As my wife suggested, I found a cheap inn nearby.
Since I had a woman with me, I opted for a private room with a lock, even though it was slightly more expensive. The money I exchanged would likely be nearly depleted, covering accommodation and meals.
If we ended up in a shared room with others, there would almost certainly be bloodshed. Fortunately, I managed to secure a private room.
Sitting down on the shabby bed, I let out a sigh. The bed creaked under me. I was, admittedly, a little tired.
Mastema moved behind me and leaned her weight against my back. Her arms hung limply by her sides, and I could feel a soft sensation pressing against me.
“Are you tired?”
“A little.”
It seemed she was showing concern for me. Compared to how she was at the beginning, she had grown significantly.
“I’m done. I’m going to sleep for a bit,” Sepia said, collapsing face-down on the bed.
Now that I think about it, Sepia had been the busiest one, setting up barriers and handling various tasks. I decided to let her rest for now.
I gazed out the window at the cityscape. It had a sense of refinement. This wasn’t an unorganized sprawl of buildings; it was a well-planned city.
There was still some time before we would meet up with Arnella and the others. I moved Mastema aside and let myself fall backward onto the bed. She slipped into the space under my right arm.
Apparently, the Empire no longer existed. So, what about the Kingdom? According to Sepia, this city possessed technology rivaling that of the Magic Nation. What were those city walls for?
It was pointless to dwell on these thoughts. Without gathering information, all I could do was speculate.
For now, surviving day by day was the priority.
Living day to day—it was a phrase I hadn’t had to deal with for a long time.
But I wasn’t alone anymore.
With Arnella and Noel, who were resourceful and reliable as attendants, Sepia, an advanced mage embodying the wisdom of the Magic Nation, Mastema, a superior demon with unparalleled combat prowess and immunity to injury under certain conditions, and myself, once the strongest adventurer in the Empire, we could manage anywhere.
If we had a bit more money, we could accomplish much, but what we lacked couldn’t be helped.
Once our lives stabilized, I’d focus on gathering information. Whether Mastema’s claim about reaching Hell was true or not remained uncertain.
“Anywhere is fun with you, Ahavain. It doesn’t seem like we’ll be bored for a while,” Mastema said.
“Yeah, earning a living keeps things lively,” I replied.
Back when I had an enormous income, I never had to give it a second thought.
Arnella and Noel should be returning soon. I got up, and Mastema stood as well, though her clothes were wrinkled and disheveled. She couldn’t go out looking like that, so I smoothed and tidied her outfit.
“How do I look? Tempting?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t have time for that.”
“Too bad,” she teased.
Since Sepia was still sleeping, I locked the door and stepped outside. Speaking of locks, the design of this one was peculiar.
The “key” was a square plate. Sliding it into a groove unlocked the door.
How did it work? It was intriguing. Was it related to the Magic Nation’s technology?
If this country was part of the Magic Nation, countermeasures might be necessary.
I approached a prominent statue, a common meeting spot for people.
While observing the surroundings with Mastema, I waited for the others.
Before long, the crowd stirred.
It was clear why when I turned to look—they were Arnella and Noel.
Men perked up at their arrival, and those with girlfriends at their side earned glares.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Doesn’t seem like there were any problems.”
“None at all. We gathered some information and figured out how to secure work. We’ll support you, Master!” Noel declared enthusiastically.
Arnella nodded in agreement.
Apparently, they were both intent on supporting me.
“Calm down. What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“We thought it was a good opportunity. You’ve taken such good care of us so far, so this is our chance to contribute,” Noel explained.
“I feel the same. You treat us so well, but serving you is our duty,” Arnella added.
It seemed they were motivated by the challenging circumstances. I managed to calm them down.
While I appreciated their sentiments, I wasn’t about to let them work while I lazed around.
“It was such a good idea,” Noel said, disappointed.
“Yeah, what a shame,” Arnella added.
“I’m not so incapable. We’ll all earn together,” I reassured them.
They seemed to understand.
Drawing too much attention here, we moved back to the inn. On the way, I bought sandwiches from a bakery.
Arnella and Noel could probably earn more than enough with legitimate work.
But relying entirely on them wasn’t ideal, and honestly, it wouldn’t be any fun.
Struggling through poverty would be an invaluable experience.
Physical labor suited Mastema and me. Sepia, meanwhile, was likely the most capable earner among us.
Advanced mages could do almost anything, even large-scale construction. Her mastery of all attributes made her incredibly versatile.
The question was whether there would be work available, but according to Arnella and Noel, there were plenty of opportunities. Repairing the massive wall or working in restaurants, for example.
“However, there weren’t any jobs resembling adventurer work,” Noel said.
“There were delivery and courier tasks, but no monster exterminations,” Arnella added.
It seemed the concept of adventurers no longer existed.
Speculating further wouldn’t help. More information was needed.
After finishing our meal, we decided to rest for the day.
