Chapter 45: Magnificent!! The New Town of Ressal

“Oh my, we’ve arrived already?”

“Well, it is just the next town over…”

It had only been a day since we departed from the magical city of Yowin, and we’d already reached the neighboring city of Gowin.

From Rewin to Gowin, the combined area is known as the Win Territory, governed by the Marquis of Win.

And Gowin, in fact, marks the edge of the Win Territory. Beyond here lies another noble’s domain—one I’m completely unfamiliar with.

“It’s still light out. We could push forward if we really wanted to.”

“But that would mean camping out, right?”

Now that I think about it, why do all the towns around here have “Win” in their names?

As it turns out, nobles sometimes name the lands they govern for long periods after themselves. The Win Territory is no exception.

High-ranking nobles, like counts or marquises, are often entrusted with multiple villages as their fiefs. To clearly indicate who governs which land, the ruling noble names the towns after themselves.

Then, lower-ranking nobles manage each city under the appointment of the higher noble. My own family, the Welmund household, governs the city of Sunwin under the Marquis of Win’s command.

In other words, this whole area belongs entirely to the Marquis of Win. I’ve met the marquis once at a ceremony—he gave off the impression of a kindly old grandpa.

“Once we leave here, it’s quite a distance to the next town. The sun’s already setting. Let’s spend the night here and rest up.”

“That sounds like the wisest choice.”

Incidentally, the Welmund family is in charge of a town called Sunwin, located within the Win Territory.

So there I was—Karl, a commoner—personally begging the Count of Welmund, ruler of Sunwin, for travel funds. If my old man hadn’t been a gentle and perceptive person, I probably would’ve been struck down for my insolence.

In truth, the Welmund family is a noble house of count rank. Technically, we’re part of the upper nobility.

Well, our status is really all we’ve got. Sunwin doesn’t boast any noteworthy economic base, specialty products, or unique technologies. Naturally, its economy is modest, and despite the rank, we have neither wealth nor power.

Our noble lineage maintains its title thanks to past military prestige, but in practice, we’re not much different from any other minor noble house.

---

“Should we go north or south?”

“The distance seems about the same either way.”

While staying at an inn in Gowin, we discussed the route ahead.

The central region of the country is a rugged mountain range, making a straight path to Anat practically impossible. The mountains lack proper roads, are difficult to navigate, and are infested with dangerous monsters.

So we needed to detour—either north or south—to reach Anat.

“I think the northern route’s better. There are more towns along the way.”

“You prefer the north, Maika?”

The northern route… meaning we’d pass through the capital, Pedia, and head toward the coastal cities. It takes us through highly developed commercial cities, so we likely wouldn’t have trouble acquiring supplies.

However, the capital region is notoriously expensive. Even though Lord Garius gave us quite a generous sum, prices there are more than double what they are here. Honestly, I’m not sure we’ve got enough on hand.

Well, if it comes to that, we can just earn money once we get there. High prices mean higher pay too.

“But if we take the northern route, we’ll be passing through the bandit-infested zones, right? I really don’t wanna go anywhere near those psychos.”

“Where there’s money, there are bandits. Near the commercial cities, the risk of ambush is higher. If Karl’s caught off guard while sleeping, we could be wiped out.”

That’s the bigger issue, just as Sakura said—bandits.

Rumor has it that a group of highway raiders, known as the Outlaw Clan, has been terrorizing the surrounding trade cities.

They haven’t made it as far as the Win Territory yet, but since we’ll be traveling far beyond, we can’t afford to be careless.

“But the southern route has more monsters. The roads are poorly maintained, and there aren’t many towns…”

“So it’s a matter of whether we want to be attacked by bandits or monsters. Fewer cities also means more nights camping. Isn’t that more dangerous?”

The downside of the southern route is its lack of development.

Monsters are less controlled, roads are vague and unreliable, and there are few cities. Most settlements are agrarian towns, and we might run low on supplies.

For someone like me—or Sakura—who’s not used to long journeys, that path could be brutal.

“What do you think, Irine?”

“If I may speak as a noble, I’d like to take the northern route and hunt some bandits.”

“Ahh, of course that’s your stance, Irine…”

Monsters popping up is one thing—we can manage that.

But letting bandits run loose? No way. If they try to ambush us, I’ll crush them with my bare hands.

“…Setting aside Irine’s preferences, I’d like to go north and stop by my hometown.”

“Oh? Lev?”

“I still haven’t told my relatives about my family’s death. We haven’t even built a grave yet…”

…Right. Lev still hasn’t told any of her extended family that Karl took her in.

In that case, she ought to visit her remaining kin.

“My Grandpa lives in Ressal.”

“Ressal, huh? Then north it is.”

“Well, if that’s the situation, I guess we don’t have much choice. I mean, both routes are risky in their own way.”

