Port City Ark
A clear sky with not a cloud in sight.
In stark contrast, thick fog settled between the buildings.
It was such an alien landscape that it even earned the nickname “God’s Nose”.
I could somewhat understand why Abel had warned me to be careful.
“Miss, please be careful.”
Evan hurriedly grabbed my arm and pulled me. A wagon brushed right past me with the sound of hooves.
I was momentarily chilled by the fact that I almost collided with it.
Was it because of the thick fog that I didn’t see it, or was it just reckless driving in this city?
Maybe it was both.
“Thank you, Evan.”
“You’re welcome.”
Evan scratched his head awkwardly at my gratitude. Beside him, Lily looked quite anxious.
She was cautiously looking around with her arms crossed.
“Lily? Why the long face?”
“It’s just… I have a bad feeling.”
Indeed, I also felt an eerie sense of foreboding.
Was it because of the fog that clung all year round, or because of Abel’s words about Ark being a den of crime?
“Just a feeling, though.”
She gave a shy laugh and changed the subject. I had a strong sense that she was hiding something, but I didn’t probe further.
Unless Lily opened up first, I didn’t want to dig deeper.
I wondered how long we walked before Evan spoke up.
“Here we are.”
A narrow alleyway. It wasn’t too cramped, but definitely not wide enough for two wagons to pass at once.
The fog was exceptionally dense here, making it an uninviting passage.
I cautiously stepped into the alley, following Evan. Lily was trembling a bit more, her anxiety evidently increasing.
Seeing her eyes quiver made it hard for me to just stand by.
“Lily.”
I took her hand. It felt as cold as ice. She was startled by my sudden action but didn’t shake my hand off.
“It’s okay.”
After a moment, her trembling began to ease. The cold in her hand was gradually replaced by a bit of warmth.
“…Thank you, Adele.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. Let’s move on.”
“Yes.”
As we went deeper into the alley, the atmosphere grew increasingly serious.
Is this really what they call a back alley? A ragged urchin covered in dirt was not a rare sight.
Among them, a few kids dressed in rags were staring at us. Of course, they bolted the moment their eyes met Evan’s.
What were they eyeing us for? If it weren’t for Evan, we would have surely been pickpocketed.
A terrible stench hit my nose. The mingled odors of various filth and decay were more nauseating than I had imagined.
Turning my head slightly, I caught sight of Lily wrinkling her nose in disgust.
Suddenly, Evan, who had been walking ahead, stopped.
Lily, who had been walking with her eyes half-closed, bumped into his back. She gasped and quickly moved to my side.
“Evan? What’s wrong?”
“Just a second.”
He answered shortly and reached into his pocket.
With a sharp sound, a glint of steel emerged as a blade was revealed.
Before I could even absorb what had happened, a loud voice echoed through the alley.
“Damn it, they noticed! Run!”
“Fuck, which bastard got caught?!”
“They’re really bold.”
Blue energy surged from the sword.
Evan didn’t shout a battle cry, instead lightly swung his sword.
In an instant, a blue blade severed the arms of the fleeing thugs.
Gah!
Blood spurted everywhere, and soon, painful screams filled the air.
Who would have thought that only three swift strikes would incapacitate most of them?
It’s just that I always found myself embroiled in ridiculous situations as the one being protected. Evan, while not as strong as Abel, was quite formidable.
But did he really need to use energy against these alley rats? It made me wonder.
‘No, that’s not it.’
Between the misty alleys, shadows numbering at least ten appeared. Just what we could see from afar was that many; how many were truly lurking?
Evan’s strike was a warning of sorts. Perhaps it worked, as most of the shadows dispersed into the mist.
‘So that’s what they meant by a den of crime.’
Only then did I fully grasp Abel’s words about Ark.
Criminals hiding in thick fog, and their movements seemed methodical.
If I had come here alone…
A chill ran down my spine, and I reflexively rubbed my arms.
“Let’s go, Miss.”
I nodded and followed Evan. Lily seemed a bit more at ease now, perhaps reassured by the display of strength.
