Chapter 41: Roses Town Guidebook

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Roses Town Guidebook

Just then, Annis’s voice came from inside the carriage again: "Alright, hurry up and take care of it. Fred, let’s go inside. Don’t waste any more time."

"Yes, Miss!" Ford quickly waved his hand, signaling the burly men in blue to disperse the crowd and clear the road.

The carriage started moving again. Surrounded by members of the Tide Merchants Association and saluted by the Guards, it passed unhindered through the bustling gates of Rose Town.

Hesia sat inside the carriage, watching the dramatic scene unfold through the window.

’Was it really that easy to solve?’

’Is this how the rich handle things?’

...

The carriage rolled through the east gate.

Hesia couldn’t help but gasp in amazement as he looked out the window.

Though both were called towns, Print looked like a large village at best. Rose Town, on the other hand, was clearly a vibrant, bustling city!

They were currently at the town’s east gate, which was situated on higher ground, providing a perfect bird’s-eye view.

Looking out, a sea of rooftops of varying heights stretched as far as the eye could see, with no end in sight.

The flow of people resembled an ant colony, scurrying in and out of the complex network of alleyways.

Nearby, rows of blacksmith shops billowed thick black smoke from their chimneys.

"CLANG! BANG! CLANG! BANG!"

The sounds of hammering were incessant.

Near the blacksmiths were mostly Warriors clad in Chain Armor, carrying various weapons on their backs. Mixed in among them were a few discreetly dressed Stalkers with wary eyes.

They were carefully inspecting newly forged weapons or freshly repaired equipment.

As lunchtime approached, the aroma of food began to fill the air.

The charred scent of roasted meat, the rich fragrance of ale, and the sweet smell of bread mingled with the odor of coal smoke and pack animals, creating a uniquely rugged atmosphere.

After the commotion at the town gate, Hesia noticed that Annis had been staring out the window with a heavy heart, no longer speaking.

It wasn’t until the carriage turned onto a relatively wide main road that she finally spoke. "You can get out here."

She took a gleaming gold coin from her exquisite Money Bag and handed it to Hesia.

It was the Golden Shield they had agreed upon.

Hesia nodded and took the payment without saying much.

He was well aware that this beautiful, wealthy young lady of extraordinary background was from a completely different world than his.

Getting a ride with her and receiving such a generous reward was already a stroke of great luck.

A journey that would have normally taken four or five days of arduous travel was completed with ease in just a day and a half.

He nimbly hopped off the carriage with Bruce.

After he got down, Steward Ford of the Tide Merchants Association gave him a friendly smile.

Although Hesia didn’t understand the situation, he politely nodded back in response.

After Hesia left with Bruce, the carriage door remained open.

Annis said to Ford, who was outside, "Steward Ford, get in the carriage."

"Yes, Miss." Ford replied respectfully, ducking into the carriage.

The carriage continued to move forward steadily.

"My father was the one who notified you, wasn’t he?" Annis asked, getting straight to the point. "Did he say anything else?"

Ford answered cautiously, "Yes, Miss. It was an order from Chairman Raymond."

"He instructed that while you are in Rose Town, you might as well learn about managing the shops."

"Furthermore, he said that until the heir of the Atmesia Clan is found, he will not interfere too much with your activities. It’s just..."

When Annis heard that surname, her pretty face instantly darkened. She let out an irritated "Hmph!" and cut Ford off.

Ford tactfully shut his mouth and said no more.

Annis got furious just hearing that name!

It all stemmed from an incident in her father, Raymond’s, past.

When Raymond was young, he received financial backing from the Atmesia Clan in Horder City. He later went south to a port city to do business. Aided by his Wisdom and good fortune, his enterprise expanded rapidly, eventually culminating in the founding of the massive Tide Merchants Association.

Later, upon learning of the Atmesia Clan’s decline, Raymond wrote them a letter. In it, he expressed his wish to marry his daughter to them and offered a huge sum of money to help resolve their family’s bloodline Curse, all to repay their kindness from years ago.

However, the letter vanished without a trace.

The person sent to Horder to inquire about the situation reported back that the one who had sponsored him had passed away. There was only one surviving heir, but their whereabouts were unknown.

Naturally, Annis was completely against this arranged marriage.

’Are you kidding me? Marry a man I’ve never even met?’

’I don’t even know what he looks like, or if he’s dead or alive.’

Besides, she had never cared for noble titles.

She longed for a life of unrestrained adventure, fantasizing about a future husband who would take her to explore ancient forests, mysterious ruins, and even dangerous Dungeons.

But her old-fashioned father said the matter was not up for discussion. He even bought a property in Horder and forced her to live there, calling it "getting familiar with the environment."

She had nearly gone mad after living in that backwater place for just over a month.

So, relying on the little Swordsmanship she had learned since she was a child, she planned this escape. Her goal was to secretly run away to the more distant Rose Town and register as a true Adventurer.

Unfortunately, her plan was discovered by the old steward her father had sent.

The old steward probably knew he couldn’t stop her, so he compromised.

However, for safety reasons, he insisted she hire an Adventurer for the journey.

She just never expected to hire that damned swindler, Odin.

At the same time, the old steward had secretly notified her father.

And that’s what led to the scene of Steward Ford welcoming her at the gate today.

Annis thought, her cheeks puffed out in anger.

’Trying to tie me down with shop errands and all these people watching me? Hmph! You underestimate me!’

’Just you wait, I’ll definitely find a chance to sneak away!’

’I’ll register as an Adventurer, learn powerful skills, and become a mighty Professional!’

’I heard... that guy from the Atmesia family is named Hesia? Hmph, you’d better never show your face! Otherwise... I’ll beat you to a pulp and make sure you never dare mention that ridiculous marriage proposal!’

...

「Meanwhile.」

Hesia stood at a crossroads with Bruce, feeling a bit lost.

He approached a street vendor selling various goods and asked, "Hello, could you please tell me where the Adventurer Guild is?"

Seeing Hesia’s travel-worn appearance, the vendor knew he was a new Adventurer, and his eyes instantly lit up.

"Oh, my dear customer, you must be new in town, right? The Adventurer Guild? Just follow this Rose Avenue you’re on, head west, and you’ll see a three-story stone building with a huge oak sign out front. That’s the one!"

As he spoke, he pulled a small booklet bound in rough paper from under his stall as if by magic. The cover had a crooked drawing of what looked like a map of Rose Town.