Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 85 Midsummer (Two in One)

Midsummer Festival.

One of the most important festivals in the continent of Ephra.

The time is the middle of the seventh month (summer tide month) every year, the day with the longest daylight, which also marks the change of seasons and the peak of summer.

The origin of the festival has long been unknown in the epic of countless disputes and complex conflicts between gods on the continent.

But people still follow the customs passed down from generation to generation and celebrate the midpoint of the year in their own way.

Banquets, weddings, divination...

Even the hardworking farmers who can't even stand up straight in the fields will give themselves a small holiday on this day to spend time with their family and have two more slices of dried meat for dinner.

The people in River Valley Town are no exception.

"Mission number: 1062, number of people required: 4, full, next one."

"Why are there 3 silver missing? Only half of your goblin's ear is left. It is not included in the bounty. Next one."

"I don't sell Adventurer's Handbooks here. Next one."

"No time, next one."

"Next person……"

With his head bowed, he rang the bell wearily.

Jasmine leaned over the counter and shouted weakly.

There was no movement in front of me.

There is no longer the noisy chattering in my ears as before.

Looking up, I saw that the Guild Hall, which should have been filled with hurried adventurers, was now empty.

Only a few staff members wearing the uniforms of the Adventurer's Association walked towards the door together, chatting and laughing.

Jasmine couldn't help but pause.

Then, as if he remembered something, his sleepy look, as if he hadn't slept for many days, disappeared in an instant.

Instead, a smile rose unconsciously on his face as if he was relieved, and even his eyes had a little more spirit.

"I almost forgot, today is Midsummer Day."

During this annual festival, no matter how busy the Adventurer's Association is on weekdays, it will give its employees a half-day holiday.

It is said that some branches with sufficient funds and generous senior management will even give bonuses and gifts to employees.

Of course, this has nothing to do with Jasmine.

As an ordinary receptionist at the River Valley Town Adventurer's Guild branch, she was already content to be able to leave work early.

She felt happy just thinking that she wouldn't have to deal with those strange adventurers this afternoon, wouldn't have to argue with them about why the bounty was the left ear instead of the finger, wouldn't have to touch those bloody loot pockets.

I even hummed a little tune unconsciously while packing my things.

Carrying a shoulder bag in her hand, Jasmine casually greeted her colleagues who passed by, and walked out of the gate of the Adventurer's Association with brisk steps.

The house she rented was located on the west side of Hegu Town, about thirty or forty minutes away from here.

Not very close, but cheaper.

To be honest, Jasmine's income is already very good among ordinary people.

Just like the proverb that is popular on the mainland:
"Being neighbors with adventurers, you can collect gold coins from every rooster crow."

Any job that has anything to do with adventurers or other supernatural powers will bring in a very lucrative income.

Even if she is just an ordinary waitress responsible for serving water and food, if the tavern where she works often has adventurers gathering, then her income will be more than one or two times higher than that of her peers.

Sometimes, the tips received in just one night are more than what many people earn in more than ten days of work.

Of course, high incomes also bring huge risks.

After all, they are both drunkards, the middle-aged bald, beer-bellied, henpecked Uncle Jack next door, and the orc adventurer whose arms are thicker than your thighs, who just killed dozens of goblins during the day and still has blood on his body.

The degree of danger naturally varies greatly.

The former will at most push and shove you twice, cursing and denying his previous groping behavior;
As for the latter, if you really make a mistake and the other person happens to be drunk...

That would be a real life-threatening situation.

However, this has nothing to do with Jasmine.

With the support of the association, even if she has no fighting power at all, no one dares to make things difficult for her at work.

At this moment, this girl with short hair has finally got a half-day holiday.

I'm considering whether to cook for myself or go out for a big meal in a restaurant.

"It's midsummer after all, let's go out and have a nice meal."

"I don't know if Nana is free today. We haven't seen each other for more than a month. We have to find a chance to get together."

While I was distracted, I happened to come to a road corner. I didn't pay attention for a moment and almost bumped into a passerby coming from the other side.

"Sorry, sorry!"

Jasmine's steps were unsteady as she apologized hurriedly.

Xia Nan looked at the reckless girl in front of him and frowned slightly.

