Franklin, 20 Years Old, Eighth Month of 949

Zesten, as it turned out, was quite lively. Despite what I had seen the previous evening, Hugo’s words about the disappearances, and the impending visit from the Drakan Queen, there was still a great deal of traffic passing through the gates.

I must not have seen anyone because, at that time, the wind was killer.

Reaching a hand up to rub the sleep from my eyes, I recalled the night prior. Essentially as soon as the sun had set, I discovered Hugo had not been kidding when he described how bad the wind would be. If not for the recessed ground of the camp, there was no doubt in my mind that we were at risk of being blown away. My life had been relatively unaffected as far as extreme weather events were concerned, so I couldn’t sleep much. Then, we had been marching from dawn, hoping to reach the gates without having to spend the night outside again.

Along the way, we met several other caravans and travelers coming out of recesses along the road. Evidently, it was standard practice to use one overnight in this area.

If Leana hadn’t called out to me, I probably would have died once that wind picked up.

Now though, it was almost our time to enter the city. From there, my deal with Hugo would be completed, and I would be on my own. He had offered me a more permanent contract and had been hinting at it rather excessively as we traveled, but so far, I had just smiled or given a noncommittal answer.

While it would be a good idea and something to keep in mind as an option, I can’t depend on him… So I want to spend at least a little bit of time on my own.

Most likely, I would be taking him up on the offer, but only after I had shopped around a bit. Better to seem like a clueless weirdo to people I would never see again than to my boss.

“Franklin, if any of the guards question you, pretend you do not understand them; I will tell them you are from Riodhas.” Hugo’s repeated warning came just a few moments before a guard approached us.

“Hugo! Good to see your company again!”

Looking at him, he’s probably not even eighteen, and he still knows Hugo. So, either my patron is famous, or he comes here often.

“Of course, someone has to make the trip after all!” Hugo shot the boy a grin and tossed him a coin, “Any news?”

Smiling back, the guard boy nodded, “Aye, that Queen is coming up to the border now, but it looks like she’s slowed her pace not to arrive early.”

Appearing thoughtful, Hugo stroked his chin, “I see. What about the other incidents?”

The boy’s smile vanished, and he narrowed his eyes, “Look around for yourself; people are scared.”

Taking his advice, I let my eyes wander around the others not from our party. As far as I could tell, everything was normal. A pair of travelers not from a caravan was in the process of being interviewed by another guard. The Caravan behind us was approached by another guard who had just finished with the one ahead of us. A few guards were idling around, keeping an eye over everything, and it felt more or less like visiting the TSA at an airport. Nobody was happy, but nobody really seemed that scared either.

“There’s no city folk. Only guards, and how many other women do you see? Also, you would benefit by learning to hide your thoughts. Another merchant than my father would easily take advantage of you.” Leana stuck her head out of the wagon and whispered to me.

Did I really make it that easy to see what I was thinking? She’s right; I need to work on that.

Still, once she told me what to look for, it was pretty clear that there was a degree of tension in the air. There weren’t any women visible or any other girls like Leana. And everyone else, except for the guards, were travelers or caravan members. Of course, everyone was armed as well, and though that was likely standard for this world, the way everyone fiddled with their weapons from time to time probably was not.

Taking care to mask my thoughts, I whispered back, “And what about the disappearances? Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to ask much while we were traveling.”

She muttered something I didn’t catch, but it sounded like, “And don’t make it obvious that you’re hiding something either.” Then, she answered my question, “People have been disappearing for a while. Men, woman, children, there doesn’t really seem to be a pattern, and despite turning to the adventurer’s guild, there hasn’t been any progress tracking down the culprit.”

Adventurer’s Guild? I’ll look into that... But I wonder if that’s why I was dropped here. Like that goddess decided to put me in this place so I would encounter the flag… It makes sense; Hugo and Leana were in the perfect place to help me get into the city...

Solving the disappearances would be an excellent way of announcing myself as a hero, and by getting some deeds to my name, I could potentially get the other heroes to come and seek me out. It would be nice if they did, instead of me having to spend all that time looking for them.

Hell, if I get famous as a hero, George and Claire might even hear my name and decide to look into it. Assuming they have the means to do so. Yea, this sounds like a plan. Granted, it’s probably precisely what the goddess wants me to do, but as long as it serves our interests, that’s fine.

Leana looked at me, “Looks like you’re planning something. Going to go after the kidnapper?”

“What makes you say it’s a kidnapper? It could be a good old-fashioned murderer.”

She shrugged, “Nothing much; I don’t think this many people would be dying without any sign of it.”

That was a good point; murder was pretty messy, even in my world with all of the advanced technology and sciences. Counterpoint: keeping people hostage was also a task, and this world’s seeming lack of advanced technology could have caused the lack of evidence. Not a case of no evidence, just that no evidence was found.

