Chapter 23, No Ill Intent (3)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Cyriesus was vast.

 

Given that the Royal Palace itself was of such size, the capital could not be small. Finding Kyrie in this vast land was as difficult as finding a needle buried in a sandpit. Fortunately, while he knew what Kyrie was doing during this period, finding his location would prove challenging.

 

Moreover, there was another issue.

 

No suitable place came to mind that would sell the items Kalian needed.

 

That was why he resorted to this madness. Seeking information and items about Cyries from Secritia’s spies.

 

They were not mere information merchants.

 

They were real assassins sent after long preparation by one nation to spy on another. That was just how dangerous this place was.

 

Furthermore, Kalian had such distinctive features that even passersby could recognize him immediately. If they caught even a glimpse of his red eyes, the situation would spiral out of control. That was why he describe this as madness.

 

“I’ll guide you to where the feed is.”

 

Said ‘White Hawk’, who guarded the spies’ stronghold. After confirming Kalian was not an enemy, there was no more hostility or killing intent shown.

 

[Perhaps it’s just not my time to die…] Though thinking this, Kalian remained alert. He followed behind the man to the back of the store, trying to stay out of White Hawk’s sword range as much as possible.

 

The spies did not know each other’s identities.

 

Even their home country did not inform them when or how many there were, or who would be sent as spies. It was a precautionary measure to prevent other spies from being implicated if one’s espionage activities were discovered. The spies also did not reveal their faces to each other for the same reason

 

Moreover, during this period, Secritia’s spies were trained regardless of age and gender distinctions. Therefore, it would not be strange even if there was a spy of Kalian’s age.

 

Kalian relied on this situation to make White Hawk believe he was a young spy newly dispatched from Secritia.

 

“Wait here for a moment.”

 

Where Kalian stood was filled with various items.

 

Empty birdcages, feed boxes, perches of various shapes, cleaning tools, and so on. Among the dusty items, White Hawk moved about, skillfully avoiding everything. Then he grabbed a wooden stick that had been leaning askew like just another piece of junk and pushed it in the opposite direction.

 

*Clunk!*

 

There was a sound like chains winding, and then the entire room they were standing in slowly began to rotate.

 

After a small rumbling sound and creaking friction, the place where Kalian had been standing connected with a storage room of some house. When White Hawk opened the storage door, a small courtyard appeared. They soon crossed the courtyard and entered the house.

 

Kalian followed White Hawk through the house’s living room, up to the second floor. Through another secret space, they reached what appeared to be a large study. There was a large table in the middle and bookshelves and cabinets densely arranged on all sides.

 

“Sit down.”

 

White Hawk poured water into a cup and handed it to Kalian. Having recently suffered considerable harm from drinking, Kalian received the water but set it down without drinking.

 

Seeing this, White Hawk let out a disgruntled sound.

 

“Right. I used to serve tea originally. But nobody would drink it. It is a waste to throw away expensive tea leaves, so I now just serve water. But for some reason, nobody drinks it. I’m considering maybe I should stop serving anything at all.”

 

Perhaps Kalian was not the only one who refused beverages, as White Hawk seemed uncomfortable with his courtesy being repeatedly ignored. Kalian smiled slightly and replied.

 

“Someone told us not to carelessly eat or drink.”

 

“Well, that’s true enough. You seem to be new, so let me tell you my name since we’ll likely meet often. I am White Hawk.”

 

Kalian already knew his name but did not show it. He just nodded along. He gave an alias he had thought of beforehand, one that no one from Secritia had ever used.

 

“Red Swan.”

 

Kalian had felt like a swan when he first met Rmain. There could not be a more fitting nickname for him, given how it matched his feelings and appearance.

 

“Very well. Nice to meet you. Now, what feed are you looking for?”

 

The role of this place Kalian had sourced out was to sell basic information and equipment necessary for espionage activities to the spies. That was the ‘feed’.

 

Kalian glanced at the bookshelves and cabinets.

 

“One piece of information, one item.”

 

White Hawk’s palm opened.

 

“Five fiorins for information, three fiorins for an item. Payment must be made in advance.”

 

It seemed strange that he would state the price without asking what information or item was needed. The operation of this place was solely at White Hawk’s discretion and was not even known to Secritia. So, even Kalian did not know about this.

 

Noticing Kalian’s thoughts, White Hawk added an explanation.

 

“We have fixed prices.”

 

Kalian wondered if he could buy gold bullion for three fiorins. Of course, he did not voice his thought and risk being taken for a fool.

 

Kalian took out eight gold coins from his chest and handed them to White Hawk. Though more expensive than expected, there was no helping it.

 

After receiving payment, White Hawk pulled up a chair to sit down and said.

 

“Very well. Tell me what you need.”

 

Kalian’s explanation followed, and White Hawk got up without a word and busily moved around the room. Soon he returned with a map and a small object wrapped in paper, sitting down again in front of Kalian.

 

First, he pushed the small object toward Kalian and said.

 

“First, the item.”

 

He handed over the map.

 

“And the information.”

 

Upon receiving it, it turned out to be a detailed map of Cyriesus, with a point marked in the middle. Kalian asked with curiosity. “Is this facility only found in Cyriesus?”

 

White Hawk nodded.

 

He made a gesture of extending his fist into the air as he answered.

 

“If it’s of the scale you described, there can only be one place.”

 

This meant the probability of Kyrie being somewhere other than Cyriesus was significantly lower. The thought that the child he had encountered on the way to the theater was indeed Kyrie became almost certain.

 

“That’s fortunate.”

