Labyrinth Renovation – 037 | Sousaku – 創作

Episode 37: Dungeon Mutation ①

I'm Rick, a traveling peddler.
After completing my apprenticeship at a local merchant, I spent my days traveling east and west with a horse and a cart, selling goods.
I dream of one day hitting it big, opening a store in town, and marrying a wife, but the sales routes I have are not very profitable.
That said, trade routes that require passing through dangerous areas are too risky.
If I were attacked by bandits, it would be the end of me.

Today, I have come to the city of Dharma, but compared to when the dungeon was first built, the atmosphere has become noticeably quieter. Rumor has it that the lord borrowed a large sum of money to attract people to the dungeon and that it's almost time for him to repay the debt. Among fellow merchants, there are constant rumors to be careful when doing business with this place.
That said, a small-time peddler like me has no business dealing with the lord, so today I'm just going to sell the barley I bought in the north to an acquaintance merchant.
Peddlers like me, who work with just a cart, can't earn much, but if you work steadily, you won't fall into the red.
The problem is that we don't make a large profit, and if something goes wrong and the products become unusable, we could suddenly find ourselves in a difficult situation. But that kind of thing can happen to anyone in life. If you worry about such things, you will never be able to seize a great opportunity.

"So, Greo-san, do you have any interesting stories to tell? "
"Not sure if it's actually interesting."

I do some research after finishing my business at my regular shop.
At times like this, it would be nice to give a small gift, but unfortunately, I don't have much money and can't afford anything decent.
Greo-san, the other party, is a member of a well-established merchant family in this town. At first, I was enthusiastic and offered gifts, but I was reprimanded for doing such a thing as a newcomer.
Well, some people like gratuities, so it varies.
Greo-san has been very kind to me, and if I hear of any other good opportunities, I would gladly share the information with him. Well, I don't really have anything particularly good to mention.

"As you know, since the dungeon went under, this area has become kind of deserted. Everyone had such high hopes, so the disappointment was huge. Some people are leaving town."
"That's not good news at all……"
"Well, there's no problem because it's not like the kind of stuff you bring in won't sell. It's more serious in our family."

Certainly, for Greo-san, who owns a shop in this town, it's no laughing matter.
Dharma is a big city, so nothing too strange should happen, but if the lord's debt payments fall behind, it could temporarily become a lawless area.
If that happens, bandits and highwaymen will come rushing in from all directions.
If that happens, it'll be the end of this city.

"So, I would like the lord to do something about it, but he has been particularly inactive lately. ……You better start looking for other routes to sell your products."
"Is it that bad? I did feel that it was gradually becoming more and more empty every time I visited, but……"
"I don't think it'll happen right away, though. But it will be challenging without doing something. Anything."
"Something……huh?"

I don't know anything about managing a domain, but I've heard stories about discovering mineral veins in one's territory or acquiring enormous wealth through trade with foreign countries.
However, I have never heard any rumors that the Earl of Dharma is involved in such a business.
Even though I was just a small-time peddler, I still heard rumors about big developments.

"So, are you heading back soon? If you'd like, I'll pull up a chair for you. Why don't you talk to our junior staff about traveling sales?"
"Are you sure? Oh, I'd love to!"
"These days, there aren't many young peddlers like you anymore, Rick. But the basics of business are still earned through hard work. Please tell them that. Man, these days everyone's so focused on stability and valuing life. It's so boring."
"Hahaha, if you don't mind me."

The conversation came to an end, and just as I was about to return to the inn, the bell attached to the door rang.
What appeared was a boy and girl who looked to be around 15 years old.
The boy was holding something that looked like a box made of strange material that I had never seen before.

"Um, I would like you to purchase this. You do that here, right? I asked at the guild, but they said they're only buying magic stones right now."
"E-Excuse me. We're explorers, and we found this on the first floor, so it might not be anything special, but we've never seen anything like it before."

The boy and girl explained the items they had brought with them as if attempting to justify themselves.
I'm an outsider, so all I can do is watch from the sidelines, but I was drawn to the box the boy brought with him.

I don't know how to express it.
It's like a sophisticated box from the distant future.
They didn't seem to understand its value, but a merchant would recognize at a glance that this was something extraordinary. After all, even I, who used to work for a major merchant in the royal capital, can clearly see that it is made from materials I have never seen before.

This is from the dungeon, and you got out of the first floor?
The first floor is at a level where even I could get around, you know!?

Of course, Greo-san knows that better than I do.
His expression is cheerful, but his eyes are not smiling.

"Is that all there is, just that box? Let me see it."
“Um, sure. Also, this came out from inside. This is leather, isn't it? If possible, I would appreciate it if you could buy it at a high price……"

The boy opened the box and took out a pair of gloves.
The material is leather.…… or at least it seems so at first glance. However, the pure white leather was finely tanned using highly advanced techniques, and it was soft and supple to the touch, something I had never seen before.

"I-Is that…… from the first layer……? "

I blurted it out, and Greo-san scolded me with his eyes, so I quickly shut my mouth.
I'm not a good businessman, but this is something that's beyond my control.
Because such a thing is inconceivable.