“This is so good... I’m in heaven right now,” Hester moaned.
“Yeah! I haven’t had anything this delicious since the feast we had to celebrate forming a party. That was really good too, but this is even better ’cause it’s still warm!”
“It really is,” I agreed. “It’s so good, it’s hard to even focus on conversation.”
The three of us just kept eating and eating as we took turns commenting on how good it was.
It was hard to believe that we got to stay in a room this nice and eat food this good for only a single gold coin.
Sure, one gold was kind of a big expense, but when I thought about how just one ability assessment cost the same amount, it actually seemed really cheap.
Maybe that just means that the ability assessment is too expensive? I wondered.
Father Graham did seem pretty shocked at how many times I’d requested one in such a short period of time.
Now that I knew what incredible service the Grabbel Hotel provided for the same amount, I felt like it had changed my perspective on what a gold coin ought to get you.
That being said...it wasn’t as if forgoing ability assessments was actually an option.
“Damn... I wish I could’ve had this breakfast tomorrow too. But I guess I’ll see you guys once you get back to Realzahd,” I said a bit mournfully.
“Yeah. We’ll head back as soon as I get these stitches removed.”
I’d made up my mind yesterday to leave the hotel today—but now that I’d had a taste of their food, I was having some regrets. It felt especially bad to miss out when I’d already paid for it, but unfortunately, I didn’t really have another choice.
“I’m sure you’ll be able to come back and have this breakfast again some time in the future,” Hester said.
“Yeah, it’s a great spread, but it’s not worth trading your life for. Don’t worry, though. Hester and I will be more than happy to eat your portion too,” Ralph added, smirking at me, and I kicked him under the table.
As soon as night fell, I packed up my things and left the Grabbel Hotel.
I would have honestly preferred to have stayed longer in the capital so I could get my fill of the place, but Hester and Ralph were right: I didn’t really have any choice but to leave as soon as possible.
The crowds were somehow just as thick during the evening as they’d been during the day. I weaved my way through the throngs of people as I made my way toward the city gate.
Just like Realzahd, you had to pass through strict security to enter the capital, but you were free to leave as you liked.
Once I’d made it outside the gates, I breathed a sigh of relief and started walking down the dark highway, heading straight back to Realzahd.
About two hours passed with practically no sign of anyone else on the road, probably in part because I was making my journey at night.
During the day, you’d see a person or two every once in a while, but right now, the only presence I could make out in the light of the moon was a few bugs.
There didn’t seem to be anything around that I needed to worry about, and I was really enjoying the beautiful scenery and sense of safety, so I thought I’d take a quick breather and sit down on a nearby rock.
But the minute I retrieved my waterskin to take a sip of water, someone reached out from behind and held their blade to my neck.
After a prolonged moment of silence, I asked, “Who are you?”
“Shush. I’m the one asking the questions here,” replied a husky male voice.
There was something strange about it...but I couldn’t put my finger on what, exactly. There was just something about their voice and the way they spoke that seemed to clash in an odd, almost imperceptible way.
“Why are you looking for information about Claus? And don’t even think about telling me anything but the truth, because the moment you do, I’ll slash your throat.”
I knew it. One of Claus’s buddies, I thought. They must have been keeping tabs on me and followed me out of the capital.
“I think there must be some sort of misunderstanding here. Yes, I was looking into Claus, but why wouldn’t I be? Isn’t it only natural for a guy to worry about his younger brother?”
I knew there was no point in lying—not unless I wanted that blade to slice into my throat.
I’d picked up a bit of a sense for magic after helping Hester with her magic lessons, so I knew that this man had used magic of some sort when he’d put his blade to my throat.
I had no idea what kind of magic it was, but judging from how quickly he lowered his blade, I suspected it had something to do with mind reading.
“Are you really his brother?” he asked me.
“That’s what I said, isn’t it? I’m not lying.”
“Show me your face.”
I turned around to look at the man who’d just ambushed me.
He was a scruffy-looking man, probably in his thirties, with a face full of stubble. But he was clearly extremely stealthy, because I’d had a lot of practice detecting enemies during my stays in Patia Forest, and I hadn’t noticed him at all.
His capabilities certainly weren’t obvious just by looking at him, thou—
Wait... Huh?
“Now that you mention it, you do look alike...” he said.
“Wait... Weren’t you that guy at the bar the other day?” I asked. “No, hang on... You’re that old lady I just passed in the capital, aren’t you?”
“Huh?”
Honestly, even I had no idea what I was talking about. There was no logical thread to my comments at all, but...he really did look like the thin young man I’d seen drinking yesterday at the bar. And he also looked like the old woman I’d passed when I was exiting through the city’s gate.
The stubbled man in front of me somehow bore a striking resemblance to both of them.
I desperately racked my brains, until it finally clicked.
“It’s that ring on your pointer finger. Both of them were wearing it too,” I said.
“What are you even talking about? Are you pretending to be insane so I won’t hurt you?”
“No... It’s not just the ring, is it? The shirt peeking out of your sleeve—it’s the same underlayer they were wearing. Your shoes are the same too. And...the scar on the back of your hand.”
After several moments of silence, the man muttered, “Huh. You’re surprisingly sharp... Not sure I like that, to be honest with you.”
Now that I’d named several similarities I could remember, he seemed ready to give up the ruse.
In the next moment, his face began distorting. At first it almost looked like it was melting into liquid, like the slime I’d fought a while ago, but instead, it gradually changed into a different face as he reverted back to his original form.
“I never thought you’d figure me out, but bravo. You’re absolutely right. Each of those three people was actually me.”
The person in front of me now was a young woman with long, black hair.
She had large eyes that slanted upward slightly, and a beautiful nose. Her lips were slender and perfectly positioned.
I was pretty sure there wasn’t a person alive who could look at her and not think she was gorgeous.