[Wait time expired, a new scenario note has been assigned.]
Take 1. Inn (Day/Inside). A peaceful atmosphere inside the inn, with no customers. Suddenly, the door swings open with a cheerful sound. Leonardo, looking confused. Citizen 1 asks for help. Leonardo, half-heartedly caught in the moment, steps outside.
Take 2. Sinistra Street (Day/Outside). A chaotic scene with a flock of chickens escaping, a broken cart wheel, and a bustling marketplace. Leonardo catches one of the chickens that managed to escape its pen. Several young men join in to help Citizen 1, but Leonardo's swift and nimble movements stand out.
Citizen 2: "Wow. This young man's got some real skills!"
Onlookers express their admiration. Leonardo looks a bit embarrassed.
Take 3. Inn (Night/Inside). The rumour spreads that Leonardo is a problem-solver. One by one, citizens come to him seeking help, offering rewards in exchange. Leonardo mingles with the people, gradually building a reputation in the city.
Main Character: Leonardo
Scenario Clear Condition/ [Leonardo's reputation increases within the scenario region. (Minimum required score: 1,000 points)
This seems odd.
Why is Leonardo suddenly taking on all these menial tasks in the town? Why is he catching chickens? Where's the gravity and solemnity befitting the protagonist of a fantasy royal story?
I glared at the floating words in the air while mumbling into my sandwich.
More than anything, the part about Leonardo's reputation increasing was what bothered me the most. Based on the dialogue in "Scenario #004," with Baron Roald, it was clear that there was some knowledge of Leonardo and the runaway second son of the Count.
If Leonardo's reputation grows and eventually reaches the ears of the Baron, what happens then?
From the context, it seemed like the Baron was a vassal of the Count, and the report would certainly be passed along. I wouldn't be surprised if they sent someone to capture the runaway second son from the Count's household.
Then, as just the innkeeper, I'll end up stuck like a lingering spirit in the city of Sinistra, unable to move a muscle, losing my share of the scenario's focus, and turning to ash.
'It's a future where I die no matter what. Damn it.'
Life's hard. So damn hard. I chewed my food with a vengeance. The texture in my throat felt uncomfortably scratchy.
I carelessly shoved the scenario notes away from my face when I noticed Leonardo, with an oddly serious expression, awkwardly holding his sandwich between his hand and the side of his chest, as if deep in thought.
Curious, I asked.
"What's wrong?"
"…During the meal, your expression suddenly became serious, and you stared at me. Is it the cost of food that's worrying you? I know I'm still inexperienced, but I'll work harder as a waiter. Or maybe… I should cut down on what I eat…"
His expression was completely serious. As his dark blue-green hair hung over, casting a faint shadow, his troubled face became even more prominent.
He'd already eaten close to three servings of food by himself, so what was he even talking about? Was he serious? I mean, sure, it's early in the story, but how can a young man who's running around catching chickens in the neighbourhood for his employer's food cost possibly show any protagonist-like qualities?
He may sound serious, but the more I get to know him, the more of a goofball he seems. I was completely dumbfounded and quickly retorted to Leonardo.
"Are you trying to make me look like a petty employer who nags about food? Quit talking nonsense and eat up. The serious look on my face is just because I slept too well and my head's a bit foggy."
At that moment, Vittorio, who had been eating quietly, widened his eyes slightly and asked me.
"You're saying it's hard just from sleeping a long time? Isn't your body too weak?"
"Definitely."
Leonardo quickly agreed. I'd noticed it when he'd been fussing over my sleep issues last night, too—he seemed overly sensitive to health issues, probably because of his military background.
What do you guys know about nocturnal humans?
I was about to grumble in frustration but stopped myself. No matter what I said, it felt like both of them would argue back, so there was no point in trying. Just then, the inn's door suddenly burst open, and an old man with a wrinkled face stepped in, walking briskly and grabbing Leonardo by the chin.
[Viewing information]
Grade – Minor Character (Scenario weight: 0.05%)
Role – Citizen No. 1
Script – [Loads chicken coop onto a cart to transport it from the outskirts to the city.], [Asks Leonardo for help.]
Dialogue – "Hey, young man! I saw you yesterday. Your work with your hands was really impressive! So, I was wondering… could you help me out? I'll reward you handsomely!"
"Hey, young man! I saw you yesterday. Your work with your hands was really impressive! So, I was wondering… could you help me out? I'll reward you handsomely!"
"Excuse me?"
Leonardo responded in a bewildered tone, but the old man was quite insistent. After swallowing the last bite of his sandwich, he stood up quickly.
"Let's go. Kid, can you keep an eye on the inn? Stay put. Moving around too much might slow down your recovery."
"What are we going for?"
"Well… Sir, you recently bought chickens from a farm outside the city, right?"
I spoke to Citizen 1, acting as if I knew everything. The old man nodded.
Adopting the 'know-it-all expression' I had been using frequently since arriving in this bizarre theatrical world, I added:
"Today must be the day to move the chickens. Seeing you rush over here in such a hurry answers everything. Oh, what bad luck."
"Well, well. Looks like the innkeeper knows everything, huh? Quite amazing."
Well, I'm no Buddha, so how could I possibly know everything? It's all thanks to the omniscient, all-powerful Scenario Notes and my trusty
I quickly patted Leonardo on the back and urged him forward.
"Come on, let's go. People in the city help each other out, right? If the old man loses his livelihood, my temporary customers will be left with empty pockets. That means, in the long run, the inn's income will drop, too. Oh no, my inn's going to fail! Come on, let's go."
