The world's only fortress, Rafdonia, became humanity's last home when survivors flocked to it after the apocalypse. This fortress consisted of fourteen districts.
For starters, District 1 was the royal capital of Karnon, where the royal family and invested class resided. Its most notable feature was that no commoner could enter without permission. Districts 2-5 were Kommelby, a commercial area commonly known as the free market. Located on the outskirts of the royal capital, expert artisans and profitable shops were concentrated there. Districts 7-13 were Ravigion. Occupying the largest area, about 70% of the total population resided in this city. The common characteristic was that in each district there was a Plaza de la Dimension, where the portal was opened every month.
Lastly, District 14 was Bifron. Unlike the Gnome Tree, in District 6, which was classified as a special district from the time the city was designed, this district was a very different case. Originally, it belonged to Ravigion, but was now designated as a forbidden zone in which even Dimensional Square had disappeared.
Believeaaaakk!
The castle portals to this place were now opening to throw out a single prisoner.
«What are you doing? Enter».
«...Is that it?»
«Haven't they already informed you? Unless you try to escape, it doesn't matter what you do». The gentleman who brought me here turned his back on me, as if he didn't want to stay here any longer.
Boom!
Soon, the castle portals closed. Only then did I turn around to check what was around me.
«A prison, huh?»
Like its nickname, this place gave off a different atmosphere than other normal district cities. If District 7, where I lived, was abandoned for a hundred years, it might look like this. There were old dilapidated and demolished buildings here and there and an outer wall covered in dirt stains and graffiti. The streets were not very different. Waste materials piled up haphazardly.
Oh. I guess I have to spend twenty days here.
I didn't want to stay by the portal, so I started walking. He felt suspicious looks. They were the looks of the residents of this district, with threadbare clothes on their skinny bodies, which showed their pointed bones. No, should I say inmates?
Mockery.
I couldn't help but laugh. How would the modern Hansu Lee of the 21st century react? Surely he would have shrunk just by those looks. Beyond disapproval, those eyes were filled with greed. He was sure he would be busy looking for a place to hide, unable to say a word.
«What are you looking at?»
Right now, he was a barbarian of this era with a muscular body of more than two meters and dressed in heavy armor. Even if dozens of those fragile bodies attacked, he hoped he could turn them into watermelon porridge in a matter of minutes.
«Behell-aaaaaaaaaa!»
When I released a Wild Burst that contained that confidence, the residents watching me from the shadows seemed to have seen a ghost and continued on their way.
«No problem! I won't eat you». Watching them, I laughed theatrically and continued on my way.
«Why is that man screaming out of nowhere...?».
«...Seeing that he has come this far, he will not be sane».
«Crazy bastard. Better not to get close.»
I faintly heard those words here and there. It was just the reaction I expected. I refused to let the flies get tangled in this mess.
This seems like entering a beginner's field.
I was quite worried because this place was called a lawless zone. Or, at least, that's what Missha called him. Now, he was convinced. The strongest man had the upper hand in a lawless place and could end up being more comfortable than a society where laws did exist.
I can think of it as a good rest.
This barbaric body was sensitive to the order of nature and already realized that it would not have an uncomfortable time here.
***
I was walking and exploring the surroundings endlessly when a little boy of about ten years old boldly stood in my way. «Excuse me, new sir!»
As confirmation, I asked him: «Have you followed me from the portal?».
«No? I just saw you».
«So how do you know I'm new here?».
«Because today I see you for the first time. Whenever someone like you comes, rumors spread quickly». That answer was quite convincing when you looked at the fragile bodies around.
«What do you want?» Aware of the surroundings, I spoke in a low voice.
However, this boy did not back down and said what he thought clearly and loudly without avoiding my eyes. «If it's your first day you haven't found a place to stay yet, right? Let me guide you. It may not seem like it, but I am a native of here, born and raised».
Simply put, he wanted to be my guide. Of course, it wouldn't be free. He was sure that he did not muster the courage to stand in the way of a giant barbarian out of charity. «Your price?»
«Just give me 100 stones».
