The Runesmith

Chapter 410: Getting Followed?

“Hey, watch it!”

“Sorry!”

A girl, donned in an oversized backpack, descended through a gangplank that could barely accommodate two people at once. The substantial size of her backpack inadvertently caused a minor collision with a fellow disembarking passenger. Swiftly, she turned around, bowing her head in apology before darting away. Behind her, a large airship was docked, and numerous other passengers were also disembarking.

Upon disembarking, she hurried through the somewhat dirty-looking docks, cluttered with boxes and rugged sailors. This section of the docks was designated for manual laborers like herself and the other porters. On the ship's opposite side, a contrasting scene unfolded, with lavishly dressed individuals disembarking onto a place befitting nobility. The nobility and the rich preferred to keep their distance from the commoners, reflecting the harsh reality of this world.

However, such trivial things didn’t worry this happy go lucky girl. She just sprinted forth at an astonishing pace, her white rabbit ears flopping around with each step that she took. She was quite energetic at finally arriving at her home. As she approached the exit for the docks she stopped herself for a moment, her red pupils glanced back at the airship. She scanned the area while looking for a peculiar individual who didn’t seem to appear even after she waited.

“Could that person have disembarked on the other side?”

Her ears drooped in disappointment as she realized she didn't have the chance to thank him for his intervention. It made sense that such a powerful mage would likely be a prominent adventurer, perhaps in the service of nobles or merchants. It wasn't uncommon for such individuals to receive compensation far beyond what a platinum-ranked adventurer could earn independently. She lingered a few more minutes, but it became evident that he wouldn't be emerging.

"Hm… maybe he'll visit the adventurer guild instead? What if he's already there? Oh no, I should hurry!"

With renewed determination, the rabbit-eared girl sprinted towards the bustling city, her thoughts focused on finding the mysterious mage who had intervened on her behalf. The city was a maze of narrow streets and large buildings that she knew like the back of her hand. The air was filled with the scent of various goods, and the clamor of merchants and locals haggling created a lively atmosphere.

As she navigated through the crowded streets, the girl couldn't help but marvel at the diversity of the city. Stalls lined the sidewalks, selling everything from exotic fruits to magical trinkets. Street performers showcased their talents, drawing crowds with mesmerizing displays of fire manipulation and illusionary arts. The city was alive with energy, a stark departure from the rigid routine of her life as a porter.

The girl finally arrived at the Adventurers' Guild. The imposing building stood proudly in the heart of the city, its emblematic swords crossed in a display of strength. The guild was a hub for adventurers, mercenaries, and those seeking their services. As she entered, the bustling noise of the city was replaced by the more subdued hum of conversations and the occasional clinking of tankards.

The interior was spacious, with a large bulletin board displaying various requests from citizens and organizations seeking assistance. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes mingled, sharing stories and discussing potential missions. The rabbit-eared girl scanned the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious mage.

“...”

“Lunya? Is that you, what are you spacing out for?”

“He's not here? … Huh, what? Oh, it’s just you…”

“Well, sorry for being just me!”

Lunya, the girl with rabbit ears, turned around, spotting one of her friends. The other girl, a bit older but still in her twenties, had vibrant red hair and donned a set of leather armor. A conspicuous quiver filled with arrows adorned her back, unmistakably revealing her profession to anyone observant.

“I didn’t mean it like that!”

The girl started waving her arms around in panic while trying to explain herself. She realised that what she had pronounced was quite rude but her friend just started laughing and gave her a pat on the head.

“That’s fine, I see that you’re back from your little side trip, anything interesting happened on the way.”

“Oh, something did!”

“It did? Why don’t we sit down and wait for the others? Now that you’re back, we can have our strategic meeting, can’t go spelunking without our best porter!”

The rabbit girl blushed and smiled in response to the redhead adventurer's praise. Soon, the two were seated at a table. The adventurer promptly ordered some beer and began chugging it from a large pitcher. In contrast, Lunya opted for water, politely refusing the alcoholic beverage.

"Oh? You met a strange mage?"

"Yes! I think he was a Platinum adventurer! His voice was gentle but also quite manly!"

"Haha, do you have a crush on him? You know that those mages can fake their voices, right? I bet that behind that mask an old grandpa is hidden~"

"No!"

Lunya vigorously shook her head, her rabbit ears twitching with defiance.

“It's not like that! He helped me out, I just wanted to thank him, that's all.”

Her friend chuckled, taking another sip of her beer.

“Alright, alright, no need to get defensive. So, did you find him here?”

