"Ah! If it's not the illustrious young beast hunter! What can I do for you this time?" The sly merchant greeted me amicably, all smiles.

It was the very next day, and I had just returned to the rundown shop to confront the sly merchant directly, trying to get some information out of him.

"Well, I'm here because your special ointment proved quite extraordinary indeed. It healed my injury in a flash!" I grinned at him, showing him my fully healed arm.

"Is that so?" He showed me a stiff smile, visibly nervous, "I'm glad to hear that!"

"You see... That is why I came here. Soon, we will be sent on another hunt, so I wanted to ask you about a healing elixir I could take with me, just in case."

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't serve you in that regard... I'm but a simple peddler. You'd have to speak to a Herbalist in that regard, but something like that will cost you a fortune."

'Hmm, so you won't admit to it... interesting.' I thought as I scooped the messy interior with keen eyes, trying to spot the particular vial, but it wasn't there anymore.

Thus, seeing his suddenly guarded attitude, I decided not to push it any further and said my goodbyes to not alert him about my real intentions.

Exiting the store, I took a deep breath, wiping off the sweat from my forehead. The warm afternoon sun shone mercilessly upon the shabby Town, and the sky was a vibrant shade of blue.

I smiled, noting that the summer was already here and, with it, the insistent heat that would seep into everything and everyone.

As I walked through the Ostengard's bustling streets, my mind couldn't help but wander back to the merchant's peculiar behavior. His nervousness, his deflection. There was definitely something more to him than met the eye.

***

A few days had passed from my encounter with the sly merchant, and this whole time, I was busy pondering how to pry the information I needed out of him.

Of course, the simplest solution would be to just bust in there and beat it out of him with force.

But such a crude approach could very easily backfire, and I would also have to get rid of him afterward, together with all potential witnesses; otherwise, I would risk blowing out my cover.

Not to mention, I had no solid proof connecting him with Dominic's gang except for the sole elixir... which he could have easily purchased from one of Ereneth's herbalist stores.

I felt like I was at a dead end, and I realized I needed to employ some more subtle approach to this problem of mine.

Meanwhile, however, I didn't idle and was asking around about him. Well, I mainly questioned Ram, who introduced the sly merchant to me in the first place.

I didn't learn much as it seemed he mostly kept his dealings to himself, but what I found was that he liked to frequent a certain tavern.

This worked perfectly in my favor since I was getting a lot more confident with the sword lately.

My physique had also significantly improved in the mere two weeks of training I underwent, so I could now finish up my lessons early and had more free time and energy to wander the Town in the evenings.

Thus, I decided to adopt the same technique as when I went looking for my guards and did what most beast hunters like to do - go drinking.

My target turned out to be a fairly popular tavern at the corner of the Town's square that was always teeming with locals.

Entering the dimly lit establishment, the scent of ale and roasted meat filled my nostrils, mingling with the chatter and laughter of patrons.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

I made my way to a corner table strategically positioned to eavesdrop on any interesting conversations without drawing too much attention.

Ordering a drink, I leaned back in my chair, feigning disinterest while my ears remained attentive to the conversations around me.

Hopefully, I would be able to pick out something interesting, giving me some clue as to where to look next.

I waited a long time, watching the patrons get increasingly drunk as the night wore on.

Then, finally, I spotted the merchant's familiar figure entering the tavern.

He seemed to effortlessly blend into the crowd, his presence almost unnoticeable if one didn't know what to look for.

My eyes were firmly fixed on him, studying his every move as he amicably chatted with a few regulars at the bar before settling down at a table near the back. But then he simply sat there, content to enjoy his drink in silence.

I was getting impatient, yet I still decided to bide my time observing him from afar to avoid appearing suspicious.

At last, a cloaked figure emerged from the shadows, sitting nonchalantly at his table. I tensed, straining my ears to catch what they were saying, but there was too much noise, rendering my effort useless.

However, they only exchanged a few short words before both of them got up, and while maintaining ample spacing, they left the tavern one after another.

I hurriedly followed after them, keeping to the shadows and observing the rugged duo from a distance, only to see them disappear inside the sly merchant shop.

I furrowed my brows, thinking, 'Should I break in to listen to their conversation?'

If something screamed shady dealings, it was this, yet that could also be said about half of Ostengard's population, so...

'Ah damn it! Why am I acting like a scarred chicken? I'll go in there, and if something happens, I'll deal with it...'

Resolving myself, I approached the locked doors, manipulating the air inside the lock mechanism to move the latch slightly until I heard the satisfying clink, and then quietly slipped inside.

Treading carefully, I moved to the very back, where a tiny sliver of light filtered through another closed door.

With a mischievous smile, I eagerly pressed my ear against the wooden door, straining to catch any snippets of conversation that might reveal the connection between the merchant and Dominic's gang.

The voices inside were hushed, making it difficult to make out their words. Frustration bubbled within me, but I remained patient, determined to uncover the truth.

"...more difficult than we anticipated," the mysterious man murmured.

"What do you mean?" the sly merchant asked, his voice laced with confusion.

"...Our big shipment was lost, and some unforeseen issues popped up along the way as we tried to restore production, but don't worry, we are working on it."

"But what should I tell my clients? They were counting on it!"

"That's not my problem! Just secure the ingredients, and I will ensure you move up the ladder for new deliveries..."

I heard some shuffling inside, so I quickly made my way out of there, not hearing the sly merchant's final reply.

Hiding in the shadow of a nearby building, I pondered about what I had just learned. Their conversation didn't make much sense without proper context, but they certainly mentioned some shipment of ingredients.

Before I could figure out what to think about it, the shady figure emerged from the store, and after making sure there was nobody around, he hurriedly started walking away.

He moved with a quiet grace, his steps barely making a sound on the cobblestone street.

Smiling, I watched him disappear into the night. 'Or I could simply ask that guy...'

***

'Hmm, still nothing...' I looked ahead with furrowed brows.

It was currently late in the evening, and the pale crescent moon that hung low upon the inky black sky was casting a soft glow over the still buildings.

The streets were abandoned and silent as shadows danced across the worn-out facades, adding an eerie touch to the peaceful scene.

I was standing still at a hidden alcove at the corner of a narrow alley, watching an unassuming warehouse on the outskirts of Ostengard, patiently waiting.

Observing this warehouse has become a habit of mine lately, and I have dedicated every free moment of my time to it.

It was right here where the shady-looking character I followed from the store ended up.

In previous days, I managed to spot many suspicious-looking characters going in and out, confirming my inkling that I was on the right track.

Yet, so far, I haven't made my way inside, being aware of the excessive security all around the compound.

Not that they were anything I couldn't handle, but I opted to patiently observe, noting everyone who entered so that I wouldn't miss anyone when I finally made my move.

'Here you are...' I smiled, looking at the shady character as he emerged into the small courtyard and promptly entered the warehouse.

Tonight, everyone I saw around here in the past few days was inside as they were apparently processing some large shipment from the Capital.

'Time to get some answers.' I jumped down from my hiding spot and onto the street below, quickly making my way across.