Chapter 186: Incident at the Tent Village 1
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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While it does mean spending a bit more money, the quality of the market on the 35th floor was surprisingly good.
Given that these merchants had set up shop right next to the temple and hired adventurers, it made sense.
Rather than selling shoddy items at high prices, their approach seemed more focused on enticing high-level adventurers to eagerly open their wallets.
"The quality is better than I expected."
"Wow, this fruit is really fresh. It's hard to believe this was bought inside the tower."
From the whetstones, cloth, and sword oil that Katie first purchased to the fruit offered to Irene, all the products were of mid to high quality.
No wonder adventurers didn't hesitate to spend.
Thanks to Han Se-ah's inventory, we enjoy hot soups and stews every meal, but for ordinary adventurers, dried meat and fruit are the norm.
Dried fruit is quite pricey, so lower-level adventurers sometimes resort to soaking hard, brick-like biscuits in water with their dried meat.
Despite it not being mealtime, adventurers gathered around a rugged wooden table in front of a large tent, their faces brimming with joy as they gulped down soup. Perhaps they hunt on the 34th floor and take their ease on the 35th?
"Hmm Still, I think Irene's cooking tastes better."
"Definitely, her cooking is better than what most inns serve."
Passing a general store selling whetstones, oil, and ropes, and a makeshift inn where adventurers were gulping down soup, we noticed a large man in front of a tent, replacing the laces on an old leather armor.
It looked like a makeshift blacksmith shop, offering simple repairs and maintenance.
Has it only been a few days since the 35th floor was opened?
Humanity has only reached the 43rd floor, yet here they are, setting up shop without hesitation on the 35th.
Though it's just a large tent with some wooden boxes and tables...
With a general store, inn, blacksmith shop, and temple, what's the difference from a village?
Adventurers are risking their lives, rushing into a place that's dangerous even for intermediate-level adventurers.
Maybe being a merchant also requires a certain talent.
"Look at that, Katie. They're repairing armor. Shouldn't you go?"
"Considering there's no forge or anvil, it seems they're just offering basic maintenance for old armor. Right now, they're only replacing loose laces. Besides, my sword just has a bit of human oil on it; it doesnt need any major repairs."
As we strolled through the market street, observing the overnight expansion of this makeshift village, a strange feeling began to emerge.
It's frustrating to recall that on the 37th floor, where I quit, adventurers would nibble on a palm-sized piece of dried meat and a fist-sized lump of flour biscuit all day due to insufficient food supply.
Yet here now on the 35th floor, adventurers are slurping hot soup.
Honestly, I'm used to boss monsters causing sudden havoc, and even accepted that mages were crafting magical devices like modern wonders.
But ever since Han Se-ah arrived, many things have changed, and the scene before me now is particularly striking.
How do I describe it?
It's like being a climber who risked life and limb to reach a treacherous mountain peak, only to find a cable car installed at the top and tourists casually eating instant noodles.
There's no direct loss to me, but it still feels somewhat odd.
I thought a market with just tents wouldnt offer much, but it seems to have everything."
"There's a shop baking bread in a makeshift oven. It smells great! Shall we pair freshly baked bread with our soup tonight? I wonder if the bread will stay fresh in Hanna's inventory?
Given that other food items don't spoil in the inventory, freshly baked bread should stay preserved too. We haven't been buying bread due to inventory space, but now that there's a market on the 35th floor, it might be worth considering.
Hmm... It really does seem like they have everything.
While Irene and Han Se-ah discussed whether the inventory would keep the bread fresh and how much space it would take, Grace's gaze was drawn to something else.
When they said the market had everything, they really meant it there were even women who looked unmistakably like prostitutes.
The Goddess Faith, which venerates the deity governing life, doesnt outright reject even monsters, as they are considered life forms too.
Both monsters and bandits, who harm life, are treated equally as criminals.
As a result, whether prostitutes sell their bodies secretly or strut openly in back-alley red-light districts, the temple doesn't interfere much.
Goodness, have prostitutes climbed up here too?"
