Trouble

Ryan made his way to the first floor, searching for Room No. 3. Upon entering, he noticed that the room was quite private. If locked, it would be completely secluded, and the thick walls provided excellent soundproofing—he couldn't hear a thing from the hall or other rooms.

Inside, the room was furnished with three sofas arranged around a central table. A bottle of wine and a glass were already set up, but Ryan chose not to touch anything. Instead, he sat down, patiently waiting for Viscount Andrew's contact to arrive.

He didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later, a young man entered the room and took a seat across from him.

Ryan was slightly surprised by the visitor's appearance. The man looked to be in his early twenties, with blonde hair and an air of confidence. Without wasting time, he introduced himself.

"My name is Austin. I'm the manager of this pub and oversee all operations related to it. By now, you've probably realized who owns this establishment, so I won't waste time explaining. This place serves as your connection to the Viscount. From here, you will receive missions, rewards, and supplies."

Austin leaned forward slightly before continuing.

"You will only be compensated for the missions you complete. We won't provide any additional money for your personal expenses, so you'll have to sustain your livelihood on your own. Here's a list of available missions. You can review them and choose one. If you decide to take on a mission, simply write down the mission number and hand it to the bartender before you leave. Also, every three months, you will receive a compulsory mission that you must complete."

Ryan listened carefully, absorbing all the details. When Austin asked if he had any questions, he simply shook his head.

"No, I understand the rules."

"Good." Austin handed him a catalog. "The mission descriptions and rewards are inside. Take your time to go through them. And as a first-time courtesy, here's a free drink—specially prepared for the nobility. You don't need to pay for it. Enjoy."

With that, Austin stood up and left the room.

Ryan let out a small sigh of relief upon hearing that he wouldn't have to pay for the drink. He didn't have any extra money to spare.

Flipping through the catalog, he found nearly twenty missions listed. Most of them involved eliminating gang members or leaders from the slums and outer city. A few focused on gathering intelligence or investigating suspicious activities.

After reviewing the missions, Ryan decided not to take one just yet. He had enough money to cover his expenses for now, and he wanted to gather more information about the city's gangs before committing to a mission. The compulsory missions seemed unavoidable, so he figured it would be wise to get some experience beforehand.

After making his decision, Ryan exited the Star Pub, giving the bartender a nod before leaving.

---

He spent the next few hours wandering through the city, familiarizing himself with the streets and notable locations. Eventually, he returned to his lodging and entered the restaurant downstairs for dinner.

Ordering his meal from Bell, he sat at his usual spot, waiting. However, before long, two men from another table got up and approached him, seating themselves without asking for permission.

Ryan immediately sensed trouble. From their demeanor, he could tell they were gang members. Not wanting unnecessary conflict, he remained polite and asked,

"Can I help you with something?"

One of the men casually twirled a knife in his hand while the other leaned forward.

"I've been coming here for dinner lately and noticed you getting a little too friendly with Bell. You trying to court her or something?"

Ryan instantly understood their intentions and inwardly sighed.

"You're misunderstanding the situation," he replied calmly. "I'm Ryan, a new tenant here. I only got to know Bell recently. There's nothing more to it."

"That's good to hear," the man smirked. "Because our boss likes Miss Bell. And let's just say… the last guy who pursued her didn't end up too well."

Before Ryan could respond, Bell appeared with his food. She placed the plate down forcefully, glaring at the two men.

"I told you before—stop harassing our customers and get out of here! And tell your ugly boss that I don't like him! If he keeps this up, I'll involve my connections in the inner city. Trust me, it won't end well for either of us."

The gang member chuckled. "Relax, Miss Bell. We're just here for the food. We saw him sitting alone and thought we'd make friends, isn't that right, Ryan?"

Ryan, wanting no part in their petty feud, nodded.

"Yeah, they were just getting to know me. Nothing more."

Bell shot Ryan a disappointed look but didn't argue further. With a huff, she left the table after delivering the food.

Once the two thugs finished eating, they finally left. Ryan, now alone, absentmindedly ate his meal, deep in thought. He decided it would be best to keep some distance from Bell to avoid any further misunderstandings. However, a part of him felt conflicted. While he wanted to live a peaceful life, he also knew that people couldn't survive in complete isolation. Today, they wanted him to stay away from her. Tomorrow, they might demand something else.

As he mulled over his next course of action, Bell returned to his table.

"Sorry about earlier," she said, sounding a bit regretful. "I should have kept my distance and not dragged you into my problems."

Ryan could tell that Bell now saw him as someone who would rather avoid trouble than stand up to it.

Ryan could sense that Bell was deeply distressed by the harassment. It wasn't entirely her fault, and he knew she had been dealing with this situation for a long time.

Wanting to reassure her, he said gently, "Bell, it's not your fault. You're a victim in this too."

Bell looked up at him, surprised by his words. For a moment, her tough exterior wavered, and she let out a small sigh. "Still… I shouldn't have involved you. Those guys are trouble, and I don't want you to get caught up in it."

Ryan shook his head. "It's fine. I'll be careful."

Bell hesitated for a moment before giving him a grateful nod. "Thanks, Ryan."

With that, she stood up and returned to her work, but Ryan could tell that his words had eased her burden, even if just

a little.