【Chapter 2】
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Guster was in the town square. It was large and bustling, and astonishingly well-kempt. It featured an old, withered oak tree.
[Oracle's vision:
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Legend says that it will flower on the darkest day of the land, to give the people hope.]
As he passed through, he saw a large cage with an ostrich inside of it.
There was a bureaucrat that was trying to calm an angry crowd. There was also a noticeboard, which had various posters, requests, and announcements tacked to it.
Nearby, he could see a light skinned barely five foot human who was looking at a map.
A poster on the notice board reads - "The security guard is required to increase security in our Woodhelm village. Salary will be 40 coins per week, 3 free meals per day and a private room - with a facility of the training hall attached to the room will be given. If you are interested in this job, please contact the Leaf Hunter Family of Woodhelm village."
"Yes! Yippee! I've discovered a reliable source that can guarantee an accomodation as well as a reliable supply of money. It feels wonderful. It is precisely what I sorely required now. However, there is a problem..."
Because Guster was unfamiliar with the world's geography, he was unable to locate this settlement. The man next to him caught his attention as he did so. He went over to the man right away and inquired about the map. With the map in his hand and keen interest, the man began to describe everything in painstaking depth.
After explaining like this for about ten minutes, the man said, "Instead of standing and talking like this, let's sit somewhere and talk over a delicious drink."
"Yes, that's right. But I don't know your name. Are you a cartographer?"
The man smiled, with pure joy mixed in his smile, as if he were very proud to hear that. "Actually, I'm not a cartographer, but it's been my hobby to study maps since I was a child. Now I'm in the map business. But I don't make maps myself. My name is Zelton. What about you?"
"I am Guster. I'm an adventurer, but I am in need of making some coins."
"I see, an adventurer. Good. Good. Splendid. A person who strives to encounter new things and venture beyond the ordinary is an adventurer. Amazing attitude, but as you can see, nothing gets done without money. Adventure may seem like a tough desire for you to achieve, especially if you have a family to care for."
"Tough, but not impossible."
"I admire your passion; Youthful and brimming with vitality. I really wish you the best and am available to you if you ever need any assistance with maps."
"Thank you."
"Hey, lad, give us two mugs of fine wine."
"Sorry, I don't drink alcohol. Coffee would be great."
"Oh, no. What a waste! What kind of man drinks no good liquor! You are missing out, my friend. Alright, lad, give this fine gentleman a good hot cup of coffee."
Then Zelton started to describe all the locations, including their names, settings, addresses, and streets, as well as specific concepts and numerous linked personal tales. This was how the morning unfolded.
The day rolled like an empty barrel down a drain and fell in the afternoon sun.
After that, a notification signaled the conclusion of Zelton's seemingly unending talk.
Guster's mood was somewhat lifted by the system's notification, despite the fact that he was a little weary owing to Zelton's constant rambling.
[ All of the specifics from Zelton's descriptions have been committed to memory and examined by Oracle's vision, which has created a viewable map. The user can use the Oracle's vision skill to access this map whenever they want and use it for analytical insights.]
[Congratulations! You have gained a map.]
'Oracle's vision is an awesome skill.' Guster thought.
Guster bid Zelton farewell, who then began to walk while apologizing for his haste.
*****
He continued to look at the prepared map with humble interest. He was fascinated by the precise and deep details of the map. In praise of the Oracle's Vision skill, prattled was the city of his mind.
Using Oracle Vision, he determined the optimum path to take to get to Woodhelm village from his present location after looking at the village's location on a map. He headed in the direction of the settlement of Woodhelm on the Oracle's Vison's recommendation.
Zelton had informed him that local hunters were needed to kill roving silver wolves that were stealing people in the middle of the night. It was risky work, but it might be worthwhile given that he was running low on the stones he needed to fill his stomach.
Guster trudged through throngs of townspeople moving up and down the street while the scorching sun flared overhead. As he did so, he noticed vendors zealously hollering their wares at him. The stench of unwashed bodies and smoke tingled the back of his nostrils.
Men in crimson were heavily patrolling the area.
As they strolled through the streets in groups of six or eight, carrying their famed clubs and donning robes with the red hands' insignia stitched on them, their ever-vigilant gazes peered out from harsh, leathery faces that had been altered by the fierce heat of the sun. These warriors were well renowned for being a tad excessive in their duty, compelled by the code of the lightbearer to serve and defend civilians at any cost.
Guster had little trouble comprehending the scenario because everything was as Zelton had described.
Cautious not to meet their fervent gazes, Guster hastened his pace, ready to leave town and escape their piercing gazes, when he tripped over something weighty and took a step back.
A towering, beefy man in chainmail with zigzagging scars, a thick neck, and broad shoulders was staring down at Guster while muttering loudly under his breath.
He looked like someone from a history book. Muscles rippling all over his body, with an absolutely perfect statue shape. Someone who eons of exercise has had their life lived through in the man. On top of this, he looked like a person that can pull off an act that most wouldn't even think possible.
His dark brown eyes were flaming with wrath, and his mouth was curved into a scowl. "I've been looking for you, Pirubaan. Where is the gold that is owed?!"