Lunya scanned the room again, disappointment evident in her expression.

“No, not yet. I thought he might have come to the guild. Maybe he's on a mission or something?”

The adventurer leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers on the table.

“Platinum-ranked, huh? That's impressive. Not many of them around here. If he's not here, he might have taken a high-profile quest directly from the nobles. They usually prefer dealing with the best.”

Lunya's eyes widened with realization and her ears flopped in disappointment again. This made her friend chuckle even harder but soon her smile was gone as she abruptly changed the subject of the conversation.

“If what you said is true, then you were quite lucky. Those mercenary bastards probably belong to the Obsidian Brotherhood, they are truly a bunch of nasty bastards.”

The two fell silent for a moment, acknowledging the unfortunate reality that some groups abused their power. This particular bunch had a notorious reputation for mistreating others, especially women. Numerous stories circulated about their nefarious exploits. Even though people were aware of these issues, such groups often managed to escape with minimal consequences after paying fines. The nobility displayed little concern for the well-being of adventurers or commoners, leaving individuals to either seek street justice or endure the situation.

“I think you should maybe stop taking those side jobs, at least until we actually manage to become platinum ranks ourselves”

The redhead adventurer suggested and Lunya just nodded in response. Silence fell on the two again as they continued to take in their drinks and was only broken by the appearance of two other faces.

“What’s with those faces? Did someone die?”

The silence was abruptly shattered by a loud voice as another person approached Lunya and her adventurer friend. The two turned to see a large woman with exposed muscular arms. A foolish grin adorned her face as she held a massive hammer meant for two-handed over her shoulder. Standing at a height of a bit over two meters, her imposing figure contrasted with the shorter individual beside her. This companion was another girl with animal ears, white-grayish hair, and a bushy tail peeking out from behind.

“Another hammer?”

“Of course! Hammers are the best, look at this baby!”

The red-head adventurer shook her head around as the large magical hammer was placed on the table.

“You know that you could have just bought one with regular enchantments, right? It would cost a lot less too.”

“Hah, nothing can compare to runic weapons!”

The group looked at the large woman with somewhat pity in their eyes which didn’t go unnoticed. She quickly opened her mouth and started shouting.

“Stop looking at me like that!”

“You need to get over that already.”

“Shut up, this isn’t about that!”

The redhead burst into laughter, while the large woman from the Goliath race clenched her teeth. Soon, the conversation shifted to their next mission and the mercenary group they needed to be wary of…

…

As Roland stepped onto the solid ground of the bustling city, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. The airship's grandeur and the incident during the journey had distracted him temporarily, but now he was focused on the reason he came to this city in the first place - the Xandar’s Institute of Wizardry.

“Hey, keep up!”

‘I guess, I still need to get this part over with…’

He had just descended from the gangplank, trailing behind his temporary boss and their bodyguards. His mission wasn't quite over yet, as the port city of Clawridge was only a temporary stop for them. It stood as one of the largest trade cities in the entire kingdom, serving as a central hub for various connections. Reputable guilds, such as the merchant guild and the dwarven union, had their branches established here.

This location served as the perfect spot for negotiating favorable deals on materials. His strength didn't lie in bartering and making deals; he left such matters to Arthur or his contacts within the Union. Although his charisma stat was above average and would assist him in conversations, he would have to remove his helmet for it to work effectively. In this unknown region, however, he opted to keep his bearings and be on the side of caution.

‘Should I just leave without them? I don’t really need them anymore…’

He followed behind the merchant and two bodyguards, but having already used the airship, he knew that to travel to the Institute from here, all he needed was a carriage. However, it seemed the group had different plans. Despite the day having just started, the plump merchant seemed eager to grab a bite. Although he didn't engage in conversation, he gathered from their discussion that they would likely be staying in Clawridge for a while before continuing their journey.

‘If I leave then I will fail my mission and probably get a complaint from the guild… I’m still an adventurer…’

His current job was to ensure the safe delivery of the merchant to another location outside of this city. They still needed to travel by land for another day before he could resume his own journey. Opting to leave at this point could result in a complaint to the guild from the merchant. Despite being a platinum adventurer, rules still applied. While he wouldn't be removed, his card could be suspended, making future travels more challenging. Therefore, he decided to endure the animosity from the bothersome guards. In a day and a half, he hoped to be free of their company.

“Wait, you don’t expect to go in there looking like this do you?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Hah.”

“She is right, how about you wait here, if you want you may head into the city to a pub or something, think that is what you adventurers like to do?”

