We entered the inn.
Talking with the innkeeper, we began completing the procedures needed in renting a room.
After filling out the register, the innkeeper turned towards us.

[Are you two mercenaries?]
[Yes. Though, we haven’t really registered on the mercenary guild yet.]

I heard that there were many mercenaries that also weren’t registered in the guild.
This kind of reasoning shouldn’t be unnatural.

[Is the reason that you came in here the Blood Colosseum?]

[That’s one of the reasons.]

Of course, that’s just a lie.
I’ve heard of the Blood Colosseum from Seras earlier.
It’s an arena where slaves and mercenaries kill each other.
It reminds me of those colosseums back in ancient Rome.

The warriors fighting here were called “Blood Champions”.

Seras explained it before.

“The recreational aspects of the people nowadays were strong enough already, but that place has also been a place where they could evaluate the strength of mercenaries who want to join the guild. Of course, I heard that culture also made some of the mercenaries withdraw.”

That’s why, it weren’t unusual for mercenaries to visit Monroy for the purpose of watching the matches in the Blood Colosseum.

“You would receive a reward if you were to win a match. So, most of the mercenaries who joined were those who were troubled with putting food in their plate. There were also some slaves that became popular Blood Champions which can earn a good amount of money for their owners. That’s why, these slaves were most often not sold to mercenaries, but they were kept in the Blood Colosseum because of their popularity.”

There were two organizations that controlled the Blood Colosseum.

One of Urza’s dukes.
And the Mercenary Guild.

Nevertheless, it was really the right choice that I won Seras over to my side.
She knows most of the basic knowledge of this world.
You could even call her a walking human dictionary.
No, it’s actually an elf dictionary huh…

[It seems that the mercenary guild have a hand on various things.]

I look towards the signboard with the figure of letter and Mark on it.
We’ve already left the inn and were walking along the main street together with Seras.

[The guild exists in every country in this continent. It’s an organization that could be relied on by those mercenaries that were travelling across countries. The Mercenary Guild and the Magician Guild seem to have a lot of influence in every country.]

Mercenary Guild huh…
If I remember it correctly, they also had a hand in that exploration in Mills Ruins.

Anyway, we first went towards the tool shop.
I began gathering the available tools that were easy to carry around.
Thanks to Seras’ haggling, the price has been cut down a bit.

After leaving the tool shop, I could feel the small pouch in my pocket.
There is the Azure Dragon Stone inside of it.
I thought of changing it into money but— I stopped.
If that were to be circulated into the market, that topic would surely spread out the area.
Naturally, the person who sold the Azure Dragon Stone would also be talked about.
I don’t want to stand out for no reason at all.
I close down the small pouch.
Fortunately, my purse is still quite loaded.

I’ve obtained some gold from those pair of skeletons in the Disposal Ruins.
There’s also the money I’ve taken from those four-person group who followed Seras.
And also, the money after I’ve sold those expensive jewelry and ornaments I’ve obtained in the MIlls Ruins.

The total amount after all the money I’ve obtained were combined were quite large.
We were quite rich in terms of money.
Thanks to that, we don’t have to worry about the travelling expenses we would need.
However, saving money is still necessary.

[As usual, you’re quite good at bargaining.]

When it comes to bargaining, Seras isn’t someone easy.
She doesn’t really intimidate others.
She still has that gentle demeanor.
However, she won’t yield at the times that it matters the most.
Seras wryly smiles.

[It’s just that I’m quite stingy.]
[I think you should rather call it thrifty. You don’t have to be that self-deprecating about it.]

Seras holds back a laugh as she smiles.

[It seems that Milord is quite skilled at grabbing the hearts of his subordinates.]

Can’t you just say that I’m completely conscious about the circumstances of my subordinates?

[By the way, I’d like to find out about that black egg I found at Mills Ruins if possible.]

There is a public library here in Monroy.
If you were to put it in another way, I guess you could call it the national library.

[Can anyone just go in and out of that place?]
[If it’s about those archives that’s opened to the public, I’m quite certain that’s—]

Seras seems to be trying to recall something.

[If you’re an unregistered resident in the royal capital, you would need to be issued a permit before you were approved to go in. That permit only works for a day though.]

