Harem in a Labyrinth

"What does 'fishing tackle' mean?" Lillia asks Anastasia as she glances around the nearly empty shop.

"Fishing tackle means fishing tools. It is the equipment rich people use to catch fish for fun," Anastasia explains in a whisper.

"Oh, it looks expensive," Lillia murmurs, eyeing the tools hanging on the wall and arranged on the desk with evident worry.

"It is," Anastasia agrees with a nod. They fall silent as the old man behind the counter begins his explanation.

The man, who introduced himself as Merrick, stands up and retrieves a large bag from the back of the store.

"If you want to fish, the first thing you will need is a fishing rod," Merrick says, pulling out a three-piece wooden pole from the bag. "This one is perfect for beginners."

Miria and Roxanne stand beside me as we watch him assemble the rod. Each section is about a meter long, and when joined, it forms a sturdy three-meter pole. The rod is crafted entirely from wood, its finish dull compared to the sleek, modern rods I remember from Earth.

"This is the reel, and this is the thread," Merrick continues, pointing to a cylindrical wooden gear attached to the rod's base and a thin thread wound around it. "You pass the thread through the guides along the rod to its tip. At the other end, you attach a hook." He demonstrates by attaching a small metal hook to the thread.

Miria and I watch intently, while Roxanne translates for Miria.

"Then you add bait to the hook, along with a weight to sink it into the water," Merrick explains, holding up a small metal weight.

We both nod along, absorbing the details. While I have never gone fishing myself, I watched enough YouTube videos to understand the basics. Earth's modern fishing rods are more advanced, with floaters and complex reels.

From what I can tell, floaters haven't been invented here yet. These simple tools sit on the water's surface, giving a clear visual cue when a fish takes the bait, allowing you to reel it in quickly. Here, it seems they rely solely on intuition and the vibrations of the fishing line to know when there's a tug.

Miria seems eager to learn, and I have no doubt she will master fishing quickly—especially since it involves fish.

"You use heavier weights when the wind or currents are strong, or for deep-sea fishing," Merrick advises, holding up a rough, circular weight. "But be careful not to let the hook sink too deep, or it might get stuck on something and damage the line."

"Hmm, understood," I reply, nodding.

"Yes-desu," Miria echoes, her expression serious as she nods along.

"As for bait, you can use worms or oysters. Both are easy to find near the seaside and work well for catching small fish," Merrick adds, sitting back in his chair.

"We can buy some if we don't find any," I tell Miria. She nods as if she already knew that, even before Roxanne translates my words.

"This rod comes with one reel and two threads—one as a spare—along with a selection of different weights. The weights and threads can be adjusted based on the location and the type of fish you are targeting. This is a beginner's kit. Once you have gotten used to it and have a better understanding of your preferences, I can customise it further for you," he explains, carefully packing everything back into a bag and placing it on the desk. "This rod is the pride of my shop, so it will serve you well for a long time."

"I see-desu," Miria says eagerly, clearly engrossed in the lesson.

I take the opportunity to ask, "I have heard there are fishing laws here. Is that true?"

"Yes, the Empire has strict rules," Merrick replies, his tone serious. "You can only fish in designated areas approved by the Empire, and you are limited to one hook per line. It is all unnecessarily strict, but the rules must be followed. Where I am from, we don't have such nonsense," he adds with a sigh.

"Where are you from, old man?" I ask, curiously

"A small island far east of the sea," he says, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

"Are you from Palmasque?" I press, recalling the island mentioned in the original story.

"No, even farther east than that," he replies, shaking his head.

I was about to ask if it was Japan as a joke, but I don't mention it in the end. "So where can we fish then?" I ask going back to the earlier topic. 

"There are various places around here, approved by the Empire to fish," He then mentions several locations, I haven't heard any of them and according to him none are in Imperial Capital or even in Quratar.

Here in this world as they have the field walk spells, they can travel to sea easily, so distance isn't a major issue to them. 

Only one of the location he mentions was known by me, from the original story. 

"Also you will need a basket and a colander while fishing, both of them are sold here in the store," he points to a section of the store filled with wooden baskets and perforated bowls. 

Here as they don't have plastic, wood processing techniques have definitely advanced.

"Got it. Miria, if you have any more questions then you can ask him." I ask the eager catgirl.

Miria shakes her head after Roxanne translates. She instead picks up the fishing rod and examines it carefully.

"So how many kits would you need?" The old man asks. 

Turning to the girls, I ask, "Are any of you interested in fishing? If not today, I can still get you a rod to try later."

"No, Master," Roxanne, Anastasia, and Lillia reply in unison.

"Alright then, just give us two for now," I say, deciding to keep an extra one for myself. I never got the chance to try fishing in my previous life, so I want to experience it in this new world.

Merrick fetches another bag and two tackle boxes for the gear. Roxanne and I select two baskets and colanders, placing everything on the desk.

"How much for all of this?" I ask, after adjusting my points for a 40% discount. 

