Chapter 194

194th Chapter

Dark Star Necromancer Hassan

194 ? Dark Star Necromancer Hassan #5

Early morning.

Luna and I had a modest breakfast at a nearby inn. A dry piece of bread and a pale stew with bits of meat, lukewarm milk.

I couldn’t tell if it was because it was morning and I had no appetite, or if the food was just plain unappetizing, but it was truly terrible. Still, I had no choice but to eat diligently to get through another day.

I wasn’t the only one struggling with this meal.

Looking at the other guests having breakfast at the inn, they all furrowed their brows as if they were undergoing some tremendous trial, bringing spoon and fork to their mouths.

Of course, there were exceptions.

“Oatmeal. The oatmeal stew is delicious, right?”

Luna ate the same bland breakfast as if it was truly delicious. Spending quite a bit of time with her, I’ve felt that Luna seems to have a somewhat peculiar taste.

Did Luna’s eccentricity include a penchant for strange foods? Could it mean she likes bizarre dishes?

Thinking back, Luna has indeed eaten some odd things. Like squirrels…

As I absentmindedly watched Luna munching on her food, I wondered if a slap on the cheek would cure her of her peculiarities.

However, since it was unlikely I would ever slap Luna, I decided to change the subject and casually said, “If you finish this, we’re going to the clinic.”

“Come on, I know.”

Today was the day after a rain.

In the pleasantly cool morning of summer, Luna and I hurriedly prepared to stop by the clinic.

“It feels a bit wasteful to go to the clinic when I’m not hurt.”

Luna was absolutely convinced that her body was healthy and in perfect condition. However, she used to say the same things even before she fell asleep under the curse.

A human body, no matter how healthy it seems, can collapse unexpectedly at any moment. Regular health check-ups are a good idea.

“The consultation fees are probably expensive.”

But it seemed Luna was worried about the high consultation fees at the clinic. Although Luna had started a business and, with my adventurer job gaining traction, our revenue had surged compared to before.

Still, considering the future, the money was still far from enough.

I wasn’t sure how much a simple basic check-up would cost, but spending that kind of money when there was nothing wrong would surely seem a bit excessive.

Now that I think about it, it seems it was the same in 21st-century Korea.

While some people fuss over even a small pain and insist on going to the hospital, others might be in a pretty serious situation but refuse to go.

Since childhood, I was almost brainwashed into believing that happiness doesn’t correlate with material wealth.

In reality, it is true that wealthy people tend to be relatively healthier, and there is also a tendency for healthier individuals to report higher happiness levels, so maybe having a lot of money contributes to living a happy life?

While I was mulling that over, I noticed Luna had finished her stew.

“Let’s get up if you’re done.”

“Yeah!”

After calculating about 10 copper for breakfast, we headed towards the main street of the city. Thinking back, it seems this is not the first time since settling in this city that I’ve been to a clinic.

I hadn’t had any injuries severe enough to warrant a trip there, and I usually just applied ointment for minor wounds.

The clinic we arrived at had a garden abundant with roses and thorns. Such a large number of roses.

Could it be that this clinic is managed by the Shrine of Venus? I thought, but in the garden, peacocks were frolicking about, their tail feathers sprawling everywhere.

Coo coo.

Seeing that, Luna exclaimed excitedly.

“Hassan, look at that, it’s a tail feather bird! It’s Juno’s symbol! This must be under the jurisdiction of Juno!”

“What’s a tail feather bird? Isn’t it a peacock?”

“Of course, according to others, it’s called a peacock.”

“I see.”

It seemed that the bird Luna was thinking of had quite a broad meaning.

As we were admiring whether it was a peacock or a tail feather bird, we eventually entered the triangular roof building.

The inside was quite pleasant and felt cool. There was a subtle fragrance of something unknown that settled my nerves.

“Hassan, doesn’t it smell nice?”

“It does.”

Is this some sort of therapy?

“Welcome.”

The person who greeted us was a woman dressed in a pink silk dress. The flowing silk clung to her body, revealing her figure in a very alluring way.

Like the priestesses I had seen at the Shrine of Venus, she had long wavy blonde hair, languid blue eyes, and a slightly plump face that was quite attractive.

