Chapter 245 - City of Shadows (4)

"Is that ruffian as good at fighting as he is?"

"He's a weakling, but he has subordinates who are good at fighting."

"His subordinates' skills would have to be very good to intimidate me."

Lady Bastian chuckled.

"I'm also delighted that you taught that drug addict a lesson."

"Drug addict?"

"He's always intoxicated with alcohol and drugs. Ladybis, it's the name of a hallucinogen popular among Claridium's nobles. Those drug addicts are disrupting the city with hallucinogens, regardless of whether they're commoners or nobles. They have the biggest backing in this city, so they can't be dealt with carelessly despite committing all sorts of atrocities."

"Is the mayor behind them?"

"..."

It must have been a dangerous question, as she remained silent.

"That ruffian's name is Fraser. Fraser Rainfist. He's the only son of a prominent city councilor."

"I'm from Eternia, so I don't care about the city councilors here."

"That's the answer I wanted. Fraser applied to Eternia's Combat Department six years ago but was repeatedly rejected. He tried to get in with money, but unfortunately, it was discovered, and he was permanently banned from Eternia. Because of that, he seems to be particularly nasty to those from Eternia."

"If I'm not afraid of someone from Eternia, I certainly won't be afraid of someone who was repeatedly rejected."

"...Indeed, you have the guts befitting a disciple of an archmage."

"Now, may I ask why you were looking for me?"

She turned her back, momentarily startled. After hesitating for a while, she spoke with difficulty, "I've been desperately waiting for someone like you."

"..."

A sense of desperation can be felt in that calm voice.

"...I need someone to find my son."

Another request to find someone.

"Aren't there many people in this city more capable than me?"

"There's no one trustworthy in this city. Or rather, no one should be trusted. You feel it too, don't you? All the capable people have left as if bewitched by ghosts."

It was similar to the story and words of old man Westwood we saw in the square.

"Could you tell me what happened?"

"I remember it clearly. A transport carriage passing through the administrative district was damaged in an accident, and magic creatures inside escaped, so the Guardians were stationed on the streets. That day, my son had attended a ball and was worrying, stamping his feet. Fortunately, my son returned home late at night."

"..."

This was an incident that was mentioned during the research institute tour. According to the researcher, there were no witnesses or victims.

"But my son's appearance when he returned was strange."

"Was he intoxicated with drugs?"

"No. His outward appearance was exactly the same as my son, but it was as if his soul had been switched with someone else's. He muttered incoherent words, and his intonation was different. The bracelet he always wore like a talisman was gone, and he talked to his reflection in the mirror."

"Could you explain in more detail?"

"At first, I thought he might be preparing for a play, but that wasn't it. He didn't recognize that the one in the mirror was himself. He had become stupid, just like a dog or a chicken."

"..."

"And I know for sure. That bracelet was given to him by a deceased friend, and he never takes it off no matter what. The initials R.B of that friend are engraved on his shoulder. But the son who returned that day didn't have those initials on his shoulder."

"What happened next?"

"The next day, my son disappeared without a trace. I know for sure. That wasn't my son. It was another being disguised as my son. Please. Find my son."

"I'll help as much as I can, but don't expect too much. I'm just a first-year rookie."

Bang!

Just then, the balcony door was forcefully opened.

Lady Bastian's face turned pale when she saw who suddenly barged in.

"It's Fraser… For now, just bow down unconditionally. Otherwise, you'll get seriously hurt."

A young handsome man with long brown hair tied back entered confidently with his arms spread.

Behind him were burly men who looked like Guardians and personal bodyguard knights.

And they were forcibly dragging Haley by both arms.

"Let go of this! Before I kill you all!"

She elbowed the face of the burly man holding her and ran to stand beside me.

Fraser staggered towards me.

"Well, well, I heard a noble guest had arrived, and here you are already seducing women?"

Then he gulped down the bottle of alcohol he was holding in one hand.

"..."

"Looks like I came at an important time. No, I heard you messed with my friend, so I couldn't just stand by."

As he approached, the smell of alcohol stung my nose. He put his arm around my shoulder as I frowned.

"With a decent face like that, you must be good at breeding."

He patted my chest with his hand.

"Should I call some nice girls for you? I have many well-aged ones too."

"..."

"How did you get into Eternia? Hic, ah, with this, right?"

As he tried to touch Priscilla, I roughly pushed him away.

"Don't touch it."

As he stumbled back, his bodyguard knights simultaneously drew their swords and pointed them at me.

Fraser rotated his shoulders in circles, stretching, and calmed his subordinates.

"What, are you afraid I'll steal your treasure?"

"You'll be dead if you touch it carelessly."

That guy was staggering. I didn't know what drug he was on, but as a side effect, he shook his jaw every few seconds. He wasn't in his right mind now.

"I see. So that magic sword got you into Eternia, right? That damn nepotism academy easily lets people in if they can handle such things."

