Strolling through the bustling city, I make sure to try to stay away from the more crowded areas as I do so. My arm has more or less healed from that barghest, but I'm making sure not to exert it too much for the time being. Compared to Joost, the previous city I was in, this place is probably around thrice the size of Joost. Also unlike Joost, this place is actually properly paved, with cobbled roads and everything.
Must be nice being so rich…
Ptui!
I spit on the ground out of spite. And mimicking me, Lazari does the same thing. Shite.
Lazari is still a young girl, in the learning and growing phase. So it means that I have to do things carefully around her so she doesn't get any bad habits, but the fact is.
I'm a terrible influence. I can't even try to deny it.
After asking Lacer for a set of clothes for Lazari, they apparently had some hand me downs that fit her. And it was also a dark set of robes.
Again, I was not going to question why they had child sized clothes.
Anyway, the city is called Sharne and it's a medium scaled city known for being near a couple of forests which contain plenty of magical beasts, rare herbs and other stuff like that. So it's expected that quite a good portion of the populace are mercenaries or adventurers, seeking out glory or profit.
Quite a normal old city in the grand scheme of things.
Purchasing some bread, I'm just glad to have some real food for once. It's just some hard rye but it didn't taste that bad.
Mhm, I might get some more later.
"So, anything you wanna do?"
I ask Lazari. Although she's a country girl I recently picked up, it's good for her to want to do things, have her own say in life. After all, being the terrible parental figure I am, it would be extremely detrimental if my habits rubbed off on her.
"No,"
Surely there's something she wants.
"Nothing,"
Oh, oh no. I've never heard of someone who wants nothing. That can't be good, most certainly not. But I calm myself.
After all, she's a demon.
Demons are weird.
They don't function like we do.
So in conclusion, it's best not to think too deeply about them.
Yup, indeed, flawless deduction if I say so myself.
After getting a breather outside, I make my way back toward the inn.
Though as I'm about to knock on the door, I remember that rhythm that Laffer did. Deciding to try and mimic it, I fail miserably.
But the door still opens.
"Aye, Jeff, you do not need to do the door knock thing," Lacer again opens the door.
Hmm, I still don't trust these guys, but from what I could see so far, they were rather hospitable, especially this blond haired guy.
"So you're new here?" he beams, "Hah! Guess I'm no longer the new guy here, you'll be my junior then,"
"Nah, you're still the new guy, Jeffrey's a maniac," Laffer echoes from across the hall.
Rude. What makes you say that?
Nonetheless, turning my attention back to…?
"Oh, I'm Tomakin, if you need anything lemme know and I'll help you out," He gives a smile.
Hmm, he seems like a rather friendly guy. I might get along with him.
And since he's offering help and seems like a good role model I might as well take him up on his offer.
"Yeah, can you look after her?"
"What?" He says visibly confused.
What was this guy expecting me to ask him? I'm not an unreasonable person, this is just a normal request. Perhaps I need to bit more specific.
"I'd like you to teach her common sense and stuff,"
"Oh, I understand, I'll try. I mean we already have another girl around her age here, so maybe they'll get along,"
I'm about to question why they had a little girl here, but I stop myself.
Despite being a major hypocrite myself, I loathe hypocrites.
Yes, I'm aware, very hypocritical of myself.
Though another problem poses itself.
"Yesn't,"
"What?"
Hm, it seemed Lazari didn't want to part with me.
I pat her head, "It's alright, if he does naughty things to you, I'll make sure he regrets his pitiful existence,"
"H-hey man, that's some scary stuff you're mumbling about," Tomakin's smile twitches as he seems to get a bit nervous.
What the hell?
"I thought you were a cultist?"
So what's with this wimpy behaviour or could it be…
He doesn't conform to the stereotypes? He's an individual?
No way.
Nonetheless, dumping the job of babysitting on this poor fellow I kind of just sit around. The inn isn't really that large, it has a second storey but it's mainly just empty rooms up there, though there's also a basement, which I am not keen on investigating.
I'm not sure what to do, but considering that I know next to nothing about dark arts cults besides the usual, spooky scary bad guy trope, I should start with information gathering.
"So what's your doctrine?"
"Doctrine? Uhm, hm, I'm actually not too sure about it," Laffer hems and haws "but if I had to say, it's something like 'we don't like the gods, so let's revive some stuff and make chaos!' though I'm not too sure about that,"
Bravo. A wonderful credo to abide by. Let's revive some stuff and make chaos.
Mhm, definitely something I can get behind. A very cult like dogma if I had to say, they fit within the stereotypes perfectly.
"Ay man, don't gimme that look, we're just out here trying to live, if anything, Lacer prolly knows 'bout our mission,"
Oh, perhaps this is like their version of classified information.
I bring up the same question to Lacer,
"It is big secret comrade, but know that the gods are enemies. If anyone worship them, they are enemy, and if they serve the gods... kill them," His eyes turn sharp as he finishes his sentence.
Hm, so I learned basically nothing. It's already a well known, established fact that the religions that worship the gods are bitter enemies with the dark arts cult.
Though, I couldn't help but think that their doctrine would have some relation to their name, yknow? Like why are they called dark arts cultists when they have barely any relation to the dark arts.
"Oho, so you want to learn dark arts already?"
Frankly, I'd rather not, but I feel like I'd piss him off if I said yesn't right now.
And I've heard that in the empire you do not say no when asked, only yes.