C3: Outsider

Outsider

Based on the time I went through since we got in the town till this time, two hours had passed. 

Elena led me to her house after taking a quest in the Adventurer's Guild. Her house is just a small room of an inn, and the girl is now... in debt. She is in debt to the innkeeper, about 60 Gads or something. She has to work two jobs in order to pay for the monthly payment.

From what I heard from Elena, this girl just newly joined the Adventurer's Guild three days ago. She chose this job because the income from working this job is very high. Of course, she has to struggle in the beginning because she is still a newbie.

Elena hopes she can reach D-ranked someday because her work's income will be enough and stable when she reaches that rank.

Besides working as an adventurer, Elena is also a tavern's waitress. I only know that she works in a tavern around the street near where she lives, though I don't know which one she is working for. Because this street has many taverns, so that's a problem for me to locate the right one.

From what I heard from the conversation between Elena and the innkeeper, Elena focuses more on the adventurer work.

She doesn't have a stable schedule for her waitress work at all. When her tavern is still on, she just... dresses up and goes there to work until her work time there is over. After work, she will work on the quest paper. That's what I assumed after analyzing her.

Elena has gone to work her second job now. She asked me to stay inside the inn to guard her room till she returns. Before she went away, she also promised that she would find me a job. But honestly, I won't be waiting for her.

After she went outside, I had gone roaming around the town for 30 minutes just to get used to it. But I couldn't go far, I could go to some areas that I considered "safe to go".

The people here are very curious, they keep looking at my clothes.

I've gone inside a clothing shop to buy a cloak. I traded my pants to buy an old brown cloak, which was very cheap. I'm wearing it now, and I've felt much better. However, I'm looking for a job too.

I decided to work as a waiter in a tavern too. I picked a random tavern in the street that I made sure that Elena wasn't working there.

Hmmmm. And yeah, this tavern seems to be nice.

I have been watching the tavern both from the outside to the inside for 10 minutes.

I don't know why, but this tavern seems to be "gentle" than the others. The guests here seem to be much larger, but not too loud or violent. Finally, I can open my mouth so freely now. I step inside the tavern, and I immediately sense the peaceful atmosphere of the place.

I can see some glances are at me for no reason. Maybe these drunkards consider me a stranger because they newly see me here for the first time. But I ignore them and approach the stall. I will open talking to the oldest-looking guy here - the bartender.

This bartender guy looks old because... his face has a dense brown full beard. He seems to be stout, he is bald, his big brown eyes glance at me as I approach him too close. He stands at the stall, wearing a white tunic. He wears a brown, old and dirty apron that makes me see him as nothing but a retired butcher.

"Hey".

"Oh... what do you need, young man?". - The bearded guy asked me, then he returned to work normally. "New here? Choose a random seat and pick up one scribbled dish in the menu".

"I'm looking for a job".

"Seriously... you?". - He looked up, shrugging while making a disappointed face. "Many taverns out there, why pick ours, huh? Get lost, boy".

I stay silent.

"We have enough men, so pick another tavern". - He ignored me, he started cleaning the cups by using a cloth

"This place is special in my eyes, why don't expand it but just keep it small?".

"Special, huh?". - He stopped cleaning the cups. "Alright, so you say that you can see things farther than my boss?". - He opened the stall's door, as if to let me go through

"Come in, meet my boss". - That bearded guy opened a door at the end of the wall which seems to be used only by staff

"Wait a bit...". - Before I got downstairs, he asked me

"?".

"What made you think this place is special?".

"I just see it special...".

"That's so?".

I nod.

"Ahhh!". - All of a sudden, that guy shoved me down

I roll many times down the stairs, I use all the strength of my hands, holding the stairs to prevent me from rolling down. I feel very hurt, my skin feels so painful because of rolling too much.

But that was pointless.

I finally reach the floor and feel so painful. I hear the door up there close, I'm trapped. My body feels so painful after rolling too much. I try to get up, I endure the pain and do my best to move my legs.

