You Still Alive, Little C?!

At night, in Ashur City.

After Cien ordered food at the inn's restaurant, he took the food to his room. He gave the food to Cherry. Then he began to prepare his coffin bag.

Putting back the weapons that had been taken out earlier.

After finishing the preparations, he dressed in his usual covered attire.

Cien was ready to go out. He carried his coffin and then heard Cherry's voice from behind. Cien turned around and saw the girl looking surprised.

"?"

"Gra–Grand Master... you're actually the strange person the kids talked about!"

"...strange person? kids?"

"Ah, sorry, not strange... umm, mysterious... unique?"

Cien saw Cherry looking confused, searching for the right words. She tried not to hurt her hero's pride. Even though it might be too late.

"I know my appearance is unique. You don't have to worry about my feelings."

Cherry could only force a bitter smile. She still felt guilty, even though she hadn't done anything wrong.

Cien then asked about the kids mentioned by Cherry. The kids in question were the orphans who had been working in various corners of the city.

There were those who worked as merchants, soldiers, gatekeepers, coachmen, shop attendants, street musicians, and so on.

Well, they were not actually kids. They are the orphan kids that graduated from C-Owl, then work in the real world doubling as agents for the C-Owl.

These people would always report interesting and suspicious information they saw and heard in their daily lives.

Cherry served as a teacher at the orphanage, doubling as the branch manager of C-Owl intelligence agency in Ashur.

This made her always aware of the city's developments. Her encounter with the Millard Family was an unforeseen blunder.

"So yesterday afternoon, many of our kids or agents saw a strange person entering the city. This strange person was covered from head to toe in a black cloak and carried a wardrobe on his back."

"That's not a wardrobe. It's a bag."

"...are you sure it's a bag, Milord?"

"..."

Cien couldn't answer. Instead of discussing the bag/wardrobe/coffin, Cien thought it best to inquire about the nearest C-Owl spy positions.

He felt it was better to send a message to Cherry's friends to avoid panic. Afterall, right now they may be searching all of the city for this one girl.

Cherry agreed. In fact, she had already wanted to inform everyone about the positions of all the C-Owl spies throughout the city, even without being asked.

C-Owl was founded by Cien, so it was only fitting that the founder knew. Cherry thought.

But Cien halted that desire. He didn't have enough time to remember the positions of all those people. It would be better for him to get to know those around the inn first.

Cherry understood and informed him.

Before leaving, Cien asked Cherry one thing. As the head of intelligence, she must be aware of the situation in Ashur. The reason behind the oddity of the Bahman Family's situation.

"To be honest, we ourselves don't know much. It all started with Duke Bahman falling ill. His son, Dion Bahman, who took over the command, suddenly had a completely different personality from what the people of Ashur knew. The cause? Unknown."

"There's a rumor that Lilinette is controlling him," said Cien.

Cherry chuckled softly upon hearing that. "That's just a rumor. Lilinette Millard is probably far from the circulating rumors. She... is like a passionless human. A doll might be more fitting."

"What do you mean?"

Cherry explained further. Lilinette Millard was a girl who was once the hope of the Millard Family.

She was the only one in the current Baron's family who had the Mana Nucleus. Not just an ordinary Nucleus, she had the potential to become someone with high-ranking power.

However, about four years ago, the Mana Nucleus within Lilinette was destroyed. Crushing the hopes of the Millard family.

Lilinette, frustrated and cornered by the ridicule of her friends and family, became even more despondent. Since then, Lilinette could be said to have lost her will to live.

During her time in Westya, she only spent her days in her room doing nothing. Even when she attended noble parties, she would sit silently in a corner, making herself an object of mockery for other nobles.

Raphael himself almost didn't consider Lilinette as his own daughter anymore. He only "acknowledged" her a little because of the engagement proposal between Lilinette and Dion being approved.

"As the Grand Master knows, the fate of a noblewoman who cannot wield mana is to be married off as an object. That's what happened to Lilinette.

"After the engagement was approved, she stayed in Ashur. Not at her fiancé's house or any luxurious residence. Lilinette now resides in a tower in the southern corner of Ashur. Alone, without ever venturing outside."

Cien fell silent once again. There were too many things he wanted to criticize about his uncle's actions towards his own child. But for now…

"And what about the rumors?"

"False. Lilinette never had any interaction with the Bahman Family whatsoever."

"How do you know this?"

"One of the C-Owl's agents served as Lilinette's maid in the tower. She watched and took care of the girl. It was Madam Ethel's order. Naturally, the maid's identity as a C-Owl agent was unknown to the Duke or the Baron."

In that case, Cien became even more puzzled about the situation in Ashur.

