Chapter 1: Encounter


TL: Scaramochi


***


Boom.


A loud sound echoed.


In the darkness of the evening, large flowers bloomed to decorate the chalk-walled castle, and colors such as red and yellow decorated the sky. The annual Thanksgiving Day was enlivened by the fireworks that were shot off by the mages in the castle.


We crossed the crowded boulevard and opened the door of Marc's shop. I raised my hand to call out to the clerk, who I knew well, and laid out on the counter the loot I had brought back from the dungeon. An amulet with a blessing, several small gems, and a well-made buckler. The purchase price came to about 20 gold coins.


We split our share on the spot. Including the gold coins I got in pieces, my share was a little more than four gold coins when divided into six equal parts. That's enough money to last me about two months if I don't have a huge spending spree.


I put the money in my pocket and said goodbye to the temporary party members, and then Bash, a warrior, approached me.


"How about a little celebration?"


"I'll pass. See you then."


I left Marc's and went into a liquor store.


The place was crowded with Thanksgiving-goers, but when I told them I was alone, they showed me to a table in the corner.


I ordered an ale and some snacks to celebrated alone.


There was nothing fun about going out for a drink with those people anyway.


Thinking of this, I thought of the well-dressed faces of the priestess Eilia and the mage Esha.


If I could get close to them, I would have been happy to go, but the chances of them taking me on would be less than me surviving the third level of the dungeon by myself.


There was no way they would take me, a filthy thief, as they oozed goodness from their upbringing.


They were not going to call me a useless grain-cutter behind my back like the warriors in the vanguard, but there was no way they were going to spend the night with me.


I called out to the waitress who brought me a refill of ale.


"What time do you get off work?"


She glanced at me, but didn't reply with an affectionate smile.


"You talking about this festival, right? Until the morning."


I stirred up a refill of ale as I gave an unexamined glance at the plump ass as she walked away.


I look down at my attire. I look at the frayed leather armor and the short sword with the peeling paint on the pommel.


Then, I let out a sigh. It was certainly a bit shabby to hook a woman. I didn't look like I had much money.


I looked around for the next waiter.


A group of merchants were drinking at a neighboring table, exchanging a few drinks and looking rather unenthusiastic. I hear them whispering to each other.


--- "......Shinryuhime is missing ....... They were furious ...... that we had kidnapped her. There was talk of canceling Thanksgiving too, but so ....... Next year......"


Afterwards, I approached some of the sisters, but they all struck out. Only the empty mugs of ale grew.


I put down two silver coins and got up from my seat.


When I told them I didn't want change, they looked surprised, but I had already lost interest.


I had plenty of money in my pocket, so I could buy a high-class whore that I couldn't normally afford to hold.


I wander to the entertainment district. I knew where it was because I had passed by it several times.


On the way there, I saw an old woman telling fortunes. She told me that I had a woman trouble. Naturally, I ignored her.


I looked around several stores while admiring the faces of the beautiful women standing by the windows. As expected, I couldn't afford the best, but I was sure I could have a good time at a mid-range store with the money I had on hand.


It reminded me of the words of a warrior I had teamed up with several times before.


--- "No. It's really heaven. She's totally different from the other girls around here. They have soft skin that melts all over. I love it there, but I can also feel it with my fingers and tongue ....... just remembering it makes me feel better. If you can afford it, you should try it before you die."


The warrior had stepped on a trap in the labyrinth the other day and blown it. Apparently he didn't listen to me when I told him not to be stingy and get a professional thief in his party.


My registered class is officially Scout. The kingdom has been thoroughly cracking down in recent years, fed up with the number of unscrupulous thieves who work not only in the dungeon but also below the royal castle. As a result, the number of skilled thieves has decreased, and adventurers have suffered, making dungeon dives more difficult than ever before. On the other hand, unlike before, I can now demand an equal share of the profits.


I caught sight of a beautiful woman with a slender waist but breasts the size of melons. There were three roses in the window. That means the price for a one-night stand is three gold coins.


I have been in stores where lilies are displayed, but I have never been in a store where roses are displayed. As I approached the entrance, a man wearing a fine chainmaille and a black cloak stepped forward.


"Which way are you going?"


His condescending manner prevented me from entering the store.


"What? I have money."


The man smiled thinly.


"You must be joking. I don't know which part of the country you are from, but our unit price is gold. You must be mistaken."


I was drunk, but not so drunk that I lost my thought to pull out a gold coin in the street.


"Just let me in, anyway. I told you I have the money."


"Even if you could pay, I don't think you'd fit in with the atmosphere of our store. If you go down the street, there are cheaper places to play."


The man then took off his mask of gentlemanliness.


"Get the hell out of here!"


I was met with the same response at several stores after that. Because of the exchange of words, I was thirsty and bought another bottle of alcohol from a street vendor to drink.


That's all I remember clearly.


***


Holding my splitting head, I open my eyes.


My back aches from sleeping on the rough ground.


I wake up on the street in the morning mist and find something curled up around my stomach with my cloak over it.


The thing starts to wriggle and peeks it's head out.


It was a girl with reddish brown eyes.


The girl opens her mouth.


"Good morning."



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