Nightfall

The city of Ludea.

It was hard to tell because it was night, but at a glance it seemed like a modestly sized city.

It was a long way from Kassad, where I lived, and I'd only just learned the name today.

It wasn't particularly close to the Royal Capital, either, so I doubted many people visited without specific business.

I'd already introduced us to Moomya along the way.

The city's lighting was minimal, so we relied on the lanterns the attendants were carrying.

As we walked the streets, a sharp smell hit my nose.

It was very distinctive, but what was it?

"That's the smell of varnish. This place is fairly well-known for exporting timber."

"Varnish?"

"A coating that doesn't contain pigment… Basically, it's a protective agent you apply to the surface of wood."

"Huh. Seems like the kind of smell that'd make you sick if you breathed it in too long."

"People do collapse if they use it in an unventilated space."

Ramiza-san was explaining when Moomya chimed in.

Even in small amounts, it made me feel a bit dizzy. Not the same as alcohol, either. My body was telling me it was dangerous.

"It's almost like poison. Is it really necessary?"

"Absolutely. It gives a glossy finish without adding color, and more importantly, it makes the wood resistant to damage. It's how we get a better price for our lumber. It also prevents cracking and warping."

"I see."

"The raw materials for varnish are mineral oil and resin, and… there's a forest near the dungeon you cleared where we can harvest a great deal of it. That's not the only source, of course, but we've been having trouble lately."

So the Poison Labyrinth wasn't just causing monster-related damage. It was directly threatening the economic lifeblood of Ludea.

"In that case, could you spare some? I've been interested in protective coatings for a while now."

"A small amount would be fine, but please keep it for your own use."

"Of course."

Ramiza-san was rubbing her hands together.

Call it a hunch, but I was pretty sure this woman was going to try to reproduce the stuff herself.

Alexia-san toyed with her hair and asked Moomya.

"Are you sure it's all right to share that kind of information? It seems like the sort of thing you wouldn't want outsiders to know."

"A little digging would turn it up anyway. Besides, the people here take great pride in their timber. I wanted you to know that."

"Hmm. Well, having something you can sell is an accomplishment in itself."

"Thank you."

Before Alexia-san's family had fallen from grace, managing their territory had apparently been quite a struggle.

They'd hunted monsters and sold the materials, or something like that…

Compared to that, I supposed this was more stable.

"The viscount has already retired for the evening. You are our guests, but I'll be taking you to our garrison quarters rather than his castle. Is that all right?"

"That's fine. As long as there's a bed."

"I see."

I could see the relief on her face.

It might not have been the most gracious hospitality, but I figured they had their own circumstances.

And a bed was still a far sight better than camping on the ground.

"Here we are."

We were shown to a somewhat large building.

Voices and laughter drifted from inside.

"I told them to keep it down at night… Wait here a moment."

Moomya opened the door and went in. There was shouting, then silence.

She came back almost immediately.

"Honestly, not an ounce of discipline. Sorry for the wait. I'll show you to your rooms. The rest of you are dismissed for the night."

"Ma'am!"

The attendants and the other knight dispersed.

I noticed one of the attendants staring at us.

"This way. Since it's an all-female group, it's better to keep you away from the others."

"Agreed."

We were led to the back.

The rooms we arrived at were small and private.

"Use these. They've been cleaned and the beds are made."

"Thank you."

"I'll come for you in the morning. Would you like to eat breakfast with us? No pressure."

"Sure, that sounds fine."

"Then have a good night."

Moomya left.

After confirming she was completely out of earshot, Alexia-san spoke up.

"What do you think?"

"I'd take it at face value. They were clearly in a pretty bad spot."

"A backwater like this doesn't have many industries. If the lumber stops selling, they're in real trouble."

"Or maybe they want to recruit us? If the Poison Labyrinth activates again, they'll be back to square one."

"Mm, I don't think so. No offense, but they're not wealthy enough to keep upper-rank adventurers on retainer. That's a completely different cost from a one-off quest."

"Even if they tried, I'd refuse."

"Naturally."

"You and Yohane-kun are really close, huh. You rarely see an employer on such friendly terms with their slave. Well, he does take good care of people, so it's not that surprising."

"Hehe. He'd better take responsibility to the very end."

"Anyway, let's sleep tonight to recover from our fatigue."

We'd eaten inside the dungeon, and having a meal right before bed wouldn't be good for us anyway.

"Okay."

"Good night, then. If anything happens, just shout."

"Good night."

We each went to our rooms.

I entered the one I'd been assigned.

It felt a little dusty, as though it wasn't normally in use.

But that was the only thing that stood out; it had been properly cleaned.

I kept my adventuring gear stowed away.

I wasn't in the mood to change into sleepwear, so I stripped down to my underclothes and slipped into bed.

The sheets were cold at first, but I adjusted quickly.

The moment I let my guard drop, my eyelids grew heavy.

Ah, today had been exhausting.

I surrendered myself to sleep.

— The instant I heard a rustling sound, I was out of bed and gripping my sword's scabbard.

My heart pounded in my ears.

I held my breath and listened.

The sound had definitely come from outside.

Without releasing my grip on the sword, I slowly opened the window with my left hand.

It reminded me of the night of the statue incident.

That time, too, a noise in the dead of night had woken me.

The terrifying presence had made me tremble.

I heard faint, quick footsteps. Tap, tap, tap.

I thought about giving chase, but then I looked down at myself and stopped.

I had no interest in running around outside in my underclothes.

Maybe I'd bring it up with the others in the morning.

After that, there were no more sounds, and I was able to sleep through the rest of the night.