#032
Seiz seemed confused about whether it was okay to ask me to get Halmite, seeing that I had neither basic defensive gear nor weapons. However, after hearing that I had obtained mushroom fragments from the boss mob in the mine dungeon and that I had received someone’s help (though he didn’t pry into whose help I had received, given his personality), he seemed to decide on his own that I must be somewhat reliable.
On top of that, when I appealed that I wanted to have his items even if they were expensive, he seemed to have mistaken me for having enough money to hire escorts as well. Since he wasn’t the type of person to try to rip me off just because I seemed to have money, I just let him continue with that misunderstanding. Otherwise, he was an overly conscientious person who would worry about whether it was okay to charge fair prices.
When he mentioned “reliable help,” Carlisle Lightinger naturally came to mind. But in reality, he hadn’t helped me upon receiving my request or commission—it was just that circumstances had flowed that way by chance. No matter how positively I tried to think about it, unless he had some ulterior motive, I couldn’t possibly think that Carlisle had genuinely helped me out of goodwill…
‘What kind of reaction would he show if I asked him to help me?’
I could clearly picture his sarcastic expression asking “Why should I?” with an absurd look on his face. The truth was, I had already received too much help from him last time (help to an extent that I wasn’t confident I could properly repay), and I was even planning to visit Carlisle tomorrow to talk about Eira’s potion sales.
Strictly speaking, even though Carlisle was born and raised in the village and still had his residence here, he spent a lot of time outside, giving off a strong impression of being an outsider. So even if the village’s perception of Eira was like that, I thought Carlisle might think differently, and I was planning to cling to that possibility.
‘But that won’t be easy either…’
From my perspective, knowing Eira’s abilities, I honestly think it would be a profitable deal for me, Eira, and Carlisle, but it’s questionable whether Carlisle would accept it that way. Moreover, judging by the performance of the potions he used on me, it seems he already has trading partners elsewhere.
No matter how good the performance of Melbrain potions is, they’re not quite on the level of the potions Carlisle has. Eira will probably create incredible potions in the future depending on what materials I bring her, but there’s no way to show that to Carlisle right now.
‘Would cost-effectiveness… be a merit for Carlisle Lightinger?’
It wasn’t particularly positive, but that was the only angle I had to work with. I had a long way to go in many respects.
“Isn’t that Raon-kun?”
As I left the workshop and walked lost in thought, someone called out to me. When I came to my senses, I realized I had just passed the city hall, which was my destination. The person who had called out to me was an elderly NPC with a thin build.
“Mayor-nim.”
I greeted him warmly. I had been on my way to meet him for the next quest anyway.
Unlike the other main NPCs I had met so far, he looked largely unchanged from before, except for a slightly tired complexion. His white hair was neat, his clothes were tidy, and the smile on his face was still gentle.
“I heard you came to the village. I’ve been wanting to meet you too—are you busy right now?”
“Not at all. I was actually on my way to see you, Mayor-nim, but I was lost in other thoughts and almost walked past.”
“Ah, really? What were you thinking about so deeply… Well, that worked out well. It’s cold, so let’s go inside and talk.”
I followed the mayor inside. The city hall building was quite large in scale, but now it had fallen into decline and gave off a desolate atmosphere. Originally, besides functioning as city hall offices, it had been a bustling place used for various civic cultural activities like libraries, gyms, and diverse educational centers, but now it was simply immersed in silence without any sign of human presence.
To save on heating and lighting, the lobby and corridors were cold and dim. There was no sign of people either. We climbed the stairs, passed through narrow corridors, and reached the mayor’s office on the third floor.
Upon entering the mayor’s office, a large map occupying one wall caught my attention. Unlike typical flat maps, it was like a moving three-dimensional model, and as is common with game maps, only the areas around the village centered on it were clearly visible, with the areas beyond shrouded in clouds.
“Sorry, but I don’t have tea or water to offer you. Please understand.”
“Oh, yes. Of course. Please don’t worry about it.”