"Gotcha!". - Another surprise came right at me, a guy from nowhere held my legs and pulled me to him

In the pale light of the room downstairs, I barely see about five to six guys. All of them are armed with clubs or blunt weapons only, they look bad. Using my strength, I kick the guy who is dragging my legs and success. I get up while pulling out the handle.

I push the button, and the blade appears.

"Urrrghhh!". - I saw a hand reaching me, I immediately slashed it

That big guy's forearm's veins have been cut. His hand is dripping down blood on the floor, my knife has been wet. Some others get cautious, they drag the guy back. My back is now only the wall, they have surrounded me completely.

"Get him!!!". - Someone yelled

"Get off me!!!". - I roared, I slashed around without an order but failed

I managed to make some slashed marks on the surface of some forearms. All of them are holding me, crushing me on the floor with their forces. I don't have that much power, I'm losing the fight. I weakly see that my knife is waving around without hitting anyone, I can't lose like that!

"Arrrrghhh!!! Arrrrghhh!!!". - In the last moment, I managed to stab and make the blade deep inside a goon's right knee

My right hand slips off the knife and I have been apprehended. Those guys keep me like that, but they soon force me to stand up. Two guys punch my belly, but I endure the pain. I will surely bite one's finger or neck if they dare be in my reach.

"He's just an amateur". - Someone in the room said

Right now, I'm powerless because they are holding me very tightly. The more I resist, the more they will punch me. I can see that all of these goons are holding blunt weapons only. These things can cause great damage and disable me in a short time.

Suddenly, I hear the door up there open again. A figure slowly walks down the stairs, the goons around me stay away to clear the path. That person is no one but the bearded guy. Some guys approach him and whisper something, but I can't eavesdrop on them at all.

"Alright, you son of a bitch". - The shortest one among the goons took out a hammer from nowhere, he approached me

"What do you want?". - I said

"I knew it, you're the spy of the Capital". - Huh? I don't understand what they said

"I don't k-".

"Urrrghhh!". - One of them punched my belly

It turned out to be the goon who earlier got stabbed by me in his left knee. The knife still remains on his knee, blood is still flowing out on the floor. Some others say to him something, and he finally accepts to leave. That guy turns around and follows a guy into the darkness.

"Don't lie, my men saw you watching us, watching the tavern before you came in". - The bearded guy told me

"I said I was looking for a job, I watched the bar because it was more special than others".

"He doesn't cooperate, boss". - The guy holding the hammer spoke up

"Don't kill him yet, we must force him to speak up".

"Tell me, kid...". - He grabbed my chin, he squeezed it.  "How many spies are there in town, say it".

"I'm not a spy! I was just looking for a job!".

"Then why did you say this place is "special", huh?".

"I was just looking for a job!". - Getting pissed, I took the opportunity to bite the guy

"Arrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!!!". - His thumb got bitten by me, he got angry in pain while I tried to make the bite deeper

"Fuck him!".

"Ahhhh!!! Urrrghhh!!! Ahhhh!!!! Urrrrrgggghh!!!". - All of a sudden, all of them slammed their blunt weapons at my belly

Those goons keep beating me harshly as if they are beating a dying dog. I don't even have a second to react, my body twitches when they hit me. For no reason, all of these goons stop beating me after a short moment. Despite having time to rest, I can't move.

I don't see them acting aggressively anymore. I try to get up, I try to endure the pain, though I keep failing. These men keep those blunt weapons on their shoulders, they watch me. I grab a guy's leg who is nearby and use it as momentum for me to get up gradually, I must not fail!!!

I manage to get up. I stand still with my battered body, some parts of my body surely will save some bruises, even scars, they will be swollen. Those guys lower their weapons, they don't attack me for no reason. I want to run away, but my right leg is a bit hurt right now, I can't do it.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps before my eyes. A figure comes out from the darkness, that is the same bearded guy. This guy is still holding his injured thumb. He glares at me, but he does nothing.

