Akatsuki Translations

The interior was surprisingly spacious and well-furnished, designed for good ventilation to suit the summer season. Sitting in the central room were two people: the large man they had encountered in the dungeon, Jain, and the other, inevitably, was Sousan, the guild leader of the 【Great Eagle of Dawn】.

“Welcome, Omen Bird Slayer.” -Sousan

As Ur stepped into the makeshift dwelling, the elderly beastwoman, Sousan, greeted him with a sly, amused smile. It hadn’t even been a month since Ur and his party had slain the 【Poison Omen Bird 】, yet she seemed to have already gathered information about it. Despite probably not knowing about Ur’s presence in this “temporary city,” her information gathering scope was astonishing. Ur’s respect for her abilities was mixed with caution, though he didn’t really have anything to hide.

“Hello, I’m Ur from 【The Walkers】, nice to meet you, Sousan-dono.” -Ur

“I’m Shizuku. It’s nice to see you again, Jain-sama.” -Shizuku

“What, so y’all didn’t die in yesterday’s commotion, eh?” Jain greeted them with a click of his tongue. It was a rough welcome, but Jain was the one Ur needed to deal with.

“We’ve come to discuss the information trade we talked about in the dungeon, but are we interrupting your meeting?” -Ur

“Yeah, yer a bother, come back later.” -Jain

“Oh, I don’t mind at all. I was just having tea with this big lug.” -Sousan

Jain glared at Sousan in annoyance, but she just laughed it off. Realizing he had stepped into a more complicated situation than anticipated, Ur decided to pretend he hadn’t noticed. He presented the prepared gold coin to Jain.

“Then, Jain-dono, this is the promised payment. I would like as much information about the dungeon as possible.” -Ur

“Don’tcha forget the condition of not intruding into my territory.” -Jain

“Oh my, you’re quite tough on your juniors. Couldn’t you be a little more lenient?” -Sousan

“Shut it, old hag. I’ll kill ya’ if you butt in again.” -Jain

Trying to suppress his desire to tell Jain to be quiet as well, Ur continued the negotiation.

“I won’t break our promise. Our goal is to conquer the dungeon. We shouldn’t be interfering with each other’s areas of operation.” -Ur

“Hah, I hope that’s true. Otherwise, yer gonna have to abandon yer conquest halfway through.” -Jain

Jain sneered, and Ur understood. He believed Ur and his party would give up on Echelle’s request to conquer the dungeon and would try to stay in the dungeon like them, possibly encroaching on their territory. It suggests that conquering Uuga is a formidable task, or perhaps Jain doubts their motivation and expects them to flee.

“Unfortunately, we have our own reasons that don’t allow us to run away.” -Ur

Ur lightly touched on their situation, reassuring Jain. Jain looked at him skeptically.

“Did that Sun Knight take a hostage or something?”  -Jain

“Something like that.” -Ur

Ur vaguely covered up the details related to Shizuku. She remained unfazed and cheerful, though Jain might already suspect something.

“So rest assured, I’m not saying I’ll easily change our strategy.” -Ur

“…Hmph.” -Jain

Satisfied with Ur’s intention, Jain then proceeded to provide all the information he knew about the 【Dragon-Devoured City, Uuga】. Despite his rough demeanor, Jain provided very detailed and useful information.

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After hearing everything, Ur organized the information and couldn’t help but comment, “This is troublesome.”

“Told ya so”  -Jain

Jain said with a mocking laugh. Based on the information, the dungeon was infested with monsters of at least 9th out of the 13 ranks, with confirmed appearances of 7th-rank monsters. As they approached deeper levels, encountering stronger monsters was highly likely.

“The silver lining is that there are no signs of any long-lived monsters that could be worth a bounty.”  -Shizuku

Long-lived monsters, which had grown and amassed magical power over time, had not been seen by Jain during his explorations. This was probably due to the dungeon’s recent formation. Monsters that had fully developed their magic stones could significantly increase their rank, posing a great threat beyond Ur’s party’s capabilities.

However, to conquer the dungeon, they would need to defeat the 【True Magic Core】 and its guardian, the 【Owner】. It was unclear whether such an Owner existed in Uuga, but they couldn’t let their guard down yet.

“What, aren’t you disappointed there’s no bounty head?” -Sousan

Responding to Ur and Shizuku’s reactions, Sousan commented somewhat disinterestedly. Knowing about Ur’s party, she would also be aware of their penchant for hunting bounty heads.

Perhaps she thought Ur’s party was a group of battle junkies who relished in chasing bounty heads. Of course, that’s not the case.