Not only was drinking water scarce, but things like tea and coffee had now become luxury items. Among other things, hearing this made me desperately want to drink a rich, savory café latte. The stale black liquid I had seen at Kevin’s bakery came to mind. When would I be able to drink real coffee again? Would it be possible when this world normalized? Or would I have to wait until I returned to reality?
“Anyway, I’m really relieved that you’ve pulled yourself together.”
While I was briefly lost in other thoughts, the mayor began speaking again.
“Having the farm you worked so hard to cultivate end up like that, how heartbroken you must have been. It would be nice if the city could provide support at times like this, but we don’t have the resources, which is regrettable. There are so many people who have lost all their assets and are in difficulty—it’s not just one or two. It’s become a time when everyone struggles just to eat and survive each day.”
“That’s right. I understand.”
To the mayor who was laying the groundwork, I nodded with a sincere expression to urge him to get to the main point (since it had become reality and I couldn’t skip it anyway). Then the mayor, seeming relieved, went straight into the quest-related story.
The core of what the mayor told me was the same in the game and in the tutorial. Since the village had become difficult, he wanted me to actively participate in reconstruction as one of the residents. While the core was the same, the detailed story had actually gotten progressively worse with each playthrough. Initially, it was just about the village economy being difficult, but as pollution became more severe and widespread, it transformed into a serious disaster story.
“As you know, the surrounding villages have already been submerged, or conversely become deserts, or frozen wastelands. Most people have left, and they’ve become areas teeming only with monsters. We’re still barely holding on thanks to the power of the Sacred Tree, but… how much longer can we endure in this state?”
As pollution became extreme, various foundational industries in the village collapsed, and even surrounding villages and cities turned into barren lands after experiencing various natural disasters. Not only did food self-sufficiency become impossible, but even import and export routes were blocked, causing the regional economy to plummet into ruin. At this rate, this place too would become a dead village and be closed in the not-too-distant future.
“But at times like this, young people need to pull themselves together and lead the village reconstruction efforts, don’t they?”
The mayor looked at me. Only his eyes shone brightly in his weathered face.
“I heard from Elmer that you went to Wanderer’s Plains and came back. The situation must have been quite tough unlike before, but he praised you, saying it was admirable that you returned safely despite having mediocre equipment.”
That was more because Carlisle Lightinger grabbed me by the scruff and carried me rather than my own ability… But since what NPCs say is just buildup to give quests anyway, there was no need to nitpick. I recited the predetermined dialogue.
“What would you like me to do?”
“Thank you. You really are a conscientious young person.”
The mayor went on praising me for a while, then continued with deliberately solemn eyes.
“I’ll be honest with you, Raon-kun. We’re consistently organizing exploration teams and sending them outside. There’s no other way but to procure resources from dangerous lands teeming with monsters to rebuild the village. As you know, this is work that requires risking one’s life. Of course, we have no right to force you to do this dangerous work. We don’t even have money or resources, so we can’t provide proper support. So the choice is entirely yours.”
[Quest: Village Reconstruction]
[As a member of the village, will you participate in efforts for the village’s reconstruction?]
[Reward: Wish Fulfillment Ticket]
[Will you accept?]
【Yes / No】
A main quest appeared. He said the choice was mine, but I had no choice either. I couldn’t stay trapped here forever and die alongside the people here, could I?
Only one thing caught my eye. I stared at the reward section as if glaring at it. Finally, a real reward had appeared. Wish Fulfillment Ticket. So with just that, I could escape this damn world and return to reality. If this system wasn’t a thoroughly unscrupulous scammer, it would keep its publicly declared word!
Ding!
When I accepted, a new window appeared. Under the title “Pollution Level,” a silhouette of the village resembling a map was drawn in black and white. This was something that existed in the original game too. It was a format where the black and white picture gradually turned to color as you revitalized the village by repairing broken places throughout the village and accepting and handling various transactions.
The only difference was that after I entered the game, most of the quests had become more dangerous missions to procure various resources from monster habitats.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