“...”

The group reached a lavish restaurant, and during the journey, he was compelled to sit at the back of the carriage for around twenty minutes. While this afforded him a good view of the city surroundings, it also left his posterior sore. Upon arrival, the guards halted him and the merchant he was meant to protect barred his entry. The man soon disappeared inside, leaving him with a few words from the catwoman.

"Just meet us in a few hours at the meeting spot. Just don't be late. I advise you to go there and sit until we are back."

Instructed to head to the next location and wait, he contemplated whether visiting the magical train station would be an interesting endeavor. The uncertainty of how long they would remain inside the restaurant left him with potential hours of waiting. If, for some reason, the merchant failed to show up, he might be compelled to wait through the night or even search for him throughout the city. Fortunately, he had already saved the trio's mana patterns, enabling him to track them if needed. Nonetheless, he would likely need to find a way to occupy his time for a couple of hours until they finally set off to another location.

‘Should I just go to the station? When was the last time I used one?’

Trains existed in this world, but they weren't prevalent on Dragnis Island, especially not connecting to Albrook. There was one in Isgard, but it only linked to a handful of large cities there. The majority of resources were concentrated on the super dungeon, leading nobles and merchants to see little reason to extend the network further.

‘I was really young back then…’

While reminiscing about his old adventures he decided to take a walk. He strolled through the lively streets of Clawridge, observing the diverse mix of people bustling about their daily lives. Merchants haggled over goods, street performers entertained passersby, and the city seemed to vibrate with a unique energy. The air was infused with the scent of various cuisines, enticing him to try something local. It was a chance to try out some other cuisine than the food he got used to eating in Albrook.

Deciding to follow his nose, Roland found himself drawn to a small food market tucked away in a bustling alley. The aroma of grilled meats, spices, and freshly baked bread wafted through the air, enticing him to explore further. As he approached the market, he noticed a stall with a particularly long line of customers.

Curiosity piqued, he joined the queue, patiently waiting his turn. The stall was run by a portly man with a wide grin, expertly grilling skewers of marinated meats. The enticing sizzle and savory scent made Roland's stomach growl in anticipation. As he neared the front of the line, the man behind the counter looked up, acknowledging the newcomer.

“Ah, adventurer! Haven't seen your face around here before. You must try our special dragon-spiced skewers. Guaranteed to add a bit of fire to your day!”

What the man was holding looked like a skewered lizard, covered in spices and well-grilled. Roland, who led a life as an adventurer, had occasionally tasted reptile meat before, so this didn't really put him off. To minimize the use of the provisions offered to him by his wife, he decided to try some local food that wouldn't take up too much time. This fast-food stall was perfect for his current needs.

“Thank you for your business, please come again!”

His helmet had been enhanced for the trip, allowing him to open up parts that covered his mouth. It could slide open, thanks to the magic holding things in place. He knew that traveling, especially in dangerous situations, required keeping his head protected at all times, but eating was unavoidable.

The first bite was a revelation. The combination of spices, grilled meat, and a hint of something exotic left his taste buds tingling. As he enjoyed his meal, he couldn't help but appreciate the simple joys of exploring a new city and discovering its unique culinary offerings.

“Hm… not bad…”

He smacked his lips after finishing the spicy treat and washed it down with some water. Soon, the mouth opening slid back together and perfectly attached itself back into place. His hunger had been somewhat satiated, but he wasn't sure what to do next. It was probably better to head closer to the train station area as he didn't want to attract the attention of the annoying guards. However, as he was about to set out, he noticed something. His suit of armor started beeping, and his display flashed to inform him about some unwanted guests.

‘It was good that I recorded all of their mana patterns…’

A few red dots appeared on the small screen, informing him that he was being followed. His adversaries belonged to the mercenary group he had previously encountered and terrorized. It seemed that he was being trailed by some people who were on the airship with him - likely individuals with scouting classes.

‘Are they trying to gather information on me? I guess, no good deed goes unpunished…’

This was something he had already considered. The group had become a laughing stock on board the ship, and sometimes people like this couldn't let it slide. It was possible that this particular group liked to present itself as strong, and if someone went against them, they would attack.

‘I’m leaving in a few hours, so this shouldn’t be a problem… but what if they follow me into the academy?’

For a moment, he started regretting his past actions. Usually, he avoided standing out, but he couldn't just let that girl be assaulted in front of his eyes. This was a problem, but not something he couldn't contend with. Thus, to make things easier for himself, he needed to finish what he started.