Chapter 148. Engagement—Insight (2)
“Is it that way? Where is it? Wait a moment, I’ll go ask.”
Lena entered a shop to ask for directions. Meanwhile, Leo Dexter wandered in front of the shop, recalling the events of the previous night.
Yuan. He had heard his story in full.
“So, what are you planning to do?”—he asked, and Yuan, who had candidly shared his own story, went silent. After a pause, he responded, “…Please don’t loiter around in front of me,” and then retreated into his room.
A dangerous guy.
His grudge was none of my business. However, it didn’t seem necessary to escalate the situation by either killing him or tattling on him to my uncle.
Yuan’s anger wasn’t directed at Lena, and that alone significantly reduced his danger.
As long as I remain vigilant, what harm could he do to me—I thought confidently, when something suddenly came to mind. The ending I encountered after breaking up my engagement with Lena read as follows:
—Leo Dexter, born in the capital Bernauli… (abridged) …Although he tried to apologize, Lena never agreed to meet him again. He left the Avril Castel and headed to the capital Bernauli. Staying at the Dexter family house, he spent his days drinking, and when the money ran out, he worked as a mercenary. Leading a meaningless life, Leo died early.—
Why did I die early? Why didn’t I return to Lena?
It wasn’t suicide. There’s no way I would have chosen to end my own life. Even if I was overwhelmed by guilt and despair, I would have returned someday. I would have clung to Lena pathetically.
But the presence of that Yuan answered this question.
A child of an enemy who wasted his time drowned in alcohol just because he broke up with his fiancée. I can somewhat understand what Yuan might have thought seeing such a Leo Dexter…
‘I still need to keep an eye on things, but it seems I’ve averted one crisis… Now the only one left is the Baron Bryna.’
Thinking on his fingers, Leo considered another crisis.
What does he want?
I still don’t know. But upon analysis, it didn’t seem like the Baron Bryna posed as significant a threat, so Leo’s fingers regained their steadiness.
At worst, I would be used politically. If push comes to shove, I can refuse, which might be bothersome, but my life wouldn’t be in danger.
As long as I properly hide the fact that I killed his knight.
“Leo, I got the directions!”
“Where to?”
“Just go straight down the alley we passed earlier. The roads here are really complicated.”
Lena returned.
She pointed to a narrow alley between some rundown shops, and the two of them started walking, chatting along the way.
The alley was dark and narrow. Like most of Bernauli’s streets, it was paved with thin grey stones, and every seven steps or so tiny shops were selling various goods. However,
“It seems like we’re almost there. It’s a jewelry shop, so… huh?”
Lena felt a sudden emptiness beside her. She turned around to find Leo standing still in the middle of the alley.
A pale face.
He looked like someone who had seen something they shouldn’t have, his expression one of pure horror as he looked their way.
“Leo?”
“…”
Following his gaze, Lena looked back. But there was nothing there other than the narrow alley continuing on and some shops sporadically open.
“Leo? What’s wrong?”
“…Lena, let’s go back.”
“What? What do you mean…”
“Lena! Leo! You both came!”
At that moment, someone rushed out from a shop further down.
“Sister! This market is so complicated. It took me ages to find it.”
“Ha-ha! You did great. That’s why I didn’t tell you the location of the shop. But you found your way. Come on, let’s go in. Have you had lunch?”
It was Lan.
She happily approached Lena and led her towards the jewelry store while chatting, “No, we didn’t eat on purpose,” “Is this your shop, sis?”
Leo, left behind, clenched his teeth and placed a hand on his sword sheath, following them.
“Hello…”
As they entered the shop, a young boy timidly greeted them. Anyone could tell he was Lan’s son. The shop owner, who appeared to be his father, welcomed the guests politely.
“Dear, these are the friends I mentioned who helped catch the beast. Lena, Leo, this is my husband. Say hello.”
Introductions were exchanged. However, there was little conversation with Lan’s husband, and Leo only maintained minimal courtesy with a stern expression, leading to an awkward atmosphere.
Lan naturally took it upon herself to ease the situation.
“So, I’ll be out for a bit today. May I have a drink with my brother? Sorry about dinner, you’ll have to manage on your own.”
