The Opportunist in Crisis (2)

Finally, it was El Dante.

Feeling the horse prodding him forward, the man passed through the gates of El Dante with hesitant steps. As expected of the direct domain of the Count of Ertinez, not some second-rate noble, the checkpoint procedures were strict.

Once he passed the checkpoint, a pristine white castle, similar in colour to the clouds, stood with a dignified posture. It was a properly magnificent castle ruled by a family that belonged to the ranks of high nobility, unlike his hometown.

Raul squinted at the castle. Why did Archbishop Butier tell him to go to El Dante?

Surely, it wasn't a suggestion to seek refuge with the Ertinez family. The 1st Field Army was a collection of downtrodden individuals, with not a single person having connections to such a high noble family. The only time he benefited from connections was when he happened to pass by Paulo's hometown and was generously served a pot of pumpkin stew by a farmer's family. They probably wouldn't have even gotten a bowl of porridge if it hadn't been during the harvest season.

Archbishop Butier had said, "There is an opportunity in El Dante," and then added vaguely,

[Believe in miracles at least once, Sir.]

It was a suspicious encounter, to say the least. He had recognized Raul despite his disguise, which had fooled even the king's pursuit team. He approached as if he knew Raul would be visiting Sinistra, and immediately saw through his disbelief with those piercing eyes of his.

However, if that had been all, Raul wouldn't have followed the Archbishop's words and headed to El Dante. What disturbed him the most were the rumours he heard in the back alleys of Sinistra.

[The church keeps it quiet, but there were rumours that some well-known grave robbers from around here went down there. Not a single one of them came back.]

Whether they were discovered or died, it was a grim hint that they had faced some misfortune underground.

[After that, a few more greedy fools tried their luck. If you rob the grave of someone with a high name value, the rewards are good, and your reputation as a grave robber goes up.]

It was only natural, given that the burial was grand, with armour and sword buried along as grave goods.

[But later, someone who went down there said, 'I opened the sarcophagus, but there was no corpse inside. Nothing at all.']

[No one has ever succeeded, so why was the coffin empty?]

At that moment, Raul recalled the familiar scars he had seen in Rilke. The marks bore a striking resemblance to those made by someone's nasty, deadly sword. And then there was the Archbishop's cryptic statement about believing in miracles.

'Does that mean the corpse came back to life or something?'

He was half-skeptical. If that were the case, it would be bizarre, putting the situation on par with those dreadful monsters. It would be both outrageous and shocking, as it would mean that man just wouldn't die.

In the end, Raul, engulfed in doubts and suspicions, had come to El Dante. And now, he was slipping into an alleyway, trying to remain unnoticed. Who knew how far King Godric's pursuit team had followed him? For now, staying out of sight was the wisest course of action.

As Raul stepped into the shadowy alley, he felt the characteristic chill of such places. Even in a city with a proper castle, shadows always exist. Entering the back alleys as if heading home, Raul soon encountered an unexpected sight.

'There is discipline.'

There were no thugs collecting money, no boarded-up windows to prevent prying eyes, and no homeless people huddled as if dead. Instead, he saw the backs of people who seemed to be going about their work and the light footsteps of children running errands. And then there were the quiet gazes that gathered. The moment he stepped into the alley's domain, those quiet gazes quickly dispersed.

There was no filth running through the alley, no thugs overturning street stalls. There wasn't even a gang of thieves ready to pounce on an unfamiliar newcomer. However, the wariness towards outsiders was palpable. It felt as though the entire alley was united as one group.

'It's not just a neglected place; someone seems to be taking responsibility and managing it. Unexpected.'

Raul ventured deeper into the darker part of the alley. Since he had finally entered El Dante, he needed a place to stay. For now, the best place to seek refuge would be an inn.

Before Raul even opened the door, the cheerful sound of chatter and the bustle of people flowed out. Despite it being early afternoon, several people were gathered, sharing drinks or ordering meals. Unknown wooden plaques hung on the walls, and those who didn't seem like customers would glance at the plaques, take them down as if they were their own, or hang up new ones.

"Excuse me!"

Children, who seemed like they lived in the alleys, laughed and ran past his feet towards the kitchen. Normally, these kids would not even be allowed a step inside and would have to stay under the eaves, just smelling the food to stave off their hunger. Yet these kids entered naturally, receiving bread, cheese, and hearty stew as if it were the most normal thing.

'Did I come to the wrong place?'

It couldn't be. This was definitely the back alley. And yet, this scene looked no different from a common inn in broad daylight. As Raul approached, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the owner looked up from counting money.

"Are you looking for lodging or a meal?"

"Both. It's just me, and I'm not sure how long I'll stay."

"Take the room at the far left. No causing trouble, and if you have any weapons, you'll need to show them. It won't be good for either of us if we find out later that you were hiding something, so please cooperate."

