Episode 18.9 (1/2)
After selling the Octocular Great Spider's legs, Lecan took a bath and went to <Jade's Restaurat>. He felt like having a drink.
The other three will join him after they cleaned themselves up.
<Vega> wasn't present that night.
Lecan took a seat and ordered today's special and some ale.
Jade, the restaurant's owner, came by.
”Lecan. Come with me for a bit.”
The restaurant doesn't have private rooms, but it's got a small meeting room-like room. He was led there.
”Rumor of a man carrying mid-variant of Octocular Great Spider's legs on his shoulder is a hot topic in this town right now.”
”Really.”
”I've never seen anyone bringing all eight legs back before.”
”I could only carry four at a time.”
”Don't tell me, all eight legs were intact?”
”No. Three of those were cut at the joints.”
”And you managed to beat it like that huh. Unbelievable.”
”Really.”
”Things' gotten a bit messy.”
”Hou.”
”The townlord agreed to exiling <Jaira>, but now he's got a newfound interest in the party that turned the table hard on <Jaira>.”
”I'm not interested.”
”I don't think I have to tell you this, but townlords of dungeon cities are a position that can easily brings you ire from the surroundings.”
”Don't care.”
”If a dispute occurs with another fiefdom, chances are high that townlord will hire high-ranking adventurers. No townlord's willing to go up against that kind of townlord.”
”I heard town lords are prohibited from fighting against one another.”
”No. They won't publicly go to war. They simply won't. But small skirmishes are daily occurrences. Of course, the lords would insist they have nothing to do with it. Anyway, you just gotta keep this fact in mind, townlords with might backing them are powerful.”
”Well, no surprise there.”
”Hence these townlords give preferential treatments to strong adventurers, and make a big deal out of the littlest things. And they sometimes invite those adventurers to their mansion. You'd sometimes get invited to banquets when some bigwigs from other territories visit. To flaunt, 'look the force we have here'.”
”Nothing to do with me.”
”How'd you even get by all this time anyway.”
”What's your business.”
”The townlord said he wanted to meet you guys.”
”Have you told this townlord we're leaving this town on the 25th?”
”No. I haven't.”
”All good then. Tell him we're currently busy trying to conquer the dungeon.”
”Got it. But they might formally summon you.”
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”I'll deal with that when that time comes.”
”You're really free, aren't you.”
”Well yeah, that's how adventurers roll.”
”Haha. That's what I believed in my youth as well.”
”Giving up your freedom to be bound by something is a form of freedom also.”
”I see. That might be true. That's all I need. I'll get in touch if anything else comes up.”
”Thanks.”
”But, damn. You're chipping at the dungeon at some crazy pace. Won't you get to the last floor at this rate?”
”That's the plan.”
Jade fell silent for a while. Then he abruptly spoke.
”The boss on the last floor is the Queen variant of Octocular Great Spiders.”
”Hou.”
”It's got <Morph>, <Magic Eye>, <Freeze>, <Charm>, <Float>, <Warp>, <Instant Death Venom>, and <Summon> as its abilities.”