The next day, we set out to gather information on Albiroda. After all, we couldn't just ignore the existence of a dungeon that Garna knew nothing about.
Lowell, Spira, and Garna took charge of the investigation at the Adventurer's Guild. If a new dungeon had appeared, there was a high chance the local adventurers were already swapping stories about it. I asked them to dig into that while the Petit Golems helped by scouring the city for rumors. Pino had chirped, "It's a cafe tour!" but I was confident he’d actually take the job seriously.
Meanwhile, Halfa, Shiroru, and I made our way to the Merchant Guild. Rebvuer was a commercial nation, meaning the merchants here held significant power—and likely a wealth of information. Getting that info might cost us, but that was just part of the negotiation. For now, we needed to test the waters.
The Merchant Guild building stood imposingly in the heart of the city. Considering the scale of the country, the structure was massive. People of all races were flowing in and out, and we blended into the crowd as we stepped through the entrance.
"How should we go about gathering information?" Halfa asked, tilting her head.
"I think it’s best to ask around under the guise of wanting to buy items from the dungeon," I replied, sharing my plan.
Our "opponents" were merchants, after all. Playing the role of a buyer was the most natural approach. If they thought they had a customer, they’d likely share details about their stock without us even having to ask. Our goal was to find a merchant handling items flowing in from Albiroda.
With our plan decided, I started looking for a suitable person to approach, only to spot a familiar Grassfolk in the crowd. I didn't recognize him from recently, but from quite a while ago.
"Oh, aren't you the boy who came to my shop back then? I’d know that cloak anywhere."
Just as the memory was beginning to surface, he called out to me. That did it—I remembered him clearly now. He was the Grassfolk merchant who had sold me my Cloak of Grace.
"Hello! I never expected to run into you in a place like this."
"Me neither!" the man laughed heartily. He didn't look any older than us, but it was always strange to remember he actually had children.
"Um, Tort, is he an acquaintance of yours?" Halfa asked.
"Yeah. He’s the one who had a shop in Cygnil."
"Wait, really?" Halfa looked surprised. After all, she and I had met in Cygnil too. It had only been about six months ago, but it felt like a lifetime had passed since then. So much had happened.
The man introduced himself as Bueda. Apparently, he was currently visiting his hometown. By the time we finished catching up on what had happened in Cygnil after our departure, a fair amount of time had slipped away.
"Anyway, what brings you to the Merchant Guild? If you're looking for a deal, I’m all ears."
Bueda-san flashed a bright, carefree smile, but I knew better than to lower my guard. I understood all too well how relentless the commercial spirit of the Grassfolk could be. They were incredibly pushy when they sensed a profit.
That said, I didn't think he was the type to scam or overcharge people. The Cloak of Grace was such a high-performance piece of equipment that I was still using it today. Considering he’d let me have it for just three gold coins, it had actually been a very generous price.
"Well, it’s not exactly a business deal this time," I said. "We were actually looking for information on the Albiroda dungeon."
"Ah, that. It’s certainly a hot topic among us merchants too. Though I’m afraid I don't know the most recent details myself."
A new dungeon was a gold mine for merchants and adventurers alike. It seemed my hunch that the Merchant Guild would be talking about it was correct. Unfortunately, Bueda-san didn't have the specifics.
"I do know someone who might be better informed, though. Do you want to try talking to him?"
"Is it okay? Yes, please."
"Don't mention it." Bueda-san waved his hand dismissively, though a wry smile played on his lips. "Though I can't guarantee he’ll be straight with you. He’s a greedy fellow, after all."
It sounded like he had a real character in mind. Maybe I jumped the gun on this... I was just beginning to worry when a familiar voice called out from behind us. It was a voice I had heard very recently.
"Who are you calling greedy? You’re one to talk."
"How offensive. I’m not nearly as bad as you. Ah, Tort-kun, this is the guy I mentioned. It looks like he’s been eavesdropping for a while, so he’s already up to speed."
Bueda-san introduced him, but I didn't need the introduction. The owner of the voice was Beere-san. It was just like him to be the one well-versed in the goings-on of Albiroda.
"Hello, Beere-san."
"It's only been a day!" Halfa added.
"Yo! I had no idea you kids were friends with Bueda," Beere-san said with a grin.
Bueda-san’s eyes went wide as he watched us greet each other so casually. "Wait, Beere, you know these kids too?"
"Yeah. Remember that story I told you yesterday? About the adventurers who hunted that Tilaza?"
"Wait... that was them? Wow... when they came to my shop, they seemed like total rookies."
Bueda-san seemed genuinely shocked to hear I’d taken down a B-Rank beast like a Tilaza. I suppose it really did show how much we had grown.
Ignoring Bueda-san's surprise, Beere-san gave us a sly smirk.
"So, you wanted to hear about Albiroda? I happen to be quite the expert. I’m happy to talk... but information always comes with a price, doesn't it? Heh, I’ve heard the rumors. Aren't you the owner of that new hamburger shop that just opened in Welno? You must have some other profitable ideas up your sleeve, don't you? Hmm?"
A price, huh. It’s expected, I suppose, but he’s certainly not being subtle about it. Beere-san definitely felt a lot greedier than Bueda-san.
Still, I was surprised to hear that a hamburger shop had already been established as far away as Welno...