NOVEL NEXT Chapter 119: Bond’s scrap book
There were a lot of trees in Labyrinth City.
In places like the forest on the foot of the five rings mountain range and the regular, non-labyrinth forest to the north of the Goblin Forest, it was possible to get good quality wood. There was also a lot of afforestation in areas with few monsters.
Because of this, not only were many buildings made of wood, but it was also used as raw material for many manufactured goods. One that stood out among them was paper.
The Labyrinth City was also a commercial city where people, goods, and information went back and forth. Salt and seafood were taken from the seaside regions of the south and exchanged for irons from the mines in the north. Magic items and arms made from processed monster materials were taken to the capital to the west. Non-iron metals and rare goods from other countries were taken from the capital.
Merchants worked day after day pegging the prices of iron, salt, and wood.
“That is why economic newspapers sell so well. People working the printers work the machines day after day, covered in ink.”
Said Nick to Bond, whose ears seemed perked but was not really listening.
“Ah, fine fine.You know, it’s not that interesting.”
“Really? You like books so I thought you’d be into this sort of thing.”
“Well, I do not hate it, but I cannot use my calculation and analysis abilities for stocks or speculation.”
“I see. There’s plenty of shady ways to use them if you really think about it.”
“By the way, you also cannot rely on my help when buying stock, that is also not allowed.”
“…I did think about that for a second. Oh well, we don’t want to attract too much attention anyway.”
“Yes yes. I also said no when Tianna asked me to analyze dragon races newspapers and almanacs.”
“What was she doing…”
“Apparently she bought a bunch of old issues of those newspapers cheaply because a journalist likes her.”
“Her room is already packed full of stuff… She really should get a housemaid or something…”
“She enjoys her hobbies a little too much, but then again, you should not be one to talk as well, right?”
“I guess. But if you’re not interested in economic newspapers, then what are you doing?”
Bond flipped through newspapers rapidly.
He got his hands on a box full of old issues, and looked at every single one.”
“I am scanning and preserving them. I was after the manga that comes as an extra, but I figured I might as well scan everything.”
“Are you a kid?”
“I am not a kid! Preserving culture is important! Paper burns away, and lithographs may seem eternal, but there is abrasion with every copy. I am not doing this for my own amusement.”
“Alright, then tell me if you find something interesting.”
“I can do that. This city should really have some sort of legal deposit… Hmm?”
Said Bond as he stopped on an article.
It was not very interesting for him, but he assumed Nick would want to see it.”
“What?”
“…An idol scandal.”
“I don’t want to hear about that.”
“It says she is suspected of supporting her ex…”
“I said I don’t want to hear it!”
“A-alright, sorry. There is no need to get so upset!”
“It’s good manners not to pry into an idols’ private life. And I actually know about that one.”
“So you’re only pretending not to listen to it?”
“I’m a bit interested so I do touch on that kind of thing… But I pretend I don’t know. It’s taboo to bring up their personal lives when you meet an idol.”
“What a complicated mental setup… Oh?”
“If it’s about idols again, I don’t care.”
“No it is… Oh well, forget it.”
Bond saw an article from the previous month.
It talked about how there was hope of cleaning up the abandoned area. It said that recently adventurers had been frequenting it and driving out pimps and con-men, and that the spread of disease had been put in check. The residents had slowly been warming up to adventurers. It did not say what party started this, but Bond knew.
“I forgot, I promised Sem I’d go out drinking with him.”
“…You really should not go to every weird place he invites you to.”
“It’s not that weird. Last time it was a place aimed at beast people, and this time…”
“It’s a bar for excommunicated priests.”
“How does he even find these strange places?”
“I have no idea…”
“You two cannot be helped. And you even have a certain societal prestige…”
“Hn? What did you say?”
“Nothing. Just continue to stay the way you are.”
“You sometimes say some weird things.”
Nick then got ready and left, and Bond went back to scanning and analyzing newspaper articles.
He looked back on Survivors’ adventures, and smiled.
“Now that I think about it, that time in the casino was said to be the work of a mysterious paladin. There should be articles about… Ah, here it is. I have to preserve this one as well.”