Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Hermit's Hideout #4
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"Yor, this is an assassination request with our names on it?"
"Yup!"
"And it reeks of truffles connected to the Pilgrim family?"
"That's what it seems!"
I pressed my nose to the parchment and sniffed.
There was a faint musty smell.
Kind of like gasoline.
Nimble, skilled at foraging mushrooms and herbs, chimed in.
"It's definitely truffle scent. My sister loved it, so she ate it all the time."
Hammer crossed his arms and groaned at our exchange.
He looked like he was suffering from a brutal headache.
"So, this kill order might've come from the Pilgrim family."
"Hammer, what should we do?"
I asked the party leader, Hammer, for his opinion.
A prestigious house that had produced court mages for generations might be trying to kill our party.
"It might not even be the end of the assassinations!"
We didn't know why they were targeting us.
But if they'd decided to wipe us out, they'd do it thoroughly.
They had the money and influence for it.
"Argh! This is driving me insane!"
In the end, Hammer clutched his head in agony.
We were being hunted by someone incredibly powerful.
The worst part was we couldn't recklessly strike back.
"Why are they after us?"
Nimble asked.
No one could answer.
Felix, who had been wiping oil off his sword, said coolly.
"It's gotta be because of Hermit. What other connection do we have to the Pilgrim family?"
Sound reasoning.
So, what now?
***
The heart of the Empire, the Imperial Capital.
Home to the palace where His Imperial Majesty resided.
The population was something like ten million.
It was an enormously vast city.
We arrived after about a week's journey.
"Whoa... so many people..."
I marveled quietly at the throng gathered before the gates.
Hammer poked my side.
"Yor, relax your face."
"But Hammer, it's been a whole week without harvesting any Ether!"
"Ether's useless anyway with the bonfire busted."
"That's true, but still!"
"So this is where the leader of all humans lives."
Just then, Nimble gawked in wonder at the towering spires, walls, and endless crowds.
She'd wrapped her tail in a thick robe, but it was wagging so hard it was obvious.
"Nimble, you can't let on that you're a druid, so be careful."
Druids had been persecuted as monsters and fled beyond the Great Wall.
Who knew if that sentiment lingered here in the capital.
As I warned her, Nimble pointed at a man in a helmet adorned with feathers.
"That guy's the Emperor? He looks super flashy."
His Majesty the Emperor?
I squinted suspiciously, and Hammer shook his head.
"That's the guardsman captain at the palace south gate entrance. You all stay put. I'll handle it."
Clunk clunk.
Hammer strode forward and approached the guardsman captain.
The captain spotted Hammer and reached out a hand.
"Well, if it isn't Captain Hammer."
"Colonel Guardsman, long time no see."
"What brings a veteran of the Wall to the capital?"
"It's been ages since we got a shrine maiden to tend our bonfire, and no replacements have come. So we're here in person!"
"Ah, a shrine maiden! That's critically important!"
We were a party who'd come directly to the capital to request a shrine maiden for bonfire maintenance.
At least on the surface.
Hammer exchanged a few more words with the captain, then stamped our passes with a thud.
"Kids, let's go!"
That meant we were cleared.
I entered the capital in high spirits.
Right then, a guard grabbed my shoulder.
"You, you're a thief from the Wall, right? What's your business here?"
"Huh? Didn't Hammer just clear it with the captain?"
I looked puzzled at Hammer.
He stepped up again and addressed the guard.
"Look, we just finished talking with your captain, Colonel Guardsman. This kid's with us, so no need for a search."
"Step back! We're just following Imperial Council procedure! Thieves from the Wall submit to inspections anytime!"
Random spot check.
It had been ages since I'd lived on the Wall.
Felix and Hammer glanced at me.
Their looks screamed 'don't cause trouble.'
Hammer was one thing, but Felix treating me like a problem child irked me.
"Just search me quick."
I spread my arms.
The guards blocking me looked shocked instead.
"...A Wall thief submitting to a spot check willingly?"
"Makes him even more suspicious..."
Rustle rustle.
I underwent the pat-down.
That's when they spotted the medal from my enlistment ceremony and freaked out more.
"That's the top graduate medal! Where'd you steal it?"
"Whose is it?"
They acted like they were about to haul me off, which left me exasperated.
"It's mine!"
"A thief getting an award at graduation?"
"That's ridiculous..."
"It's real. Yor's a thief, sure, but he's ridiculously diligent."
Hammer clapped my shoulder.
A diligent thief.
Even I thought it sounded weird; my nose itched.
Felix added his two cents.
"I'm Felix, direct knight under the 2nd Legion Commander's office. I can vouch for this guy's identity, so let us through already."
"Direct under the 2nd Legion Commander...?"
"Whoa! You're under Brigadier General Ezekiel?!"
The guards' attitude toward Felix turned polite.
