Chapter 165: The Coastal City (4)

Ugh...

Baker fought back waves of nausea as they walked. Quite some time had passed since their meal, but his stomach was still churning violently.

After finishing the braised fish, Ketal had proceeded to order a variety of other seafood dishes. Baker had managed to avoid eating much by repeatedly insisting he was full, taking only small tastes, but even that had been enough to leave him feeling utterly queasy.

Ketal hadn’t stopped there. He wandered all over the town, browsing in shops and buying various snacks from food stalls. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself like a tourist exploring the city.

What is he writing down?

Baker wondered, noticing Ketal meticulously jotting things in a small notebook. Stealing glances at the barbarian, Baker cautiously asked, “Are you sure this is really gathering information?”

From Baker’s perspective, it looked like they were just wasting time aimlessly. Ketal, however, turned to him with an expression that clearly asked,

What are you talking about?

“I’ve already gathered quite a lot of information,” Ketal stated plainly.

“You have? When?”

“I’ve been gathering it the whole time. What, didn’t you notice? I assumed you followed along because you understood.” Ketal looked at Baker with genuine surprise.

Baker felt a surge of indignation at Ketal’s expression and words. He didn’t want to admit that the barbarian had noticed things he, a mage, had missed.

“W-what information? Tell me,” Baker demanded, though his voice was unfortunately still weak and trembling.

“The braised fish we ate at the tavern. Its condition was extremely poor.”

“Huh? That’s it?”

“It was likely on the verge of spoiling,” Ketal replied. Fish could be preserved longer by salting or drying, but it was still fish, with definite limits. “They seemed to try masking its condition by dousing it in that fish sauce, but the quality was still terrible.”

“You could tell?” Baker found it hard to believe.

The fish dish had been drenched in the pungent fermented sauce. Its smell and taste were so overpowering that it had been almost impossible to discern the actual flavor of the fish itself. Yet Ketal claimed he could determine the fish’s freshness from that. Baker didn’t think such a feat was truly possible for a human palate.

“To confirm, I ordered several other fish dishes. There wasn’t much difference.”

“S-so that’s why you ordered so many different things at the tavern?”

“That’s right.”

Baker was speechless. He had assumed Ketal’s sense of taste was simply broken and that he genuinely found the awful dishes delicious. Though Baker conceded, that assumption wasn’t entirely wrong either. Ketal

had

clearly enjoyed the food—it just wasn't the

only

reason he ate it.

“It means that Lord Bulkan was telling the truth; the sea route is indeed blocked,” Ketal concluded. The poor state of the fish confirmed that something was controlling the waters around the city. “However, the land-based foods, like meat and vegetables, were fresh.”

Ketal had sampled grilled meat and stir-fried vegetables from a street stall. Their freshness wasn’t bad—not modern-day fresh, perhaps, but certainly not inedible.

“The number of livestock raised within this city seemed very low. And given the coastal soil, growing vegetables locally would be difficult due to poor soil conditions. In other words, they must be receiving supplies from external sources.”

“Uh... right, that makes sense,” Baker replied.

“Looking at the dirt on the roads, I saw wagon tracks. They were pressed quite deep, indicating heavy loads. That means large quantities of goods are arriving regularly. This city is receiving sufficient supplies from outside.”

He figured that out just from wagon tracks?

Baker wondered as his eyes widened.

He quickly ran through Ketal’s logic in his head, checking its plausibility. The conclusion was undeniable: Ketal’s deductions were almost certainly correct.

“So you weren’t just sightseeing,” Baker said.

“That too, but we need to gather information, don’t we? I was observing everything.”

Though honestly, both parts were fun,

Ketal added silently to himself as he chuckled cheerfully.

How delightful it was when one’s hobby aligned perfectly with one’s objectives!

Baker stared at Ketal, utterly dumbfounded. “Is your side job being a detective?”

“It’s a simple observation. Nothing particularly difficult,” Ketal replied.

No, there’s definitely something more to it,

Baker thought.

He was a mage, trained to perceive things intuitively. Because of that training, he knew that it wasn’t just a simple observation.

Few mages possessed observational skills of this caliber. It required not just focusing on the visible phenomena but analyzing

how

they occurred, the environmental factors contributing to them, and their resulting consequences. To deduce all that and be correct was incredibly difficult. Ordinary people focused only on what they saw, rarely thinking beyond the surface.

Even Baker himself, a Transcendent mage, had been so preoccupied with Ketal’s presence that he hadn’t considered any of these details. Yet, this Barbarian had done it nonchalantly.

Why on earth is someone like this a barbarian?

Baker wondered.

If not for his appearance, he could easily pass for a sage. Baker stared blankly at Ketal. Snapping back to reality, he quickly asked him, “But what does any of this have to do with finding a ship?”

Their ultimate goal was still to acquire a vessel. Ketal’s deductions were brilliant, but they didn’t seem directly related to their objective.

Ketal replied leisurely, “Being able to afford large quantities of external supplies implies significant capital. But how is a coastal city, cut off from its primary source of income—the sea—for over a month, managing to fund all this?”

A typical port town in this situation should have been struggling, impoverished, even. Yet, aside from the poor quality fish, this city seemed remarkably prosperous. It was exceedingly strange.

“Maybe, like the lord said, they stockpiled a lot beforehand?” Baker suggested.

“An ordinary coastal city stockpiled enough capital to remain prosperous for over a month without sea trade? I doubt it.”

Baker fell silent. Even he had to admit that sounded implausible.

Ketal grinned, clearly enjoying the puzzle. “I don’t know how they’re doing it... but it’s certainly worth investigating. Depending on what we find, it might give us leverage to acquire a ship.”

“R-right, I see.”

