The Healing Solaris Cleric

Chapter 21: Glendale (1)

"I see it!"

By the time lunch had passed, the gray walls of a fortress were clearly visible below the peak from where Kai was. The sophisticated walls gave off a sense of civilization at first glance.

That's Glendale.

Barely containing his excitement, Kai quickly descended the mountain and approached the city gates. As expected of a city, there was a crowd trying to enter so Kai had to line up.

Most are NPCs, but there's also a significant number of players.

This meant there were many players over level 50.

When it was his turn, Kai approached the city guard with a slightly nervous expression.

"Name."

"My name is Kai."

"Hmm, pass."

"...."

The inspection was so superficial it was almost pointless! After the disappointingly trivial checkpoint, Kai entered the city with a somewhat exhausted expression. However, the moment he stepped onto the city streets, his lifeless expression instantly revived.

"Wow...."

The streets, though not as smooth as modern asphalt roads, were meticulously paved with evenly spaced carved stones and even had perfect sewage systems. It was a world apart from Frica, where heavy rain turned the ground into a muddy mess, making rain boots a necessity.

"Th-this is the civilization of a city...."

Although he lived in Seoul in reality, in the game, Kai was a hillbilly who had just come to the city for the first time. As he looked around, he became overwhelmed by the crowd filling the streets.

I need to meet Baron Arsen first.

Bunther had said that using his letter of recommendation would allow Kai to meet Arsen. Trusting solely in that, Kai had walked for days toward Glendale. Now it was time to receive his reward.

"The baron's mansion should be...."

After checking the city's information board and updating his map, Kai headed toward the mansion. As he walked down the street, the nutty and savory smell from the street vendors stimulated his nose. As if enchanted, Kai approached a vendor, purchased some food, and then took a big bite.

"It’s delicious...."

There were chicken skewers and candied pineapples he couldn't eat in Frica! Especially the pork belly—it had been grilled instantly with fire magic and was so good he could never get sick of it.

"Ah, MID Online indeed. There's research saying the global obesity rate is decreasing, and that might just be true."

In the game, they could eat all the delicious food—so delicious that their tongue could dance for joy if it could—for a cheap price and not gain any weight.

After indulging himself, Kai headed up toward Baron Arsen's mansion on a hill. Catching his breath from the climb, Kai glanced back. The neat and tidy buildings characteristic of Glendale's landscape all came into view.

"What a splendid city."

The mansion of the man who governed such a city was no less remarkable. The two-story white mansion reminded Kai of the White House in America.

I never thought I'd feel intimidated by a building.

It was a different feeling from the enormous modern skyscrapers. Artistic and fancy, the mansion seemed as if it belonged in a picture book.

There was a two-meter-high fence around the mansion’s garden and two soldiers were guarding the main gate.

Kai swallowed nervously and approached them.

Clang!

"Stop. State your affiliation and identity."

The two soldiers blocked Kai's way as they spoke simultaneously. He could feel confidence in their strength and pride in their affiliation from their voices.

"I've come to see Baron Arsen."

"Hmm?"

One of the soldiers observed Kai from head to toe and replied, "An adventurer?"

"Yes."

"Baron Arsen is a busy man. He doesn't meet just anyone who wishes to see him. It's best you leave while you're being asked nicely."

Most players who sought to meet with an aristocrat would have experienced such a situation.

Normally, this is where they give up.

But Kai was different. He pulled out the letter of recommendation from his inventory and presented it to the soldiers.

"What is this?"

"A letter of recommendation from the chief of Frica Village. He said this would allow me to see Baron Arsen...?"

Of course, Kai wasn't certain. It was possible that Baron Arsen had completely forgotten about Chief Bunther.

As the soldiers examined the letter closely, they conversed.

"Hmm. Frica Village is certainly a five-day trip from here...."

"Shouldn't we consult the butler about this?"

"I'll go check."

After about five minutes, one of the soldiers returned with an elderly gentleman dressed as a butler.

"This is the adventurer, sir."

"Hmm, a recommendation from Chief Bunther. It's the first time he's recommended someone." The elderly gentleman stroked his beard and looked at Kai, and then his eyes widened. "Wait, if you're an adventurer dressed in black armor... could you be Kai, the adventurer who single-handedly defeated the Wyrm Lizard, known as the Peril of Frica Village?"

"Oh, he single-handedly defeated a Wyrm Lizard?"

"So the hero of Frica Village is...."

The soldiers' gazes toward Kai changed. They had thought him to be an ordinary adventurer, but he was far more remarkable than they had expected.

Of course, Kai defeating the Wyrm Lizard on his own was due to good luck, but even with that in consideration, not many among the world's over 500 million players could achieve that.

"I was fortunate to be able to defeat the Wyrm Lizard."

"You're also humble! Please, come inside," the butler said as he led Kai into the mansion.

In the end, it was the listener who judged what their impression was of someone, and the butler took Kai’s words as him being humble.