The man's attitude, asking few questions, was unmistakably that of the back alley.

Raul, feeling increasingly lost, showed his weapon, a dagger, and paid half of the advance. By the time he unpacked in his room, the sun had set, and evening was approaching. He sat down, waiting for his meal.

Peeking into the kitchen, he saw a proper, appetizing stew bubbling in a pot. This wasn't the bland, watery stew with turnips and leeks he was used to.

The number of patrons had increased since earlier, and the atmosphere was lively. It didn't feel like a back alley at all; it was more like a cozy inn in a sunny spot. He couldn't get used to it.

'…Might as well eavesdrop a bit.'

It was his first time in this city, and there was much to learn. With that in mind, Raul looked around and called out to the middle-aged man who had helped him get the room.

"Hey, innkeeper."

The moment he said that, a silence fell.

"….."

An unnatural silence that sent a chill down his spine. The people who had been loudly chatting and drinking, as well as those quietly enjoying their meals, all fell silent.

He could feel blatant stares from all around.

The middle-aged man, who had been called 'innkeeper' by Raul, adjusted his monocle and responded.

"I am not the owner here. Merely a caretaker. The owner is someone else."

"…Oh, I see. My mistake."

"It might seem a bit peculiar, but please be mindful of titles while you're here."

With that, the silence dispersed, and the lively atmosphere returned.

Everyone resumed their conversations and meals as if the tense moment had never happened. It seemed like all interest in Raul had vanished. But just like a shattered pot glued back together, you could still feel the fine cracks if you ran your fingers over it. Just as Raul felt now.

'It seems like I came to the wrong place… but I can't leave after paying the advance, damn it.'

The caretaker, acting as if nothing had happened, spoke naturally.

"How can I assist you?"

Raul set aside his frustration and got to work.

"…Actually, I'm a monster hunter, and I've heard this area has been quite noisy lately. Any leads on where I might earn some money?"

Starting with the monsters.

Raul's superior seemed to always find himself at the centre of these kinds of incidents, as if cursed to be in the middle of every chaotic situation. As he placed two coins on the table with his question, the caretaker took the money and then called over someone who seemed to know more.

"You're a hunter, right? Came here to see if you could join the Count's extermination team, I suppose? Well, that's not going to happen. The Count doesn't hire mercenaries for these hunts."

"Doesn't he have enough soldiers?"

"What's so strange about that? The Ertinez family is a renowned swordsmanship house, so they've got plenty of knights who've sworn loyalty."

Maintaining and managing such a number of knights wasn't easy, after all. It was no wonder that the First Army's operating principle was 'hunt for your own food.'

With Raul's silence, more discussions began to swirl around.

"Well, with the Count leading the hunt himself, there shouldn't be any immediate danger. It's the Ertinez family, after all."

"Nobles aren't going to care about the lives of us lowly soldiers. Still, it's surprising to see him personally going after monsters. I heard the young lord sent out before him had an accident."

"Are you deaf? When the young count went out on a hunt, there was no problem. That was an accident. They say the monster, which everyone thought was dead, suddenly jumped out of the wagon when they were bringing it into the castle."

Ambushes and chaos—it was exactly the kind of incident that might involve someone Raul was looking for.

"Ugh, that's horrific. Was anyone killed?"

"Nope. You know who was there, right? That swordsmanship genius! Thanks to him, nobody died."

Everyone burst into laughter, as if they'd just witnessed something unbelievable. The story of the swordsmanship genius taking care of everything on the spot unfolded. Raul asked again.

"A swordsmanship genius, you say? Did some hero suddenly appear like a comet?"

The group, with smiles on their faces, laughed as if hearing the most ridiculous tale.

"Yeah, a grand return! Who would've guessed? The young master from the Ertinez family fell for some commoner, and now the whole person's changed!"

"To the prodigal's return!"

"Cheers!"

As expected, they clinked their tin mugs with a loud clattering sound, their enthusiasm rising. Raul took a few sips of his beer, blending in with the crowd. It was a good opportunity to gather information while enjoying the journey's rest.

As the night deepened and the atmosphere grew warmer, Raul stood up, considering going to bed. Just as he was about to leave, a group of drunken patrons stumbled between tables, and one of them bumped into him. At that moment, a small sound echoed.

The sound of solid iron clashing echoed through the air. It was the unmistakable noise of metal meeting metal, sharp and hard, reverberating around the room. The moment the sound rang out, the atmosphere shifted, and the noise that had once filled the space fell silent.

Everyone's gaze turned towards the source of the disturbance. The drunkard, his eyes now suddenly sharp and focused, looked down at the noise's origin, realizing the weapon hidden under Raul's clothing. His voice, though still slurred, carried an accusatory edge.

"You're hiding weapons, aren't you, Outsider?"