Chapter 268: You Are Like Sand (9)

I walked north. Cold snow drifted down like mist.

No matter how far I went, I remained in the middle of the snowfall. The road sign that suddenly appeared with the city of Aman written on it felt like a lie.

After a brief hesitation, I took the path toward Aman, the temporary peace zone for high-ranking assassins and informants. This was the city where the Lantern of Daliac was. If I were to meet Rena in the capital, my only point of contact would be the T&T headquarters.

If, in the previous timeline, Naneow Tropin lost all the Lurium and T&T had weakened or even disbanded, then there would be no reason to go to the capital. There was no guarantee Rena would even be there.

I needed at least some basic information about T&T. Daliac was the safer bet. If Rena’s situation had changed, I’d find out in Aman. If T&T had been wiped out, I’d have to start gathering information on the marquis immediately.

Still hidden under stealth, I entered Aman without issue. Back when I came with Rena, I needed Grassmere-issued identification. With Rubia, it had been Isaac’s hypnosis. This time, I needed neither. I easily passed through the second barrier of Daliac’s protective ward. I had already broken it once before, under Isaac’s guidance.

Now, with ritual knowledge under my belt, bypassing it again was simple.

It’s getting easier...

At this rate, perhaps I’d eventually even break through the imperial secret archives. Soon, I arrived at Daliac’s enormous inn complex, which had more than thirty connected buildings.

So far, everything was going smoothly. There was no sign of the white-masked woman who had once guided me. I did not receive any dazed stares from those unaware of the hidden world beyond the veil. Even when I glanced around, none of them seemed to detect anything strange. I freely stepped inside.

Hmm...

Since no one had detected me, I briefly considered entering the members’ section instead of the non-members’ section like before. I could do it without much trouble, but I had already decided to focus on completing Rubia’s scenario. There was no reason to take unnecessary risks.

As planned, I headed toward the auction hall.

The moment I entered, I heard a familiar voice from behind the partition. "A strong one, I see. Not only did you resist the barrier’s influence, but you even drew the attention of the silver-rank watchers. So, what information do you need?"

I hadn’t even released Stealth.

"There’s no difference in pricing by race, but I can’t guarantee we have the product you’re looking for."

Every time I encountered him, I was reminded that he was not ordinary. For a brief moment, more than anything else, I wanted to know who was behind that curtain. Of course, I wouldn’t get an answer.

I snapped out of it and asked, "I want the current status of the T&T guild and information on Marquis Leandro."

"

Hmm

... two topics." After a pause, the man continued, "Very well. I can offer information ranging from ten to forty seirons. Of course, you can also bid in the auction."

I searched my memory. The knowledge that the marquis had been assassinated by the imperial family was worth eighty seirons. What he was offering now didn’t reach that level. He most likely just had data about Leandro’s mission, alliances, or influence.

"In that case..." I trailed off.

And then it hit me. I had grossly overlooked something.

"..."

I didn’t have any money. Up until now, I had never needed it. With Rena, she’d meticulously handled every roti coin. Isaac hoarded anything shiny, even during battle, and Rubia always used the silver I gave her sparingly.

I never had to think much about human currency. They took care of the collection and budgeting for me. Now, I was alone. With no one to manage spending or plan ahead, I had burned through my resources recklessly.

"Don’t tell me... you're broke?" the man asked.

Of course. He noticed right away.

"

Ah

... well..."

A humiliating mistake.

I offered the weapons I’d taken from the blacksmith.

The man’s voice turned cold. "This won't do. We don’t take goods. And those aren’t particularly special anyway. Now, if you’ll excuse me..."

He looked like he was about to say something else, then paused.

"What were you going to say?" I asked anxiously.

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"

Hmm

. You haven’t purchased anything. There’s no reason to tell you. Just leave."

"..."

For a moment, I considered flipping the whole place, but impersonating Red Flake and causing a scene here would be reckless. Daliac was a neutral zone, a place where peace was enforced. I didn’t know how strong the man behind the curtain truly was, and he likely wasn’t alone.

Despite knowing my strength, I could tell from the sound of his voice that he clearly wasn’t worried. Besides, this mess was entirely my fault for forgetting money.

I turned quietly to leave, but then a faint sense of déjà vu struck me.

I stopped at the doorway and looked back. "Am I... under a bounty?"

"

Ah

..." He flinched. "So Daliac tolerates violence now? Some peace zone this is."

His expression tensed further.

Flap!

He threw me a folded piece of paper with a slightly guilty expression.

"What’s this?"

"Come back within two weeks and I’ll give you 50% off the information."

I pocketed the slip.

Whatever he had been about to say, I didn’t feel like that was it. However, the conversation had ended. Either way, I had that same feeling as before. If I stepped out now, I’d walk right into a trap.

My route, my timing, everything was different. Yet the same pattern repeated. I recalled the power of the prophet Sharunian. In the previous life, her prophecy had allowed them to ambush me here, which was the same as my current situation. Still, I couldn’t stay here forever.

Fwoooosh!

Magic Charge.

I conjured Wind in my left hand.

Dual casting.

Then I cast Ice in my right.

Sprint.

Finally, I conjured a force shield beneath my feet and launched upward out of the outpost.

Crack!

The moment I emerged, I felt powerful ritual energy beneath the ground, paralyzing all contact points. Even the shield in midair froze. I swiftly summoned another one to step on.

A hand reached up from below, trying to grab my neck. It barely missed as I launched higher. I fired the spells I had prepared. A layered frost storm detonated and froze the entire alleyway.

