Chapter 57, Unsung

Translator: Barnnn

 

As they always did on their days off, Ize and Hal left the inn empty-handed.

Their first stop was the Guild, where they completed the loot exchange process. A receptionist handed them a small slip of paper.

 

“You have a message from the Crafters’ Guild.”

“Oh, thank you.”

 

As the receptionist left to appraise their loot, they unfolded the note and read:

 

[Your order is nearing completion. Please visit the Guild to confirm the delivery method. –Zoddoa]

 

“That was fast,” Hal remarked.

“Because it’s smaller than the bath?”

“Even so, it’s two units.”

“True, too…”

 

Unlike the bath, a toilet was best owned individually — far fewer complications that way. So, this time, they had ordered two.

Only four days had passed since placing the order. It seemed the artisans had been quite hard at work.

 

“So what do you think, Ize? Can we go today?”

“Sure, no problem.”

 

When the receptionist returned, they requested the entire payout be deposited into their account.

And with that settled, they headed to the Crafters’ Guild, where a somewhat pompous-looking man was already waiting.

 

“Are you the ones contracted with Master Zoddoa?”

 

No introductions, no pleasantries. Just an air of self-importance.

 

“…? Well, yes,” Hal replied.

“A-ah… well, come with me, then.”

 

On Ize’s Perception Map, his marker appeared yellow — neither friend nor foe.

The man strode into the room, sat down first, rattled off a few lines of self-important drivel, then unceremoniously dumped a thick stack of papers onto the table.

 

“Master Zoddoa has completed his work, so he’s requested delivery arrangements and a new contract… Well, here it is.”

 

Ize glanced to her side, observing Hal as he read through the contract, and saw that his face was completely expressionless all the while.

 

“Sir,” Hal said after a while, “Are you sure this contract was prepared by Mister Zoddoa himself?”

“Oh, absolutely. Why do you ask?”

“This document designates the first party as ‘Hal of the Crafters’ Guild,’ which I believe does not refer to me. I am an adventurer, unaffiliated with the crafters’ side. I’m afraid I cannot sign this contract.”

“What?”

“Just to make sure we’re on the same page, sir, please have a look at these copies of the two previous contracts we signed with Mister Zoddoa.” Hal withdrew the contracts from his bangle-shaped Magic Bag. “Look carefully, sir — here, where I am referenced, and here, my younger brother. Both clearly state our affiliation with the Adventurers’ Guild. Furthermore, in the event that we cease to be adventurers, our identity is to be certified by Mister Zoddoa of Bezbaro Village and the head of Bezbaro Village’s Crafters’ Guild.” He tapped a finger lightly on the relevant sections. “None of these clauses are present in this new contract. If this was drafted by this city’s Crafters’ Guild as a proxy, I demand that it be redone.”

“A-Are you implying that we made a sloppy contract!?”

“Not at all. A contract is formed through mutual agreement. I am simply stating that I cannot sign this one.”

“You think you can get away with saying that!?”

“…Hal. It’s turning red,” Ize murmured.

“All right…” He set the contract down with deliberate care and looked the man in the eye. “Now, please enlighten me — what exactly did you mean by that statement, Deputy Guild Master Garyuz?”

The man stiffened. “H-How do you know my name!?”

“Well, some people just… can. Is that not how things simply are?”

“Y-You’re an appraiser…!”

Hal smirked. “Would you have any issue with us submitting this contract to the Merchants’ Guild for review? I’m sure they could determine whether or not it’s valid.”

“I-I… I have nothing to do with this! I know nothing!”

 

And with that, the man bolted from the room.

 

“Hmm… did I push him too hard?”

“Ehh, I’d say he had it coming.”

“But what now? Mister Zoddoa probably did intend to set up a contract for the toilets.”

“Right. But that guy tried to intercept it for himself, and now we’ll probably have to wait until someone fixes this? …Oh, someone else is here.”

 

Right as Ize finished, a knock echoed at the door.

 

“The door’s not locked, sir,” Hal called.

“Excuse me.”

 

The man who stepped inside was not the self-important official from before. Instead, he was dressed more like a factory worker — practical, slightly friendly-looking.

 

“I apologize for the Deputy Guild Master’s behavior. I am Hassen, the Guild Master here. May I take that contract for review?”

Hal’s gaze remained steady. “What do you intend to do with it?”

“We won’t cover it up, for starters…” Hassen exhaled, rubbing his forehead. “It’s embarrassing to admit, but since you two are already involved, I’ll be frank — that fool has caused issues on several occasions. In fact, we’ve been gathering evidence to submit to the court soon. And now he pulls another stunt, tampering with Master Zoddoa’s contract of all things… His arrogance knows no bounds.”

“All right… I see you also have your share of issues with him. We have no use for a contract we can’t sign, so take it as you will.”

“Much obliged.”

 

Then came another knock. The door opened again, admitting two men.

One took the falsified contract from Hassen and left. The other approached, setting down a fresh stack of papers before Hal before taking a seat.

 

“This is the official contract issuer,” Hassen said.

“I am Wailie,” the second man introduced himself with a deep bow. Hal and Ize responded with slight nods. “Here is the contract, along with a transportation plan for the goods. Please review them.”

“All right, let’s see here…” Hal picked up the documents, scanning each page with methodical precision. Occasionally, he nodded. “Everything looks in order. No issues. We’ll proceed with the contract.”