"Adventurers risking their lives are prime customers... Well, who else would buy services from prostitutes in a city of adventurers? It's not something I'm familiar with, though.
I quickly clarified to Grace, who shot me a sharp look, as we watched the prostitutes crowd into a large tent.
Prostitutes ascending to the 35th floor escorted by adventurers through paths paved by the temple was quite a sight.
But if there were any criminals, wouldnt they be the prime suspects?
The notion of a local bakery smuggling drugs instead of flour, or the blacksmith fixing leather armors at a makeshift forge being a back-alley kingpin, seems too far-fetched.
More likely, the pimp leading the prostitutes would be involved with the criminals.
The issue, however, is that I can't bring up the criminals mentioned in the quest.
Officially, I've just come down to talk to the temple about encountering a very large amount robbers, so only Han Se-ah, who has opened the quest window, knows about the criminals.
Looks like they're planning to build an entire village on the 35th floor. A village within a city that's kind of funny.
Well, it's natural for villages to develop at busy crossroads and evolve into small towns as the population grows. Though I doubt many will choose to live here permanently.
Han Se-ah didnt seem too concerned about seeing prostitutes while lighting up the minimap in the city.
And the party members, true to being residents of a medieval fantasy world, appeared indifferent.
Wait, Han Se-ah, if the quest window mentioned criminals, shouldnt you suspect the red-light district first?
-Nighttime exploration of the tent villages red-light district, anyone?
-Clearly, thats where the quest is headed
-Insisting on visiting the district is purely for quest progression, no personal motives, Your Honor
-Lol, its hilarious to go from seeing armor and robes to revealing dresses and miniskirts
-Who knows, maybe those ladies' outfits have higher defense than Han Se-ahs robe
[Red-Light Lantern Thief Han Se-ah donated 10,000 won!]
Where might the criminals be? 1. Bakery 2. Restaurant 3. Red-light district
Seriously, if youre going to steal, why steal lanterns from the red-light district If your donation name matches your nickname, youre getting added to the permanent ban list. The quest might be headed there because of the criminals... But can I stream a visit to such a place? Last time I explored the minimap, I turned off the camera because there were areas that were not suitable for streaming.
-Last time, was it the alley behind the Horseshoe Inn?
-You still remember that, you crazy guy lol
-Those whove played the game know there are some places too sketchy to stream
-Warrior women in barely-there bikinis prowling in alleys
-Minis skirts so short, it seems risky, but they dress modestly in front of the temple
Did Han Se-ah really crawl into every corner of the city's underbelly just to light up the minimap?
Places where scantily clad prostitutes openly wander are more like slums than anything else.
No matter how much the temple helps, the city is shaped by merchants and citizens, not lords and serfs.
In a world devoid of human rights, where only money talks, the reality for those at the bottom is harsh.
In a place without welfare, insurance, or even the concept of human rights, imagine how the penniless survive.
Is that an inn? The open space next to it, filled with adventurers, looks like a spot for those with personal tents. What should we do, rest here for the day and then go up? Or head back to the 36th floor?
My companions, who were eyeing the prostitutes' skimpy outfits, exchanged glances when I asked.
If we go back up, we might face monsters on the 36th floor, risking sleep deprivation.
But it feels a bit too early to rest, with the evening still young.
The party members exchanged glances and nodded slightly before responding.
"Let's rest for the day. We've dealt with a lot of heretics who defied the Goddess's will, so it would be wise to take a break and climb tomorrow."
"Right. Katie also dealt with most of them, so you never know."
"I'm fine, but if we climb now, I doubt we'll get much done."
Han Se-ah's expression subtly brightens at their response.
She probably would have made up excuses to infiltrate the red-light district if we had decided to climb.
But would infiltration be possible, even for a quest?
In this fantasy medieval world, black hair feels exotic.
Just looking at our group, Irene and I have blonde hair, Katie has silver, and Grace has shiny grey hair.
A black-haired exotic sorceress, a glamorous archer, a blonde nun, and a silver-haired noble lady.
If this combination could infiltrate a red-light district, that would be quite the feat.
I wonder if mere robes would suffice for disguise.
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