We followed the old man toward the market. After only walking a short distance out of the inn and toward the main road, strange noises started to drift our way.
Cluck, cluck. Cack, cack! Coo-rrr!
The sounds slowly grew louder, and from around the corner of a brick wall, a small head peeked out. Leonardo and I locked eyes with a shiny, beetle-like chicken with clear, bright eyes.
A dream?
But then, the scene that unfolded after was even more ridiculous. The chickens, having taken over a market stall, were causing a ruckus, pecking at everything in sight. Meanwhile, people were rushing around trying to catch them, kicking up dust behind them. One chicken, looking particularly proud, had perched itself on top of a person's head and was crowing loudly.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
[Quest Triggered: Encounter with Target]
Main Objective: Capture chickens that have escaped from the coop (0/30)
The level of rewards and Leonardo's fame increase will be determined based on quest completion.
High Achievement: Capture 25 chickens without injury (Fame +100)
Medium Achievement: Capture 20 chickens without injury (Fame +50)
Low Achievement: Capture 10 chickens without injury (Fame +10)
Quest Participants: Leonardo, Suspicious Innkeeper of Sinistra (Chicken capture count is combined)
Time Limit: 29 minutes 59 seconds
What is this?
I was so flustered that I couldn't hide my expression. Now that I think about it, the clear condition for this scenario note clearly required a unique reputation score. I expected there would be some differences from before, but I never imagined it would come out in the form of a mini-game like this.
What's even more troubling is that I'm also listed as a participant in this quest. Is this some kind of group project? And if I fail, will there be any consequences? For a moment, I let my guard down, distracted. That was a mistake. A shadow loomed over me. Startled, I looked up, only to see a creature with its wings spread wide, backlit by the blinding sunlight, flapping its wings loudly.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
"Ugh."
I never thought I'd get stepped on by a bird in my life. This one's weight was pretty substantial. I staggered back a couple of steps, only for my foot to get caught on something. My body tilted backward, and I braced myself to fall flat on my butt, mentally cursing under my breath. But there was no sharp pain. Instead, I felt a dull friction and lukewarm heat.
[Scenario weight: 4.01%]
Did my percentage just increase by 0.01%?
A low, wheezing laugh echoed, and at that very moment, my body jolted. Suddenly, something swiped the chicken's wing away, and my vision cleared. Turns out, I had ended up lying on the ground, but it was Leonardo who had cushioned the fall. Thanks to him, I didn't get hurt. Leonardo, sitting with his upper body slightly propped up, was looking at me with a rare bright smile on his face. In one hand, he was firmly holding onto the chicken. Is this fun for you?
"You're so relaxed. Isn't this pretty humiliating?"
"…I can't believe this."
I frowned and rubbed my nose in embarrassment. It was my first time lying down after slamming my head into someone else's neck muscles. More than that, I was worried that this damn bird might have ruined the image I've been so carefully managing until now. Maybe there's a chicken footprint on my face or something.
Ugh. I lifted myself up and got off him.
As I rubbed my forehead, wondering if there were indeed chicken footprints left on my face, Leonardo was asking the old man where he should place the chicken he had caught. Thankfully, the chicken coop wasn't damaged like the cart had been. Looking around, I noticed some discarded fabric lying around, so I used it to cover the chicken coop. Only then did the frantic flapping sounds die down a bit.
"They seem to have gotten excited and panicked. If we put them somewhere dark, they should calm down a bit."
I turned around and saw the remaining 29 chickens still bustling around. The thought of catching all of them drained me of energy already.
But I had no choice.
The scenario wanted this, after all. Damn it.
I don't think I could ever go back to farming.
While running around the market trying to catch the chickens, that realization hit me like a bolt from the blue. I never once thought I had bad stamina in my life. But that was based on a foolish human standard.
Dream!
Only those who have directly faced off with chickens fleeing from humans know just how fast they can be. Even when I try to use my wits and catch them carefully, they seem to sense it, and miraculously escape.
As for retirement or whatever, after I escape this scenario world, I can clearly see my future being one of starvation if I ever look toward livestock or farming.
It'd be different if I had a well-behaved, sturdy fellow like Dolsoe to boss around by my side, though. For now, I leaned against the cart and caught my breath when I saw Leonardo up ahead, skillfully catching chickens with swift movements.
'Wow. This young guy is pretty quick!'
Before I knew it, a crowd had gathered and were admiring him. If this keeps up, his reputation will definitely rise.
By the way, didn't that guy complain about muscle loss yesterday? He should still be feeling the pain after using so much strength to rescue Vittorio. Yet, there's no sign of exhaustion on his face.
He's either tough enough to endure the pain, or maybe the Ertinez bloodline hidden within Leonardo's body is somehow tapping into its strength and rapidly growing. Or maybe it's just a protagonist's perk.
In name, it was a group project, but in reality, Leonardo did almost all the capturing. I, on the other hand, desperately pretended to have energy while sneaking in and out. Whenever I felt out of breath, I would quickly fall back and catch my breath, repeating the cycle.
…If the behind-the-scenes informant is weak, that's definitely embarrassing, right?
Maybe I should secretly start training my body from now on. I seriously rubbed my arm muscles and fell into thought. I mean, I've never heard that I'm weak. I don't usually fall behind others either.
At that moment, out of the corner of my vision, a cute, deformed chicken image shimmered, and the count went up to 28. I had actually caught 29, but one of them had slipped out while I was trying to grab it, so it didn't count. Anyway, this was a tricky quest.
Whoosh.
Leonardo slid gracefully across the dirt path like a jaguar, catching the last chicken. His dynamic movements made his clothes cling to his body, briefly revealing the outline of his well-defined muscles before they disappeared again.