“Thank you. Please sign here.”

 

Wailie neatly arranged the pages, and the process was completed with efficient speed.

Next came the transportation details. They had assumed they would need to retrieve the items themselves, but the arrangement turned out to be different.

 

“Bezbaro Village regularly delivers large shipments,” Wailie explained. “Master Zoddoa has requested that your order be included in one of those.”

“And the cost?”

“Since it’s part of a regular shipment, the Guild covers the transportation fee regardless of cargo size. You won’t be charged.”

“That seems… unusually favorable to us.”

“Not exactly. Because your order will be transported alongside other deliveries, it may take longer to arrive. That said, Master Zoddoa’s artworks are high-priority, so we will expedite them as much as possible. The Guild isn’t taking a loss either.”

Hal frowned slightly. “Artworks? Excuse me, but you do know what we ordered, don’t you?”

 

The way Wailie was talking, one might think they were transporting some priceless masterpiece.

But these were portable toilets. Toilets meant to be tucked away inside their Magic Bags. The idea had been Ize’s, sure, but still.

 

“Of course, I know!” Wailie exclaimed, practically vibrating in his chair. “The specifications for the portable bath you submitted last month were already groundbreaking, but now — a toilet! When I read the design, I was so overwhelmed by the sheer genius of it that I nearly slammed my head against my desk! I mean, why had I never thought of it before!? The purification method using Slimes has already gained traction among adventurers for some time, but for many nobles, it’s still considered disgraceful. There have even been cases where travelers held it in rather than use such means — only to fall ill! Now I’m sure you can imagine why the demand for portable toilets would surpass even that of the bath!”

“Wailie. Wailie, calm yourself,” Hassen interrupted. “You’re startling Masters Hal and Ize.”

“Ah!” Wailie froze. Then, as if a switch had flipped, his expression smoothed into perfect neutrality. “…My sincerest apologies.”

 

[Oh, great… he’s one of THOSE people.]

 

When Ize glanced up at Hal, she found the corner of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.

 

[Yup. Obsessive nerd confirmed.]

 

Since they had no objections to the transport plan, they decided to proceed as is. Hal, composing himself, managed to squeeze out a response.

 

“Mister Zoddoa’s really took something we only imagined and made it real — his craftsmanship is incredible”

Hassen nodded, then fixed Hal with a curious look. “Say, Mister Hal, are you aware of Master Zoddoa’s contributions to Jasted?”

“No, I can’t say I am.”

“Then take a look at this.”

 

Hassen strode to the corner of the room, where a wooden box sat, and flipped open the lid. Inside lay a folded ladder and a set of metal fittings.

He proceeded to assemble the parts and, without hesitation, leaned out of the window.

 

“Uh, Mister Hassen…?”

“Watch closely.”

 

Still dangling over the ledge, he withdrew his hands from the ladder — yet he didn’t fall. Something attached to the upper frame of the window held him securely in place.

 

“This ladder locks into metal fittings installed at the tops of windows. It allows people to escape onto their roofs.”

“Escape… from what? Mystic Beasts?”

“Exactly.”

 

This, apparently, was an evacuation tool installed in every home in Jasted.

If a Dungeon Deluge struck and someone became trapped inside a building, they could use the ladder to climb to safety.

Additional devices were mounted across rooftops, forming a continuous path that allowed people to flee from house to house, all the way to the evacuation shelters.

 

“This is Jasted’s true heart,” Hassen said.

“True… heart?” Hal parroted.

“Rather than escaping alone, those who reach safety first can extend their ladder to the next rooftop before they flee. Even at the cost of precious time.”

“To save another person’s life.”

“Exactly. There were concerns about criminals misusing the system, of course. But our lord made a decree — anyone who abuses this tool will be punished as if they had committed mass murder against the entire city. He knew exactly how many lives would be lost if this system weren’t in place during a Deluge.”

“Wow…” Hal studied the ladder with newfound appreciation. “Mister Zoddoa really created something incredible.”

“He did,” Hassen nodded. “He saved Jasted’s people — and he did it with faith in their hearts.” With care, he unhooked the ladder from the window and returned it to the box. “It’s useful even outside of Deluges. For fires, for rescuing children in danger — it’s saved many lives.”

 

His fingers traced the wooden lid with something close to reverence.

It was quite clear that Hassen was just as much of a Zoddoa devotee as Wailie.

 

◆

 

With the business concluded, Ize and Hal took a long walk through the city, gazing up at the rooftops, picturing the hidden framework woven into each structure.

It was a detour from their original plans, but a valuable one. They were beginning to understand Jasted — not just the city’s layout, but the spirit of its people.

Ize, absorbed in thought, spent more time looking up than watching her step. She wobbled now and then, but Hal’s grip on her hand was steady, guiding her forward.

 

“There’s so much to learn,” she murmured.

“Yeah.”

“And… I’ve realized something.”

“Hmm?”

“There must be so many amazing people in this world — even if they’re not recognized as Sages.”

“Unsung Sages, huh?”

“Heh. Now I’m even more excited for our journey.”

 

Just as Earth had its share of great minds, this world, too, was filled with remarkable people. Not only otherworlders shaped its future — countless unsung Heroes and Sages played their part.

Perhaps, along the way, they’d meet them. What a thrilling prospect — almost worth nerding out over!

Ize snuck a glance at Hal, catching the briefest flicker of amusement in his eyes before she turned forward and kept walking.