How to Catch a Big Fish (6)

"Hmm."

To a mercenary's eye, the man didn't appear to have undergone any special training. However, his tall frame and well-proportioned limbs caught the eye, giving him a balanced and striking appearance. And there was something about his distinct features—something hard to put into words—that gave off an oddly exotic vibe and drew attention.

Moreover, as the man approached, passing through the small space, the street vendors and passing citizens seemed to recognize him, exchanging greetings. It was an uncommon sight in a city, but more so in an unfamiliar area like this.

'Is he a local celebrity?'

As the merchant pondered this, the man strode confidently toward the station and, without hesitation, said loudly:

"Welcome to Sinistra, everyone! I've come to offer you a warm welcome as part of our active promotion efforts!"

At that, the vendors standing by their stalls chimed in with playful remarks.

"Boss, looks like business isn't going too well these days, huh? Out here greeting customers yourself?"

The man, called the innkeeper, pretended to wipe away nonexistent tears in a playful manner as he responded.

"Of course. What's the use of waiting excitedly to greet guests if all you do is enjoy yourselves and then leave? It's so heartless! People will think I'm not running an inn, but a tavern instead."

"Well, if I ever can't make a single coin and get kicked out of my house, that's exactly where I'll end up. And then it won't be a few days of renting a room—it'll be long-term lodging, ha ha!"

"Right, right, and you'll be back in a few days saying how much you miss your wife or husband, pretending it was all a joke."

The man glanced at the vendors with a grin, then turned his attention back to the station. As his narrow eyes subtly opened, the reflection of the setting sun caught his irises, giving them a strange gleam. His gaze swept over the crowd like a predator hunting for prey, and it landed on the merchant.

The man studied the merchant for a moment before closing his eyes again and smiling widely.

"Hey, you tall merchants over there. Looking for a place to stay? I happen to run an inn, and if you all come together, I can give you a really big discount on the room rates. How about it?"

The inn was a decent option. After all, he needed a place to stay for the night. He hadn't been planning on sleeping outdoors, so the offer seemed pretty good.

The merchant glanced briefly over his shoulder and gave a subtle nod to his companions, asking for their silent agreement before making a quick decision.

"Do they serve alcohol there?"

"Of course."

It would be hard to say he wasn't tempted by the thought of finally having a drink after such a long day.

The innkeeper, now visibly excited, stayed close to the merchants, matching their pace as he talked animatedly. When they reached their destination, he pointed ahead with a finger.

"That's my inn right there."

The building, with its wide-open doors, greeted everyone like a warm welcome. Perhaps because it was evening, several patrons had already taken their seats, gathered in small groups enjoying food and drink.

Some were tipsy, softly humming tunes, while others sat around a table playing dice games, and a drum with a leather cover was being happily beaten. The air was filled with the rich aroma of meat being cooked.

The innkeeper, noticing the merchants' noses twitching at the smell, smiled broadly and said the special of the day was skewered meat marinated and grilled to perfection. As they entered, some already tipsy patrons, their faces flushed with drink, threw playful remarks at the innkeeper.

"Owner! You leave all the work to your one and only employee and your young son, while you're out here playing with a bunch of men?"

"Shameless, what are you talking about? I'm attracting customers, attracting customers! And besides, I'm still a bachelor!"

The man who had responded cheekily closed the distance quickly. Through the small gap between his fingers, a relaxed smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Ignore him. When people are drunk, they can't tell what's proper to say and what's not."

Just then, as the merchant was about to speak, someone abruptly stepped in.

"Back already?"

It was the burly male employee. His face was dotted with sweat, as if he had just been standing in front of the fire. His sleeves were rolled up, and his sharp, slanted eyes gave him a fierce expression.

While the merchant had a thuggish attitude and crude manner of speaking, even he instinctively thought, 'Is this guy some kind of local thug?'

The merchant was about to raise his guard when the innkeeper casually pulled down his sleeve and began wiping the sweat from the employee's forehead.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm back. You've been handling the customers alone while I was gone. Good job."

"Ugh."

The rough touch caused the employee's stern face to wrinkle in a way that made him look rather comical. Watching this, the merchant's tension dissipated, and his guarded instincts faded away.

'Right, what would I have to worry about in a place like this with an employee like that?'

"Where's the kid?"

The innkeeper grabbed the employee's face and, while scrunching it up, called out to someone. A slender boy with shoulder-length hair peeked out from under the counter. The innkeeper let out a loud laugh, asking why the boy was hiding there, and motioned for him to come forward.

