Two days had passed since I’d enjoyed a home-cooked meal at Balan’s place. I was now having a late lunch at Marcus’s Garden, the tavern I usually frequented for my meals. It was that quiet lull in the early afternoon; there were few other customers, and the sunlight slanted through the windows, casting long shadows across the wooden floorboards.
The food here was a far cry from Lina’s cooking. Old man Marcus seasoned everything heavily—it was the kind of fare specifically designed to accompany alcohol, making me crave a cold ale even in the middle of the day.
"Care for a pint?"
Marcus called out to me from across the counter with a teasing grin just as I was working my way through a bowl of stew. His timing was so perfect it was as if he’d read my mind.
"I’m not drinking in the afternoon. I’ve still got work to do."
"Speaking of work, that hangover medicine you gave me, Walt—it works wonders! With that stuff, I could drink as much as I want and never feel it the next day!"
"Or you could just try drinking less," I retorted.
Marcus let out a booming "Gahahaha!" to laugh off my suggestion. His voice echoed off the ceiling beams, sounding strangely loud in the nearly empty tavern.
"So, did you ever make it to the Shrine of the Descending Mist?"
"Yeah. I ran into some trouble, but I managed to gather the herbs I needed."
"Glad to hear it. Use those herbs to make me a hangover cure that’s even stronger."
"Maybe I’ll make you one that makes the ale taste like swill instead."
"Give me a break! You’d put me out of business!" Marcus barked before turning his attention back to his cooking.
I had just about polished off half my stew when the doorbell gave a sharp clink, letting in a brief gust of chilly air. I glanced toward the entrance to see the wolf beastman—Balan. It wasn’t a surprise to see him here; he was the one who had recommended Marcus’s Garden to me in the first place.
Spotting me, Balan made a beeline for the counter.
"Ah, I figured I’d find you here."
"Looking for me, were you?"
Balan sat on the stool beside me and ordered an ale without a moment's hesitation. It seemed he was done for the day.
"Walt, I can’t thank you enough. Lina’s recovery is all thanks to you."
Even after his drink was served, Balan didn't touch it, his focus entirely on me.
"Because you stayed so dedicated to her treatment, she’s completely better now."
"We should still monitor her for a while, but she does seem to have made a full recovery."
"I saw her at home just now, and her complexion is night and day compared to before. She’s finally back to her old self. I could thank you for the rest of my life and it still wouldn't be enough..."
Balan’s eyes grew misty as he reflected on the past month.
"Drink up, Balan. Your ale’s getting warm."
"Right."
He hoisted the wooden mug and drained half of it in one go. Letting out a long, satisfied breath, his cheeks took on a faint reddish glow.
"Is the investigation in the forest finished?" I asked.
"We’ve withdrawn for now. We have a general idea of what caused it all."
"The cause of the stampede?" I asked, lowering my voice.
Balan leaned in, dropping his tone to a whisper. "The Shrine of the Descending Mist was ransacked. Someone dug a hole near the shrine and broke into the interior."
My apologies... I’m the culprit there. I dug that hole using my [Miner] skill.
"Who would do such a thing...?" I asked, feigning ignorance.
"We found a woman in the basement who we believe was the culprit, but she had already breathed her last. Whether she was killed by the aberration sealed within or by some other monster, we couldn't tell."
The [Fragment of the Evil God] was currently tucked away in my [Storage Space]. If that was the case, she must have been finished off by another monster after I left.
As I listened to Balan, I began to organize the facts in my head.
The Empire's goal was the [Fragment of the Evil God] sealed beneath the shrine. But if they only wanted the one from the Shrine of the Descending Mist, they wouldn't need to seize the entire territory. They could just send agents in secret, which is exactly what they did this time.
Did that mean the Empire had a goal beyond a single [Fragment of the Evil God]? Or perhaps...
"Are there other places like the Shrine of the Descending Mist in Count Cardinal's Territory?"
"Yeah, five more, actually. One of them is located right beneath the streets of this Territorial Capital."
...I see. If there were [Fragments of the Evil God] scattered all over the region, then taking control of the entire Cardinal Territory would be the most reliable way to secure them all. Sneaking into a shrine located directly under the capital would be incredibly difficult, and there was no telling when the seals on the other fragments might weaken.
From a long-term perspective, if you wanted to collect the [Fragments of the Evil God], governing the territory itself was the only logical move.
Except, I currently had one of those fragments in my possession. Wait... have I stumbled into something way over my head?
"Hey, what’s wrong, Walt? You’ve gone pale all of a sudden."
"My stomach... just started acting up a bit."
"You alright? Did old man Marcus serve you something funky?"
"Like hell I did!" Marcus roared from behind the counter.
He was right, of course; the food was fine. My body was simply reacting to the sheer weight of the situation I’d realized I was in.
"Anyway, how long do you plan on staying in the Territorial Capital, Walt? You’ve already got the herbs you came for, right?" Balan asked, his eyes searching mine.
"Now that I’ve got the herbs, I’ll probably do a little sightseeing and then head back to the Royal Capital."
"If you're open to it, why don't you join us in Steel Fang? It doesn't seem like you’ve got a family waiting for you anywhere, and the Cardinal Territory is richer in herbs than most places. It seems like the ideal environment for a [Herbalist]..."
He was looking at me with genuine sincerity. I never would have imagined receiving an invitation from an A-rank Guild just a short while ago. However...
"I appreciate the offer. Truly. But I can't join Steel Fang. I’m better suited to the freedom of working alone."
"I see... I had a feeling you'd turn me down."
"I'm sorry."
Balan tilted his mug back and finished the rest of his ale. I had just finished my meal as well.
"Make sure you stop by our place before you leave the Territorial Capital! I still have to give you your reward."
"I will. I'll come by to say goodbye to everyone."
Two days later, I visited Balan’s home as promised to bid farewell to him and his family. Lina greeted me with a bright, healthy smile, and the house was filled with a warmth that hadn't been there before.
As Balan handed over the reward, he told me, "Make sure you come back to visit." I gave him a noncommittal smile and a nod, but deep down, I felt the weight of a secret far heavier than the reward in my hand.