Hiding, Contracts, and Impact

"..."

After receiving the reward of having all his attributes reach S, Falan could not help but feel a little emotional.

After all, he had previously set the record for the fastest advancement to Level 2.

Now, after going back and forth once more, he had once again met the conditions to advance to Level 3.

One attribute above D √ Great feat achieved (soloing Goliath) √

"But... it's still been too short..."

After all, last time, he could be said to have joined the Freya Familia's expedition.

Under immense pressure, facing monsters far higher in level than himself, his attributes had accumulated quickly.

But this time, he had gotten it all for free. In just two or three days, all his attributes had reached S.

No matter how one looked at it, no one would believe that. It was simply too outrageous.

"Looks like I need to find a way to stay in the Dungeon for a while..."

The 18th Floor was a good place for that. It was one of the Dungeon's two known safe floors.

(The 50th Floor was also a safe floor, but since relatively few adventurers could reach the 50th Floor, fewer people knew about it. Falan had accompanied the Freya Familia on an expedition, so he knew.)

Rivira Town was the name of the town located on the 18th Floor.

He had passed through it twice during expeditions.

As for why he had never stayed there before? Its prices were beyond anyone's imagination.

There were three reasons why lodging and food on the 18th Floor cost many times more than they did on the surface.

First, the adventurers responsible for transport had to bear the risks of the journey themselves.

Second, Rivira Town had formed for a reason.

Although the 18th Floor was known as a safe floor, it was only relatively safe.

That was because the Dungeon's monsters could move between floors.

Even if monsters that reached the 18th Floor did not normally attack adventurers, there were exceptions—what could be called an "abnormal state," or when an adventurer attacked those monsters first.

Rivira Town had been established because an adventurer once believed that staying on the 18th Floor and fighting separately when abnormal situations arose was far too unsafe. That was how the 18th Floor's unique ecosystem came to be.

Even during the era when the Evils Familia ruled, they had been unable to completely destroy this place.

Third was the scarcity of supplies. Rivira Town's expensive prices had long become one of Orario's unspoken rules.

Those who came to Rivira Town to buy things were either regular customers or teams that had suffered heavy supply losses during adventures and had no choice but to replenish themselves here. Such people often became targets for Rivira Town to carve up.

Therefore, unless it was truly necessary, most adventurers would not come to these streets to buy things.

"At the same time, this is also my reason for 'moving in' here. After all, I'm the 'Big Backpack'!"

After leaving the entrance connecting the two floors and traveling for quite some distance, Falan arrived at Rivira Town.

He immediately felt countless gazes converge upon him.

There was curiosity and malice alike. After all, Falan was alone, and no matter how one looked at him, he resembled a fat piece of meat.

Sensing those gazes, Falan did not conceal himself and spoke loudly.

"Who's in charge here? Could you come out so we can talk?"

Several figures emerged from the darkness. Some wore eyepatches, while others were massive in build.

Falan swept his eyes over them. By his judgment, none of these people were below Level 3, and they were among the strongest Level 3 adventurers at that. There might even be Level 4 adventurers among them. After all, without absolute strength, one could not run a black-market business in Rivira Town.

"You are..." The eyepatched adventurer spoke first, only to be swiftly interrupted by Falan.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm the 'Big Backpack' currently famous throughout Orario. Although I've already advanced to Level 2, I'm not sure whether I'll be given a new title. I'm here to discuss business."

"..." The leaders were all stunned. A person who had only just advanced to Level 2 could withstand the killing intent they had deliberately released?

Then they turned their attention back to him. Falan had clearly stated his purpose.

"Big Backpack" had indeed become famous throughout Orario over the past few months.

After all, how could no one covet someone who possessed storage magic capable of holding a thousand slots?

It was only because rules had been established by the gods at that Divine Assembly that no one was allowed to make a move against Falan.

In exchange, Falan had to bear the cost of accompanying a large Familia on expeditions.

An adventurer stepped forward and said, "Are you here for trade? I represent the Hermes Familia as the witness for this matter."

Hermes, also called Mercury by the Romans, was Zeus's messenger. He enjoyed debate and invention, as well as pleasure and travel. He was a cunning and wise god, making him the god of commerce and travel, as well as the god of thieves and swindlers.

In Greek mythology, Hermes had even established weights and measures. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he had built the commercial system itself. As far as Falan knew, the Hermes Familia also existed as Orario's neutral Familia by acting as commercial witnesses.

"With someone from the Hermes Familia serving as witness, nothing could be better. So then, who in Rivira Town is willing to represent the town and negotiate with me? There are too many Familias represented here. I can't possibly sign a separate agreement with every Familia, can I?"

The Hermes Familia member replied, "Indeed. Then, who can represent Rivira Town?"

Of the group that had first stepped forward, more than half withdrew. They might have been able to represent their own interests, but most of them could not represent Rivira Town.

Several people remained, including the adventurer wearing the eyepatch.

"Let me introduce myself. Bors—you can call me that. I'm the mayor of Rivira Town."

The remaining adventurers did not speak. They merely stood off to the side.

The trade contract was soon signed. For a period of time afterward, Falan, representing only himself, entered into a trade contract with Rivira Town. As long as Falan was alive and free, he would be responsible for transporting supplies for Rivira Town.

Naturally, he would also take a cut. Even if his goal was merely to conceal the fact that he was about to advance to Level 3, asking for nothing in return would not fit commercial custom. Even if he truly did not care about the share, the adventurers would not believe him.

Thus, the contract was made. Over the next month, Falan followed Rivira Town's elite teams back and forth between the surface and Rivira Town, transporting supplies several times.

His title of "Big Backpack" spread even further. What truly made him famous throughout Orario now was his enormous storage space. Because of it, Rivira Town's prices even dropped to a certain extent for the first time in a long while.

Many adventurers praised the contract Falan had signed with Rivira Town. After all, when shopping on the 18th Floor in the future, they would not need to worry as much, and adventuring had become far more convenient.