Chapter 43: The Town (1)

In the Port City, Arc, there was a clear sky without a single cloud in sight.

Yet, in stark contrast, thick fog coiled between the buildings.

The sight was so strange that people had even given it a nickname—“The God’s Nose Bridge.” That alone was enough to show how unnatural the scenery was.

Now, I could somewhat understand why Abel had warned me to be careful.

“Miss, watch out!”

Suddenly, Evan grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

The next moment, the thundering sound of hooves filled my ears, and a carriage raced past, barely missing me.

A chill ran down my spine. I had nearly been run over.

Was it because of the thick fog that I hadn’t seen it coming? Or were the carriage drivers in this city just that reckless?

Probably both.

“Thank you, Evan.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Miss.”

Evan scratched the back of his head awkwardly at my gratitude.

Next to him, Lily looked tense. She had her arms crossed, cautiously scanning our surroundings.

“Lily? What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I have a bad feeling.”

Now that she mentioned it, I couldn’t shake off the uneasy atmosphere either.

Was it the ever-present fog? Or Abel’s words about how Arc was a breeding ground for crime?

“…Maybe I’m just overthinking it.”

Lily laughed awkwardly, trying to dismiss her own words.

I had a feeling she was hiding something, but I chose not to press further. If she wasn’t willing to open up first, I didn’t want to pry.

We continued walking for a while until Evan suddenly spoke.

“This way.”

He led us into a narrow alley.

It wasn’t so tight that we had to squeeze through, but it definitely wasn’t wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side.

The fog here was noticeably thicker, making the place feel even more unwelcoming.

I hesitated for a moment before cautiously following Evan inside.

Lily, on the other hand, looked even more uneasy. Her body trembled slightly, and even her eyelashes quivered.

I couldn’t just stand by and watch anymore.

“…Lily.”

I reached for her hand.

It was ice cold.

She flinched at my touch but didn’t pull away.

“It’s alright.”

After a moment, the trembling lessened, and warmth slowly returned to her hand.

“…Thank you, My Lady.”

“I’m just glad you’re feeling better. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As we ventured deeper into the alley, the surroundings grew worse.

Was this the infamous backstreet I had only heard about?

Filthy children with ragged clothes peeked at us from the shadows.

A few even glared at us from beneath their tattered blankets—though they bolted the moment Evan’s sharp gaze met theirs.

It wasn’t hard to guess what they had been planning.

If Evan weren’t here, I would have already been pickpocketed.

A foul stench filled the air. The reek of filth and decay was even more unbearable than I had imagined.

I glanced sideways and saw Lily wrinkling her nose in discomfort.

Then, Evan suddenly stopped.

Lily, who had been walking absentmindedly, bumped right into his back. Startled, she quickly stepped aside and clung closer to me.

“Evan? What is it?”

“Wait.”

Without answering further, Evan reached into his coat.

Shing!

A sharp, metallic ring echoed through the alley as a gleaming blade caught the dim light.

Before I could even react to Evan’s sudden movement, voices erupted from the shadows.

“Tch, they noticed! Run!”

“Damn it! Which idiot gave us away?!”

“How bold.”

A blue aura surged along Evan’s blade.

Without so much as a battle cry, he swung his sword.

Slash!

In an instant, a streak of blue light cut through the alley.

A second later, agonized screams erupted from the darkness.

Blood sprayed into the fog, painting the scene crimson.

I barely had time to process what had happened—Evan had incapacitated most of them in just three strikes.

Of course, I always found myself getting caught up in absurd situations, but this just proved that Evan was incredibly skilled—even if not quite on Abel’s level.

Still, was it really necessary to use aura against mere back-alley thugs?

‘No, that’s not it.’

I glanced beyond the mist.

At least ten more figures lurked in the shadows.

And if I could spot that many from a distance, the real number was probably much higher.

Evan’s attack hadn’t been just to subdue them—it was a warning.

And judging by how most of the hidden figures were now retreating, the warning had worked.

‘So this is what Abel meant when he called Arc a den of criminals.’

For the first time, I truly understood his words.

The thick fog concealed countless criminals, moving in a disturbingly organized manner.

If I had come here alone…

A shiver ran down my spine.

“Let’s move, Miss.”

I nodded and followed Evan.

