The Search (4)
Dooong……
The distant tolling of the church bells. Elijah slowly opened his closed eyes. Exhaustion was etched across his face. It was because last night's events had haunted his mind all through the night.
……Lien.
Elijah furrowed his brow against the throbbing headache stabbing at his temples. The image of Lien's tear-streaked face as she begged him came unbidden to mind. He had promised to protect her for life. He had sworn to be her knight. He hadn't asked for anything in return. Just her trust—that alone had been enough.
"Haa……."
Elijah dragged a hand down his face and let out a sigh. How had things gotten so tangled?
Lien's furious outbursts, the words she'd spat out in rage. That she was terrified of losing him. He didn't think those were lies. They must have been sincere. That's why she'd suffered so much.
But… now, could he really just accept it all with a "Yeah, I get it" after coming this far?
Elijah couldn't even be sure of his own feelings toward Lien anymore. It would be a lie to say he didn't resent her, but he didn't want to see her in that kind of agony either. And besides…….
Elijah stared blankly at the morning sunlight pouring through the window, lost in thought.
An assassination….
If what Lien had said was true—if there really were people out to kill him, and that was the goal of those who framed him.
Why didn't they just kill me sooner?
There had been more than enough opportunities. They could have at least sent assassins after his excommunication. He wouldn't have been able to fight properly back then.
But they hadn't. For a trap as elaborate as that one, the cleanup had been far too sloppy.
…….
Elijah frowned. It felt like he was missing something… but he couldn't put his finger on what.
It was like wandering through a thick, hazy fog. He shook his head roughly from side to side, as if to clear his thoughts.
…His mind was too cluttered.
Knock knock.
A knock at the door.
"It's Kyle."
Kyle entered and widened his eyes at Elijah's dark-circled face.
"Were you up all night with something?"
"……No, nothing much."
Elijah rubbed his eyes as he answered. He'd decided to put Lien aside for now. For the moment, sticking to the plan was best. If there really were people trying to assassinate him, as Lien claimed, and some were still out there, he needed to clear his name as soon as possible.
For Sera's sake, too.
Kyle pulled a neatly folded white cloak from his bosom and held it out.
"It should be fine until the afternoon service."
Kyle said. "The surveillance has lightened up a lot, but… it's not gone entirely. Please be careful."
"…Thanks."
Elijah pulled the thick hood low over his head.
……
A few silent vaultings over fences to evade patrolling knights. Emerging from the narrow alley connected to the outside, the Capital's scenery finally unfolded before him.
The wide, even stone roads were lined with merchants' stalls, and the aroma of freshly baked bread wafted from the alleys.
Peaceful.
Despite everything that had happened. The Capital bustled with the same vitality as five years ago, just as Elijah remembered.
He gazed at the scene for a moment, then pulled his hood even lower and quickened his pace.
Along the gravel path, across a bridge. One left turn, two rights, then straight ahead…….
"…Found it."
🛒 Gray Merchant Guild 🛒
Elijah looked up at the rusty gray sign. The creaking in the wind, the worn lantern hanging by the door—it was all exactly as he remembered.
"……."
After lingering in nostalgia for a moment, Elijah pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Down the stairs to the basement, carefully. Before long, a battered iron door appeared before him.
Tok, tok tok.
The rhythmic knocks echoed through the damp underground air. Elijah waited quietly, but no response came.
Tok, tok tok. Tok tok.
After a few more tries, a clamor from inside and a grumbling voice followed.
"Argh, seriously! What lunatic's banging on the door since morning……."
The door flew open. Out stepped a burly man. Flashy earrings glinted through his tousled yellow hair, and well-developed muscles rippled under his tanned skin. Quite the striking appearance.
If you ignored the heavy dark circles under his eyes.
"You? The one pounding on the door all morning?"
The man growled roughly.
Elijah slowly lowered his hood. The man's pupils dilated. He froze, mouth agape.
"……."
"……."
A long silence stretched between them.
"……You."
"Long time no see, Rohan."