Really, without being able to look at any of the sites of the disappearances myself, I won’t know which is which… And I’m an outsider. Hugo might get me into the city, but I won’t be able to ask around about that. Not without making people think I might be the one responsible.

“Shh, it looks like they’re letting us in.” Leana harumphed when I shushed her, but this wasn’t a conversation I wanted the guards to overhear.

In the end, the guards did not question me. Either Hugo was just that trusted, or the tiny coin purse he passed over was. Regardless, I was to be let in. Walking through the gates and into Zensten was like walking into another world… again. The inclement night weather aside, I at least had a frame of reference for the vast open plains the city was set on. Unfortunately, I had no experience with the medieval city that now stretched before me.

It looked like something one might expect to see in an artist’s work or a Hollywood movie; white walls with brown or black crosses and supports, thatched roofs, and the clatter of horse hooves on narrow cobbled streets. But, contrary to my initial expectations, it did not smell foul. Whether or not the lack of odor was due to the presence of plumbing or some other mechanism, I could not tell. Regardless, I was grateful for it.

The second thing I noticed was the type of people out and about; unlike the road leading to the gate, there were citizens. Like the road, however, there were few women and children. Those that were present moved quickly with their heads down. Even the men, who were still behaving seemingly normally, appeared ill at ease. It was much easier to tell that there was a blanket of fear smothering everyone.

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…And where do I even go?

It hit me suddenly; I was a stranger in a strange land. If I were to separate from Hugo now, I would be lost entirely. To say nothing of what I already owed him, if I kept mooching, it would definitely end up with me entering his employ more permanently. That was something I wanted to avoid.

“Franklin, I believe this is where we part ways.”

Speak of the devil…

Hugo addressed me with a grin, “Don’t worry about the bribe; that money was your pay for the day’s escort. Now, I will be staying at an Inn in the merchant’s quarter. Should you wish to discuss my offer, you may ask for me at the Merchant’s Guild Office. As for you, I have already promised not to pry, but you would probably be best served to keep a low profile… As cliché as it is, I recommend you seek temporary work with the Adventurer’s Guild. Leana, say your goodbyes.”

Leana shrugged and performed a curtsy, “I’ll see you later; good luck finding the villain!”

With that said, she ducked back into the wagon, and before long, the convoy departed. Now alone on the side of the road in a city I had no experience with, I very nearly followed after them on impulse. But, my sense of reason stilled my feet; if I went now, it would effectively amount to giving Hugo precisely what he wanted. Sure, he had been amicable to me, but he was a merchant at the end of the day. Merchants were classically only in things for their own benefit; even if that were not the case here, it could only help me be cautious.

Still, his last advice was sound; find the adventurer’s guild. That had already been my plan, but the question remained; how and where to look? Simply asking was out of the question. Wandering around, hoping to get lucky, was also right out.

Sod it. I’ve always done best when I take my time and plan things out; I’ve been flying by the seat of my pants since first arriving. So I’m going to find a quiet place to sit and think.

A quick look around revealed a small alleyway between two buildings, and I began moving in that direction, keeping Leana’s words in mind and making sure to try and appear as normal as possible. A feat which was accomplished by paying no attention to her advice; I had no experience in that area, so any amateurish efforts on my part would make me appear more conspicuous than an outsider did.

Following that, there was the uncanny idea of how well everything was going. I had thought of it before but always put it off –it seemed that my actions were working out no matter what I did. It was unnatural and made me worry that something was guiding me, or at the very least, that I was being driven toward a specific outcome.

“…last place?”

“Yea, after… she … come out.”

I froze. Two voices ahead of me, one masculine and one feminine were discussing something. Unfortunately, the distant drawl of the city, combined with the distance still between us, made it quite difficult to hear exactly what was being said.

But why in an alley? Probably up to no good, I should keep my distance.

Having said that, I was still moving toward them, partially out of curiosity and necessity. On the one hand, if these were two individuals up to no good, I could manage something. According to Leana and Hugo, I was relatively strong. But if the two speakers were law-abiding, then eavesdropping could garner something worthwhile. That was my hope, at least, even if it was foolish.

Drawing closer, I could finally clearly pick up what was being said.

“Then, after that… It was like she had just disappeared. I tried to find her, but it was dark and cold. I’ve got [Fear Resistance], but even still, something just wasn’t right.”

It was the male voice speaking, and if what I was hearing was accurate, this alley was the site of a recent disappearance.

This is precisely what I meant when I said things were working out for me no matter what!

“Then, you didn’t find any traces of her?” The female voice asked.

“None. Sorry, Taya.”

“Don’t worry about it; the last time somebody stuck around, he wound up being taken. You did enough just telling me.”

My breath caught in my throat; this Taya chick was probably related to the victim. And here I was, a completely unknown outsider, eavesdropping on their conversation.

Yea, I should leave. There’s no way it goes well if they discover me.

“What are you going to do now?”