“He-he, it’s okay. Have fun. Just don’t be too late. Your health hasn’t been good lately.”
“I know, I’ll come back early.”
— Peck.
Lan kissed her bearded husband on the cheek. As they stepped outside, Lena teased with a mischievous grin.
“You two are sweet. It’s my first time hearing you speak that way, sis.”
“Well, I owe him. Ha-ha. Come this way. My brother’s place is here.”
Lan entered the adjoining store without hesitation.
This store also lacked a wall and yard, but unlike the previous shop that displayed modest leather products like necklaces and bracelets, this one predominantly showcased cotton products such as neck scarves and hair ties.
“Welcome… Oh my! Lena, Leo. You came. It’s only been a few days, but it’s good to see you.”
“Hello!”
“Hello!?”
A boy and girl who looked just like Ann greeted them. The girl, looking like she inherited her mother’s long, pretty hair, was presumably the elder sister, while the boy seemed much more mischievous than Lan’s son who had been shy earlier.
“Where’s their father?” Lan asked.
Ann, pulling back her son who was peeping at the unfamiliar guests, responded.
“He just stepped out. Lena, have you eaten? No? Well, let’s have something until my husband returns.”
Eventually, a table was set up in the shop, which also seemed to double as a workshop with fluff floating around. Ann placed a humble snack on the table, saying, “This isn’t much, but it should hold you over.”
Nibbling on an unusual piece of hardened cheese, Ann remarked.
“Kids, these are the warriors who joined your mom in capturing the beast.”
“No way!”
“It’s true. Why would mom lie? Since you didn’t believe me, I called in witnesses.”
The boy and girl looked at Lena and Leo with wide eyes. Leo, still unusually tense, left Lena with the task of satisfying their curiosity.
Clearing her throat, she began to describe the process of capturing the mythical beast, using exaggerated gestures to engage the young children who were about her age.
“…Then the monster lifted both its legs high up!”
“Lifted up?”
“Lifted up?”
With their hands and chins resting on the table, the children followed Lena’s words eagerly. Lan’s son had also joined them, lining up alongside his cousins.
“A tremendous gale began to blow! It was so cold it felt like my cheeks would freeze!”
“Wow… it must have been cold.”
“So? What happened next? Did you hit it?”
“I was too surprised to do anything. But then, your moms stood right in front of that monster and…”
“And?”
“And?”
“Hahaha! They laughed and said, ‘This kind of cold is summer back on the Ice Island where I lived!’ and then swung that axe over there…”
“With the axe!”
“Oh no! I’m scared.”
Though the boys showed even more excitement, Ann’s daughter covered her eyes with her small hands but still peeked through her fingers to watch Lena’s energetic presentation.
Jumping up from her seat, Lena imitated the action of swinging an axe and the beast falling, bringing her story to an exciting climax. The children cheered and clapped in amazement.
“We didn’t come out to hunt!”
“And I didn’t come to hunt, either! I was just out for a ‘night walk’!”
The two boys merrily began play-fighting (without weapons). The girl, declaring, “My mom is the best!” massaged Lan and Ann’s shoulders.
The noisy children eventually ran outside. Finally finding peace at the table, Ann smiled joyfully.
“Thanks. You made us the heroes and left out their story.”
“Isn’t it great? If you really appreciate it, you’ll cover my drinks tonight… right?”
“Haha. Don’t worry about it. But… why has Leo been so quiet from earlier?”
“I don’t know. He wasn’t like this before, but now he’s acting this way.”
“Maybe he doesn’t like kids much. My husband was similar before we had our son…”
Lan picked up the conversation, reminiscing about her newlywed days. Ann chimed in as well. These talks usually ended up as complaints about their husbands, but not this time.
Lena, who had heard about their past in the village with the hot springs, knew the reason behind it.
The three women continued their chatter for a while. Leo remained silently at his place until Ann’s husband returned.
“Hello…?”
Ann’s husband looked remarkably like Lan’s husband who they had met earlier. Though he was clean-shaven, his stature and appearance were so similar that Lena couldn’t help but tilt her head in confusion.