"Big boss just had talked to me, brothers". - He looked around to see his fierce men.  "This guy, might not be the Capital spy".  "But... he's come to where he shouldn't come". - Done saying, he stared at me

"You're not our enemy... but don't expect you can get outta here alive".

I stay silent, listening to him.

"Maybe you have known who we are, rumors talk about us these days, pal".

I shake my head.

"Hmmm...".  "Well, unless you're retarded... or you don't come from this country...".

"Let me tell you".  "All of us are the resistance, we overthrow the King and bring happiness to the people". - Hmmmm... somehow I've gotten involved in this country's political issues

"This tavern, what did you say in your language? "Bar"? Hmmm... this is one of many headquarters, outside of the Capital city".

"What do we do now, boss? He doesn't speak our language and he's an outsider". - One of the subordinates asked him

"We understand what he says despite speaking different languages, that's the case". - He replied.  "We did not expect to be exposed to an outsider and we did not intend to let you out of here".  "This is for the people's sake and the resistance's path to reborn the Kingdom, we must seal your mouth off".

"Halt...". - All of a sudden, a voice came out from the room's darkness, all those guys lowered their weapons.  "He's not our enemy... he's just a peasant... he understands our struggles...".  "We're founded to bring happiness and rights to the people, not torturing them".  "Use him... he might be useful to us...".

"Understood...". - The bearded man mumbled deeply, he nodded with his right hand holding his heart's position

The bearded guy turns around and nods. I later see some men go upstairs, while some stay in the shadow. Everything in my sight at this moment is he and I standing in this room. The bearded guy glances at me from my head to my feet, checking on me.

"You said you were looking for a job?". - He asked me

I nod.

"Good...".  "We need men nowadays, welcome to the resistance". - But suddenly, he approached me as he ended his line.  "But... remember... don't expect that you can get away from us".  "Once you've joined us, you won't be able to go back... keep your mouth shut when you're outside".

I stand still.

"I'm Joe - one of many small leaders of the resistance, that's all you need to know".

"Before going straight, I will say something first".  "We don't know who you are and we don't care where you come from... as long as you work for us, we'll pay you and you will be under protection".

I nod.

"As long as you keep your mouth shut and be trustworthy enough, we will reconsider...". - He pointed his index finger at my face

I nod.

"Good, now I'll brief something to you".

"Around the blocks of this Woodsrow street, there's a baker named Talas who sells bread there".  "He's part of the resistance, small but very informative guy outside". - Talas...? I have heard of this name somewhere, haven't I?

"His shop tends to have the poor come for free or cheap food, but these recent days, things have changed".  "Folks who wear poor but their bodies don't look poor, those guys talk to him very much". - Hmmm... I nodded

"Meanwhile in the Capital during that incident, the Monarch somehow knew about the activities of what the resistance was doing".  "Our groups in the Capital got assaulted and wiped out, this hideout could be the next victim, I'm afraid".

Hmmmm... he suspects that the baker is betraying the resistance in silence. But I won't say anything, maybe the Capital's intelligence has gone far but they don't know that. If they ask me to smoke the baker, I will surely do what they command. But if they ask me to kill the wrong guy, they take all the consequences.

"Give him a forever sleep before he can do anything".

I nod.

All of a sudden, Joe pulls out two knives hidden behind his apron's surface. One of those knives was mine, the blade with blood seems to have been wiped out by someone. He gives me those knives, I receive them. The second knife is a bit bigger than my knife, it has a holster to cover the blade, the blade itself only has one edge and the handle is brown... looks very deadly.

"If you ask me what Talas looks like, try to memorize my face and you'll understand". - He kept saying, I slowly stored the knives

"Listen, kid...". - As he spoke up, I looked up to see him.  "Make him dead... the blade of the second knife has been poisoned".  "Can only use once, one touch means lethal, use it wisely for the sake of the people who need help".

