Sage stepped back onto the bustling streets, weaving through the throngs of people as he recalled the path from his memories, making his way toward the eastern part of the city.
The sun was beginning to dip below the western horizon, signaling the end of the day, yet the city remained alive with activity and noise.
Twenty minutes later, Sage found himself standing in front of a dilapidated wooden building.
The structure was ancient and appeared as if it could collapse at any moment, leaning slightly to one side with holes scattered across its surface.
Above the entrance hung a crooked sign featuring two wooden mugs, swaying loosely and creaking in the evening breeze.
Inside, a cacophony of sounds erupted,loud bangs and raucous laughter filled the air.
Taking a deep breath, Sage patted his chest where he had hidden his money and held a single gold coin in his left hand.
"Well, this is it..." he muttered under his breath as he stepped forward toward the door. He slowly opened it; it creaked loudly and shook violently in his grip while an old bell above chimed in protest.
As soon as Sage entered, an overwhelming stench assaulted him. He scrunched up his nose and raised an eyebrow.
"This place really stinks!" he exclaimed, waving a hand across his nose while scanning the room.
It was spacious but packed with rowdy patrons who were clearly intoxicated. Laughter, chatter, and off-key singing reverberated throughout as cheap ale mixed with sweat filled the air.
The furniture was far from complete: tables made from barrels and chairs missing legs created an atmosphere of disarray.
The wooden floor creaked beneath each step he took; five massive pillars at the far end supported what seemed like a precariously balanced structure.
No one paid him any mind; everyone was too engrossed in their drinks or conversations to notice him slip into their chaotic world.
Sage exhaled deeply and softened his expression as he spotted a lone figure slumped in one corner, one man leaned drunkenly against a table cluttered with five wooden mugs, some tipped over on the floor with beer spilling out.
His eyes lit up at this sight. He approached the counter to buy five mugs of beer before slowly making his way to sit down across from the man.
Thud! He placed them on the table with enough force that it jolted the man awake.
"Ahh... wh-who is it?" The man slurred groggily as he lifted his head to gaze blearily at Sage.
"Hey there!" Sage waved a hand in front of him with a friendly smile tugging at his lips.
"W-who are you?" The man’s voice was hoarse and dry; flushed red cheeks framed chapped lips that hinted at too much drink. His sunken cheeks belied shifty eyes that darted about nervously despite appearing intoxicated.
"No need to worry about who I am. Today is a happy day for me, and I’ve decided to treat myself to some drinks. It seems I bought quite a lot, so I’m hoping you can help me out!" Sage shrugged, gesturing toward the five mugs of beer on the table.
The man’s expression shifted instantly to one of ecstasy as he spotted the beer. His tongue lolled out, and saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth. His face flushed an even deeper shade of red as he raised his head and looked at Sage with admiration.
"Oh, thank you, my young friend, for your generosity! My name is Pax!" he exclaimed, introducing himself.
"Alright, Pax, let’s drink up! Today is a happy day for me!" Sage laughed heartily as he grabbed one mug and gulped it down.
The liquid slid down his throat with a burning sensation that was far from pleasant.
"Damn! This tastes like leather!" Sage thought as his stomach churned; it was easily the most unappetizing thing he’d ever tasted.
Grimacing, he glanced over at Pax, who was downing his beer as if it were the finest vintage. Bliss radiated from Pax’s face as he smacked his lips in delight.
Sage let out an awkward laugh while watching Pax enjoy his drink. He pushed the remaining beer aside on the table,he had no desire to touch it again.
"Hey, Pax!" Sage coughed slightly to catch his attention.
"My young friend, what is it?" Pax hiccuped, still flushed but clearly intrigued.
"It’s nothing much; I can see you’ve lived in this city for quite some time, right?" Sage asked casually.
"Yeah! I’ve been living in Greyvale City for almost half my life!" Pax patted his chest proudly.
"Wow! That’s incredible!" Sage feigned surprise with wide eyes fixed on Pax. "You must know a lot!"