 

[Still, five fiorins for a map with a dot on it…]

 

Feeling somewhat cheated, Kalian put both items away in his chest. White Hawk handed over one more piece of paper. It was covered in dense writing. When Kalian hesitated to take it, White Hawk smiled, showing his white teeth, and said.

 

“User manual.”

 

[Perhaps it wasn’t such a bad deal after all?] Kalian smirked and accepted the paper. Then, instead of returning through the storage room back to the store, he went outside through the house’s main gate.

 

Looking around, it seemed to be behind the bird store. Therefore, instead of walking to the store, Kalian spoke in a low voice.

 

“Raven.”

 

Before long, there was a *clop, clop* sound, and Raven appeared, looking like only a white band moving in the darkness.

 

Kalian quickly mounted Raven’s back and first moved away from that place. A moment later, Kalian stopped at a reasonably lit and secluded cafe and opened the map and the manual.

 

[‘Be careful. That place is dangerous.’] White Hawk’s words came to mind. Kalian chuckled and muttered, “Could it be any more dangerous than you?”

 

To reach the place shown on the map, he would have to retrace the path he had just taken. After carefully reading and memorizing the contents of the manual, Kalian burned the map and manual in the candle flame at the cafe entrance.

 

…

 

Deep concern entered Kalian’s eyes.

 

It was not because he had lost his way after burning the map. The map had been accurate, and there was only one place open in the vicinity. What brought various thoughts to Kalian’s mind now was the name written at the entrance of the two-story building.

 

‘Syspanian’s Boozy Breath’

 

[Why here of all places? Haaaa…]

 

It was the very tavern he had seen and detested on his way to the bird store. Kalian’s feelings were truly complex as he looked down again at the tavern entrance.

 

“Who on earth names their establishment like this? Syspanian is still technically royalty, you know? Isn’t the Royal Palace going to charge them with royal defamation?”

 

The memory of the old Kalian provided an answer, as if responding to his thoughts.

 

[After Harts-ara’s death, Syspanian was not considered a full member of royalty as she did not serve as Queen.]

 

Kalian wore an expression that suggested he had much to say as he entrusted Raven’s reins to a stable hand before entering the tavern.

 

The tavern’s interior was not much different from those in Secritia. It was filled with the musty smell of aged oak barrels, and the bitter yet sour characteristic scent of hops.

 

“Do you have company?”

 

Soon, someone who appeared to be a server approached Kalian and asked. Perhaps due to a hooded customer entering in the middle of the night, his steps were somewhat tense.

 

“I came alone.”

 

While it had not mattered at the bird store, it mattered here. The server seemed to tilt his head at the voice that seemed too young for this place.

 

Instead of explaining, Kalian took out a silver coin and pressed it into the server’s hand. The server immediately dispelled his suspicions upon understanding Kalian’s meaning.

 

“I’ll show you to an empty seat.”

 

However, Kalian shook his head and spoke as written in the user manual.

 

“I’ll go to the fourth floor.”

 

It was clearly a two-story building to anyone who looked. However, instead of saying there was no fourth floor, the server responded like this.

 

“Yes. Please follow me.”

 

Kalian followed behind the server, tensed again. Because it was late, most customers were thoroughly drunk, allowing Kalian to move without drawing much attention.

 

After passing five or six tables and turning a corner, they came to a thick wooden door. The server took out a key from his chest, opened the door, and gestured to Kalian.

 

“Please enter this way.”

 

After nodding, Kalian entered the room. The server turned on the light and closed the door from outside without any further explanation. Shortly after, the sound of the server’s footsteps could be heard fading away.

 

Kalian silently looked around.

 

It was a space furnished to allow three or four people to drink quietly together, with a square table and a cabinet. Besides these, there was only a rope with a handle to ring for the server, a frame with a meaningless picture, and a built-in hanger for clothes.

 

At first glance, it merely looked like a special room made for important conversations, with nothing particularly strange visible – that was unless the person was not Kalian.

 

[Butterfly shape, third one.]

 

The manual had kindly explained this situation as well. Therefore, Kalian walked to the opposite wall without hesitation, his gaze fixed on the butterfly-shaped pewter hangers made for hanging coats.

 

Kalian grabbed and twisted the third of the six hangers. Then the hanger slowly began to turn as if drawing a circle.

 

When it had tilted almost 90 degrees…

 

*Click.*

 

With a sound of something being caught, the hanger stopped. Kalian removed his hand from the hanger and grabbed the decorative cabinet in the corner of the room, pushing it sideways.

 

Without much force, the unlocked cabinet smoothly slid sideways, revealing stairs leading down.

 

After taking a deep breath, Kalian prepared to draw his knife at any moment before moving down the stairs.

 

The descent was not too difficult as light illuminated just enough to distinguish the steps below his feet. Kalian, who had been descending for quite a while, briefly paused.

 

[The third floor.]

 

There was an entrance with ‘3’ written on it.

 

[This must be the card gambling hall.]

 

The entrance was covered with dark fabric, but through the gaps in the curtain, he could see the silhouettes of several men sitting around circular tables. Kalian showed no other reaction to the third floor’s scene and continued descending the stairs.

 

As he descended almost twice as many stairs as it had taken to reach the third floor, the shouting of people gradually began to be heard.

 

Before long, the stairs ended as an entrance marked with ‘4’ came into view.

 

[This is it.]

 

The shouting had grown loud enough to ring in his ears.

 

Kalian took a deep breath. Then, without further hesitation, he went inside.

 

The place Kalian had just entered was a fighting gambling den. It was also where Kyrie would be.