Chapter 21
Like other games, Valdeon Saga also had a distinction between day and night.
For example, taverns are only accessible at night. General stores and blacksmiths close at dawn.
Other NPCs also go to sleep in the evening, so you can’t encounter them in the field late at night.
‘If I had to pick the two most important things about it.’
At night, you can encounter NPCs from the underworld, and you can trade secret items at the ‘Night Market.’
In some locations, special events take place.
[3 a.m., investigate the crying sound heard near the lakeside.]
[12 a.m., uncover the identity of the suspicious shadow seen at the ‘Peanuts and Beard’ tavern.]
Among the in-game achievements, there’s one for uncovering all 66 hidden mysteries of the Valdeon Continent.
‘Which means there are even more events that occur at specific times.’
The ‘Masked Vendor’ that I’m going to meet now only appears at exactly 2:33 a.m. when specific conditions are met.
Why such an awkward time? I have no idea.
Only the damn developers would know.
‘Sigh.’
It’s currently 9 p.m., about 5 hours left until the appearance time.
I spent about 2 hours eating and chatting casually with Angela.
-“Mmm! This pumpkin pie is really amazing! Please… you should try some too! Here, ah~.”
-“…I can eat it myself.”
She still seems to feel guilty about being indebted to a man like me.
But that should change once she enters the academy.
And thus, it’s now 11 p.m.
From now on, I can satisfy the ‘conditions.’
“Nothing’s changed from the game, right?”
To meet the Masked Vendor in the original game, you had to satisfy the following conditions:
[Investigate the suspicious rumours circulating among people (0/3)]
Just talking to anyone and hearing any rumour won’t do.
You have to pick NPCs who specifically talk about the ‘Masked Vendor’ and piece together clues to make him appear.
‘So, do I have to go around and talk to everyone here?’
Of course not.
As I mentioned before, I’ve used this hidden piece multiple times.
‘I’ve memorized exactly which NPCs hold clues about the Masked Vendor.’
The first one is right here.
[Valhalla]
The biggest tavern around here.
Since it’s night-time, several people are clinking their glasses and making a ruckus.
“Kwahahaha! So this guy almost died in the dungeon!”
“People would think it was my mistake! It’s because you couldn’t block the goblins from the front!”
“Ha… isn’t it time we recruit a healer for our party? Preferably a decent-looking guy…”
“Yeah, it’s boring with only women around.”
“A guy, you say! No way! We’re keeping it just between us girls!”
…Just as I thought, it’s full of women.
“Hoo.”
After taking a deep breath.
I pushed open the tavern’s old door.
Creak.
As I entered, the previously noisy atmosphere briefly quieted down.
“……”
“…Oh.”
It feels like everyone’s staring at me.
‘Don’t mind them.’
I just have to do what I came here to do.
“One beer, please.”
I walked to the counter and sat down, ordering a beer.
“Sure, I’ll get it for you right away.”
The woman wearing an apron who just took my order.
She’s the one with the first clue.
[Owner of the ‘Valhalla’ tavern.]
<Matilda>
Once she brings the beer, I can use that opportunity to ask her.
“Here~! Your beer as ordered!”
“Thank you. By the way, may I ask…”
“And here’s your cream pasta, grilled meat, seafood stew, buttered bread, vanilla ice cream, beef stew, and assorted salads as well~.”
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.
A variety of dishes I never ordered were being placed on my table one by one.
“…I didn’t order any of these.”
“Yes~ Those ladies over there, and those ones over there, and that lady sitting over there all ordered them for you. The bill’s already been paid, of course.”
Matilda kindly pointed out the women in the tavern who had bought these dishes for me.
“Why….”
“They said they couldn’t let a beautiful person drink without any side dishes? They’re all so over the top, aren’t they?”
Matilda chuckled softly and left.
“Excuse me….”
Someone called out to me from the side.
It was the female warrior with the twin axes who had just been telling her party, “What do we need men for!”
“Yes? What’s the matter?”
“Uh, do you… do you happen to have a party…?”
“…Sorry?”
“Ahem… if you don’t, would you… um, maybe… join ours…?”
“I’m not even a healer, though.”
“It doesn’t matter! I… I’ll protect you, so… um… please….”
I could see the other party members behind her giving her silent support.
‘…….’
Damn it.
What kind of world is this where a man can’t even have a drink in peace?
***
-‘A rumor? Hmm~ Now that you mention it, I heard someone saw a strange black figure near the lake at the plaza.’
[Investigate the suspicious rumours circulating among people (1/3)]
Fortunately, I was able to collect the first rumour from Matilda.
I left without eating any of the food.
If I ate it, I had a feeling they’d use that as an excuse to do something weird to me.
‘Nothing’s free in this world.’
Anyway.
The second clue was much easier to collect than the first.
That’s because the second one requires investigating a ‘notice board’ rather than talking to a person.
≪Notice≫
Beware of the mysterious merchants who have been appearing at night recently.
All the items they sell are of poor quality.
