novelraw Chapter 127 : An Unexpected Harvest
Chapter 127 : An Unexpected Harvest
Chapter 127: An Unexpected Harvest
The morning meal preparations passed in a frenzy.
Humphrey took the orders, and Margaret helped make the sandwiches.
After serving, Robin wiped down the tables whenever a guest finished eating.
“Not a face I’ve seen before. Are you a new employee?”
“I looked busy, so I’m just helping out for a bit.”
A few of the guests struck up conversations with Robin.
There was something good about moving around the hall like this.
He could get acquainted with faces and overhear their stories.
“There were casualties in the subjugation of the dangerous zone.”
“They issued a large-scale mobilization, but I guess it’s not enough.”
“They might even rope in Bronze Badge adventurers at this rate.”
Setting aside the reliability of the information, there were several stories that piqued his interest.
Even if he wasn’t immediately curious, it was useful to gauge the overall atmosphere.
‘There might even be someone among them worth recruiting as a companion.’
Thanks to Robin’s diligent service, they got through the busiest hours without much trouble.
“You said you’d help Margaret, but I ended up receiving the most help.”
Humphrey wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a breath.
The number of inn guests had increased compared to when Robin first arrived.
Normally, even Michael would have helped with the work, but they didn’t have that luxury now.
Was it true that a crisis could be an opportunity.
With the guild unable to fulfill its role for an extended period, adventurers who had halted their activities were beginning to stir.
‘It was a good decision to send Sigbard.’
If more Bronze Badge adventurers were heading outside, that meant more variables.
He had seen firsthand that adventurers were more dangerous than Monsters.
Now that the adventurers’ activities were subdued, it was more suitable to move around alone.
Around the time Margaret finished washing the dishes.
Robin casually opened his mouth.
“Humphrey, may I ask you a favor?”
“What kind of favor?”
“Could you lend me the key to the staff storage on the second floor?”
The biggest reason Robin had volunteered to help Margaret.
If he examined the storage room, he might find a clue.
“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Humphrey refused outright.
“I’ve put off organizing the storage for a long time, so it’s a complete mess. To be honest, even I don’t know where everything is.”
“If I lend a hand, at least it’ll get a bit organized.”
“Even so, I can’t leave it to you, Robin. I’ll gratefully accept the thought.”
“You handed the key over to Matthew, though.”
“He’s trustworthy. Without that level of trust, he wouldn’t have worked in Narvik for so long.”
‘So I don’t have that level of trust yet.’
Well, it had been Sigbard who saved Margaret, not Robin.
‘Though I doubt it would have changed even if Sigbard had asked.’
He had been blocked from the start.
But he had no intention of giving up.
“Do you remember what you were doing yesterday at 1 p.m.?”
“At that time yesterday, I was out.”
Robin’s eyes flashed.
The next words, however, were not what he had hoped to hear.
“I went to the market.”
Humphrey continued with a detailed explanation.
He had been out until evening, and Michael had taken his place.
Since there were several people Humphrey claimed to have met, it didn’t sound like a lie.
“But why are you asking something like that? I didn’t realize you were interested in me.”
“We’ll be seeing each other often from now on, so I was just asking to get closer.”
He had indeed pressed Humphrey rather closely.
Depending on how it was taken, the questions could have been unpleasant.
Fortunately, Humphrey simply smiled good-naturedly and let it slide.
Margaret, having finished cleaning the floor, approached them.
“You worked hard, Robin. I’ll bring you some cold grape juice.”
“No, please rest. I’ll step outside for a moment.”
“The grape juice is delicious though……”
Robin took some cool water and headed straight to the well.
The laborers were busy moving stones.
“You there! Stop if you go too far inside, it’s dangerous!”
Following Matthew’s commands, four or five workers moved in sync.
“Ah, ah! The equipment’s going to fall in!”
A cylindrical support slowly rolled toward the well.
The workers stretched out their feet to try and catch it, but it wasn’t enough.
