Chapter 30

Part 5: Bastard vs. Bastard (2)

"But if we sneak out at night like this, won't people look for us?"

"I'm fine. I like wandering around the castle, so no one looks for me anymore."

Have you given up on everything?

The secret passage of the lord's castle was quite ordinary.

There were no skeletons in the middle, and no hidden treasure vaults.

We saw places where the passage connected to other rooms, but we didn't touch them and headed straight for the exit.

The long secret passage led us to a building a little away from the lord's castle.

When we reached a dead end, Adria pressed a spot on the wall hard.

Rumble.

The wall in front of us went down, and an altar appeared from the ceiling.

It was the altar where the god was worshipped, just like in the temple.

The altar came down to the floor, and the place where it had been became a passage leading up.

We could exit through the place where the altar had been.

'A temple... '

The moonlight coming in through the window faintly illuminated the dusty temple.

Ah, Bianca mentioned this yesterday.

The temple had been empty for a year.

The reason was probably that the priest in charge got drunk and walked along the castle wall, leading to a ban on entry.

Wait a minute.

"You can't come in here! It's said to make you a leper!"

Startled, I shouted at Adria.

Adria looked at me with a puzzled face. She scanned me from head to toe and tilted her head.

"It's fine since you're still young."

No, how do you know if it's fine or not! At nine, I'm a full-fledged man!

The air inside the temple suddenly felt heavy, and cold sweat trickled down my back.

This was not a problem to be taken lightly. It could be a serious situation where I might have to commit suicide.

"Huh, what a strange worry for a kid."

Adria laughed, seeing my tense expression.

"It's a curse caused by mana contamination, so it doesn't affect awakened people or nobles. It only affects commoners."

"Really?"

I was relieved by Adria's words but had to ask again.

"It's fine, I tell you."

If it's not fine, I won't help you in my next life.

It was very unsettling, but in the end, I had to trust her.

When we left the silent temple, the city's night view came into view.

The city at night was very dark and quiet.

A few houses with lights were visible, but the streets were dark, and there were almost no people around.

Thinking about the night streets of my previous life, I couldn't help but be surprised.

Of course, I couldn't compare it to my previous life. Even with mana and inheritance abilities, the city couldn't be fully lit at night, so it made sense that the streets were not bustling.

"This place is too dark. Let's hurry. They say the mercenary district is crowded even at night."

She led the way, walking down the dark street.

We headed for the mercenary district, retracing the path we had taken during the day.

A short while later, we arrived at the mercenary district, which was as noisy as Adria had said.

"Stop right there!"

"Damn! Do I look like I'm running! I just went to the bathroom!"

"Ugh! What did you put in the alcohol!"

"You all ran! I don't want to die!"

A mercenary running away and another chasing him. A man vomiting on the street and another mercenary hitting him for the vomit.

It was still early evening, yet the street was filled with drunkards and mercenaries.

"Wow! It's a mess!"

Adria looked around the street with wide eyes.

The mercenary district, centered around the mercenary office, had mercenary lodgings, inns, shops, taverns, and even a blacksmith.

Despite the darkness, the shops and inns in this district were brightly lit.

It wasn't as bright as the city in my previous life, but it felt like a red-light district.

"Ah, I'm getting tipsy."

As Adria happily walked around, a drunk mercenary stumbled past her.

At the moment the mercenary passed by Adria, I saw his hand brush against her clothes.

He was a pickpocket.

However, I didn't tell Adria.

After the mercenary's hand pulled away, I saw Adria's hand move, leaving a trail.

I couldn't see exactly where Adria's hand went, but I could easily guess.

A common pickpocket with good hands couldn't avoid the eyes of an awakened noble with acceleration ability.

'Fortunately, she didn't scream or cut his arm.'

If she had, it would have drawn a lot of attention.

I was relieved that Adria didn't cause a commotion.

But it seemed I was too quick to relax.

"Ah, my money pouch is gone! My pouch!"

The surprised voice of the staggering mercenary came from behind.

He frantically searched his body and then turned around.

The staggering had stopped, and his face was full of shock.

That's not the look of someone whose stolen goods have been returned.

Could it be that not only did she return what was stolen, but she also took the pickpocket's belongings?

Adria had an innocent look on her face, but the pickpocket wouldn't fall for it.

"You! Bitch!"

Seeing the pickpocket shouting and approaching, I gripped the sword hidden in my coat.

As long as I don't kill him, it should be fine, right?

Even if it got a bit noisy, I had to deal with it quickly.

While waiting for him to approach, someone blocked my path.

Swish!

"If you fail at stealing, just run away. Don't pick a fight with random people."

The person blocking the way was a mercenary of average build, with a cloak covering his head.

