The skewer shop next to Plum Mountain was a building as dilapidated as one would guess from the inn next to it. The signboard of the store was creaky and the ‘K’ character from 'Skewer' was missing.

Schwann almost thought I was making a joke, but the interior undeniably belonged to a shop.

In the map that the townsfolk had made, the shop was not marked with a star, which was on most good places, but with a different symbol. I checked the back of the map where the legend had been etched to see that the symbol on top of the Skewer shop was made to ask the farmers to spend some of their money here.

I had also asked the now-awake owner of Plum Mountain who mentioned that the store was run by a pair of orphan siblings. That explained why.

For me, I chose this place since it was in the shadier parts of the city

A gloomy air filled the place as I entered the shop. The bell at the door had no life in its clangs, and the lights from the lamps were exceptionally dim despite it nearing sundown.

There were no customers, just a boy sitting at the counter. His eyes widened when he heard us step in, but he lowered his gaze when he saw us.

“Customers… It’s been a while, please have a seat.”

The boy clumsily walked to the back and poured water in two glasses while I and Schwann sat at the back.

I recognized the boy. I recognized him rather well.

The boy left the glasses on our table and asked what we would have. His eyes didn’t even linger on my hooded companion. If he knew it was a demon he was serving, what would he have felt?

A pang of guilt struck me. Misunderstandings seemed to always be in season, whether they were communicated with words or not.

“He looks familiar,” said Schwann. I pumped my brows and leaned closer.

“You might have seen him,” I said in a whisper, placing my hands on the table. “He is an orphan who lost his brother in the recent missing cases. I heard he always protested outside the Temple of Eos.”

A few weeks had passed since then. He might have given up by now.

“A boy who has no one… Ah?”

I looked down, the make-shift bandages on my hand were bleeding again.

“Acheron. You should go to an alchemist’s and get some potions for that,” Schwann said. “If the wounds turn septic, managing pain won’t be enough.”

Dying from disease… that sounded horrible. I had to agree with Schwann today.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I quietly pushed off from the table and left a bag of money in front of Schwann.

“What’s this for?” He asked.

“I’ll come right back here but if it takes me a while.”

“No, you keep that. I won’t need it,” Schwann said. He had a soft smile on his face like he had heard a funny joke. “If there’s money left over after getting potions, you can pay once you’re back.”

“If you say so. Don’t be suspicious, alright?”

I left the friend behind and stepped out of the restaurant. The sun was on its way down, I had to get this fixed before the patrol knights would linger around.

***

I remembered the map well enough now. Following the third canal toward the lake at the center of Blue, I found myself at an alchemist’s shop.

Disinfectant first, then some potions, and lastly bandaging it with gauze again, real gauze this time instead of the dirty torn clothes I had used. The alchemists recommended I see a priest as soon as I could and left it at that. They weren’t going to go up in someone’s business in a place full of adventurers.

As long as I avoided people associated with royals and people associated with the Septet, I figured I could live without attracting much attention in this world.

The sun was almost down, the sky had been tinted a hue of indigo.

What I should do next, what was my purpose, such thoughts would have plagued me again. But for now, I had something to look forward to with my companion.

If not for Schwann, I would have already left Blue in search of another place to grow stronger, or maybe I would have stupidly picked a fight with the religious orders here.

On my way back, I noticed the number of knights patrolling had already increased, and a lot of people were heading away from the shops. Most of them were closing down earlier than usual. Carefully, I went to a general store that was just about to close and asked the shopkeeper about the situation.

“What? All these people. They said the Saintess of Eos has come to the city.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“They asked us to close early since all of them will be busy near the Temple today. Even in this time, her presence has lightened the mood. Well, what you buying, laddy? I’ll make you the last customer.”

“Uh… I’ll take some food to have on the road.”

“Alright, some jerky then?”

I nodded.

“And some tea leaves. My friend seems to like that.”

Today, the saintess of Eos. The same woman who I had seen in the Crimson Palace was here. My heart pounded in nervousness.

A single glance was going to end me. She would surely recognize me, and so would her knight. Schwann and I had to either leave right now or shove ourselves in the Plum Mountain.

I took my items and turned away in a rush. The shop’s doors closed behind me and I quickly ran back to the hotel first.

It wasn’t worth taking the risk in my eyes, but on the off chance the knights saw us, Schwann and I had to be ready to leave at any moment. The best option was still to stay in the hotel, yet I wasn’t willing to part from my bags.

I ran to the skewer shop next.

The place was just as dim as before. No new customer must have come in, even Plum Mountain’s lobby was empty today. I swung the door open.

The lights that had lit the place had all gone out.

“Schwann, we have to go and hide right now,” I said as I stepped inside. Dark, everything was dark. I couldn’t sense anyone. “Schwann?”

A soft light flickered near the kitchen.

I slowly walked over.

There sat the flask that held the Living Flame… below it was a pool of blood.

The living flame that looked a shade brighter than before was glimmering with satiation.

Right next to it was the body of the young boy… the owner of the shop… the orphan who had lost his brother. The boy’s neck was bitten through, and his stomach had a gaping hole.

—Step.

Schwann stepped out from behind the kitchen. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, blood around his lips.

What…

This… It… I…

“You’re here, Acheron,” Schwann said. “Thanks for the tip, I used the kid since you said no one would look for him.”

Schwann killed him.

Schwann killed that child.

My entire body shuddered.

“Just one more, right friend?”