"You have three days to finish this mission".  "Once you come out, an assassin will be activated... you won't know where he is... so do it well". - Hmmmm... they have gone so far to backup in case I run away from them?

"This mission is top secret, so die on your own".  "The Capital spies don't know you, so do our men".  "We have eyes all around, don't ever think about running away from us, so join us instead".

"This is for the sake of the people who need help for a better life".  "Long live the resistance, we'll bring happiness to the people".  "Finish and come back here to get rewards, maybe you'll have more jobs if you're reliable enough".

I nod.

"I demand no target alive when they're in my sight! Now go!". - He yelled at me

Hmmm... watch your throat...

I turn around and come up the stairs while Joe follows me from behind. When I reach the door, I step aside to ask him to open it for me. However, he doesn't do anything at all. I have no choice but to open it slowly.

Two big guys stand on the left and the right side of the wall when I come out. They don't do anything, they just keep their eyes on me when I walk. I get away from the stall and catch the glances of the drunkards. This scene makes me feel like every person in this tavern is a resistant.

I ignore them. I walk out of the tavern, I stand on a sidewalk, breathing a little bit. Hmmmm. I wonder if the assassin... has been activated. If he is, maybe he is still inside that tavern. Or worse, he could be anyone who is on the street, among us... I assume.

"Ahhh... shit...". - I made a small grunt, I mumbled with my grumbled face

The damages those guys caused to me earlier are still there, remaining. I can still fight, but I guess I will rest a bit inside the inn, just a bit. Elena will surely be pissed if I am not home to guard when she is working. I can't seek a doctor now, I have no money and I don't know if this town has someone like that.

Hmmmm... I'm new here too, so I don't know if I can find the right target. But based on what Joe said, I confirm that I am still in Woodsrow street. The inn is near here, so is the tavern. I guess I will be able to find the baker if I try hard to roam around more.

I hope so...

This town hardly has shops and buildings that have signs with writings. Instead, signs are seen with symbols of drawing, or scribbled things. It makes me feel like the illiteracy rate in this town is quite high. But that's just my assumption, I can be wrong.

If I meet the guy for real, I can't go straight up to ask his name either...

Doing that looks so suspicious... I must find a good solution for it...

Hmmm... I guess I will return to the inn first.

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At this moment, I am standing outside, before the inn where Elena lives. Going from the tavern to the inn took me about three minutes, I think. I'm now injured, I think taking a short nap will heal my body a bit. I must use my time wisely to find the baker.

I enter the inn after taking a calm breath. I immediately spot the person who is standing at the wooden stall. That is the innkeeper - an old white woman. She wears a light blue tunic with her hands on the stall's surface, waiting for customers to come to book a room.

I don't notice her much, I slowly go away...

"Oh, isn't that the mute guy Elena brought home...". - Suddenly, she said about me with a teasing tone

"You both are living in the same room... too costly to book another one?". - Alright, talk whatever you want, you hag.  "Get a job quick, the rent payment will increase next month... you'll pay more".

I turn around. I approach the innkeeper while making a cold face and an intimidating pose to make her nervous. She gets a bit anxious, but she tries to calm down by controlling her facial expressions. She puts her hands away from the stall.

"What...? What do you want?". - She got nervous.  "Don't mess with me, both of you will have to sleep in the street, you know the consequences...". - She cowered, a bit nervous

"You want money or what?".

I nod.

"Dishes... my son left the dishes from last night dirty, wash them and I'll pay you".

I keep standing there, I look at her with another meaning in my eyes.

"You need more?!".

I nod.

"Get the dishes washed first, I'll call you if I see more work for you to do, now get out".

I nod. I immediately head to the kitchen...

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Hmmmm... so this is where I end up, huh...?

I've finished washing the dishes and cleaning the floor inside the room of the innkeeper's son. That old lady is an understanding woman. Though the pay she paid me wasn't much, just three Gads... but I'll appreciate what she did to me. I need to rest now, or I should say I am doing that now, lying on the bed.