When someone brings up their dead family, it’s not something you can just object to.

Maika and I already preferred the northern route anyway, and with that, even Sakura gave up on arguing further.

“The Outlaw Clan is savage and ruthless. We need to be on high alert.”

“Don’t worry. If they try anything, I’ll send them packing.”

“As long as Karl’s awake, I’m not worried. But we will need someone on watch for night raids.”

And so, we decided to head north—taking the route through the capital—toward Anat.

Apparently, once you get close to the capital, bandits don’t show up as much. But around the scattered commercial cities, you never know when danger might strike.

We’ll need to stay vigilant. Always.

---

"...My dad was a pretty famous adventurer. He was the kind of warrior who could fight under any circumstances, so his style was mainly unarmed combat."

After leaving Gowin, we set our course for Ressal, just like Lev had wanted.

"My dad, my mom, my older brother Reital, our retainer Cain, and our pet wolf Razu—we all used to travel together from place to place."

"Huh, really?"

Along the way, I listened as Lev shared pieces of her past.

Now that we were close, she didn’t hesitate to open up to me about the life she’d lived and the journey she’d been on.

"My dad made his living by taking on jobs that were ‘too much for ordinary adventurers.’ My mom was a mage—she supported him in his work."

"He must've been someone people really relied on."

"Yeah..."

From the sound of it, Lev’s father was a top-tier martial artist. They say he once took down a magical bear twice his size with nothing but his fists.

He must’ve been an absolute powerhouse, with the kind of muscles that could split rocks.

"A retainer too, huh?"

"...Yeah. Cain called my dad ‘Aniki’ and followed him around. Said my dad saved his life once, a long time ago."

"He must’ve admired him a lot, your father."

"Yeah... Cain was the one who told me just how amazing my dad really was."

Lev’s father was clearly a man of great character, respected and loved by many. One of those people was Cain, the loyal retainer.

He used to look after Lev and her brother whenever their parents were out on a job.

Most of what Lev knew about her father's greatness probably came from Cain's stories.

"My brother was three years older than me. He trained under both Dad and Cain, and he was a really promising fighter."

"I see."

"Starting last year, he began tagging along with Dad on real jobs. Honestly, I was a little jealous seeing how helpful he’d become..."

"To be going on real jobs at that age... he must’ve been very talented."

"Razu was our wolf. He’d bark whenever monsters or thieves came near—such a good boy."

"Oh, I see. So that was his role."

Lev’s family traveled together throughout the Win Territory, moving as a group of seasoned adventurers.

"...But they’re all gone now. They died protecting me."

They were killed by that demon with the mandrill-like face.

"Close-range fighters don’t pair well with a monster like that... It’s nearly impossible to bring down something that can tank a spirit cannon with just your fists."

"But they bought me enough time to run. Cain, my brother, Razu... they all told me to get out, to survive."

I shouldn't have brought up such painful memories.

Lev had been the youngest in the family—probably loved by everyone. Loved enough that they'd lay down their lives to protect her.

And in the end, she was the only one who survived.

"We don’t have their remains, or even any keepsakes. But... I want to at least build them a grave and hold a proper memorial."

"Yeah. We’ve gotta tell your grandfather about how bravely your family fought."

"...Mhm. Once we reach Ressal, I’ll introduce you. Let’s stay at Grandpa’s place."

It would take us a few more days to reach Ressal.

Along the way, while Lev gave me lessons in hand-to-hand combat, she continued to share more stories about her family.

---

There were no bandit attacks along the way.

After three days of travel, we finally arrived safely in Lev’s hometown—Ressal.

“...It’s kind of a nothing town.”

“It feels quite peaceful to me.”

Ressal was a typical rural city.

Compared to places like Sunwin, where my family lived, or Youwin, where we’d been staying until recently, Ressal had a laid-back, easygoing atmosphere.

“But there are some impressive buildings too.”

“...That’s the Grand Cathedral. This town worships the goddess Macro.”

Hmm, so the people here are followers of the goddess Macro—not the same deity Karl worships.

It wasn’t unusual for villages to follow their own goddesses and maintain local shrines. Especially devout ones would operate large facilities at the village’s expense, complete with altars and accommodations, referred to as Grand Cathedrals.

Travelers could stay there for a low price, but it was more like being thrown into a communal sleeping hall with a blanket—don’t expect any frills.

“Grandpa was never really religious. The cathedral folks kept demanding money, saying it was ‘for the goddess’ or ‘for the good of the village.’”

“Maintaining a place that big must cost a fortune. They’ve even built some weird statue over there… Honestly, keeping something like that running in a small village like this sounds insane.”

“Yeah, totally reckless. I don’t recognize that statue... It wasn’t there before. I bet they poured more money into building it.”

Dumping all your resources into religion like that seems kind of stupid.

