233. Black Man (1)
#233
“oh my god.”
Examiner Vanardier sighed. A hell was unfolding inside the hangar. The bloody smell that assaulted her nose made her dizzy. Eleven corpses, torn apart beyond recognition, were rolling around in a sea of blood.
“Who did this…”
He entered the hangar about three hours after Ronan and the others passed the screening process. The sentries I had sent to work did not return, so I stopped by just in case, and this division was there.
He walked along the blood trail. It was not normal for guards with activated engravings to be killed in one blow. Most of the bodies were lying around near the sloop Ronan and his party were on.
‘Was there something hidden inside the deputy’s ship?’
The Red Whirlwind, which had been clean for a while, was once again like a ghost ship covered in blood and intestines. The examiner entered the ship’s cabin as if possessed by something.
I looked through the bedroom, dining room, and captain’s cabin one by one, but I couldn’t find any clues. Lastly, I was in the middle of looking into the warehouse on the lowest floor.
“This···!”
His eyes widened. In a corner of the warehouse, there was a trace of mana that looked like a black stain. It was such a minor sign that if you weren’t paying close attention, it would simply look like mold.
But the examiner, who had been using his eyes for a long time, was able to notice. These were traces of someone hiding their body.
The very slightest trace of evil and insidious energy was something I could never forget. No matter how much time has passed. He muttered in a trembling voice.
“···Do, have you come back?”
Kwadangtang! The examiner hurried out of the cabin. He almost hit the wall or tripped on the stairs, but that didn’t matter right now. He ran out of the hangar and shouted at the waiting guards.
“It’s an emergency! Immediately report to His Majesty and summon the troops!”
****
The sun has set. The dying dusk was casting a dim light between the buildings. But even under the dark night sky, Adren’s brilliance did not fade.
Adren’s plaza, whose entire floor was covered with crystals, was shining with beautiful colors even under the night sky. The lights coming on one by one on the street hinted at the night that was about to unfold.
People who had finished their day’s work were roaming freely around the square. Most of them were human, but elves and beastmen were also seen occasionally.
I thought it would feel like this if we created a village with only the richest people on the continent. Ronan, who was looking around, opened his mouth.
“I honestly think I could live here. “It’s so fucking delicious.”
In his hands was a huge turkey leg. It was excellent, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The seasoning was amazing and there was no sweet rain on my thirsty stomach.
“Well, I mean… how can it taste like this…”
Asher, who was next to him, nodded. He was nibbling at a waffle the size of his head. The cream that stuck to my mouth was a guarantee of great taste.
“It’s a luxurious city. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Schlieffen also muttered as if he was astounded. Unlike the other two, he had nothing in his hands. He finished three bowls of meat stew before he moved on. Ronan said.
“okay. You didn’t feel anything particularly suspicious either, right? “There is no information.”
“Yes. nothing···.”
“Me too.”
“Is that so?”
Ronan scratched his head after hearing Schlieffen’s words. He also couldn’t find out much information. He was on his toes as he walked through the city, but there was no sign of Nebula Clazier.
‘I haven’t been around much yet. The city is bigger than I thought.’
Several hours have already passed since we entered Adren. The group was having dinner when they belatedly realized that they hadn’t eaten a single meal all day.
Adren was literally a city made of greed. The servants who made up most of the citizens were fed by the scraps of wealth amassed by their dragon master.
The dragons only satisfied their own greed and invested the remaining money into Adren’s welfare. However, with that alone, Adren enjoyed an abundance that no country on earth could surpass.
As evidence, Adren did not accept money for any items, including food or clothing. Although there were merchants, in reality, they were no different from inflatable dolls used to solicit customers.
If you wanted to eat food or need something, you just had to identify yourself and take the item. Although it didn’t have a variety of items like a system, it wasn’t lacking in anything. Ronan continued.
“That’s a good thing. “I think it will take some time.”
“Yes. that’s right.”
“I guess I should say I’m glad that people are generally kind… and it’s different from what I imagined.”
Unexpectedly, the humanity of the citizens was also excellent. I thought they would be caught up in some strange sense of being the chosen people living in Adren, but most of them were just ordinary good people. Of course, just as there are bad students in Phileon, there are bad guys in the Dragon City, but I haven’t encountered them yet.
Even though I didn’t know what would happen if I revealed the information related to Navardose. Ronan, who had torn off the last piece of flesh, stood up.
“Then this time, let’s spread out and search. “We’ll meet again here at midnight.”
As the matter was serious, we had to work quickly. In the meantime, the church’s evil plans will continue, and the savior will be dying.
“Ashe, look in the library. “Because it’s a place where a lot of people gather.”
“Yes. okay.”
“Schlippen, near the tower where the Dragon King lives.”
“I will do that.”