I returned to Elena's room after work. I have been resting in bed for 10 minutes now, I feel so relaxed when my body is being healed. Every second passes, I'm afraid that I am slipping off my prey. I need to find the baker and kill him... fast.

Hmmmm... I'm a bit hungry...

I look at the ceiling, wondering where I should find the target...

I silently get up, feeling the soreness of my body because of the wounds. I get off the bed and take a look out the window, watching the people. Hmmmmm. I look around but can't find even a suspicious man... I wonder if Joe's threaten was just a hoax.

Otherwise, the assassin could be watching my movement somewhere. He won't be stupid enough to sneak into somewhere near the inn. Maybe if I really die someday, I won't be able to see the assassin's face. Even if I accomplish this mission, I'm still marked until I die.

Hmmmm... while watching the people through the window, I spot something interesting.

I see from afar a man on the sidewalk, standing inside an outdoor shop. I don't know which one he is selling, but some raggy clothing people get there to take the food. Hmmmmm. No way, I can't be that lucky... but if I'm lucky, I must take this opportunity.

The guy in my view seems to be bald and also has a full beard too...

Hmmm... yeah, I remember what Joe told me...

I assume that walking from the inn to the shop where he is takes less than two minutes...

I keep watching the bearded guy for 10 minutes. I notice that he runs the shop alone, and his customers have been deceased a bit slightly now. But still, I can see people come to the shop. However, they give him something like a coin after taking the bread.

So... he was giving free food for the poor earlier, and now he starts selling it for those who are affordable?

Hmmmm... he does it every day or what? But isn't this country in starvation?

No, I must be wrong.

Elena used to say that her country is in "food shortage", not starvation.

Yeah, the people have to eat less, not starved to death...

Now only a puzzle isn't in the picture: His name.

I hope that guy will be the right one that the resistance wants me to assassinate...

I immediately leave Elena's room and walk downstairs.

"Hmmm...". - I was about to get outside, but the innkeeper glanced at me in caution.  "The girl returned here a few minutes ago, she told me to remind you this".  "She will be home late, but your three times daily meal pay was paid already, so you don't need to worry about it much".

I leave the inn after I receive that information.

Hmmmm... now I must not make myself suspicious in his eyes, honestly.

My cloak looks old and a bit dirty, my wounds are hidden behind the cloak.

I will stalk my prey from afar before approaching him...

I reach the shop's location faster than I expected, it is very near. I have been watching around the area, just see no one suspicious, only this old man selling bread alone...

I'm waiting for my turn, I have to line up to wait for my turn to buy bread.

Hmmmm... finally.

I step forward as the one before me goes away after buying bread. I'm a bit... surprised to see the baker. Hmmmmm. His face looks alike Joe's face for no reason.

I am a bit unsettled, as if this guy and Joe have a relationship... maybe a twin.

"Hmmmm... you don't say anything, young man... you're not here to buy?". - He got curious, he slowly asked me, he kept raising the small bread in front of me, wondering.  "Are you the adventurer that I am looking for? I've been waiting for you, the ingredients are running out, need more, fast". - Hmmmm... why does this man make me remember something familiar...?

"I'm sorry... I'm not...".  "Money, no money".

"Oh, sorry you...". - He lowered the bread, sighing.  "You were late, young man, the turn for the poor was over a few minutes ago". - But in the end, he still gave me that small bread for some reason

I hold the bread, standing there before him.

"More customers are waiting, I can't give more for you, please leave".  "I can only share food with the poor once a week, go back here next week if you need anything".

"I wanna pay you...".

"No need, I give it free".  "If you're looking for a job, come here at night when I'm not working, maybe I'll help".  "I'm Talas, everyone here calls me Talas, so need help, come to me and I'll try to help".

"Thank you...".

