111 Heavenly Pagoda

We'll be approaching a rest area soon. I wonder how that will turn out.

"Master, once we get there should I still beat him up?"

I can hear slight distress in Logan's voice: "It's a rest area!"

[If there are other people no. Otherwise have fun!]

I give him a thumb up. Logan is clearly praying that we encounter people. How wishy-washy. Before long we see a pagoda appear. A goddamn pagoda?!

[What's with the design?]

"I heard that it is one popular in the Purple County."

[Oh? Why is it appearing here then?]

"While they aren't that close, they remain our neighbors. They are also members of the Holy Empire. I'm not sure if the owner is coming from there or not."

I guess it doesn't matter much.

[What do people do here exactly?]

"From what I know, sleep and eat."

[That's it?]

"Pretty much, Sir."

[How boring!]

"Well, their biggest advantage is that they are protected by a blessing."

[Right, I forgot about that.]

"For most people, traveling is extremely dangerous. They all want to minimize the time spent in the wild."

I understand. It's just that in our case, we are the danger! We reach the pagoda. There seem to be limited parking spots. There are five in total, all used. There is also an empty half-broken cart near the edge of the protected area. In total there are three floors.

We head inside. There are many tables around the place. I see people too. There is a man in a scholar outfit reading. There is a merchant with 3 subordinates. There is also a battle-hardened-looking guy.

To complete the scene is a man that rushes to us. He is smiling brightly.

"Welcome to the Heavenly Pagoda! How may I help you today!"

[Heavenly? How magnificent! Is it possible to ascend to godhood here?!]

"That…there is no way, Sir."

[Talk about false advertising haha.]

This guy seems to be the owner.

[What is this place's specialty?]

"We usually have rooms, but we just ran out. Other than that we have nourishing food."

The mercenary-looking guy shouts:

"Now THAT is false advertising! Radish soup. Radish sauté. Radish bread! It's all so DISGUSTING!"

Then he sits back again. Like he didn't just shout.

"Sorry about that. Usually, we have delicious food. It's just the circumstances are peculiar. Our food source has been cut off. That is why the diversity is…lacking."

[Can radishes be conserved that long?!]

"It's because there happens to be a farmer staying here. He was on his way to sell his produce. He decided to sell it here instead when we started to miss food. The wagon outside is his."

[Let me guess you got it for cheap?]

"That…yes, but he is also staying here for free."

[Fair enough. How much does a night cost here?]

"Usually 1 silver per. But right now all our rooms are full."

That is when Logan interrupts.

"There are 6 carriages outside. How many rooms do you have total?"

"That, 15 for the guests. But there are already 15 customers. Perhaps you can try and have someone vacate a room."

So we are dealing with 15 people total. Let me see. The pagoda is octagon-shaped. Let's assume there is one room per side. Three floors, but only two with actual bedrooms. It gives 16 totals with 1 for the owner.

It checks out. This isn't much of an issue. We can simply sleep outside as we have been doing. Logan pats his chest!

"Don't worry, Sir! I'll get us a room."

He is awfully motivated. Do we even have money in the first place? I get the feeling we don't. At least I don't. He is already walking toward the scholar. Meanwhile, I and TMR look at each other. Then the owner looks at my pet and starts screaming.

"AH! Monster!"

More like he's been here since the start of the conversation… Is he blind?

[Calm down, tamed monster.]

"I see, that scared me haha. Wait, how was it able to come in?! No! There is a problem with the blessing! We are doomed!"

Picture a headless chicken running around. The owner reminds me of that currently.

[Relax, he isn't stopped by something so silly. I'm sure your barrier is fine.]

"T-That…alright."

Meanwhile, Logan has reached the scholar. He is fruitlessly trying to persuade him. The man denies categorically saying he needs peace and quiet to work. I am not exactly sure what he does.

Anyway, Logan turns to a new target. This time it is the merchant. He doesn't get denied instantly. The man simply asks for money in compensation. How merchant-like! Seems Logan is actually as broke as me because he declines.

That leaves only the mercenary-looking guy. Before long, starts a commotion. The man is insulting Logan. Telling him to go bother someone else. Apparently, the man and his brother-in-arms have a room each. Logan proposed that the two share one room.

I tell him to come back. He shouldn't needlessly bother random people. I turn to the owner.

[What exactly is the issue you guys are facing?]

This is usually how it goes. I ask him. He'll tell me all the info and ask me if I want to do the quest. Then I can deny him hard haha.

"Well, it is a very problematic situation. There have been bandits sighted recently. We tried sending a messenger to get help. I do fear that…"

[That he never made it? How long until someone notices the issue?]

"Well, that's the thing. It's hard to say. This road leads to one of the biggest military bases. If you take the fork in the road, to a few cities instead. Right now is the down season. People don't travel much."

[So it is a matter of waiting for a battalion?]

"Yes, as long as someone from the army passes here…"

Logan grumbles.

"They chose their timing well. The recruit transfer happened a few months ago. No one will pass through here for a while. The defense fortresses are also self-sufficient. The only thing I could see is an elite being dispatched. The only question is if he'll run into the bandits. Also if he'd even bother stopping here."

He knows what he's talking about. He's been in the military after all. I guess we were lucky not to encounter the bandits. Well, they were the lucky ones I guess.

[Well, this isn't that much of an issue in fact.]

"Do you have a suggestion?!"

[I mean…just beat the bandits up…]