But the next second he recognized that the other person was the front desk receptionist whom he had met several times before in the association.

I didn't intend to make things difficult and didn't say much.

He just nodded slightly, turned his body sideways, and passed by the other person.

Now, more than half a month has passed since he returned from Kalanfor.

have nothing to say,

Eat, sleep, train, listen to adventurers bragging in the tavern, and occasionally go to the grocery store to pick up a couple of combat skills books...

That was all he was doing during this period.

Steady and peaceful, without any disturbance.

The total amount of money on hand and in the bank is 152 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze.

Compared to his net worth after the second mission, it has increased slightly, but not too much.

Apart from daily living expenses, the main expenses are on the equipment and props necessary for adventure:
He had used the kerosene bomb before in the battle with Ingram, and it worked well. It was very effective against enemies like insect swarms, so he went to the grocery store to buy another can.
The light plate armor stripped from the sheriff was also transformed by "Rock Hammer" Barn. It no longer looked like before, and the hidden dangers were completely eliminated.

At this time, it was worn over the repaired chain mail shirt.

Dual layers of protection without the bulk.

It is not the heavy plate armor that covers the whole body in the blacksmith shop. It is about the size of an ordinary breastplate, and it is put on the outermost layer like a metal vest.

The combined weight of the two pieces of equipment is just right for his current physical condition and will not affect his daily movements and combat.

It's just a little inconvenient...

It is the hottest time of the year now, so he puts on these two pieces of armor and the lining underneath.

It was fine in town on weekdays, there was no strenuous activity. If I went out into the wild later, I would probably sweat profusely after just a few moves or swinging my sword.

"I don't know if the enchanted equipment used by high-level professionals has the effect of controlling temperature."

Otherwise, if they change into full body armor and go on a mission for ten days or half a month, they will be stuck in a tin can.

Xia Nan walked alone on the street, his thoughts gradually spreading.

Suddenly, a burst of cheers came from the roadside.

Turning my head, I saw a couple hugging each other in front of a brand new western-style building with flowers and mistletoe decorated at the door, surrounded by friends and relatives who were applauding and cheering.

The man had a happy smile on his face. Although he was not carrying any weapons, it could be seen from his tight leather armor and his neat and fierce temperament that he must be an adventurer.

The woman seemed not to be used to the current situation. She just shyly buried her head in her lover's chest, her long hair hanging down and her face could not be seen.

Midsummer is also a festival of romance and marriage.

Friends become lovers, couples become husband and wife... It is said that if you express your love to your loved one on this day, you will receive the blessing of "Shuni", the goddess of love and beauty.

Xia Nan silently withdrew his gaze, his expression calm.

Speaking of which, in my previous life, I also had several immature love experiences when I was a student. However, due to various reasons, most of them bloomed briefly like fireworks, and then quickly disappeared into the dark night sky, ending in vain.

After work, I work day and night, and when I get home, even the dogs in the neighborhood are asleep. When I open my eyes, there is endless work to do, and I have no energy or time for socializing.

In the past, when facing the newcomer, he might have felt envy and yearning in his heart.

But now it is exceptionally peaceful.

——Improve combat power and eliminate the inner anxiety caused by lack of strength.

The direction that gradually became clear after the time travel was just like when he first joined the company after graduation, giving him a clear goal to work towards.

The pursuit of other things also faded.

"It's time to practice swordplay."

……

……

As the night deepened, a dim twilight rose from the sky, covering the border town next to the misty forest.

He was sweating profusely, and even the strands of hair on his forehead were condensed with sweat.

Xia Nan was panting as he walked back to the hotel.

Normally, it was just ordinary training, especially in the hot summer, and there was no need to be fully armed like he was now.

Just wear light clothes, carry your weapons, and go into battle lightly.

But considering that he had never worn two sets of defensive gear at the same time before, he wanted to take the opportunity to get used to the new plate armor as soon as possible, so he did not mind the fatigue and practiced for a whole afternoon in the hot weather.

It is better to sweat a little now than to bleed later during the mission because you are not familiar with the equipment.

I was thinking about what to eat in the evening when a bright flame suddenly caught my eye.