Ann, like Lan, sought her husband’s permission. They went outside to find a tavern. The children who had been expected to remain in front of the store were nowhere to be seen, but neither Lan nor Ann seemed worried.
As they walked, Lena asked.
“Hey, sis. Are your husbands… by any chance, brothers?”
“Yeah, they are. Didn’t I tell you? We’re double in-laws.”
“Oh…”
In this world, double in-laws weren’t uncommon. Marriages were often used by nobles to strengthen ties between families, and even among commoners, double in-law relationships were seen as a form of security for both families.
For example, if Lan were to lose her husband early, she could receive support from Ann’s family. Since Lan was not only Ann’s sister but her late husband’s brother’s wife, the situation avoided potential awkwardness and allowed for willing assistance.
On the other hand, it was difficult to find such positive effects of marital alliances within the Einar tribe. This was because, upon closer inspection, the entire tribe was practically related, and there was a concern about relatives becoming too closely intertwined.
Anyway, while Lena was marveling, the four of them reached a tavern on South Gate Market Street.
“Wait a moment. We’ll go order. Since you wouldn’t know what’s available here, we’ll just take care of it. Is that okay?”
Lan and Ann exchanged friendly greetings with the tavern owner. Perched on a shabby chair, Lena scrutinized Leo, who was still resting his chin with a serious expression.
“Leo, what’s been bothering you since earlier? Is something troubling you?”
“…It’s nothing. I’m just… thinking about something.”
“What are you thinking about?”
Sitting side by side, Lena leaned forward. But Leo merely swallowed his worries and evaded speaking.
This place… is dangerous.
[Achievement: Baptism of the Saint – The {Divine Sense} ability is granted to Leo.]
The alley where Lan and Ann’s shop was located. Along the ground, Asin’s divine power was inscribed.
I don’t know who it is.
But judging by the high-level, octagonal divine power left behind—more advanced than Barbatos’s inverted triangular power—it was undoubtedly an Asin who had lived for quite some time.
Through {History of Asin} information, Leo Dexter knew what the markings on the ground meant.
An altar.
Thanks to Lev’s ‘Kill Counter,’ there was no need to worry about the efficiency of the sacrifice, but the Asin used a variety of techniques to raise the efficiency, even at a decimal level.
One such technique was to consecrate an entire area as an altar, and this South Gate Market, with its intricately laid alleyways inscribed with divine power, had become an altar. However, it was not yet complete. It seemed to have been started recently, as there were no traces in the central avenue.
Leo trembled anxiously. There were more troubling signs.
Why was this drawn in South Gate Market?
Though it was a market, it wasn’t crowded. If they were going to use it as an altar, it would be better to target a residential area.
‘South Gate…’
The worst-case scenario crossed his mind.
There might be an altar being drawn to target the entire capital, Bernauli.
This altar likely was one of the altars encompassing the eight directions—east, west, south, north, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest.
Cold sweat dripped down Leo’s back. The thought that an old apostle of Asin might be wandering around somewhere here kept him on edge.
“Lan, Ann! It’s been a while. Are you still keeping guard? I saw you wandering around late at night.”
“…It’s just a walk. No guard duty. It’s not like we’re in the middle of the Nine Days’ War.”
Lan and Ann waved awkwardly. The tavern owner, with hair now going gray, reminisced.
“Hahaha. That’s right. But it was fun seeing you like in the old days when you were in the vigilante corps. What do you want to eat? Fresh vegetables came in today. Should I fry some for you?”
Soon, Lena, Leo, Lan Avviker, and Ann Avviker sat around a table.
As they tipped their glasses, they chatted about trivial matters and talked about Baron Bryna.
“It was a disaster when the mercenaries ran away, but thankfully, Leo handled it well. He even caught the mercenaries,” Lena said.
Lena was enjoying a pleasant time.
But the drinking session didn’t last long. Leo, who had been glancing around anxiously, urged, “Let’s head out. It’s getting too late.”
Lena felt disappointed but parted with Lan and Ann earlier than planned. When the two returned home, children were hopping and singing in an alley of South Gate Market.
“Our mom jumps~ like this~ came~ out~ for a night walk~.”
In the dark alley, the children’s lively song echoed eerily.
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