Inheriting the Novel

Chapter 61 : Going to the Northern Kingdom (2)

Going to the Northern Kingdom (2)

'Since it was mentioned that it's a female mercenary, there's a high chance that Rutia is currently in a mercenary guild.'

The only problem was which mercenary guild.

I needed to know that to find her.

The issue was, mercenary guilds often moved around, so there was a good chance she wasn't in Nabez either.

'Actually, it's more likely she's not in Nabez.'

If she'd been in the capital, the tavern owner would have known.

After thinking for a moment, I turned to Maria and spoke.

"Maria, do you know which guild in Eintban wields the greatest power?"

"Isn't it the mercenary guild?"

As expected, Maria was knowledgeable, just like a merchant.

The mercenaries of Eintban Kingdom were so skilled, their abilities rivaled those of knights.

Why else would a mercenary represent Eintban in the Founding Festival?

"Generally, yes."

"Generally?"

"Yeah, but the guild with the most power isn't the mercenary guild."

This was information leaked to me by Riya after she heard I was going to Eintban.

No matter how secretive Eintban tried to be, they couldn't outdo the intelligence agency of the empire.

"There's a thieves' guild in Eintban."

"What? Isn't that guild something that vanished ages ago?"

"That's right. Since it's tied to illegal activities, in most countries it was disbanded long ago."

But in Eintban's case, though it's kept hush-hush, it survived.

The reason was due to the unique nature of Eintban's thieves' guild.

"The thieves' guild here deals in information. And they control information."

"... Ah! That's why information about Eintban doesn't leak easily."

"You catch on quick. Most information passes through the thieves' guild."

At my words, Maria's eyes shone.

If the thieves' guild managed most information, then finding them meant we could find the information we sought.

"Where is it? I'll handle the negotiations."

"If it was an ordinary guild, I'd leave it to you, but I don't think that's going to work."

"What?"

Maria, rarely showing an expression, looked puzzled, and I stifled a laugh.

"You'll understand once we get there."

* * *

Maria and I left the busy district and moved toward the outskirts of Nabez.

Unlike the bustling center, the outskirts of Nabez were grim and dark.

"Most cities form slums on the outskirts, but... this is especially bad."

Maria muttered, her face stiffening slightly.

I agreed wholeheartedly.

I'd visited slums in the empire before, but Eintban's was on another level.

[If the empire's slums are just where the poor live, this is a cradle of crime.]

'If I let my guard down, I'd probably get stabbed immediately.'

I pulled Maria closer so I could protect her at any moment, and watched our surroundings.

Those in the slum observed us with cold eyes.

Show the slightest opening, and they'd stab us with daggers and rob us of our belongings.

[I've never been here before either, but I'm glad I never came.]

'Aren't you, as a Saintess, supposed to help even these kinds of people?'

[I could, but it's a pain.]

I was inwardly surprised at Grancesia's disinterested reply.

'So you could do it?'

[Wouldn't they reform if I just hit them until they behave?]

Of course she'd say that.

She really seemed like the type to solve everything with brute force.

[I'm not a brute!]

'Then try using a more refined method.'

[U-uh...]

Ignoring her strange groaning, I stopped in front of a restaurant.

There was an especially clear picture drawn on a worn wooden plank.

'A blood-red stew, and a black dagger stabbed upside down in the middle of the stew.'

It was the symbol Riya had mentioned.

After exchanging glances with Maria, we went inside.

"Welcome. What would you like to eat?"

As soon as we entered, an old chef greeted us.

He kept scrubbing dirty dishes while barely glancing at us.

"I'd like to order a wine."

"What kind of wine would you like?"

"Glafric Mountain Red Wine."

I spoke calmly to the old chef.

"Glafric Mountain Red Wine... that's a fine drink. What vintage do you want?"

"I'd like the fifty-seven year vintage."

"How many glasses would you like?"

"Twelve, please."

At that, the chef's gaze changed. His eyes were those of an emotionless killer.

"Please, follow me."

He slowly turned his back and went into the wine cellar.

Maria and I quietly followed.

Clunk!

As soon as we stepped inside, the door shut, and a massive barrel rolled aside.

Where the barrel had been, there was a small door.

"I never thought someone from another country would come looking."

The chef said, guiding us under the small door.

Soon, a dim corridor came into view, and we followed the faint glow of spirit stones.

"And to think it's Sir Clay Vanhart, hero of the Founding Festival. What an honor."

"You know who I am?"

"How could I not? You're the hero of the Founding Festival, the master of the legendary Moon Severing Divine Sword."

Their information network was indeed impressive, worthy of Riya's recommendation.

No matter how famous I'd gotten, I hadn't expected to be recognized at a glance.

"Please go inside."

The chef opened an old door, guiding us to a room painted in deep crimson.

Inside, there were three black chairs, a large table, and a bottle of red wine in the center.

"The master will be here soon."

He placed two glasses on the table and quietly left the room.

Maria and I sat in the chairs, each surveying the room.

