Chapter 66 : Chapter 66

Chapter 66: One Drink for the Me Who Has Just Become Pathetic (2)

Pop!

Gerard and I arrived in Tutol at noon, when the sun was high in the sky.

Turning my head to avoid the stinging sunlight, I noticed sandstone buildings adorned with glittering crystals, fitting for a southern city.

“The architectural style is different for each castle.”

“I suppose so. The nature of the earth's veins is different in each region, so they must use materials that suit it.”

Tutol, in the southeast of the Empire, was a city built in an arid desert region.

Thanks to that, all the trees planted instead of street trees were cacti, and instead of a well, there was a large oasis in the center of the city.

Above all, the people's attire was also often in the form of bright-colored cloth wrapped around them.

“To avoid looking like travelers, we should change our clothes first.”

“I agree.”

Gerard and I first stopped by a clothing store and changed our clothes.

The style of wrapping a single piece of cloth around the body was so awkward that this time it took me quite a while to get dressed.

‘I feel like an ancient Greek.’

The white clothes with golden embroidery were flowing but not cumbersome.

They were ordinary clothes with no protective power at all, but there was nothing better for everyday wear.

“Come to think of it, isn't there a guard captain named Roston in this city?”

Gerard asked the clothing store owner while paying.

“Roston? Ah, the son of the house by the west gate?”

“That’s probably him.”

“That's right, there was a fuss a few months ago when he became a guard captain. The house was in an uproar saying it was a joyous occasion.”

“Do you know where he is now?”

“Where else? Since it's broad daylight, wouldn't he be at the guard post?”

It was unlikely that a guard captain would be wandering the streets like other guards.

Gerard and I went to find the guard post building as soon as we left the clothing store.

“What excuse should we use to meet him?”

“There are many excuses we can make. He's not a knight, so meeting a guard captain isn't that difficult. But....”

Gerard glanced at the building and shook his head.

“I don't think we can meet him right now.”

“Yes? Why?”

“Look at those wanted posters.”

Gerard pointed to the bulletin board in front of the guard post building.

“What do you think it means for there to be so many wanted posters?”

“It could mean that he's too busy and doesn't have time.”

“Yes.”

And just as Gerard said, when we looked for the guard captain with a suitable excuse, the guard in charge of reception said with a troubled expression.

“I'm sorry, but the guard captain is busy right now, so it's difficult to meet him at the moment. Shall I schedule an appointment for you for tomorrow?”

“Then we'll come back at this time tomorrow.”

In the end, the two of us had no choice but to turn back without even seeing Roston's face.

“It's no use. Should we come back tomorrow?”

“There's no need to.”

“Yes?”

“The guard post is also a workplace. He won't live there, so won't he eventually leave work?”

“...You want to wait here?”

“There's no need to do that from now. I think it would be fine to wait from around evening.”

The current time was 2 PM.

With a whole four hours of free time, I couldn't help but feel suddenly adrift.

“As expected, we should just sneak in and attack.”

“Don't you start too, please.”

A cold sweat ran down Gerard's forehead.

That look was familiar.

It was the look he gave Jeina.

“I get it, so calm down.”

I immediately had a moment of reflection.

Inevitably, we had to get a room at an inn with a good view of the guard post and wait for the guard captain to come out.

***

As time passed and the streets grew dark, the lanterns that lit up the streets were lit one by one, and the ground that had been heated up cooled down.

“Artier, he's out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, he looks exactly like the sketch we received.”

As we hurried our steps, I looked at the deserted streets and asked casually.

“How much time has passed?”

“It just passed midnight.”

“...Midnight?”

What kind of terrible overtime was he working?

When I made a strange expression, Gerard also nodded his head as if in agreement.

“It seems that as the state of the Empire has become chaotic, the number of criminals in the city has increased. The guard post is having a hard time in many ways.”

“Well, if that person is a real guard captain, then that would be the case.”

The two of us, having gotten ahead of the man through an alley, waited for the guard captain to come closer. As the distance closed, his facial features became clearer and clearer.

He was a man with neatly braided golden hair, a sharp jawline, and impressive eyes with dark circles.

“What is your business.”

When I stepped in front of him, Roston also stopped in his tracks with a puzzled expression.

“Are you Guard Captain Roston.”

“Yes, I am Roston... If you have business, please come during business hours. I'm off duty right now.”

Roston only said that and tried to pass by me as if he were annoyed.

It was a natural reaction. No one would want to be bothered with work even after leaving work.

“Do you know a man named Boker from Kelta Castle?”

Flinch.

But his footsteps immediately stiffened at my one word.

I noticed that his breathing had become a little faster, and his fingers were trembling slightly.

‘As expected, there’s something.’

An innocent person would not show such a reaction.

I immediately continued.

