Chapter 26 " The weight of Suspicion"

I continued staring at the old man until I heard Jason calling, “Caelan, there is Geo.. I’ll go talk to him to see if we can join their group.”

“Alright, I’ll talk to Elle to gather more information about this mission. I replied " Let me know your decision about whether you’ll join or not,” Jason said

“Okay.”

I squeezed my way through the crowd to get closer to the reception area. Once I was there, Elle greeted me, saying, “Caelan, you're here! Don’t tell me you’re here for the dungeon-clearing mission. A lot of adventurers are here for it. I didn’t expect you to come, especially since you just returned yesterday from a high-ranking mission.”

I smiled and replied, “Hmm, you’re right. I’m here to ask about the dungeon mission, but I haven’t decided yet if I’ll join. I still need more information about it.”

Elle explained, “The mission is from the Duchy of Shumidt. It’s an E-rank dungeon, and any group or individual adventurer who clears it will receive thirty gold. More importantly, there’s a chance that the group or a solo adventurer who clears the dungeon could be knighted.”

All the information Elle mentioned had already been told to me by Jason and the others. “Thanks for the info. By the way, I just noticed that man earlier. Who is he?” I asked.

Elle looked in the direction I was pointing. “Ah, that’s Count Roger. Duke Schmidt assigned him to negotiate with the guilds.”

“Thanks again,” I said.

Caelan fell into deep thought, an uneasy feeling gnawing at him. Something about this mission didn’t sit right. The rewards were unusually high for an E-rank dungeon—as if designed to lure in as many adventurers as possible. It reminded him of the investment scams from his original world, where people were promised overnight wealth, only to be left with nothing.

And then there was that man. Caelan had met plenty like him in the business world—men who cared little for others, driven only by personal gain. They pursued success without regard for the people they exploited. But this man… he might be even more dangerous.

Despite his suspicions, Caelan knew he couldn’t stop Jason and the others from going. This was the opportunity they had been waiting for, and they wouldn’t turn it down. But the nagging sense of danger wouldn’t leave him.

I can’t let Jason, Niro, and Van face this alone.

With that thought, Caelan made up his mind.

Caelan went over to where Jason was standing and called out to him. Jason turned and came up to me. "Have you made a decision?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, I want to join this mission. Can I be part of your group?"

Jason smiled. "Hold on, let me introduce you to Geo" He walked over to a middle-aged man with messy brown hair and a short beard, giving him a rugged and slightly carefree look. After speaking to him briefly, Jason turned back to me. "Caelan, come here," he called.

As I approached, I noticed the man—Geo—was watching me closely, almost like he was sizing me up. His gaze didn’t waver until I stopped in front of them.

“Geo, this is Caelan. We’ve mentioned him to you a few times,” Jason said.

Geo looked at me, a hint of skepticism in his expression. “So, this is the friend you keep talking about—the one who didn’t join you guys before because he wasn’t interested in becoming a high-ranking adventurer?”

Jason scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed. “Yeah… that’s him,” he admitted.

Geo looked straight at me. “And now you want to join our group? How can we be sure you won’t be a burden? This mission is nothing like delivering goods to shops in the city or gathering herbs in the mountains.”

I held his gaze. “I know it’s different from my past missions.”

Niro, who had been listening, spoke up in my defense. “Actually, Geo, Caelan has taken on high-ranking missions before. While we were clearing the dungeon in czellerts, he was on a high-ranking escort mission. He just got back yesterday.”

“High-ranking, huh?” Geo muttered, rubbing his chin as he looked me up and down thoughtfully. “So, which high-ranking adventurers did you go with on that mission?”

“I was with Lucan , Gibo, and Alex,” I replied.

Geo interrupted me, his face showing surprise. “Lucan , you say?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Geo thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. “Alright, you’re in.”

I couldn’t hide my sudden curiosity over his quick decision to accept me so readily. Noticing my expression, Geo said, "You’re with Lucan on this mission, right? He must’ve tested you before bringing you in. I know Lucan—he doesn’t just accept anyone into his group. His standards are high, even for B-rank adventurers."

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Thinking it over, I realized Geo was right. During our last mission against the beasts and bandits, not a single casualty occurred, and everyone showed impressive skills. Lucan didn’t compromise when it came to the capabilities of his team.

While I was still recalling that mission, a loud voice of a man interrupted my thoughts. "All adventurers and teams who qualify and wish to join the dungeon-clearing mission in the Schumidt Duchy, please fill out a form and submit it. The ship to Fromel Port leaves at noon, so be ready!"

The adventurers reacted in various ways upon hearing the announcement. Some were visibly excited, while others looked panicked, realizing their armor, potions, and weapons weren't ready. A few adventurers without a party glanced around, searching for potential teammates.

"Alright, let’s get prepared. Meet me at the port before noon," pierce announced. "Make sure your armor, weapons, and potions are ready."