Please purchase goods from merchants certified by the Empire.
≪Notice≫
Ignore any voices calling out to you whenever you pass by the plaza late in the evening.
If they follow you, immediately seek help from the nearest patrol officer.
They will leave right away.
≪Notice≫
If you have purchased a suspicious mask here, contact the management office immediately.
It will devour you.
If left unchecked for a long time, it could be fatal.
“Hm… This isn’t it.”
This kind of information can’t be used as a ‘clue.’
After scanning the area with my eyes for a while,
“Oh, here it is.”
I found what I was looking for.
Unlike other notices, it was a suspicious piece of paper, old and smeared with black stains.
≪Notice?≫
Buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask
Buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask
Buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask
Buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask buy a mask
If this were the game, after investigating this notice,
[▶ It’s a suspicious notice. Did the patrol officers really post something like this?]
A monologue script like that would have popped up.
[Investigate the suspicious rumours circulating among people (2/3)]
With this, the second clue is complete.
The last clue is with ‘Matheus,’ the patrol officer in charge of this area.
Or at least, that’s how it should have been.
‘…Damn, this is unexpected.’
And this world is a reverse-gender world.
The moustachioed young man Matheus I knew is…
“Ah… gasp! H-Hello! I’m your reliable shield, Magdalya! I, I heard you were looking for me…?”
“Hang in there, Magdalya!”
“For a man to be looking for Magdalya… I never thought I’d see the day.”
…now a woman named Magdalya.
Is this just a gender-swapped version of Matheus, or a completely different person?
I’m seriously curious, it’s going to keep me up tonight.
“Hello, Ms. Magdalya. Thank you for protecting Centinium so diligently, even at such a late hour.”
“Ehehe… It’s nothing special! My duty is to create safe streets so that young masters like you can walk around without worry!”
“Wasn’t she just whining about not wanting to work a moment ago?”
“She said it’s sad being stuck in a place filled with only women, unable to date because of her soldier status.”
“B-Be quiet!”
Magdalya scolded her colleagues who were muttering behind her.
Forcing a smile, I got to the point.
“I’m here to report something suspicious that I found.”
I handed her the suspicious notice.
“Huh? What is thi— Gah?!”
The moment she saw the notice covered in eerie writing, her rosy cheeks turned pale.
“Did… Did this really get posted somewhere…?”
“Yes.”
“Huff……”
“This wasn’t put up by the management office, was it?”
“No, it wasn’t. Actually, there have been a lot of reports coming in about masks lately… To think there’s a notice like this too! This prank has gone too far!”
“Masks, you say?”
“Oh… I apologize. There’s a rule against discussing official matters with civilians…”
What the heck.
Unlike in the game, she’s not spilling everything right away.
‘Damn it, I can’t get stuck here.’
So, Magdalya and Matheus are two different people?
Matheus used to tell me everything in a heartbeat.
‘I have no choice.’
I really hate doing this, but…
Gently.
I reached out and grabbed Magdalya’s hand.
“W-What?!”
Her face, which had turned pale, immediately turned bright red as if it were about to burst.
It feels like I’m toying with someone’s emotions, which makes me feel uneasy.
‘Let the tears flow.’
I recalled the moment I chopped onions and the time I lost my parents in an accident as a child.
I could feel my eyes getting moist, so I carefully opened my eyelids.
“Sniff… After seeing that notice, I got really scared… I felt so anxious, so I came here… I thought I’d feel reassured if I saw a reliable soldier like you…”
“Y-You did…?!”
“But your duty is too important to spend time just for me, Ms. Magdalya. So… I just wanted to hear more about it, so I can be careful when walking around alone… Would that be possible…?”
I mustered all the begging skills I used on my professors, looking up at her with the most pitiful expression I could manage.
“If that’s what you want, I’ll always be by your side, I’ll resign right away, and yes, that seems like the right decision, hmm, what should we name our children when we get married, eheh…”
There was a small ‘pop’ from Magdalya’s head, and her eyes started spinning.
She’s broken.
I didn’t expect this.
***
[Investigate the suspicious rumours circulating among people (3/3)]
I somehow managed to get a clue from Magdalya as well.
“…I really can’t pull off stunts like that.”
Me, acting cute?
It’s enough to turn my stomach.
‘Ugh.’
I wiped the moisture from my eyes and sat on a bench.
This place is the plaza, with a large lake in the centre.
Having gathered all the clues, if I wait here until 2:33 a.m., that guy will show up.
A little while later.
Tick!
[2:33]
The clock tower in the centre of the lake struck the time.
And then, I heard it.
—Hey, you there! Don’t you need an interesting mask? There are plenty of times in life when you need to hide your face.
—Put on a mask and become someone else. Hide the usual you inside this mask for a while.
—Now, we can cry while smiling.
Three voices that sounded like they were crawling.
A shadow oozing with malice slithered out from the alleyway.
[Masked Vendor]
<Pace>
Finally, I found it.
My hidden piece.
—
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