other level.
There’s also no complaints from me about the taste of the food.
Being able to get a meal like this after advancing in the wasteland for 4 days is close to a miracle.
The alcohol is circulating in my system at a decent degree now.
I talk about a lot of things with the dwarf, the woman at the counter, and the winged person while still in a merry mood.
About my own comrades, the people that died, me surviving… I am grateful that I managed to spill it all out here instead of keeping it in and getting gloomy at Tsige.
It is because they are complete strangers that I managed to open up to them.
And most of all, it is something that’s happening at the Mist Town that I am sure I won’t be able to revisit.
“By the way, why is our moving sphere set? This place looked massive when I saw it at the hill. I feel like the movement sphere allowed to me was only one small division of the whole thing.” (Bir)
“That’s right. If I had to put it in words, this is the safest area and the place where you can talk with anyone. Most of the people who come here would stay here and return.”
Safest.
Anyone.
Those are words that bother me.
“What about the hired adventurer that guided me?” (Bir)
“Those people have obtained the permission to enter deeper areas. They are adventurers with enough strength for the Lord of this land to hire.”
‘People’, huh.
There’s several of them?
I heard that the other 3 that were saved were guided by the same girl, but there’s other hired adventurers then.
“Lord, huh. Just what kind of person are they?” (Bir)
I can’t even imagine it.
The ruler of a place like this must be far higher than the king of a random country.
The residents here are all subjects of that person, so they must have quite the power themselves.
“Well, it is a personage with a big heart.”
“Deeper and vaster than an ocean.”
“A sniping beast.”
The dwarf, blindfolded woman, and the winged person responded respectively.
I didn’t really catch the last part though.
He said it in a really low mutter after all.
“So he must be in the center of this place?” (Bir)
“Of course. If you want to expand your movement sphere, there’s gatekeepers for the respective sectors, so you can show your power to them.”
“Power?” (Bir)
Maybe because I asked too much about their Lord, the dwarf told me about what I should do to get deeper.
If I am strong enough, my movement sphere will expand?
…What’s going on here?
I feel like there’s an intense contradiction here…it is probably not good that I drank too much.
“If you are acknowledged, you can pass the gate.”
“I don’t recommend it. You would die if you were to challenge it as you are now.”
“You would definitely die. It would be instant, without even knowing what happened.”
“…”
The blindfolded woman mixed faint scorn and the winged person earnestly tried to stop me with eyes of pity.
I at least understand well enough here that challenging this will require me to be prepared for death.
“Well, if you wish to, you can challenge it with your 4 comrades, you know?”
“I don’t recommend it. You people would die if you were to challenge it as you are now.”
“You definitely would die, without even knowing what happened. Jiel, stop hurrying adventurers to their deaths.”
…I was told the exact same thing and was denied completely.
It seems like they are certain the result won’t change even if 1 becomes 4 and a miracle were to happen.
And it seems the dwarf is called Jiel.
“My name’s Lacy. If you are going to be coming again to eat here, then I am looking forward to your patronage.” (Lacy)
“I am Roni. You managed to live, so take care of it. Not like I care though.” (Roni)
Even if belated, I introduced myself to them in order to get out of this loop, and the blindfolded woman introduced herself as Lacy and the winged man as Roni.
While at it, I also asked them about their race if it is okay with them, and Lacy told me she is a Gorgon and Roni a Wingedkin.
I don’t get it at all.
My impression here is that Lacy is alluring, but I feel as if it is a predatory type of allure; Roni looks docile, but he feels kind of dark inside; Jiel is scary…yeah, scary.
That’s basically it.
“Hahahaha, nah, I treasure my life, so I won’t.” (Bir)
The 3 nodded countless times as if saying I made a wise decision there.
This is how the stay of the rare warrior job Ronin adventurer, Bir Sheet, in the Mist Town began.