"Thank you very much... Let's see, since you are first-time customers trying fishing, the total will be 6,462 Nars. I have added the bags and tackle boxes for free," he says generously.

So, about 65 silvers after a 40% discount. That means the original price for just one fishing kit would have been close to 50 silvers. Compared to equipment like the Iron Sword, which costs around 40 silvers, or Steel Boots at 50 silvers, it is a fair price. But as a leisure activity, it feels pricey—especially considering I just gave the girls a 10-silver allowance for their whole day off.

Roxanne and Lillia's expressions clearly show they think the price is steep. Anastasia, on the other hand, looks surprised—likely realizing my discount effect has been at work.

I count out the silver and copper coins, handing them to the old man. After exchanging goodbyes, we leave the shop, each of us carrying bags, boxes, and baskets of gear.

"I hope you get a good catch!" the old man calls out as we step outside.

Miria looks absolutely pumped, gripping her fishing rod tightly like a warrior heading into battle. I could almost hear the Gotta Catch 'Em All theme playing in the background.

I just hope she doesn't jump into the water to catch the fish herself.

Instead of walking all the way back, I lead the girls into a secluded alley and store most of our gear in the Explorer's Bag, leaving only Miria's stuff out.

"Where can Miria fish Master?" Roxanne asks curiously.

"I have a place in mind. Let's head back to the Adventurer's Guild and see if someone can take us there," I reply, casting Warp. 

We arrive once again at the bustling Adventurer's Guild. This time, my goal is the special Warp area, so we stand off to the side as I observe the people offering travel services. They are all Adventurers, most of them below level 20, with the majority under level 10.

A large number of them are shouting offers to take people to Quratar. Amid the crowd, my eyes fall on someone familiar.

[Elfina

Adventurer Level 5]

It is a blonde elf woman calling out, "Anyone willing to travel to Vale City?"

I recognize her instantly. She is stunning, with an elegant beauty typical of elves, and she was the first elf I saw in this world when I arrived in Vale City. Back then, she was a Level 15 Warrior. It seems she has changed her job since then.

At that time, I wanted to approach her, but I lacked both the opportunity and the courage. Now, however, I have the perfect excuse to strike up a conversation.

I step towards her, my party following close behind.

"Excuse me, by any chance do you know of a village called Hafen?" I ask.

"Oh, you mean the little village to the north? Yes, I know of it," Elfina replies softly, her eyes scanning me and my companions as we approach.

"Can you take me there?" I ask, feeling a wave of relief that she knows the location.

"Yes, but it is quite far from Imperial City. Instead of the usual one silver Nar, it will cost two for a single trip and four silver Nar for a round trip," she says after a moment's thought.

"That is not a problem," I reply easily. Turning to Roxanne, Lillia, Anastasia, and Miria, I add, "You girls wait here for me. I will be right back." I say disbanding the initial party mentally. 

"Understood Master" Roxanne and the other girls nod obediently. 

"It will just be me for a single trip," I inform Elfina.

"Alright," she nods, chanting a spell for Party Organization.

A party invite notification flashes in my mind, and I promptly accept it.

As she turns around, I notice she is wearing the same gear as when I first saw her—leather jacket, leather boots, and a steel sword. Even her outfit, while practical, doesn't seem particularly expensive.

Elfina begins chanting a Field Walk spell.

This is the second time I have been in a party with an Elf woman; the first was when I teleported to the Imperial Capital from Vale city. Not wanting to miss the opportunity this time, I quickly open the Party Job Setting to check the jobs she currently has.

[Party Job Setting

Elfina

Acquired Job: Explorer Level 50, Villager Level 5, Herbalist Level 1, Warrior Level 15, Merchant Level 1, Swordsman Level 1, Adventurer Level 5, Forest Ranger Level 1

Set Job: Adventurer Level 5]

So, I was right—she used to be a Warrior. It seems she recently switched to Adventurer. The Forest Ranger job also catches my eye; I recall from the original story that it is a race-specific job for elves.

Elfina finishes the chant, and a black door materializes on the wall. She glances back at me before stepping through. I turn to look at the girls one last time, and Roxanne gives me an encouraging smile and a nod. Then, I follow Elfina through the door.

On the other side, I find myself in a dilapidated, old building. It looks like it hasn't been maintained in years.

Elfina turns to me, hesitates for a moment, and says awkwardly, "Mister, I should warn you—the elves in the north aren't very hospitable to humans."

"I have heard that," I reply with a wry smile. "But one of my party members wants to go fishing, and I understand this is one of the Empire's legally approved locations."

She tilts her head, thinking. "Oh, yes, that is true… but even so, the elves here won't be very welcoming," she says, mirroring my wry smile.

"Why don't you guide me to the fishing spot, then, Miss Elfina?" I ask, flashing her my most charming smile.

***

This chapter is a previous week's extra chapter and it is redeemed as a birthday gift to my supporter Van the Beard!

Happy Belated Birthday Van!

May you live long and may you keep supporting me even longer 😝