We arrived at Silverglade City without incident, Havenwood Pass mercifully silent. I allowed myself a brief moment of relief as we approached the towering gates, the city stretching out beyond in bustling, chaotic glory.
Silverglade was vast—a haven for traders and merchants, its streets crowded with goods from distant lands and its port teeming with ships that seemed to never sleep. The salty tang of the sea mingled with the scent of spices and smoke, creating a heady atmosphere of industry and opportunity.
"We'll be staying at a hotel," Orlan said as we made our way through the lively streets. He adjusted the brim of his hat and added, almost as an afterthought, "I'll cover the cost for everyone."
Generous, I thought, but my brows furrowed slightly as I considered the man. He clearly had wealth—enough to hire two A-class adventurers along with a mix of B and C-class ones. Yet for all his apparent affluence, his operation seemed strangely sparse.
There were few workers, hardly anyone to assist with the cargo, and Orlan himself had been driving the lead carriage. A wealthy merchant typically surrounded himself with attendants and guards, especially in a city like Silverglade where appearances mattered almost as much as profit.
Had he funneled all his resources into security? The assassins we encountered earlier suggested whatever he was transporting was worth killing for. But something about the arrangement didn't sit right with me.
As we arrived at the hotel—a grand, sprawling building with polished stone walls and gilded trim—I kept my musings to myself.
Orlan gestured toward the entrance with a flourish. "Your accommodations are on me," he said again, his tone almost casual, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—pride or perhaps nervousness? I couldn't quite tell.
Evelyn and I collected our room key, ascending a spiral staircase to the upper floors. The corridors were quiet, lined with polished wooden doors that gleamed faintly under the warm light of wall sconces.
When we entered the room, I hesitated, my gaze sweeping over the space. It was modest by A-class adventurer standards—nothing opulent, but clean and well-kept. Two single beds sat on opposite sides of the room, separated by a small nightstand with a brass lamp.
'One room?' I thought, narrowing my eyes slightly.
"Should I get another room?" I asked, already glancing toward the door as though I might go down to the front desk myself. Even if we were in disguise, our rank afforded us plenty of wealth to cover our own expenses.
Evelyn nodded, setting down her belongings near the far bed. "The hotel's fully booked. I asked Orlan."
"Fair enough," I muttered, settling into the room with a resigned sigh.
Her explanation made sense, but I couldn't shake a flicker of unease. Even in a city as bustling as Silverglade, it seemed odd that a man like Orlan hadn't reserved more rooms—or at least ensured separate accommodations for the A-class adventurers he'd hired.
The faint hum of city life filtered in through the window, muffled by heavy curtains. I leaned my spear against the wall and began unpacking the few belongings I carried. Evelyn, meanwhile, had taken the bed nearest the window and was already flipping through a thin leather-bound journal.
I glanced over at her, noting the subtle tension in her posture. Despite her composed demeanor, the events of the journey clearly weighed on her.
"You seem distracted," I said.
She looked up, blinking as though caught off guard. "Just thinking about Orlan," she admitted after a moment. "And why he's gone to such lengths for this trip."
I nodded, leaning back against the headboard of my bed. "You're not the only one wondering. Whatever he's transporting, it's valuable enough to attract assassins—and skilled ones at that."
"Do you think he'll tell us the truth if we ask?"
I smirked faintly. "Doubtful. People like him keep their cards close to their chest."
Evelyn nodded, her gaze dropping back to her journal, though her expression remained thoughtful.
As the night deepened, the room settled into a quiet rhythm. The lamp cast a soft, golden glow, its light dancing faintly on the polished floorboards. Evelyn eventually set aside her journal, pulling the curtains slightly to gaze out over the city.
I watched her for a moment, noting the way her expression softened as she took in the view. Despite the tension that lingered between us, there was a rare tranquility in that moment, a sense of shared purpose as we prepared for whatever lay ahead.
But even as I closed my eyes to rest, unease gnawed at the edges of my thoughts. Something about this mission felt off, like a puzzle missing too many pieces. Whatever Orlan was hiding, it was bound to surface sooner or later—and when it did, I intended to be ready.
After resting for a bit, Evelyn and I joined the group for dinner. The dining hall buzzed with muted conversation, the low hum of voices blending with the clink of cutlery against porcelain. Raine's gaze lingered on us for longer than usual, her expression inscrutable.