"I never thought there'd be a place like this beneath an old restaurant."

Maria appeared unusually calm.

As always, her face betrayed no change.

"You seem used to situations like this?"

"I'm not particularly used to it, but nerve is an essential quality for a merchant."

I inwardly admired her words.

No wonder she was chosen as one of the main heroines.

Clunk.

Just then, the black door on the other side opened, and a man with a vicious look entered.

A sharply honed presence, a one-eyed man.

He strode to the table, pulled out a dagger from his coat—

Bang!

"... Ho."

He stabbed the crimson dagger deep into the table and gave a vague smile.

"So you really are the so-called hero. Didn't even flinch."

I simply looked at him in silence.

He seemed disappointed by my lack of reaction and turned to look at Maria by my side.

"And this little girl hiding her face—is she the lady from Timmons Merchant Guild?"

"That's correct."

"Why are you covering your face?"

At the moment, Maria wore a white hood pulled low to conceal her face. Since she hadn't mastered her 'charm', I figured the slums might be dangerous for her.

"If you want information, pay up."

Maria calmly met his gaze with her pink eyes.

Her utterly flat tone made the man's face twist in confusion.

"You came to buy information, but you want to sell it to us?"

"Frankly, I wonder how much information your so-called guild really has when you don't even know why I'm covering my face."

"... Arrogant wench. I know you're hiding your face because you're pretty."

"Is that all you know? Are you asking because you suspect there's something more?"

"Tch."

The man clicked his tongue in clear dissatisfaction.

He turned his gaze to me.

"And why is the hero silent? Unlike the lady with you, do you understand your situation?"

"What do you mean 'understand my situation'?"

When Maria quietly asked, the man grinned as if he'd been waiting.

"Do you know why this room is this color? Because countless people have died in here."

"...!"

"Hmph. It's too late for regrets now. Timmons Merchant Guild? Founding Festival hero? It doesn't matter. If you act high and mighty, you'll just die here."

At the cold words, Maria narrowed her eyes.

But she didn't seem frightened.

"Seems like you still don't understand."

The man reached slowly towards the dagger stuck in the table.

At the same time, murderous intent gradually began to fill the room.

"So."

Arms crossed, I spoke quietly.

"When is your guildmaster showing up?"

"... What?"

"I heard your pointless threats, but when are you bringing out your guildmaster?"

At my smirk, the man's eyes widened in surprise.

"What are you talking about? I'm the master."

"Master, my foot. The five guys hiding around this room are more skilled than you. Are you telling me the leader of the thieves' guild is less skilled than the errand boys who do dirty work?"

From the moment I entered the room, I'd sensed the presence of the assassins in hiding.

With the profile so obvious, there was no way to miss it.

They were all around sword expert intermediate-rank, but I wasn't even slightly afraid.

"Take my advice—stop testing me and bring the guildmaster."

"You bastard...!"

The man drew the dagger from the table.

At the same time, five sharp daggers flew at me from the gaps in the wooden walls.

"Terrible hospitality for guests."

In the past, I'd never have been able to speak so calmly.

It hadn't been long since I'd reached the Sword Expert rank, only barely compensating for my weaknesses with abilities gained through Setting Addition.

But after two months of learning the Moon Severing Divine Sword from Damian, my skills were completely different now.

I'd gone beyond just understanding swordsmanship—I'd truly learned how to read the flow of a battle.

'Compared to Damian's sword, something like this...'

It was an unbearably slow joke.

Ka-ka-ka-kang!

"Guh?!"

Hidden Star Sword Second Half, Second Technique: Rotation.

Swinging my sword along the paths of the incoming daggers, the thrown blades ricocheted in midair, all returning the way they'd come, sparks flying.

"T-this is impossible! It's not supposed to be like this...."

The one-eyed man stared at me in shock.

Clearly, he'd never imagined I'd be this skilled.

"Like Maria said, I'm starting to doubt your intelligence network as well."

I slowly sheathed Genova in its scabbard.

"This is your last chance. Bring out the guildmaster."

"No matter how skilled you are, you're alone. Do you really think you'll get away with that attitude?"

"Arrogant, am I?"

At first, I'd intended to overlook their behavior.

They were only testing us, not really intending harm.

It made sense for such a secretive group to be wary of unexpected guests.

But we were still customers. If they kept this up, I couldn't help but be annoyed.

"If you're a thieves' guild, you recognize this crest, don't you?"

I slowly removed the black glove from my right hand.

And I made sure they could all see the back of my hand.

"H-huh! T-that crest...!"

The Black Dragon crest.

The emblem of Asktalin Empire's royalty.

"I'm in a pretty bad mood right now."

If Asktalin Empire wanted, they could erase not only the thieves' guild but even the entire Eintban Kingdom in an instant.

No mere guild could defy the will of the empire.

"Everyone come out and grovel."

And recently, I'd learned that there was a spell on this crest that could contact two people immediately.

"If you don't want to die."

The emperor and the princess of the empire themselves.