36
Chapter 36
"Are you... involved with those guys?"
I must have had a pretty serious expression on my face, because Barret asked me worriedly.
Seeing him steal a quick glance at Eileen, it seemed he had a rough idea of the situation.
I didn't bother answering and instead asked him a question in return.
"What would you do in my shoes, Barret?"
"Hmm."
Barret tapped his fingers on the table, pondering for a moment before speaking cautiously.
"Normally, I'd report it to the Garrison... but unless there's a crackdown going on, it'll be hard to get any help."
"Then what?"
"If it were me, I'd gather people first. Enough people to stand a chance against them."
It was a realistic answer, fitting for someone who led a mercenary group.
If you bolster your numbers, even thugs won't be able to mess with you so easily.
...But I didn't have the money or the reputation to hire people.
"Just let me know if you need help. I'll come running anytime."
"No, it's fine. I don't want to drag you into my personal affairs."
Even after my rejection, the look in Barret's eyes didn't easily fade.
...Did I bring this up for nothing?
"Well, if things get really bad... I'll ask you then."
"Yes! Just tell me whenever. I'll take my leave now."
Barret walked away with a satisfied expression.
I was grateful, but... it was still a bit burdensome.
Joining a group was something I had to think carefully about.
I was definitely going to return home someday.
Plus, I didn't have any desire to live as a mercenary for long.
I still wasn't used to killing people.
Sure, I was only taking on calm requests for now, but the atmosphere in the City was unusual as well.
Between the rumors I heard last time and the recruiters I saw standing all over the way to the Market, something was up.
They were probably recruiting people to fight in the war.
It meant the war was that close.
And once the war starts... most mercenaries will flock over there.
I had no intention of jumping into that chaos.
I organized my thoughts and looked ahead to see Eileen sipping Beer early in the morning.
...Is she going to be okay?
Of course, the Beer in this world had a significantly lower alcohol content, probably due to a lack of brewing technology, but alcohol was still alcohol.
Seeing the Inn Employee casually serve it without batting an eye, it didn't seem to be a problem.
Still, from a modern person's perspective, it felt a bit wrong.
"Kyah!"
She was enjoying it so much that I couldn't bring myself to take it away, so I just watched her with dead eyes.
Eileen flinched, noticing my strange gaze, and asked cautiously.
"Um... should I order a glass for you?"
Was she really worried I'd snatch her drink?
"No, I don't really like alcohol."
...That was a lie. In the modern world, I actually quite liked to drink.
I liked it enough that I would often make highballs at home.
But the alcohol in this world... to borrow Baldic's words, tasted exactly like piss.
It was the unholy trinity of garbage: lukewarm, bitter, and watered-down.
Seeing her drink that kind of booze so deliciously only made me marvel at her even more.
"Mr. Riv."
Eileen suddenly looked at me with a serious face.
What is it? Does she have another hidden secret?
"...Yes?"
"Please drop the formalities."
"Huh?"
My brain stopped for a second. Where did that come from?
"No matter how I look at it, you seem to be my age, or maybe an Orabeoni. So please speak comfortably with me."
She wasn't wrong.
If there was one slight difference... it was the fact that there was a ten-year gap between our actual ages?
"Ah, no... Even so, you are a Noble-"
"No."
Eileen was firm.
Seeing that firm expression, I couldn't refuse any longer.
I eventually nodded, having no other choice.
"I understand...... Eileen."
Eileen finally showed a satisfied expression.
...But, aren't her cheeks a little red? Don't tell me she's acting like that because she's drunk?
I was a bit suspicious... but probably not. Hopefully.
"But why so suddenly?"
"Um... I've always thought it would be nice to have an Orabeoni since I was little."
My thoughts stopped for a moment at Eileen's words.
She was an Illegitimate Child. She must have grown up under just her Mother.
Since she didn't have a Father... she might have wanted someone's touch, someone's affection.
"By any chance... may I ask your age?"
"...Twenty."
