Chapter 261 - Volume 3
Chapter 40 – Silver mines (1)
There was an inn located in central Schafflund and the owner a normal middle-aged man. However, the ale sold there had exceptional taste and thus attracted many recurring customers.
Most of them were locals who worked in the silver mines six days every week and returned every Sunday to rest, with a terrible body odor worked up from perspiration. They had loud, boorish voices, ignored what others thought of them, and leered at the waitresses.
If any barkeep girl flirted with them, they would definitely be booed at.
A few young men sat in one corner and stole glances at the noisy drinkers while discussing their affairs. Their parents were workers at the mine, and so were they. But these youths’ restless and brash personalities made them unwilling to resign themselves to spend their whole lives in this manner, and were currently discussing with each other to leave this town and see the outside world.
They had spent their entire lives within the town, and the furthest they went to was the forest, and the ideas they had of other regions came from the adventurers that came into the inns.
When they were finally prepared to leave Schafflund, they arranged the time to meet up and depart. However, they heard a cold scoff emitted through the nose near them. The young men’s startled heads whipped quickly to the opposite table in guilt and saw an aging dwarf.
He had a large nose and long braided beard that reached to his waist. Metal clasps were wrapped around his stocky arms, his legs short but thick and powerful. His skin color did not belong to a mountain dwarf’s ruddy complexion but a pale grey color.
He had to remove the useless bits by himself. The only thing good about it was the price of the information was included with the drinks.
“I don’t need a guide, but I want to know more about the forest.” He shook his head and said.
“The town’s surroundings are safe, but if you go deep into the forest, you might encounter beasts and possibly monsters. Also, the mines are in the north, if you travel there, you might encounter the patrolling guards. It won’t be good for you to meet them because they might capture you for being suspicious—”
The owner paused in the middle of his explanation, then quickly added as though he was afraid the youth might abuse his status:
“While this place is within Trentheim, the owner of the silver mines is Count Randner.”
“I see.”
Brendel sipped the wine that was brought to him, and a burning sensation went down his throat before it burst up to his nose, almost causing him to cough. He frowned because he nearly made a fool out of himself, especially when he was not a good drinker. After dispelling the taste in his mouth, he decided not to touch it anymore.
“What other areas must I avoid?” He asked.
“Not heading north would be fine.” The owner said.
“But how is it possible for us to find the silver veins if we’re not close to the mines?” Brendel pretended to look troubled.
The owner thought he was right in predicting what Brendel came for.