"Drink up! On a day like this, you've got to drink to lift the spirits!"
The already tipsy guests shouted in unison. Some muttered sadly.
"I can't believe it. Sir Leovald is really gone like this…"
"What was the cause of death, again? In the palace, they said?"
"They claimed it was an accident during the operation. Honestly, it's hard to believe… but in the end, he was human, too. Even the heavens are cruel. To take away such a hero in such a meaningless way."
Among them, some mourned the dead while also airing their own troubles about the living.
"By the way, King Godric is such a wise ruler. It seems like he was deeply affected by the death of the national hero, and after hearing about Sir Leovald's passing, he hasn't been seen outside the palace."
"Yeah, of course. Didn't His Majesty and Sir Leovald have a close friendship since childhood?"
"The shock must be immense for him."
"How pitiable."
The people soon change the subject and continue their conversation.
"They say it was King Godric's decision not to bury Sir Leovald in the capital, but to leave him in Sinistra."
"Really? I thought he would want to be near his close friend's grave and visit it often. How could he…?"
"Perhaps he prioritized the greater good over personal ties. For the people living in Sinistra, the significance of that man is immense, isn't it? He saved a city that was on the brink of ruin…"
"Indeed, King Godric. He truly has a deep heart…"
Leonardo tightly grips his cup. Without knowing his thoughts, the guests regain their lively mood. I glance at Leonardo's hand out of the corner of my eye. The veins on his hand are bulging. It seems that 'Godric' and 'Leovald' were not on friendly terms after all. While I wiped the counter with a rag, I calmly sat down across from Leonardo.
"I thought you were just a drunk fool at the funeral, but I guess you're very interested in Sir Leovald's story, aren't you?"
"Well… for one, he's famous. It's natural to be curious."
"Yes, a famous person. Like King Godric or Sir Leovald, people are always eager to gossip about well-known figures. But if you want to understand the essence of the event, you need to look at the people around it."
I squinted my eyes and seized the opportunity to subtly share the information I had already gathered. Sorry again, extras, for stealing a few lines.
"First Field Commander… I mean, those who were close to Sir Leovald, they outright denied the cause of death officially announced by the royal family."
"What?"
"They even openly questioned King Godric, and as a result, they were either detained or quietly disappeared at some point. Rumours say some were demoted too."
Leonardo looked shocked.
"What happened to them?"
I shrugged my shoulders casually.
"Well, who knows? Probably only the parties involved know. You seem to be quite interested in this. I'd love to sell more details if I were paid for it, but I currently don't have any more info. If you find out anything, let me know."
At those words, Leonardo looked at me.
"Why would you need such information?"
"Because in a tavern, all the information gathers, you know. Sometimes, there are secret deals too… It's a place where even wandering travelers can find a bed, so why wouldn't it hold some secrets?"
I added with a cheerful laugh.
"Oh, noble young sir, I guess you don't understand how common folks live, do you?"
[Scenario weight 1.92%]
The words were aimed at the vessel, 'Leonardo Ertinez', that housed the soul. Leonardo paused and glanced toward me.
"Well then, young master Leonardo, second son of the Count of Ertinez. You've come all the way from the Count's domain to this far-off place, not even a stone's throw from Sinistra. I wonder if this shabby inn is uncomfortable for you?"
[Clear condition achieved!]
['Scenario Note #002' has been successfully completed. There are 8 hours and 13 minutes remaining until the next scenario note assignment. Until the scenario is assigned, the characters will begin 'free action' to fill in the empty spaces of the script. Please act naturally to prevent them from recognizing the discrepancies in the world within the story.]
I lightly scanned the air, then smiled slightly. Leonardo set his cup down with a soft thud.
"I…"
"Don't deny it," I said with a teasing tone.
"How are you so sure I'm 'Leonardo'? The pocket watch only had the family crest on it, right?"
"Well… it's obvious, isn't it?"
As I refilled his glass with juice, I continued to make my assumptions.
"From the moment I saw you, your attire told me you were no ordinary citizen. I knew you were from the Ertinez family when I saw your pocket watch and the family crest. And if there's someone from the count's family who could be wandering around in a drunken stupor on the day of a hero's funeral… well, there's only one person it could be. The troublemaker, Leonardo!"
"Trouble… You speak of such things right in front of the person involved."
"I know how to choose my words, depending on where I lay my head."
Leonardo awkwardly tried to cover up with a sullen expression, then asked with a hint of curiosity:
"…Is that so? Well, then tell me more, go ahead."
"Don't you know? I'm selling all this for money. Do you have any?"
"I don't."
I exaggerated a sigh and said:
"This being your first time, I'll make an exception and let it go on credit. Pay me back later."
And then, without missing a beat, I began to spill the information.
"The second son of the Count Ertinez family. However, due to his lazy and arrogant nature, his physical abilities were miserable. He acts out under the protection of his family's name, and his reputation is at rock bottom. No wonder he's considered a good-for-nothing. He's the second of two sons and a daughter, and since his mother passed away, his relationship with his father, the Count, has been pretty bad. He's practically a discarded child, it seems. Oh, and for some reason, he ended up a vagrant after running away from home. If you want more details, that'll cost you."
