After we repelled the swarm of Sandworms, the rest of the journey was almost unnervingly smooth. With no further monster attacks to slow us down, we reached Berhes in a mere three days.
Then again, the desert was a harsh environment even for monsters. Aside from specialized species like Sandworms, very few creatures could survive in the dunes. Apparently, it wouldn't have been unusual if we hadn't encountered a single monster at all.
Our Escort Mission officially ended upon arrival. I parted ways with Mr. Guster after receiving a reward considerably higher than the stipulated amount. That said, I still had to deliver the metal Multi-legged Golems he’d commissioned, so we were bound to meet again.
"Now then, should we start by gathering some information?" I asked.
"Right," Halfa agreed. "We need to figure out what lies to the east of here."
Our ultimate objective wasn't Berhes itself, but the lands further east. To be honest, I didn't know much about that region. At the very least, there weren't supposed to be any major cities beyond this point. That meant Berhes was our last chance to stock up on intelligence.
"But shouldn't we take it easy for today, at least?" Spira suggested.
"She’s right," Lowell added. "We finally made it to a new city, after all!"
『I’m certain there’s something delicious nearby! I can feel it!』
At that moment, Halfa and the others—led by Shiroru—raised an collective objection. I could understand how they felt. We had been doing nothing but traveling lately, and we hadn't had a proper moment to relax.
I wasn't quite as obsessed as Shiroru, but I always enjoyed trying out a city's Specialty Dish. There was always the chance of discovering unexpected ingredients, so I was fairly curious myself.
"Fair enough. In that case, we'll start the information gathering tomorrow! Let's just spend today wandering around the city."
The moment I made the declaration, Halfa and Spira cheered in unison. Lowell didn't say anything, but a smile played across his lips.
『Mmm... in that case, this way! There is definitely something delicious in this direction!』
It seemed Shiroru’s Gluttony Sensor had picked up a signal. I suspected she might just be following her nose at random, but since we didn't have a specific destination in mind, I figured we might as well follow her.
Perhaps because the Arena Contest was drawing near, Berhes was incredibly lively. Many of the people walking the streets carried an air of confidence, looking like they were quite proud of their strength. Their vibe was slightly different from typical Adventurers, likely due to their equipment.
Adventurers primarily fought monsters. To take down creatures with high Vitality, they tended to favor massive, high-impact weaponry. On the other hand, Arena Matches were mostly anti-personnel. Maneuverability and handling were prioritized over raw power. Furthermore, in many matches, intentionally killing an opponent resulted in a foul and immediate disqualification. Consequently, weapons with high lethality weren't as common.
Because of those subtle differences, I could usually guess whether someone was an Adventurer or not just by looking at their gear. Of course, since many people likely did both, it was still hard to say for sure who was a professional Arena Competitor.
As I observed our surroundings, we followed Shiroru’s lead until we arrived at a certain diner.
『It's here! A mysterious scent is wafting from inside!』
It seemed Shiroru had been guiding us by scent after all. Or rather, by the time we reached the door, even the rest of us could smell it. It was a unique, mouth-watering aroma. Wait, could this scent be... curry?!
『What are you waiting for, Tort! Let's get inside!』
"Ah, right. Coming."
Urged on by Shiroru, we stepped into the shop. It appeared to be a local favorite; despite it being an odd hour for a meal, a significant number of tables were occupied. Fortunately, we managed to secure enough seats for the whole group. The shop seemed to serve only one type of dish, the name of which I didn't recognize. Nevertheless, the aroma filling the room was undeniably curry. But—
"Wait, was I wrong?" I muttered.
"Hmm? What's the matter?" Lowell asked.
What was placed before us was not, in fact, curry. At least, not in the way I knew it. The smell was identical, but the dish itself looked like a stir-fry of meat, vegetables, and potatoes.
Since I had been so certain that curry was coming, the words had slipped out before I could stop them. Lowell gave me a puzzled look.
"No, it's nothing," I said quickly.
And it really was nothing. The dish looked delicious in its own right. My brain was just struggling to catch up because I had been so mentally prepared for a bowl of curry.
"Heh, this is a unique flavor! But it's good!"
『What is this? My tongue is tingling!』
"It's interesting!"
The taste wasn't bad at all. It was spicy with a distinct curry-like profile. It was undoubtedly because of the spices used in the seasoning. Come to think of it, I had heard that the Zephyrson Clan Union was rich in spices. Some of the food I'd eaten back in Orcus had also featured unique flavorings; looking back, that was probably thanks to these regional spices as well.
If spices were this abundant, there might actually be a shop somewhere that served proper curry.
Don't get me wrong—this dish was great—but now my head was completely filled with thoughts of the real thing. I really wanted to eat curry. Worst-case scenario, I could always try to buy the spices and make it myself.
I was lost in my culinary daydreams when a voice interrupted me.
"If it isn't Lowell! And Tort's group too! To think we'd run into you in a place like this!"
The familiar voice came from the neighboring table. I looked over and saw a party of four Adventurers. I recognized two of them immediately.
"Zephyr? It's been a while. You guys are out this way, too?"
The man who had called out was Zephyr, whom we had befriended back in the Royal Capital Garond in the Kingdom of Lievril. Naturally, Eina was with him. I figured the other two were the members who had been away on personal business when we first met.