Looks like Leonardo Ertinez' body isn't as bad as I thought.
The letters wavered and appeared before my eyes.
[Scenario Sub Quest Achieved! – Catching the chickens that escaped from the coop (30/30)]
[Depending on achievement, Leonardo's reputation increases. Current reputation in Sinistra: 100 points. To meet the minimum required: +900 points.]
So, we have to repeat this at least nine more times? My eyes were twitching as I thought about it, and Leonardo approached with a refreshed expression. He said with a tone of contentment:
"This is actually quite the workout."
Oh, really? To you, fighting with chickens must have felt like some fantasy realm's standard drill, like running laps in a training yard, huh? I couldn't understand it. I gave him a tired, squinting look before shaking off the dust and standing up.
"Yeah, helping out is always good. It'll all come back to us eventually."
"Is there some deeper meaning behind catching chickens? That's surprising."
This guy, ever since I was humiliated, has he been looking at me as some easy target? With a playful tone in his voice, Leonardo was teasing me again. I muttered under my breath and flicked my hands, irritated.
The old man, looking at the fully packed chicken coop, smiled with deep wrinkles forming at the corners of his mouth and pulled out a small money pouch.
"Thank you, young man! Here, this is the remaining payment from the chickens I bought. Take it, and this is for the innkeeper too. I'll spread the word to my friends that the drinks at your inn are great, I promise. You all worked hard!"
The old man gave me a bundle of eggs neatly tied together with straw. I briefly thought about where these eggs came from, but then just silently accepted them. Since they were produced by lively chickens, the taste was probably good.
The old man also handed eggs to the market vendors as a gesture of apology, and with that, he tugged his cart and left. The street was finally starting to return to peace.
"Here."
Leonardo placed a small pouch of money on my palm. It wasn't too light, but not overly heavy either. I pushed the money pouch back toward him and declined.
"It's fine. You earned it with your labour."
"And besides, I'm freeloading at your inn, aren't I? You also took me in without asking. I'm repaying you for my work, but that's not enough, is it?"
"My kindness being paid back in money… it feels weird. I'll decline."
No, I won't take a single cent. Whether it's a material debt or an emotional one, you're going to owe me a lot. I need to accumulate those debts, like miles in a rewards program. Even if I spend my entire life repaying them, it still won't be enough. Only then can I at least become a supporting character.
The only "supporting character" I know right now, Vittorio, owes almost his life to Leonardo, doesn't he?
So, I'm going to get deeply entangled in your life for sure. Like a leech, I'll cling to you and push my role up to become the main character. Given the nature of this scenario, as the story progresses, it's highly likely that new characters will appear out of nowhere, so I need to put in safety measures to keep my role from being reduced to nothing.
Moreover, with the reliable copy bug, I don't even have to worry about my finances. I don't need money. Who would've thought I'd be saying such rich-person lines one day?
Leonardo, seeing me repeatedly refuse and quickly turn away, seemed a bit puzzled and tilted his eyebrows slightly. Then, as if he had remembered something, he suddenly said:
"Ah. I remember you saying last time that you'd need to pay for the information."
"Then… could I accept it as a request fee?"
"Ah. That side?"
Honestly, it's difficult. Very difficult.
It's clear that Leonardo is hoping to buy information at this point. It must be about something related to his death—maybe the whereabouts of his subordinates who were arrested or went missing, or more information about the body of 'Leonardo Ertinez'.
The problem is that I can't answer any of his questions. The scenario area is limited to just the city of Sinistra, and the extent of information I can obtain is limited to that.
The world I'm faced with is barely a few kilometres around this city. If I were to argue it, there's probably no one more ignorant about this peculiar fictional world than I am. Being a suspicious innkeeper who also acts as an information broker isn't easy, and it left me with a dry mouth.
That said, outright refusing his request wouldn't make sense either. If the information broker doesn't sell information, the character would fall apart.
I put on a calm expression and gestured to Leonardo. It was my way of signaling that we should return to the inn.
When we returned to the inn, I found Vittorio, who had broken my earlier instruction to stay put and had done the dishes while we were away. I couldn't really scold him for ignoring my orders, since I knew full well how uncomfortable it must be to sit still without a home or money. I simply ruffled his hair.
"You did well, kid. Have some candy. But don't forget to brush your teeth after you eat it."
After handing him the candy, I went into my room and brought out a couple of sheets of paper. It was something I had written when I was trying to decide on the concept for the information guild earlier.
Sitting on a round table, I called out to Leonardo. He dragged a chair over and sat down. The tables had been flipped over after the cleanup from the previous night, so there were no available seats. One of us had to sit somewhere awkwardly for now.
Still, sitting like this makes our eye levels match, so it's comfortable. He might be a wild one, but when you look closely, it seems like 'Leonardo Ertinez' was quite blessed genetically. I hear he comes from a well-known noble family, so in some ways, it makes sense.
Anyway.
On the paper, I had drawn a pyramid chart. Starting from the top, S-class at the peak, and descending all the way down to the D-class at the bottom.
"There are two ways to buy information here. One is to sell the information you have and use that money to buy other information. The other is to purchase information with currency or valuable goods equivalent to the worth of the information you want."
I spread two fingers, then three more, and waved my palm slightly.
"Now, the value of information is classified based on the effort, currency, or rarity involved in obtaining it, ranging from S-class down to D-class in five levels. Based on the amount of money you're offering… D-class would be the best option. D-class information is like the gossip of a miller's son-in-law having an affair with someone. Nothing serious."
