Live Dungeon!

Chapter 19, Reaching Out

Garm previously had little experience with valley raids in the past, so he didn’t have much of an opinion. However, in contrast to Garm, Camille had been able to clear the 58th floor before, so she was able to give plenty of insight. Although most of her information was already known to Tsutomu from his previous experience with the game, he still took down a memo.

[How many safe zones will we be able to secure]

The safe zones were areas where monsters would not be able to reach easily. In the forest levels, it were these big trees. In the swamp levels, it would change based on the level, but they were usually found in the caves. Camille continued providing more information, which Tsutomu kept scribbling down.

From here, the conversation moved on to equipment and potion management. Due to heavy damage towards their equipment sustained in their dungeon raids, about 10% of the party’s total revenue must be set aside for repairs. At this point, Tsutomu cut the conversation about repairs and moved on towards the potion situation.

Each member of the party will be allowed to use the potions based on their own judgement and will be buying their own supplies. At this, Camille acted a bit shock.

“Where are we going to be buying our potions, is it still from the forest drugstore?”

“Their stocks have been quite low recently, so I’m afraid it might be a little difficult to buy from there.”

The potions you could get at the forest drugstore is way different from those you get at ordinary tool shops. Unlike the tool shops, the forest drugstore does not heavily dilute their potions with water, which means that each drop of their potions are more potent and you don’t have to drink as much in order to gain a full recovery. Their potions also have a similar taste to tea, which makes it even more popular among adventurers.

Of course, for these reasons, the potions in the forest drugstore are very expensive. And, since they do not allow other stores to copy their production methods, only a few people can make them at the moment. Using these reasons, Tsutomu decided that they shouldn’t make the forest drugstore their main supplier.

Although, while Tsutomu was canvassing their list of possible dealers, he knew that they were all inferior to the forest drugstore, even though he had never tasted any other potions. Camille handed him one of their potential mana potion choices to try out, but Tsutomu dismissed it saying it tasted like raw fish rotting in a blender.

After that, he asked Camille to confirm their regular meeting schedule, Tsutomu shared the equipment repair shop that they would be using and dismissed them.

Since Camille would be needing 2 days for all the paperwork it takes to hand over her position as guild chief, Tsutomu and Garm had 2 days to rest.

“Wait, wait, come back here for a bit. Shouldn’t we get something to drink?”

Camille grabbed Tsutomu, who was already prepared to start heading towards the accounting office. As Camille was implying, the wine of the store where they held the meeting was indeed very reputable and affordable.

“I agree, we should welcome our newcomer to the guild.”

“I just want a few drinks.”

As Tsutomu turned back towards Camille and Garm, he looked rather shocked. Camille was already known to be quite a drinker, but Tsutomu pretended not to notice that Garm had been eyeing the other people around them who were drinking at the time of the meeting. Tsutomu didn’t particularly hate going drinking, so he called a clerk over and ordered some wine.

Camille had ordered much stronger drinks than Tsutomu, while Garm ordered a safe beer since he and Tsutomu wanted to avoid a hangover even if they weren’t doing anything tomorrow.

The drinks were created using an array of magical techniques and were instantly transported to their table straight after. While the others began drinking up almost immediately, Tsutomu hesitated a bit. As he began to drink, he began to feel a little queasy but continued to drink anyway. And before he knew it, he had turned unconscious.

When Tsutomu finally regained consciousness, 2 hours had already passed. He looked around him to see Garm carrying a drunk Camille on his back.

Although Garm drank quite a lot, his face was still pale white.

“Garm, I’ll be going shopping tomorrow. Wanna come?”

“Alright, sure.”

Apart from going shopping, Tsutomu wanted to tell the employees in the forest drugstore and the equipment repair shop that they would be changing their rest day schedule, and he wanted them to know when they’ll be able to come around and collect their items. Tsutomu thanked Garm for agreeing to come along, as they held a bag towards Camille’s mouth since she had begun vomiting.

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The next day, Tsutomu decided he wanted to trade in some gems, so they headed towards the magical dwarf girl’s gem exchange shop. As they entered the store, they saw all the usual employees, whom they greeted before heading towards the clerk’s desk, where there was already a line beginning to form.

While they were waiting in line, Tsutomu, who was currently hungover, and Garm began collecting gems from their magic bags. Other adventurers in line gave them weird looks, but Tsutomu took no notice of them.

When it got to their turn and Tsutomu faced the dwarf girl, he was greeted with a stone-cold death stare almost immediately. As Tsutomu requested some of their gems, chills were sent down his spine, and he felt as though she would have attacked him by now if Garm hadn’t been with him.

“Small ones in here. Big ones here.”

She wasn’t saying anything out of the ordinary in order to maintain professionalism, but her attitude seemed as though she was talking with dirt. Nonetheless, Tsutomu began segregating his gems into the pots pretending not to mind her attitude.

While Tsutomu was fumbling around with his magic bag, the dwarf girl beckoned to Garm and brought him out of Tsutomu’s hearing.

“Garm, you should think twice about who you socialize with. You’ll end up the same as Amy.”

“The article is fake. Don’t be fooled.”

“Really? I checked with the investigator, and everyone else seems to say it’s correct.”

“They’ve indeed had fights while in the guild, but the article twisted it to make it seem worse than it is. Besides, if I had seen any suspicious behavior prohibited by the contract, I would have notified the guild already.”

“That’s true, I guess.”

“Anyway, let’s go back, there are too many people here now.”

As they returned, Tsutomu quickly finished up and placed his last gem on the counter. The dwarf girl gave the wooden receipt to Tsutomu, who hurriedly left the store and began heading towards their next stop.

They first arrived at the blacksmith store which Garm and Camille frequent, before heading towards the cleaning shop. Everywhere Tsutomu went, it seemed that everyone was giving him death stares, and each time Garm kept groaning loudly to display his annoyance.

Their last stop was the forest drugstore. Usually, during the morning, when the store was not open yet, there would be a line of adventurers lining up outside its doors. Then, when they realize that the health potions are all sold out, they would just disperse and go about their other errands. Taking a deep breath, Tsutomu entered the forest drugstore.

After Tsutomu approached the counter and rang the bell, he heard a familiar screaming as the old elf lady approached with her cane. Although Tsutomu was prepared to be turned away by her, he was greeted with her pleasant smile as before.

“Oh, Tsutomu? When I read that newspaper article, I was so shocked to know what I know now! It must have been tough outside, then?”

“Yes, yes, that’s right.”

“Well then, it’ll be another mana potion today, I assume?”

Tsutomu’s throat trembled at the pleasant reception he had received from the elf lady, and as he watched her prepare the potion, he almost shed a few tears.

The inn clerk of the inn where he had spent 1 month at kicked him out, saying that the other customers wanted nothing to do with him. He could understand that people wouldn’t want to have their stores reputation ruined. However, it was the people like the old elf lady, who still treated him nicely, that really made his day.

The elf lady turned around and was shocked to see Tsutomu in such a state, and began stroking his head. At this point, Tsutomu had already burst out crying.

“Anyway, what’s the real story? Isn’t it obvious if you look at Amy’s expressions?”

“Amy came here?”

“She came here after hearing the sale for blue potions. At that time, I was hearing so many things about you that I didn’t know what to believe.”

“Oh. Anyways thanks for everything.”

After bowing 3 times towards the elf lady, he left the drugstore.

As they said their goodbyes, Garm began to head towards the gem exchange store, making sure not to be noticed by Tsutomu.