She looked like a young lady from a wealthy family. It seems being a healer is a good money-making job as well. She smiled sweetly and spoke.

“My name is Healer Flora. What brings you here so early in the morning?”

“We came for a consultation!”

Luna, who had just been concerned about the consultation fees and reluctant to come, suddenly proclaimed this boldly.

Flora, revealing her name, wore a very friendly welcoming smile as she led Luna somewhere.

“Then, this way please.”

Just as Luna and I were about to follow her…

“Sir, please wait there.”

Was there some rule about gender at the clinic? I was stopped from entering. So, I was left waiting in the lobby.

Glance, glance.

Sitting blankly in the chair in the lobby, the people around occasionally glanced at me. It’s only natural to be curious about a peculiar Samaritan.

I was about to ask, “What are you looking at, kid?” when I realized they were all young women and, considering this was a central street clinic rather than a slum, I just remained quiet.

But really, all the patients are women. There seem to be quite a few pregnant women with notable baby bumps.

Is this clinic similar to an obstetrics clinic?

I thought, and it did seem that way.

According to books I read in the library, Juno is the queen of the heavens, the goddess who protects the home, community, and the safety of mothers and women.

I realized I had followed Luna into a women’s hospital.

Thinking that made me feel a bit embarrassed, and I turned my gaze elsewhere. Being in a women’s hospital. I could somewhat understand why the women were giggling at me.

d*mn, how embarrassing.

What caught my eye next was a leather newspaper placed on a table.

Sodomora Weekly.

It was a common type of newspaper or informational pamphlet in this world, made by flattening thin layers of cheap leather and writing words with a brush. Perhaps because there are many leatherworkers, it had quite a few pages.

With nothing else to do while waiting for Luna, I decided to skim through it. Flipping it open randomly, the first thing I saw was this.

Lately trending, women’s amulet earrings. How to capture the heart of that man —.

Is this a women’s magazine? It featured a pair of earrings with an oddly patterned drop design in great detail.

Since it even specified which store was selling them, I thought that perhaps that store sponsored this leather magazine and advertised it.

Interesting.

A newspaper, huh?

It might have a lot of information that I wouldn’t expect. No, rather than an old-fashioned encyclopedia, such a weekly magazine might have useful information for an adventurer.

As I mentioned before, adventurers need to always be attuned to changes in society.

So, I decided to see what other content was included.

How to tell if he’s cheating. Ten behavioral types of a cheating man.

What the heck is this?

There were some rather intriguing articles that made me involuntarily gaze at the page.

First, he suddenly starts paying more attention to his appearance.

Second, he goes out a lot.

Third, he often comes back smelling of unfamiliar scents.

Fourth, he suddenly becomes overly affectionate or, conversely, shows less affection.

Fifth, he’s full of secrets…

What the hell.

Self-interest.

I knew that damaging someone else’s property is a crime, yet I ripped that page out so Luna wouldn’t see it and stuffed it into my pocket.

But then I realized Luna might find it, so I swallowed it to destroy the evidence.

That was a close call.

Thus, I started flipping through the leather pages to see if there was any other dangerous information written.

Flap, flap.

Thieves’ Guild – Has the Hydra really been exterminated? Captured evidence suggests irregularities still exist. There are accusations that it is merely a deception —.

Cultist War, a few weeks afterward. Has Pluto’s influence truly waned —.

Count’s only daughter, Enya Sardich. Her health is in a critical state —.

The magazine seemed to have well-written articles not only about information that young women would like but also gossip and rumors circulating in Sodomora.

Could there possibly be a story about me?

I’ve been quite the rising new adventurer lately. So, I wondered if there was an article about me and flipped through the pages.

But there was none.

d*mn, I was secretly expecting something like that. It seems I’m not yet at the level of being featured in the newspaper.

There were articles about Hippolyte and Antiope. It talked about them being “The Perfect Sisters of Mars” or something.

There are articles about those delusional girls, but there’s nothing about my contributions to the city lately. I felt a bit frustrated.

Who writes these articles anyway?

To become a Gold Tier adventurer, I need not only to level up but also to increase my fame. In that case, shouldn’t I be mentioned in the newspaper as frequently as eating?

“d*mn.”

At that moment, one clear life goal popped into my mind.

