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Chapter 39: An Unexpected Acquaintance
🕑 Added 2025-01-09 21:05:14 +0000 UTCThe long journey had left everyone utterly exhausted. Too weary to enjoy much of the ale, they only nibbled on a few morsels before falling into a deep slumber, leaving behind more than half a barrel untouched.
Charlot sat against his travel trunk, retrieving his diary and activating the Eye of Insight. While studying the first map of the Agmirlas Labyrinth, he remained vigilant, wary of any tampering. He casually poured himself a cup of ale, pairing it with the dried meat he had just purchased. Occasionally sipping from the cup, he let the night breeze sweep over him, finding a rare moment of tranquility.
Outside the massive wooden lodge known as the White Wolf's, the many gathered travelers maintained a surprising calm. The sporadic sound of snores rising and falling lent an odd serenity to the atmosphere.
As dawn broke, Charlot, feeling the strain of spiritual energy depletion, deactivated his Eye of Insight. He rubbed his eyes, glancing around as he contemplated which companion to wake for a shift change. Just then, a commotion of footsteps disrupted the stillness—an entire group was entering from outside the town.
The group quickly arrived at the lodge. Leading them were two figures: one was a towering man, well over two meters tall—a rarity even on Earth or in Strasbourg. A massive greatsword was strapped to his back, and a pair of flails hung from his belt. The other figure caught Charlot off guard: Louis Simy, a merchant he had encountered at the Duchess of Messau's magical items auction. They had even traded a multi-headed flail.
Charlot was momentarily startled, but he quickly calculated his next move. Louis Simy, having just returned from afar, was unlikely to be aware of recent events in Strasbourg. In this age devoid of instant communication, even explosive news traveled slowly. Rather than deliberately avoiding Louis, it seemed wiser to approach him directly.
As for whether Louis might report him upon returning to Strasbourg...
First, the matter involved significant stakes, and a shrewd merchant like Louis would undoubtedly weigh the risks. Second, by the time any reporting could occur, Charlot planned to be long gone.
Charlot stood, walking toward the group. He nodded slightly to the experienced demon hunter, White Wolf, before spreading his arms toward Louis Simy and saying, "Louis, what a surprise to see you here! I’m Kainan—we met at the Duchess of Messau's magical items auction."
Louis Simy seemed slightly surprised, but as a seasoned merchant, he tactfully avoided mentioning, "You seemed to go by Charlot Mecklenburg last time." Instead, he smiled warmly and replied, "Life truly is full of surprises. Are you here to become a demon hunter as well?"
The two men embraced, briefly pressing their cheeks together—a formality reserved for close friendships.
Charlot chuckled and said, "I can’t tread a second path of transcendence, or I’d certainly consider it."
After a few pleasantries, Louis introduced Charlot to the demon hunter. "Kainan is a good friend of mine. We’ve done some magical items trade together."
White Wolf extended a hand for a handshake, offering a brief introduction. "White Wolf, a demon hunter."
Louis, ever adept at fostering conviviality, chimed in. "I just returned from Byron, bringing back some of their specialty goods. I hired Mr. White Wolf for protection—he’s a reliable demon hunter."
Charlot immediately felt reassured. If Louis had just come from the Byron Empire, he clearly hadn’t heard any recent news from Strasbourg.
White Wolf was likely an alias, but since Charlot himself was using a false name, he naturally didn’t mind. Smiling, he explained, "I recently acquired a treasure map, so I joined an adventurer team to explore it. I’m hoping for some modest gains."
White Wolf’s eyes glimmered with interest. "What treasure map?"
Charlot smiled and casually fabricated, "I bought it from a secondhand shop. They say it’s a relic from the ancient Orc Kingdom."
White Wolf’s interest faded instantly, and he replied indifferently, "Those treasure maps are rarely reliable."
Charlot had expected this reaction. His story was a convenient excuse to explain his presence in Yorktown, and White Wolf’s change in demeanor was hardly surprising.
The group exchanged casual conversation before entering the massive lodge. Charlot waved to his adventurer team, the Giant Axe Adventurer Team, signaling them to join in.
White Wolf didn’t seem to care about their presence, allowing the Giant Axe team to blend into the scene. Upon entering the lodge, he pointed to a burly man and said, "I’m off to take a bath. If you want drinks, just ask Sam and pay for them." With that, he strode away.
The group accompanying White Wolf consisted of only two assistants; the rest were Louis Simy’s men.
Once White Wolf had departed, Louis turned to Charlot with a smile. "Exploring treasure requires plenty of gear. Coincidentally, I have some suitable wilderness supplies. If you see anything you like, feel free to take it—I’ll give you a friendly price."
Louis gestured, and one of his men brought forth a collection of equipment, including several extraordinary weapons.
However, Charlot, in the midst of his escape, was eager to travel as lightly as possible. He had no interest in purchasing equipment, let alone high-end extraordinary weapons that were beyond his financial reach despite his modest savings.
Feigning interest, Charlot inspected the items briefly and noticed an unassuming black iron ring among them. The ring, though plain and unremarkable, bore the crest of a branch family of the Arthur Clan.
The Arthur Clan was one of the 37 vampire clans and one of the three royal clans, holding a status above even the six king clans.
Though Charlot couldn’t identify which branch family the crest represented, he was certain the ring was a vampire weapon.
Curious, he picked it up, examining it briefly. Just as he was about to put it down, Louis Simy commented, "Mr. Mecklenburg, are you interested in vampire weapons? This one has a remarkable origin, though I’ve yet to figure out how it functions as a weapon."
"If you have any insights, Mr. Mecklenburg, I’d be willing to pay for the knowledge."
With White Wolf gone, the Giant Axe members hesitated to intrude, watching from a distance as Charlot and Louis conversed. With no outsiders nearby, Louis addressed Charlot by his true surname directly.
Feeling uneasy, Charlot forced a smile and asked, "And how much are you willing to pay, Louis?"
Louis pondered for a moment before responding, "I spent 95 écus on this ring, thinking I’d struck gold. As you know, the Arthur Clan, one of the three royal vampire clans, lends it undeniable value!"
"However, I’ve been unable to discern its function, meaning I can only sell it for a maximum of 110 écus. If you can uncover its true usage, I’d gladly offer you 30% of the pure profit as a reward."
Charlot, intrigued, asked, "Have you consulted anyone skilled in Blood Glory for an appraisal?"
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