Sorry, but this is as far as I can take you. From here on, you can walk to the labyrinth city on foot."
"Oy! What does this mean! Didn't I pay you to go until the labyrinth city?!"
"It's the viceroy's requisition. Give it up."
A man and the kid who were riding with me pressed on the coachman, but there's no way that a noble decision could be toppled in a kingdom that prefer nobles like this.
The reason for the requisition is probably the swarm of meteorites that could be seen in the western sky this afternoon.
The passengers were frightened, but judging from the time of the flash and the sound getting to us, the falling point should be more than 1000 kilometers away, so it was a needless fear.
It'd be a problem if the meteorite is as huge as the one that made dinosaurs extinct, but if that happened, no use in running anywhere anyway.
I got tired of seeing the passengers harassing the coachman.
After asking for the reimbursement, I try to look for a wagon heading toward the labyrinth city.
Fortunately, within an hour I was able to ride on a wagon that was carrying shafts of spears, axes and hatchets.
It seems growing plants is hard around the labyrinth city, so these kinds of woodworks are carried from the neighboring cities.
It might be a seasonal thing, but there's a lot of young people heading to the labyrinth city.
From children younger than even junior high school students to ones who are of high schooler age.
"There are many explorer applicants this year."
The peddler who's driving the wagon talked to me while gazing the young people walking on the street.
"--Is that so?"
"At this time of the year, it's usual for many youngsters who aspire to become explorers to come out of the woodwork every year, but this year there are some people who defeated 『Floormaster』 and became nobles. A lot more kids are probably inspired by it."
I see, not American Dream, but Labyrinth Dream huh.
While thinking such a thing, the wagon entered a village protected by barrier pillars. When the wagon stopped at a square, a village-head like man in good clothing negotiated something with the peddler.
Judging from the pattern of our lodging in villages so far, he's probably negotiating the rent for the wagon, water well, and selling woods for the fuel.
The price for these is just several big copper coins, but it seems to be an important income for the village.
The peddler traded some things required by the village like ointment and nails to decrease the cost.
I watch the back of the wagon for thieves while the peddler is negotiating.
According to the peddler, the danger of thieves is more prominent inside such a village than during the journey.
During the season where a lot of youngsters are heading toward the labyrinth city, the Royal Capital's knight order regularly patrol the highway, so thieves and such hide themselves far away.
Besides us, there are a lot of youngsters in traveling clothes doing preparation to camp in the square.
That said, their 'preparation' only consist of them putting their mantles on the ground and napping on it, or preparing for meal. There are a lot of people who are only making bread porridge that consists of dried vegetables and black bread stewed together.
It seems to be normal around here, but I was surprised when I saw black bread being stewed for the first time.
"Thank you for waiting. Let's have a dinner. Can I leave it to John today too?"
"Yeah, leave it to me."
I draw water from the nearby well, and then put it on the pot on top of the stove the peddler put.
When I have the fund, first thing first, I'll make hand pumps and spread it to villages.
The moment bubbles came out in the water in the pot, I put cereals and jerkies to make a risotto. The lump broke when the hot water boiled, and good smell from the spice overflowed.
The other people in the square are looking here with envious look, but we don't have enough to split for them.
It's the peddler's job to put the cooked instant risotto to the bowls.
It's troublesome with just one arm you see. I'd eat directly from the pot when I was alone.
"Yup, it's good. Don't you want to sell this? I think it'll sell well."
"Sorry, but it takes too much effort to make them."
I bluntly declined the peddler's offer for the umpteenth time.