It was pocket change that seemed to be missing a zero at the end. «Good. Guide me».
When I coldly accepted, the boy took the lead and said he would take me to the best place in the area. As I followed the boy, I asked him about this and that. I had read a few books about Bifron in the library, but it would be cocky to think that I knew everything about this place just from that. First, out of personal curiosity, I asked him: «Were you born here?».
«Yeah.»
«Parents?»
«Died».
«I mean, were your parents born here like you?». The boy didn't seem to want to answer, but in the end he gave in to the money. «I will give you 100 more stones».
«...Only Mother. I heard that Father came from outside».
«For what crime?»
«...Possession and distribution of seditious books. And before you ask, it was a book about whether the taxes paid to the palace are fair or not.»
«He was a man of thought, then.» It wasn't that surprising. The nickname Prison Camp given to Bifron arose when those slandering the royal family were banished here. If you want to complain so much, try living in a place beyond the reach of divine protection: That was the logic of banishments, but for the royal family it was a very smart move. It was a way to scare away reactionaries and, at the same time, demonstrate the legitimacy of the sovereign with complete certainty. Much more was gained than with hangings.
«How old are you?»
«Eleven.»
«So you can leave in three years».
«If I prove my credentials correctly».
I tilted my head. »Credentials»? I've heard that children can leave when they turn fourteen».
«You've only heard half of it. The relay is only available to a small number of people who demonstrate their talent in any field. They say anything, but in reality most aspire to be an explorer. It's much easier this way and they choose more people».
«Do you also aspire to be an explorer?».
«No. Scholar.»
Scholar, huh? No wonder this guy spoke so coherently. It seemed that his education was maintained even in this environment.
«You're an explorer, right? How did you get here?»
Soon the boy started asking me questions too. It seemed unfair to him that he was the only one to answer them.
«If you are willing to win 100 less stones, I will tell you».
«It's not even that much money...»
«Explorers never lose, even a small amount.»
«Oh, so you're an explorer?» To say it surpassed me was too nice a trick. But realizing that it could hurt him, the boy continued speaking quickly. «Okay. I will earn less. Tell me why you are here».
«I made a little mistake in the city. They told me to come live here for twenty days».
«Twenty days...» Was it an infinitely short duration for a boy who grew up here his entire life? The little boy bit his lip and was silent for a moment. Then he asked one more thing. «What rank did you have?».
It was personal information that I did not want to answer. «That wasn't the question you asked me. You can keep the 100 stones. From now on, answer my questions well». I dismissed that and changed the topic like a cowardly adult to questions about topics that are difficult to understand through books alone, such as prices in Bifron, social structure, etc. He answered each one without great difficulty like a true native, but one fact impressed me: the origin of his food.
«Does the palace send rations every month?».
«Yeah. Still, bullies take everything and use it as if it were power».
The bullies you mentioned didn't bother me. As long as you were born as a human being, it was inevitable that a hierarchy would exist, even among the lowest. What caught my attention was something else. «This place is increasingly contradictory».
«Excuse me?»
«Nothing.» My interest in Bifron was piqued. It seemed that this district, which in the game was normal like the rest, had an interesting hidden history.
«We have already arrived».
After walking down the street and talking a little more, we arrived at the inn the boy had told me about. The first floor was a tavern and the second an inn, like many other shops in the city. Normally, these types of stores were occupied and run by thugs.
Is this the best place?
I chuckled and opened the door to the inn, which seemed to be infested with bugs.
Creaaakkk.
Surprisingly, there were quite a few people inside, men and women with robust physiques drinking alcohol and wearing threadbare clothes.
Jingle.
When the rusty bell made a forceful sound, all eyes inside turned to me. The emotions they harbored varied: vigilance, bewilderment, curiosity, greed. I ignored everything and walked over to the counter.
«Innkeeper, how much is it for one night?».
«Fifty stones».
Once again, that number seemed to be missing a zero. «And a meal?»
«Two hundred and fifty stones.»
«Two hundred and fifty stones...» For me it was pocket change, but as I experienced it for myself, I realized how different it was from the outside world. To think that the price of food was five times higher than that of housing. These prices were unimaginable in Rafdonia, where the housing crisis was serious.
