Rift (1)
Commotion drifted over from afar. The distance was too great for the sounds to come through clearly, but I could tell right away that the atmosphere was different from usual.
“Adel. What’s that?”
“......City guard.”
“City guard?”
“Armed troops are on the move. That many… it’s a search.”
Adelaide pressed her back against the corner of the temple, peeking out at the street. I stretched lazily and sidled up beside her.
Beyond the corner, armored soldiers crisscrossed the avenue—faces I hadn’t seen until yesterday. Some swept their gazes over the back alleys like they were combing for lice; others stopped passersby to ask questions.
“What’re they searching for?”
“......Can’t you guess?”
“Guess?”
“The ones we killed in the back alley…”
“Ah.”
Those NPCs, huh. Well, we’d left the bodies right there. If someone stumbled on them, this was inevitable.
“Should’ve cleaned ’em up.”
“......Now you say that.”
“Killing a few NPCs and they kick up this much fuss.”
“Five dead. Limbs hacked off. It’d be weirder if they didn’t make a fuss.”
“Right, we chopped off arms too.”
“......Listen seriously. This city’s guard force runs hundreds to thousands strong. Knight order branch too. They won’t mobilize everyone for back-alley murders, but the search net’ll widen.”
“So?”
“Steer clear of the main drags for now. Guards grilling pedestrians is routine.”
“Grilling, huh.”
“No pass? Caught means done.”
“Caught? Kill ’em.”
“......Then the knights show up.”
“Knights? Sounds fun.”
“Please… it won’t end fun.”
Fair enough.
So far, I’d only scrapped in setups stacked in my favor. Head-on in a city this size? Whole different ballgame. Sure, pick ’em off one by one—but then I’d have to cut Adelaide loose, and that didn’t sit right for some reason.
In the end, the hassle just doubled.
“Fine, fine. So what’s the play?”
“Shift our move times. Skip patrol-heavy mornings and evenings. Midday only.”
“Midday?”
“Peak NPC hours. Melt into the crowd, stay invisible.”
“Walk with the NPCs?”
“......”
“NPCs punching above their weight.”
“......Take that as praise?”
“Yeah. Sincere.”
Adelaide sighed. A sigh I was getting used to.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“Need money.”
“Money? Got some off the bodies.”
“......Even burning that, lasts days tops. Handouts have limits. Can’t crash on dirt every night.”
“Why not? I’m good.”
“You’re the freak here.”
Her unexpectedly blunt jab widened my eyes. Ah, that’s why she’s fun sometimes.
“Freak? I’m wounded.”
“......Don’t lie.”
“Yeah, lie. So how we earning?”
“Frontier gigs hauling cargo. Day labor. Some spots skip pass checks.”
“Cargo? Me?”
“......Me too.”
“Us hauling together?”
“Istius moves tons of goods. One day covers lodging for days.”
Honestly? Pure annoyance. But memories of that village trailing me like a saintess—maybe that’s why. Didn’t wanna hit the dirt anymore.
“......Such a pain.”
“Pain or not, gotta do it.”
“Not ‘gotta.’ Say ‘please do it.’”
“......Please do it.”
“Nah. That sucked. Too stiff.”
“......Why make me then?”
“Wanna hear it once. But nope.”
“......”
Adelaide stared blankly. Face screaming she wanted to snap, but biting it back—obvious as day.
“Fine. Lead on.”
“......Right.”
Adelaide took point.
Checked corners first, alleys safe before signaling. Guards passing? Yanked my arm, slammed backs to wall, breath held.
Once, two guards crossed right ahead—she snatched my shoulder, shoved me behind cover quick.
“......Clear.”
“That necessary? Just stroll past.”
“Silver hair, red eyes. Unforgettable.”
“Pretty, yeah? I know. Compliment accepted.”
“Warning.”
“Prefer compliments.”
“......Please.”
We wound around forever before a warehouse loomed. Laborers’ sour sweat stung my nose. NPCs hustling every which way.
“Here?”
“Yeah. Overseer that way. I’ll handle talk.”
“You?”
“......Faster my way. Who knows what mess if mas… you speak.”
“Pfft, me? What.”
“Forgot yesterday’s alley already?”
“Ah, he grabbed my—”
“So arm off.”
“Yup.”
“......”
Adelaide marched to the overseer wordless.
Short exchange, nod, back she came—two pairs worn gloves in hand.
“Set. Haul those to warehouse by sundown.”
“All?”
“......Yeah.”
“Ton.”
“Good pay.”
“Hmm…”
Eyed the stacked wooden crates. Each a beast. This body lift that?
Gloves on, hand to one crate. Heave—
?
“Wha—!”
Stumble. Foot snags, tilt—
Grab it, brain screams. Then two hands brace my waist from behind.
“......Careful.”
“......”
“Fall, we stand out.”
Adelaide. Gripping my waist, shoving crate steady one-armed—knight poise, control on point.
Reasonable. Fall, stand out. Simple.
But her hands on my waist… weird. Not bad. Warm? Something.
Her heat high? Or mine low?
“......What.”
“What what.”
“Nah, nothing.”
“......Drop you?”
“Do it.”
Hands off. Waist warmth—gone.
Crate down, straighten, sneak peek at Adelaide. She’s hoisting the next, bigger one effortless.
No mana, arms full with a monster twice my size, striding off.
Back quick, she murmured advice.
“Smalls first. Sacks here.”
“Those?”
“Grain. Lighter.”
“......Say sooner.”
“Figured try first.”
“Try? Nearly ate dirt.”
“Didn’t.”
Mana’d draw eyes. Pure muscle on grain sacks. Lighter, sure—but arms buzzed after a few runs.
Why’s this body such a weakling? Rested midway, watched Adelaide. Nonstop crates, no breather.
“Adel.”
“......What.”
“Not tired?”
“Am.”
“Why no rest?”
“Finish fast.”
“Busy bee.”
“......Master, quit lounging.”
“......”
“Now.”
“......Fine, but—”
“Quit.”
“......Yeah.”
Afternoon hit, pile halved.
Between runs, Adelaide fetched water. Both hands cupping, chugged.
“Thanks.”
“......Natural.”
“Nothing natural. I’m thankful. Not bad, right?”
“......”
Adelaide skipped reply.
Sunset nearing, shoved last crate in.
Flopped careless on ground, sky-gazing—Adelaide back from overseer, pay in palm. Pathetic coins.
“This all?”
“Day’s.”
“All day for this?”
“Labor. But rents attic in fleabag inn.”
“Attic?”
“Cheapest.”
Exhaustion owned me. Rest. Now.
“Fine. Inn hunt.”
“......Right.”
Adelaide alley-guided smooth. Nearby: cheap flops galore. Peeling signs, mystery moss on walls.
Her pick: dingy two-story tucked corner. No sign.
“Here? No sign.”
“Why good. Low NPC, no questions.”
“......How do you know?”
“State screams it. No pass hassle.”
“Capable, Adel.”
“......Name over capable.”
“Calling name. Adel.”
“......Shortened whim.”
“Adelaide’s mouthful.”
“......”
Stepping into the inn, a musty reek stabbed my nose.