17. The Port of the Wolf (1)
Kirhas seemed uncomfortable with heavy armor. She kept fidgeting with the chainmail.
“Seems like you’re more used to riding than I thought?”
“Ah, Your Excellency… You didn’t think our tribe only picks herbs in the mountains, did you?”
Kirhas blushed as she replied. Fernandez felt a bit guilty. How could he know about the lifestyle of the Myoin tribe?
“Uh… Of course not. Hmm! We’re almost there, huh?”
The eastern region of the Phaeirn Kingdom was a vast plain and fertile land. Riding on horseback, there was no place within five days’ reach from the Inquisition Keep.
Both Kirhas and Fernandez were the type to speak only when necessary, so they could focus entirely on their destination as they rode.
In the distance, [Merlin Port] came into view. It was the gateway to the Central Sea and connected to the North Sea route, the largest port city in the Phaeirn Kingdom. Its nickname was ‘Golden Port.’ A wealthy city that connected the southern jungles to the Central Sea via the Silk Road.
And as with all wealthy cities, the stench of heresy followed. Naturally, in this era.
“Halt! State your identity!”
It was the renowned Merlin Port gate guard. Guards clad in heavy armor, superior to most knights, glared at them with sharp eyes.
“Identity…?”
But the question was odd. They were currently wearing the armor of the Order of St. John Knights. With the emblem of a dragon and spear embroidered on their surcoats, why were they being asked to state their identity?
“Angelo of the Order of St. John. This is my squire, Basilada.”
“Sir, given the current situation, we are conducting identity checks for gate entry.”
“Are you applying the same to merchants? That must be quite a task.”
How many people pass through this city daily? Checking each one? Fernandez handed over the knight’s certificate from his saddle.
The guard read the document respectfully and soon nodded.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Sir! Most merchants are being inspected at the port!”
“Has something happened recently?”
“…Monsters have been appearing within the city.”
“Monsters? Do you know what kind?”
“They kill in the city alleys at night and disappear. There are no survivors, but… judging by the traces, it might be a Lycanthrope.”
Lycanthropy was a mutation disease that affected humans with lycanthropy. Infected humans would turn into monsters within a fortnight, and their appearance was almost identical to the Wolfmen, which made the citizens’ attitude towards the Beastmen tribe harsher.
‘Come to think of it, Kirhas is of the Myoin tribe.’
Though unrelated to Lycanthropy, prejudice is a scary thing. Fernandez glanced at Kirhas, who was silently looking ahead, and entered the city.
“Let’s find a place to stay first.”
“Yes, Your Excellency. But…”
The inn secured by the Inquisition Office in the operation area was [Three Horses], a high-end tavern affiliated with the Church. However, Fernandez, as if familiar with the area, passed the tavern street and entered a small, gloomy inn in the corner.
The tavern [Star and Mermaid] was a place where low-ranking sailors and mercenaries gathered. In his previous life, Fernandez had suffered after randomly looking for a ‘cheap inn’ and ended up here.
[Star and Mermaid] was, in fact, a hub for criminal organizations openly engaged in human trafficking.
“Do you really intend to stay here?”
“Hmm. Have you been here before?”
“Ah… no.”
Kirhas, who had been kidnapped by slave traders, was unfamiliar with the lodging establishments of the Golden Port. But whether familiar or not, it was obvious this wasn’t a normal place.
“Welcome!!!”
A man with a cloudy cataract in one eye approached, laughing, and grabbed the horse’s bridle. Fernandez smirked and tossed half a penny. The man skillfully caught the coin mid-air.
“Staying for three days. Got a room?”
“One should do, right?”
“Ah, no, two…”
“One is enough.”
“Uh, Your Excellency?!”
Until now, they had camped out, so it was fine to unpack and sleep under a blanket, but this was an inn. Sharing a room? Kirhas looked up at Fernandez in panic. Fernandez unpacked without a care.
“Ah, you can leave it. Our stables are safe…”
“Basil. Pack up the luggage.”
“Uh… yes.”
Leaving the clicking man behind, Fernandez pushed open the sliding door of the noisy tavern.
-Feels like old times…
“Do you know why we’re here?”
-Of course. To meet the master.
“Do you think he’s still here?”
-How should I know what that old man is thinking. The timing seems about right…
Feijashi fell into thought again. Fernandez shrugged.
*
The rough men drinking and making noise in the tavern suddenly fell silent as they stared at the unfamiliar stranger.
‘What’s with that guy?’
‘A knight?’
‘Why is a knight here?’
If he were a knight from a famous family or order, he would naturally stay at a noble or merchant’s inn. Even a wandering knight would have plenty of places to stay. But why this cheap tavern?
“Uh, welcome…?”
“Not very welcoming. Got a room?”
“Not sure if it’ll suit you…?”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
Then, Kirhas entered, lugging a heavy load of luggage. The Myoin tribe’s unique beautiful green eyes and flawless skin. Her sharp, cold jawline made the men swallow hard as they stared at her.