I met her eyes briefly, but the look she gave me was strange—something between curiosity and calculation. It was enough to prick at the edges of my attention, though I chose to ignore it and focus on the meal in front of me.
The food was decent, better than what I'd expected for a roadside hotel, though it couldn't hold a candle to the meals back in the Grand Duchy or Thalendris. Still, it served its purpose, and I ate in silence, my thoughts turning over the day's events.
When the meal concluded, I excused myself and went back to our shared room. Evelyn followed shortly after, settling into her bed without much fuss.
Sleep came easily enough, though it was light and restless.
My eyes opened in the dead of night, the room bathed in shadows save for the faint sliver of moonlight filtering through the curtains. A strange, heavy sensation clung to my limbs, a dull haze that dissipated as I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood.
'I thought this would be less irritating,' I muttered inwardly, rolling my shoulders to shake off the lingering numbness.
The faint trace of mana that coursed through my veins pushed back the effects, but I could tell something was off. My senses sharpened as I moved toward the door, my steps deliberate and silent.
The lobby was dimly lit, its warmth from earlier replaced by an ominous chill.
And there they were—a group of armed figures, their weapons gleaming faintly in the pale light. They stood in a loose formation, their postures tense and predatory.
"Well, this is cozy," I said, my voice carrying just enough to draw their attention. I stepped forward, letting the dull thud of my boots on the floor punctuate the silence. A grin curled at my lips as I surveyed them. "Waiting for the party to start?"
The leader—a broad-shouldered man wielding a rusted axe—stepped forward, his expression hard. "Should've known you'd wake up early, but it won't make a difference."
"Won't it?" I asked, tilting my head.
Their plan was obvious. The food at dinner had been spiked with a numbing agent, subtle enough to evade detection but potent enough to lull most of the group into a deep sleep. For Evelyn and me, our Indigo cores dulled the effects, but even then, it was enough to fog our senses.
It was a decent tactic, I had to admit. Against most adventurers, it might have worked.
But I wasn't most adventurers.
With a flick of my wrist, my spear materialized in my hand, its weight familiar and grounding. The mob bristled, their confidence faltering for a split second before they steadied themselves.
"Well then," I said, spinning the spear once before planting it firmly on the ground. The faint hum of resonating aura crackled at the tip, a subtle but unmistakable warning. "Time for all of you to die."
The leader growled, raising his axe as the rest of the group surged forward.
I moved.
The first strike was swift and precise, my spear slicing through the air like a whisper before it met its target. The man's blade never made it halfway through his swing before he crumpled, his weapon clattering to the floor.
The others hesitated, but only briefly.
They came at me in waves, their weapons clumsy and their movements uncoordinated. A spear thrust here, a wild swing there—it was chaos, but not the kind that could overwhelm me.
My spear danced in my hands, each strike a calculated motion that flowed into the next. Resonating aura pulsed along the weapon's length, carving through their ranks with effortless precision.
A sword-wielding woman lunged at me from the left, her blade arcing toward my ribs. I sidestepped, the motion fluid, and brought the butt of my spear around in a sharp counter. She staggered, and a follow-up strike sent her sprawling.
Another came at me from the right, his axe raised high. My spear met his weapon mid-swing, the resonating aura sparking on impact. With a twist, I disarmed him, the axe clattering uselessly to the ground before I drove the spear's tip into his shoulder.
The fight was short and brutal, and as the last of them fell, the lobby fell silent once more.
I stood amidst the carnage, my breath steady, my grip on the spear firm.
Footsteps echoed from the stairwell, and I turned to see Evelyn descending, her expression grim but composed. She'd likely sensed the commotion and come to investigate.
"Trouble?" she asked, her gaze sweeping over the fallen assailants.
"Just pests," I replied, dismissing the spear as I stepped over the bodies. "They tried to drug us."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Should we wake the others?"
"Not yet," I said, glancing toward the kitchen where the food had been prepared. "Let's find out who else is involved first."
Evelyn nodded, falling into step beside me as we moved toward the back of the hotel. Whatever game Orlan had dragged us into, it was becoming increasingly clear that this was no ordinary escort mission.