The Opportunist in Crisis (3)

"You're one of those sent from somewhere else, aren't you?"

The tense air filled the tavern. Every customer turned their gaze away from their drinks, food, and gambling tables, fixing their hostile stares on Raul. Raul realized that everyone in this place was in on it together.

"It's a misunderstanding! It's not like I was hiding it, I just need to be able to defend myself if things go south! I didn't know the rules were so strict here—I'm sorry, okay?"

His excuse was met with silence, the others giving no sign of believing him.

'I don't want to cause a scene.'

He was a trained knight, so brushing these people off wouldn't be difficult. However, causing trouble on his first day in El Dante and becoming a target would be inconvenient.

'Damn it. Maybe it would be better to just get caught?'

Pretending to resist, he could get captured and use the opportunity to make them let their guard down, then quietly slip away. It was one option. Once his face was recognized, it was clear he wouldn't be able to step into the back alleys again.

"Manager, what should we do? Does he belong to another gang?"

"Well… I've never seen his face before… but if it's the boss, he should know him."

The sentence was almost fanatically devoted in its certainty.

"Let's hold him for now."

At that signal, everyone in the tavern moved in unison. They leaned planks against the window to block the view, blocked the exit door, and all stared at him with piercing, hawk-like eyes.

'Damn… My luck's been terrible lately.'

Raul silently cursed to himself, but suddenly, from a distance, a distant sound of a bell reached his ears. The church bell was ringing. 

Ding, ding, ding, ding… 

The sound layered in rhythmic intervals. Raul clearly noticed it.

A flush spread across the manager's face, which had been as cold and impassive as a stone, and the tavern's customers, who had been aggressive, began to calm down and settle into a more neutral stance. At that moment, the tavern door swung open.

"Huh, there's a face I don't recognize."

The cheerful voice effortlessly shattered the tense atmosphere.

Raul immediately realized. The speaker was none other than the owner of the tavern.

***

"Boss."

He waved his hand in greeting to the manager, who had greeted him warmly, and secretly exhaled a relieved breath.

Around noon today, the clear message for appeared, so I knew right away that Raul had arrived safely in El Dante. It was expected that he would secure a place to stay at a tavern or somewhere else. It was also likely that he would choose a secluded spot to stay unnoticed.

After sending someone to find out where Raul was staying, the plan was to visit him later that night, unexpectedly.

Recently, due to the monster threat, it had been rare for outsiders to visit El Dante. There were hardly any merchant caravans travelling in groups, and solitary travellers like Raul were even more uncommon, making it easy to track his movements.

'But to think he went straight to my tavern…'

I had just stepped out, intending to gather some information, when a street urchin informed me that an unfamiliar man was looking for a long-term room at the tavern during lunch.

The people in the back alleys didn't welcome outsiders who didn't know the ins and outs of the area. It wouldn't have been surprising if a conflict had arisen between Raul and them, so the man rushed over quickly—and sure enough.

He had wanted to leave a strong first impression, but this was a bit much. Soon, the manager hurried over, whispering everything he knew.

"He's hiding weapons, and I've never seen him around this alley before. I'm starting to think he might be one of the last remnants of that gambling den's crew, hired as a contractor for one final attempt…"

No, that's not it. 

He's one of Leovald's subordinates.

[Viewing Information]

Rank – Supporting Character (Scenario Weight 25.0%)

Role – Spearman Raul

Script – [Raul, a spearman from the 1st Field Army. Born as a bastard of a noble family, he grew up in the slums without being formally acknowledged.]

[After the invasion, a draft order was issued across the region, and the nobleman, unable to send his legitimate heir to the battlefield, brought Raul from the slums. He cleanses his status as a bastard and is forcibly enlisted into the 1st Field Army.]

[He has high ambitions but despises nobles.]

[He believes that as long as he follows Leovald's command, he will not die prematurely on the battlefield, and thus he is thorough in his obedience to orders.]

Dialogue – None

"Boss, how should we handle this?"

[The Persona is satisfied with the tavern manager's dialogue.]

What do you mean handle? If anyone is going to be handled, it should be us. Calm down, . He was relieved to have arrived early. He took a deep breath inwardly and smiled nonchalantly.

"Handle? What are you talking about? Don't say such scary things in front of a customer."

Then, as if it was no big deal, he casually added a remark.

"Guests from afar deserve to be treated well. You must have been tired from the long journey all the way from Sinistra. Oh, and does that include Rilke?"

"…..!"

Raul's gaze met his directly. After flashing a quick smile, he immediately rang the bell on the counter.

"Alright, it's customer service time!"

The golden bell of the inn chimed, signaling the start of a day when food and drinks would be generously served. This tradition, which began in the tavern, had now expanded to the inn.

"Wow!"

The frozen atmosphere shattered instantly, and everyone raised their glasses in a cheer. After calling the innkeeper over and telling him not to charge for any more drinks today, Raul approached him.

"Ah, it seems there was some misunderstanding. Please forgive me. You see, a while ago, some of the competing businesses went under, and there were a few troublemakers who tried to blame it on me and caused a ruckus."

