Over an hour later.
Colin and Kase walked out of the herb shop.
They clutched empty bags in one hand and held a bulging money pouch in the other.
The member of the Hundred Eyes Gang who had notarized their deal was already back at the tavern, and Bob had gone home. With no quests to be found, the two of them decided to head to the herb shop to sell off their remaining goods.
"The herbs sold for thirteen Gold Coins. Adding the money from the carriage escort and the Wolf Hides, then subtracting the cost of the Javelins, our total comes to fifteen Gold Coins..."
As he spoke, Colin took out five Gold Coins, three Silver Coins, and four Copper Coins and put them in his own pouch, then handed the other ten-odd Gold Coins to Kase.
"So heavy. My money pouch can't even hold it all."
The Half-Orc grinned, his fearsome smile startling a few passersby.
Colin sighed. "We made quite a lot. I don't know if we should call this trip lucky or unlucky."
"Unlucky, but we muscled through it with our own strength," Kase said.
A moment later.
Colin frowned. "But speaking of which... it seems like we came all this way and still didn't find any work."
"Oh, right!" Kase slapped the back of his own head.
He added, "But since we earned so much money, there's no need to be in such a rush, is there?"
"The problem is we don't have a steady income. A handful of Gold Coins won't last long, and we still need to save up," Colin said, scratching his head.
"Then let's just go gather herbs."
"It's too unreliable. If we hadn't snatched the goblin's Herb Bag or killed the Winter Wolf, it's hard to say if we would have even made five Gold Coins this whole trip. Not to mention, if we go out on our own, we have to worry about food and lodging..."
Colin let out a deep sigh and continued, "I'm sure not many of those refugees are getting rich this way."
He felt his heart skip a few beats.
A faint sense of anxiety gnawed at him again.
'Five Gold Coins is only enough for a little over two months of living expenses. If we moved into the city... we might not even be able to find a place to live.'
'To be honest, I was never this anxious back when I was a wage slave in my previous life.'
'After all, in modern society, being poor was just being poor. Even if you had to beg on the streets, you could at least get a full meal. And my family back home was always a safety net.'
'But in this Otherworld, things are different.'
'Here, I'm completely on my own. And the slums are probably only a little safer than the monster-infested wilderness.'
'If I really ended up on the streets, the gangs and refugees would eat me alive, leaving nothing behind!'
"Let's check with Bob again tomorrow. We'll stay in the city for three more days. If we really can't find any work, we'll go outside the city to try our luck, either gathering herbs or taking on bounties to kill monsters."
"Sounds good." Kase nodded.
The two of them went outside the city to spar for a while before parting ways and heading home to sleep.
「Three days later.」
Colin and Kase met up early at the Black Heart Tavern.
Just like the past few days, the notice board was still spotless. The two had found practically nothing.
Kase, who had arrived first, wolfed down his breakfast in a few bites and asked, "How about we split up and look around later? I think I can communicate normally with humans now. You know, act a little friendlier and stuff."
"Al... alright. Let's meet back here in the afternoon."
With that, Kase got up and left.
Colin, who had deliberately worn his Leather Armor, took a bite of cheese.
A sour taste and a faint, raw milkiness instantly filled his mouth.
Over the past few days, he had told Bob about their situation, and even Old Black Heart was helping them keep an eye out for suitable work.
The coachmen from the Coachman's Union who still dared to leave the city generally had better options. Meanwhile, the Adventurers who were slightly stronger than Colin and his group were also busy saving money, so it was hard to pry any quests away from them in just three days.
There was no news from the Dwarves either, not that their quests would have paid any money anyway.
Colin was starting to feel hesitant about spending more time job hunting.
'After all, buying my own food to go out and gather herbs is too dependent on luck. If my luck is bad, I could even end up losing money.'
After finishing his breakfast, Colin left the tavern.
He peeked into a few taverns in the slums. The notice boards were mostly empty of quests, and the makeshift hiring spots by the roadside were as crowded as ever.
He saw many new northern faces in the other taverns.
'Perhaps they're new refugees who've become Adventurers. Before long, they'll probably end up joining the gangs, too.'
Several hours passed with no progress.
'Aside from the extra coins in my pocket, it feels like everything is back to how it was a few weeks ago when I couldn't find a job. Everything is at a standstill.'
Just then, as Colin was walking down the road, he suddenly spotted a limping figure.
"Colin?" Bob called out from a distance.
"It's me!" Colin hurried over to meet him.
Bob, drenched in sweat, said urgently, "I heard the City Watchers are recruiting. Why don't you take Kase and go check it out?"
"The City Watchers?" Colin asked, frowning.
'I remember this organization is the army of Thousand Masts City, under the command of the city's council.'
'Without a doubt, they would be the main force in any war.'
'During peacetime, the City Watchers are also responsible for guarding the surrounding towns and major roads. Rumors of them wiping out monsters in the wild often circulate in the taverns.'
"I heard the recent winter disaster has been a real headache for them, so they're planning to form a new department," Bob said, catching his breath. He continued, "They're holding interviews at Horn Castle right now. They only want Adventurers with combat ability. I think you and Kase would qualify."
Colin pulled a few Copper Coins from his money pouch and pressed them into Bob's hand. "I'll go check it out first. You go have a couple of drinks at the Black Heart Tavern."
"Alright. Just head to Horn Castle in the Castle District," Bob said.
Knowing the location, Colin quickly followed the main road toward the Inner City.
'I don't know what the City Watchers are recruiting for, or how many people they need.'
'Even though the more imposing Kase isn't with me, it's best if I go check it out first. It would be bad if all the spots were taken.'
After being inspected by the gate Guards, Colin walked into the Inner City.
The scene inside the city was a completely different world from the one outside.
Colin walked on a stone-paved road that was twenty-five meters wide.
The road was lined with Crystal-embedded street lamps and buildings with purple roofs. The unique medieval style of the architecture, combined with the wide road, created a somewhat incongruous scene.
The streets were bustling with an endless stream of people.
Most of them were well-dressed citizens of the Inner City. Occasionally, he could spot soldiers in military uniforms and Mages in silk robes.
Thanks to the Leather Armor he was wearing, Colin didn't look too out of place walking down the street.
'Of course, in my past life, I never felt embarrassed walking into a high-end restaurant wearing a cheap shirt that cost a few bucks, so I certainly wasn't going to start now.'
He looked up into the distance.
A low hill rose from the city center, with a purple castle and dozens of towers connected by walls sprawling across its ridge. Next to the castle stood the towering Black Tower, which was visible even from outside the city.
Griffins soared through the sky, circling the towers. The windows of the Black Tower flickered with the Spiritual Light of Magic, likely from some Mage experimenting with Magic.
That was the so-called Horn Castle.
Compared to the slums, it didn't seem like it could even exist in the same world.
Colin quickened his pace and strode toward his destination.