—Clara's perspective.
Clara listened attentively to Asher and Alicia's talk.
But as they finished speaking, the man from before interrupted them. Clara looked at him carefully for a few seconds until he frowned.
Clara looked at the man who was talking to Alicia; of course, Clara avoided listening to the man's conversation since she didn't care.
Then the man introduced himself. At that moment Clara listened openly.
"My name is Sebastian."
Sebastian's name to Clara became a little familiar.
Then she remembered it.
"He... is a murderer and kidnapper of women."
Clara was right. A long time ago, Clara had heard rumors about a man named Sebastian who used to kill people he didn't like, kidnapped women to exchange them for money and did everything at any cost without any fear of being found out.
But Clara knew why this man was still at large.
"Everyone is afraid of him."
Rumor had it that Sebastian killed anyone who dared accuse him of murder and kidnapping. Clara knew exactly who he was, but she had never seen him in person. Now he was right in front of her eyes, talking to Alicia and Asher.
Frowning, Clara looked at Dik.
Dik looked at her for a few seconds. Then, Clara making a few motions with her eyes, Dik understood instantly.
"He must be ready." If it was the Sebastian she knew from rumors, then she had to be alert.
In either case, she could have bloodstains all over the inn tonight.
"I'm close to the fourth circle, if he were stronger I could kill him."
Clara thought for a moment. Clara is colder now; she doesn't mind killing anyone who is a murderer, suspect or only knows something from rumors. If Sebastian is really the one in the rumors, then Clara should kill him, but according to those rumors Sebastian is very strong. He is not someone she should mess with just like that.
She must not be reckless. Being so close to the fourth circle, Clara cannot be sure to beat Sebastian, but he is not armed at the moment. Still, she must not be reckless so easily.
"Well then, it looks like they're fine." Sebastian spoke very calmly.
"Goodbye, sir." Alicia, knowing nothing, spoke kindly.
"Did she really not realize what that fellow was up to?" thought Clara.
Clara had known from the beginning that Sebastian was not approaching them in a good way. He seemed to be looking for information about something or someone; of course, Clara didn't know exactly what that guy was up to, but it's possible that he came to talk for some reason.
Then Sebastian left and again Alicia spoke to Asher, but in a different way.
"So... I didn't know you like being around me."
"..."
"..."
Simply everyone who heard Alicia's words went blank without saying anything.
***
—Scene Change.
—Perspective of Asher Frostblade.
Entering the room of the inn, I looked out the window of the room. As far as I know, the room of that guy named Sebastian is right next to ours.
To my surprise, that guy was even more suspicious than I thought. He obviously came over to get information from us, but....
"Why the hell was he looking at me anymore?". In fact, it was only me he was looking at.
It's like he was looking for information about me, but I in this world am unknown. I don't have an ID or anything to let them know who I am, I'm a stranger to this whole world.
Of course, except for a few people in Gloriana Castle and in all the guilds where I've had my missions.
But other than that, I'm practically a stranger to anyone who looks at me. So why was that guy trying to get something on me?
"And why was he taking a good look at me the moment I arrived?".
"It could be...".
I don't think he looked at my face. As far as I know, my appearance is very similar to royalty, but I'm not like one of royalty either and I haven't even shown my face yet.
So what could it be?
"Shit, it's so frustrating."
Sighing for a moment...
"Knock."
A low sound like a small thump echoed just off to the side of the room.
I then looked at Clara, who was the only one currently in the room.
"Did you hear that?"
She nodded. Then we quickly walked over to the part.
"It was a bump, or they just dropped something."
"I don't know... but..."
"Thud."
Then, a small sound as if something was scraping the wall was heard very low, but clearly something like that.
"It's like something is right next to us."
"That's right." Then, I affirmed.
Of course, it's strange somehow the way the people below looked fearfully at that group of three and even muttered something about "her" and something about her being dead, perhaps. In fact, all of that was strange and now a noise was just on the other side of the wall, which was unusually strange.
Then, recalling moments from my past life, I could more or less remember.
I knew that at some point I had heard this kind of situation: a wall that is having sounds that are not normal. That means someone is just on the other side of the wall while tied with ropes and trying to move to be more comfortable on the floor.
That's when I spoke up.
"It's a kidnapping." Clara stared at me.
"You're right," she affirmed.
More than anything, you could hear that noise and the murmurs of the people below; it was clearly an abduction.
The problem is.
"Those three are inside.
It's not just because of that, those three guys are so strong that they can even kill a mage from even the fourth circle. Of that I was sure.
At first glance they don't look so much, just simple thugs, but they give that feeling of being in front of a strong opponent. In an instant anyone can feel it in front of a strong opponent.
"They must be armed."
"We can't do anything yet, let's wait and see if anything else happens."
"You're right." I then affirmed and returned to the window.
It was still late afternoon and not yet dusk. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. Felix, Dik and Alicia were downstairs; maybe they were drinking or who knows what they were doing.
But one thing I was sure of: on the other side of the room is very suspicious, but there is no evidence yet. If it is a kidnapped person, then we must act immediately.
***
—Change of scene.
—Sebastian's perspective.