"Understood!" We replied in unison,

The adventurers went their separate ways to prepare, just as we did. Our first stop was the weapon shop, as Van had mentioned earlier. "I need a new spear," he reminded us.

"I also need more arrows too," Niro added as we made our way to the nearest weapon shop by the guild.

As we stepped inside, we were greeted by the sight of various weapons displayed around the store—swords, axes, spears, and more. The faint scent of metal and leather hung in the air. Behind the counter stood a thin, older man with a welcoming smile. He raised an eyebrow at us and said, “What kind of weapon are you looking for, brave adventurers?”

“We’re after a spear and some arrows,” Jason replied.

“Right this way,” the shopkeeper said, leading us to a section where spears in different designs and lengths were carefully arranged. On the other side of the room, he pointed out rows of quivers filled with arrows of various types.

While Van and Niro were picking out their gear, my attention was drawn to a set of small knives nearby. I remembered how effective these could be as an emergency weapon—they were easy to carry and hide, unlike larger weapons. They also came at a reasonable price: just three copper coins for a single knife, and two silver coins for a set of tree

I decided to buy a set of knives. Jason and the others were already at the counter, paying for the weapons they had picked out, so I followed and handed my chosen knives to the shopkeeper.

“Hmm, knives?” Van asked, puzzled.

“I just thought it would be good to have an extra weapon besides my sword,” I explained with a shrug.

After finishing at the weapon shop, we headed to a potion shop next. After learning how potent the potions in this world were, I realized how important it was to always have them—especially when traveling or working as an adventurer. Aside from weapons, potions were our lifeline. With that in mind, I made sure to buy good-quality ones. We also purchased the other supplies we needed before making our way straight to Lira Port.

When we arrived, the port was already bustling with adventurers preparing for their own journeys. We scanned the crowd and quickly spotted Pierce, who waved us over.

“Geo!” Jason called out.

“Good thing you got here early.”Geo said

“Yeah, we didn’t want to miss out on anything,” Jason replied with a grin. Geo glanced at each of us before turning to the two men beside him.

“Get ready—we might be able to leave earlier,” he said.

Then, gesturing toward me, he introduced, “This is Caelan. He’s a friend of Jason’s and will be joining us on this mission.”

“Yo, Caelan! Name’s Hiddan,” one of the men greeted with a grin.

Hiddan had messy, shoulder-length hair and a rugged, sun-kissed face. He wore a loose white shirt, a dark leather vest, and tall boots. A sword hung at his hip, marking him as a seasoned adventurer.

“And this here’s Mario,” the third man added with a small wave.

Mario had neatly kept brown hair and a sharp, focused look. He wore reinforced leather armor with metal shoulder guards, a quiver strapped across his chest, and carried a bow, with a sheathed sword at his side.

"Nice to meet all of you," I replied with a smile, but just then, a sharp whistle cut through the air—pwwwwwwww!

The sound grabbed everyone's attention. A nearby crew member shouted, "All adventurers assigned to the Schumidt duchy mission, board the ship now!"

The urgency of the whistle and the call to board created a tense, buzzing energy among the adventurers as they hurried to gather their things and head toward the dock.

"Let's go, everyone, let's board," said Geo. Once all the adventurers were on deck, the ship lurched forward, its sails catching the wind as we set off. I scanned the deck, estimating that more than a hundred adventurers had joined this journey, each one embodying a mix of anticipation and determination.

As the hours slipped by, the adventurers settled into their routines. Some leaned against their packs and closed their eyes for a brief rest, while others meticulously inspected and sharpened their weapons, the sound of whetstones whispering over steel. A low hum of conversation drifted around the ship, and an occasional laugh punctuated the air, but mostly, there was a shared silence

I chose to spend my time at the rail, letting the sea breeze wash over me as I gazed out at the endless stretch of ocean. The horizon blurred where it met the sky, stretching endlessly, a vastness that filled me with both exhilaration and a faint sense of dread. This mission would be my first time entering a dungeon. I'd only ever read about them or listened to stories from other people Yet here I was, about to face one myself. Even if it was just an E-rank dungeon, the anticipation gnawed at me. With so many adventurers entering today, it would likely be conquered before long

The hours slipped by, and as the sun began to dip toward the horizon, we finally caught sight of Fromel Fort. When our ship docked at the fortress port, we spotted a line of carriages waiting on the pier, ready to take us further inland.

"Attention, all adventurers assigned to the mission! Board the carriages immediately!" A man with a booming voice called out, making sure we heard over the bustle. We moved quickly, trying to squeeze everyone into the thirty-three carriages provided.

Niro grumbled as he eyed the packed carriages. "Seriously? Only this many? What were they thinking?"

Geo rolled his eyes, his tone dry. "It's not that they sent too few. There are just way too many adventurers for this mission."

With a sigh, Niro clambered into the cramped space beside the rest of us, still looking displeased. But we had no time to waste. Once everyone was settled, the drivers snapped the reins, and the carriages lurched forward, taking us away from the coast toward our next stop: the Schumidt Duchy.