Lily, having witnessed his overwhelming strength, seemed far less afraid now.

She wasn’t trembling anymore—but she also wasn’t talking like usual.

Did she have some bad memories about places like this?

I briefly considered asking but decided against it.

Prying into others’ pasts rarely led to anything good.

We walked for a while until a rundown inn came into view.

A wooden building with no signboard—just an eerie, desolate atmosphere.

Dim lights flickered through its windows, casting an ominous glow.

Evan approached the entrance.

‘This must be the place.’

The Information Guild Abel Spoke Of

The building was so rundown that it made me wonder if it was even operational.

While I was lost in thought, Evan stepped forward and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

Exactly four knocks.

Not long after, a low voice came from the other side.

“The hawk that crosses the moon...”

“Can even cross the sun.”

As Evan completed the passphrase, silence stretched between us.

Just as doubt began creeping in—Did he get it wrong?—the door creaked open.

“You may enter.”

A man wearing a black mask greeted us and motioned us inside.

We stepped in, immediately enveloped by an unexpectedly warm atmosphere.

The masked man gave a small bow before speaking in a rough voice.

“Welcome to the Arc branch of the Information Guild.”

He paused briefly, then walked behind a bar counter.

Judging by the layout, this place resembled a tavern.

Yet, not a single person occupied the room.

Was it because it was still daytime?

As I pondered the emptiness, the masked man returned, carrying something in his hand.

“What is this?” I asked.

“Write down the information you seek.”

A small notepad and a pen.

I carefully picked up the pen and began writing on the notepad.

At first, nothing appeared. No ink.

I pressed down slightly, retracing my words a few times—until a faint glow of mana began to seep from the pen.

That’s when I realized.

‘Invisible ink.’

A writing method using mana.

Only those with a keen sensitivity to mana would be able to read what was written on this paper.

A security measure befitting an Information Guild.

The Emperor’s homeland. Its exact location.

I wrote my request and handed the note over.

The masked man glanced at the paper—then suddenly froze.

“...Follow me.”

His eyes, barely visible beneath the mask, flickered with an unreadable emotion.

A strange chill ran down my spine.

I hesitated, but in the end, I followed.

Lily and Evan moved to follow me, but the masked man raised a hand, stopping them.

“You two will wait here.”

“I’m afraid that’s not an option.”

Evan’s hand moved to his sword hilt, his voice firm.

The masked man leaned in, whispering something into Evan’s ear.

Evan’s expression shifted subtly.

His brows furrowed in displeasure as he glared at the man—but after a heavy sigh, he withdrew his hand.

“Fine. But make sure you make the right decision.”

At his warning, the masked man gave a small nod before turning back to me.

“Shall we?”

“...Alright.”

What did he say to Evan to convince him?

Evan wasn’t as stubborn as Abel, but he wasn’t the type to back down easily either.

Curiosity stirred, but I chose not to ask.

It wasn’t just that I disliked talking to this man—I also trusted Evan’s judgment.

So, I simply followed.

We walked down a long, dimly lit hallway.

Strange magic circles were etched into the walls and floor.

Being nearly clueless about magic, I had no way of knowing what kind of spells they contained.

After what felt like ages, we reached a door.

A walnut-wood door.

It didn’t look ordinary.

I reached out with mana—only to sense an overwhelming number of enchantments layered upon it.

Reflection spells, fire spells, electric spells, wind spells…

Even teleportation magic?

Why would they put so many spells on a single door?

As my head spun with questions, the masked man stepped forward and knocked four times.

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

“We have an esteemed guest.”

A girl’s voice answered from beyond the door.

“Let them in.”

Before her words had even fully settled, the door swung open on its own.

The masked man gave a slight nod.

“The master is expecting you.”

I stepped inside.

The air changed in an instant.

Literally.

It felt as if I had crossed into a completely different space.

Was this the purpose of the teleportation magic on the door?

As I was lost in thought, a voice called out.

“Are you just going to stand there?”

I hesitated briefly before cautiously stepping forward.

Between aged, antique furniture, I saw a girl.

Platinum blonde hair.

Eyes as deep as the ocean.

And pointed ears—like an elf.

...An elf?

But did such a race even exist in this world?

– – The End of The Chapter – –

 

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