Chapter 83

As the sun began to set, we arrived at Clarissen.

"Quite... tough..."

"Well, we pretty much ran the whole way. Good job."

I was breathing heavily, but Leiton still seemed relaxed. I envied him.

"I feel bad for having it easy."

Tetra said this, but even if she used magic, it would have been impossible to get here in one day.

So, there was no choice... but I'm tired...

"Shall we look for an inn? Do you have any place in mind?"

"The house I used to live in... has probably been seized... but there are a few regular inns. However..."

"Don't worry about your face being recognized. In fact, it might be better to let them know you're back."

Before Tetra could finish, Leiton cut in.

From the conversation, it seemed Tetra, who was in a position similar to a wanted person, was concerned about going to a crowded place.

Leiton said it was fine, but... I'll stay on guard.

"Then, let's go to the nearest one."

More than anything, I wanted to decide on a place to stay quickly. I wanted to rest.

"Sure, I'll show you."

"Alright, thanks. And, budget-wise, it's fine, right? Hmm... the nearest one would be..."

Tetra readily agreed to our request.

There were so many inns to choose from. It was a sign of a prosperous town.

The inn Tetra led us to was a grand two-story building.

When we told the receptionist we wanted to stay, Leiton suddenly turned to us and asked,

"Two rooms, right?"

He meant we wouldn't take individual rooms but would separate into a men's and women's room.

Just as I was about to agree, Tetra spoke up.

"W-What are you saying!? You, putting a young woman and a man together..."

"No, we'll take separate rooms."

Tetra's face, which had been open-mouthed in surprise at Leiton's words, quickly turned red.

"...I get it!"

"Hehe. I'm fine with a single room, though."

"Sure, have your little chat, but let's go inside, shall we?"

I sighed, and Leiton chuckled as he finished the check-in process.

Once we entered our rooms and put down our luggage, it was already dinner time.

At this inn, the dining room opened at dinner time, and meals were served to guests who requested them.

"This is delicious."

A single dish was piled high with the meal. It seemed to be a stew, served with the broth, and the main ingredient was chicken... or maybe frog?

"It's pigeon stew. Apparently, it's the specialty of this place."

"Hmm, but isn't it a bit too spicy?"

Indeed, it was quite spicy. Besides pepper, a lot of chili-like spices were used, making it more than just a little spicy.

Sweat formed on my forehead.

"Spices are quite expensive, right? This is quite luxurious."

"They are often used in Muzikal, but it's rare to see such a lavish use of them in Essen."

They are not unused, but spices other than salt and sugar are not readily available in abundance.

I used to supply some herbs to the stone shop, but they were still expensive.

"...Are they doing well?"

"The economy seems good."

There must be quite a few guests staying here.

Indeed, looking around, the dining room with about twenty seats was almost full. Including those who hadn't come to eat, there were even more.

They weren't tourists.

Judging by their appearance, most were well-dressed and somewhat attractive, and many were dining with strong-looking men.

There were also groups of only strong-looking men or women who seemed to be well-trained.

I had seen this combination before.

They were probably merchants and their guards. The groups without well-dressed individuals were likely just the guards dining together.

While glancing around, I finished my meal.

"Thank you for the meal. It was delicious."

"...Well, eating everything with a good appetite is a good thing... right?"

I heard Tetra say this softly in response to my words.

I didn't understand what she meant, but it was probably just a monologue.

"Alright, let's work hard from tomorrow."

"Right. I'll deal with Crow and the private soldiers, right?"

When Tetra asked, Leiton smiled and said,

"Before that, can we meet Miss Helena tomorrow? I don't even know where she is, and it would be hard to talk to her without an introduction."

"Alright. I'll show you. For now, she lives in the forest on the outskirts of town."

"Are the monsters there too?"

"Probably."

Tetra answered uncertainly.

"The investigation in the forest and the walks with a large group of people are just for show. Usually, they are allowed to act freely."

"Still, they can be controlled, right?"

Even if they are far away for a long time, the magic effect must last. They are probably told not to enter the town.

"The evening meal is over. Let's get some rest early. We need to work hard from morning tomorrow, and we won't be able to move if we don't rest."

