Chapter 3
The Big Town
Translator : PolterGlast
About two days after
leaving the village and following the road I was told about, as I followed the
small signs that stood along the way, a town larger than any I had ever seen
came into view.
Since getting on the
well-paved road, the number of people passing by has been insane; on this road
alone, I've already passed several times the number of people who live in Furo
village. While I feel a slight fear of this unknown world, I can't help but feel
a thrill, unbecoming of my age, at the sight of the large town before me.
First of all, the
castle walls surrounding the town are incredible.
Furo village was also
surrounded by a protective fence, but it was a very crude thing made of
assembled logs.
No, until I saw these
walls, I never even thought it was crude, but in comparison, I have to admit it
was.
And built into those
walls is a large gate.
It seems the only way
into the town is through two gates, one south and one north, and they're
conducting body searches in front of them, perhaps to keep strange people out.
A large crowd of people is lined up along the road from the town, waiting for
these body searches, and I'm overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in the
queue.
The magnificent gate,
the people trying to enter the town.
I haven't even seen
the inside of the town yet, but I'm already so overwhelmed that my jaw is
hanging open.
As I waited in line,
observing the various other people queueing like me, my turn for the body
search came in no time.
To be honest, I'm
getting scared of entering the town, but having come this far, turning back is
not an option.
"Next, step
forward."
Called by the soldier,
I took a step forward.
Standing right next to
him like this, the soldier is surprisingly short.
"You're pretty
big. Got an impressive build, too... Are you an adventurer?"
"No, I'm not an
adventurer. I came to this town looking for work."
"Looking for
work... huh. Is that small bag all your luggage?"
"That's right.
And I have the katana at my waist."
"A k-katana?
--Hey, Taremi, look! It's not a sword, it's a katana!"
"It's true! Is it
by a famous swordsmith!?"
The soldiers showed
interest in the katana I was wearing and began to get excited, forgetting about
the body search.
They asked me a bunch
of questions, but it was just made for me by the blacksmith in my village, so I
don't know any details either.
"There was a
blacksmith in the small village where I lived, and he made this for me, so I
don't think it has much value."
"Tch, what a letdown.
I heard katana and thought for sure it was some masterpiece. If it was forged
by someone in a small village, then yeah, it probably isn't worth much.
Anyway... no dangerous items. You can pass."
I could tell their
excitement had blatantly dropped, and it seems I got their hopes up for
nothing.
I did slay an Ancient
Dragon with this katana, though, so I think it's a decent blade... but well, it
probably has no monetary value.
In any case, I
received permission to enter, so I bowed to the soldiers who performed the
search and finally entered the town of Biodasdal.
Now, I wonder just
what kind of townscape spreads out beyond the wall.
After taking a deep
breath, I took a step into the town.
The first thing I saw
was—a massive crowd. All sorts of people were coming and going, and beyond them
stood countless buildings.
It was a completely
different world from Furo village, like I had jumped into the world of a story
I read when I was little.
Until just a few days
ago, I never imagined I'd have an experience like this at my age.
I suppressed the giddy
desire to explore every corner of the town; first, I have to start looking for
a job, or I won't even be able to stay at an inn.
As for professions I
could take up, it's either a soldier or an adventurer.
For some reason, being
a soldier feels like a more proper profession, and although you couldn't call
it a job since I wasn't paid, what I did in the village was close to what a
soldier does.
Because of that, my
heart wants to become a soldier, but... the more "proper" the
profession, the lower my chances of getting hired.
I must not forget
that, at the end of the day, I am an unemployed, one-armed, forty-two-year-old
geezer.
I stopped myself from
heading towards the barracks and decided to try becoming an adventurer, which
I've heard is something anyone can do if they try.
I found out where the
Adventurer's Guild was and headed there at once.
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