The city still appeared prosperous from the outside. But Cien sensed something odd happening behind the scenes.

It made him feel as if the city was heading towards its own downfall. But what was it? Cien still didn't know...

"What is actually happening?"

"That's the question we have as well. For now, we know that something suspicious is going on within the Bahman Family. However, the specifics are still unknown. Many people say that Lilinette is the reason for Dion's change in personality. But those of us who know that it's not the case. If we have to suspect, the change occurred to Dion Bahma maybe because of..."

"The Abyss Race."

Cien continued Cherry's words, which were met with a nod from the girl.

"Unfortunately, we don't have any evidence yet. The investigation is still ongoing."

"Thank you for the information."

"Ah, no need to thank us. The C-Owl belongs to you, we serve you—Grand Master, and Madam Ethel. It is our duty to fulfill all your wishes."

"...if that's the case, there's something else I want to ask. First, do you know the current relationship between the Ashur merchants and the Millards? Second, what do you know about the attacks on the border villages? Is it true?"

Upon hearing that, Cherry immediately understood and answered the questions.

Firstly, all the merchants related to Cien in the past continue to cooperate with the Millards, except for one person.

This person refuses to cooperate because they suspect that Raphael forcibly took the baron status from Cien, and he also dislikes Raphael's principles.

Secondly, the attacks on the villages are indeed true. The surviving villagers from the tragedy have migrated to Westya.

None of them have returned to Mandora. All the survivors were accepted by Viscount Carras.

The suspicious aspect of this event is the cover-up by the Mandora kingdom's leaders, so the majority of the Mandora people are unaware of the incident.

Lastly, another suspicious thing is the migration to Westya.

Viscount Carras seems to have known that the tragedy would occur. He had prepared his people at the border.

After the tragedy happened, he ordered his people to pick up the surviving villagers and bring them to his territory.

"That's strange..."

"I agree. C-Owl is currently trying to gather information about this."

Cien let out a long sigh. He had originally planned to go out and sell goods by the roadside while assessing the situation. But after hearing some information from Cherry, he changed his plans.

There was a place he wanted to visit.

Cien bid farewell, instructing Cherry to stay in the room and locking the door.

Cien left the inn and walked towards the east, heading to a place where a small lake was located.

The city of Ashur was nicknamed the Oasis of the Land of Sands due to its abundant water sources.

The water came from seven springs in the area, which formed small lakes surrounding the city.

The largest lake was owned by Duke Bahman, while the other six lakes belonged to four noble families and two prominent merchants.

The small lake in the east that Cien wanted to visit was operated by one of the merchants. It took Cien almost an hour to reach his destination.

Before him, he could see a small lake, or perhaps more accurately, a big pond adorned with colorful lights illuminating its surroundings.

Around the area, apart from a large building owned by a merchant, there were other small merchant carts and benches for enjoying the sound of the water from the lake.

Cien walked around the lake for a moment, reminiscing about the beautiful experiences he had there with his wife in the past.

After satisfying his nostalgia, Cien intended to go to the businessman's building in the area.

However, his steps halted when his eyes caught sight of an old man sitting and gazing at the moon-reflected surface of the lake. Cien approached the old man.

"May I sell here?" Cien asked, interrupting the old man's reverie.

The old man looked at Cien and shook his head gently.

"Why do you need my permission? Just go ahead, no one forbids it here."

"Alright then."

Cien immediately displayed his merchandise next to the bench where the old man sat.

He took out the weapons from the coffin and placed them on the mat he brought with him.

Once everything was set up, he sat on the mat, waiting for customers while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere by the lake.

For a while, both of them savored the ambiance without a word spoken. Until Cien broke the silence.

"May I buy some water, Old Man?"

The Old Man was taken aback, this time paying attention to the mysterious peddler beside him.

"You seem to know me."

"Of course, no one can rival the taste of water from your spring, Old Man Niles."

The Old Man widened his eyes. He could now see Cien's emerald eyes, which instantly reminded him of a certain family.

"Y-You..."

Cien unwrapped the scarf that covered his mouth, briefly revealing his face to the Old Man.

"It's been a long time, Mr. Niles. I'm glad to see you're still as healthy as before," greeted Cien, covering his face again.

Niles froze, his eyes wide open. Seeing the person in front of him felt like a dream. Then he burst into laughter.

"Gyahahahaha! You rascal! By the Sun, you're still alive, Little C?!"

"Yep, I'm still alive, Old Man. And... I don't think Little C is a suitable nickname for me now. Look! I'm old now."

"Aish, compared to my age, you're just a mere Little C!"

"... …it's up to you. So, how about the water?"

"Gyahahaha! Of course. I'll give you the tastiest water in all of Mandora! No, in all of Kastia!"