"…D-class still seems like it could cause a family to fall apart, though."
"Well, information is relative, right? For nobles, an affair or a ruler's secret dealings would be considered big news. But for someone in a quiet village, a love triangle like that is only valuable to the people involved."
I smiled and then looked at him.
"Now, tell me. What do you want to know?"
If I sense that answering is impossible, I'll have to quickly come up with an excuse to get out of this. Ready to chatter, I kept my gaze fixed on Leonardo, feeling tense.
But Leonardo didn't respond right away. Instead, he seemed to suddenly plunge into thought, a serious expression taking over. Slowly, he asked.
"You mentioned examples, so I'm curious. If the rarest are S-class, what kind of information would that be?"
"Well…"
Ah, he's biting the bait I wasn't even trying to cast. This is great for character development. I deliberately dragged out my answer, then gave a sly smile.
"An S-class secret would be something that could shake the world to its core."
In this world, if it's the scenario world, and you're the protagonist, and everyone's free will is controlled, wouldn't that be an S-class secret?
Oh, and the fact that you, Leonardo, are actually the soul of Leovald inside this body. That's probably S-class too.
"…Does that mean you already know all the secrets, since you're the one selling the information?"
"Oh. Does it sound like that's what it means?"
[Scenario Weight 5.08%]
Wow, it's going up smoothly.
Anyway, I didn't lie, right? Haha.
Clap!
I clapped my hands and broke the slightly subdued atmosphere. At times like this, flashing a charming smile and acting a bit cheeky is the number one rule for a suspicious character like me, right?
"Ah, how would I know such things? Just kidding, kidding. I threw in the S-rank as a joke. Our inn is just that amazing! It's more for showing off, you know."
"….."
"Think about it. The ranking system is weird, right? A, B, C, D, and then suddenly S. It's so out of place. Don't you think?"
Leonardo's expression was lukewarm, clearly uncomfortable, but when I kept being bold, he reluctantly nodded.
Ah, you're missing the point, Leonardo. You don't know the real rules. I smiled without showing my teeth and rolled up the paper. Even after that, seeing no sign of the tension easing from Leonardo's serious expression, I playfully unwrapped a candy and popped it into his mouth.
"….."
Leonardo glared at me as if asking, "What are you doing?" but I pressed his lips together with my finger, preventing him from arguing and quickly changed the subject.
A puffed-up cheek from the candy didn't make him look very scary at all.
"Anyway, are you going to buy the information or not?"
Leonardo, deep in thought, rolled the candy around in his mouth. The faint clack of it mingled with his murmuring voice as he spoke.
"…I'll hold off for now. I'll come back after I've saved up more money."
Good. That gets me out of trouble for now. I sighed in relief and gave my hands a casual shake.
"Right, good thinking. Geez, I was wondering how to refuse without hurting your pride when you wanted to buy information with that little bit of money. Guess you're not so savvy with market economics and prices, huh, young master?"
Leonardo silently bit into the candy, crushing it, and then quickly counterattacked.
"When it came to catching chickens, you were as wilted as old spinach, but now you're all fired up when you're teasing me."
"Why bring that up now? I told you, I've never dealt with birds before! Can you just forget about it?"
Damn my pride!
At that moment, Vittorio, who had been watching us, tilted his head slightly and asked,
"…So, are you two friends?"
"Huh?"
Both Leonardo and I turned to look at Vittorio. He flinched a bit and then wore a somewhat grumpy expression. Ah, I recognize that look. Some kids make that face when they feel uncomfortable or awkward.
"No, I thought you two were more like employer and employee… but it seems like you get along pretty well."
Thanks, Vittorio. It'd be good to establish our relationship here to secure some narrative weight. I straightened my back and gestured confidently at myself.
"The kind and generous innkeeper with a big heart."
Then I pointed at Leonardo with a grin.
"A former delinquent and runaway I picked up off the street. Oh, and also my odd-job worker and temporary employee."
"A delinquent?"
Vittorio asked in disbelief.
Well, after seeing Leonardo throw himself to save him and scold Lord Lopez right in front of him yesterday, it seems like Vittorio has developed a bit of fondness for him. I smiled and glanced at Leonardo.
"Yeah. This guy here," I continued, "he doesn't act like it now, but he had quite a wild past. From what I know, he used to live a pretty reckless life, out partying every night."
At that point, Leonardo swiftly covered my mouth, his expression a little awkward as he raised an eyebrow and gave a tight smile.
Did he imagine something? I was about to say that he used to drown himself in a bottle, not that he was out causing chaos.
Chuckling, I noticed Leonardo's face slowly twitch as he caught on to what was happening. He reluctantly removed his hand, and I, with a pleasant smile, continued to enjoy teasing him.
"More reckless than you'd think—"
"Enough."
Leonardo quickly clamped my mouth shut again. Vittorio, watching us with a somewhat uncomfortable expression, alternated his gaze between the two of us and shook his head.
A brief struggle passed, and the afternoon arrived. While Leonardo busied himself with his usual pre-opening training under the guise of 'preparing for the inn,' I sat with Vittorio, leisurely preparing some food. It seemed better to keep the boy occupied rather than letting him wander around with bruises on his legs.
The conversation between the adult and the child as we peeled potatoes went something like this: how things were in the slums lately, whether we were making enough money, if the rooms in the inn were comfortable enough, and if any bad people were bothering the street urchins in the area, among other things.
Vittorio seemed a bit awkward with the conversation, but he answered well enough.
"How's the port lately?"
After a brief pause, Vittorio blinked a couple of times before responding.
