“Seriously, if we weren’t full of customers, I would punch you right in that thick head of yours, Ed. What the fuck were you thinking? But perhaps that is the problem, isn’t it? To get into a fight right in front of the customers…I swear-”

“Ehi! You’re not being fair, Al. Not fair at all.” As he finished talking, his gaze, full of hate and displeasure, turned towards Nyle and Avron. “It’s their fault. This fucker should know by now that he’s not welcomed in here. Coming here uninvited is one of the worst disrespects he and his people could ever do to us. The-”

“That doesn’t mean you can fight them in front of everybody! All that the customers need to think about, now that traveling is not at its peak, is to order, and order, and order until their pockets are completely empty and dry. And while most of them are sailors who are used, or outright enjoy witnessing a scuffle, others are not.”

“So what?”

“…S-So what? Are you fucking kidding me? You must be. I refuse to believe you’re that dumb.”

“Why? Why is that such a problem?”

“Because…

Nyle sighed and smirked at the same time. There they went again. Every single time those two brothers got into an argument because they didn’t share the same opinion over something, they would keep on bickering for what seemed like an eternity. On the upper side of things, those two had taken them inside the kitchen area, were smoking pots and a sea of ingredients were dotting every single inch available. Those were the orders that clients were most probably waiting just outside. Given the current state of things, it seemed like they were destined to wait some more.

But that clarification aside, Nyle quickly snatched a plate full of something (he didn’t care in the least what was in it) and began eating after taking a wooden spoon from the counter. Alberich, the cook and brother of Edwin, would have killed him right there if he ever saw him committing such a desecrating act inside his personal space. To him, that was like sinning against a God. Fortunately, it seemed that those two weren’t going to stop arguing any time soon.

“…Ugh…” muttered Avron, leaning on the counter nearby. One hand, his left, was resting carefully on the small cut that Edwin had so graciously given him earlier, trying to stop the drops of blood that were coming out of it. “Can’t they stop that? I can already feel a headache coming though…”

Nyle smirked. “That’s what you get for acting like the damned novice you’re. Which, by the way, the hell were you thinking, charging him like that? Seriously…”

“I’m not a novice! I just…didn’t act in the best way. Had I known about his weaknesses, things wouldn’t have gone the way they did.”

“That’s why I said you’re a novice.”

“…What?” asked Avron arching his brows. At least, the one he wasn’t pressing to stop the blood.

“Fighting without a plan, charging right at the enemy, is foolish. Even more so when you don’t know how said enemy is going to react.” Nyle explained as he gulped down some more food. He even offered some to Avron, but he flatly refused. “The way I see it, you can act like that only if you’re damn sure about your abilities. Otherwise, you’re just setting yourself up for a beating.”

“You cannot know that for sure. And it’s not like things are destined to unfold as you’ve envisioned.”

“True enough.” conceded Nyle. “But that’s not the point. The point is-”

The shouting of those two brothers interrupted him. It seemed like none of the two wanted to back down from the argument, even if Nyle could sort of perceive the unrest that was begging to rage outside between the customers. The beer mugs were evidently quickly drying up. And the sailors wanted more of that delicious golden liquid to numb their tired bodies.

Had he been in a different situation, Nyle would have let those two hard-headed idiots keep on arguing, just to see them deal with a group of hardened sailors who wanted nothing more than keep on drinking. He was even tempted to let Edwin receive the further beating he deserved. But it was not like Nyle even wanted to stay in there any second longer than necessary. Having to deal with them was something he didn’t enjoy in the least, after all.

So, after he finished eating, he made them stop in the only way he knew how: by insulting them. “Hey, stupid fuckers!”

A deafening silence fell in the kitchen. Both of them immediately stopped talking, as if they had not spent the last five minutes screaming at each other. It was wonderous what common hatred, or to put it in better terms, visceral dislike, could do in such a short amount of time.