Midsummer Festival has a long history. Although the understanding of the festival itself is generally the same, the specific customs vary greatly due to differences in people's race, region, and even beliefs.

For example, believers of the sun god Amaunatta often walk out of the church on this day and look for an open area without any obstructions to bask in the sun.
The gray dwarves in the Underdark hold large-scale forging competitions and throw the losers into the magma to please their god, the Exile "Laduguer".

River Valley Town, located near the Misty Forest, has an Adventurer's Guild and is a small town where a large number of low-level adventurers live and work all year round.

After years of development, nature has gradually formed its own customs on Midsummer Day.

"Dang...dang...dang..."

The long sound of bells coming from an unknown place spread across the street like ripples.

Wrapped in heat waves and burning winds, the huge firewood piled up from the trees made a crackling sound under the burning flames, and the rising wisps of thick smoke spread upwards into the depths of the clouds.

In the center of the town, in the middle of the open square.

There was an extremely huge bonfire burning.

Different from the hustle and bustle of other places in the town, people of all kinds gathered around the bonfire, and the atmosphere was rare and solemn.

Even those bards who were free and unbridled, who usually didn't care about other people's thoughts at all and would play their instruments and sing at the top of their lungs when they were in the mood, put down their instruments at this moment and stood quietly by the fire.

Xia Nan slowed down his pace, carrying two swords on his back, and carefully looked at the exotic scene in front of him.

The dwarf, who was as solid as a tree stump, swung his braids that almost reached his thighs, and poured the liquor in his hand into the flames, looking dazed.
The orc with green skin and two protruding canine teeth threw the metal fragments in his hand into the depths of the fire, mumbling vague words with a heavy accent, as if praying to the god he believed in.

Xia Nan even saw that "Rock Hammer" Barn, whom he had just met not long ago, was also standing by the campfire, holding a finely crafted ladies' necklace in his hand, his rough face filled with sorrow and worry.

The timing and scene were not appropriate, so he didn't go forward to disturb them.

Around the campfire, besides adventurers, there were more ordinary civilians in the town.

An old farmer with dark and rough skin and wearing simple linen clothes trembled as he untied the grain bag in his hand. The surface was only covered with a layer of full wheat grains, and the rest were small stones.
The pretty girl with a ponytail threw the fabric in her arms into the fire with both hands. The flames were reflected in her crystal eyes. As she watched the fabric gradually turn black and burn, her eyes turned red.

Dispel hatred, get rid of bad luck, mourn the dead, and hope for a good harvest...

The curling and rising flames are filled with people's most simple and sincere emotions.

Xia Nan stood in the corner of the square, looking at the huge bonfire in front of him that was as tall as a house.

After a moment's hesitation, he still had the idea.

Although he respects the customs of this place, he is not the type of person who likes to join in the fun, and he has no sense of ritual in his daily life.

It is rarely celebrated for a specific holiday.

But after all, we are now in a fantasy world with many gods.

Sometimes, appropriate participation will do you no harm.

After thinking for a while, he took out a shriveled purse from his waist bag - it came from Ingram, and the coins inside had naturally been emptied long ago.

Throw it into the fire with force.

I was muttering in my heart:

"We are all poor people trying to make a living in this town. Don't blame me. When you die, don't complain to your gods. Try to be a good person in your next life."

For some reason, even though his movements and expressions were normal, Xia Nan felt like he was selling stolen goods.

He touched the lucky coin placed close to his chest, and the hard touch from his fingertips made him feel at ease.

Just as I was thinking about leaving, a muscular figure suddenly flashed by in the corner of my eye.

A tall savage man wearing a wolf-skin cloak.

As if he had just arrived in River Valley Town, he looked around.

The jagged fang necklace around the neck collided and knocked, making crisp sounds; the wolf kisses overlapped on the chest, and the frost-white fur extending to both shoulders seemed to be growing from the inside of the body.

In an instant, looking at the figure in front of him, Xia Nan seemed to have returned to the small wooden house in the suburbs of Kalanfor, his eyes blank.

It seemed that standing in front of him was a hungry winter wolf, searching for prey in the howling cold snowfield.

He decisively turned away and walked towards the tavern.

(End of this chapter)