A Much-Deserved Rest The Survivors remained extremely busy after resolving the Steppingman case. They could have brought suspicion upon themselves if they botched any of the explanations of the unbelievable things that had happened. Worst case, there was a chance they could have been charged for the murder of Nargava, who was known as a charitable doctor. Nargava’s real murderer, White Mask, had fled, and the piece of armor they could have used as evidence had exploded without a trace. Olivia was the only person who could testify to back up their story, but her occupation as an occult reporter might only make people less inclined to believe them. Redd explained all of this passionately when the Survivors returned to Anemone Alehouse, and they quickly got to work looking for evidence. They explained the situation to the Manhunt guild employees, thoroughly investigated the clinic in the Garbage Heap and the house where the children were imprisoned, organized the physical evidence they found, went back to the guild to give another explanation, returned to where they fought Nargava… It was a tiring and stressful week. “I’m beyond exhausted,” Nick complained. “I can’t go on. This might be where I die…,” Tiana said. “Urgh, I’m starving…,” Karan grumbled. The Survivors were sprawled out on the sofas and floor of Anemone Alehouse. One might have thought they were passed out or dead. “On your feet, everyone. Can’t have you dying on me. We’re getting started,” Redd said, clapping their hands. The waiters began setting dish after dish of food on the tables. “Ooh, this looks delicious. The food is well-arranged, too,” Nick remarked. “Yeah, the presentation is beautiful. This girl deserves all the credit for that,” Redd said, motioning to one of the transgender waiters, who smiled proudly. “She was a tattoo artist before coming to this bar. She’s good at drawing, though not as skilled as Bond.” “Don’t compare yourself to Bond. He’s practically cheating,” Nick told the employee. Bond could draw with such detail because of his ability to store visual data in his head. The employee didn’t know that and seemed to think of him as a rival. “Out of the way, please,” Redd said, shooing Nick aside so they could help prepare the food. The main table featured fish mousse placed into glasses, cocktail salad made with labyrinth vegetables, herb-fried eight-horned boar meat, fried oysters, simmered sea bream head with angel mushrooms, and paella with mochi wheat. The food had a slightly more luxurious feel than usual. “Give a toast, Nick,” Redd urged. “All right. Does everyone have a glass?” Nick asked, looking around. The rest of the Survivors had all managed to scramble to their feet and grab drinks. Ada and Reina, who were regulars at the bar at this point, were present, too, and they were having fun talking to Redd and the waiters. There was one other important guest at the bar. “Man, you can never have enough free alcohol,” Olivia giggled as a waiter poured her a drink. “Hey,” Nick said. “Yeah?” Olivia responded. “Where have you been for the last week? You vanished on us. Do you have any idea how hard we’ve been working?” Olivia had disappeared soon after they’d rescued the abducted children. She didn’t show up once while the Survivors were running around trying to wrap up the Steppingman case. “I was working really hard, too, I’ll have you know! I was meeting with old acquaintances of mine to make sure you weren’t suspected or arrested!” “Really?” “Well, I ended up telling people that I defeated White Mask while you all assisted me, but… I couldn’t exactly tell people about Bond, could I?” Olivia said, giggling like an innocent girl. She received five frigid glares in response. “I appreciate you keeping mum on that, but we haven’t told anyone about your identity, either,” Nick responded. “All right, all right. I still have a lot I haven’t told you. I’ll take the time to fill you in later,” Olivia said, with no sign of a guilty conscience. Nick sighed with open annoyance. “Oh, what a pain… It doesn’t matter. You don’t need to explain yourself. I don’t wanna hear it,” he said. “H-hey! Surely you don’t mean that!” Olivia protested. “We can have a serious talk later. Right now, it’s time to celebrate. A lot has happened, but…” Nick trailed off. To say “a lot had happened” was an understatement. Nick thought of the incidents at the Garbage Heap, the kidnapped children, the girl who died, and Nargava, who treated patients even as he spread disease. For a moment, he thought it might be insensitive to hold a banquet like this. “A lot has happened, and that’s exactly why you need to let loose. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Ada finished, sensing the reason for his hesitation. She watched as Olivia cackled, who was already a few drinks in. “Geez, someone’s already started. Cheers. You all can spend the night however you want. Dig in!” Nick said perfunctorily, and everyone raised their glasses. They were all more than ready to begin. “Man, I’m getting a headache just thinking about everything I have to do,” Nick said. “Hey, don’t sweat the small stuff. Adventurers are supposed to live carefree lives,” Ada teased. Nick shook his head in annoyance. “Not all adventurers are like that. Right, Karan?” he said. “Yeah. It’s useful to have someone who constantly nags the party about small details the rest of us would rather not think about,” Karan responded happily after Nick called her over. “Damn straight,” Nick said. “I’m impressed you can be proud of that. Well, I get what you’re trying to say,” Ada said in disbelief, and Nick laughed. “Anyway, Nick. These oysters are amazing,” Karan remarked. “Oooh, lemme try.” Karan gave him an oyster small enough to be eaten in one bite. Nick had grown used to