Leon murmured, "Hmm," narrowing his eyes as he folded the note and slipped it into his pocket.
He turned toward Elys, who stood near the door, her expression hesitant. "Get some rest, Elys. I'll be back soon," he said, his tone calm but firm as he rose from his seat.
Elys blinked, her fingers tightening around the hem of her apron. "But... isn't it dangerous? Who knows who it could be?"
Leon chuckled softly, the corner of his lips curving into a faint smirk. "That's exactly why I need to find out. Sitting here won't give me answers."
Her gaze dropped. "I just… don't want you to get hurt."
Leon paused, his voice softening slightly. "I won't. Just lock the door behind me, alright?"
Elys hesitated but nodded, stepping aside. As Leon stepped out into the bustling streets, the door clicked shut behind him.
As he approached the towering gate, he glanced around, his eyes scanning for any signs of the note's sender.
Nothing seemed out of place. The area was quiet, the bustling noise of the market fading in the distance. No one appeared to be waiting for him.
Leon's brow furrowed, a faint unease creeping into his mind as he approached the city gate. The sound of his boots echoed faintly against the stone path.
Suddenly, a hand shot out from the shadows of a nearby alley, grabbing his arm and yanking him into the narrow passage.
Leon reacted instantly, twisting to free himself, but froze as his eyes landed on the figure who had pulled him. A woman stood before him, her hood drawn low, obscuring most of her face.
"You," he said sharply, his voice edged with recognition. It was the hooded woman from the tavern.
She released his arm, retreating a few steps deeper into the alley where the dim light barely touched her.
"You're the woman from the tavern, aren't you?" he asked.
The woman didn't answer. Her posture was calm, her movements deliberate. Finally, she broke the silence. "I don't care who you are, nor what you think you're doing. I'm here to warn you—stop the trade."
Leon's eyes narrowed. His mind raced, piecing her cryptic words together. Was she talking about the salt he'd been supplying to merchants? But how could she know?
"Why?" he asked, his tone cold.
Her gaze didn't waver as she replied, "Just stop. If you value your life, you'll end it now."
Leon's body tensed, his instincts flaring. "You're going to have to give me more than that,"
"What's the real reason? Why does this matter to you?"
The woman didn't bother to answer. Instead, she moved in a blur, faster than Leon could register. In the span of a heartbeat, she closed the gap between them, her dagger gleaming faintly as it caught the dim light.
Leon unslung his AR in a rush, raising it instinctively to block her attack.
The clash never came. With a fluid, almost casual motion, she disarmed him, her strike knocking the weapon from his hands. The AR clattered against the stone, skidding out of reach.
Before he could react, her hand shot out, gripping his throat with a strength that sent panic racing through him. He struggled, his breaths ragged as he clawed at her arm, his boots scraping against the ground in a desperate attempt to find leverage.
"You're quick to draw a weapon," she said mockingly, her voice low and sharp. "But it's useless if you can't even keep up."
Her grip tightened for a brief moment before she abruptly released him, letting him stumble back. Leon coughed, clutching his throat, his glare fixed on her. His mind raced—this wasn't just skill. She was on a completely different level, far beyond any opponent he'd faced before.
"You're insane," he hissed, his voice hoarse as he scrambled to reach for his weapon again.
The woman moved faster than his eyes could track, kicking the AR aside. It slid further out of reach.
She stepped closer, her dagger's edge grazing the side of his neck. Leon froze, the cold steel sending a chill down his spine.
"This isn't a threat," she said, her voice calm but brimming with menace. "It's a warning. Your meddling has consequences."
Leon's jaw tightened, his mind spinning as he searched for some way to regain control. "You're awfully interested in what I'm doing," he said, forcing strength into his voice. "Why does it matter to you? What are you so afraid of?"
The woman tilted her head slightly, her hood casting deeper shadows over her face. "It's not about you," she replied. "It's about what your actions will cause. The kind of trouble that spills over and affects more than just you."
She paused, as if debating whether to continue. "And for the record," she added, her voice taking on a sharper tone, "I don't usually talk this much. If it weren't for the fact that you saved me some trouble at the tavern before, you wouldn't even be standing here."
"So You're just... letting me live as a courtesy?"
Her lips curled into a faint, humorless smirk. "Something like that." She took a step back, her presence seeming to melt into the shadows. "And you should be intelligent enough to know what to do now."
Before he could respond, she vanished into the darkness of the alley, leaving nothing behind.
He exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face. "Intelligent enough to know what to do now," he muttered under his breath.
He bent down, retrieving his AR and slinging it back over his shoulder. His hands were steadier now, his focus sharpening. Whatever she was involved in, it was clear that his recent activities had coused disturbance in whatever she is trying to achive.
As he emerged from the alley, the sounds of the bustling market reached him again. Merchants were calling out to potential customers, carts were clattering over cobblestones.