Chapter 6 - 6: Mines Betrayal (2/2)
”A dungeon...?”
Sure, hunting monsters was the basis of online games, but that was aiming too high!
”I doubt we'll find much of value, but it should be good for increasing your level.”
”If you say so.”
”Don't worry! The monsters there are strong, of course, but with my new equipment it will be an easy victory.”
”Ha ha, thanks. This was all really helpful.”
”Think nothing of it. By the way, aren't you going to drink any wine?”
Since this was a tavern, they had brought out alcohol along with the food. However, I hadn't touched it at all.
”Ah, sorry. I don't really like the stuff.”
It wasn't like I couldn't handle myself. On the contrary, I had such a high tolerance that it was almost impossible for me to get drunk. I just didn't really have an interest in it, that's all. It probably stemmed back to the times I went out drinking with friends in college, and had to sit there and watch everybody get drunk off their ȧsses while I stayed stone-cold sober. It wasn't very fun.
”Not even just one glass?”
”Seriously, I'd rather not.”
”But...”
”Sorry.”
”I see...”
Mine put down the bottle of wine with a disappointed look on her face.
”Anyway, I'm glad we were able to talk about our plans for tomorrow, but I think I'm going to go ahead and turn in early.”
”Goodnight, Shield Hero.”
I had already finished my meal, so I left the boisterous tavern and returned to my ȧssigned room. Once I was there, I stripped off my chain mail and laid it on the chair.
”...”
I set down my pouch of silver coins on the table. This inn required payment in advance, which meant I was already down to 199 silver coins and some change. The uneasy feeling that gave me was probably an instinct I'd gained from spending so much of my life totally broke.
On a lark, I took about 30 silver coins out of the pouch and hid them under my shield. It was a really touristy thing to do, but somehow it made me feel better.
A whole lot of things happened today!
I knew what it was like to defeat monsters, now, even if it was just popping balloons.
I laid down on the bed and stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling, thoughts racing. This really was another world. Just like last night, the excited feeling in my ċhėst wouldn't go away. I could feel it. Things were only going to get better from here on out. So what if I didn't have as many companions as the other Heroes? I had my own path ahead of me. There was no need for me to aim at being the strongest, as long as I did the best I could.
*yawn*
My eyes were getting heavy. A joyful racket was coming from the direction of the tavern, and I could almost swear I heard Motoyasu and Itsuki's voices amongst the noise. Maybe they were staying at this inn tonight too?
I reached out and extinguished the lamp lighting up the room. It was still a little early, but even so I quickly drifted off to sleep...
***
*jingle*
Huh...? A noise...? Were those guys in the bar still going at it?
*mumble*
*rustle*
So hot... clothes stuck...
***
”Ngh?”
It was cold.
There was sunlight shining on my face, which meant it must be morning. I wiped the sleepiness out of my eyes as I sat up, and looked out the window. Apparently I had been more tired than I thought, since the sun was already fairly high in the sky. It was probably about nine o'clock.
”Huh?”
At some point I had ended up wearing nothing but my undėrwėȧr. Did I strip in my sleep?
Well, whatever. It didn't matter.
Outside, the street was bustling with people going about their daily routines. The sight of restaurants and food stalls busily preparing for the lunch rush while carriages clattered along made me feel like I was in a dream.
This world was really amazing. Apparently there were two types of carriages: higher class horse-drawn ones, and lower class bird-drawn ones. The bird-drawn ones were being pulled by huge, ostrich-like things that kind of reminded me of chocobos.
The occasional ox-cart rounded out the medieval atmosphere.
”Well then, time for breakfast!”
I searched around the bed for the clothes I had (apparently?) taken off last night.
...Weird. They weren't there? Then, the chain mail I'd put on the chair... was nowhere to be found, either. On top of that, the sack of silver coins that should have been sitting right there on the table was gone too!
Even my original clothes, which I had kept just in case I ever needed them, had up and vanished.
”Wha...”
No way!
I'd been robbed!? That was totally ridiculous! Didn't this inn have any security at all!?
Anyway, I had to tell Mine about this! I flung open the door to my room and ran next door.
”Mine! This is bad! All our money is gone, and my equipment too!”
But no matter how desperately I knocked, there was no response.
I was so preoccupied that I almost didn't notice the heavy footsteps approaching from down the hall. Before I knew it I had been surrounded by castle knights.
Thank goodness! I could see a light shining in the darkness. Once I explained what had happened, they'd definitely catch the guy that had done this. He'd regret ever messing with a Hero!
”You guys are from the castle, right? You've gotta help me!”
I earnestly appealed to the knights. Where the hell was Mine? This was serious!
”Shield Hero!”
”Y-Yes?”
Huh? Their response seemed somehow... hostile.
”You've been ordered to appear before the king. Come with us.”
”Appear before the...? Wait, no, first you have to help me! A thief came in the night and...”
”I said let's go!”
The knights roughly took hold of my arms and started dragging me down the hall.
”Hey, stop! Listen to me!”
What were they doing? I was still in my undėrwėȧr for god's sake!
”Mine! Miiine!”
But the knights ignored my cries, and I was fȯrċɨbŀƴ brought back to the castle in one of the very carriages I had thought were so wondrous just a little earlier. Nobody told me anything. I had no idea what was going on. The only certainty was their eyes - their eyes that clearly regarded me as a criminal.