“We don’t exactly relish risking our lives in a gamble for bounty heads.” -Ur

“So, it’s for advancement and money, then?” -Sousan

“Advancement and money. Simple, like true adventurers.” -Ur

Ur skipped explaining why they were pursuing these goals, but his response was straightforward. For him, hunting bounty heads was a means to an end, not a thrill-seeking adventure.

“This time, not having a bounty head is a relief… but this dungeon is still a problem…” -Ur

Just being in the dungeon drained physical and magical strength. Simply eating wouldn’t be enough. Replenishing magic power would be more challenging and expensive, especially for Rock, who could sustain on magic stones, but it would cut into their profits.

“But you’re definitely keen on making a profit here, Jain-sama.” -Sousan

Certainly, if there were no competitors, focusing on magic stone collection could be profitable. However, the risk seemed substantial. Jain’s approach seemed risky.

“Whatever.” -Jain

“Such a curt response.” -Sousan

“I don’t got information to give to enemies.” -Jain

“Are we enemies?” -Ur

“Anyone who competes in this line of work is an enemy.” -Jain

Their encounter was harsh compared to their previous friendly interactions with other adventurers. Yet, this attitude was not necessarily bad.

Until now, Ur’s party had never faced animosity from their peers and had received plenty of advice and assistance. However, this also meant they were underestimated as a group that could be easily accommodated without harm.

But Jain didn’t see them that way. He recognized them as true “peers.” It wasn’t necessarily beneficial or pleasant, but at least he didn’t look down on them.

“Worry about yerself before others. Ya might be disrupted by that hysterical woman.” -Jain

“Are you referring to Echelle-sama?” -Shizuku

“Who else?” -Jain

Jain’s lack of respect for Echelle, a Sun Knight and a rank holder of the Temple, was apparent. Ur wasn’t surprised. Like Jain, he was a “Nameless” person with no loyalty to a city-state. While they couldn’t act recklessly against city authorities, they had already been “cast out.”

But being “Nameless” meant they were already at rock bottom. As a result, they often adopted a defiant attitude, leading to occasional conflicts between rank holders and Nameless or adventurers.

Understanding Jain’s implication,

“Did something happen between you and Echelle?” -Ur

“Don’t even ask. That bitch is noisier than a newly hatched chick.” -Jain

“Chicks are cute, though.” -Shizuku

“That woman ain’t. I had to waste effort keeping my men in line ‘cause of her.” -Jain

Ur got a sense of why Echelle’s extended contract was rejected. He could guess the nature of the trouble and chose not to probe further.

“Dungeon exploration is all about smashing any risks ya can in advance. It’s crazy enough dealing with the fuckin’ dungeon and the damn monsters that pop up, let alone adding a noisy bitch to the mix.” -Jain

Ur couldn’t argue with Jain’s mocking tone and even found himself somewhat agreeing. Echelle was clearly a hindrance at this point, causing trouble and insisting on joining the dungeon exploration.

Yet, as Ur reflected on her behavior, he realized he didn’t harbor any unpleasant feelings towards her, despite the fact that she undoubtedly brought trouble.

“What’s wrong, Ur-sama?” -Shizuku

Looking quizzically at Ur, the unnecessarily good-looking instrument of trouble Shizuku prompted him to realize something. The various women Ur had encountered had skewed his standards. Recalling Echelle’s hysteria, he absentmindedly muttered:

“She’s kind of cute, isn’t she?” -Ur

Immediately, Jain scowled, and Sousan burst into laughter.

“Ha ha ha ha!! You heard that, Jain! Ahahaha!” -Sousan

Sousan’s laughter boomed. While Ur wondered why, Jain clicked his tongue and annoyingly exited the tent. Sousan continued to laugh heartily. Ur, completely clueless about what was happening, was at a loss. Seeing Ur troubled, Shizuku quietly leaned over and said,

“Ur-sama. Right now, you effectively dismissed Jain’s complaint about Echelle being “troublesome” by calling her “kind of cute.” -Shizuku

Realizing his faux pas, Ur covered his mouth in dismay.

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As Sousan’s laughter echoed outside, members of the 【Great Eagle of Dawn】 guild peeked in, surprised at their guild leader’s laughter.

“Ah, ~~~~~~that was good. It’s been a while since I laughed like this.” -Sousan

“Please spare me …Should I apologize…?” -Ur

“Are you planning a follow-up attack?” -Sousan

“…I’ll refrain.” -Ur

Heeding Shizuku’s suggestion, Ur stayed silent.

