I had originally planned to make the trip along the icy road in a single day, but I was woefully unprepared and ended up spending a day in most of the inns along the way. It cost me most of my money, but the cold was seriously troublesome. I could have just chosen to continue travelling along the road, risking death, but ultimately I chose the comfortable option.

The caravans I meet along the way only serve to underscore my ill prepared-ness. Each has a trail of at least five carts and no less than ten people. Each is clothed so thickly, that I am sure there is at least a few inches of padding in their jackets. I wonder what they are transporting? It is probably spices or metal, since I see them in every town, and they are always expensive.

The cold had grown increasingly worse until the third station, whereafter it became easier and easier to travel through. The last day I have such confidence I can make it through, that I ignore the seventh and final station in order to get to Rachimov one day faster.

The scenery around the road changed after the first station. The right-hand side, started becoming rocky, and soon mountainsides were clearly visible. I can’t see the peaks because of the ever-present fog, so it gives off an ominous feel that anything could be up there

When I make it to Rachimov, I fall a little disappointed. I had hoped it would have a unique style like White Flats, but it is pretty much the same general architecture and look as Berliso, Honecker and Roxas.

Why does almost everyone construct the same houses in the same way? Is there some sort of architect school? I remember hearing about the university in the capital. Maybe that is responsible?

I check my money to see what I have to get by on. 74 asti is what I find. Damn, if only I had gotten to second rank as hunter, money wouldn’t be an issue like this. I don’t know how much money I will need in the capital, to get to Ahorn. He seems to be somewhat of an important figure in religion here, and I might have trouble meeting with him.

Well, if everything fails, I can just brute force myself in. I already have confirmation I above the reach of regular people. Where was this strength when I tried to save Atna? Shit.

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I check in with the guild, get to know where the dungeon is, and get to work clearing requests. I don’t plan on staying at an inn here, since the temperature is more tolerable.

I also ask if there is a water bar here, and there is, but I don’t know if I will go to it. I think I will really like it, but it is fairly expensive and I am already low on funds.

And so, two weeks pass with me working on simple requests. I end up at some 350 asti and I only went to the water bar once.

As I have reached my goals and am ready to part with this city, I ask the guild receptionist for the path to the capital.

Rather than directions, I receive a counter-offer. To escort a merchant. What follows is a long and dry conversation.

It seems the dungeon is actually a pretty poor food supply, but thanks to the position of the city, it is considered sort of a trade hub. According to some people I talked to, every caravan travelling with the capital from anywhere east in the human territory, do so by way of Rachimov. The long road from the capital to here crosses sort of a desert. Not one of sand and heat, but one of piss-poor dungeons so that no cities are between the two places. The road was even built exclusively to Rachimov, so that such trade could be facilitated.

It seems the trade is lopsided. People often come here with empty carts from the capital, and with filled ones towards it. The main exports seem to be herbs and spices not available in the western part of the territory.

It also sounds like it is the sole hotbed of banditry in the whole world. I think there is, relatively speaking, very little crime in this world. Why would there be, if anyone could go into a dungeon and get food and raw materials? Risking stealing from others seems to be as risky as taking from the dungeons. In addition, in this world, practically every man is a warrior, on account of most of the populace having to enter said dungeons and hunt for their living.

The exception to this are merchants. They are often born of merchants, and some of them seem to live their entire lives without ever entering a dungeon. And they carry many more valuables than your average person would. As a result, the single most lucrative trade route is the only place where the profession of banditry seems viable.

At the end of it, I don’t know… It will slow me down a great deal, but something else irks me.

I have great power in this world, but how many people have I really helped with it? The prostitutes that I myself was partially responsible of putting in danger? Amina, that’s one… Who else? Ahorn? Though my intention at first was to help him, I ended up stealing his quest entirely.

And so, with my aim being something as nebulous as “doing some good” I accept the request to escort a merchant.