“Let’s keep looking around. Something is bound to turn up.”

“Okay...,” Baker replied.

Ketal showed no signs of wanting to head back to the castle anytime soon. Baker, who desperately wanted to return, followed resignedly with a gloomy expression.

As they continued walking through the city, Ketal suddenly stopped short, gazing intently at the surrounding cityscape.

“Something’s strange,” he murmured.

“Hm? What is it?” Baker asked him.

“There’s a difference between the buildings on this side of the road and that side.”

Following Ketal’s gaze, Baker also began observing more closely. His eyes widened in surprise. “You’re right!”

Across the wide main road, the appearance of the buildings was starkly different. The structures on the side they had been walking along were clean and well-maintained, consistent with the parts of the city they’d seen so far.

The opposite side, however, was different. The buildings looked oddly neglected, and their architectural style seemed distinct. Trash littered the streets, and a faint, unpleasant smell drifted from that direction. Even the people visible across the road looked rougher, somewhat delinquent.

Though part of the same city, it felt like a completely separate, segregated district.

Ketal narrowed his eyes. “Beyond this road lies the seashore.”

“Maybe it’s just because those buildings are closer to the sea?” Baker offered. “Since they can’t use the ocean, perhaps maintenance has lapsed?”

“That’s possible, but it warrants a closer look.” Ketal started to cross the road to investigate.

Suddenly, he stopped again. Baker, following closely behind, bumped his nose into Ketal’s broad back. “Ow! Why’d you stop so abruptly?”

“There’s a commotion,” Ketal said, looking towards a point further down the street.

Baker focused his hearing and soon picked it up too—loud, angry voices. It sounded like an argument, possibly escalating into a fight. He turned to ask Ketal if he could make out what was happening.

In that instant, a chill ran down Baker’s spine. Ketal was smiling. It was a wide, genuine grin, radiating pure delight, as if he had been eagerly anticipating just such a disturbance. Baker realized then, with absolute certainty, that Ketal could never truly be a sage. His fundamental nature was, and perhaps always would be, closer to that of a barbarian.

“Let’s go check it out,” Ketal said cheerfully, starting towards the noise with eager strides.

***

Meanwhile, Aquaz was exploring the city alone. She had also been trying diligently to gather information but hadn’t uncovered anything significant. Naturally, she was no closer to finding a solution to their problem.

If the answer could be found by wandering around for just a few hours, they wouldn't have needed to ask for help in the first place.

She steadied her resolve.

She had anticipated a long process from the beginning and was prepared for a protracted effort. Taking a short breath, she centered herself.

As her mind settled, she took in the city’s appearance properly.

Still... it’s remarkably clean,

she mused.

The streets were well-swept, and there were no signs of the usual vagrants or beggars. The people’s expressions weren’t particularly dark either. It was hard to believe this was a town whose lifeline to the sea had been severed.

While she found it strange, Aquaz also found the city’s appearance somewhat comforting. Before this journey, she had always operated solely under her church’s directives.

She had traveled the world through controlled environments and restricted routes, never truly confronting its harsh realities head-on. This journey, however, was her own. She had witnessed misery and brutality firsthand. Though not as shaken as Baker, the experience had still taken a toll on her, creating a deep-seated fatigue beneath her unwavering determination.

In that context, seeing such a seemingly happy, well-ordered town was a genuinely pleasant sight. She observed the city with warm eyes.

As she did, people started stealing glances at her. Her hair flowed like liquid silver, and her red eyes shone like jewels. She was exceptionally beautiful, almost like a fairy from a storybook. Such looks were rare in a small city like this, naturally drawing attention.

And unfortunately, such beauty often attracted trouble.

“Hey there,” a voice called out. A man who looked unmistakably like a thug swaggered towards her. “You look like an outsider. What brings you to our city? Need someone to show you around?”

He flashed a grin, revealing yellowed teeth.

Aquaz managed a wry smile. Her attire was clearly that of the Church of the Sun God, specifically the uniform of an inquisitor. Anyone familiar with it would never approach her so casually. Very rarely, however, some ignorant ruffian, captivated only by her appearance, would make the mistake.

“I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. Thank you for your kindness,” she refused politely. Though courteous, the refusal was firm. The thug’s face instantly contorted with anger.

“Hey! Do you know who I am?! How dare you refuse me! Look! This is who I am!” He roughly grabbed the collar of his shirt, emphasizing an embroidered emblem depicting a sword crossed with a cannon.

“I’m afraid I don’t recognize it...,” Aquaz replied.

“Hah! You came to this city and you don’t know this symbol? Well, learn it now!” the thug declared with an air of immense pride. “I’m a member of the Valkran Pirates!”

“Excuse me...?” Aquaz’s expression hardened instantly.

The thug misinterpreted her sudden stillness as fear and smirked. “Hurry up and follow me! You can pour me some drinks. Don’t worry, I won’t get violent or anything. I’m a gentleman, see?”

“I see. So, you’re a pirate.”

“Yeah, now that you understand, hurry up and...” The thug’s words trailed off.

Her crimson eyes were fixed on him. The emotion within them was utterly, chillingly cold. It was enough to make goosebumps erupt on his skin instantaneously. The thug’s instincts screamed at him that he was in danger and had made a terrible mistake.

He stammered, trying to backtrack, “Uh... Never mind. It’s fine. I changed my mind, so don’t worry about...”

He never finished the sentence. Aquaz’s hand shot out, grabbing his head and slamming it down onto the ground. A pained groan escaped him.

Aquaz leaned down and whispered, her voice dangerously soft, “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly refuse your kind offer now. I would be

most

grateful if you would guide me through the city.”

She smiled, a cold, sharp edge to it that promised anything but a pleasant tour.