“What the fuck did you just say, you dips-”

Nyle stepped forward before any of the two had the chance to lash out at him. There was just no way he was going to subject himself to another beating just to let them vent out their frustrations. Screw them.

“Now that I have your attention, I need to point out a couple of things. Fi-”

“We don’t care about what you want to say. I still remember the last bullshit your fucking Order subject us to. Do you have any idea how much income have I lost because you guys arrested my brother? Let me tell then: A FUCKING TON! And now you want me to listen to you? Ha! Keep dreaming!”

“You’re free to do as you like, Alderich.” Nyle said honestly. “It’s not like a give a damn. However, I would keep the orders coming if I were you. Those clients of yours seems to be a little bit restle-”

“Shit!!” thundered Al as realization hit him. Anger and disbelief were evident inside his brown eyes. And for a good reason. Even Nyle knew that leaving clients waiting, be it rich or poor, was bad for business. It was just something that happened during the busiest hours, but that was certainly

As he turned around to quickly grab all the orders that had piled up, Al quickly disappeared behind the heavy wooden door that led outside, leaving Ed to deal with Nyle and Avron. A thing that obviously displeased him, judging by the frown that immediately appeared on his face. Not that Nyle was looking forward to talking with the same man he had tried to knock out just mere moments before. If there had been a way to carry out his investigation without talking with either of them, he would have surely found it. Alas, that was just wishful thinking.

Gulping down the tension that he was perceiving, Nyle resumed talking, hoping for the best.

“Anyway, I guess it’s better if I just spit out why we’re here.”

A grunt was the only thing that left Edwin’s mouth.

“Yeah. So, long story short, I need your help.”

“Fuck you.”

Not even a second had passed, and things were already looking outright impossible.

Nyle gritted his teeth, swallowing the sudden impulse that he was feeling to punch him in that hateful face. Damn, how much he wanted to knock him out…

“I’m serious.”

“Yeah, me too. Fuck you.”

“Listen, you don’t get to-” tried to say Avron, who was still resting with his hips against the counter. Even in that battered state he was in, Nyle could clearly see the fighting spirit burning in his eyes, as if that last knockout punch he had taken before didn’t bother him in the least. Well, at the very least he had some guts in him.

Edwin raised his index finger, interrupting him. “No. YOU listen, boy. You don’t get to come inside our house, that we have built alone, without anybody’s help, with just sheer will and endless sacrifices, to demand anything from us. You don’t have the right to. Nobody has it. Not after the way they treated us after we came back from war. Fuck them. Fuck them useless punks. And fuck your Order too. I will-”

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“Listen, you don’t like us. I get it. But guess what? I don’t fucking like you too. Trust me, were it sorely up to me I would have never come back here. But I’ve got obligations to carry out. Cases that need closure. And I will never let you, or any other fucker that comes my way, interfere with any of that. Now, will you help us, or am I just losing time with you? Ans-”

In that exact moment, Al came back, carrying with him so many empty mugs that he seemed to be buried underneath them. A thing that Nyle found sort of entertaining.

“’The fuck you’re smirking at?” asked Al as he slammed those mugs unceremoniously on the counter. “You know what? I don’t even fucking care. Just tell why the fuck you’re here. And do me a favour. Be quick. Me and that dumb asshole right there have a job to attend to.”

Nyle stared at Al as his brother turned around to voice his visceral disbelief. He had never understood how those two could work together if they clearly were on such strained family relations. But then again, it wasn’t his problem to deal with, so he simply ignored that and proceeded to ask what was on his mind.

“As I’ve said to you brother, I need your help.”

“…Why?”

Nyle eyebrows shot up. Truthfully, he had some trouble understanding what he wanted to hear. Was he asking the reason why he need their help? Possible, but not in that case. While Al had always been the more understanding and more likely to think before punching someone in the face, his relationship with the authorities was as strained as the one of his brother Edwin. After a short while, Nyle understood. He wasn’t asking why he needed his help. He was asking why he had come to him, knowing what Nyle knew.