Sebastian looked at his knife as he sharpened it. Sparks fluttered in the air, and the knife's edge grew sharper.
Pedro at that instant approached.
"Boss... Why did you talk to those guys?"
"..."
Sebastian didn't look up and continued sharpening his knife.
"Boss," Pedro spoke again.
Then, at that instant, Sebastian raised his head and looked at Pedro.
In that instant, Pedro's hair stood on end at Sebastian's cold angry stare. Veins stood out on his face as he looked seriously at Pedro.
"S-sorry, I'll leave if you want me to," Pedro stammered.
"Wait." At that moment Sebastian spoke.
Pedro looked at him and then Sebastian spoke instantly.
"Those bastards... we'll kill them in the night."
Pedro looked at Sebastian, who was confused by his words. Then Pedro asked.
"Why, we won't win anything."
"Just do what I tell you, and I say we'll kill them in the night."
"But what about the exchange?"
"Imbecile, the exchange is at midnight, how long do you think it will take us to kill them?"
At that Peter looked out the window, then returned his gaze to Sebastian, but this time with a smile.
"You're right." Pedro at that point spoke more cheerfully.
Of course, Pedro is like a murder lover. In fact, even Sebastian looks at Pedro as a crazy psychopath. He kills his prey with a big axe of almost two meters. Of course, the grip which is the bar that holds the axe with his hands is how long; the axe itself is long, only the grip, while the part where he strikes and kills his prey is so sharp and thick, shaped like a square.
Sebastian even looks at that axe as a weapon of a mad killer; that's what he sees in Peter.
On the other hand, Vendrik uses a four-meter long sword. The sword is not that thick, but it is very wide; the grip is thick and covered with bandages. It is a very large sword.
"These two..."
Sebastian, looking at his knife, ignored the two who were admiring their splendid madmen's weapons.
Sebastian's weapon, of course, is very simple: a dagger the size of his arm. In a child it would look like a sword, but in Sebastian's hands it is a decent dagger. His fighting style is melee.
Sebastian is very well trained for close combat. He is a man with big muscles and a height of almost two meters, full of scars and tattoos. Just being in front of such a guy would scare anyone. It's not just his size and muscles that are intimidating.
Close combat is Sebastian's specialty; of that he is very sure, more than anyone else.
Sighing, Sebastian stood up from his seat, set the knife aside and then looked at Emilia.
"Hey, girl..."
Emilia opened her eyes and then looked at Sebastian, who was right in front of her, about three feet away.
"Mmm..."
With her mouth covered by a cloth that covered her and prevented her from speaking, Sebastian took it from her.
"Do you know why that guy wants to have you?"
Sebastian, although he prefers money more than anything else, has a fetish: being a gossip who likes to know where his kidnappings go and who it is that buys them.
In this case, Sebastian wanted to know the identity of the guy who would give him that large amount of gold in exchange for giving him Emilia.
"N-no... I don't... I know."
"..."
"I see, you don't seem to know anything."
"..."
Then Sebastian covered Emilia's mouth again.
Walking to the window, Sebastian watched the sunset. Slowly, the sunlight was fading.
"Who will it be, who will it be, who will it be?"
Again and again, Sebastian wondered about the identity of the subject.
He was so curious to know who he is and how the hell he has so much money. Of course, it's not like Sebastian would ask him; he knows he might mess with a person he shouldn't.
Sebastian isn't stupid to do such a thing.
"Fuck it, it's only a matter of time and I should kill that group too."
Looking down, Sebastian looked at the carriage that that group he wanted to kill had come in.
"I think I'll leave it alive, maybe that's what I think."
***
—Scene change.
—Alicia's perspective.
"Give me another one." Alicia looked at Dik, who was drinking quite a bit of beer since they went downstairs to drink.
"Hey, you idiot, you shouldn't drink too much."
"That's not your problem." Dik then spoke as he scowled.
Alicia looked at him and then punched him in the face.
"Punch."
"What the hell...?"
"I said don't drink anymore."
"..."
Frowning, Dik put down the large mug that was filled with beer.
"Yeah, yeah... whatever you say." Then Dik looked away, but quickly looked back at Alicia.
Looking at her, Dik asked:
"I don't think you're an idiot, are you? That guy earlier..."
"Yes, I know, he was watching Asher every second; from his attitude he seemed to be looking for information," Alicia replied.
"It was so obvious. That guy is up to something," Dik said, looking back at Alicia.
"We have to be careful, specifically with that Sebastian; he's the strongest."
Likewise, Alicia nodded. It's not as if Sebastian was weak; in fact, they both knew exactly that this guy was extremely strong. He's not an opponent they should underestimate.
Felix, who was bringing some dishes, sat down.
"The others should be on their way down by now," Felix said, looking toward the stairs leading to the second floor of the inn.
"Speaking of them, here they come," Alicia said as she saw Asher and Clara coming down the stairs.
Asher and Clara sat down likewise. Looking around at the whole group, finally Felix spoke up.
"Tomorrow we'll be arriving at the forest. You'd better recharge your energy, so I'll treat you to lunch today."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
At the same time, everyone thanked Felix.
As the whole group chatted quietly, dusk was getting closer and closer and, of course, Sebastian and the others were about to make their moves....