- VOL 1 – THOSE UNITED BY THE FATE -
Chapter 1: A New Journey! (3/10)
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‘Hahaha!!!’
Shin was sitting at a table and eating his soup. Next to him were two pieces of bread.
‘How did I fool that idiot!’
He was spooning his soup and trying hard not to laugh at the same time. Even though he wanted to forget the situation and calmly observe his surroundings, he couldn't forget that scene.
‘He really believed it and gave two loaves of bread!’
He took deep breaths and tried to calm himself down. After a few minutes, he could only come to his senses.
‘When I saw him like this, I really wanted to help him. If I really knew that girl, I would help Minato-kun.’
As he was thinking this in his mind, he imagined his voice as a girl in the part he called Minato-kun. As soon as he did that, he felt like bursting out into laughter again. This time he couldn't even hold himself back and laughed out loud. The other people at the table looked in his direction for a moment, but they didn't pay much attention to him.
‘Anyway, I've laughed and had fun, now it's time to get serious. Now that I look at it, this city is even more impressive.’
Even though he had been continuously surprised since he had arrived here and found many aspects of the city impressive, he felt the urge to express his feelings again and again. Around this central area, where the dining tables were set up, there were three large buildings. It was these majestic buildings that impressed him this time. They were three stories up from the ground and seemed to be quite large.
‘According to the signs at their entrances, these are all guild buildings. They must be the most important guilds in the city. My father told me that there are many trade guilds here.’
He had finished his meal while examining these buildings with great attention.
‘I think I can get information about the city from these guilds. It would be awkward if I ask questions to people when they are eating. But one of the workers inside the guild can probably answer all my questions.’
While thinking this, he stood up to get up from the table. However, just as he was about to leave the table, the noise of the people increased and attracted his attention, making him sit down once again.
He looked around to see what was happening. After a few minutes, the sound of the crowd started to die slowly. This was because a man had stepped onto the platform in the very center. In a short while, everyone went silent, waiting for him to speak. Shin was also wondering what the man was going to do, so he paid attention to the platform.
''My friends!''
The man suddenly shouted. After the silence, Shin was a little startled by this sudden shout. The man continued to address the whole crowd in a loud voice.
''Today is a very big day for us! Although we were once considered small insects, the war is over! Now it is time for us merchants to rise! Let us take advantage of this time and grow together! Katim is now part of the kingdom! And we are the ones who will lead this city forward!''
''Yaaaaaaa!!!''
As the man finished speaking, the whole crowd started shouting in his direction in support of his words. It was clear from their voices that there was pride and happiness in their hearts. They were all fired up and stood up while raising their fists in the air. Shin unconsciously joined in, even though he didn't understand anything about what was happening.
''Yaaaaaaa!!!''
---
''Ohh?”
Shin was trying to enter the building with the sign above it that said ''Golden Raven Guild''. He had chosen it at random from the three large buildings in the center and was hoping to find someone inside to get information. However, it seemed that the door would not open.
‘Did they close the guild because of the celebration? Maybe I should check the other buildings, it could be something specific about this one being closed.’
With this idea in mind, he went to check the other two buildings, but as he thought, they were all closed.
‘I think they are really closed because of the celebration. Actually, it's a bit surprising that the biggest guilds have stopped working for the whole day. Maybe this celebration is really something special...’
He didn't know what exactly was being celebrated. He thought today's celebration was something ordinary. But it seemed that something rather special was going on.
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‘And the crowd seemed to be really fired up. And then there was that guy who got up on the platform and gave a speech. I think he said something about the war. I wonder what war...’
He was standing in front of the last big building he tried to enter, thinking about the celebration. His thoughts were interrupted by a person who called out to him.
''Young man, do you have some business in the guild? If you are here for something important, I can put you in touch with the higher-ups.''
This voice came from a bearded man who looked to be in his forties, sitting alone on a street near the last guild building Shin had passed by. Although he had short messy hair and an unkempt beard, his facial features were quite sharp. The man had a strange charisma.
Shin was surprised to realize that he was being called, but after studying the man in front of him for a while, he decided that he had no bad intentions.
‘I think he's just trying to be friendly.’
With that thought in mind, he started walking towards the man. This street was strangely empty, unlike the city in celebration. The man sitting alone was a little surprised when Shin started to approach him. Still, he didn't pay much attention and continued to drink beer from the half-filled mug in his hand.
''Hello, my name is Shin. Actually, I didn't have anything important business, but it's true that I wanted to meet with someone in charge. And by someone, I mean any employee, I'm new to the city and I'd like to learn a simple few things.''
As he said this, he slowly pulled out an empty chair and sat down opposite the man. The bearded man at the table was calmly watching this boy. At the same time, his lips curled up and curiosity flickered across his face.
''Hahaha, so you're new in the city. I thought a young man of this age would deliver a letter or something.''
He laughed lightly as he continued to hold the mug in his hand. Then he took another sip of his drink and waited for the boy to ask him a question.
There were a few seconds of silence before Shin opened his mouth. There was a lot of noise around, though, because this was the center of the city. Even though the street they were on was quiet compared to others, the city itself was in a festive mood.