seafood as a child because he’d traveled a lot with his parents. “Oh, it’s spicy,” Karan warned. “Nnn…? Nnn?!” Nick screamed with his mouth shut. The oyster seemed mellow and creamy at first, but the spiciness that followed set his mouth on fire. He felt like he was going to break out sweating. “Do you have a drink?” “Yep,” Karan responded, handing him one almost as soon as he asked. It was white wine. It tasted refreshing as it went down his throat. “Man, these are delicious. I wish I could eat amazing food like this every day,” Nick said. Oysters were relatively expensive. Their delicate nature meant they had to be kept frozen by mages during transport, making them cost more to ship than resilient animals with a stronger taste. “The oyster wasn’t that expensive. There was a good haul,” Karan responded. “Huh… That’s good timing with the festival coming up,” Nick said. “What festival?” Karan asked, confused. “Oh yeah, it hasn’t been a whole year yet since you came. That goes for all of you, actually. Monsters are less active in the summer. It’s called estivation.” “Yeah, I know that.” “That makes it the perfect time for a festival. People shoot off fireworks near the Gooey Waterworks and open shops throughout the city. It’s fun.” “I wanna go!” “You should. We’re gonna have to take a break from our adventurer work because of the decreased monster activity anyway…” Nick used to dread the summer because his party would always go broke from the lack of jobs, but this year was different. His pockets were full because of the big job they’d just finished. It was the perfect season to have some fun. “Aren’t you forgetting about some work you have to do before then?” Redd asked. “Uh, well…,” Nick said. “Leon’s trial is approaching. They’re going to give an estimate for the amount of reparations he owes soon, and we need to make sure he’s squeezed for all he’s worth.” “Th-that sounds dramatic…” “His victims won’t get their money if we don’t. That applies to the casino and the passersby he injured, too. That’s why we’re going to sell his secret magic item and art collection and put them toward the reparations. Well, we’ll figure that part out after the trial.” “Just how big is his collection?” Redd’s mouth twisted into a grin. “Leon is a truly skilled excavator. It’s a collection that’ll make anyone’s mouth water.” “Really…?” Nick found that more than a little ironic. “Fortunately, he’s agreed to sell it. He’s even suggested we hold an auction in conjunction with the festival.” “If he had just led an honest life, he could’ve been renowned as an adventurer or a merchant…” “It’s part of my job to set people like him back onto a decent path. But that’ll come after I get him to pay what he owes,” Redd said with a smile. It wasn’t their usual alluring smile, but one that conveyed their passion for their work. There weren’t many people who were at once so charismatic and skilled at their job. Nick was beginning to understand why people got attached to this bar. “Good luck. I need to see Leon again soon. I’ll bring him a gift,” Nick said. “Oh, do you have business with him?” “I still need his help with a few things.” “Hmm… This has nothing to do with the trial, right?” “I don’t think so. I’ll explain later.” “Then that’s fine. That’s enough work talk. Oooh, they’re getting riled about something.” Nick looked where Redd was pointing and saw Tiana and Bond playing cards with some employees they had ensnared. They must have had a great hand because they were dragging all the chips on the table toward themselves. The employees across from them took large swigs of alcohol, both looking like they were in a foul mood. “I’m gonna win next!” one of the employees declared. “You’re not cheating, are you?” the other asked. “Of course not! This is pure skill!” Tiana responded. “Hmm-hmm, just so. You cannot pull off a move like that without impressive intellect,” Bond said. Nick scowled and walked toward Tiana and Bond. “What do you think you’re doing? This is a party,” he asked. “They’re the ones who challenged me! It’s not like I set out to swindle some amateurs!” Tiana protested, shaking her head. Nick could tell she was up to something, though. He glared at Bond, who was sitting next to her. “I’m, uh… Just memorizing the cards that have appeared and informing Tiana of her probability of winning!” Bond explained, looking nervous. Exasperated, Nick picked Bond up out of his chair. “Wh-what is the meaning of this?!” “Don’t count cards against amateurs. It’s not fair. Just play normally,” Nick chastised. “We are not betting money! We are only playing to determine who has to take a drink, so it does not violate my code of ethics! I want to enjoy this kind of fun once in a while!” Bond insisted. “Yeah, we’re all just having fun here,” Tiana said. Nick looked around and saw that it looked like everyone was having a merry time, just as Tiana said. Nick wasn’t great in this kind of setting, but he thought he might have let some pent-up frustration get the better of him, and let it go with a sigh. “Nick, it’s too early to slip away for some late-night fun,” Zem said, seeming to sense his listlessness. “I’m not gonna do that!” Nick yelled back. “Are you sure? I’d be happy to assist you if there is a girl you would like to take with you…” “Nope, I’m good. Just focus on enjoying yourself.” “I will do just that. It’ll be right back to work when I wake up in the morning, after all.” “Work? Do you have a part-time job or something?” Nick didn’t have any work in mind for the Survivors, so he didn’t know what Zem meant. “There has been some disorder in the Garbage Heap since Nargava’s passing. I think I will look after the patients he was in the middle of treating.” “That doesn’t sound fun… Are you gonna be okay alone?” “I am planning