"Do you know how big this labyrinth is?" I asked Roxanne while looking at the hill.
"Umm Quratar's labyrinth has existed since extremely ancient times, so nobody knows how big it is. The record for the highest floor reached was 91st floor by the First Emperor's party" Roxanne pauses a bit, "If you can reach the 80th floor then it would be considered a major accomplishment and you will be marked as top-class" Roxanne replied enthusiastically.
Well let's take it step by step, there is no point in thinking about such high level floors while I haven't even cleared the first one. Taking Roxanne by her hand I moved towards the town center to have a better look.
"The Knight's order station is built across the street in front of the entrance. The Big building on the opposite side is the Explorer's Guild" Roxanne explains while pointing me to 2 buildings standing opposite to each other.
The Explorer's Guild was a 5-6 story red-brown brickwork building, it was really impressive. Across that majestic building was the Knight's order station, many people were standing in line there.
"To enter Quratar's labyrinth one has to pay an entrance fee of 100 nars for a day" Roxanne explains further, seeing me looking towards the queue.
It's less like a labyrinth and more like a tourist attraction. But the labyrinth also looks pivotal for the economy of this city.
"We will visit the labyrinth later" I told her, seeing how long the queue is.
'Master can just visit once and then we can use Master's magic to enter' Roxanne speaks to me via our party link.
"Roxanne, that's really clever." I praise her with a smile.
"Thank you very much" Roxanne's tail starts moving, happy with being praised.
"Do you know the best way to rent a house?" I ask her as we pass by the shops.
"There are managers we can ask in a shop somewhere about it" Roxanne replies while looking around.
Knowing the shop from the og story, I took Roxanne to the Big Hardware store on the street just beside the Explorer's guild.
As we entered the hardware store, I could see saucepans, scissors, hoes, shovels, padlocks and other unknown things made out of metal that were on display.
[Brisa
Merchant: Level 44]
"Welcome"
A middle aged aunt welcomed us. Her level was impressive to say the least.
"We're searching for a place to live in the area" I ask her directly.
"Well you're lucky, I am the manager for the 6th district" The middle aged aunt spoke to us with a smile.
"Can you introduce the districts to us?" I ask her wanting to know more about the city.
"This town is divided by the streets that stretch out from the center. The area where the Explorer's Guild is located is the 1st District. Followed counterclockwise by the 2nd, 3rd and this would be the 6th district" The aunty patiently explains everything to us.
"I see" Me and Roxanne both nod along.
Each district has a prominent location facing the labyrinth, this Hardware shop is the most prominent place in the 6th district. I think only by being the manager of the district could you own a shop at such a prominent location.
"Are you an Explorer?" The aunt asks me.
"No, I am an Adventurer, but I still mainly explore labyrinths" I lie smoothly about my Job.
Roxanne looks towards me but in the end stays silent.
"Hmm. So what kind of property are you looking for?" The middle aged aunt asks.
"If possible I would like you to show me the biggest and the best property you have" I answer in a 'I don't care about money' tone.
"Only you two would be living there?" The aunt looks suspiciously at us two.
"Currently that's the case, but soon I want to take in many more people" I reply while glancing at Roxanne who gives me a smile.
"Indeed. Many Explorers and Adventurers do the same" The middle aged aunt looks towards Roxanne a bit and then looks at my face, grinning.
The middle aged aunt looks like a person who loves to talk. And she must have figured out my plan for buying many slaves. She looks back at Roxanne and is staring at her as if she was using Appraisal.
"You have a good girl here" The middle aged aunt tells me with a smile.
"Yes I am very proud of my Roxanne" I reply with a laugh and take Roxanne's hand.
Roxanne just smiles while holding my hand firmly.
"Do you want your house to be near the labyrinth?" The middle aged aunt brings the topic back to the house.
"I am not particularly picky, but I would prefer it if it was a bit secluded from prying eyes" I answered her while looking out at the crowds of people.