The blast launched me even higher. A gray-robed figure swung a scythe from below, missing completely. To the right of the entrance stood a white-furred feline, staring blankly. The person managed to throw a few talismans from their robe, but they were slow and easy to dodge.

I landed on a rooftop and looked down.

The feline blinked in awe. "You noticed the trap formations? You’re really... something else."

The gray-robed figure said in a husky voice, "Let’s go."

"Wha? You’re giving up?"

"Even if it’s about that child... this is Daliac. We can’t afford more commotion. A shame, but..."

Whoosh!

The gray-robed figure turned around. The feline began slipping into the shadows.

I took a step forward and shouted, "Naneow Tropin!"

The gray-robed woman stopped. She slowly turned around, her scythe raised again. From the folds of her robe, a cascade of silver hair spilled out.

The founder of T&T, Naneow Tropin, had an old, refined lilt."You... know me?"

She stood with the same grace as I remembered: unharmed and untouched. Relief and joy flooded me.

Despite the fact that the Ashen Knight had drained her Lurium, it had no effect on her. I had given eight vials to Rena, but in comparison, Tropin remained unscathed. Perhaps only my involvement with Lurium triggered worldline shifts. If everyone influenced by Lurium altered reality, my own life wouldn't keep looping the same way.

As I pondered, Naneow pulled her scythe handle sideways.

Click.

The shaft had been bent at a ninety-degree angle and was locked in place. From its blade, something gleamed. I saw an iridescent flash of silver, too fast to measure.

Naneow's voice dropped to a whisper. "We’re stepping back because we can’t afford to cause a scene. However, if you’re intent on taking this all the way, I won’t stop you."

I hastily waved my hands. "No, it’s not that."

I glanced again at Naneow, who still had silver liquid coursing throughout her entire body.

"You guys were trying to kidnap me in the first place, weren’t you? Then I should just go with you now."

"What?"

They looked at me like they couldn’t believe what they’d just heard. Even Sharunian, the feline race’s so-called prophet, stood there with her mouth wide open.

I guess that part wasn’t in her prophecy.

I glanced between the stunned pair and the auction house I had just walked out of.

Still deaf to its chaos, I asked, "In exchange... do you guys have any money?"

***

Naneow looked genuinely baffled. "Money?"

It sounded like the first time she’d ever heard someone ask that. She instinctively patted various pockets in her robe, but the only thing she pulled out was a silver bullet.

"This is probably worth a lot. I’m not sure how much, but it has to be."

I’d already seen what those bullets could do with my own eyes. Sure, they were rare, but outside of Naneow’s own custom weapon, they were completely useless.

I gave a subtle shake of my skull. "Do you have money?"

Naneow turned to look beside her.

Sharunian puffed out her cheeks and stuck out her nose, her blue eyes round as coins. "Nope. But I can just collect a fee for a reading, right? I’ll have money in no time."

She was clearly trying to come off as confident, but it just made her look ridiculous.

"And right now?" Naneow asked.

"I don’t have any..." Sharunian replied.

These two are supposedly top-ranking officers at T&T, and they don’t even carry a single coin?

Watching them, I felt a strange wave of secondhand frustration. I mean, sure, I was broke too, but they were something else entirely.

How can someone with power like that have zero practical sense?

No wonder they’d been outmaneuvered from the inside by Purson's faction.

Tap. Tap...

The sound of shoes echoed through the alley, loud and clear. Whoever it was did not attempt to be subtle.

"

Whew

. You insisted on leaving me behind so badly. What’s all this commotion?"

A human woman appeared, flipping back a dark red hood as she mumbled. It was a familiar face. She flexed her gloveless, bare hands. She looked like she’d just gotten up from behind a desk.

"Get inside! It’s dangerous!"

"Why are you here?! We said we had this handled!"

The two shouted in panic, but Rena just shook her head.

"If three top guild officers being here still makes it dangerous, then we might as well shut the guild down."

"But... he’s someone who dodged my spell trap! You can’t get hurt, so just go back inside,

nyah!

"

The feline tried to act aloof. She transformed smoothly into a small cat and stepped in front of Rena. They said her magic was at its strongest in this form, but the cat hardly looked like a bodyguard as it stood in front of a full-grown human.

Rena gently picked up the feline with both hands.

The cat let out a pleased purr. "

Nyaa

~"

Unbelievable creature.

Rena called out to me, "You..."

Status window.

I quickly scanned the translucent text I’d pulled up moments earlier.

[Scenario Completed]

[Affection adjustment applied (Affection Level 70)]

[Level Adjustment applied (Level 60)]

[Clear Bonus applied]

[Affection has continued to accumulate after the scenario clear.]

[Affection bonus has been increased.]

[Name: Rena]

[Affection: 30]

...

My Affection went up?

"You’re more impressive than I thought. You're not trying to squeeze money out of T&T executives for information, are you?"

"

Hmm...

"

"If I’m still part of the guild, I can’t just stand by and watch. It’s not like you have to get your intel here, right?"

Of course not. If I’d known we’d run into each other here, I wouldn’t have even bothered going to the capital.

I gave her a matter-of-fact nod, and Rena smiled faintly. "Come with me. I also..."

I cut her off for the first time in a while. "You have a lot of questions, right?"

Rena, the Third Branch Director of T&T, had taken over the spot once held by the deer, Aezar. She blinked slowly, as if trying to understand the situation while staring into my eyes.

The moment I saw her, I made my decision. I decided to be completely honest about everything.

If it’s her, I think I can trust her.