“…You’re the only one who could help us.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

After a quick exchange with Avron, who was now standing still, albeit with some evident difficulties, Nyle continued.

“Recently, there has been a murder. We-”

“Sad. But that doesn’t concern us. So lev-” tried to say Edwin. But Al threw him a quick punch to the guts made him shut up immediately.

“Shut up and let him finish talking.”

“What?! Why the hell should I-”

“Because I said so. Now be quiet. You’ve already done enough damage for the day.”

Edwin’s eyes lit up with pure rage as he stared right at his brother. Even Nyle, who was used to that kind of tense situation, was feeling some of it crawling under his skin. And honestly, he also perceived some fear that it could escalate into full on fight, unlike the verbal assault that those two had occupied themselves moments prior. He sighed out loud, resigning himself. Never, not once, did things go as planned when those two were involved. And he hated them for that.

So it came as a surprise when Nyle saw Edwin storm off like a tornado, muttering something incomprehensible. Here he was, half expecting a full-on fight that would have thrown the kitchen into a dismal chaos; and yet nothing like that had happened. To his knowledge, that was the first, and perhaps even the only time those two had not come to blows. So why-

He stopped. None of that mattered. Their endless fights and bickering were things that absolutely needed to change, but were also out his of sphere of influence. Or maybe he simply didn’t care enough to bother with any of that…

“…For the third time, I need your help in resolving a murder. As far as I know, the victim had come here with some friends to drink some nights ago. Does the name Nyvor Grellyn rings any bells? I don’t think you should have any problem recalling every-”

The laugh that came from Al made him immediately stop. What the hell was that damned man laughing about? Was there anything funny in that grim business? He knew those two were men who had a screw loose (maybe even more than that) but that was something outright disrespectful. But maybe he wasn’t laughing about the victim, or anything related to them. Maybe it was a simple reaction to something he had said.

So now what? How could he discern the truth from the lie? He just couldn’t. The only thing left to do was to breath, wait for a few moments, and decide form there how to act. And that was exactly what he did.

“You folks never cease to amaze me. And not in a good way!” said Al as the laughing dyed down, until it eventually stopped completely. “How the fuck am I supposed to remember a client by his name? Do you have any idea how many people come and go in here? Am I supposed to know every single one of them? Seriously, it’s the same as asking me if I remember every asshole I’ve put in his place. It’s fucking ridiculous! That’s what it is.”

“Hey!” said Nyle, taken aback by that reasoning. “We know for a fact that this client is recent one. And maybe, just maybe, he was one of your regulars. So don’t act like I spat some bullshit, mister know all.”

This time it was Al who looked taken aback. However, he quickly recovered his characteristic demeanour. “Even if he was a regular customer, that wouldn’t have changed anything. We have so many people that visit the tavern regularly that I have lost count. There’s just no fucking way I can remember every single name. Hell, it’s just outright impossible!”

“Maybe you could recognize him if I show you a picture?”

“…Maybe. But don’t get your hopes up.”

“Perfect. Give me a moment.”

“Alright. But be quick. I’ve got no time to waste.”

After rummaging through his pockets for a quick while, Nyle took out a small piece of parchment that had been folded in four. It was a small thing, no bigger than the other piece of parchment he was carrying inside the back pocket of his trousers.

Confusion suddenly hit him. Was it the parchment that the station artist had just finished drawing, the one on which the victim's face had been painted, or was it the one on which Nyle had jotted down all the information in his possession? He frowned. Till that point, he had always regarded noting down things on a small agenda as ridiculous. Theye were, for the most part, bulky and uncomfortable to be carried around.

But maybe the time for change had finally came. After all, the moment he opened that parchment, which was luckily the one he was looking for, the portrait looked deformed with all the creases that were on it.

Dammit.

“Does this ring any bells?” asked Nyle, giving Al the parchment. A grimace, perhaps caused by the condition of it, was painted on his face.

“…How the hell am I supposed to understand who the hell is he from this? Look! What the fuck is this?!”