"On days when a lot of cod is caught, there's decent work. It's mostly simple tasks, just repetitive stuff. We're busiest in the early morning and late evening. There's a lot of competition, too, so even those just trying to handle fish all day long end up stationed at the port. Not everyone can find work, though."
"Really? I'd like to talk to those guys sometime."
"I'll let them know."
[Archive Access: Loading previous scenario notes.]
Lord Lopez: "So, Lord Roald, what does Count Ertinez think about the joint investment in the trading port?"
It's still bothering me. After all, this character has even been given a name. It definitely has some role to play. It's hard to think of him as just a one-off character who's quickly thrown in for the sake of the story and then discarded.
The setting of an arrogant noble who looks down on commoners is so typical… He might not be the final boss, but perhaps he'll be one of those early minor villains.
I should have paid more attention to Lord Lopez during the carriage collision scene with the "Innkeeper's Insight." The scene felt too real, almost too grounded for just a dramatic moment, and my attention was diverted, so I didn't connect the dots back then.
I cursed my own mistake as I peeled the potatoes. It couldn't be helped. There's not much you can gain by just sitting around and thinking, so the only way forward is to get out there and investigate. The one clue I have is the port, so I'll need to dig into that.
Before I knew it, the sun was setting.
Customers began trickling in one by one, ordering drinks and snacks. It seems like the day is fast approaching when I'll have to admit that my business leans more toward being a tavern than an inn.
I started to subtly coax those who seemed to know the port by identifying features like thick, rough fingers, weathered skin from the sea breeze, and sunburnt faces. Laughter erupted from a table in the distance.
I glanced over and saw the old man from this morning who had missed the chicken. It seemed his boast about spreading word of the inn wasn't just hot air, as a group of people were gathered around him, raising their glasses.
"Well, this handsome young fellow! He's as quick as a cat, and such a polite guy too!" the old man shouted loudly, gesturing toward Leonardo.
Objectively speaking, Leonardo Ertinez did have a pretty striking appearance. Though his eyes were sharp, giving him a fiercer look rather than the smooth and charming vibe, and despite the fact that his body wasn't yet as honed as it could be, it was still quite impressive.
I leisurely watched Leonardo, who was awkwardly bending at the waist and hesitating among the old men. The old man, grinning drunkenly, caught sight of me and gave me a playful poke in the side.
"Hey, innkeeper! How about lending me that worker of yours?"
I leaned casually against the table, smiling nonchalantly.
"Where would you be putting him to use?"
"Well, there's always work to be done. It's not easy finding someone, you know! You have to go around asking and putting in some effort to find someone decent."
Resting my chin on my hand, I listened to the old man's words, tilting my head slightly. Hmm, I thought. Sinistra seems like a pretty prosperous place, but do they not have any employment services here in the city?
Now that I thought about it, there were no institutions like a poorhouse, only the slums, and even the homeless seemed to gather and live on the streets in some sort of disorganized manner.
I fell into thought for a moment before heading down to the basement. I remembered seeing leftover construction materials scattered around down there. I eventually found a large corkboard, likely leftover insulation material, and hauled it back upstairs.
With the corkboard and some wooden planks tucked under my arm, I emerged to find some customers peering curiously. I waved for Leonardo to come over.
"Do you think we can mount this here?"
"Let's give it a try."
After handing him some nails and a hammer, I had Leonardo start assembling a notice board on the spot. With his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he hammered away with a few swift motions, and soon enough, a sturdy notice board was done. Before long, the chatter died down, and customers were watching with interest as Leonardo and I hung the board on one wall of the inn.
"Alright, if anyone here needs work or wants help with something, just write it up and put it on this board. Be sure to include the payment, where to come, and what the job is. That way, anyone visiting the inn can see it and offer their help. If no one bites, I'll just call up a few people I know to take care of it."
"What if I can't read or write?"
"In that case, I'll write it up and read it for you, so don't worry about it."
"Wait, you can read and write?"
"Of course I can. You all have been making fun of me all the time, but if you really knew me, you'd see that I'm not half bad at this stuff!"
Confidently puffing out my chest, I was met with playful jeers from the customers. Truthfully, I had realized something the last time I read a street sign—it turns out I had gotten a language patch! Well, I suppose I should be grateful for that, at least.
Surprisingly, the notice board idea gained a much more positive response than I expected.
As time passed, more and more people began posting job offers, and soon the board was covered in marks from nails. Some people didn't even use it for job hunting—there were notices like, "Anyone interested in knitting? Let's meet up!" or simple sketches and writings that people shared when they were feeling lonely, all in the spirit of sharing hobbies.
Looking at the now-packed board a few days later, I rubbed my cheek in amusement. It made sense that such a simple idea hadn't been widespread before—after all, not many people could read or write.
But in our inn, since I could read and write for people, or even act as a mediator for their work, the system was running smoothly. In that sense, I had to admit, I was pretty lucky.
More than anything, this made getting information so much easier.
Early in the morning.
I squeezed the water out of my wet hair as I stood up. The luxury of a porcelain bathtub was something I could never afford in this inn, so squeezing myself into a wooden tub was the best I could manage.
The only downside was the lack of hot water. But after boiling a pot full of water and pouring it twice, the temperature was just right. There was no need to be too realistic here, anyway.
Figuring my wet hair would dry on its own, I returned to my room and sat at the desk. The clues I had gathered over the past few days through the notice board and the street urchins were steadily piling up, giving me more leads for future developments. With the help of the copy bug, I had plenty of money to spare. I bought a lot of paper to organize my thoughts, and the stack of notes had grown quite thick by now.