The moment his name was called, Rohan worked his lips, then roughly ruffled the back of his head.
"Crazy… Thought you were dead. No, you should be."
"Sorry to disappoint."
Back when Elijah was still a knight apprentice, the sole deviant among his devout peers who only talked about women. Even after beatings from senior knights, he never mended his ways, eventually quitting the order because it didn't suit his temperament and drifting into mercenary work. By chance, he caught the trading company owner's eye and got stuck there, but his skills were the real deal.
Rohan said, "What's with that face? You gonna seduce any women looking like that?"
"Doesn't seem like something you should say."
Rohan snorted. "Well… fair enough. Come in first."
"……Thanks."
Inside, Elijah glanced around. Piles of documents cluttered the desk, and a meticulously drawn map of the entire continent hung in the center of the wall. Colorful scraps of paper were pinned all over it.
"…You're doing pretty well for yourself."
"Doing well my ass. The wife made me check the ledgers all night. Couldn't get a wink because of it."
Rohan grumbled. He pulled an old chair from behind the desk and kicked it over with his foot.
"Crawling in here looking like that—finally wanna die? Sorry, but do your suicide somewhere out of sight. You'll haunt my dreams."
Elijah sat in the indicated chair. "Sorry, but no plans to die anytime soon."
"That's the one halfway decent thing I've heard."
Rohan leaned forward, elbows on the table. "So, what's up? You didn't come to see my handsome face."
"……I'm looking for someone."
Rohan tilted his head. "Weren't you excommunicated from the Church? Still chasing heretics?"
"Not a heretic. Someone connected to the Church."
At Elijah's words, Rohan froze. He fixed Elijah with a sharp gaze.
"You, what the……."
After staring for a while, Rohan let out a small sigh. "……Keep talking."
"Looking for a priest. Small scar under his left eye, age… late forties to early fifties."
Rohan drummed his fingers on the table. "Too broad."
"Connected to the incident five years ago. I have to find him. Probably outside the Church."
Rohan scratched his head. "……You're insane. You know how the Church has been since your excommunication? Messing with them is like putting your neck on a sharp blade."
"I know. That's why I'm asking you."
"Tough bastard."
Rohan looked up at the ceiling for a moment. He sighed and turned to Elijah. "Fine. Digging's my specialty. But payment's non-negotiable, right?"
"…Name it."
As Elijah asked, Rohan pretended to think, then grinned slyly. "Nothing much. Just tell Cecilia once later: 'He was pretty decent back in his youth.' She's been looking down on me lately."
Elijah's eyebrow twitched. "Feels too cheap."
"……."
Rohan chuckled. "Can't gouge a friend. And honestly."
He lowered his voice. "Just you coming here is interesting enough. …A guy confined in the Imperial Palace, no less."
Elijah instinctively stepped back. Rohan shrugged with a laugh. "What, so surprised? Rumors are flying about some guy glued to the new Saintess's side. Of course, only someone like me knows who it is."
"……."
Elijah eyed him warily. "Hey, sit. If I was gonna turn you in, I'd have done it already. Right? That's why you came to me."
Elijah stared silently, then slowly sat back down.
"Well, if you wanna pay up proper, do me a 'small favor' later."
Rohan said lightly. He rummaged in a drawer, pulled out some bone-dry tea leaves, and dumped them into the kettle on the desk. "……Small favor?"
"Yeah. Not now. Later."
Rohan poured tea as if it were no big deal and handed it to Elijah. But Elijah set it back down without drinking. Watching him, Rohan gave a wry smile. He picked up the cup and downed it in one gulp.
A strange silence filled the room for a few minutes. Rohan clapped his hands, looking at Elijah.
"Tch, mood's all wrong……. Whatever. That's all? Then get going. Time to wake Cecilia soon."
Elijah rose slowly, eyes never leaving Rohan.
"Elijah."
As Elijah opened the door to leave, Rohan grinned softly. "Still, good to see your face after so long."
"……."
Elijah hesitated, then nodded.