Chapter 47 Wetland Forest "Prologue"

The city of Buryni is located in the southeast of the Kingdom of Kylorans.

It doesn't cover a large area; it's even smaller than Collins Town, as it's located in the middle of a lake.

Even if you go outside the city gates and walk around the outer wall, it will take about three hours to complete the walk.

but……

This does not diminish the prosperity of the city of Buryni within the Kingdom of Kylorans. Its unique environment, earning it the nickname "City in the Heart of the Lake," makes it an indispensable stop for many adventurers.

The residents are mostly humans, but there are also many orcs and elves living here. As long as their obvious features are covered, they are actually not much different from humans.

The outer wall is made of bricks and stones, about seven or eight meters high, so it doesn't look very tall.

The not-so-perfect circular exterior wall, combined with the lakeside city, has a unique charm.

"Hmm...did they already have magic that could create city walls back then?"

Magic similar to "Rashomon"...

The city of Buryny has a history of almost a thousand years. The ancients were truly remarkable to be able to build a town of such scale on a lake.

"Could it be that the bricks and stones were mass-produced and then manually piled up?"

...

As I walked through the alleys, which were large and small, they were divided into two areas: one for nobles and one for commoners.

The hotel I stayed at was in the working-class area; I didn't have the means to live in the upscale area for a year.

The Adventurers' Guild, on the other hand, is located in the commercial area, which is neither the commoners' district nor the noble district.

After all, those who can initiate commissions are mostly wealthy people living in aristocratic districts.

Two dukes lived there, the Duke of Vinalle and the Duke of Farnsworth. It is said that the Duke of Vinalle is the current king's cousin, but he is not a royal duke.

However, his status is far higher than that of other dukes. For example, Duke Crogus of the city of Terunea must pay his respects to Duke Vinal first.

"This is such a hassle..."

I don't want to get involved in complicated aristocratic struggles; it's incredibly troublesome.

There are also some commercial areas near the noble district, which are mostly high-end shops, such as the slave shops that the traffickers mentioned earlier.

I planned to go there today, but my wallet was extremely reluctant, so I could only head there with the attitude of just taking a look.

The noble district is mostly filled with shops, each with its own storefront, while the commoners' district has more stalls, though some shops are scattered here and there.

"Welcome, young master! Please take your time browsing!"

As I entered a prop shop, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the owner came out and said this very politely.

"How polite!"

It seems that I didn't receive any unfair treatment because of my clothing.

Since that's the case, I also started observing all sorts of things without any hesitation.

"Um……"

To be honest, the items in this shop are all very suspicious. Are they meant to be sold to nobles?

"What is this?"

I looked at the row of exquisite little bottles displayed in the counter, three or four of them, which stood out in this seemingly ordinary counter.

The entire bottle is azure blue, engraved with exquisite patterns, and the base is a lotus-shaped stand, giving the impression that what's inside is definitely not simple.

"Is the price listed below?"

"One...ten...hundred...thousand...ten thousand..."

"Huh... ten thousand magic crystals? Isn't that just one gold coin?"

This is completely outside my knowledge. What on earth is this that costs so much?

What kind of person would buy this?

"Young master! This is an aphrodisiac!"

Seeing my curiosity about the products in front of me, the uncle whispered in my ear, as if he was deliberately avoiding other customers in the store.

"...Aphrodisiac?"

What is that?

I've never heard of this before. It can actually be bought for a gold coin. Could it be a magic potion that helps you break through to a higher realm?

I thought of my original world, where the pills that could help break through bottlenecks were ridiculously expensive. Of course, I didn't have this thought back then...

Does such a thing exist in this world?

"It's something that can make women obedient!"

Seemingly noticing my slight confusion, the uncle leaned close to my ear and whispered something.

"ha……"

Isn't it a magic potion for breaking through bottlenecks?

"Hmm... to make a woman obedient? An obedience potion? Or a date rape drug?"

"Young master! Would you like a bottle? I guarantee it'll keep you fighting until dawn!"

The uncle could tell I was very interested in the bottle, and he slowly tried to sell it to me, but his sneaky behavior felt a bit strange.

"Um……?"

I still didn't understand what he meant. If he wanted to introduce a product, why didn't he just talk about its effects?

It's about making women obedient and fighting until dawn, isn't it?

What is he saying?

"Wait...could this be...?"

I had a sudden realization, and my face flushed as if I now knew the magical effects of the so-called aphrodisiac.

"No, no, no..."

I waved to the uncle, indicating that I wasn't buying this...

The middle-aged man shrugged helplessly and said nothing. Instead, he smiled and went to promote his products to other customers.

joke!

I'm only a 9-year-old kid, and they're trying to sell me this stuff?

Are all adults in this world cut from the same mold?

I didn't stay in that store any longer, since I was only looking and not buying.

...

I visited almost every shop in the entire upscale district; they sold everything imaginable.

A sword capable of severing the head of a giant dragon!

A magical cloak that enhances the total amount of magic power?

A rich collection of books recording the history of the mainland.

as well as……

A single sip of this alluring drink can keep a man fighting until dawn...

Well……

Exquisite little bottle!

In short, I have gained a completely new understanding of the shops in the upscale area, and the conclusion I have reached is...

Outrageously expensive!

My wallet looked trembling the whole time; it didn't seem to be having a good time shopping...

As we left the last shop, a wisp of sunset was already appearing in the sky.

"Is it already this late?"

Immersed in the variety of goods, I forgot my original intention to visit the castle in the middle of the lake.

but……

That's good too; at least I've learned a lot, especially about that exquisite little bottle...

"If price isn't a concern, buying just one bottle is fine..."

The image of battling Sylvie until dawn was already flashing through my mind...

"No, no, no..."

Anna?

"What am I thinking...?"

Lilith has a pretty good figure too...

"I'm sure something's wrong..."

...

When I returned to the guild, I found the entrance crowded with people.

"what happened?"

After struggling to squeeze through the crowd, there was a person lying there.

He looked filthy, like a beggar?

His body was covered in various wounds, and the blood that had seeped out had already congealed, indicating that he had been injured recently.

The right sleeve was so light and fluttering, it was as if the arm was missing.

Severely injured? Is he an adventurer? He looks familiar...

"Who could it be?"

I scrutinized the man closely, my mind flashing back to the adventurers I had encountered in the guild.

Cough cough...

The man coughed violently again, spitting out a mouthful of blood, which was visible beneath his disheveled hair...

"Pro!"