Chapter 51 The knight's last achievement (Part 2)

—Sebastian's perspective.

Sebastian looked out the window of the room. A white carriage, typical of nobles, pulled up outside.

An old man who looked like a very wealthy merchant got out of the carriage. Then three people got out: two women and a man who looked like a gentleman. One of the women, with blond hair down to her ears, was an elf. The other woman, with green hair, wore a gray robe and carried a wizard's staff on her back; she was definitely a wizard.

Then, out of the carriage came a boy. Sebastian's eyes widened; he knew where he had seen that hair color.

"A member of the royal family."

Of course, not all members of the royal family have silver hair. There are also the members with blue hair and navy blue eyes, but Sebastian knew those colors very well because he had even seen them in the imperial city.

"But why is he wearing a mask?"

Sebastian saw a white mask on the boy. Although it covered his face and he couldn't see his eyes, the only one with hair that color is, of course, a member of the royal family.

Then, Sebastian thought to himself.

"How much gold will I get if I give him both, one from the ten families and one from the royal family?"

Sebastian could already see tons of money in front of his eyes. This is a great opportunity to have great wealth in his hands. He would not waste the opportunity; a big shot was right in front of him.

But something was strange.

"Why is a member of the royal family here?"

Sebastian knew that a single member of the royal family was escorted by hundreds of knights and a group of fifth circle mages, but strange; the boy in front of him is not being escorted.

Or maybe Sebastian was getting confused. Perhaps he is a common child who grew up with the same facial features as those of the royal family.

"Better check it out."

Sebastian then looked at Peter and Vendrik, who were looking at their weapons. Peter was looking at his big axe and Vendrik was sharpening his sword, a very thick and long one.

"You two, we need to investigate something."

"What is it, boss?"

"I think there's someone from the royal family here, but I need to check closer."

"A... Royal family member? But don't they have many escorts and even a group of very strong mages?"

Vendrik's voice trembled.

"You imbeciles, we won't do anything for the time being. We'll just observe and check."

Although Sebastian could be sure that silver-haired boy is from the royal family, he needed to see the boy's face and confirm the only blood-red eyes that the royal family has.

"Let's go," Sebastian said, and then Peter and Vendrik followed him, not without first speaking.

"And you, child of the Merwin family, if you try to make a noise, I will come and kill you."

Although before Sebastian had entered the inn showing the girl without even caring, now it was different because below where he was it was possible that a member of the royal family was there and perhaps had a very strong escort. If Emilia makes noise, it would be risky for Sebastian.

Then, the three of them left the room, leaving Emilia alone with a cloth around her mouth that prevented her from speaking. Her hands were tied as she sat on the floor.

Then, silence invaded her and she began to cry silently.

***

—Change of scene.

—Perspective of Asher Frostblade.

Looking at Felix, he spoke.

"We'll spend the night at an inn. Tomorrow we'll be entering the forest and I suppose you guys should get ready."

"Well, that's true. The forest here is very dangerous," Alice said.

"But which inn shall we stay at?"

"Oh, we are close by. We'll be there in an hour."

Looking outside, I realized it was close to two o'clock in the afternoon. It's still too early for dusk, but finding a place and spending the night is relatively difficult.

Felix seems to have the whole way planned, and we, as his escorts, just have to protect him from monsters, bandits, thieves or even assassins.

Looking up at the sky, dusk was near.

"Today is a very quiet day," I thought to myself.

It had been a few hours since the journey began and we hadn't run into anything dangerous.

In fact, it's not normal for there to be nothing on the road to put us in danger; that's why it's strange.

"You seem very worried," Felix said.

"That's not it."

"Then why are you looking outside all the time?"

"..."

I looked at him and then spoke.

"Actually... I like nature."

"..."

"..."

Everyone was silent, except for Felix.

"Oh, wow, that's really nice of you. Nature is a great beauty in the world, after all it is our home."

"Home..."

I've never had a place to call my home, but I think Felix is right. Being in this place feels something like being at home.

But... why did they look at me so strangely? It's true that I like nature, but what's so strange about that?

"Coming from you... it's weird that you like nature," said Encrid.

"So what of that?"

"A kid who feels nothing when he kills, a kid who didn't seem to care about anything but a few people, that's why it's weird that you like nature. I've never seen you enjoy nature."

"..."

Well, in that Encrid is right, but that doesn't mean I don't like nature. Like anyone else, it's normal for me to like nature, there's nothing weird about it.

"Why do I feel like everyone around me is an idiot?" I thought for a second.

"You two... why do I feel like you're brothers?"

"No, that's impossible," I said it the instant Isabella spoke.

In fact, I felt strange with Isabella's words. It's as if Encrid really is my brother; we think strangely alike and have relatively similar tastes. No wonder Isabella compares us as siblings.

But we are not siblings and we don't know each other that well.

I have been reincarnated in this world for a year. I'm slowly getting used to this world and getting to know new things.

"Looks like we're here."

"..."

I opened my eyes wide instantly. An hour passed and I was barely immersed in my thoughts, talking to Isabella and Encrid inside my head.

"Shit," then a small pain came to my head.

"Are you okay?" said Clara.

In fact, I wasn't used to the pain in my head after having a talk with Encrid and Isabella. After all, they are in my head and every time they talk, their voices echo in my mind.

"I'm fine."

"..."

Clara looked at me.

