Caw caw...
Suddenly, the sharp cawing of a crow shattered the intense gaze between the two. Lynn reluctantly broke his stare and turned toward the source of the sound—a small gray crow, no larger than a palm, perched on the counter, staring at him intently.
The owner of the *Drunkard's Tavern* was a shrewd Gweithe merchant, exuding an air of cunning and thriftiness. Upon hearing the crow's call, he paused in his task of polishing a glass, flashed a grin full of yellowed teeth, and greeted them warmly.
"Ah, a rare new face! Welcome to the *Drunkard's Tavern*... What can I get for you, my dear guest?"
"A glass of Gurwine, from a four-year vintage. If I'm not mistaken, that should cost seventeen Sekas coppers." Lynn stepped up to the counter, placing the coins in an orderly arrangement of five, five, and seven.
The tavern owner scrutinized Lynn, his eyes lingering briefly on the sword at his waist, his expression unchanging. "That was last year's price. Now... it's twenty-one coppers."
Lynn paused for a moment, but before he could respond, a strikingly beautiful female patron chuckled, her voice laced with amusement. "Old York, you're not trying to swindle the newcomer, are you? Since when did your Gurwine get a sudden price hike?"
As she spoke, the woman cast a curious glance at Lynn. Seventeen coppers for a glass of Gurwine wasn't an extravagant sum, but in the *Drunkard's Tavern*, it was rare for anyone to be so generous.
Especially someone as young and handsome as him, with a solid build—he didn't seem like the type to be all show and no substance...
Old York wasn't bothered by the woman's interruption. He simply grinned and said, "Two ships from the harbor capsized this year, making the ingredients for Gurwine scarce. It's only natural the price has gone up..."
Lynn frowned slightly and spoke again. "But I only have seventeen Sekas coppers."
Upon hearing this, the woman's interest in Lynn immediately waned. It appeared he was just another poor fool, willing to squander his savings for a taste of fine wine.
"Then I suggest you try something else..." Old York shrugged. "Of course, if you're interested in earning a little extra, I might have something for you. Lame Lauder happens to be in need of someone to do some side work. He's always generous with his pay!"
Lame Lauder? Lynn raised an eyebrow. During his time gathering information in Ur Town, he had heard that name more than once.
The rumors about him were far from good...
"Very well, I'm in need of suitable work," Lynn thought quickly before nodding in agreement.
Old York swiftly swept the coins into his pocket, called over a servant to temporarily take over his duties, and then looked at Lynn again. "Follow me. Your Gurwine is in the cellar. I'll fetch it for you before taking you to meet him..."
As Lynn followed Old York out, the patrons watching couldn't help but smirk with schadenfreude.
Everyone in Ur Town knew that while Lame Lauder was generous, he was also notoriously ruthless. Many who worked for him had mysteriously disappeared, sometimes without even a body left to find...
You might live to take the money, but not to spend it...
...
As the patrons gloated, Old York led Lynn through the kitchen, entering a storeroom crammed with flour sacks and barrels, stopping before a large, grimy barrel.
Click...
Old York pressed down firmly on the lid of the barrel, and with the sound of liquid sloshing, it slowly rotated, revealing a hidden passage beneath the floorboards.
"Follow this path, and you'll find the person you need to see inside!" Old York whispered, thrusting a lit candlestick into Lynn's hands, his tone impatient as he warned, "Be careful and don't cause any trouble for me!"
Lynn thanked him, took the oil lamp, and stepped into the passage. Behind him, the massive barrel, still soaked in spilled alcohol, rotated back into place, followed by the sound of wine refilling it.
As the faint light from outside faded, the passage plunged into darkness, its end unknown. Only the dim glow from the candlestick illuminated the path ahead, the air thick with the smell of cheap wine.
Lynn moved cautiously through the shadowy tunnel, his senses on high alert as he mentally reviewed the information about his fellow apprentices.
His mentor, Koru, had been a wanderer for years, never settling in one place, and he kept his apprentices scattered, avoiding attention in any one city.
Thus, Lynn's original self had only limited knowledge of his peers, having met most of them only a few times, barely knowing their names and faces.
The only one he was somewhat familiar with was Jonny, who had sent him a letter.
Of course, that familiarity was one-sided.
To be precise, Carl, the person Lynn now embodied, harbored the typical adolescent infatuation for Jonny.
In simpler terms, it was unrequited love, driven by youthful desire.
As Koru's favored disciple, Jonny was exceptionally gifted in magic, just a step away from becoming a full-fledged wizard. After Koru's death, she had become the de facto leader of the apprentices.
Unfortunately, such a one-sided affection offered no real support or protection.
As Lynn pondered this, the narrow passageway gradually widened, and by the faint candlelight, Lynn realized that the tunnel led to a dense forest outside Ur Town.
It was already deep into the night, yet the sky wasn't as dark as he had expected. Silver moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting a sheer veil over the solid yellow earth, and Lynn could feel his magical energy growing more vibrant.
So this is Moonday?
Through the thick foliage, Lynn could catch glimpses of the dazzling stars and the enormous bright moon in the sky. According to Carl's memories, this celestial phenomenon occurred only once a year and would last for about three to five days.
However, there was no record in his memory of moonlight affecting magical energy.
Well, Carl had only been a wizard for half a year...
As Lynn considered this, a sudden whistling sound broke the silence. More than a dozen *Magic Missiles* materialized and shot out from the dense forest, blocking his escape in every direction.
An ambush?
The thought flashed through Lynn's mind, and he reacted instantly. With a flick of his left hand, a small amount of gray powder—*Embers of Red Fire*, the last of his casting materials—fell into his palm.
Lynn hurled the powder forward, and under the influence of his magic, it ignited instantly, forming a blazing wall of fire before him.
But the hastily cast *Lesser Wall of Fire* was no match for the combined assault of several wizard apprentices. The *Magic Missiles* pierced through the flames almost immediately.
Fortunately, Lynn had achieved his goal. The heat and turbulence from the fire wall threw the magical projectiles off course, scattering them harmlessly into the trees and earth behind him.
As four hooded figures in dark robes closed in on him in a semicircle, Lynn silently drew the sword from his waist and loosened the bag containing the white phosphorus, preparing for battle.
Given the urgency, the white phosphorus he had made was in short supply, but now was clearly not the time to hold back...
Yet before Lynn could act, a cold voice cut through the tension.
"Carl, why did you betray us?"