The dampness from my hair, which was at an awkward length covering my neck, dripped down, and I tilted my head to prevent it from spreading onto the papers. The cool morning air touched my damp skin, providing some relief. As I sat there, lost in thought while staring at the papers, a neat knock echoed through the room. The sound wasn't coming from the lower part of the door but higher up, which left only one possible person.
"Come in."
It was Leonardo. Though it was still early morning, it wasn't unusual for him to visit at this time, given his typically diligent nature. As for me, I had woken up unusually early today. The days of sleepless nights due to tension seemed to have passed, and perhaps the fact that I was finally getting some proper rest was helping.
I had been bustling around since dawn, washing up and rifling through papers, so it was no surprise that Leonardo knew I was awake and had come to find me.
Instead of speaking immediately, he took in the whole room with a glance. His gaze wandered, first landing on the scattered blankets and pillows on the floor, then moving to the desk piled high with papers, before finally resting on me—drenched hair left carelessly unattended, droplets dripping down.
Even after seeing the mess, Leonardo remained silent. He stepped in, asked for permission, and began straightening the blankets and tapping the papers into neat stacks. I watched him, somewhat absent-mindedly.
Now that I thought about it, he was the Commander of the First Army, wasn't he? Maybe his military background was kicking in here.
After tidying up the disarray, he tossed a dry towel at me. I caught it by the neck and draped it over myself. Leonardo had a mildly displeased look on his face, but soon got to the point.
"If you allow me, I'd like to take some time off this morning."
Over the past few days, Leonardo had been busy with his side work. He was completely broke, with nothing to his name, truly a penniless situation. Luckily, the bulletin board was set up, and people had started posting all kinds of requests.
There were even some that could potentially help him raise his reputation—requests that would benefit the scenario's requirements. So, I had encouraged him to go ahead. After all, business at the inn was slow during the day, and taking time out to deal with outside tasks was fine. Besides, if he wanted to buy information from me, he'd need to save up some money.
Since then, Leonardo often came to me for permission and would go out into the village to build up his reputation points.
Curious, I asked around and found out that he was doing all sorts of odd jobs. Apparently, just yesterday, he mediated a dispute between brothers over the ownership of a pot left by their father. And the day before that, he had uncovered the secret behind a suspicious grain storage where wheat had been mysteriously disappearing.
[Current reputation score of Leonardo in Sinistra: 870 points][One citizen of Sinistra's review: "He has a bit of a fierce look, but he's a rare and diligent young man!"]
Right. Diligent…
I glanced at the floating text in the air before asking Leonardo.
"What's the plan for today?"
"I'm planning to head toward the harbour. A sailor apparently lost their lucky cat while unloading cargo. There's been a sighting near the harbour, so I'm going to check it out."
While the heroic mission he took on was trivial at best, the word "harbour" caught my attention.
"Harbour?"
Upon seeing my reaction, Leonardo stiffened. He responded in a somewhat annoyed tone.
"Your expression is really suspicious."
"What kind of rude comment is that? Yes, a cat. A cat, right…"
I wasn't sure if it was related to my current investigation, but since the harbour was involved, I couldn't help but stay alert. After considering the timing, I spoke up abruptly.
"Let's go together. Oh, but let's have breakfast first."
"You too?"
"I have some business there anyway. I'll leave the inn with Vittorio for a bit. There aren't any customers during the day anyway."
Lately, Vittorio has been learning the inn's chores from me. Honestly, I'm just as much of a newbie as he is, pretending to know what I'm doing, but since I felt bad for him being so awkward and always on edge, that's how it happened.
Thanks to that, I can leave the inn with him for an hour or two if I sit him with the street kids who come by sometimes.
"Aren't you neglecting your business too much?"
"I'm the owner, so what does it matter?"
I lazily leaned back in the chair and responded, and Leonardo shook his head a little.
A few minutes later, after I woke up a still-drowsy Vittorio and asked him to take care of the inn for the morning, I went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Leonardo followed, rolling up his sleeves as if he were used to helping out.
We always had a lot to prepare for breakfast, but ever since Vittorio joined the meal count, Leonardo had been consistently helping out in the kitchen.
He may have been hurt by betrayal, but in the end, he's a diligent, responsible, and proper hero—someone who feels straight out of the old school feel-good stories. It really takes me back to those days.
Vittorio tried to help too, but I told him to rest until his leg fully heals, so I sat him down again.
I left the task of dicing the carrots, shallots, mushrooms, and raw meat to Leonardo. His knife moved back and forth across the cutting board with a focused expression, carefully chopping the carrots into perfectly diced pieces, like they were drawn on graph paper. Vittorio and I couldn't help but admire this skill. They were truly flawless squares.
Once the ingredients were prepared, we heated a generous amount of oil in a large pan and added the finely chopped meat that Leonardo had prepared. The oil coated the meat, creating a glossy sheen as it fried, filling the kitchen with a deliciously savoury smell. When the vegetables in a separate pan were golden and crisp, we combined them with the meat and added a spoonful of butter, continuing to stir until everything was cooked through.
Preparing six servings at once meant the pan was heavy, but whenever my wrist started to hurt, Leonardo would immediately take over, so I never had to worry about strain.
We added tomato sauce, herbs, and a bit of spicy seasoning to the fried mixture, then poured in some wine, letting it simmer gently. After seasoning it with a bit of salt, we let the sauce reduce until the filling was ready.
The sizzling sound of the juicy meat and sauce bubbling away in the pan was music to my ears. From the counter connecting to the kitchen, I could hear the faint tapping of Vittorio's foot.
Yes, delicious food always brings out a sense of excitement in people.
