Chapter 17
***
I screamed a silent cheer.
Monica, who looked back, raised her thumb and summoned us.
I smiled at her sheepishly. Monica is the best.
“Let’s go, guild leader.”
“Yeah.”
We walked past the gatekeeper without letting go of our acting skills until the end.
“Oh, awesome.”
Soon there was a wide hall in front of us that looked like the middle base.
From the outside, it looked like there was only a single hole under the mountain, but the inside is bigger than I thought.
No matter how much I looked up, I couldn’t see the ceiling because it is carved inside the mountain.
The most unusual thing was the lighting. Like a place where no light came in, I put a magic balloon on my head, but since all of these suspects were guild members, it was so faint that only the dim appearance of the other person could be seen.
Monica and Genuzia, who followed, burst into low exclamations.
“A place like this in the mountains…”
“It’s amazing. I’ve lived in the capital all my life, but I didn’t know there was a place like this.”
“I know right. Mis-… No, what will the guild leader know about something like this?”
I smiled slightly at the two admiring people.
“I know everything.”
Monica looked around and tilted her head.
Her deep rust was stained with wonder.
“By the way, the market hasn’t opened yet? There’s no one here.”
“It’s the other way around, we’re actually late.”
The mineral market opened at sunset, regardless of time. It is about 30 minutes after the sun has set completely, so we are very late.
This huge hall is where guilds waited before the mineral market opened.
With the mineral market open, it is only natural that the hall is empty that not even a single person is in it.
If you cross here into a small stone door, you’ll see a completely different view.
That’s where the real mineral market starts.
I stood in front of the small door across the hall and turned around.
“You have to get your act together from now on. From here on out, it’s the mineral market.”
“…….”
“FYI, it’s very complicated inside.”
The typical characteristic of the mineral market was its complex structure.
Hundreds of roads are tightly intertwined between the guild’s strongholds.
It is like an ant cave, or a maze.
“We’re going to find our way. There’s no map, so the only way to get there is by asking people.”
Usually guilds who visit the mineral market bring maps, but we don’t have them.
This is the best time.
“Then should I ask a guild member passing by?”
“Yes, but most of them will answer well. Monica… she’s good at it. Take care of her.”
“Just leave it to me.”
Monica replied with a smile like an angel.
I can’t guess her character anymore.
“If we get off on the wrong route, we won’t be home until tomorrow morning, so we have to do well. Be careful not to scatter from one another.”
“G-guild leader.”
Genuzia sweated a lot due to my warning.
Well, would it be a dizzying situation for a knight escort to think about it.
I shrugged lightly.
“It’s okay, the opera base isn’t that far away. It’s probably somewhere in the middle of the market.”
No maps, no guides, but we had a good pretense of a small fledgling guild.
The guild society of the Rohatin Empire is well-established.
Basically, they are based on competition, but they also actively helped each other when needed.
Among them, guilds of up to five newbies were helped by existing guilds wherever they went.
In other words, it’s like old people who help Newbies.
In other words, it is not that difficult unless they find out that we are not from the real guild.
I smiled refreshingly and covered my hood.
“Now, shall we go?”
…I opened the door with such spirit.
It was Monica who opened her mouth after a long silence.
“…didn’t you say there should be a lot of people in the mineral market?”
‘I-It should be?’ she said, looking inside.
“It’s empty…”
Two pairs of eyes directed at me. But I am also equally confused as them.
We opened the main gate and stopped there.
This is because they face a completely unexpected sight.
Obviously, the guild members should have been full of robes from the entrance.
In particular, right after sunset, mineral trading volume is the highest.
That’s why our operation is to quietly cross between them and find a base at the top of the opera.
“What’s wrong here?”
There is no single ant in the market as if everyone had swept the inside.
“Isn’t today a business day?”
As far as I know, there is no day off in the mineral market. In addition, the gate has been passed from the front.
That means they should definitely be open today. Why isn’t anyone here?
Genuzia stammered timidly.
“Well, then I won’t be able to find the opera top.”
“I know. I can’t even go through this wide market.”
“Wouldn’t there be a sign or something?”
The sign in the guild den, there’s no such thing.
“I shouldn’t have been like this…”
I wrapped my head around and grabbed it.
It’s ridiculous to find a way to this ant hole market without help. If you walk around, you won’t find an exit.
Guilds who live in secrecy and security cannot be putting up signs here, and finding the top of the opera between the same alley is literally looking for a needle in the desert.