"Now please leave, customers are waiting for me".  "You look new here, come to the inn over there if you need cheap rents, my mom runs it". - Suddenly, he pointed to the inn I left previously

Hmmmm... I can't believe that my target is too near.

Hmmmm... I take a bite and walk away.

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It's night already. I'm standing in a dark corner of the street, watching the baker from afar. His shop seems to have been closed or something, he is cleaning the stall. The street has been deserted, everyone is mostly at home right now.

While stalking him, I managed to find an alley which helped me watch him from behind.

I'm waiting for the right moment to strike...

I'm wearing my black hoodie with my hood on. From now on, I will be wearing the brown cloak when I am outside, just to look normal. My hoodie is likely to catch the curiosity of the people, so I will carefully use it at the right moment.

I will attack fast when there are no people, then run away.

I still see some people passing by the shop. Just one or two of them, but I still need to be cautious to not get caught, I need to act wisely. Hmmmmm. I can see a small figure behind me, that person will also pass by the shop.

But that person is too far away, so I'm not afraid even if I get spotted...

I have prepared for this assassination, so I just need to follow the steps one by one.

Now this is the right moment to take action. The sidewalk is clear... I can move on now.

I immediately leave the alley and approach the baker in a calm way. I will pretend to be passing by, when I come close enough, I will stab him. Very near the target now, I must not rush. Talas does not notice me, he only focuses on cleaning the wooden stall.

Alright, I have pulled out the knife whose blade is poisoned... I'm very near.

I approach my target slowly, he won't know...

"Mister!!!". - All of a sudden, a woman's voice sounded out from behind me

"Oh, you called me, lady?!". - Talas looked up, he stopped cleaning the stall

I was a bit startled earlier...

The woman is still far away, she won't be here, I must take action right away.

"I'm looking for a man named Talas, is that you?! People around here call you Talas".

"That's right".

"Thanks the Goddess, I've found you!". - I must do something or that woman will come here

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!". - In a blink of an eye, a terrible scream of that woman echoed throughout the entire street

I am stabbing the man, he collapsed immediately when he got stabbed. I picked the wrong knife, I mean the one with the button to switch on. Talas is bleeding, his chest is marked with five to six holes of stabbing. I later swing a strong stab into his throat.

His blood splattered out a lot, my clothes may have caught some, I guess. I squeeze the guy's neck with my left hand, it gets wet in his red blood. And I keep stabbing him three more times. Two times to the head and one time to the throat, to make him dead.

The knife's blade has been curved, deformed due to stabbing too much. I immediately set up the fake murder scene, I snatch two pieces of bread and run away.

Hmmmm... I can hear the footsteps of someone rushing to the guy Talas.

I run into a dark alley, I avoid every route that has people passing to. Some mobs are going out of the street due to hearing the previous scream. I must take that moment to flee the scene. I am now in the shadow, I'm safe... for now.

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I've changed my clothes into that brown cloak. I put the brown cloak in this dark alley because of that simple reason. Some blood stains splashed into my hoodie, although... not too much. Now I need to dispose of this hoodie, the knife will be kept with me.

Hmmm...

I walk outside of the alley, avoiding anywhere that has people around. I finally reach the inn when no one is there. I look inside but see no one, everyone must be watching the murder scene.

Hmmmmm... I just need to behave like a normal person.

I rush, I run in the street in a hurry to an area where the people are surrounding - the murder scene. I stand among the people, faking to be an innocent sheep among them. Hmmmmm. Talas is dead, however, killing him makes me feel a bit... empty.

"Get out! Out of the way!". - Suddenly, some people with armors appeared from nowhere and ordered the citizens to not come close

They're the town's local guards who are armed with leather armors. Five local guards place their spears aside on the right, guarding. The scene has been covered by the guards. But the people are still curious, some peasants still wonder what in the town is happening.

While standing among the curious mobs, I see Elena standing in a corner.

She stands there, putting her hand on a wall. Her face is full of tiredness...