If the villagers are on board with it, I won’t judge—but honestly, they should stick to something that fits the town’s means.

“...Anyway, let’s head to Grandpa’s place.”

“Yeah. Gotta say hello first.”

A lavish cathedral in a sleepy countryside town.

With a strange, uneasy feeling creeping in, I followed Lev’s lead and we made our way deeper into the village.

---

“…Huh? Who are you people?”

A young man poked his head out from the house Lev had led us to.

He looked at Lev with a puzzled expression, and Lev blinked back in surprise, clearly not expecting him.

“…I’m a relative of the person who owns this house. The master of this home, Jarei, is my grandfather. What’s your relationship with him?”

“Jarei? Who’s that?”

“This is my grandfather’s house, isn’t it? Aren’t you just renting a room here?”

Lev, though clearly flustered by this stranger in her grandfather’s home, kept her composure and asked calmly.

But something wasn’t adding up. Their conversation was completely misaligned. Don’t tell me…

“…Ah, I get it now. Miss, I bought this house last year.”

“…Bought?”

“Yeah. It was up for sale until I purchased it. The Jarei person you’re talking about must’ve been the previous owner.”

The young man continued, looking a little apologetic.

“I can show you the deed if you want. This place is mine now. I don’t know much about the former resident—sorry.”

There was no sign he was lying.

He really was the current owner of the house.

“…I see.”

“In this town, the Grand Cathedral also acts as the town hall. If you want to find out what happened to the previous resident, you might try asking there.”

“…Thank you for your help.”

With that, the conversation ended, and the man shut the door with a thud.

Silence settled over us.

Had Lev’s grandfather moved away somewhere? After coming all this way just to see him… was she going to end up meeting no one at all?

“…Shall we go?”

“Yeah…”

With a growing sense of unease, we followed Lev’s lead and continued on our way to the Grand Cathedral.

---

"Mr. Jarei passed away last summer."

At the cathedral, we had them check the resident records, and that’s how we learned of Lev’s grandfather’s death.

"The cause of death was illness. A neighbor grew suspicious after not seeing him around for a while, and discovered Mr. Jarei’s body inside his estate. Records state he had pneumonia, which was spreading at the time."

"...I see."

Lev’s grandfather hadn’t moved away or gone on a journey. He’d simply fallen victim to a seasonal illness. That was all.

"...And what happened to his belongings? And his remains?"

"In cases where the deceased has no known next of kin, the cathedral takes possession of their belongings and sells them at market. As for the remains, they are usually buried in the communal cemetery."

"...Wait."

Hearing the words "no known next of kin," Lev’s eyes sharpened.

There was a hint of anger behind them.

"That’s not right. My father is from this town. He registered as an adventurer here. The cathedral should’ve known about him."

"..."

Apparently, the cathedral had gone ahead and dealt with Jarei’s possessions without ever contacting his family.

Lev had every right to be upset.

"If Grandpa died, they could’ve reached out to Father through the Adventurers’ Guild. But even though my father’s visited the guild several times, he was never informed of Grandpa’s death."

"Yes, that would be correct. The cathedral does not notify adventurers who are outside the city."

"Grandpa did have family. We have a family grave—he should’ve been laid to rest there! If Father had known Grandpa died, he’d have rushed back to this town!"

Lev’s voice grew harsher as she addressed the clerk, who remained calm and indifferent.

This wasn’t good—if this kept going, it was going to turn into a fight. You really didn’t want to pick a battle with the powers that be.

"Lev, please… try to stay calm."

"But she’s right. Isn’t it common sense to inform the family when someone dies?"

"There’s been a change in the law. It’s no longer required. Messages between guilds cost money, you see—and we are not volunteers."

The clerk calmly deflected Lev’s anger and continued speaking.

"When a person dies, and no one claims them within three days, the cathedral seizes their assets. That is the current rule in Ressal."

"What? Three days!? Adventurers are often away from home that long on a single quest!"

"Rules are rules."

Unbelievable. What kind of town was this?

Did they think so little of human life? So when someone dies, they don’t inform the family, wait three days, and then just confiscate the estate?

"...And what exactly do you use those seized assets for? Don’t tell me it’s funding your drinking habits."

"Are you insulting us? Every coin goes toward building a statue of the venerable Lord Gorippa. We would never waste funds on luxury."

"Lord… Gorippa?"

Huh? What the heck was that? I’d never heard that name before.

"He was the previous bishop of this town. His son, Lord Korippa, is funding the construction of the statue to honor his greatness."

"Oh—wait, you mean that huge, half-built stone statue!?"

...Seriously? That’s a bishop’s statue? Not a goddess or something?

Who builds a statue to worship a bishop? This town’s completely nuts.

"Lord Gorippa was a truly great leader. Lord Korippa deeply admired his father and continues to honor him with the statue, even after his death. A beautiful example of filial love."