I decided to find a decent compromise between the age of my body and my mind.
To say I'm in my mid-to-late twenties with this face... is a bit much.
But saying I'm nineteen feels too shameless.
Yeah. Twenty years old was just right.
...Strange. It wasn't like I lied about my age, but I felt guilty for no reason.
"Twenty... I think that's perfect!"
Eileen's expression brightened as if she liked my age.
Alright, let's just pretend I got a little sister. Even though she's not a real sister.
Due to her Western-style features, from my perspective, Eileen didn't look young enough to be considered eighteen.
I didn't know if there was an East-West distinction here too... but that probably wasn't important.
While I had those thoughts for a moment, Eileen was already lifting an empty glass.
Wait, when did she finish that?
"You drank it all already?"
"I-it was just so delicious..."
Eileen put the glass down with an awkward expression. Her voice grew a bit faint.
Even if the Beer in this world had low alcohol content, I wondered if it was okay to drink like that from the morning.
Well... she did look happy.
"Should we get going?"
"Yes, Mr. Riv."
Eileen paused as she tried to stand up.
When I tilted my head, she cautiously looked at my face.
"...Shouldn't you drop the formalities too?"
Since things turned out this way, I thought it would be better for us to address each other comfortably.
But... what should I tell her to call me?
Orabeoni is honestly a bit cringeworthy, but I can't ask her to call me Oppa either.
In the end, I decided to go with something safe.
"Just call me Riv."
A brief silence.
"Riv... I understand."
Eileen chewed over my name. Though she hesitated slightly, a smile peeked through.
Strangely, that single word gave me a weirdly ticklish feeling.
...It feels like it's been a long time since my name was called like this.
No, it's still better than Orabeoni.
No matter how much I think about it, I can't get used to that.
"Let's go."
"Okay!"
Eileen stood up from her seat cheerfully.
I stood up as well, thinking about what I had to do today.
***
We didn't head outside right away today.
First, we went up to the Inn room where I was staying.
In one corner of the room, the man was still sprawled out, tightly bound.
"Hey, wake up."
I approached and tapped the man's cheek, making him struggle to lift his eyelids.
His name was Dail, the guy I brought in from the Outer District last night.
"Ugh, where am I..."
"Do you remember what happened yesterday?"
"Y-yesterday? Urgh."
Just trying to recall yesterday seemed difficult for him.
He did take quite a beating, after all.
"You bastards!"
"Ah, you do remember. Yesterday you acted like you didn't know."
"Because of you, I-!"
Dail thrashed around for a while, pouring out his anger.
Why was he getting mad at us, the victims, when he was the one who took on such a garbage request?
I wasn't a nice enough person to just sit back and watch that.
Thwack.
"Urgh-!"
Only after I raised my foot and gave him a light kick in the side did Dail stop his useless blabbering.
It was just a light tap, but perhaps because I hit a spot that was beaten yesterday, he flinched in pain for a moment.
Finding a spot on this guy that wasn't bruised was actually harder.
"I don't need useless chatter. Do you know who those guys from yesterday were?"
"Ugh, why, why would I tell you that..."
When I slightly lifted my foot again, Dail quickly read the room and shut his mouth.
Is there really no faster means of communication than violence? This cold reality made me a bit sad.
"Do I need to ask you again?"
"......The Black Hand."
"What?"
"Those guys are called the Black Hand."
What can I say, it was a really childish name.
Maybe this is exactly what you'd expect from thugs.
"The Boss's name is Bron. He's the man who showed up after the recent 'Street of Blood' incident and took over the organization in one fell swoop."
"The Street of Blood?"
"I'm talking about that incident where the red-haired Mercenary wiped out the streets."
Was it that incident involving Calcia?
The Street of Blood, just hearing the name gave me the chills.
"...Did you see it yourself?"
"No, people like us all covered our eyes and ears and hid in our Tents. The screams back then..."
Dail's hands began to tremble faintly.
