Chapter 43 Village (1)
The Village (1)
Port City Ark
A sky so clear not a single cloud could be seen.
And yet, as if in stark contrast, thick fog clung densely between the buildings.
The landscape was so bizarre that it had earned the nickname "God's Nose Bridge" among the locals.
Now I understood a little of why Abel had warned me to be so cautious.
"My lady, be careful."
Evan abruptly grabbed my arm and pulled me back. The sound of hooves clattered past as a carriage narrowly brushed by my side.
For a moment, a chill ran down my spine at the realization that I had almost been hit head-on.
Was it because the fog was too thick for me to see? Or was it simply that the carriages in this city lacked any sense of caution?
Perhaps it was both.
"Thank you, Evan."
"Not at all, my lady."
At my words of gratitude, Evan scratched his head awkwardly. Beside him, Lily stood with a visibly shrunken posture.
She had her arms crossed, cautiously scanning our surroundings.
"Lily? What's wrong?"
"Well... I just have a bad feeling about this place."
She wasn't wrong—there was something ominous in the air.
Was it the ever-present fog? Or was it because Abel had called Ark a breeding ground for all kinds of crime?
"Probably just my imagination."
She forced an awkward laugh, deflecting the topic. I could tell she was hiding something, but I didn't press further.
Unless Lily chose to speak up herself, I had no intention of prying.
We walked in silence for a while before Evan finally spoke up.
"We're here."
A secluded alley. It wasn't particularly narrow, but it certainly wasn't wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side.
The fog here was unnaturally thick compared to the rest of the city, making it an unwelcoming sight.
Carefully, I followed Evan into the alley. Lily, her unease growing more pronounced, trembled slightly.
Seeing her shake down to her very eyelids, I couldn't just stand by any longer.
"Lily."
I took her hand—icy cold, like a slab of frozen stone. She flinched at my sudden touch but didn't pull away.
"It's alright."
After a while, her trembling began to subside. A faint warmth returned to her chilled fingers.
"...Thank you, Lady Adel."
"I'm glad you're feeling better. Let's go."
"Yes."
The deeper we ventured into the alley, the worse the conditions became.
Was this the infamous back alley I'd only heard about? Ragged, grime-covered vagrants loitered here and there.
Among them, children wrapped in tattered sacks glared our way—though the moment they locked eyes with Evan, they bolted without hesitation.
Their intentions were obvious. If not for him, we would've been pickpocketed in an instant.
A foul stench stabbed at my nose—a revolting mix of sweat, rot, and who knew what else. It was far worse than I'd imagined.
When I turned my head slightly, I caught Lily's face twisted in disgust.
Suddenly, Evan, who had been walking ahead, stopped.
Lily, who had been half-squinting as she walked, bumped right into his back. Startled, she jolted before quickly sidling up next to me.
"Evan? What's wrong?"
"Just a moment."
His reply was curt as he reached into his coat.
With a sharp shing, a gleaming blade slid free.
Before I could even react to Evan's sudden movement, loud voices erupted from the alley.
"Tch, they noticed! Run!"
"Damn it, which bastard blew our cover?!"
"Bold of you."
A blue aura flared from his sword.
Without so much as a battle cry, Evan swung his blade lightly.
In the next instant, a blue slash severed the arms of the men scrambling to flee.
"GAAAH!"
Fountains of blood erupted from all directions, followed by agonized screams.
Who would've thought just three slashes could neutralize most of them?
Though I always seemed to get dragged into absurd situations, it wasn't as if I was completely defenseless. Evan might not have been on Abel's level, but he was still plenty strong.
That said, I couldn't help but wonder if using aura was overkill against back-alley riffraff.
...No, that's not it.
Through the fog, I could make out at least a dozen shadowy figures. And if that was just the ones visible from here, how many more lurked unseen?
Evan's slash had been a warning. And judging by how most of the shadows in the fog had vanished, it had worked.
So this is what he meant by a breeding ground for crime.
Only now did I fully grasp the weight of Abel's words about Ark.
All manner of criminals, hidden within the thick fog. And their movements—almost systematic.
If I had come here alone...
A shudder ran down my spine, and I instinctively rubbed my arms.
"Let's go, my lady."
I nodded and followed Evan. Lily, reassured by the display of force, no longer trembled as she had before.