“Guild leader, there’s someone in there.”
It was when I started panicking. Genuzia called me who is half out of my mind.
When I turned my head, there was really someone. He was a man who wore a hood as deeply as we did.
My eyes opened wide.
Man! I ran to him in a hurry.
“Hey!”
When I grabbed his arm, the person turned slightly. It was not until I saw him up close that I felt sorry for him.
I caught him in such a hurry. I should have asked Monica to do this.
The person stared at me under the hood and opened his mouth.
“…what’s the matter?”
Low mid-tone. It’s a man.
It is meaningless to measure gender by body type in such a place. If he is wearing a robe like he is right now…
Kek.
Even our Genuzia laughed at the height of most men.
I answered as much as I could, clearing my throat.
“I’m here to trade minerals, but why is the market so quiet today?”
I cut off the honorific language and tried to come out naturally and asked proudly.
First of all, I’m the guild leader. I should be brazen and act naturally.
Well, that was pretty good just now. All right, Amelia.
With my question, the man alternated between me and the party.
Perhaps because of the dim light, I could barely see his lips, and his mysterious aura flowed.
Judging from the atmosphere, he didn’t seem to be just a little guild member
Though he does sound quite young with his voice. I’m sure I got it right.
I swallowed my dry mouth because I am so nervous while speaking.
Hmm, he looked around and replied nonchalantly.
“Well, the market is quiet today.”
…it’s not quiet enough.
“You look like a new guild, but I’ll show you where you’re looking for.”
He spoke in a tone full of goodwill.
“…how do you know we’re a new guild?”
“The only thing wandering around here are new guilds that have never found a market or have no map.”
I couldn’t answer because he was right on the bat.
I don’t feel any coercive attitude from him, but I felt a subtle weight in every action and every word he does.
Our Bastian is so elegant when he talks. I think it’s something similar.
I was only blinking when Genuzia, who was standing behind a foot mark, talked.
“Then do you happen to know where the opera is?”
“Of course.”
A resolute answer came back. Then, Genuzia’s face glowed.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask for your guidance.”
“I will.”
The man nodded and walked ahead. We exchanged gazes and followed him.
Empty. The mineral market is just as it is. It is more complicated than I imagined, even though I am just walking along the road.
To make matters worse, I had to walk on the occasional light of the mana ball.
“The road is complicated, so be careful.”
“I know that much.”
“It was my fault. I apologize,” the man bowed his head. As I’ve felt since earlier, there was an oddly aristocratic atmosphere from him. From the way he talks to his relaxed attitude.
Looks like I’ve met someone interesting in many ways.
“…what do you want to say?”
Maybe he felt an explicit look from me, that the man looked at me. I quickly turned away and coughed.
“No, how much farther do we have to go?”
“We have to walk a little longer. People who visit the mineral market for the first time are surprised because it’s bigger than they really thought.”
Unlike us, who are in a hurry in the passageway divided into dozens of branches, the man has never wandered and has found his way.
I’m sure we’re dead. How long has it been?
When we walked for about 30 minutes, the man stopped walking.
“We’re almost there.”
There was a big alley ahead of us.
He stepped aside slightly.
“You can go straight this way. There’s only a stronghold at the top of the opera, so you’ll find it in no time.”
“Thank you.”
“What for?”
The man silently grinned.
Come to think of it, he’s been showing his smile since earlier. I thought it was just a habit.
This kiddo laughs so well. Of course, he laughs heartily too.
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Hey, wait a minute.”
I caught the man who was trying to leave. The mysterious gaze from his robe fell on me.
“Come to think of it, which guild do you belong to?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“I want to know that you’ve done us a favor.”
Of course, it was an excuse and I was trying to be aware of him because it might be useful.
But at my question the man shook his head quietly.
“It’s all right, as the Guild said, it’s just pure goodwill.”
“But.”
“I’ll be on my way.”
A moment of silence befall right after his words were finished, and then he turned back.
The faint back soon disappeared into the dark.
…he disappears so quickly. Did he just evaporate out of nowhere?
It was when I was looking at the direction in which the man walked with a mysterious look.
Monica tapped me on the shoulder. It was a cautious touch.
“Um….guild leader?”
“Huh?”
“That way.”
Turning my head pointed to her fingertips, I ended up opening my mouth.
♥Welcome to the Upper Door♥
<Opera Top>
I’ve been waiting.
I’ll serve you properly.
…Are you crazy?