When the sun was about to set, I returned to the village with five rabbits tied up to a stick and five pieces of pelt from foxes; although I missed half of the shots, I could still get that much as spoils of my work. So, I considered that as an absolute win…
The innkeeper looked like he wanted to complain since I returned pretty late, but he didn't say anything and just passed to me forty gold coins. I earned more than I spent that day, which was a good thing… Still, renting a room there and having dinner would cost half of my gains.
'I guess I should work as a hunter for a while and then gather information around these parts.'
After half an hour, the sun had set, and I was eating a stew in the inn's hall. The place had a large campfire pit inside the hall, and it kept the whole place warm. The stew was pretty good, too, so I was taking my time eating.
Thanks to my cloak and hood, I had my back against the door and hid my face while sitting, thanks, so I wasn't expecting to be found. That being said, I shouldn't take that many chances.
Leon Maxwell - Lv 08 (20/80)
HP: 60/60
MP: 60/60
STA: 60/60
Strength: 10
Vitality: 06
Magic: 06
Spirit: 06
Dexterity: 06
Endurance: 06
Free Points: 25
Skill Trees: Escape Artist Lv 01, Short Weapons Lv 02, Block Mastery Lv 01, Light Armor Lv 01, Navigation Lv 02, Veiled Presence Lv 02, Charm Lv 02, Carpentry Lv 04, Archery Lv 06, Haggling Lv 02, Hunting Lv 03,
Rank Up Skill Points: 07
This wasn't bad for two days of progress in this new and unfamiliar world. Saving my points was the smart thing to do, but using some of them to make me more durable and be able to work more would also benefit me in the short and long run.
While I was thinking along those lines, more and more people started to come to the inn and ask for food and mead. That made me really feel that I was in another world…
Mead was an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water. Depending on the recipe, it can also include various fruits, spices, grains, and hops. Often called "honey wine," mead is one of the oldest known alcoholic drinks, with a history dating back thousands of years across various cultures. Its alcohol content can vary widely… I was interested, but I didn't have the leisure of getting drunk for now.
Some people began to sit nearby and then have their meals. I had almost finished mine, and when I was about to get up, I heard the door opening, and then the familiar sound of armor clacking echoed in the room. I didn't have to turn around to see that some guards arrived.
'Just my luck.'
I left my things in the room I rented, so I was unarmed… if a fight broke out, then things would be really bad. Keeping the bow with me would have made me look more suspicious, though.
The guards silently approached, and everyone glanced at them, but soon, the room became completely quiet. It seemed that they weren't welcomed in that place, but no one wanted to act like that was the case.
One of the three guards approached, and then my heart began to race, but the guard stopped while sniffing and grunting. It looked like the smell of my clothes bothered him quite a bit…
In the end, the guards left without saying anything. Some people in the country were working for them, but it didn't look like they could trust most of the population for whatever reason. When they left, a lot of people sighed in relief.
"Damn guards… they won the war, and now they think that they can walk around all over the place and think that they own it."
"Hey, don't say stupid things that can put you in trouble…"
"Who cares about that? Don't pretend that you don't think that the great houses will slowly sell us out to these foreigners."
Things got silent after that… great houses, these words echoed in my mind. I hadn't heard about them until now, which made me think they hadn't been destroyed like the royal family. They probably switched sides when they realized that the tides of the war were changing.
"I heard that the remnants tried a last suicide attack in the town where the prince was going to be burned… since then, nothing came out from the town, but if I have to guess, the prince escaped, and that is why the guards are so quiet."
"As I said, don't spout nonsense that can put you in trouble, dumbass."
Everyone around me was clearly interested in the talk, but they didn't want to contribute in any way since it was risky. In the end, I left my room, but I left the door a bit open to hear if other talks started. That didn't happen, and the inn's restaurant stayed open even late into the night.
The inn's bed was as smelly as my clothes, but at least it was warm, and I slept like a log. Still, when I was stretching my body, I noticed a note in front of my door. While the contents weren't in English, I still could read them. I could talk, too… probably because of the memories of the body.
(The Thieves' Guild has its doors open for you.)
I squinted my eyes while reading that. Was I already found? Or had someone found my behavior strange since I arrived in the village? I was supposed to be good-looking, but I looked halfway like a beggar, after all. Maybe some people who were up to no good were thinking that I could join their ranks.
'At least write down your address, moron.'
I wasn't planning to join criminals when I was already wanted, but if they could teach me a few skills, that would be handy. Besides, having some allies was always a good thing… even if they were temporary ones.
I wondered if I should ask the innkeeper about the thieves guild, but they probably weren't seen with good eyes by people who have a business, so I decided not to ask; it was just too dangerous.
"Any new job offers today?"
"None."
It looked like I had to go on my way already… hunting rabbits was good training, but I had to be on the move. I stood out too much in places like that, after all.
"Have a nice day, then."
I wanted to stay away from places with a lot of people since they would have a lot of guards as well, but I was kind of curious about the dungeon that I had heard of. Still, I was also worried about the feeling of anger that was still inside me. If I saw the body of the mother of the real Leon Maxwell, who knows what would happen?
'I need a map…'
That was my first thought when I left the inn. The more detailed one, the better… I didn't see one with the trader, so I probably should look for one in a big town. In the end, I decided to head North to the next village, but I knew that if I didn't find a map there, I would have to go to a town in one way or the other.