The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 111

There wasn’t any particular reason for leaving the magic sword with Edmil. It was simply because they still needed a weapon to protect themselves, and I thought I could just retrieve it later.

After all, even if I kept it, I wasn’t any good at wielding it. And considering that it was just an ordinary sword in the hands of anyone other than me, I decided it would be better utilized in a more meaningful way than just leaving it unused.

…But if I had known that Semeion would suddenly disappear, I might have reconsidered that decision.

‘I have no way to contact Markatis.’

After staring at the completely broken communication orb for a moment, I put it back into my backpack. There was no point in dwelling on what had already happened. Instead, I chose to focus on what I could do now. Waiting for the situation to resolve itself was an option, but time was running short.

—Six o’clock in the morning. It’s the workers’ arrival time. That’s the only time the mansion opens.

The time the Crown Prince had informed me of was rapidly approaching. Missing this opportunity would mean waiting an entire day, which I wanted to avoid.

In a sparsely populated area like this, outsiders stood out too much. The longer I stayed, the higher the risk of rumors spreading about me.

Ding—

The bell chimed as I entered, and the shop owner, who was in the middle of cleaning, glanced up.

“We’ve closed for the early morning, sir. Come back in the evening.”

“The lights are still on. Can’t I get a drink?”

The owner, who had been looking disinterested, gave me another curious look.

“You seem too early for a drink. Well, do you have a preference?”

“I’m not sure if you have it here. I’d like ‘Tears of the Sun.’”

The hand wiping the dish with a dry cloth came to a complete stop. With a low sigh, the shop owner stood up and grinned.

“How did you know that’s the strongest drink we’ve got here?”

“Is that so? I guess I’m lucky.”

“Come on in. Since fate brought you here, I’ll sell you a glass.”

I walked closer and took a seat on the chair he offered. Meanwhile, the shop owner filled a glass to the brim from a wooden barrel and handed it to me abruptly.

“But we require payment upfront. This one glass costs a silver coin. Will that be alright with you?”

“That’s quite expensive for a drink.”

“You came after our designated hours. Naturally, there’s an extra charge for that.”

He wasn’t wrong, so I gave a small laugh and nodded. Handing over the silver coin with the prepared note, his expression briefly turned peculiar before becoming cheerful again.

“Since you’re willing to pay such an exorbitant price without a fuss, you must really be craving a drink. I’d feel bad not providing some accompaniment. Hang tight, I’ll get you some snacks to go with it.”

The man disappeared toward the kitchen and returned a little later with a plate of well-cooked sausages and cheese.

“Enjoy yourself. I need to finish tidying up the place.”

“Thank you, no need to worry about me. I’ll eat and leave quietly.”

I concealed the note hidden under the plate in my hand, and the shop owner grinned once more. Initially, I considered leaving immediately since the transaction was complete, but I didn’t want to ignore his gesture of goodwill. I picked a few pieces of the food, and when I sipped the drink to quench my thirst, I froze in surprise.

‘It’s just plain water.’

He must have been mindful of my youthful appearance. I appreciated the thought, as genuinely drinking the strong liquor would have been tough. Of course, the already overpriced drink had just become even more so.

After quickly finishing the drink, I left the shop without making a fuss. The owner continued his work, not paying me any mind as I exited. Once I’d put some distance between us, I unfolded the note I had kept hidden in my hand.

[Meeting Location: Left of the Central Square. The house with the pine tree.

Instructions: Find the manager ‘Turner’. A hometown friend.

Name: Lian

Age: 17

Arrived in the capital yesterday from the Namryeong.

Parents are poor farmers. Eldest of five siblings.]

“…”

For something prepared in a hurry, the details were quite thorough. It was likely one of the pre-made setups for such occasions.

‘Will they really believe I’m seventeen?’

If not, I could always claim to look older than my age. After organizing my thoughts, I tore the note into tiny pieces to erase all traces.

Finding the specified location wasn’t difficult. When I arrived, several people who looked like workers had already gathered. It seemed they met at the same time every day before heading off to work. One man, who had been yawning lazily, noticed me and scrambled to attention.

“Oh, uh, who are you? Who should I say you’re here to see?”

“Ah, I’m…”

“Ah, Lian! Is that you, Lian?”

At that moment, a man emerging from the building recognized me and shouted. Though it was our first meeting, I could guess who he was. I smiled back at his welcoming face.

“Long time no see, Turner.”

“Wow, how long has it been? You’ve grown a lot! You still look just like you did when you were younger, or I might not have recognized you!”

His friendly tone and demeanor made it clear to everyone that we were acquaintances. The others, who had been tense, visibly relaxed.

“So, he’s a friend of the manager?”

“Yes, yes. I mentioned an old friend from my hometown, right? He came to the capital looking for work, so I told him to come to me.”

“I see. I thought you were a noble.”

It seems like my long years at the palace are showing. Maybe I should have relaxed a bit more. I swallowed the awkward feeling and, before I could compose myself, Turner casually slung an arm around my neck and started chatting with an easygoing grin.

“Right? I was just as surprised! You were always handsome even as a kid, but you’ve grown up even better than I expected. I bet the noblewomen will be fawning over you, huh? Don’t forget about me when you make it big, okay?”

His flippant praise caused the group to chuckle. It wasn’t the funniest thing, but the situation seemed to pass without incident. Just then, Turner gave me a subtle wink. I sent a silent signal back, and with a grin, he clapped his hands to gather everyone’s attention.

“All right, everyone’s here? Let’s get moving~!”

The Empire’s surveillance of the Magic Tower is nothing new. The Emperor had been eyeing this suspicious mansion for a long time. Efforts were made to exploit every loophole to extract internal information and plant people within the mansion. The manager ‘Turner’ was one of those loopholes.

“Lian, you’ll be in charge of cleaning one section. Since it’s your first day, I’ll show you the way.”

He handed me a broom and mop with practiced ease, appearing as a perfectly ordinary manager. As we moved, the surroundings grew quieter. Finally, in a secluded area, Turner stopped. His face shifted from affable to the serious expression of an operative.

“If you follow this path to the left, you’ll find a door that leads to the basement. It’s the only restricted area in this villa, and no one has been able to figure out what’s inside.”

His completely altered tone made it hard to believe he was the same person. This was the bearing of a properly trained Security Department agent. I understood why field agents often looked down on administrative staff, though I didn’t want to admit it. Inwardly impressed, I kept it to myself.

“Do people enter the area often?”

“Mages from the Magic Tower frequently visit. Recently, even the First Imperial Prince’s entourage was seen entering.”

“So, it’s just as I suspected.”

That would have been when they brought Dewey. The likelihood of the Clonnes being here had increased.

“There are no guards in this vicinity, but there will be some in the basement. Regrettably, this is as far as I can assist you.”

“Thank you. You’ve done well.”

“I’m just fulfilling my duty. I hope you achieve good results. Glory to the future of the Empire.”

“Glory to the future of the Empire.”

With the Security Department’s formal greeting, Turner turned back. He would disappear now, regardless of my success or failure, to avoid exposure. The Crown Prince was risking the loss of a long-cultivated spy to assist me.

‘I owe him a great debt.’

Unwillingly, connections kept forming. I let out a quiet sigh and, holding my cleaning tools, slowly set off down the path.

The basement door Turner mentioned appeared sooner than expected. As I approached, my heart pounded unusually hard. I wondered if it was just nerves but sensed it was something different. It felt like a special interaction with a unique energy that defied logical explanation.

“…”

It was as if a loud signal was ringing in my mind. My senses were sharply awakened. An inexplicable, strong certainty gripped me.

‘I’ve found it.’

Others like me are right here.