To be featured on the front page of a newspaper.

It felt like a more achievable goal than the distant dream of becoming a Gold Tier adventurer, and maybe if I tackled things one by one, I could achieve that big dream someday.

So I began to think about what I could do to have my name prominently displayed in the newspaper while flipping through the leather pages.

Then, I noticed a large headline written on one side.

A nearby village of Sodomora, another monster attack!! Goblins are increasing! Is there no solution!? Both Mars Guild and Minerva Guild are helpless!! The city council is reviewing causes and solutions –.

It was an article full of exclamation marks.

Increasing goblins, indeed.

There have been noticeably more goblins around the city lately.

It’s only natural that, unless they’re runaway goblins, there wouldn’t be goblin hordes appearing near towns or cities where people live.

As I had felt at the site of the abandoned sanctuary, there are quite a number of goblins swarming lately.

Now that I think about it, didn’t the Iron Adventurers’ Party take down some goblin king or something?

If I could capture that goblin king and bring its head back?

d*mn, wouldn’t that guarantee me a front-page article?

That sounds solid.

I thought it was a very plausible idea.

“Hassan, what are you looking at?”

Just then, Luna, who had come out of the examination room, walked towards me, splashing her feet on the floor.

She looked about the same as always.

“What’s up? Did you get examined well?”

“They said everything is fine! In fact, I’m too healthy!”

“Really?”

Only after it became clear there were no problems even from a professional healer could I finally feel a bit relieved.

I could say for sure that the curse that was once within Luna had definitely been lifted. While I was feeling satisfied with this, Luna stuck her head in and looked at what I had been glancing at.

“Hassan, you can read newspapers too?”

“Well, yes.”

“The more I look at you, the more you don’t seem like the barbarian I thought. Were you really the son of a chieftain from the land of Samaria?”

“I wasn’t.”

“Hassan, you look smart!”

Did my reading make me look somewhat intellectual? Knowing how to read can be regarded as a form of knowledge in this world.

While deciding to subscribe to a weekly newspaper on our way back, I set off with Luna into the street.

*

When I returned home, someone was in the yard.

Ever since we set up the yard, there had been a troublesome peddler appearing frequently, but looking closely, it wasn’t a peddler; it was Paranoi.

Paranoi was playing around in the yard, catching ants.

“Hassan! Luna! Where have you been…? I’ve been waiting…!”

Paranoi brushed her palms off and stood up. Luna hugged the Nymph of Ditch Water happily, as if it were a good thing to see her.

“Today, we have a lot of potions to make; this is great! I need to extract secret ingredients!”

“Do we have to do that again…?”

“Why? You don’t want to?”

“It’s not that…”

Paranoi, gripped tightly by Luna at the waist, glanced at me with a nervous look.

I couldn’t tell for sure, but it seemed she was asking, “Hassan, could you take me with you today?” She likely didn’t want to be exploited by Luna for secret ingredients or whatever.

But I couldn’t take Paranoi with me today because I had things to do.

This afternoon, I needed to attend a lesson with Hippolyte and also meet Antiope to hear about Pluto’s cultists.

And what if I took Paranoi along?

I’m sure Paranoi would cause a commotion, saying something like, “Paladin, Antiope! You are now my subordinate!” which would eventually get us caught by Hippolyte, and we might end up with our heads on the chopping block in the newspaper.

I don’t want to make it into the newspaper that way.

“Paranoi, today I’ll be gentle and won’t hurt you!”

“Eeeek!”

In the end, watching Paranoi being dragged into the hut by Luna, I became a little curious about what this secret ingredient Luna was talking about was.

Secret ingredients from a Nymph that go into a special potion.

I was very curious, but since Luna said, “Sometimes it’s better not to know what the ingredients are for better effects!” I couldn’t bring myself to ask her.

[Author’s Note]

Thank you to Nyangjubi, aslejf, Osusu, Joyjang, Chasal, Kadeom, Persistent Bear, Potato Server, Caffuccino for the support coupons…!!!

I’m also really grateful to those who sent manuscript coupons ㅠㅠㅠ I always enjoy reading the comments and recommendations…!!!

I hope you liked the illustrations made with the values of coupons and recommendations..!!!