Tadadak.
Robin dashed forward in an instant and barely managed to stop it.
Matthew widened his eyes and looked Robin up and down.
“Are you a Silver Badge adventurer?”
Robin pulled out his Bronze Badge from his chest and showed it.
Matthew let out a hollow laugh and declared a break for the workers.
“What brings you here? Did you come to supervise whether the well repairs are going properly?”
“I had a bit of time to spare. I came out to get some fresh air.”
Robin handed Matthew his canteen.
Not expecting even water to be brought to him, Matthew thanked him and drained it in one gulp.
“Kheu. The water tastes good.”
“I heard the construction is done at fixed hours every day.”
“That’s right. We’re doing our best except from 12 to 1.”
“So from 1 p.m., everyone works together on the construction?”
‘In that case, Matthew also has an alibi.’
“Have you perhaps seen anything suspicious in the second-floor staff storage?”
“Something suspicious? Well, no. They were all ordinary items. Why do you ask?”
“Think carefully. Something like a purplish, unsettling stone, or an object that gave off a negative aura—did you see anything like that?”
Matthew narrowed his brow slightly and fell into thought.
“No. If there had been something like that, Humphrey would’ve sold it off for a high price.”
As expected.
It didn’t seem like Matthew was lying.
“Thanks for answering.”
“Huh? Huh? Where are you going?”
“I just stepped out for a moment, so I’m heading back in.”
Leaving the bewildered Matthew behind, he returned to the inn.
Humphrey, who should have been guarding the first floor, was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, Margaret carefully carried out two glasses.
Upon spotting Robin, she waved cheerfully.
“Try this. It’s orange juice.”
A fresh, sweet fragrance tickled his nose.
“The boss said he’d step out for a bit and told me to treat you, Robin.”
“I’ll drink it well.”
He gulped down the cool, sweet juice.
It was delicious enough to make his eyes widen.
“It’s good, right? Shall I pour you another glass?”
“Yes. The sweetness without any bitterness is exquisite.”
He had been disappointed at not achieving any notable results, but that disappointment vanished in an instant.
Seeing Robin smile, Margaret gestured to him.
“Come over here.”
Margaret led Robin to a space he had never seen before, deep inside the kitchen.
It was a spacious room with a long sofa along the wall.
In front of the sofa was a low table, and from the oak barrel placed on top of it, Margaret ladled out orange juice.
“This is something Boss Humphrey cherishes, but I’m giving it to you because it’s you, Robin.”
Up close, the oak barrel was only half full.
Even without any special device, the juice remained cool.
‘Humphrey, Michael, Matthew. If it’s none of the three, then who is it?’
Seated on the sofa, Robin downed the juice in one go.
The moment he tilted his head back to drain the very last drop of the sweet juice.
He discovered a slight gap in the ceiling tile.
“Margaret, does the ceiling here come apart or something?”
Margaret looked at the spot Robin pointed to and shook her head.
“There’s no way. It looks just like the other tiles.”
“Look closely. Only this tile has a wider gap than the others.”
“Couldn’t it just not fit perfectly?”
As if she had developed a taste for drinking orange juice during work hours, Margaret poured herself another glass and drank.
She dismissed Robin’s words as nothing significant, but Robin thought differently.
‘There are traces of it being opened and closed.’
The gaps around the tile were worn down.
It was something one wouldn’t notice without looking carefully, but Robin had sharp eyesight.
He rose from his seat and slowly ran his hand along the wall.
“Um… what are you suddenly doing?”
Margaret looked at him in puzzlement, but he paid it no mind.
‘Here it is.’
A brick at the edge of the wall shifted ever so slightly.
When he pressed it with considerable force, the brick sank inward.
Clunk.
The ceiling tile swung open wide, and a ladder dropped down.
Margaret’s eyes widened as she stared upward.
“W-What is this?”
Robin stared at Margaret for a moment before climbing up the ladder.
“W-Wait a moment!”