Creeeak.

When he entered the mansion with the butler, Kai saw that the interior was as luxurious as he had expected. Expensive-looking art and paintings decorated the hallways, and the carpets on the floor were as soft as walking on clouds.

Aren’t barons at the lowest rank among nobles?

Kai was quite surprised. In his mind, nobles were just NPCs with territories. Nothing more, nothing less.

It seems I need to adjust my thoughts a bit.

The mansion of a baron, supposedly the lowest rank among the nobility, was more magnificent than imagined. Therefore, Kai slightly elevated his valuation of nobility.

This is why they say relationships with NPCs are important.

There were hundreds of community forums where strategies for MID Online were discussed. Each forum offered different directions and methods in their strategy posts, but there was one thing that all of them said—make friends with the NPCs!

There was a reason for it.

If he had ignored Bunther when he had spoken to him and had gone hunting instead, the Wyrm Lizard wouldn't have been defeated, and he wouldn't have met the lord of Glendale.

This is... this is like the butterfly effect.

There was a superstition that a butterfly's tiny wingbeat could cause a storm on the other side of the world, and a friendship with NPCs was like the butterfly effect. A small act that continuously triggers a chain reaction, leading to bigger rewards and quests.

Realizing this fact first handedly, Kai nodded and followed the butler into the living room where he was asked to take a seat while waiting.

Let's think things through first.

There were mainly two things he needed to gain through his meeting with Baron Arsen. The first was a quest and not just any quest. Kai was aiming for a rare quest that ordinary players couldn't easily obtain, one available only through Baron Arsen.

The second would, of course, be a dungeon.

A dungeon. There was a saying that raids and dungeons were the flowers of RPG games. Kai understood the meaning of this saying while conquering the Tomb of the Gnolls.

I haven't experienced raids yet, so I can't say much about that, but....

He recalled the XP, gold, and items he gained from clearing the Tomb of the Gnolls.

Now I know why information about dungeons is traded at high prices.

A map indicating the exact location of a dungeon was worth a lot, and even hints about the location of a dungeon were traded for money in this world.

So any bit of information about dungeons, even if small, is a jackpot.

He could conquer it himself or sell the information at a high price if the situation wasn't favorable.

After about thirty minutes, the butler reappeared. "Baron Arsen calls for you."

Following the butler, they walked through hallways and stairs to the fourth floor. As they reached the room at the end of the corridor, two armed knights were firmly guarding the entrance. The presence of these knights was significantly different from those guarding the entrance of the mansion!

Facing them, Kai instinctively looked at the door.

This is it.

This was the office of the lord ruling Glendale, Baron Arsen. He could feel it through his skin.

Knock knock.

"My lord, the adventurer I mentioned is here."

"Let him in."

As the butler opened the door, Kai gave a brief nod to the butler and entered.

The office was filled with elegant wooden furniture, and a middle-aged man sat at a desk.

He looks more ordinary than I expected.

The typical image of nobility was either a cold and stern person or a fat pig. However, Baron Arsen had a warm appearance with more of an impression of a merchant than a noble.

He stood up. "Are you Kai?"

"Yes, I am!"

As Kai stood rigidly like a recruit, Baron Arsen approached with a hearty laugh, "Don't be so stiff. Relax. Although it's not a village I govern, I wouldn't mistreat a hero who helped Frica Village."

"Thank you."

"Nothing of it, rather, it is I who should be saying thank you. I had heard about the troubles in Frica Village early on. Chief Bunther said he was worried sick because of the Wyrm Lizard."

"Yes, it's not exactly a village where outstanding adventurers reside."

"Unfortunately, that is true. Chief Bunther and I have known each other since I was young, so I wanted to help, but... Frica Village belongs to Count Barden's territory, so I couldn’t easily send my soldiers."

"Oh, I see there was such an issue."

"It was frustrating, and then I heard a single adventurer had defeated the Wyrm Lizard. I personally wanted to meet that person myself...." Baron Arsen trailed off, looking at Kai with a pleased smile. "I never thought Chief Bunther would write a recommendation letter. It feels like receiving an unexpected gift."

"Thank you for your kind words."

"Oh, look at me, keeping a guest standing for so long. Please, have a seat."

He offered the sofa to Kai in a friendly manner, much like a friendly neighborhood uncle.

Is this how nobles usually are?

Kai tilted his head as the attitude of Baron Arsen was far different from what he had imagined.

As if his thoughts showed on his face, Baron Arsen smiled, "It seems you find my demeanor not quite noble-like."

"N-no, it's not that," Kai hastily denied, shaking his head.

But Baron Arsen laughed heartily, "Haha! Your reaction is funny. Don't worry about it, what can we do when that's the truth?"

“Haha....” Kai awkwardly laughed along.

Baron Arsen then leaned back comfortably on the sofa and said, "Well, now that we've exchanged pleasantries, let's get straight to the point.”