I could tell just how big of a shock that incident left on him.
"So, where is their home base?"
"If you head towards the Castle Wall from the eastern Outer District, there's a large Abandoned Building. It used to be a Garrison barracks, but it was abandoned as the City expanded. They took it over and are using it as their Hideout."
They weren't hiding as deeply as I thought.
I couldn't tell if they were confident in their skills or just plain stupid.
"How many of them are there in total?"
"I don't know the exact details either. But there should be at least twenty of them."
Twenty people. It was a somewhat familiar number.
Of course, I had never fought them alone before.
"Is that Boss guy strong?"
"I don't know. Rumor has it that he's stronger than that red-haired one... but I can't bring myself to believe that."
I couldn't believe it either.
With that level of skill, he would have worked as a Mercenary, so why would he be playing thug boss in a place like this?
...Or, did he choose to be the head of a snake?
Either way, it didn't seem like he'd be easy to deal with right away.
"Hmm, got it."
"Are you letting me go?"
Dail looked at me with an expectant expression.
"No. You're going to the Garrison."
But there was no such hopeful outcome.
The nerve of this Criminal. If you launch a surprise attack and swing a knife around, getting arrested is what you deserve.
At the word Criminal, I suddenly felt a pang of guilt for no reason.
...Wait, no.
Even if this body belongs to a Criminal, the me inside is innocent.
And just like that, I took Dail, who had lost all hope, and headed to the Garrison.
Dragging a man bound by a Rope was bound to look suspicious no matter how you looked at it.
Sure enough.
On the way, we were stopped and questioned by Soldiers on patrol.
"Hey! Stop right there!"
A short explanation wasn't enough.
Eventually, only after a long explanation, was I able to hand Dail over to the Garrison.
Watching Dail's back as he was dragged away dejectedly, I made a promise to myself.
I should never end up like that.
****
After handing Dail over to the Garrison, I decided to focus on my next objective.
Black hair, gray eyes, much taller than Eileen, and a bit blunt.
No matter how I thought about it, it wouldn't be easy with just these clues.
Honestly, did it even make sense to find someone matching those conditions in the middle of this City?
"This isn't easy."
"Yeah, is it really too hard with just this?"
I wandered the streets with Eileen, asking around until the sun was high above our heads.
But in the end, we couldn't find a single clue.
Our steps, which started at the edge of the City, had somehow reached the central Square.
In the center of the Square stood a magnificent Mansion, and next to it stood a massive Church building.
Ah, the Church. She definitely told me to come to the Church last time.
It would be troublesome if I lingered here for no reason and got caught.
I need to get out of here quickly.
Just as I thought that and was about to leave.
"Hold on a moment."
Someone suddenly approached from the side and blocked my path.
"...Yes?"
The person blocking my way was a man wearing a white Priest Robe.
"Are you perhaps Sir Riv?"
...Don't tell me.
"No, you have the wrong person."
I calmly feigned ignorance and slightly turned my body to leave.
But the man gently blocked my path again.
"Black hair, blue eyes, a blue Robe. And a young girl beside you. Are you still going to deny it?"
"...."
The man recited my features one by one. Without missing a beat, and very accurately.
'...I'm doomed.'
How did he know in such detail? Was there a wanted poster going around?
"Who are you?"
I slowly lowered my stance. Putting weight on my heels, ready to sprint away at any moment.
The man held out his palms as if to calm me down.
"I came here under the orders of Lady Luna."
"Huh? Luna?"
Luna. She was a Watcher of the Sereon Church, and I had only met her once in Delhar.
"She told me to bring you to the Cathedral."
...Why on earth? Didn't she just say that in passing? She was looking for me to this extent?
No, more importantly, do I even have the option to refuse?
"Do I really have to go?"
I asked with eyes full of suspicion.
The man smiled with a slightly solemn expression.
"If you do not wish to go, there is nothing I can do, but Lady Luna is waiting for you."
...Ah, so there's no getting out of this.