That's why he couldn't adjust to the noise to talk to the man in front of him. Unlike him, the bearded man did not seem to be bothered by the noise. It was as if he didn't care about anything except the boy in front of him and the mug in his hand in this small alley where he was sitting alone.
After a few seconds of silence, Shin opened his mouth, thinking that he could learn something from this man. Contrary to appearances, he thought this man might be quite knowledgeable.
The man in front of him was very calm and had a look on his face that could be described as kind. That's why Shin went and sat at his table, even if he didn't know him.
''Do you have time for a little chat? Actually, the things I want to learn are not very special. I'm sure your knowledge will be enough to enlighten me.''
He said his words in a very direct and serious way. When the man heard these words, the small smile on his face grew a little larger and he approved of the boy in front of him.
''If this uncle of yours won't show you around, who will introduce you to the city? Besides, sitting alone was getting boring. I guess everyone is looking for more excitement today. There's no one left to have a quiet chat with someone like me.''
The man was quite cheerful and behaving in a very different way from what Shin had expected from him in the first place. When he approached this man to ask him something, he was afraid that he would not take him seriously.
He was aware that he was young and that people might judge him based on his age, especially in a city like this. Seeing the man's talkative demeanor, he quickly continued.
''Heh, it's not exactly a quiet place here either. Even though we're on a relatively quiet street, the center of the celebration is right next to us.''
''Hmm, is that so? That doesn't interest me much. I always hang out on this street here. Actually, I didn't even notice the noise, I think my ears are starting to lose their function.''
The two started talking in small conversations. Shin just wanted to get some information and decide where to spend the day. But strangely, sitting next to this man had taken up most of his time. The conversation opened up between them as if they had known each other before and they chatted for close to a couple of hours.
---
''So you came here to make a fresh start. Hahahaha! You don't seem to prefer a good place!''
The man took a sip of his drink while laughing.
''I guess I really came to a bad place, Xilam-san.''
The man across from Shin was named Tong Xilam. The two had talked about many things and got to know each other better. This seemingly unimportant man was a swordsman in the Fierce Lion Guild, one of the big guilds here.
When he sat down at the table, Shin studied Xilam more carefully and noticed the sword at his waist. He was also wearing a uniform-like outfit with a special symbol.
With this, he thought he might be an "adventurer" working in the guilds. But according to Xilam's account, he was not an ordinary employee, but a well-known person in the guild.
It seemed strange to Shin that such a person would just drink alone and do nothing but sit around when there was a big celebration going on. That's why he didn't really believe what he said about himself being famous.
''You must really be famous. It would be strange for someone who drinks so much not to be recognized.''
Shin said in a sarcastic tone. Xilam didn't pay any attention to the sarcasm.
''Joking aside, you really drank a lot Xilam-san. How do you afford so much booze? Someone is always coming to refill the mug.''
Throughout the entire conversation, Xilam had been drinking, and indeed, someone who looked like a waiter kept bringing Xilam new drinks. Shin doubted that this was part of the celebration.
Also, while they had been talking for a couple of hours, the main event of the celebration seemed to have ended. The crowd that seemed to have gathered at the center had slowly dispersed. Even though the staff were still handing out food, strangely there were not many people left. Compared to when he had eaten, there were considerably fewer people sitting at the tables.
''I told you I'm well-known, beer is free for me. They bring it from the guild.''
''Hahaha, if it's free, you should have brought me something. Xilam-san, that was really rude of you.''
Shin stood up, saying this sarcastically. Xilam opened his mouth to retort Shin's joke.
''Hahaha! Come back in a few years, brat. I'd buy you something, but we're not in a bar, so I can't get you anything else. You're unlucky that we met in a place like this.''
As the man continued talking, Shin was getting ready to leave. He didn't have much to get ready for, but he had his sack on his side, which he had left next to his chair, and he was thinking in his mind about the next thing he had to do. He had learned a lot about the city thanks to this middle-aged drunk man. Now he had to focus on his last task for the day: finding an inn to sleep in.
''Xilam-san, nice to meet you, I learned a lot. Thanks for your help.''
Shin said before leaving the table. Xilam replied to him and finished the conversation.
''Nice to meet you too, Shin. You are welcome to drop by our guild if you like. The Fierce Lions have more hunting missions and the adventuring part is the main focus. A young boy like you would be very useful in our guild.''
‘It would certainly be good to earn some money early, but I have to be cautious. Xilam-san seems like a nice guy, but he's a sneaky fox.’
Shin was perhaps overthinking, but it was clear that he wanted to take his adventure in a safe stride. He was all alone, in a land unknown to him, a land he had never been to before, and he did not know this city. Especially not its people...
So he tried to refuse him politely, without losing the man's trust.
''Thank you for your suggestion. I'll definitely consider it after I get used to the city a bit. For now, I don't have much of a problem with money, so I'll check things out before I take a job."
The last thing he did before turning around and heading down another street was to bow to the man who had taught him something and express his gratitude.
''Heh. So be it.”
Those were the last words he heard behind him before he left that street. When Shin left the meeting, the man at the table raised his mug and chugged down all of it. Then he got up from the table. This seemed to be his last drink for now. He slammed his mug down on the table, then gently unsheathed the sword at his waist and looked at its shining blade.
''Since we are alone again, it's enough to drink. Celebrations and holidays are just a show, the real work is never over...''