Of course, she wasn’t chattering like usual. Did she have bad memories related to back alleys?
I mused on this but didn’t ask.
I knew well that hastily probing into personal relationships yielded no benefit.
Time passed, and soon a run-down inn came into view. An utterly gloomy wooden building without a sign.
The light streaming from inside gave it an even eerier vibe.
Evan moved towards the entrance of the building.
‘This must be it.’
The Information Guild Abel had mentioned.
It looked so dilapidated that I wondered if it was even operating. As I pondered, Evan knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
Four precise knocks. Before long, a low voice sounded from beyond the door.
“The hawk that crosses the moon.”
“Can it cross the sun as well?”
As he recited the passphrase, there was a moment of silence. Just when I thought it might be wrong, the door opened slowly.
“Come in.”
The man in a black mask said as he motioned us in. Stepping inside, we were greeted by a cozy atmosphere.
The man bowed his head and spoke in a gravelly voice.
“Welcome to the Information Guild, Ark Branch.”
He paused for a moment before moving behind the bar counter.
From the looks, this place seemed more like a tavern.
There wasn’t a soul inside, though.
Was it still daytime?
As I questioned this, the man reappeared.
Having been in the storage room, he approached us with something in hand.
“What is this?”
“Just write down the information you seek.”
A small notepad and pen. I carefully picked up the pen and jotted down some letters on the notepad.
When the ink didn’t flow from the pen, I was slightly flustered and wrote over it multiple times. Soon, mana began to emit from the pen.
I quickly realized what the item was.
‘Invisible ink, huh?’
A method of writing with mana.
Unless someone was quite sensitive to mana, it would be hard to read the letters on the paper.
It was a fitting method for the Information Guild, known for handling sensitive information.
-The precise location of the Emperor’s Hometown.
I wrote that down and handed the paper over. The man briefly scanned the writing, and for a moment, he paused.
“Follow me.”
His gaze, hidden behind the mask, scanned me. I shivered slightly from the odd sensation.
It felt ominous, but I followed him. Lily and Evan trailed behind me.
However, the man raised his hand and stopped them.
“You two should wait here.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
Evan placed a hand on the hilt of his sword as he said that. The man, having quietly observed him, approached Evan.
He whispered something close to Evan’s ear.
Evan’s expression shifted slightly at the man’s whisper. As if displeased, he glared but sighed deeply.
“Very well. Let’s hope you make a wise choice.”
The man lightly nodded at Evan’s warning. Then, he approached me.
“Follow me.”
“Oh, alright.”
What did he say to persuade Evan? While he wasn’t as stubborn as Abel, Evan certainly had his own resolve.
I was a bit curious but didn’t ask.
I didn’t want to engage with the man, but I trusted Evan’s judgment, so I held back any questions.
Following him, we traversed a dark corridor.
An unusual magical circle was drawn along the way.
As someone nearly clueless about magic, I found it hard to recognize what spell it could be.
Before long, a single door appeared within sight.
A walnut door.
At first glance, it didn’t seem like an ordinary door.
I could sense an immense number of spells woven into it through mana.
Reflective magic, fire magic, electric magic, wind magic…
And then there was teleportation magic for some reason.
I wondered if there was even a reason to have so many spells on a door.
As all sorts of questions swirled in my mind, the man stepped up to the door and gently knocked four times.
“A precious guest has arrived.”
“Tell them to come in.”
A girl’s voice came from beyond the door.
Before her words could finish, the door swung wide open. Seeing this, the man nodded slightly.
“The Master is waiting.”
Crossing the threshold, the air shifted dramatically.
It was the literal sense of the word.
It felt like stepping into a completely different space compared to outside. Could that teleportation magic be used for this?
Lost in my thoughts, a voice interrupted me.
“What are you waiting for?”
I paused slightly before cautiously stepping inside.
Amidst the old furniture showing signs of age, a girl came into view.
Platinum hair with sea-blue eyes.
And her pointed ears, reminiscent of an elf…
…An elf?
Did such a race exist in this world?
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