“I came to confirm a few things with you, Mr. Roston.”

“...What is your affiliation.”

Roston said, turning his body. I also looked at him.

“Is affiliation important?”

“If you don't reveal it, then I have no obligation to answer.”

A rigid person.

That's what I thought.

‘I shouldn't tell too big a lie here.’

Repeated lies would eventually damage my reputation.

With that thought, I opened my mouth.

“I am Artier, a Supreme-Grade Mercenary.”

“A mercenary...?”

Roston let out a hollow laugh and turned his steps without hesitation.

“Go back. I have nothing to say to you.”

A mercenary was of the same commoner status as a guard captain. Having confirmed that, his tone immediately turned cold.

It was an expected part.

But I had a plan too.

Gerard, who had been hiding in a corner, walked out and blocked Roston, who was about to pass by.

“...Do you really not know what it means to block the path of me, the guard captain of this city?”

“I'm not unaware. You too will understand what my words mean.”

“A request.”

At Gerard's words, Roston clicked his tongue as if he understood the situation.

Of course, Gerard wasn't cooperating with me just to satisfy my curiosity.

‘In this situation where humanity is in danger, being greedy among humans will only hasten our demise.’

‘Sir Ropin...’

‘You can think of it as the greed of an old man. Or you can think of it as another request. Please look into this matter. I'm asking you.’

Before Ropin parted ways with the party, he had held my hand with this request.

[A quest has been generated.]

Ropin, a Holy Mage of the Rata faith, believes that in this time of great crisis for humanity, they must prevent self-destruction at all costs.

If you find this clue and resolve their conflict, you will have created a great debt with the Rata faith and Ropin.

Reward: ???, significant increase in favorability with Ropin, significant increase in favorability with the Rata faith

Although there was no specifically determined reward... it was a request from the Rata faith.

I had accepted it, and Gerard also didn't think that helping with this matter was simply a loss.

“You mercenary bastards, you'll do anything for money, won't you.”

Roston frowned and brought his hand to his waist.

As a guard captain, he naturally carried a sword at his waist at all times.

“So? Are you thinking of kidnapping me? Let me tell you in advance, I'm not going to go down without a fight.”

“....”

Gerard looked at me silently at those words.

And then he quietly shook his head.

I knew what he meant.

‘Does that mean kidnapping is not allowed?’

My thoughts were the same.

This was not a request received officially through the Mercenary Guild.

That meant that there was no help from the Mercenary Guild to resolve any trouble.

Whether it was kidnapping or whatever, the responsibility for any illegal activities rested solely on them.

“If we had intended to use force, we wouldn't have come out like this from the beginning.”

When I said that, Roston put back the sword he had half-drawn.

“Then it seems what I have to do is decided.”

He passed by Gerard without hesitation.

“I have nothing to say. Leave this city at once.”

“That would be difficult.”

“Then I'll put a wanted poster for you tomorrow for threatening a guard captain. I've remembered your name, Supreme-Grade Mercenary Artier.”

Roston disappeared after saying those words.

Gerard sighed and rubbed the space between his eyebrows.

“He's a more rigid person than I thought.”

“...Will I really be put on a wanted list?”

“Of course not. There's no evidence, and no harm was done. No matter how much of a guard captain he is, he can't abuse his power to that extent. But since he knows that he's being targeted, he'll probably bring his subordinates with him from now on. If other witnesses appear, then we might really be put on a wanted list.”

“It's gotten difficult....”

To have to work without using a sword in a place where the sword was closer than the pen. It was a very awkward thing.

Should I say it felt like deliberately taking the difficult path when there was an easy one?

“How's the other side?”

“It seems the situation over there is similar. They said they sent Jeina to the information gathering side in the first place in case she went on a rampage.”

“That's wise.”

Then what should we do now?

Just as I was contemplating, Gerard placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Don't worry too much. We expected this much from the beginning. Besides, in the end, we obtained a lot of information.”

“Really?”

“Even if he's a person who really has nothing to hide, a commoner normally can't be that confident in front of a Supreme-Grade Mercenary.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, Roston was only level 10.

With that level of skill, he should have been intimidated just by my gaze.

“Since he has something to hide and at the same time something he believes in, a mouse can be that confident even in front of a cat. It means that he's not afraid of being kidnapped.”

“I see.”

As expected, I had no eye for people.

Or was Gerard, who could deduce something from just that much information, amazing?

“What should we do now?”

“There are many ways, but there's one that's the easiest among them.”

“Yes?”

Tap, tap.

Gerard patted his shoulder and said with a chuckle.

“The village chief of my hometown used to say this sometimes. If you want to dig something up, go to a pub.”

“Yes?”

What did that mean?

As I looked at him with a bewildered expression, the smiling Gerard added a word.

“Artier, by any chance, can you hold your liquor?”

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