Chapter 24 : Brother and Sister, Side by Side

“Oh.”

Thankfully, it looked like we wouldn’t have to camp outdoors tonight.

Before sunset, we reached the next settlement.

The walls ahead were painted red by the evening glow.

Calling this place a “village” felt almost insulting—it was more like a city.

Even larger than Akenaten: the gates and walls were nearly twice the size.

With so many people going in and out, inspections here would be looser than in Akenaten.

Besides, I had already prepared a mercenary pass. With that, they probably wouldn’t even look at my face.

Just as I was about to head straight for the gate, Shushruta tugged at my sleeve.

“What?”

She pulled me aside, pointing toward the dim forest shadows.

“An informant is waiting.”

“An informant?”

“Yes. Someone who knows the inner workings of Scarab. We can hear the details first before we enter.”

So the city was called Scarab.

I had no choice but to nod. “Fine.”

I followed behind as she led the way.

For someone who seemed like such a scatterbrain, her claim of running a thieves’ guild wasn’t entirely baseless.

‘No way she’s the guildmaster. An elder? But elders should be old. Maybe she’s like Colin, just a branch head.’

As I entertained the thought, we entered the forest as darkness settled.

Shushruta stopped in a secluded spot, staring at a tree. She knocked three times.

From above, a man dropped down like an acorn.

“Damn it, scared me!”

I wasn’t constantly spreading out my senses, so I jumped. Who wouldn’t, when a black-clad figure dropped from a tree like a falling nut?

The “Acorn Man” looked surprisingly ordinary for a thieves’ guild member. I half expected someone wrapped in black cloth, only their eyes showing.

He gave Shushruta a nod, “You’ve arrived.”

She returned it curtly, “Report.”

He glanced at me, then quickly launched into his explanation.

“The Red-Eyed Devil’s bounty posters are spread all over Scarab. The royal response was faster than expected. Given the crime…”

“Companion.”

Shushruta cut him off mid-sentence.

The Acorn Man blinked, startled, looking between us, “Pardon?”

Shushruta said solemnly, “Ashuban is not the Red-Eyed Devil. He is my companion. Watch your words.”

The man blinked, then bowed slightly to us both, “My apologies.”

“Continue,” she said.

“Yes. As I was saying—inspections have been strengthened. Before, they only checked identification. Now they check both IDs and faces. It will be difficult to pass as you are.”

I widened my eyes slightly.

So if I’d gone straight to the gates, things would’ve gotten ugly.

“Here. Take this.”

The Acorn Man handed us each something—identification tags.

Mine was carved from wood, bearing a different name.

“…Banshua?”

Shushruta explained, “Sometimes simply flipping a name backward makes it into something new. Hidden in plain sight, as they say.”

Some thieves’ guild trick, it seemed.

“And yours?”

She showed me hers—“Evelyn.”

“That’s not even close.”

“Of course not.”

“Why not?”

“‘Tarushushu’ would sound odd. Draws attention.”

“Shushruta, Tarushushu… same thing.”

I checked Acorn Man’s face. He looked quietly fascinated by our banter.

I asked him, “So, my bounty posters are out?”

“Yes.”

“What exactly do they say?”

“There’s a sketch of your black hair and red eyes. Though I must say, you look far better in person.”

“Oh?”

“Indeed. The sketch makes you appear much more sinister.”

“I see. And below that?”

“It says, ‘The Red-Eyed Devil. One hundred gold. Wanted alive.’”

My eyes widened, “What? One hundred gold?”

“Yes. And it may rise further. The crime is… heavy.”

“…”

I had been warned there would be a bounty, but this…

One hundred gold. That was ten thousand silvers. Enough to live comfortably for life.

I asked again, “So they don’t know my name yet. Do I really need to use this fake ID?”

“It’s true your name isn’t known yet. But it’s safer. Once your name does spread, the fake identities will make it harder to track you.”

“Fair point.”

I nodded.

At first it felt like making the mercenary pass had been pointless, but no—it would come in handy later. After all, I’d already made money with it.

“Also,” Acorn Man added, “your red eyes are too distinctive. If you cover them, you’ll pass easily. Here.”

He handed me a strip of black cloth.

“Wrap this around your eyes. Pretend to be a blind man. No one will doubt you.”

“….”

I stared at the cloth.

Pretend to be blind. Life really did take odd turns.

He continued, “You two will pose as siblings.”

“…The hell?”

“Brother Banshua, and his sister Evelyn. It’s written on the IDs. Act as a pair of siblings, and the guards won’t question you.”

“…”

I looked at Shushruta with distaste.

She calmly replied, “What are you staring at, brother?”

“…”

I asked Acorn Man, “Do we really need to go this far?”

“It’s the simplest, safest method. No one would expect the Red-Eyed Devil to be traveling with a pretty younger sister. It will draw no suspicion.”

“…Damn it, he’s right.”

My situation was truly pitiful.

Shushruta smirked, “What’s wrong? Afraid of running into a wall, brother?”

“Shut up.”

“I’ll lead you. Don’t worry.”

“…Yeah, right.”

The Acorn Man, looking oddly pleased at the scene, suddenly remembered something, “Ah, one more thing. The royal family has dispatched a knight.”

Shushruta asked, “Do you know which one?”

He shook his head, “Not yet.”

She nodded, “As long as it’s not the Cold Knight, it makes no difference. Whoever it is, we can shake them off. Don’t take unnecessary risks. Sooner or later, their name will reach us.”

“Yes.”

He bowed slightly, then vanished into the woods.

Thieves’ guilds had always struck me as messy and thuggish.

In Maia, mercenary guilds were more secretive, but here? Different.