“I know. But I’m sure you can still recognize the person depicted there.”

“Oh yeah? And how the hell can you be so sure? Are you a fucking seer?”

Nyle calmly took a step forward. “I’m sure because I know you, Al. Between you and that bastard of your brother, which I’m sure he’s fuming right now, whenever he is, you’re the one who has always had a bright mind. Well, maybe you’re not exactly calm and collected, but you get the gist of it. So don’t lie, alright? I just know you’re smart.”

“Did you just call me-”

“I did not call you anything. I just want answers.”

“You son of…”

“C’mon, Al. Help us. Do it for him, if you don’t want to do it for me.”

At that point, it almost seemed like he was begging him to cooperate; which, of course, was absolutely ridiculous. It was his right to ask questions out of anyone he thought might be useful to the investigation. He shouldn’t have to beg for it…But he also guessed that the end result was more important than anything else.

“Ahhh! Fuck it!” Al exclaimed displeased. “Yes. I sort of remember him.”

“Good!” said Nyle, trying to act as calm as he could. Finally they were getting somewhere. “What can you tell me.”

“To begin with, I can tell you that he is not one of my regulars. Yes, his group did come over a few times, but it was not more than a dozen visits throughout the whole year. Also, they have never caused any trouble, so they didn’t stick out from the crowd. Quiet folks, I say.”

Nyle, while taking mental notes, kept going. “What about the last visit? Did something out of the ordinary happen or-”

“No. Nothing like that. They ordered their usual snacks, had their drinks, and when everything was over and done, they paid and went their way.”

“Are you sure-”

“Of course I’m fucking sure! Who do you take me for?”

If that was the case, Nyle could cross out the possibility of the victim dying as a consequence of an altercation that had grown out of control. But, if that was the case, how in the hell did he die? Had someone that had dined in that tavern followed after them? He didn’t know. Failing to come up with an answer, he just asked Al.

“How the hell should I know if someone followed them? Once someone pays, they no longer pose a concern to me.”

“That much I know. But that’s not what I’m asking.”

“Than what the hell do you want to know? Speak clearly!”

“I’m asking you if someone, anyone of your clientele, had left in a time that might have seemed suspicious to you.”

“…No.”

“…Are you sure? Please, try to-”

“Again?! Of course I’m sure.”

Nyle sighed. He was getting frustrated. After all the trouble he went through- no- They went through just to speak with him, Al didn’t have any useful information. They had just lost precious time. That’s what he deserved for believing they could have helped him…

Resigned to what was the crushing reality, he walked towards the exit, mumbling some thanks along the way. Exactly the moment he was reaching the door frame, a strong hand grabbed him and stopped him from moving another step.

“Stop.” said Al.

“…Why?” asked Nyle through gritted teeth. “As far as I know, you don’t have any-”

“I don’t. But there might be someone who might be able to help you.”

Seeing that he was remaining dead silent, Al kept talking. “There is a guy I know; one of the regulars. He’s good guy; he’s just a little but touched in the head, but that’s beside the point.”

“Is there even- damn, my head is still spinning- a point?” suddenly asked Avron.

It seemed that finally the rookie had gained back his ability to cooperate. Till then, it had been only Nyle who had done the talking. And with the way he was now feeling, he sure a welcomed addition.

“…Listen, smart ass, I’m doing you a favour here. So, if you’re not interested, you can all crawl back to that fucking Ministry of yours.”

“Hey! You-”

“Keep talking.” interrupted Nyle.

“…As I was saying, there’s this guy I know. Maybe I can help you out. But he’s not here today, so you have to come back. Tell you what. Come tomorrow evening, right after I’ve set up shop. I’ll make sure he’s there.”

Nyle wasn’t sure if he could put his trust into Al. It was not like they shared anything more than precarious truce. But if there was something he was sure about, was his moral code. If Al proposed something, he was sure he was going to carry it out, no matter the price.

Maybe it wasn’t all wasted time, after all.