Margaret came to her senses belatedly and tried to stop him, but he had already gone up.
Boxes filled with unused items were scattered all over the place.
From tools to old ledgers, clothes, backpacks, and all sorts of things were gathered there.
“Wait a moment… This place?”
Robin turned around and asked Margaret.
“Do you know where this is?”
“Yes… It’s the second-floor staff storage.”
An unexpected harvest.
“Boss Humphrey never mentioned there was a passage like this…….”
“Margaret, let’s just take a quick look around and go back down.”
“Huh? But we should be heading back soon.”
Robin strode over to Margaret.
“W-What is it…….”
“Don’t you want to see the pig?”
“Of course I do…….”
“I’ll bring it here now.”
“Huh? Here?”
When Robin said yes, Margaret hesitated.
“The staff storage isn’t a place just anyone can come and go…….”
“You don’t think I’d steal something, do you?”
“That’s not it!”
Margaret hesitated, then eventually nodded.
“Boss Humphrey will be back soon. Just ten minutes.”
“Thank you.”
When Robin smiled brightly at her, Margaret fanned herself with her hand to cool the heat rising to her face.
The dozens, hundreds of items rolling about before his eyes looked like old antiques.
Leaving the storage, he went up to the room where the pig was staying alone.
‘Ten minutes is too short, but it can’t be helped.’
He couldn’t possibly rummage through every box just to find a clue.
If Demonic Energy remained, the pig would react.
‘Oink, I’m counting on you.’
Robin believed the Rainbow Pig would display its ability.
Trudge. Trudge.
Sigbard wandered alone through the uncharted area without a destination.
He had considered helping Robin with Margaret, but after being told to earn some money, he came out.
He knew it was because Robin thought he might cause trouble and wanted him out of the way.
Even so, he had nothing to say.
After all, he had been the one to collapse the well.
Thud. Thud.
The entrance to the uncharted area was quiet.
Occasionally, a few Gnolls could be seen roaming, but none approached Sigbard.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t catch them if he gave chase, but Sigbard didn’t bother pursuing them either.
He walked as if on a stroll, tapping the ground with his rod for no particular reason.
“Since it’s come to this, I might as well train.”
He would pass the time appropriately and catch a few Monsters before returning.
There was no one around.
That made it even better.
In the city, there hadn’t been space to train, and his body had been itching.
Tap.
He aimed his rod into the air and began bouncing lightly in place.
Though his massive body looked as if it could shatter boulders, Sigbard’s footsteps were exceedingly light.
Whoosh.
The hand gripping the rod gradually moved faster.
The sound of slicing through the air soon formed a single flow.
Leading that flow was Sigbard’s rod.
A mass of air followed the tip of the rod, swelling in an instant.
Paaang!
The rod, which had been tracing steady lines, thrust forward.
Like bursting a water droplet, the air exploded and the shock spread.
The forward-driven shockwave tore through the ground as it passed.
“I’m still far from good enough.”
The spot it swept across for ten meters had become a deep pit.
It was deep enough to bury a person with ease, but Sigbard was not satisfied.
“Shall I see if anything’s buried in the ground.”
Thud.
He leapt straight toward the pit.
His weight was considerable, so the mere act of landing made the ground tremble.
“Hmm? The ground is somehow….”
Rumble—crash.
Sigbard couldn’t finish his sentence.
The floor collapsed outright.
Only for a brief moment was he flustered. His body reacted automatically as he landed.
Looking up at the sky, he realized he had fallen quite deep.
“What is this. Is it some kind of dungeon?”
He calmly looked around.
A circular cavity with a radius of about thirty meters.
“I never thought there’d be a place like this at the entrance.”
Torches were hung throughout the cavity.
And they were lit.
In other words, it was a place created artificially by someone.
“Robin might praise me for this.”
Standing at the center of the cavity, Sigbard stroked his chin.
Unaware of what kind of danger might be lurking, he took a step forward.