The immortal hero who thinks of the heroines as his daughters vs. heroines who want to make the hero understand them - Chap 9
The metal pieces have a predetermined value set by the Lord. When exchanging goods, you don’t have to carry an item of equivalent value; you can make the exchange using these metal pieces—money. Rex nodded, understanding that this made Lanes-Hell a savvy operator.
It is an efficient approach, but can it be replicated in the town of Linex? In his town, bartering is the main form of transaction. Adventurers would exchange items like magical stones, which are left behind when a monster is defeated, for weapons and armor made by blacksmiths who settled down as the number of adventurers grew. He wants to create a flow where “You exchange magical stones for money, and use that money to exchange for weapons and armor.” Initially, it might apply only to adventurer-related items, but eventually, money could be used throughout the town of Linex.
Should he consult with Linda once he’s back? Rex thought as he concluded his tour of the city.
Before he knew it, a significant amount of time had passed since he left the inn. Although it was time well spent, it would be improper to keep Lanes-Hell waiting since he had come as a representative of the Adventurers’ Guild. He decided to hurry back.
“Ah, did I make you rush?”
The Lord was waiting in the room. As Rex opened the door, the Lord spoke to him, then turned to a waiting servant in the background.
“The number of people affected by monster attacks is ninety-six; fifty-six are deceased.”
“Is that… the total so far?”
“No, that’s just within the last thirty days.”
That’s a lot.
Feeling regret for the number of casualties, far more significant than he had imagined, Rex simply considered monsters that could cause around three victims a day. But he couldn’t be sure. Could typical monsters thriving above ground boast such strength, unlike the ones that appear in the middle and lower layers of the dungeon?
“By the way, what do these monsters look like?”
“We’ve conducted interviews, and they seem to have scales like fish, wings like a bat, and sharp fangs like a carnivore.”
“……Dragons, you say?”
Dragons are often said to be the strongest among the numerous monsters. They are supposed to have high intelligence and low aggression, making it rare for them to attack humans. Could it be a lower dragon species like Wyverns? If so, they would need more clear intelligence, and it would be surprising to attack humans.
“About three hours to the north of this town, there’s a mine and its checkpoint where the monsters are believed to be located.”
The servant maintained a neutral expression, but there was a hint of entreaty in his demeanor.
“It’s a challenging situation, but I’ll go and check it out for now.”
Rex nodded, his face filled with concern.
◇
This town has well-developed transportation as well.
Taking a moment to soothe his sore posterior after the intense up-and-down motion, Rex disembarked from the horse-drawn carriage—a truly innovative vehicle. It had wooden wheels attached and was pulled by a horse, allowing for much faster travel than on foot and also the ability to carry a large amount of cargo.
Had he traveled on foot, it would have taken around three hours, per the prior information. However, thanks to the Lord’s arrangement of lending him a carriage, he had arrived in considerably less time. Moreover, the horse pulling the carriage was not ordinary—it seemed to have dragon blood mixed in, making its speed faster than others. Indeed, it had scales on its cheeks and neighed with noble intensity.
“Thank you.”
He conveyed his gratitude to the coachman, who silently nodded and spurred the horse. Rex watched the coachman’s diminishing figure before taking a deep breath and stretching.
“Shall we go?”
Although referred to as a mine, it was utterly devoid of activity. Apparently, the resources had been exhausted several years ago. After some initial decommissioning work to prevent misuse by thieves and the like, it had been entirely abandoned. The desolate scene, once a hive of human activity, now seemed even more sorrowful due to its bleak state.
As he proceeded, the rolling stones became increasingly larger, and the elevation rose. Passing through an area that could only be identified as a path due to the absence of grass, he suddenly heard a voice from somewhere.
“Help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?”
Though somewhat lacking in urgency, the call demanded attention. Ever vigilant since his arrival at the mine, Rex considered that the cry could be mimicry from an enemy. Nonetheless, he headed in the direction of the sound. When he arrived, he saw a Wyvern chasing a young girl, its wings making noise as it moved.
There were various sizes of holes in the Wyvern’s wings, making it improbable for it to fly. Although it was unclear what had damaged it, Rex could at least conclude that the young girl wasn’t responsible for the Wyvern’s injuries.
From his hidden position, Rex sprang forward and landed a well-timed kick on the creature.
“Eh, who!?”
A startled cry of surprise came from behind him. Rex thought for a moment that the girl seemed surprisingly composed. Still, the Wyvern before him didn’t allow him any time for reflection. It opened its mouth menacingly, showing off its sharp teeth. It was likely starving. Wyverns generally fly to hunt their prey, and Rex had never seen one grounded like this before. Its eyes glowed as it eagerly sought out food.
Wounded beasts are the most troublesome. Rex, without any hesitation, used a low-level spirit to wrap vines around the Wyvern’s legs. As expected, it resisted violently. He channeled mana into the ground and caused a sharp protrusion to emerge.
The spear-like rock pierced the Wyvern securely, eliciting a shriek that made one want to cover their ears.
Even after the enemy had stopped moving, Rex remained still for a while. He vividly remembered a monster he thought he’d killed, inflicting a painful wound on him as he approached. At that time, Linda had cried inconsolably without considering her age, and the memory had stayed with him.
“…”
The Wyvern, pierced by the sharp stone, began to bleed a vibrant red. It had stolen the creature’s warmth, perhaps even its life itself.
“…Did it.”
He let out a small sigh. According to the preliminary information, dragons were present in this area. Still, he hadn’t expected to battle a Wyvern so soon. Although it seemed like he defeated it effortlessly, dragons, even the lesser ones, are dragons. Usually, they would not be trounced. This specimen lacked vitality in its movements due to starvation, and its wings, which should have been its most vital asset, were rendered useless. Wyverns are among the higher-tier monsters.
“Um… anyway.”
Moving his gaze away from the now lifeless enemy, Rex turned around. Behind him was a young girl, her eyes filled with tears and trembling uncontrollably.
“Why are you in a place like this?”
“Ababababababababababa.”
No good, she was too shaken to converse. Holding his forehead as if suffering from a headache, Rex let out a big sigh, which made the girl flinch. Had he frightened her?
“Ah, I’m Rex, an adventurer. I came to subdue that monster.”
He pointed at the Wyvern as he spoke. The girl’s eyes widened at the word “adventurer,” and she stood up as if regaining her energy.
“You’re an adventurer too!? I’m an adventurer as well! My name is Chloe!”
Swinging her white hair and letting out a big breath, Chloe fell spectacularly, most likely because her legs were still shaky from the ordeal.
What an exciting creature she is.