"Let's do that."

Following Leiton's voice, Tetra and I complied.

"Then, let's go."

"Miss Hedron, please go back upstairs. I... no, I and Crow will clean up the dishes."

"Ah, sorry? I'll clean up myself."

"No, you should go upstairs early. I have something to do."

"Um, thank you?"

Tetra looked puzzled, turned back, and headed to the room. Once she was out of sight, Leiton said to me in a slightly louder voice,

"Tomorrow, we'll be hunting the Trench Worm, so you should get some rest too!"

"Eh?"

I was momentarily confused by his sudden words.

What was Leiton suddenly talking about?

But then, I noticed the change in the atmosphere of the dining room.

At a corner table, a man and a woman who had been drinking changed their demeanor. They continued their conversation but their eyes were fixed. They were eavesdropping.

"Right. We need to take care of it quickly as Tetra requested. Let's both do our best!"

I joined in with Leiton's words.

The loud voice wasn't too noticeable in the dining room where everyone was chatting, but the man and woman seemed to react when I spoke.

No doubt, they were private soldiers or their associates.

However, why didn't they react when Tetra was here, but only when we said we were here to hunt?

They probably didn't understand our role. They couldn't act until they reported to their superiors. They were too low-ranking to make decisions on their own.

So, they must be reporting now.

Then, that means...

"Ah, I see. Should I sleep outside tonight?"

"Either way is fine. Want to draw straws?"

"No, I'm used to sleeping outside, so I'll go."

"Hehe, thanks."

Leiton said, sat on the bed, and slumped down.

The task entrusted to me. Does this mean I'm trusted?

Well, where should I sleep?

The roof might be fine.

It should be okay. I won't be caught.

Satisfied with this thought, I extinguished the light and quietly went outside.

The roof was quiet. It was a bit hard, but lying down, I felt the fatigue slowly leaving my body.

I took a deep breath.

The moon was beautiful. The clouds passing by were clearly visible in its light.

Closing my eyes, I could feel my consciousness fading.

Before long, I fell into a deep sleep.

In the middle of the night, I woke up to the presence of an intruder.

Getting up, I saw a shadow boldly trying to enter through the back door.

The sound of the door opening and the creaking of the hallway floor. The man, unaware of being watched, was leisurely searching the room.

He was so careless that I could even hear his voice.

"There are Tetra Hedron and two explorers staying here. Hehe, that's why I can't quit this job. Killing three people will bring in a lot of money."

That's enough. I confirmed it.

This guy was here to take us out. That's all I needed to know.

Sliding down from the window to the hallway, I approached the man.

"Good evening."

Startled, the man quickly reached for the weapon at his waist.

"...Hey, it's bedtime for kids. Go back to your room and forget about me. Sleep soundly."

"Yes."

Unable to hold back a yawn, I said,

"I was sleeping, but... you seem to have business with me."

"You...! So, you're the kid mentioned in the report! Nice to meet you... Hmm, what should I do? Putting you to sleep would be a hassle... and killing you too..."

"Being tough? Unlucky for you, if you had just slept soundly, you could have died peacefully in your dreams!"

Does he think I'm just being tough?

I was a bit curious, but I couldn't cause trouble for Tetra and Leiton.

Let's put him to sleep quickly.

"Good morning."

"Good morning. From your appearance, it seems you were alone?"

"Yes. It would have been more helpful if more had come..."

Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I managed to respond.

"You're still underestimated. But, how was it?"

"How was what?"

"Even though he came alone, they must have thought he could take us out. I wanted to see how strong he was."

Hearing Leiton's words, I recalled last night.

Let's see...

"My movements were too fast for him to react. One hit to the jaw and he was out, so he was probably about the same as the Ilain guards, right?"

"Hehe, I see. ...Really, they underestimate us..."

Leiton's smile faded.

Narrowing his eyes, he seemed to be looking at something in the distance, and he looked angry.

But I agree. So, I hope they change their minds during this incident.

"Let's go then. Miss Tetra is waiting."

We'll meet Miss Helena and then consider what to do with the private soldiers.

I was a bit excited, though it might be inappropriate.