Twilight Alchemist 20.2

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20.2. Building A Trusting Relationship, Story Of Reliance, Isn't It?

"Amaz...ing. What kind of equipment is that? Mithril...is it?"

"You guys just arrived in this village, huh?"

"Yeah, I'll treat you to drinks, so let me hear your story. I've heard that things are quite prosperous here."

"Prosperous? No doubt about that. Whether it's monster extermination or construction work, there's no shortage of jobs. When you achieve a certain level of merit in this village, the noble in charge grants you the right to purchase mithril equipment."

"Really!? Admirable, but it's still out of reach... Mithril."

"There are relatively affordable weapons like knives."

"If that's the case, I wonder if I could afford them in about half a year?"

"Moreover, the mithril in this village has much higher quality than ordinary mithril."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a skilled blacksmith named Leafan and an alchemist named Craft working together. Most of the items for sale are of 'exquisite' quality, with potions even being 'legendary'."

"What!? Is that true!?"

"Absolutely. And adventurers who take on jobs in the village can buy them from the adventurer's guild at slightly higher than 'ordinary' quality prices."

"Really!? It's a bit hard to believe!?"

"I felt the same at first, but you'll understand once you spend a few days in this village. By the way, if you buy a house in this village, you get a complimentary breakfast and lunch, and they come with legendary stamina potions."

"No way..."

"It's true, so it's unbelievable."

"Man, Golden Dawn Village is amazing..."

"That party you saw is the best in this village. The swordsman is Raidock, the leader. You should greet them later."

"I'll do that."

"And the mithril equipment is quite a deal compared to recent market prices. It's almost unbelievable when you consider the quality."

"I wonder if people are reselling them?"

"It seems to be prohibited when obtaining permission from the nobles."

"That makes sense."

"When you contribute a lot to the village, you get purchasing permits. I'm about to receive one soon."

"Oh, that's great."

"Yeah. Right now, I'm saving money with my friends to the best of our ability. There's plenty of work, after all."

"All right, let's put our hearts into it in this village for a while!"

"Yeah. Count on it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

"I'll do the same."

Conversations like this unfold daily in the adventurer's guild and the tavern. Raidock's party changes their weapons to hard mithril equipment, attracting even more adventurers.

As parties decide to make this village their temporary base, the strength of the village steadily increases.

And one day, Raidock decided to request a job.

"So? What's the job you're asking for?"

"It's an investigation request."

"Investigation, huh? The reward offered is quite substantial. It's not a typical investigation, is it?"

"Yeah. I want you to investigate around this area."

Raidock opens a simple map borrowed from the adventurer's guild, points to a location with his finger, and raises an eyebrow.

"I see. It's quite a dangerous area."

"Yeah. You're the only ones I can ask for this."

"So, what do you want us to investigate?"

"I want you to find this herb."

He shows an illustration of the flower from the production guild's records.

"The Ambrosia flower...a legendary herb."

"That's right. And in the places where it grows. There are dragons."

"..."

"There's no need to fight. Just confirm whether the herb exists or not."

"If that's possible, we might be able to gather a bit of it as well, right?"

"It would be great if you could get a sample. However, a considerable amount is needed. The quantity you can discreetly collect from stealing monster eyes won't be enough."

"I see. Understood."

"Will you take the job?"

"Of course."

They shake hands firmly. And thus, for the grand operation, we begin to move.