They were surprisingly organized and discreet.

“…So, I’m supposed to blindfold myself and act like a beggar?”

As I stared at the black cloth, Shushruta chuckled, “Here, give it to me. I’ll tie it.”

“…”

I handed it over.

She struggled for a moment, then tapped my shoulder, “Bend down a little. I can’t reach.”

“…”

If I left her to it, she’d probably end up strangling me. So I crouched.

For a while, she fussed at the back of my head, knotting the cloth in place.

“…Sun’s almost gone.”

“Hold still, I’m almost done.”

My sight was blocked by the cloth, yet unease didn’t creep in.

Not merely because I could still “see” through my senses.

It wasn’t a good sign.

After all, a blade to the back always comes from someone you’ve turned your back on.

I gripped my sword hilt to steady the knife-edge in my heart.

“Shushruta.”

“What is it?”

“Do you really want Ophosis’s legacy that badly?”

She froze.

For a heartbeat, the knotting of the cloth stopped. Then, tugging the final knot tight, she replied calmly,

“—Hey, too tight, it’s—!”

“…Of course. Why else do you think I’m traveling with you?”

I loosened the knot pressing on my eyes and asked, “And what do you plan to do with it?”

“That’s not for you to know.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes.”

She turned toward the west, gazing at the dying sun, “…The sun is setting.”

I took a step eastward, “Let’s go, Evelyn.”

A faint smile touched her voice as she followed, “Very well, Brother Banshua.”

Then she suddenly darted ahead, blocking my path, “No, wait—why are you walking in front? Shouldn’t I be guiding you? Can you actually see? Is the cloth thinner than I thought?”

“How old are you, anyway?”

“Such rudeness. Asking a lady her age.”

“Rudeness, my ass.”

“Then how old are you?”

“Twenty-eight.”

“Lies.”

“It’s the truth. So how old are you?”

“…Secret.”

Thus we walked as a pair of brother and sister, approaching the city gates.

Shushruta held my arm, leading me gently. I tapped the ground with my sheathed sword like a blind man with a cane.

Suddenly she waved a hand in front of my covered eyes, “Brother, can you see?”

“No.”

“Liar. Then how do you walk so naturally?”

I couldn’t be bothered to explain, “I’m just that good.”

“…Amazing.”

At the gate, guards stopped us, “Halt. Show your identifications.”

We handed over our tags.

The guard examined them, glanced us over, then nodded, “…Alright. Pass.”

We walked through without incident, brother and sister side by side.

Inside the city, noise hit like a tide—footsteps, chatter, laughter, merchants shouting their wares, children running wild, beggars pleading.

Shushruta guided me through the crowd, whispering, “Brother, don’t remove the blindfold in here. Your bounty posters are everywhere.”

“Fame comes uninvited.”

“Hunters will swarm. This is enemy territory now. Don’t cause trouble. If a fight brews, avoid it.”

I nodded simply, “Understood.”

She asked quietly, “Do you have business in this city?”

“Not really.”

Normally I’d need to buy a sword, but thanks to Fluffy, that was no longer necessary. This city was nothing more than a stopover.

“Then go to an inn and rest. I’ll take you there.”

“And my dear sister?”

“I’ll gather information about Ophosis’s dagger.”

“Busy girl.”

“Very.”

I gently slipped my arm free from her grasp, “Then go.”

“…?”

She looked at me. I couldn’t see her exact expression, but I imagined confusion.

“You’re busy. I’ll find an inn myself.”

“Are you sure? You can’t see.”

I smirked, “I can. The cloth’s thinner than it looks.”

“Ah, I knew it.”

She accepted it easily, “Then I’ll be off.”

“Yeah.”

She started away, then glanced back.

I waved with a smile.

She returned the gesture lightly before vanishing into the crowd.

Once she was gone, I scratched at the blindfold and muttered, “…Can’t see a damn thing.”

Truth was, the cloth was thick.

So I closed my eyes altogether and spread out my senses, reading the world that way.

With my sword tapping ahead, I wandered like a blind man searching for an inn.

Eventually, I reached a quieter street and paused.

Confirming no one was watching, I lifted the blindfold just enough to check the signs.

Even with heightened senses, I couldn’t read shop names otherwise.

Conveniently, the building right before me was clearly an inn.

“The Snoring Fox? What’s with these ridiculous inn names here?”

Grumbling, I pulled the cloth back down and pushed the door open.

A wave of chatter, the smell of food, and hot air washed over me.

“Welcome!”

The innkeeper eyed me, then peered behind, “By yourself?”

I nodded, “Bring me something good. And start with a beer.”

I groped my way to an empty seat, tapping with my “cane,” and sat.

The beer came quickly.

The innkeeper set it down, “Food will take a little while.”

“I can wait.”

I leaned my sword against the table, sipped my beer, and waited.

Then—scrape.

A chair moved nearby.

At the next table, a man muttered, “Gotta take a piss,” and got up—swaggering my way.

I raised the mug to my lips, feigning ignorance.

As he brushed past, his arm bumped mine.

“Ah, excuse me.”

In that instant, his hand darted into my chest pocket.

Snatch.

I caught his wrist and grinned.

“Caught you red-handed.”

“…!”

“Stealing from a poor blind man? For shame.”

He jerked, trying to rip free, “W-what the hell! You blind bastard!”

“Blind bastard, is it?”

I raised my voice, righteously indignant on behalf of every blind soul in the world.

I squeezed his wrist.

Crack.

Bone gave way under my grip.

“Gaaaahhh!”

His scream split the inn.

Had the wrath of the world’s blind been appeased?

Hard to say.

(End of Chapter)

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