"It's you?"
The fat man was the first to break the silence, his voice filled with surprise.
He was clearly caught off guard by Elric's sudden appearance.
Elric, however, quickly adjusted his expression, mirroring the same surprise.
"I didn't expect you two to be spies sent by General Keynes either," Elric said, his voice calm but deliberate.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the shopkeeper's face turned tense.
He hurriedly interrupted Elric, pulling him inside the shop with urgency.
After cautiously glancing outside to make sure no one was watching, the shopkeeper carefully closed the door behind them.
"Are you really 'the child'?" the shopkeeper asked, his eyes filled with suspicion. Clearly, he still had doubts about Elric's identity.
Elric, feigning calm, nodded. "Yes."
"Did Wasp tell you everything?" the fat man asked, his tone still tinged with doubt.
"Wasp told me his cover had been blown and that I should come to the Stone Forest Apothecary.
He said someone here would help me escape Blackstone City."
Elric's voice was steady and confident.
The two exchanged glances again.
Though they still had their suspicions, the current situation was urgent, and Wasp had been out of contact for a while.
Elric's arrival fit the description of the person they had been waiting for.
In the end, both the shopkeeper and the fat man reluctantly decided to trust Elric, at least for the time being.
Glancing out the window, they saw that nightfall was fast approaching.
The shopkeeper spoke quickly.
"Alright, if Wasp sent you, then we'll follow the plan.
We need to leave as soon as possible.
The Blackstone guards will be onto us soon."
The shopkeeper led Elric and the fat man to a hidden location where a cart had already been prepared and waiting for them.
Without any further delay, the shopkeeper climbed onto the cart and took control of the reins, steering the horses toward the city gate.
Elric and the fat man sat in the back of the cart, a completely enclosed space filled with empty boxes.
The smell of herbs was thick in the air, masking all other scents.
The sound of the cart's wheels rolling over the stone road grew monotonous, the noise amplified within the confined space.
Elric sat quietly in the corner, maintaining an outward appearance of calm, but inside, he remained tense and on edge.
Neither Elric nor the fat man spoke.
They sat in silence as the cart continued forward, the only sound the steady creaking of the wheels.
Then, Elric heard voices outside.
The cart had neared a checkpoint, and the guards were asking questions.
Suddenly, Elric felt a sharp pain in his chest.
As the cart rolled forward a few more feet, his heart began to race, sensing the looming danger.
"They've already tracked us down…" he muttered under his breath.
Outside, the shopkeeper was speaking to a soldier clad in armor, clearly trying to get past the checkpoint.
The shopkeeper cautiously handed over a permit he had prepared earlier.
The soldier inspected it closely.
Everything seemed in order, and the soldier was just about to let them pass when a new sound approached from a distance—footsteps.
The Blackstone patrol had arrived, and leading them was someone Elric had seen before—the blonde woman, Sally.
At her side was the little blonde girl, Mia, holding a map in her hand, her expression focused and serious.
"Everyone stop!" Sally's commanding voice rang out, filled with authority.
The tension at the gate immediately spiked. Everyone trying to leave was ordered to stay for further inspection.
Inside the cart, Elric heard everything, his heart tightening with dread.
...
Sally's gaze was cold and sharp as she fixed her eyes on the shopkeeper. Her attention shifted toward the cart.
"Where are you going?" she demanded.
The shopkeeper hurriedly presented the permit, but Sally's reaction was unexpected.
She slapped it out of his hand without hesitation, her tone low and threatening.
"Answer my question."
Sweat beaded on the shopkeeper's forehead as he stammered out a response.
"I… I'm going to get some herbs."
Sally wasn't interested in his excuses. She waved her hand, signaling to the Blackstone patrolmen.
They moved swiftly, opening the back of the cart.
The pungent smell of herbs immediately filled the air as the patrolmen began to inspect the interior.
Sally's eyes swept over the darkened cart as two of the patrolmen carefully stepped inside, examining each box.
After a thorough search, they found nothing—only empty crates and the overwhelming scent of herbs.
The patrolmen returned to Sally and shook their heads, indicating there was nothing suspicious in the cart.
Mia frowned. Although the search had turned up nothing, her instincts told her that something was off.
The shopkeeper's nervous sweat became more apparent as he silently prayed they would get through this checkpoint safely.
"Let them go," Sally began, ready to call off the search. But Mia interrupted her, her voice firm.
"No!"
Mia's tone was resolute, her eyes glued to the map in her hand.
"If we let the target slip through here, it will be nearly impossible to track them down later."
The map clearly marked the target's location with a bright point of light.
Sally frowned, considering Mia's words.
This mission had been assigned to them by their father, and failure would lead to severe consequences for both of them.
Just as Sally was about to respond, the sound of marching footsteps echoed from a distance.
Everyone turned to see a group approaching, led by a young man with short, neatly trimmed blonde hair.
He was dressed in fine robes adorned with the Blackstone family crest.
A faint smile played on his lips, but there was a coldness in his tone as he spoke.
"You're doing your work poorly, aren't you? Coming into my territory without even telling me."
Though his tone seemed casual, each word carried an air of pressure.
Sally narrowed her eyes, turning to face the young man.
"This is a mission assigned by our father.
We need to carry out a thorough inspection. Please understand."
The short-haired youth walked closer, hands clasped behind his back.
"You're interfering with my affairs. Let me see what you're looking for."
"Don't even think about it!" Sally snapped, her refusal clearly angering him. The tension between them grew thick.
"You dare act so arrogantly in my territory?
Little sister, has your brain stopped working?"
The young man's smile faded, his voice taking on an icy edge.
The soldiers behind him slowly drew their weapons.
The young man had brought far more men than Sally and Mia.
The situation was rapidly spiraling out of their control.
Sally's expression darkened at the threat.
"Are you not afraid I'll report this to father?"
The short-haired youth let out a cold laugh, looking at Sally with disdain.
"Father? Hmph, Father is busy with more important matters.
He doesn't have time for your little problems."
Mia nervously glanced around, her fingers gripping the map tightly.