The shady gambling houses had gone bankrupt one after another, and the local thug gangs had disbanded. During this upheaval, the inn and tavern began to rise as the new powers in the back alleys, and some desperate individuals had lashed out in their final attempt.

"In the beginning, I handled it myself, but eventually, the customers started banding together and knocking out the last of them."

They called it 'paying back the meals and drinks they had gotten for free' or something like that.

Anyway, with the gambling dens' hidden vaults looted and the funds increasing dramatically, I stopped using the inn as just a money-making tool and started providing generous hospitality, and this is the result. Besides the regulars, some of the old powers of the back alleys, who feared the resurgence of rival groups, also stepped in to help the inn.

Those who liked the new environment of the back alley were hoping that this 'new order' wouldn't crumble. 

In particular, some of the impoverished residents, who had lived lives more miserable than death due to the ruthless cycle of debt and usury, supported the new state of affairs almost fanatically. They banded together and, at times, praised the inn to the point of being overwhelming.

"Sometimes, customers themselves get involved because they appreciate the inn. It's a nice thing, but we've been a bit rude to you, customer."

"…Well… it happens, right? I did break the rules, after all," Raul acknowledged with a very uncomfortable expression. 

He seemed to think it was strange, but I casually responded, "I'm just grateful that you understand!"

With the original plan falling apart, I had to rethink the first meeting between Raul and Leovald. Is this what it feels like to write a script on the fly? I could empathize with the authors who had to rewrite their notes again and again because the had fallen apart.

Fortunately, my protagonist was the type who would give a heartfelt performance, whether it was a hasty script or a piece of scrap paper. He wasn't an actor performing a role; this was his life itself.

'Leo. I'm at the inn right now, and one of your subordinates is here.'

For now, it was time to bring the protagonist onto the stage.

It was getting late, nearing midnight. Everyone had returned to what could be called their homes.

Normally, I would have gone back to the side of Leonardo and Vittorio, but not tonight. I told the innkeeper that I would stay, and sent everyone else away, leaving only myself and the guest, Raul, inside the inn.

As I extinguished the fire in the hearth, only the faint light of a small lamp illuminated the corners, while the rest of the room was shrouded in darkness. A quick glance up toward the upper floor showed no flickering light leaking from beneath the doors.

Raul had fallen asleep… or at least, I assumed he had. But it was hard to believe that he was truly asleep. 

Throughout the evening, Raul had kept his guard up, trying to probe me. He had likely realized I saw right through him the moment he stepped in. Even now, I was certain he wasn't resting comfortably but was still watching me, cautiously.

Holding the lamp in one hand, I slid the storage cabinet against the wall. The hidden door to the basement revealed itself. I quietly opened it and descended the stairs, where the cool, musty air brushed against my cheeks.

The glow of the lantern spread softly, illuminating the basement's dark, cramped space. Bars on the windows, restraint chairs, and rows of barrels lined the room.

To me, it seemed like the remnants of a gambling den, an unfinished project that had failed to make it down to the basement during the renovations. But to Raul, it would likely feel much different.

"Sir, it's getting late, and yet you're still not resting."

Without turning around, I spoke casually. A sound of fabric brushing against skin followed by a subtle shift in presence signaled that Raul had moved.

His voice, now low and controlled, asked, "What are you really?"

"Me? Just a humble innkeeper," I replied, a faint smile tugging at my lips as memories of past conversations with Leonardo resurfaced. Now it was my turn to ask him a question. I turned to face him directly.

"And what about you? What are you doing here, Sir Raul?"

"…..!"

"Ah. What was I looking for again?"

Raul's demeanour shifted, becoming more focused and dangerous. Behind him, I heard the sound of footsteps—slow, deliberate, and heavy. Raul quickly turned his head, and we both witnessed the same figure emerging from the shadows. A man, dressed entirely in black, descended the stairs.

The figure was cloaked and masked, his face hidden under a hood, with only the silhouette of his body visible. His shadow loomed ominously as he reached the bottom of the stairs, stopping right at Raul's feet. Raul reacted instantly.

"Damn it, is that one of the pursuit team?"

It seemed he had mistaken the figure for a subordinate of King Godric.

In the next instant, Raul crouched low and swiftly drew a pair of iron-tipped spears from his calves. His movements were so fast that my eyes could barely follow. As he connected the two short spears, their metal joints clicked into place with precision, forming a long spear.

'Oh. Impressive. It's got a different vibe compared to Leo's greatsword…'

In fact, when it comes to the romance of weaponry, doesn't the spear have deeper roots than the sword? I quietly admired the sight, but just then, a voice echoed in my ear.

「Do you like Raul's spear more than my greatsword?」

'No, I just thought the spear looked cool… Wait, hold on a second. How did you even know what I was thinking?'

Leo hesitated before replying.

「…Hmm. I was a little slow to respond. Because of how this ability work, sometimes your thoughts end up slipping through. They don't always make perfect sense, though.」

'What? What did you just say?

「Raul's like a pufferfish, all poisonous and prickly.」

'Don't try to change the subject! Hey!'

Before I could start badgering Leo about the shocking truth, a cloud of dust suddenly burst into the air, and before my eyes, Raul clashed with the dark figure.