With Leonardo handling the frying, I took the opportunity to grease the oven pot. I pressed down on the dough I'd bought fresh from the bakery across the street, creating walls of flour dough. After letting the filling cool slightly, I generously stuffed it into the pot, making sure the balance was perfect.
While Vittorio and Leonardo weren't looking, I thickly sliced some cheese and placed it over the filling, like tucking a blanket over it, before covering it with the dough. After breaking an egg and brushing it over the dough, all that was left was to wait.
The meat pie came out of the oven golden-brown and perfectly baked, with the juices sealed inside. The crust was crispy, its brown hue giving it a rustic charm. The pie, shaped round to fit the pot, looked delicious.
Now used to the large portions, we gathered around to share the pie. The flaky crust cracked open, and inside, the juicy filling, which had been simmering in the oven, melded together, creating a harmonious blend of flavours. The cheese stretched out as we pulled apart the slices, evoking a familiar nostalgia.
Vittorio beamed at the long strings of cheese, clearly pleased. There's a reason cheese has remained popular for years. With a satisfied smile, he took another bite.
"This would sell well if we added it to the inn's menu," he said.
"Wouldn't it be too expensive? The ingredients are quite fancy—meat, dough, and it takes quite a bit of effort to make," I replied.
Lately, I felt like I was getting better at cooking, since I kept focusing on the food for the inn, neglecting the actual lodging business.
A slice of the pie vanished in a blink of an eye, and before long, Leonardo was already devouring his second. His cheeks puffed out, and I couldn't help but feel the urge to tease him. His muscles may be growing, but I couldn't be the only one noticing it.
After finishing the meal, I waved goodbye to Vittorio and stepped out into the street.
Sinistra had developed as a city due to its geographical advantages.
I only saw the pale, empty world outside the city walls, but according to the locals, a gentle mountain rose to the north. Even with the mountain, it didn't obstruct travel, so Sinistra had been able to grow smoothly. To the southwest, where the guards' outposts and checkpoints were located, the open plains allowed outsiders to mostly enter and exit through the southwest gate.
If you descended the sloped road to the east, you'd reach the harbour, where sea trade was bustling. In an era when shipping goods by boat was more common than by cart, the geographical conditions were perfectly suited for this type of trade.
I strolled leisurely down the lively harbour path. The salty breeze brushed through my hair, a pleasant sensation. The sea stretched wide before me, revealing a bright blue reflection of the sky.
Who could claim that this vast ocean was a false creation, a world made up of lies? A weight that I hadn't even realized was there felt a little lighter.
Well, regardless of how I felt, I was still trapped in this scripted world.
The sailor who entrusted the task to Leonardo was a bearded captain with a rugged, bushy beard and a rather fierce expression. His coarse, weather-beaten skin, hardened by the sea breeze, contrasted with his pale face, which was trembling in distress.
"My Roboy hasn't returned! Ahh, Roboy! He's a smart one, never straying from the harbour, and even if he goes for a brief walk, he always returns to the ship before we set sail. If he hasn't come back yet, something must have happened! Please, won't you help me? I promise to reward you!"
Main Objective: Take the Lucky Roboy to the Captain (0/1)
Additional Objectives:
– Conduct an investigation at the harbour (0/3)
– Explore the harbour area (Current progress: 6%)
The level of quest rewards and Leonardo's fame increase depends on the completion level of the quest.
Quest Participants: Leonardo, the suspicious innkeeper of Sinistra
High Achievement: Harbour exploration progress 80% or more (Fame +150)
Medium Achievement: Harbour exploration progress 70% or more (Fame +100)
Low Achievement: Harbour exploration progress 60% or more (Fame +30)
Time Limit: 11 hours 29 minutes 59 seconds
A small, grey map appeared under the "Explore the Harbour Area" task, with the path Leonardo and I had taken highlighted in a bright colour. It seemed that fully colouring in this map would serve as evidence of the exploration.
"This is Roboy's favourite snack. Please, I beg of you!"
The captain explained that the mascot cat, the lucky charm of the ship, had yet to return, which was why they had delayed their departure. As Leonardo nodded thoughtfully, he was given a description of the cat: short, silvery-gray fur with a glossy sheen, white boots on its paws, and sapphire-coloured eyes.
With a heart-felt plea to bring Roboy back, we left the dock.
Cat-finding requests like this were a frequent motif in stories like these. While chasing after a cat, mismatched companions might unite in solidarity, or they might happen upon clues to another mystery during the pursuit. Even just briefly recalling similar stories, dozens of works flashed through my mind.
Isn't the time limit way too long?
I clicked my tongue as I looked around the dock, which stretched along the coast—starting from the sailors' taverns to the bustling fish markets and stalls of all sizes. Of course, the area to be searched was quite large, but still, giving us half a day seemed excessive.
'Did they give us extra time on purpose?' I thought to myself. Just as I was contemplating this, Leonardo spoke up.
"Now that we've come this far, why don't you tell me honestly? What kind of trouble has blown into the harbour?"
It seemed that Leonardo found his blue-green hair blowing in the wind to be quite bothersome, as he brushed it off his forehead. The frown he wore made him look like a reckless, carefree troublemaker living a wild life.
Inside, he was more like a national hero—diligent and sincere, almost like a model youth—but his outward appearance was far from it.
His sharp, cold eyes, drawing a straight line like a fierce wind, his hawk-like, clear gray irises, the shadows falling along his well-proportioned nose, and his tightly shut lips made him seem somehow unruly and rough around the edges.