Even the elf dictionary herself doesn’t know this black egg.
Is it possible that this black egg would ever appear in any book ever published?

[It might be better if we were to ask that person we’re going to about that egg.]

If it were the Witch of Taboos, she may know something about this.

▽

We decided to have dinner in a nearby tavern.
The taverns also serves as a good place for gathering information.
This is the ideal place to get information about the latest news.
We started going into the wide tavern.
First, I requested some herbal water and food.
I don’t really drink alcohol, but I also ask for some.
It’s because it blends with the surroundings.
Because I’m in a different world, it wouldn’t matter even if I were considered a minor.
I don’t really have any good impression of alcohol because of my real parents.
That’s why I hate alcohol.
Even if I know that the alcohol itself is innocent.
By the way, it seems that Seras could drink a little.
While eating my meal, I listened to the conversations around me.
I could hear the conversations in the nearby seats.

[Hey, have you heard?]
[Nomnomnom~… Hm? What is it?]
[It’s about the Black Dragon Knights.]
[Is it that story again?]
[No, no. This story is about how they were annihilated.]
[Oh? Did you obtain any new information?]
[This one’s a story that came from a man who works in the Royal Castle, you know?]
[Hohou… Then this one should be trustworthy.]

He based it all on the source of information huh…

[Seras Ashrain, who were considered as the culprit of their annihilation, seems to have been dead now.]

Seras suddenly have a difficult expression on her face.

[Mngghh!?]

It seems that some food have clogged in her throat.

[Mnngghh, ngghh…]

I held out a cup of water to her.

[Are you alright?]

Drinking the water, Seras takes a deep breath.

[Thank you… S- Sorry about that.]

She suddenly hears a story about her death.
She must have been really surprised about that abrupt news.
Without caring about her reaction just now, the men continued talking.

[Did she die after she fought against the Five Dragon Warriors?]
[No, my guess is that Seras Ashrain just lost against them and died.]
[Eh? Then, who defeated the Five Dragon Warriors?]
[Yep, as I thought. You really haven’t heard it yet. I heard that the death of the Five Dragon Warriors were the deed of Ashinto.]

Ashinto?

[That rumored group of sorcerers I’ve heard recently huh…]
[Yeah. They seem to be going around the place, claiming that the Five Dragon Warriors fell from their magic.]

I exchange glances with Seras.
Hiding my voice, I said.

[What do you think?]
[Recently, there have been rumors about some kind of sorcery all around the place.]
[Is sorcery something you common?]
[No, it’s not common at all.]

Seras briefly explained.

Ceremonial Magic.
Chanting incantations.

These two were more commonly known by the public.
If I dare to add a third type of magic in that list, it would be the “skill” of the Heroes.

[What about Spirit Techniques?]

It seems to belong in a minor category because the number who could efficiently use that magic is small.
Speaking of which, even the people who were talking about it in that tavern in Mills were quite vague with their understanding in this type of ability.
In the first place, you could rarely find Elves which were the people who could use Spirit Techniques.
It is only recently that sorcery has begun to spread.
The one that were spreading out these out were a group of sorcerers called Ashinto.

[I heard that it’s a group who worships the God of Curses.]
[In short, they’re trying to spread their sorcery with that huh…]

The criminals who killed the Five Dragon Warriors.
It might be good that they took responsibility of that for me.
Naturally, their lies may be found out sooner or later.
However, they would still be able to somewhat disturb the search of the real culprits.
I don’t really know the extent of this world’s information network but…
Well, we would be entering the Demon Zone tomorrow.
I guess I’ll let them earn some time for me.
By the way, as for where that Ashinto right now—

[We are Ashinto’s Guardians!]

The door of the tavern was thrown open.

[We’re the Curse Guardians of the fallen child of the God of Curses, Muaji-sama! Now then, vacate your seats at once!]

A group of people wearing purple robes came inside in droves.
It must be the aforementioned group of sorcerers.
It seems that they’re in Urza.

[Heee…]

Diving the spoon in the bowl, I scooped out some soup.

[So that’s the group of sorcerers who cursed the Five Dragon Warriors to their deaths huh…]