“I’ll head back to the guild and make another listing… it’s about all I can do.”

I froze. By the sounds of it, the woman was a member of the illusive adventurer’s guild. On the one hand, that probably wasn’t so uncommon. But, on the other hand, everything that had been happening to me so far seemed highly suspect.

Am I, am I meant to follow her?

I took a deep breath, then moved closer. Until I was just around the corner, pressed against the wall to listen for when Taya moved.

This is undoubtedly the stupidest decision I have ever made.

Indeed, if I were caught now, there would be nothing to say for myself. Yet, everything had worked out so far, so I was sure this would as well. A scant few moments later, it sounded like they were leaving. After waiting a few moments, I peeked around the corner to check. Seeing that they were indeed gone, I hurried around the corner and began following the path the only way it went.

I need to catch up just enough to see what she looks like; otherwise, I won’t be able to tail her once she leaves the alley.

As it turned out, that last worry was over a non-issue; when I caught sight of the woman ducking into the street, it was obvious who she was. She was a bit taller than many of the men and clothed in what looked to be armor of some type. A pair of short-bladed swords hung from her waist, and a bow was slung across her back. Completing the ensemble, a bandolier holding several knives was strapped over her chest. She looked incredibly dangerous and stood out to an impressive degree.

Then, she turned around and glared at me. Before I could think to run, I felt something sharp poking my back.

“There now, no sudden movements, ya get me?” A familiar masculine voice stated matter-of-factly, “We’re going to back up now; Taya will catch you if you try and run, so don’t. We just want to ask you a few questions.”

A glance around showed that, while people were clearly aware of what was happening, it was being surreptitiously ignored. With no real choice, I raised my hands slightly and began to walk backward. Internally, I was sweating bullets and kicking myself.

There’s no way I would be near stealthy enough to get away with that. So, of course, they would have made me. Probably, right from the very beginning.

Before long, we were right back where Taya and the man had been just a minute ago. The woman in question soon joined him and me, looking decidedly unamused.

"Well, let’s start with your name, where you’re from, and why you were eavesdropping; and don’t try and say you’re from around here; I know all the local adventurers, and you aren’t one of them.”

Well, at least I’m not being blamed for the disappearances right off the bat; that’s something at least…

“Ah, well, my name is Franklin. As for where I’m from… that’s a long story. I just got into town earlier today with Hugo, the merchant. I was wandering around trying to find the adventurer’s guild when I saw you and thought I might be able to ask… Then I overheard your conversation… Well, as embarrassing as it is, I got cold feet. See, being an outsider, I worried I might… somehow get blamed.”

The stream of bullshit and half-truths flowing out of my mouth was a complete surprise; I hadn’t ever been very good at lying. Yet, even if it was a bit of a stretch, my farce sounded potentially believable. At least to my ears. To Taya’s ears as well, if the way she fell silent and began to mull things over was anything to go by.

“…Hugo, you said? Dylan, was Hugo going to arrive today?”

The man, Dylan, apparently, shut his eyes in thought, “Yea… Hugo was supposed to arrive this morning.”

Taya nodded slowly, “I see. Well, you’re clearly an idiot, but not a harmful one… Despite clearly having some skill….” She paused and looked me over, “At least C Rank… Say, you wouldn’t happen to be available right now? Assuming you’re working freelance for Hugo….”

Dylan looked at her, surprised, “Taya, you’re not thinking of trying to snipe him from Hugo, are you? You know how merchants get, even if they like you.”

Taya scowled, “Well, there aren’t many genuinely skilled adventurers in this blasted city, and I’ve got to find Milli before that….” But, then, she suddenly caught herself, “I’ve got to find her soon. You know that, Dylan.”

Tentatively, I raised my hand, “Uhm, I’m not contracted with Hugo. We met on the road….”

Idiot, why am I telling them that?

Still, something kept my mouth moving, “Actually, I’m not an adventurer either… But, like I said, my life is a long story.”

Dylan met my sheepish grin with a look of incredulity, “Damn, Taya, you were right. He is an idiot. Franklin, why would you tell us any of that?”

Well, what’s done is done.

“Well, if you brought me to the guild, you’d find out anyway; it’s best to be upfront about it. Especially since it seems like we’ll be working together, I was already planning to look into the disappearances before running into the two of you.”

Taya grinned, “Well, at least you’re honest. Come on, Dylan, don’t be such an ogre. He might be a bit naïve, but having an extra set of hands won’t hurt.”

“Aye, that it won’t. Though, I’m a bit curious as to why an outsider cares a lick about the disappearances when the local guard won’t do a thing. First thing’s first, gotta get you registered, Franklin. My word won’t mean much, but if you ask nicely, Taya might sponsor you.”

With the somewhat nonstandard introductions out of the way, the two began to show me the way to the adventurer’s guild. Once again, everything seemed to work out in my favor.