Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 133
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133. Mari-nee and A carefree stroll through Liberta
I decided to escape from Graham-san and his group and continued exploring the city with Gils and Vel.
We had been heading towards the center of the city earlier, so this time we decided to go in the opposite direction.
Wandering aimlessly, we turned and walked through the white buildings, occasionally making random turns.
There were many shops selling imported goods from Caldia, and the further we got from the center, the more reasonably priced the items became.
Grains, processed vegetables and meats, and daily necessities.
Additionally, there were materials that seemed to come from the monsters around Liberta, and items made from those materials.
Although they were unusual, compared to the goods from Yamato I saw earlier, their quality seemed significantly lower.
The same went for weapons and armor; the items made by Roulette-san and the others were far superior.
After all, the three of them are top-class craftsmen.
…I wonder if that merchant can withstand Roulette-san and Kanna-san’s barrage of questions.
After that, a full-on price negotiation will likely await, so stay strong.
Roulette-san did mention she had money, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to pay whatever the asking price is…
I murmured good luck in my heart, but I wasn’t sure who I was addressing it to.
As we continued our exploration, we started to see more food stalls.
In Eden, many stalls sold porridge or grilled meat skewers, but here, perhaps because of the proximity to the sea, there were many stalls selling seafood soup and fish sandwiches.
The aroma of spices occasionally carried by the wind was quite appetizing.
I decided to try some soup, and the stall owner swiftly ladled it into a bowl and handed it to me.
When I scooped it with a spoon and brought it to my mouth, a complex umami flavor spread out.
“Besides fish, does it have shrimp and clams too? The broth is really flavorful. And this fish cake is delicious!”
The fish cake, made from minced fish, had a spicy and hot taste reminiscent of Thai cuisine.
Some might not like it, but for someone like me who can’t handle very spicy food in real life, it was a refreshing taste.
I finished the soup to the last drop, returning the bowl completely satisfied.
With a full belly and full of energy, I cheerfully walked around looking at various shops.
I was having so much fun that I lost track of time… and then I realized.
“Where am I?”
I was lost… No, it’s too early to jump to conclusions.
First, I need to calm down.
It’s just that I’m a little unsure of where I am right now.
Even if I were lost, I have two reliable companions with me.
“Do either of you know where we are?”
“No need to worry, there’s nothing suspicious here.”
“Piyo!”
“Ah, um…”
Thank you, very reassuring, but that’s not quite what I meant.
I looked around again… Nope, still no idea.
Okay, I admit it, I’m lost.
Getting lost while having fun at this age… It’s so embarrassing I just want to log out right now.
Just as I was about to slump down, Gils supported me.
“Thank you… Gils?”
Without reacting to my words of thanks, Gils was staring intently at something with a stern expression.
His gaze was fixed on a shop where people stood chained by their feet in the storefront.
They weren’t doing any work, they were just standing there.
Their expressions were dark, mixed with resignation, as if trying to convince themselves they were mere objects.
It was likely a shop that bought and sold slaves.
Having met Joshua and learned a bit about the circumstances leading to slavery, I wanted to do something, but there was little I could do.
Even if I bought and freed them, how would they live afterward?
Giving them money might help for a while, but it wouldn’t be a fundamental solution, and those resigned eyes… they might just feel confused.
Before I knew MWO, when I was losing my sense of purpose due to the lack of progress in my rehabilitation, imagining their situation based on my experience might be presumptuous.
Even so, if I stopped thinking about it, it would feel like I was accepting the current situation as it is.
While I was conflicted and unable to move, Gils suddenly took my hand and started walking.
“Vel said he wants to see more of the sea.”
“Piyo!?”
Vel was clearly flustered, as if to say, “Huh? I didn’t say that!”
Ignoring Vel, Gils kept walking away from the shop.
His grip on my hand wasn’t tight.
If I wanted to, I could probably break free, and if I asked him to stop, he would.
So, I understood that this was Gils being considerate.
His silent back seemed to be telling me not to carry too much.
I squeezed his hand tightly and decided to simply follow him for now.
I would remember the scene I saw, keeping it in my heart…
Gils continued to lead us, and eventually, we arrived at an area facing the sea.
It was a simple pier made of wood extending from the land.
It might be used by the locals to go fishing.
There were indeed a few small boats tied up with ropes.
The rhythmic sound of the waves and the horizon stretching out before us.
As I soaked in the peaceful moment and felt my emotions settle, I realized once again.
“We’ve gotten even more lost, haven’t we…”
We weren’t even in the city anymore.
As I stood there feeling lost, a voice suddenly called out nearby.
“Ah, that was a good nap. Napping on a boat isn’t so bad.”
A man stood up from one of the small boats, yawning.
He looked to be around fifty years old, with close-cropped dark green hair and a well-groomed beard.
Wiping away the tears that came with his yawn, his eyes widened in surprise as he saw us.
“What are you doing here?”
He asked the question I wanted to ask him.