Asher and Schlieffen nodded. Since they were all talented people who could keep their bodies healthy, there wouldn’t be any problems.
They had designated a meeting place and dispersed in different directions. After leaving the plaza, Ronan entered a dark back alley that was not yet lit. Inns and taverns scattered throughout the city were his area of responsibility.
‘Go to a place where there are no dragons as much as possible.’
It was quite a strategic decision. Judging from the reactions of the guards and examiners, it seemed that only dragons, not servants, could recognize the primordial spark.
If I got caught, things could become a hassle, so I had to be cautious until I could gather enough information. The precious dragons won’t come to this shabby tavern.
Of course, in order to ask questions naturally, I had to have a drink or two, so there was that. Ronan, who had been wandering the streets for about two hours, cursed.
“Damn, who has so many bars?”
Since it was enough to make a living, it seemed like all he did was drink alcohol at night. Well, the drinks and snacks would be free, so there wouldn’t be any entertainment like this. Ronan somehow reached the western outskirts of the city and stopped.
“···Is it a historical site?”
He muttered, looking up at the building in front of him. The crumbling cabin did not go well with the gorgeous night view of Adren.
The sign, which seemed like it could be donated to a museum, had only one word written on it: ‘Alcohol’. Judging by the lights flickering and voices coming from beyond the window, it seemed like business was still going on.
‘I have to do it meticulously.’
Surprisingly, I was able to get some valuable information from a place like this. The moment Ronan opened the door, an interior as stately as the exterior unfolded before his eyes. The bar’s characteristic bustle poured out.
“Haha, that’s what I mean. “Yesterday I…”
“I heard from a friend who works at the tower that the Dragon King will soon make an important announcement.”
“Well… there’s no place like this.”
Ronan raised his eyebrows. It was surprisingly spacious and there were quite a few customers. There were twenty seats, including the seats in front of the bar table. The sweet smell of alcohol was tickling the tip of her nose.
“hello.”
“Nice to meet you. It’s a face I haven’t seen around here. “Come and sit down.”
An old man who appeared to be the owner greeted me softly. He was in the middle of cleaning a glass behind the bar table. Ronan, who sat in front of the table, ordered a drink.
“I came from out of town. “Please give me the best one.”
“As expected, he was a foreigner. Then you should definitely try our brandy. “It’s a specialty product that can only be tasted in the Dragon City.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Ronan laughed. I really liked this comfortable atmosphere where no one except the owner paid attention to me. As I slowly emptied my glass, I could naturally ask about the church and Alibrihe.
“···hmm?”
Ronan was slowly looking around the store. Suddenly his eyes landed on the owner’s left arm. The movement of the arm covered by the shirt was slightly unnatural compared to the right arm.
“Sir, is it your left arm?”
“Hmm? Ah, you have a good sense of vision. “It is a prosthetic arm, just as you think.”
“Prosthetic hand.”
The owner answered calmly and placed a glass down in front of Ronan. Amber brandy was sloshing inside her. Ronan repeated the word prosthetic hand.
Alibrihe, the executive he was looking for, was also a master at making prosthetic hands and limbs. It occurred to me that maybe he had something to do with that guy. Ronan asked.
“Do you know who made that prosthetic hand? “Is this a bit of a strange question?”
“You could ask, but what? But it was so long ago that I don’t remember much. Uhm, I clearly remember the pain when it was cut.”
“Eek, I’m sorry. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
“It was absolutely horrible. If it’s okay, I can talk to you. therefore···”
It was a car whose owner was trying to say something. Squeak… I heard the sound of the door opening from behind. The owner looked towards the entrance for a moment and smiled kindly.
“Welcome. “Looking at his strange behavior, I guess he’s a foreigner too.”
No answer came back. There are some guys who aren’t particularly cheap. Ronan thought about this and took a sip of the brandy in front of him. His eyes widened.
“This is killing me…!”
Including my past life and my current life, I could count it among the five. I never thought it would taste so rich. It was definitely something to be proud of as the sweet scent spread throughout my mouth.
At that time, the sound of approaching footsteps stopped next to Ronan. The customer who had remained silent opened his mouth.
“With the strongest one…bah, don’t mix it with ice.”
“Sure.”
The owner nodded. Ronan’s hand, which was about to take another sip, stopped in midair. It was a familiar voice. That too quite a bit. Before he could turn his head, his guest took a seat next to him.
“Ha, who is this? I saved you the trouble of finding it.”
“you.”
Ronan turned his head. Her man in his black coat was looking at her. Judging by the way her pale face was flushed, it seemed like she had already had a drink somewhere.
It was Aurora Skaarl’s man. He didn’t feel alive, but he still felt intimidated. Ronan slowly brought his hand to the hilt of his sword. The man said, brushing his long hair once and resting his chin on the bar table.
“Okay… ugh, where is Navardose?”