"Kid, can you show these customers to their rooms?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Thanks. I'll leave it to you."

With a familiar gesture, the innkeeper patted the boy's head, then took off his outer coat and hung it on a hook. He began to attend to the guests with skill, while the boy, leading the way, gestured for the merchants to follow him up the stairs. The innkeeper, calling after them, added, "Unpack and come down for a drink later!"

As the merchants ascended the stairs, the faint sound of conversation between the innkeeper and the employee drifted into their ears.

"Standing by the fire for so long must be tough, huh? Want to switch roles with me?"

"I can hold out."

"Really?"

The merchant glanced back briefly. The employee, nodded silently with a grin, popped a piece of well-cooked meat into the innkeeper's mouth. The innkeeper's face lit up in delight after the bite.

"Wow, this is cooked perfectly."

With the employee, who seemed quietly satisfied, and the innkeeper busily chewing his meat behind them, the merchants entered the room the boy had shown them. After unpacking their belongings, they wasted no time in coming back downstairs. The scene on the first floor remained unchanged.

"Did you like the room? Come on, sit down comfortably. Let's start the drinking."

The golden drink the merchant had longed for appeared on the table. It was only a light beer, one that wouldn't get them drunk, but that didn't matter. Without hesitation, they all tilted their heads back and gulped it down in unison. The bubbles fizzed and scratched down their throats, leaving behind a blissful sensation.

"Wow, you're drinking so well, it's making everyone watching feel refreshed."

The innkeeper marveled. His narrow, slanted eyes opened wider, revealing eyes that seemed to hide the light of the night sky in their depths. He smiled brightly, though his expression quickly faded, leaving a subtle trace of that earlier joy.

Despite having quenched his thirst, the merchant still felt a bit parched and scratched his neck with his thick fingers. The atmosphere in the inn was lively, more full of energy than noisy, as the night began to settle in. The merchant glanced around the room. Another guest approached and spoke to them.

"You all came to trade during the period of the night market, didn't you?"

The merchants exchanged brief glances. They nodded in a casual, indifferent manner.

They spent the night without a care in the world. Oblivious to the fact that this inn was, in essence, a preparation board for ingredients soon to be cooked, they continued on, unaware of the careful observation of their qualities and characteristics, meant to be tailored to someone's taste. The gaze that measured them, one by one, was swallowed up in the noise and bustle of the busy guests. It was the result of a plan that didn't stray an inch from its course.

***

As he watched the count's underlings casually sipping their drinks, he wiped the cup clean with a dry cloth. Then, quietly, he summoned the quest window.

Main Objective: Subdue the Count's Underlings (0/5)

This quest falls under the [Hunt Mission] category.

[Hunt Missions] calculate the participants' contributions.

Achievement Tier (High): Deal damage to 5 of the Count's underlings (Count's Wrath +150)

Achievement Tier (Medium): Deal damage to 4 of the Count's underlings (Count's Wrath +100)

Achievement Tier (Low): Deal damage to 3 of the Count's underlings (Count's Wrath +50)

Quest Participants: Leonardo, the suspicious innkeeper of Sinistra

Time Limit: 47 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds

When I ran into those people in front of the station, this quest window immediately popped into my head. I casually asked Leonardo.

"How about it?"

"It's worth a shot."

"Well, either way, things are going to play out in our favour. I'll back you up."

"…I keep thinking I have no idea what's going on in your head."

"I get where you're coming from, but don't worry. You'll get hurt if you keep thinking like that."

To really explain myself, I'd have to start by revealing that I'm not a character within this world, but if I'm not careful, it'll only create more distance between us and cause trouble. I could seriously hurt him, so I decided to keep the joke to myself.

That evening, the three of us gathered in the storage room. We sat next to baskets of cabbage and potatoes, each of us sharing what we had learned.

"The guy with long hair seems to limp slightly. It looks like he had an injury in the past, but he's overly conscious of it, which makes him neglect other areas."

"Oh, right. Did you see earlier? A drunk guy walked by and spilled some liquor on him, and when he should've been protecting his head, he pulled his knee away first. Must be a weak spot in his leg."

Vittorio also chimed in with his observations.

"When I showed them to the room earlier, I noticed he had some really bad calluses on his fingers. Here, in these spots…"

"That's a grip technique. They're someone who handles a bow."

"Long-range is a bit of a problem. Let's leave that one out for now."

"The short person earlier kept glancing at you. Is there something going on with that…?"

"…Overly enthusiastic."

"...?"

"Uh, yeah, there is. The kids don't need to know yet."