Hunters

After traveling for about 1 hour, the sound of running water grew in Eric's ears. It slowly increased until he could see a roaring river in the distance. It was almost noon, and the sun was high in the sky, and the trees became fewer and farther apart as they traveled.

Eric didn't talk to any of the passengers for the rest of the trip, preferring to just listen to their conversations and gather as much information as he could, even the useless stuff.

After another half hour, he spotted Ravenvill, a walled city built around a mountain. The river flowed up to the city and then turned to the left, running along the high outer wall of the city.

Upon entering the city, the gate greeted the group. Simple stone walls, at least five meters high, protected the settlement. The gate remained open, but guards were stationed there to inspect incoming travelers. Some stood on top of the walls, bows at the ready, checking the surroundings.

The guards, dressed in black plate armor, waved them through without a second glance. The noise changed immediately as they passed the walls, muffled, and became clearer as they passed through a patchwork of mud and dirt. Eric had to ignore the stares he received from a few people walking along the path and curiously surveyed his surroundings.

"Well, we have arrived at our destination, gentlemen. See you tomorrow." The driver said as the passengers jumped out of the wagon.

Eric looked at Levi, who had separated from the group and went in a certain direction.

'Well, there's no reason for me to follow him; I'm sure he'll manage,' he thought. Part of him was curious about what kind of change would happen now that Levi was in town, unlike in the novel, but he didn't dwell on it and walked away. Eric arrived at a large square and walked through a marketplace where hundreds of people were milling about and merchants were shouting their wares. Their makeshift stalls overflowed with vibrant displays of vegetables, meat, carpets, and an array of clothing. His stomach growled as the smell of freshly cooked food assaulted his nose.

In an attempt to distract himself, he noticed that not everyone was dressed the same and that the quality of their clothing varied greatly. Some wore dull, dirt-covered robes that looked as if they had come from the underground, while others wore vests and well-fitting pants made of leather or armor.

"Those who want to use the store or exchange something, please come here."

"2 baked potatoes."

"Give me a glass of beer."

Eric walked with his hands in his pockets, looking at the busy market street. The market mainly sold food and drinks, with a few other items.

"They're unreasonably expensive."

Just a piece of bread cost 70 Zell, which showed how much these vendors profited from their business; they knew that no matter what price they set, the slaves would have no choice but to buy or starve.

"But 70 Zell is just too much; it's almost 5 percent of my salary. It is unbelievable that 20 slices of bread are worth almost a day's hard work in the mine. He thought.

He only got 2000 Zell because his team won first place, but he was sure the other teams got a little less.

"Hey, excuse me."

Just as Eric was considering what kind of food he should get, he heard a voice calling out to him from behind. Looking behind him, he saw the same blond guy who woke him up.

"Huh, you got a problem with me or something?" Eric asked.

"No, nothing like that." The blond guy quickly waved his hand in denial, "I just want to tell you something."

Eric raised his eyebrows. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have a good impression of this man, but that didn't mean he wouldn't listen to him. Though he wondered if he knew the original owner.

"I-I want to apologize for my behavior earlier." The blond guy fidgeted with his fingers before giving a small bow.

Eric was surprised by his words, not expecting him to apologize. At first, he thought this guy was here to steal his money after seeing him not defend himself, but obviously, he was judging people too early and was wrong in his assessment.

'It's really not good to judge people based on first impressions," he thought.

"You don't have to apologize to me, you were right to be angry back then," Eric said after he had recovered from his surprise. 

He really meant what he said and didn't hold a grudge against the blonde, especially after he knew what would happen to the last-place team.

"But it was thanks to you that we came in first. So please accept my apology." The blond guy insisted, still bowing his head.

"Alright, I accept your apology; just hurry up and get up; you are making a scene acting like this," Eric said slightly annoyed as he looked at the people who stopped to watch them; there were even some who pointed at them, which annoyed him even more as he didn't like being the center of attention.

The blond guy straightened up quickly, relief written all over his face. "Thank you. I appreciate it," he said, looking genuinely grateful.

"No problem. Just be more careful next time," Eric advised, glancing around to make sure the attention was dissipating.

"I will, definitely. I'm John, by the way," the blond guy introduced himself.

"Eric," he replied, nodding in recognition. "You know, if you want to make your apology more sincere, how about buying me dinner?"

Their team earned some extra money for coming in first place, but it was still too little if you wanted to fill your stomach, so Eric thought maybe this was an opportunity to get some free food.

John laughed a little before saying, "While my apology is indeed sincere, I'm afraid that will never happen. After all, I'm still deeply in debt."

"Fair point. Worth a try, I guess." Eric just shrugged.

"Well, how about..."

Suddenly, John stopped talking and looked surprised behind him. Curious about this, Eric tried to look behind him and see what made John react like that. But before he could, John pulled him aside.

"What is--" Eric didn't finish his words before John cut him off.

"Bow your head." John put his hand on his head and lowered it a little.

Surprised by the turn of events, Eric didn't resist John's action and let him move his head. Whatever was happening, he was sure that there must be a reason for all of this. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a few people clearing the street, and after a few moments, four men passed by. They were different from the others, as they wore leather armor and carried different kinds of weapons, but that wasn't what made them special.

Eric could see a faint blueish aura surrounding them and immediately knew what it was.

'That's Mana!' he thought. 'That means these guys are... hunters.'