Caa...
Abruptly, a sharp crow's caw interrupted the two individuals' gaze, and Lynn regretfully averted his gaze, looking towards the source of the sound - a palm-sized, ashen crow stood atop the counter, staring fixedly at him with unblinking eyes.
The proprietor of the Drunkard Tavern was a genuine merchant, exuding a clever and wily aura. Upon hearing the crow's caw, he couldn't help but pause in wiping the wine glass, revealing yellow teeth and warmly greeting him.
"A rare newcomer, welcome to the Drunkard Tavern... Do you need anything, my guest?"
"A bottle of ancient ruan wine, four years aged. If I am not mistaken, it should be seventeen sika copper coins." Lynn strode up to the counter and organized the copper coins in his hand into five, five, and seven on the table.
The Tavern owner scrutinized Lynn, his gaze lingering on the long sword hanging at his waist. His expression remained unchanged. "That was the standard price last year. Now... it is twenty-one copper coins."
Lynn was momentarily taken aback, yet to respond, when the comely female tavern patron beside him smacked her lips and chuckled, "Old York, are you attempting to dupe this newcomer? How come I was unaware that the price of ancient ruan wine here had suddenly increased?"
As she spoke, the female patron looked upon Lynn with interest. The seventeen copper coins per bottle of ancient ruan wine may not be extravagantly expensive, but it was rare for anyone in the Drunkard Tavern to be so generous.
Especially since the man exuded vigilance and mysterious aura. He did not appear to be the type easily taken advantage of...
Old York paid no heed to the woman's efforts to undermine him and chuckled. "Two cargo ships from the harbor capsized this year, and the materials for ancient ruan wine are scarce, so it must be a little more expensive..."
Lynn furrowed his brow and spoke again. "But I only have seventeen sika copper coins"
Upon hearing this, the young female patron's interest in Lynn was halved. It seemed he was simply another poor fool carelessly spending his savings on a good drink.
"In that case, I would suggest you consider a different vintage..." Old York shrugged, "Of course, if you're interested in supplementing your income, I might be able to assist you. Old Lard is currently in need of someone to perform sundry tasks for him. He is known for his munificence and ample means."
'Old Lard?' Lynn raised an eyebrow. During his sojourn in Uer Town to gather intelligence, he had heard this name more than once.
The rumors surrounding the man were not especially favorable...
"Very well, I am in need of gainful employment." After much deliberation, Lynn nodded in assent.
Old York scooped up the copper coins on the table and summoned the Tavern's servant to take over his duties temporarily. He then looked at Lynn and spoke again.
"Come with me. I'll stow the ancient ruan wine you requested in the cellar and then introduce you to him..."
As Lynn trailed Old York out of the tavern, unarmed and vulnerable, the spectators couldn't help but exhibit a malevolent grin.
Everyone in Uer Town knew that Old Lard was infamously untrustworthy, despite being munificent. There were many rumors of individuals who had disappeared after working for him on his vessels, and sometimes even their remains couldn't be located...
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Wealth can purchase existence, but not opulence...
...
As the patrons indulged in schadenfreude, Old York led Lynn through the kitchen and into the storage room filled with flour and barrels, halting in front of a dirty, large barrel.
Click...
Old York applied pressure to the side of the barrel lid with force, and with the sound of rushing wine, the barrel slowly rotated a half turn. The bottom wooden board suddenly popped out, revealing a secret passage half the height of a human.
"Follow this path and the person you want to see is inside!" Old York whispered urgently and handed Lynn a candle-bearing candlestick. "Be cautious and don't cause me any trouble!"
Lynn offered a nod of gratitude, hoisting the oil lamp as he ventured forth into the murky tunnel. The massive wooden barrel behind him rotated back into place, accompanied by the sound of wine gurgling into the barrel once more.
The faint light from outside vanished, enveloping the tunnel in a cloak of absolute darkness. It was uncertain where the tunnel stretched to, and the meek candlestick in Lynn's grip barely cast enough illumination to guide his steps forward. A pungent aroma of cheap wine lingered in the air.
Lynn moved cautiously along the dim passage, his senses heightened as he repeatedly revisited the information about his fellow apprentices.
For years, his mentor Kelu had roamed about, lacking a permanent dwelling and thus unable to keep all of his apprentices by his side. After all, an influx of unfamiliar faces in a city could raise suspicion and compromise their covert identities.
Consequently, Lynn's understanding of these individuals was rather limited, confined to a few fleeting encounters and a basic recognition of their names and appearances.
The only person with whom he had a modicum of familiarity was Aubrey, the sender of a prior letter.
Of course, this familiarity was unreciprocated.
To be exact, Karl, Lynn's original body, harbored a furtive, teenage sentiment towards Aubrey.
In layman's terms, it was a one-sided infatuation.
Aubrey, Kelu's most esteemed apprentice, possessed a prodigious aptitude for magic and stood on the cusp of becoming a formal wizard. She was also the de facto leader of their cohort of apprentices following Kelu's demise.
Alas, this covert, one-sided connection could not be of any assistance.
As Lynn's mind wandered, the narrow, dark tunnel ahead gradually widened, and through the faint candlelight, Lynn was startled to discover that the tunnel led to a verdant forest outside Uer Town.
Though it was the dead of night, the sky was not as black as anticipated. Silver moonbeams filtered through the gaps in the forest canopy, casting a transparent veil over the solid yellow soil beneath. Lynn felt the magic within him becoming increasingly invigorated.
'Is this Monday?'
Peering through the verdant underbrush, Lynn could just discern the dazzling constellations of stars and the massive, luminous full moon in the sky. According to Karl's recollection, this extraordinary astronomical phenomenon only occurs annually and lasts for around three to five days.
However, there is no mention in his memory that moonlight has any effect on magic.
Well, Karl's original body had only been a wizard for half a year...
As Lynn was lost in thought, a sudden, sharp sound shattered the silence, and a flurry of condensed [Magic Missiles] flew out from the dense forest surrounding him, blocking all potential avenues of escape.
'A trap?'
The thought immediately crossed Lynn's mind, and in the next instant, he had already reacted. With a flip of his empty left hand, he cast a handful of gray powder into his palm, the remnants of his spell material - [Ember of Red Fire]!
Lynn launched it with force, and the speckled powders sparkled in illumination as it ignited instantaneously under the influence of magic, forming a blazing wall before him.
However, the hastily used new magic - [Minor Wall of Fire] - was no match for the concerted efforts of multiple apprentice wizards, and the [Magic Missiles] swiftly pierced through the flames.
Luckily, Lynn had achieved his aim, and the heat and high temperature of the wall of fire caused the magical constructs to lose their aim. He ducked slightly and side-stepped to the right, dodging the missiles as they flew past him, striking the tree trunks and yellow soil behind him haphazardly.
As Lynn saw the four figures shrouded in black robes encircle him in a semi-circle, he quietly unsheathed his long sword and unfurled the bag containing phosphorus, readying himself for combat.
Given the pressing circumstances, his stores of phosphorus were limited, but it was clear that this was no time to hold back.
Before Lynn could even act, a frosty voice pre-empted him. "Karl, why have you turned against us?"