«I'll sleep here tonight».
«A meal?»
«I'll take it right away».
«We accept advance payment».
Paying three hundred stones for everything, I sat down.
«Now I'm leaving, sir.»
«You haven't received the money yet.»
«Oh, sure!» I gave a thousand stones to the boy, who remembered why he was here. «I... have no change...»
«Stay with the change. Come sit next to me».
«Excuse me?»
«Be my conversation partner until the food arrives».
After looking at me with a strange expression, the boy composed himself and sat next to me. He answered each and every one of my questions. Time passed like this.
«Here is the food you ordered». The long-awaited food was here. With no meat in sight, it was just translucent bread and soup.
«So...»
I stopped the boy while he tried to get up. «Sit down».
«Excuse me? But you said until the food arrives».
Gosh, did the barbarians look stupid to these people? Adding murderous energy to my voice, I said imperiously: «Sit down».
Sensing the strong change in the air, the boy fell silent and sat down again. He pretended not to, but I could tell how he was shaking even from afar.
I grabbed a large spoonful of soup. «Eat».
«Excuse me?»
«I said eat».
«Thanks, but I'm not hungry...»
Is this how you're going to get out?
«If you eat, I will give you 10,000 stones.»
I made an offer the guy could never refuse. What choice would you make now? The answer was very simple. «P-please forgive me...» As a child born and raised in a shitty environment, he was fast.
There were two reasons why he was able to see through the boy's tricks.
«Did you follow me from the portal?»
«No? I just saw you».
One, the boy calmly responded with a lie to the question I had asked for confirmation. Well, he was right not to make the lie obvious, but I was pretty sure of my memory. Since the castle portal opened, this boy was lurking nearby.
«Just give me 100 stones».
Two, the money he asked for was very conscientious. This was very strange. Tourist destinations always scammed people left and right, but this guy and even the innkeeper couldn't think of overcharging me. Of course, this could just be a coincidence.
«P-please forgive me...» Instead of eating, the boy knelt down. I wasn't surprised because this was expected. It was not the first time that the people of this world lacked novelty in their tricks.
If you want to stab someone in the back, make it a little less obvious next time.
I went around the table with the soup I wouldn't eat, even if they paid me, and got up. At first he was going to interrogate him to discover his accomplice, but it seemed that it was not necessary.
«Stop there». I spoke to the scoundrels shuffling toward the door, an attempt at friendly conversation for a change. Unfortunately, the four men and women, including the innkeeper, were quite busy hastening their escape.
«Damn!»
«Run!»
Looking at them, I clicked my tongue bitterly.
Do you really think that will work?
«Aaagh!»
I first grabbed the boy with one hand and quickly approached him as he activated the gigantization in a series of fluid movements, then kicked the ground with Jump.
Smashhhh!
In an instant, my body crossed dozens of meters and landed on the ground. With the Backspace effect, the fleeing men and women flew into the air.
«Behell-ahhhhhhhhh!» When I followed that with Wild Burst, the four people no longer dared to get up and run away.
Crunch.
To prevent them from escaping, I broke each of their feet. It was broad daylight and also in the middle of the street, but oh well. This was a lawless zone, after all. Nor would security guards come running because he used a special ability.
«Agh, ah!»
Only then did they come to. Between the four of them, the rat-faced man shouted as if in an automatic sequence: «We are from the Western Alliance!».
The Western Alliance was one of the four bands that split Bifron. Apparently their leader was an explorer.
«Y-if you let us go, we won't retaliate for...»
You would like.
Crunch.
I crushed his other foot to silence him, but apparently that made him even more desperate. «Our boss is a rank 6 scout!» Even as he screamed in pain, the guy screamed incessantly.
I couldn't help but tilt my head in confusion. «Your boss? What do you mean?» When I asked questioningly, this time, he tilted his head as if he couldn't understand what the hell I was talking about. I smiled friendly and leaned down to stroke his head. «From now on, your boss is me».
I always wanted to have my own subordinates.