"….."
Leaning against the counter, I smiled.
"So, the second young master, with no money and a tarnished reputation. Looks like you've got nowhere to go now? Ran away, huh?"
"…Seems like it. Unfortunately."
"Sounds like you're talking about someone else."
I pretended to ponder for a moment, then asked:
"Do you have any useful skills?"
"Fencing."
"Don't lie. Everyone knows your swordsmanship is at a disastrous level, even the street kids."
"….."
I grinned as I teased Leonardo, then, with a shrug, spoke more amicably.
"Well, fine. You can stay here for a while. As long as you stop acting like a fool while you're at it. Help me out with some work while you're here. I'll make sure your food and lodging are taken care of."
I had subtly dropped the formal tone again, but Leonardo didn't seem to mind. Instead, he looked somewhat bewildered and asked in response:
"Why are you helping me?"
Why? Well, you're the protagonist, and my role in the story is still just a minor one, so we can't part ways yet.
"I'm just a philanthropist, you know? I get soft-hearted when I see someone with nowhere to go, so I tend to help out."
I gave a sly smile, then added calmly:
"Also, I ran into you on the day of Sir Leovald's funeral, and it didn't seem like a coincidence. He did a lot of good things while he was alive, so I thought I'd try to do something good as well… just for the sake of it. Ever heard the saying 'kindness comes back around'? Something like that."
Honestly, I had no idea what Leovald had done to earn the title of a national hero or what contributions he made to the city of Sinistra. But I threw it out there to add some weight to the flimsy backstory. Leonardo seemed to accept it with some degree of understanding.
"I won't give a drunkard any alcohol, but is a tavern only for drinking? Have some fun while you're here, then go upstairs and get some rest."
Leonardo nodded. He lingered for a bit longer before heading up to his room. I watched the group of customers chatting away. Their conversation was nothing more than background noise, a meaningless babble of insignificant details, adding nothing to the moment.
Then, after quite some time had passed, the extras, having completed their roles, dispersed like ash in the wind. The minor characters, as if they had somewhere to go, left the tavern nonchalantly. Most of the ones I had shoved into the underground storage also scattered or left without incident, as if nothing had happened.
I watched them quietly before opening the tavern door. I had expected the street to be as blank as the empty white paper I had seen on my way here, but instead, a strangely familiar alleyway appeared. Upon closer inspection, the outlines of the buildings along the alley twisted and shifted, then flattened out again, almost like they were undergoing a stabilization process.
Before, it had felt like anything could be built upon the empty white page. Now, it seemed like the basic framework of "Sinistra City" had been set, and I was slowly adding layers of imagination to the vacant spaces within that structure.
The world, which had been soft and fluid with possibilities, was now hardening into shape. Like setting up stage props on an empty stage, the scene began to gain density, bit by bit.
"Truly a strange world. It feels odd that I'm gradually adjusting to this peculiar place."
I sat, resting against the doorpost, watching the process of the world solidifying through the night. The perfectly straight brick paths became worn, covered with soft moss and scratched with the marks of age. The once neat eaves showed signs of rust from the rain, empty wine bottles rolled around the once pristine corners, and the scent of life slowly began to permeate the air.
At last, Sinistra Square was no longer a haphazardly constructed place on a blank canvas. It had become a massive city, more real than reality itself.
I rose to my feet as if in a trance and stepped into the reconstructed city. Shadows of people flickered beyond the windows, but it was impossible to tell whether they were merely a shadow effect cast by the stage props or the actual silhouettes of real people.
That dawn, I had walked through the desolate and quiet Sinistra Square and saw the solemn tombstone of Leovald standing firm. As I passed it and walked toward the outskirts of the city, I found Extra Guard 267, whose features were blurred, standing watch at the city gates.
As expected of an extra, he had no lines to speak. Even though I was loitering around the city gates at this late hour, he seemed completely indifferent, as if nothing unusual was happening.
I had anticipated this. From what I had observed, once they were outside their designated path, or out of the spotlight of the stage, their actions and movements became incredibly simple and automatic.
Beyond the tightly closed city gates, a fog-like mist hovered in the air. I reached out to it, trying to feel its texture.
[Scenario Restricted Area: Access is not allowed.]
[This is the border of the city of Sinistra. Areas outside the currently ongoing scenario zone are closed.]
Indeed. It seems that during the current plot, I cannot leave the designated area. I climbed up the castle wall. The guard, staring blankly at a single point, didn't seem to have any intention of stopping me. As I sat on the wall, the strange, shimmering void below disturbed my vision like an endless snowfield.
It felt like a pure white swamp.
Is the white ground below an empty void, or is there something solid underneath, serving as the floor? I decided to test it. I untied the string on my coat and tossed it into the empty space. The string, sinking like the sky, seemed to turn into dust and scatter… but then, it returned to my hand.
Huh?
And it had multiplied into two.
"A bug?"
Unable to contain my disbelief, I stared helplessly at the two strings now in my hand.