"..."

The guy raised one corner of his mouth and smiled.

Then he waved his pointing hand and shouted humorously, "Hey, I got it right, didn't I? Everyone! This is Eternia. The important things are bloodline! Luck! Connections! These are what matter. Ability is not important."

"You're talking as if you got to your position purely through effort."

This guy who was acting so badly just because he was born to good parents.

"Are you done talking, bastard? Ah, wait, I'll show you something interesting."

The guy walks briskly towars the magic creature’s cage. Then he abruptly removed the veil.

Inside was a giant spider with legs as long as poles, curled up sleeping. I could hear exclamations from those watching from inside.

A medium to large magic creature species. It was “Lectin”, a magic creature that pierces its prey's body with long legs as hard as steel.

Fraser splashed the wine he was holding onto the magic creature.

"Wake up, you vermin."

The magic creature started to show reactions. The subordinates nearby tried to stop him in surprise.

"The barrier makers haven't arrived yet..."

"Get lost, you bastards!"

He shook off his subordinates and said, "You, hic, you should be able to catch this much, right? Being from that great prestigious Eternia and all, you can't even catch this one?"

"What do I get if I catch it?"

"You don't think you can catch it?"

"I bet a thousand crowns that you can't catch this."

"Just that?"

He staggered and chuckled.

"I'll bet a thousand crowns plus the heirloom artifact, Mermaid's Tear, that you can't catch this. What will you bet?"

A thousand crowns was ten times the reward I received from the assembly hall.

He showed off the ring with a blue jewel that he was wearing on his finger.

The bodyguard knights behind him seemed shocked and tried to stop him with their mouths agape, but he brushed them all off. It seemed to be a precious item.

"I'll bet my magic sword."

"If you can't catch this and someone gets hurt, hey, it's your responsibility. Hic."

"..."

Fraser roughly splashed wine as if trying to provoke the magic creature. The magic creature, greatly stimulated by the strong alcohol smell, bumped against the cage hard enough to shake it significantly.

Bang!

He stumbled backward in surprise.

"Hey, if this thing gets angry and catches one, it'll tear all the limbs apart. Kuk kuk."

Then he excitedly gulped down more alcohol.

"Move."

I drew Priscilla.

"Ah, I forgot one condition. Who can't catch it with that? Right?"

He drew a dagger from his waist and threw it in front of me. Then he muttered provocatively, "I'm so sorry. The condition is to catch it with this. Still want to do it? Kuk kuk."

As Fraser laughed, his subordinates behind him also snickered.

I threw Priscilla to the side. Then I picked up the dagger. Soon after, sighs followed from among the spectators.

"Is he really going to do it?"

"How can he block those long legs with just a dagger?"

"This is bad."

"He's not going to make it here, is he?"

The spectators started chattering arbitrarily.

Haley grabbed my shoulder.

"First-year, you don't need to react to every provocation like this."

"...It's fine."

"Damian. This is foolish."

"I was just itching for some action, so this is perfect."

"Alright, I get it."

Haley nodded with a determined face and stepped back.

Fraser undid the latch, tied the cage door with a rope, handed it to a servant, and stepped far back.

"Seal off the balcony!"

The Guardians and knights drew their swords and took defensive positions by the door.

I said to the servant, "Open the door."

"..."

The servant hesitated, holding the rope with a terrified face.

"Open it."

The servant closed his eyes tightly and pulled the rope hard. Soon after, the cage door connected to the rope swung open, and the magic creature stretched its long legs and walked out.

This wouldn't be a long fight. I swung my arm immediately, guided by instinct.

Swoosh!

The dagger I threw lodged precisely between the magic creature’s eyes.

Orange-colored body fluid flowed down the knife handle. The magic creature, hit in a vital spot as soon as it came out, staggered. Eventually, unable to keep its balance, it collapsed on the floor.

"Woah!"

"What did he do?"

"I knew it from the sky sailship incident. It's not for nothing that he's from Eternia, I tell you."

"I've never seen anything like that before."

People inside started buzzing loudly.

"This is impossible."

As Fraser tried to flee without acknowledging it, I immediately swung Priscilla. Cold energy surged along the floor, freezing both his feet solid.

With his escape blocked, he raised both arms and then lowered them as if giving up.

I approached the magic creature and pulled out the dagger. The legs still twitched as I removed the knife, the nerve center still alive. I went to Fraser and wiped the body fluid on his clothes before sheathing the dagger.

He rolled his unfocused eyes with a dazed expression, as if just now realizing what he had done.

"My heirloom, my heirloom..."

I took the ring off his faintly trembling hand.

"If this is truly a great artifact, it will be better for the world in my hands."

There was no sense of euphoria from victory. I was in such a desperate state that I had no time to indulge in such feelings.

In this broken city, nothing would be strange no matter what happened, and I needed to gather whatever I could, be it money or anything else, that would help protect myself and the Art Club members.