"...So my family home and our memories were sold off… for that?"

"That? You watch your mouth, child. One more disrespectful remark and I’ll have you arrested."

The clerk’s voice now carried a tinge of irritation.

Was that Gorippa guy really so important?

"...Enough. Let’s go, everyone."

"Lev, are you sure?"

"There’s nothing more to say. It’s too late to change anything. I just want to visit Grandpa’s grave and offer a prayer."

"I understand."

No matter how much more they argued, it was clear this was going nowhere. Lev turned her back on the clerk, her face filled with frustration.

"Oh? If you’re going to the graveyard, you’re not leaving your belongings behind?"

"Our belongings?"

"You’re travelers, aren’t you? Now that your grandfather’s passed, you have no place to stay. If you register for lodging now, we’ll hold your things for you."

...Ah, right.

The cathedral also served as an inn, didn’t it?

"......"

"Sorry, but I have no intention of staying in this place. We can afford a proper inn."

Karl stepped in, his voice sharp, cutting through the clerk’s cluelessness.

Of course he would. Did this guy have any idea how Lev was feeling right now? Who’d want to spend the night in a place like this?

"Regrettable, but there are no inns in this town."

"...What?"

"Not many travelers come here. All accommodations were abolished. It’s mandatory for visitors to stay in the cathedral."

"What the hell is that!?"

"500G per person, per night. Please pay here. Camping outdoors is prohibited and will result in arrest and detention for public safety reasons."

...This place was a total scam.

What a rip-off. These guys are seriously running a racket! Even the best inn in Yowin wouldn’t cost 500G a night!

And they expect us to pay that kind of money just to sleep on the floor in the cathedral?

"...At that rate, wouldn’t it be better to just pay some villager nearby and ask them to let us stay the night? I thought cathedrals were supposed to offer lodging for cheap."

"In Ressal, anyone other than the cathedral offering lodging-like services is subject to severe penalties. No matter how much you pay, no one will take you in."

"And that money—it’s going to that statue, isn’t it?"

"It also goes toward maintaining the cathedral. Ressal cannot function without this cathedral."

...

"Let’s get out of this town by tonight."

"There are brigands prowling outside the city. It’s very dangerous. You should stay the night—don’t say we didn’t warn you if you end up losing your lives over a few coins."

"..."

That clerk’s smug attitude was starting to push me over the edge.

Wasn’t the cathedral supposed to be a place that protected the people?

What kind of twisted organization steals inheritances and practically extorts travelers, then claims to be essential?

"...Let’s go."

"Lev..."

"Stay calm, Irine. I’m not angry..."

I must’ve looked like I was ready to kill someone.

Lev noticed how tightly I was clenching my fists and gently grasped my hand with a sorrowful smile.

"Thank you... for being angry for me."

"..."

Lev stood there quietly.

Man... when did the roles get reversed? Now she was the one calming me down.

How pathetic can I get?

"I may not look it, but I’m strong, alright? I’m not scared of a little camping. Let’s move out, everyone."

"Are you absolutely sure you don’t want to stay?"

"If it were one-hundredth of that price, maybe I’d consider it. That’s what a cathedral should be charging for a place to sleep."

"In this town, the cathedral is the symbol. Please don’t lump us in with other cities."

Yeah. Exactly.

It’s an insult to lump in good, honest believers elsewhere with the kind of people running this place.

"If you get attacked by bandits, don’t come crying to us. You’re really sure about this?"

"...Isn’t that your job as the ones running this town? Dealing with threats like bandits? Maybe try using your funds on that instead."

"Once the statue is complete, everything will fall into place. Lord Gorippa will protect this city."

The people running this cathedral...

Are undeniably out of their damn minds.

---

"Here, huh."

"...Yeah. The communal cemetery."

Behind the cathedral, out in the wild hills.

We walked along an overgrown animal trail, barely a path at all, until we reached the so-called cemetery, where rough, unshaped stones were scattered like afterthoughts.

"Poor Grandfather. No one to see him off... buried in a place like this."

"Lev..."

"...He was so full of life, the last time I saw him. If I’d known it’d end like this, I would’ve come to visit last year."

Lev knelt before one of the shabby, weathered gravestones.

Then, as if lost in fond memories, she pressed her hands together in prayer.

"Grandfather... I’m sorry I’m late. Your granddaughter, Lev, prays for your peace..."

────The young girl’s prayer rode the mountain wind, whispering through the gravestones.

Surely, that prayer reached her grandfather’s soul.

"...Hey, Karl."

"What is it, Lev?"

"...I..."

Still facing away from me, Lev’s shoulders began to tremble.

A single drop fell, hitting the earth with a soft pat.

"I really am all alone now..."

The girl said it quietly—then let out a soft, stifled sob.