What does he looked like as Leovald? I had seen the corpse in the coffin during the first scenario, but I was so disoriented back then that I didn't really remember. Lost in thought, I took a moment to gather my memories and responded to Leonardo's question a little more slowly.
"I came here to investigate."
"About what?"
"It's a trade secret…"
I played a bit coy, then eventually decided to share the information.
"Do you remember Lord Lopez? That arrogant nobleman. The truth is, the reason he came to Sinistra was for a joint investment in the trading port. It's something tied to your father too. I wonder if you didn't know about it?"
"If you're talking about my father… Ah, you mean Count Ertinez?"
Leonardo, oh Leonardo. How can you answer so nonchalantly, like you're some stranger to the family? Are you going to give away the fact that you're possessed by him? Can you at least put a bit more effort into your disguise?
Internally scolding his half-hearted immersion into the role, I responded.
"What's with that distant title?"
"…Well, I'm not exactly on the best terms with my father."
I guess that's true. I let his weak excuse slide and steered the conversation back.
"Now that I think about it, it makes sense you wouldn't know. Baron Roald just sent a proposal to Count Ertinez a few days ago. The young master probably wouldn't know either, since he's been missing. Anyway, I've been looking into it, and I have a feeling that man has something shady going on. It seems like he's trying to extend his influence over the harbour."
"How do you know something like that…?"
"Never mind that. So, what do you think?"
"I don't like bugs swarming around my territory."
Besides, in some later semi-antagonist scenarios, I'll need to contribute enough to have some real impact. If I want to be the admirable first contributor, I need to prepare in advance.
Leonardo gave me a subtle look, then sighed.
"I still don't quite understand what you're thinking. So, are we going our separate ways?"
"No. Since we're together, I'll help you out with your task. And since the cat's quick, we'll have to surround it from both sides to catch it, right? In return, when we're done with this, you'll help me with mine. Sounds like a fair trade."
"I do feel like I'm being dragged into this, but fine."
With that, Leonardo stretched his body and began loosening up. His posture gave off the unmistakable intent of running full speed. When I asked what he was doing, he answered as if it was obvious.
"Like you said, cats are quick. They like secluded spots and tend to hide in narrow spaces when they're bored. You can't expect to find one of them by wandering through busy streets."
"…Have you ever owned a cat?"
"A friend of mine had one."
With that, Leonardo effortlessly hopped up onto the fence, his movement light as a wild animal. It was such a graceful motion, it almost seemed like it could be considered trespassing, but no one paid much attention, and Leonardo didn't seem bothered either.
With a grimace on my face, I stood there when Leonardo suddenly reached out his hand.
"Are you just going to stay down there?"
"Uh, yeah. I was planning to, but… my sense of balance is a bit… ugh!"
Before I could finish my excuse, Leonardo tightened his grip on my arm and effortlessly pulled me up. Stepping onto the narrow width of the wall, I felt like I was walking on a balance beam. I wobbled a bit, feeling dizzy, and Leonardo instinctively wrapped his arm around my back to steady me, preventing me from falling.
[Scenario Weight: 5.09%]
The letters flashed across my eyes for just a brief moment before vanishing. The strange sense of déjà vu that had been lingering grew stronger, causing me to frown, though the feeling quickly dispersed. As two men climbed up onto the wall, the space became cramped, and the discomfort of the position made it hard to continue my train of thought.
Once I got used to the height, walking wasn't impossible. My eyes still stayed fixed on my feet in unease. From up here, the entire harbour came into view much more clearly. After confirming that I was managing to stay upright, Leonardo turned his gaze forward.
"I can already see one."
"That one's not wearing boots."
"…The boots are a metaphor."
"…..?"
Leonardo calmly explained that some cat enthusiasts refer to cats with different-coloured fur on their paws as having "boots" or "wearing a tuxedo."
"Am I maybe more careless than I look?" I asked, half-joking, but feeling a bit unfairly judged.
He responded with a smirk. "Seems like your knowledge is a bit skewed on certain points."
This guy was subtly trying to paint me as suspicious but somehow endearing, wasn't he? I shot him a suspicious glance but didn't say anything, instead following the fluffy cat walking along the wall. I figured that if I kept trailing the cat, it would lead me to where the others were hiding.
Occasionally, I came across street vendors squatting beneath the wall, setting up their stalls, and I would crouch down to ask them friendly questions.
"Have you seen a gray cat around here?"
"With all the fish around, the cats tend to gather in groups."
"This one's got a smooth coat and white boots on its paws, so it probably stood out."
"Oh, you're looking for Roboy too? The captain's been desperately searching for him since a while ago, but I'm afraid I haven't seen him…"
The little cat was elusive, more so than I expected. I began to think it wouldn't be as easy as I had initially assumed, so I shifted the conversation.
"What about the people who suddenly appeared around here a few days ago? A group of strangers has been wandering around in places where no one usually pays attention. I'm starting to worry they might've snatched Roboy. With all the people showing up lately, maybe they took him to demand a ransom, now that the captain's been so desperate searching for him."
The merchant sighed, reacting with a mix of disbelief and surprise, as if to say, Is there really such strange people out there? It's always hard to get people to talk if you ask outright, but by dropping hints like this, the answers usually come more naturally.
"You mean the ones with cloaks? I saw them the other day. They seemed off."
"What was strange about them?"
"Well… they showed up at dusk, disappeared somewhere, and then didn't come back until around noon the next day. Most people come during the day and leave at night, but I've been here all day selling, so I noticed something was wrong."
So, these suspicious people had been hanging around the harbour from dusk till noon the next day?
I nodded, committing the merchant's words to memory. The scent of a storyline was already starting to hang in the air.