Yet even so, she didn't chatter away as she usually would. Did she have some unpleasant memory associated with back alleys?
The thought crossed my mind, but I didn't press the matter.
I, more than anyone, knew well that rushing into personal relationships yielded no enlightenment whatsoever.
How long had we walked like that?
A shabby inn came into view. A wooden structure exuding nothing but a dreary atmosphere, without even a signboard.
The eerie glow of light from within only intensified the unsettling mood.
Evan approached the entrance.
So this is it.
The Information Guild Abel had mentioned.
It looked so much like an abandoned building that I wondered if it was even open for business. As I followed that train of thought, Evan knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
Four precise knocks. Not long after, a low voice came from the other side.
"The hawk that crosses the moon—"
"—can it cross even the sun?"
He completed the password, and silence followed for a moment. Just as I began to wonder if he'd gotten it wrong, the door creaked open gently.
"Come in."
A man wearing a black mask gestured us inside. Following him, we were greeted by a surprisingly cozy interior.
The man bowed his head slightly and spoke in a rough voice.
"Welcome to the Ark Branch of the Information Guild."
He paused briefly before stepping behind the bar counter. Judging by the layout, was this place a tavern?
If so, it was odd that not a single patron was inside.
Was it just because it was still daytime?
As the question lingered in my mind, the man reappeared.
Having gone into what must have been a storage room, he returned carrying something and approached us.
"What's this?"
"Write down the information you seek."
A small memo pad and pen. Carefully picking up the pen, I began writing on the paper.
When no ink came out at first, I faltered slightly before pressing down a few more times. Soon, mana began flowing from the pen.
Ah, invisible ink.
A method of writing with mana.
Unless someone was exceptionally sensitive to mana, they wouldn't be able to read what was written on this paper.
A fitting method for an Information Guild that dealt in sensitive matters.
—The Emperor's hometown. Its exact location.
I wrote it down and handed the paper back. The masked man skimmed the words, then froze for a split second.
"Follow me."
His gaze swept over me from behind the mask. For some reason, the way he looked at me sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine.
Though uneasy, I followed him. Lily and Evan trailed behind me—
But the man raised a hand to stop them.
"You two, please wait here."
"That won't be possible."
Evan's hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he spoke. The masked man observed him quietly before stepping closer.
Leaning in, he whispered something into Evan's ear.
At his words, Evan's expression twisted slightly. After glaring at the man in clear dissatisfaction, he let out a deep sigh.
"Fine. I trust you'll make a wise choice."
The masked man gave a light nod at Evan's warning, then turned back to me.
"Follow me."
"Yes, of course."
What in the world did he say to convince Evan?
Though not as stubborn as Abel, Evan was still a man of considerable will.
I was curious, but I didn't ask.
Partly because I didn't want to engage with the man further, but mostly because I trusted Evan's judgment enough not to pry.
Following him, we walked down a dimly lit corridor for a while. A passageway lined with strange, intricate magic circles.
As someone nearly ignorant of magic, I couldn't even begin to guess what kind of spells they were.
How long had we been walking?
A door came into view.
One made of walnut wood.
At a glance, it was anything but ordinary. Probing it lightly with mana, I sensed an overwhelming number of spells layered upon it.
Reflection Magic as a baseline, Fire Magic, Electric Magic, Wind Magic...
And why was there even Teleportation Magic?
No, more importantly—was there even a reason to cast this many spells on a single door?
A whirlwind of questions raged in my mind as the masked man approached the door. Raising his hand carefully, he knocked four times.
"A distinguished guest has arrived."
"Let them in."
A girl's voice came from the other side.
Before the words had even fully faded, the door swung open wide. The masked man gave a slight nod at the sight.
"The Master is expecting you."
Stepping through the doorway, the air shifted instantly.
Literally.
It felt as though I had stepped into an entirely different space from the one beyond the door. Was this the purpose of the Teleportation Magic cast on it?
Lost in thought, a voice suddenly reached me.
"Are you just going to stand there?"
Startled, I hesitated before cautiously stepping forward.
Amidst the aged furnishings, a lone girl came into view.
Platinum blonde hair, eyes as blue as the sea.
And pointed ears like an elf's...
...An elf?
Did such a species even exist in this world?
