It was indeed simple yet difficult.
Some people could make a billion bucks easily, but some couldn’t save a million in their entire lifetime. The gap between people were too huge.
For ordinary people, magic was mysterious and incomprehensible. They did not even dream to approach it. That was why the whole city was filthy except the square near the magic tower.
“If you want to know where Mr. Aldo’s residence is, sir, I can draw you a simple map,” said Gru with a smile. “Besides, Mr. Aldo has a propensity for women. If you bring a beautiful slave with you, your chance of meeting him will be higher.”
A slave?
Roland would meet Aldo, but not with any slave. He said to Gru, “Thank you for your intelligence. What should I pay for your information?”
“Nothing. It’s my honor to get close to a spellcaster.” Gru waved his hand and said sincerely, “I only hope that you can remember a nobody like me after you grow into a powerful Mage.”
“Thank you.” Roland stood up but did not make any promises.
He would definitely be powerful. After all, players would never die. However, he couldn’t promise that he would be famous or that he would remember this mustached man.
After all, Gru had few distinguishing features.
So, Roland merely expressed his sincere gratitude.
Gru looked at him in a strange way.
Roland returned to Lamb Girl from the noisy tavern, because he realized that his Language Proficiency was about to be over.
Over the past month, he had learned basic words in Hollevin, the country that he was in. But he couldn’t understand the sophisticated or uncommon words. As a leader of the Association of Mages, Aldo must be a capable and knowledgeable man. Roland did not intend to talk rudely when he visited the guy.
Walking past the charming courtesans, Roland entered his room.
After Roland came in, a bunch of women watched his room and teased each other. A beautiful girl was pushed out, but she laughed and jumped back, having fun with her friends.
Roland practiced Language Proficiency in his room.
Although he had to learn meditation before he could use a spell beyond his level, there was certainly nothing wrong in trying to connect more basic nodes.
His head hurt again. Roland rested for a while and continued.
Without his notice, dawn had already arrived. Someone knocked on the door.
Roland opened the door, and it was indeed Betta.
His face was flushed in embarrassment. After he entered the room, he looked around and found no women. Finally, his nervousness was gone.
Roland said with a smile, “Were you haunted by the women on the first floor?”
Betta’s embarrassment consumed him again. “No, nothing happened.”
Roland knew that his guess was correct. He chuckled. “You should’ve picked a better location for us to meet up.”
“How could I have known...” Betta said in a lower voice, “...that the inn was like this?”
After making fun of Betta, Roland asked, “Did you find any useful intelligence?”
“I’ve got two quests. I’ll share them with you.” Betta was rather delighted. “They’re two green quests.”
This guy was truly lucky to pick up money and quests so easily. Recently, Roland spent a lot of time on the forum when he was not playing the game. Many people had stated that quests were rare. Although most activities in the game, such as studying magic or practicing swords, rewarded experience, quests could provide more experience than they did.
Accomplishing quests was the fastest method to level up, but the problem was that quests were uncommon.
The two quests were “The Missing Girl” and “The Monster in the Sewer.”
Roland frowned at the first quest, which reminded him of the missing grandson quest in Red Mountain Town.
In the end, the two grandparents burnt themselves out of desperation.
“This girl...” Roland asked Betta, “...can’t be an only daughter, right?”
“No!” Betta shook his head and said, “I’ve investigated it. She has siblings. Also, her disappearance was quite uncanny.”
Betta must’ve been traumatized, too. He had investigated before accepting the quest.
“Let’s work on this one first. Do you have any clues?” asked Roland.
Betta said, “Yes. She was last seen in the woods outside of the city. She went there to pick up mushrooms, and then she disappeared.”
“Beasts?” asked Roland.
Betta shook his head. “I’m not sure.”
“Let’s go then.” Roland put on the magic robe from his Backpack. “If we get started sooner, we may be able to bring the girl back alive.”
That was Betta’s intention, too.
The two of them passed through the lobby and left the inn.
The girls in the lobby stared at them in silence. After they were outside, Betta asked Roland weirdly, “Why are they so restrained when I’m with you? When I came in just now, those women almost dragged me away.”
“I’m a Mage,” said Roland with a smile. “The civilians in this game are naturally scared of Mages. You are handsome and in glamorous clothes, and you look gentle. It’s only reasonable that they are not scared of you.”
Roland’s initial charisma was 5 points, and Betta’s was 7 points. As their level increased, the gap between their charisma was getting larger and larger.
As they talked, they walked out of the city. Soon after they came out, the city gate closed.
Delpon was placed under curfew every evening. They managed to get out in time.
The sunset dyed the trees to the west of the city red, as if they were covered in blood.
“The girl went missing in the woods over there,” Betta said as he walked. “It’s said that someone outside the woods heard terrifying roars.”
Well... Roland felt that it was like the opening of a horror movie.