to send them to a nearby sanctuary before long. There is actually a priest who was supposed to be permanently stationed in the Garbage Heap, but they were scared of the place and were more than happy to push their work onto Nargava.” Zem realized that something was off after taking multiple trips into the Garbage Heap. There should have been a priest assigned to the area to perform Sacred Fire, but they didn’t seem to have a problem with Nargava’s presence. Sacred Fire was a specialized skill that only certain priests were capable of performing. Any priest who could perform the rite was able to enter and leave the Garbage Heap at will. Despite that, Nargava secured his own room within the area and treated patients. Based on what Nargava had said, it would be no exaggeration to say he was invading another priest’s turf. Zem guessed that the only reason it didn’t become an issue was because the sanctuary was slacking on all duties other than Sacred Fire. “Well, don’t push yourself too hard,” Nick said with a nasty grin. “Understood,” Zem responded, nodding. A drunk waiter bumped into Reina, who was helping set the tables. “Ah!” she gasped. She was knocked toward Zem, of all people, who instinctively caught her, re-creating the scene from a couple weeks prior. “Oh, s-sorry! I’ll move!” Reina panicked, going pale. She scrambled to get away but ended up tripping and falling onto him again. Nick watched the situation anxiously. “Don’t worry, Reina. Are you okay?” Zem asked, remaining surprisingly calm. He even helped her up. The waiter who bumped into Reina apologized, but Zem said that was not necessary and poured them both drinks. “Th-thank you…,” Reina said, stepping back. “No need to thank me,” Zem responded. “Um… N-not just for that, but for saving my friends, too.” “Did you see them?” “Yes! They weren’t doing so well, though…” The missing friends Reina had been searching for were among the children the Survivors saved. The children were all healthy as could be, aside from the deceased girl named Martha. They hadn’t been infected with yellow demon fever or made to take any dubious drugs. According to the other children, Martha was good at stealing and put her skill to use one day to steal something that Nargava was closely guarding. It turned out to be a piece of gauze that he had used on a patient with yellow demon fever. Nargava grew furious and took her away somewhere when he learned that she had touched it. The children’s stories made apparent another strange contradiction about Nargava—he staunchly avoided experimenting on the children he abducted. He tried as hard as he could to save Martha after she was accidentally infected, and he took strict measures to ensure the other children wouldn’t meet the same fate. He also thoroughly disinfected the house he trapped the children within, pestered them constantly to clean, and gave them toys and candy as rewards if they did. If the house was not sufficiently clean, he would teach them how to do better. The children didn’t begrudge Nargava for kidnapping them. Most of them actually grieved his death. In the end, no one had any idea what Nargava was thinking, which was part of the reason the Survivors had to work so hard to find evidence. For filing purposes, the Adventurers Guild concluded that he was just “taking care of the children until he began his cruel human experimentation” and that it was no different from “a jeweler protecting his jewels, leaving no room for extenuating circumstances to absolve him of any guilt.” Nick and Zem thought he simply couldn’t cross that line or just didn’t want to. “But I’m glad they’re safe. It’s all thanks to you, Zem, and everyone, too. I wanted to thank you for that…,” Reina continued. “I am glad to hear it. Please don’t go on any more reckless adventures,” Zem warned. “I’m sorry for what happened at Gooey Waterworks, too. You’ve saved me so many times. I’ll pay you back when I grow up!” “I appreciate it.” Zem smiled kindly, and Reina bowed and left. Noise filled the bar once more when everyone saw that trouble had been avoided. “Are you fine around little girls now?” Nick asked, but Zem shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I felt a small urge to puke as she fell into my arms. I was doing my best to endure it,” he said. “Geez, are you okay?” “I’m fine. It was not as bad as before.” “That’s good, at least.” “When we got those children to open the door, I felt like I was able to forgive my pathetic shortcomings,” Zem muttered. “Saving the children was not the first thing on my mind as I yelled in front of the door. I saw it only as an opportunity to bury my past. I am hardly as laudable as I seem.” “I think anyone could relate to that. Everyone is haunted by something from their past. The experience you had is what enables you to be kind to the underprivileged and those suffering. You can’t just ignore people in need. I don’t have it in me to care for total strangers like that,” Nick responded. “What am I to make of that coming from you?” Zem asked teasingly. “Shut up,” Nick snapped. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Shall we enjoy the feast?” Zem replied before joining a group of Anemone Alehouse employees. The name “Southern Saint” resurfaced in Nick’s mind as he watched Zem from behind. He thought that rather than a villain who spread conspiracy and killed others, the title was more fit for a person like him. Nick followed Zem’s example and enjoyed the feast. He found Karan again for food recommendations to satisfy his appetite, shoved some dessert into Bond’s mouth to get him to stop making such a racket, and finally let himself relax. As the night grew late, the feeling that the job was truly done sank in for each of the Survivors.
Chapter 60
16 min read