He tripped the approaching mercenary with his sheathed sword and lectured the fallen pickpocket in a hoarse voice.

People gathered at the sudden drama.

"You bastard!"

The pickpocket, who had fallen, shouted in anger and got up, and the mercenary's sword swung again.

Thud!

The sound of a head cracking was heard, and the pickpocket fell to the ground again. This time, he seemed to be unconscious and didn't get up.

"Are you guys okay...? Oh?"

Before he turned around, I grabbed Adria's arm and quickly hid in the crowd.

I was grateful for his help, but I couldn't attract more attention.

He seemed skilled enough to handle any trouble.

Adria had a displeased look on her face, but she followed me, knowing she had caused the commotion.

After we left the crowd, I let go of Adria's arm.

"Sorry. I didn't expect you to notice so quickly."

In response to her words, I held out my hand.

"Huh? Why?"

"I'll check it out, so let's split it in half."

"What?"

"I'll keep it a secret from others."

The deed was already done, and since I didn't steal it, I wouldn't get caught.

I had spent a lot of money to persuade Huan, and I was short on cash. From the pickpocket's shocked expression, it seemed Adria had stolen a heavy money pouch.

Adria stared at me with her mouth open.

Why was she so surprised?

"What are you going to do with a kid who already cares so much about money!"

Do kids not need money? What kind of age discrimination is this?

"Since we escaped without a word and it's wrong to leave the person who helped us, how about we go back and give it to him?"

"Even after seeing the crowd gather, you say that?"

In response to my words, Adria pouted.

But in the end, she split the stolen money pouch in half.

Indeed, a person's expression doesn't lie. I felt quite pleased with the unexpected profit.

'But what about that mercenary?'

I only saw him briefly, but the mercenary who helped us was far from an ordinary mercenary in terms of skill.

Despite his average build, his sword skills were evident.

'With his face covered and his voice deliberately changed, he's suspicious, to say the least.'

However, he was quite meddlesome for someone who seemed suspicious.

Moreover, the sword he wielded, still in its sheath, kept lingering in my mind.

It was a plain sheath with an unremarkable sword, but... why?

"Ah! Is that it?"

While I was thinking, Adria spotted the inn where Martin was staying.

"Wow, it really doesn't suit him."

She shook her head at the shabby inn.

Well, the hero with that nickname was not only beautiful but also known for his cleanliness. He wouldn't fit in a shabby and dirty mercenary inn.

When we entered the inn, the first-floor restaurant was full of mercenaries eating and drinking.

"Ah! There he is!"

Fortunately, Martin was in the restaurant this time.

He was sitting alone in a corner, drinking alone with a face that seemed to bear the world's sorrows.

"Brother Martin!"

She ran to Martin with a bright face.

When his name was called, Martin looked up and saw Adria approaching.

Martin's expression changed several times.

Anger, regret, sadness, pity.

After displaying a range of emotions, he finally smiled at Adria.

'A forced smile.'

It was a well-hidden smile, but I could immediately recognize the hidden expression, having mimicked it many times.

"How did you get out here?"

"I came out secretly to see Brother Martin."

At Adria's words, Martin looked at me.

Since there was nothing wrong with what she said, I had to nod.

"Doing this! Everyone will worry!"

"I told them not to look for me after dinner. No one will know until morning."

Well, no one would find me before morning, even without me saying anything.

"Don't send me back. I've missed you so much, Brother."

If someone unfamiliar heard this, they might misunderstand, but neither Adria nor Martin showed any such expression.

Well, Martin's face looked even more complicated.

In the end, Martin raised both hands.

"Then I'll take you back later."

"Okay. Okay."

Adria seemed very happy with Martin's words.

It seemed the conversation was going well. I spoke up to the two of them.

"I'll go look around a bit."

"Okay."

"Will you be fine on your own?"

Adria readily agreed, and Martin showed concern for me.

I patted the sword hidden in my coat.

"Well, with your skills, you should be fine."

Martin nodded, remembering my skills.

"Alex, are you that skilled?"

"Ah, we sparred several times on the way here..."

The half-siblings, who hadn't seen each other in a long time, chatted about me.

Both were smiling brightly, but one was hiding a completely different face.

'There's no immediate danger.'

With me here, no one would dare to touch Adria and surprise the duke's family.

Leaving the two of them talking, I stepped out of the inn.

I looked around and entered the back alley of the inn.

The mercenary district was noisy, but the noise and light disappeared as soon as I left the street.

I emerged from the darkness, taking out the sword and cloak hidden in my coat.

I sheathed the sword and wrapped myself in the cloak.

With my body and face hidden in the cloak, I fit in with the mercenary district.

Unfortunately, I couldn't hide my build