The rent would also be high the closer you are to the labyrinth. As it will also be close to the downtown. But in my case Warp will take care of it, I can just teleport and come out of the wall of Adventurer's or the Explorer's Guild. And I don't want some snoopy neighbors ogling my girls all the time.
"Hmm, there is a house but it will be a bit pricey" The middle aged aunt replies after thinking for a while.
I think she is doubting our financial capabilities because of the clothes we are wearing. They don't scream rich or high class, even if I am wearing my Jersey it still looks quite plain.
"Money is not a problem" I told the aunt with a confident smile.
I smirk inside as I always wanted to say that line.
"Oh! That is certainly good then" Even the middle aged aunt was surprised, "The house is totally covered in shielding cement but as long as you set up a partitioning screen, you will be able to use movement magic indoors"
"I would like to see the property first" I tell the middle aged aunt.
"Certainly, I will take you there in a moment" replying to me she goes back deeper inside the store.
'It will be our Home in the future so I will need your help while choosing Roxanne' I mentally speak to Rooxanne seeing her stand quietly beside me
'Yes Master, leave it to me' Roxanne gives me a confident nod.
The middle aged aunt returns and we depart via another street in the direction of the Adventurer's Guild.
"How's the climate around here?"
"It's good! Summers are cool and it almost never snows in winter"
"How much does it rain?"
As we walk, Roxanne is asking for information from the Aunty. I walk a step behind, letting the two ladies talk.
The manager aunty guided us as we continued down the street. In the downtown area I could see many tall buildings but as you moved away from the town center, it became a residential area.
There are Two-story buildings side by side with some degree of separation. It feels like the outskirts of some countryside.
Progressing further, it becomes more vacant lands and now there are just fields with some sparse houses. As we walk we meet a middle aged man who greets aunty.
[Kason
Villager Level 53]
Such a High level Villager, he must be really strong.
"That is my husband" The middle aged aunt informs us, goes to the man, exchanges some words and comes back.
"He looks like an extremely strong person" I said to the middle aged aunt
"There isn't a rampart in this town. As the city is built around a labyrinth, a rampart is meaningless. Monsters can appear anywhere in the town. Although they are weak, people afraid of monsters don't live in this town." The middle aged aunt resumes walking and we follow her, "My husband and I try to enter labyrinth every three days"
Monsters not only appear inside the labyrinth but also in its vicinity, just like the slow rabbit and the Gumi slime I fought near the Village. As they are just formed they will just be level 1 so if you kill them quickly then there is no real danger.
The ramparts are placed around the city to protect it from the monsters but as the labyrinth is in the center of the city, ramparts are useless. Maybe that's why even Villagers are high leveled here.
"My husband works as a Blacksmith in that shed over there. I handle the goods my husband produces" She points towards a shed in the distance, "Inside the shed there is a smelting furnace where he can cast commodities"
Even if he does Blacksmithing he can't get the Master smith jobs as it's a race specific job. A master smith instead of just techniques can also use magic skills to produce weapons and armors.
"That white house over there is also available right now, if you want a nice small house I would recommend that" The middle aged aunt points towards a 2-story house.
Looking at the house I realize that this was the house that og Michio stayed at. But looking at it I still feel that it's better to buy a bigger one as I have money to spare.
"No I prefer a bigger property" I deny the middle aged aunt, I think she still isn't sure about our financial capabilities. Roxanne also doesn't raise any issue with my denial.
"Well alright then keep following me" The middle aged aunt seeing my firm refusal took us further down the road.
After a while of walking we came across a 10 feet tall stone wall with a Big Iron gate. Aunty takes a key out of her pocket and opens the big padlock which was used to close the Iron gate. The iron gate was 12 feet in length and 6 feet in height.
As it was opened there was a stone paved road going into the distance. On both sides of the road was a field which looked as if it wasn't taken care of for ages.
We moved forward and I could see that there were trees growing in the surroundings but their trunks were very narrow, maybe so people can't use Field walk?
"That is the House I wanted to show you" The middle aged aunt points towards the distance.
Following her finger I looked up and in the distance on a small elevation I could see a Massive Mansion.