I looked back at her instantly, and then she spoke.

"Why are you still hiding your face?"

"..."

To be honest, I plan to take off my mask when we're close to finishing the mission and show my face to the whole group, but for the time being I won't.

"Why?"

"Well..."

"You want to see me? The others already got off the carriage."

"Eh... Are you sure?"

Clara looked at me confused, but that's what she wanted.

I then brought my hand to my mask and slowly started to take it off. My face began to slowly come into view until it reached my eyebrows.

Clara's eyes widened quickly.

"Hey, you two! Aren't you coming down?"

Then I stopped and instantly returned the mask. I only showed my eyebrows, so my face was not revealed.

"Ah yes, there we go," Clara said hurriedly as she came down.

"I guess not yet," she spoke the moment she passed me.

I glanced at her back and quickly climbed down, but at that instant Encrid and Isabella spoke.

"Someone is watching you."

"Encrid is right. Don't look up, but it looks like it's a man and he's quite strong."

I kept my gaze fixed on the others and pretended to walk normally. But it was true, I felt a gaze on me since I got off the carriage. I wanted to look at who was the idiot looking at me, but I did not. Then, I entered the inn.

As I entered the inn, there were several people sitting at tables drinking beer. The atmosphere was normal, there was nothing strange. I looked at an empty table and sat down there. Clara and Dik followed me and sat down.

Looking around, the place wasn't that big. Everything was made of wood and was kind of dirty. The smell of alcohol abounded in the air. Some men were already drunk, while others were not and were just chatting among themselves.

"Looks like it's them," Encrid said.

I quickly scanned the whole place and looked up some stairs. Three men were coming down from there. One of them appeared to be the leader of the three. None of them were armed, but from the physical appearance they were really strong.

Then I exchanged glances with the one who seemed to be the leader. That's when a smile came across the man's face. With his scars all over his body and his clearly muscular physique, deep dark eyes and his jet hair, he gave an uneasy feeling to anyone who looked at him.

I averted my gaze and looked around. The faces of all the people changed to one of fear. Some glanced at the man, while others tried not to look at him.

Obviously, there was something about those three that didn't add up.

"You feel it too, don't you?"

"That's right... Those three are strange."

"Looking at their bodies, they're strong to the naked eye."

Clara and Dik had noticed.

Then Dik spoke up.

"They're definitely strong, but... they don't have weapons."

"They must have them in their rooms, perhaps."

Clara spoke up. Then I looked at the group of three who sat just two tables in front of the three of us.

The atmosphere changed as those three came down the stairs. Looking around again, I heard the murmur of two people.

"What do you think they did to her?"

"I don't know... But I think she must be dead."

Then I clenched my fist.

I got angry, but quickly calmed down. I don't know exactly what the hell those two people were talking about, but it seemed like their talk was directed at those three men.

Something about "her"...maybe she's dead. What are they referring to and what are they talking about?

My curiosity got the better of me. I'd like to ask them, but... it seems those three have something to do with this "she". I wasn't sure what they meant if by "she" they meant a person, exactly a woman, but who?

"Something's not right," I muttered.

Clara looked at me and she was thinking the same thing too.

"You're right."

"Let's not do anything yet, we'd better wait and see if anything happens."

Clara was right. Maybe those two were talking about something else and I'm thinking about things I shouldn't be. So I just kept quiet.

I waited a few minutes until Alicia and Felix arrived.

"We already have the rooms, but..." Alicia paused.

"But what?" Clara spoke up.

"We'll have to be in one room. Dik and Mr. Felix will have to be in the same room. There are only two beds and it's the smallest room."

"..."

Confused, I looked at Alicia and asked.

"And where will I sleep?"

"Well..." She paused and then looked at Clara.

I think I know where this is going. It's a very cliché idea, but I know where it was going.

"Well, I don't mind. I can sleep on the floor," I said.

"..."

They both looked at me very strangely, as if thinking of another idea.

"About that... All the rooms only have two beds and..." Again she paused.

"Yes, yes, you want to be the two of you alone, don't you?"

Again, the two looked at each other. Then Isabella spoke.

"They both want to know if you will share the same bed with one of them."

"..."

What the hell.

Even if he's just a boy, that doesn't mean he has to sleep in the same bed with a woman. That's relatively strange; not only strange, it would also look weird.

"That..." I simply couldn't speak.

"Well, what's the difference... Mmm, you guys better decide," I couldn't speak properly.

"Then I..."

Before Clara spoke, the muscular looking man with deep dark eyes approached with a smile.

"I heard your talk. You seem to have room trouble, don't you?"

"That's right," Alice, knowing nothing, spoke politely.

Dik and Clara simply looked on in silence. I did the same.

This guy can't be trusted.

"If you want, he can stay in our room. There's an extra bed."

That was definitely suspicious. Who the hell shares rooms with strangers, especially offering to share a room with a group of three who are clearly very suspicious in this place? All the people here seem to be afraid of them for some reason.

He was up to something; his smile was clearly fake.

"Of course..."

"I've made up my mind, I can be with Alicia," I had no choice but to share the same bed with Alicia.

Although, of course, this is only a distraction because if Alicia accepts it's like being inside that guy's plans.

Then he looked at me and gave me a smile. Then he spoke.

"By the way, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Sebastian." The man looked like someone calm, but those eyes said otherwise....