“Don’t worry, he isn’t shameless enough to take his embarrassment out on others. You’re fine. I don’t know about his true feelings, though.” -Sousan

Uncomforted by Sousan’s advice, Ur thanked her wearily, feeling unjustly drained by a mere information exchange. The outsider sitting in front of him seemed quite amused.

Susan naturally noticed Ur’s resentful gaze and, even more delighted expression grew on her face. It appeared that this old woman’s personality was quite cheerful.

However, Sousan’s next words caught Ur off guard.

“Heh, really, that wretched Urgan’s son has turned out to be quite an interesting character,” Sousan chuckled, referencing Ur’s father. Ur was taken aback as it had been a long time since he’d heard or spoken about his biological father. He knew his father had caused trouble for the 【Great Eagle of Dawn】 guild, but only as a minor, temporary member.

“…You knew about my father?” -Ur

“Well, I make it a point to remember the faces and names of everyone who’s been involved with the guild, even temporarily. It was a shame he died so unceremoniously… or are you relieved?” -Sousan

The “Great Eagle of Dawn” guild had hundreds of members. Sousan’s ability to remember even the temporary ones spoke volumes of her remarkable memory, forcing Ur to reassess her as a formidable leader of a major guild.

“Well, the dead are neither here nor there. Since you made me laugh so much, let me give you a little advice.” -Sousan

“Well… if it’s something I can receive, I’d gladly take it, apart from illnesses. What advice do you have?” -Ur

“About the ‘cute’ young lady Echelle you mentioned,” Sousan chuckled, a sly smile that seemed to have simmered in wickedness. It was a smile that conveyed the certainty that one would regret asking if inquired, but also the realization that regret would persist even if you didn’t ask. Ur braced himself and leaned in to listen further.

“You dismissed her as a simple nuisance, and sure, her whims might seem cute to you.” -Sousan

But then she paused, indicating a deeper issue.

“The circumstances that drove her to hysteria are a bit more complicated.” -Sousan

“….” -Ur

Certainly, Echelle initially tried to forcefully pull Shizuku into her plans.

At first, Ur thought it was because she blindly believed in her official position and the authority of the Sun Knights, wielding them as tools. It was a typical mindset of people within the city. Arrogance toward those considered mere nobodies, a typical attitude of those who viewed the “Nameless” as insignificant.

However, upon talking to her, no, even in actual conversation, Ur felt that while she displayed arrogant behavior, it wasn’t rooted in a sense of superiority over “land.” That was the impression Ur got from interacting with her. Arrogance, after all, only arises when there’s a certain level of confidence. It is born from a conviction in one’s own superiority.

She lacks that entirely. Completely. What she has is only impatience and a lack of confidence.

“It seemed like she was suddenly thrust into a job she wasn’t used to.” -Sousan

“Who in their right mind would burden such a young girl with the responsibility of city construction? It’s abnormal.” -Ur

“It was said they were short-staffed.” -Sousan

“Even with the spirits’ powers, without a temple to harness and store energy and enough priests, it’s impossible to construct a city. There’s a limit to how much “Nameless” people can compensate.” -Ur

“Indeed…” -Sousan

Therefore, when she revealed the current number of priests in the city, Ur also found it hard to believe. It was far from normal.

“So, you’re suggesting there’s a reason behind it?” -Ur

“Who knows. We’re “Namless” after all. Outsiders to the city. We know a lot of things… but, you know, don’t you feel it?” -Sousan

“What?” -Ur

“It’s like they ‘knew’ something all along, isn’t it?” -Sousan

Sousan’s gaze shifted beyond Ur, seemingly looking at something beyond the tent’s walls, although there was nothing but the tent wall in that direction. Ur sensed she was referring to the nearby Uuga, the Dragon-Devoured City, existing right next to the temporary city.

Understanding what she meant, Ur felt a chill down his spine and looked around. Currently, there was no one here except for Shizuku and himself.

“Rest easy. The priests from the Temple won’t bother listening to our whispers here.” -Sousan

“…Right. Anyways, thanks for the warning. I think I understand a bit of what you’re implying.” -Ur

Standing up, Ur decided it was time to leave. The conversation had touched on topics best not delved into further here. Sousan, understanding this, waved him off casually.

“Buy some rations from us before you go. We’ve got good stuff. We also exchange magic stones. Earn plenty and stock up, and good luck liberating Uuga.” -Sousan

“We’ll do that.” -Ur

With that, Ur’s conversation with Jain and Sousan concluded.