"Of course," Pax nodded while taking another gulp of beer that spilled over onto his coarse clothes. "I used to be a carriage driver for one of the noble houses here. So I know plenty about this city and even some things about this kingdom!"
Sage’s eyes lit up with interest but quickly masked it with a nonchalant expression. He scanned the tavern discreetly and noticed that no one seemed focused on their conversation; relief washed over him inwardly.
Turning back to Pax, who continued to guzzle down cheap beer like fine wine, Sage seized the opportunity: "Hey Pax! Since you were once a carriage driver for one of those noble houses, could you tell me how the dungeon system works? You know I’m just a bottom feeder in this world and want to understand it better so I don’t offend anyone powerful!"
Pax set down his mug and wiped his mouth before meeting Sage’s gaze. Despite looking drunk with a rosy complexion, there was an unexpected clarity in his eyes when dungeons were mentioned.
Pax glanced around for a moment, then let out a sigh of relief before turning back to Sage, his expression growing serious.
"My young friend, I advise you not to dwell on this topic. While it may be common knowledge, discussing it publicly can lead to trouble," Pax warned, his face reflecting caution.
Sage was taken aback for a moment. "So, talking about dungeons openly is frowned upon?" His mind raced with various thoughts.
"But..." Pax locked eyes with Sage. "...since you’ve bought me a few drinks, I suppose it won’t hurt to share some information to help you stay cautious."
Sage leaned forward slightly, his expression now solemn and serious. He understood the importance of grasping the gravity of this world before making any decisions.
Deep down, he cursed his circumstances. If only he weren’t stuck in this body, an underachiever at the bottom of society, he wouldn’t need to tread so carefully due to a lack of basic knowledge about the world he inhabited.
With a sigh, Sage reminded himself that it wasn’t entirely his fault; his predecessor had been just a 16-year-old orphan whose thoughts were consumed by survival rather than understanding the intricacies of their environment.
All he had known was the name of the city and some trivial bits of information that offered little guidance.
"You see," Pax began, "dungeons are an integral part of Aetherion’s ecosystem; they appear randomly across various locations. These dungeons hold abundant resources but are also home to monsters that offer valuable materials as well. As usual, those in power tend to hoard these riches for themselves, leaving nothing but scraps for those of us at the bottom!"
Sage listened intently while occasionally taking sips from his cheap beer, which churned uncomfortably in his stomach.
Pax had already polished off two mugs and was working on his third. After gulping down more beer, he continued speaking.
"These dungeons contain an infinite amount of resources since they respawn after a certain period,monsters included but not all monsters respawn; typically its just the stronger ones can respawn up to three times before the dungeon heart is depleted. Whenever new dungeons surface, it’s guaranteed there will be bloodshed over them! It doesn’t matter if they appear in your territory; others will do whatever it takes to claim their share."
"What about people who aren’t part of Noble Houses or Royal Families? Can they fight for access or even enter these dungeons?" Sage asked.
"Nope," Pax shook his head firmly. "How could anyone hope to challenge Nobles and Royal Families who wield immense power over these dungeons? That would be tantamount to seeking death!"
"But if someone wants to raid these dungeons and gather resources or materials to grow stronger," Sage pressed on, "do they need permission from those Nobles?"
"Exactly," Pax replied with a heavy sigh. "They have to pay a hefty fee just for permission and even then, they’re expected to hand over ninety percent of their loots after they have raided those dungeons."
Sage couldn’t believe what Pax had just said, his lips twitching in disbelief. "Isn’t that daylight robbery?" he exclaimed.
"Yeah, but what can you do about it? It’s not like you have any other options. They control the dungeons," Pax chuckled, taking another sip of his beer.
Sage was left speechless. These nobles and royal families were nothing but leeches, driven by greed.
Now he understood why there were so few adventurers in this world; the corrupt actions of these nobles stifled any chance for true adventure to flourish.