They even saluted crisply—Felix waved them off like it was a hassle.
"Pass through!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Have fun spinning in circles!"
I waved wildly too.
The guards glared daggers, but what could they do?
Connections were everything.
'Even Brigadier General Ezekiel's name carries weight in the capital!'
And that amazing brigadier general had asked me out on a date.
Didn't that make me kinda impressive too?
Heh heh heh.
Just thinking about it made my lips curl up.
Anyway, we entered the capital.
The city was so huge and crowded it was disorienting.
"Hey, you!"
"Come here a sec!"
"Damn it."
I even got spot-checked multiple times.
Each time, Hammer praised me.
"Yor, I've done guard duty myself, but I've never seen a thief comply so meekly! You're a model citizen! Model citizen!"
"Hammer, you're overpraising me to boost my mood, right?"
"Heh heh, caught me? Should I stop?"
"Do it harder!"
"Heh! You got it!"
"Cut the jokes and let's eat. We can gather info too."
Felix pointed to a nearby inn-restaurant.
It was three stories tall.
Massive.
"Hey, Yor. Is this the palace?"
Nimble asked me slyly.
She seemed a bit intimidated.
'The always-confident girl looking so down...'
...I got it.
Nimble was a real country bumpkin.
She'd thought her forest was the whole world; this was her first time in a huge city.
"It's the palace, yeah. His Majesty's home. Gotta take off your shoes."
I whispered to her.
Nimble shivered and started removing her shoes.
Felix burst out laughing at the sight.
"You guys are something else."
"...What?"
Nimble realized she'd been tricked and bit my arm hard.
"Gah!"
Her sharp teeth made it hurt like hell; tears welled up.
Hope I don't get rabies or something.
Anyway, we entered the tavern-inn.
It was called "Fairies' Kiss."
Fairies?
It reminded me of those crazy Erdar bastards, souring my mood.
"Damn, place is packed."
Hammer grumbled while hunting for a seat.
We finally sat at an empty table.
"Hammer, I'll go gather some intel quick."
I pulled a few gold coins from my pouch and approached the woman who looked like the madam.
"Madam, any recent rumors about the Pilgrim family?"
"Gold coins? Big spender."
The madam smiled seductively and pointed at a man.
"For rumors, ask that guy singing over there."
A man?
I saw a guy strumming a harp and singing.
"Crossing rivers and mountains, adventurers off to slay dragons—"
I was thinking he sang terribly when—
Someone shrieked.
"My wallet! It's gone!"
"Madam, really?!"
"Thief!"
The commotion drew everyone's eyes.
Pickpocket, huh?
The problem was the knight-looking guys sealing the doors.
"Spot inspections starting now."
"Cooperate, everyone."
What a pain.
"Hey, you! Empty your pockets!"
The knights approached me.
They were blessed ones like me, but levels a bit lower.
To avoid more hassle, I dumped my pouch contents.
Then the shrieking lady's eyes lit up.
"There! My gold coins!"
"Huh?"
A dumb noise escaped me.
How were my gold coins hers?
"Thieving bastard."
"Caught red-handed!"
"Country bumpkin doesn't fear the law!"
The crowd's stares were full of suspicion and disgust.
Damn, I was innocent!
'How'd she spot it as hers?'
My sleight of hand was perfect!
I'd tried to pad my funds and screwed up.
But in times like this, act tough.
"Why's this your lady's gold?"
"You brazen thief! Look, it's marked! My fiancé Sir Piansé gave me this lucky coin! What are you waiting for? Beat him!"
Sure enough, the gold had a weird knife scratch.
Who'd have guessed!
Talk about bad luck!
Then a man stepped in.
"Whoa whoa! Miss! Looks like a misunderstanding!"
"Hah? Misunderstanding?"
"Here's your wallet, miss! I picked it up when you dropped it earlier!"
Jingle.
The man handed a hefty-looking coin pouch to the noble lady.
Her face brightened as she took it.
"Ahem, yeah, it's mine."
"You, over here."
He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to a quiet corner.
This was the bard the madam had pointed to as the info guy.
He asked me.
"Buddy, who the hell are you?"
"Me?"
"The famously sharp-eyed Canary miss didn't notice you dip into her pouch? No one's ever pulled that off!"
He flashed a grin, white teeth like rice noodles.
Breathing a bit ragged with excitement, he offered his hand.
"I'm Lark! Don't know who you are, but if you're unaffiliated, join our guild? We need a skilled thief like you for a big score!"
"Guild? There's one here too?"
"Haha, country boy? Even you must've heard of Ferret! That hotshot rising star's our guild master!"
Ferret?
That guy's killing it here.
"What's the big score?"
"Buddy, ever heard of the Pilgrim family treasure?"
Pilgrim family treasure?
Perfect timing—I was planning to poke around them anyway!