“…One room, right…?”
“Right.”
Kirhas looked at Fernandez as if she had something to say. Fernandez chuckled and headed up the stairs. He whispered to Kirhas, who was struggling to follow.
“Be careful at night.”
“Your Excellency?”
“…What?”
When Fernandez looked at Kirhas blankly, she blushed and said.
“T-take care. Should I, uh, wash up first?”
“What are you talking about? I’m telling you to be careful because these guys might try to kidnap you tonight.”
“Kidnap? In such a big city?”
“Exactly because it’s a big city that all sorts of scum are here. I won’t be here for three days.”
“What?!”
Kirhas raised her voice in panic. Fernandez frowned and shushed her with a finger.
Kirhas lowered her voice, looking a bit downcast.
“Uh, where are you going? What about sleep?”
“I tested it, and it seems Diemonica can go about three days without sleeping.”
Three days was the maximum he could endure while maintaining average combat power and judgment. Fernandez had stayed up all night for experiments that other monks would never dare to attempt.
“Anyway, there’s something I need to find in this city within three days.”
“Then what should I do?”
“Beat up anyone who tries to kidnap you, and keep the [Red Axe Gang] in check. We need them.”
“The Red Axe Gang? A mercenary group?”
Fernandez chuckled.
“Officially, yes. But they’re actually a warrior group made up of demon worshippers.”
Hearing that, Kirhas’s eyes turned cold.
“What position should I approach them from, Your Excellency?”
“···Impressive. Approach them as a wandering knight looking to hire mercenaries. If they find out you’re an Inquisition Officer, you’re dead.”
“Understood.”
Fernandez put down his luggage in the room and patted Kirhas’s head as she wiped her sweat. Kirhas closed her eyes and paused for a moment, feeling his touch. The sensation of running his fingers through her soft hair and the tiny ears poking out was delightful.
– Can this kid really handle it alone?
‘Trust her. Even if it’s her childhood, she’s Kirhas Hearttaker. There’s no way she can’t handle this.’
Kirhas was a warrior rumored to have single-handedly taken on a Great Demon in her prime. There was no way she’d struggle against something like the Red Axe Gang.
This city was a battleground where the Bronze Scales Sect, an ancient Lich acting alone, and the MacLaren Sect of the Temple of the Gods were locked in a standoff. To shake up the already solidified situation, a wildcard was needed.
‘The Red Axe Gang caused me a lot of trouble in my past life too.’
*
Fernandez stepped out into the night streets in light gear. Based on his experience in Gloridaine, he carried a longsword with him.
– *Beep beep. Beep beep.*
The whistles of night watchmen echoed. Merlin Port was generally a free trade city with no curfew, but it seemed the recent Lycanthrope incident had the watchmen patrolling.
“Speaking of Lycanthropes, are you sure about this?”
– *Well, it does fit the old man’s taste.*
As soon as Fernandez heard the word “Lycanthrope” from the guard, he was half-convinced. His old master, a dark mage, had set up his nest in Merlin Port during this time.
As his former servant, Fernandez couldn’t remember the exact location of his hideout, but tracking the Lycanthrope incident would lead him there. Right now, Fernandez desperately needed the old man’s relic.
Anyway, thanks to the night watchmen patrolling every alley, Fernandez found himself sneaking around, something he wasn’t fond of.
“Sneaking around isn’t really my hobby…”
“Ah, you too?”
“?!”
As Fernandez muttered quietly, a voice suddenly came from behind him. Cold sweat dripped down his back. How could someone get this close without Diemonica sensing them?
“···Who are you?”
“Aren’t we both hiding to keep our identities secret?”
“Huh. Fair enough.”
The man behind him carefully pressed a cold blade against Fernandez’s back. Fernandez frowned at the chilly sensation.
“What are you doing?”
“Are you tracking the Lycanthrope too?”
The man growled in his ear.
“Or are you the Lycanthrope?”
“Hey, have you ever seen a Lycanthrope talking this calmly?”
“Not yet. But if there were one, it’d probably look like you. Hiding well, sharp, and cautious.”
“···I have nothing to say to that.”
– *Sharp, huh?*
Fernandez chuckled softly and slowly stepped back. The man behind him didn’t press the blade further. Fernandez turned to face him and spoke.
“Order of St. John Knights, Angelo.”
“Angelo… Order of St. John Knights? On a pilgrimage?”
“Something like that.”
“Why is a knight wandering under the eaves at this hour?”
The man was wearing a sleek leather coat and a hat pulled low. He looked like a hunter.
“Probably the same reason as you. Mind telling me your name?”
“From the Phaeirn Royal Hunting School. Call me Karl.”
“Royal Hunting School? Monster hunters?”
“That’s a derogatory term!”
The man grumbled, but his sharp demeanor softened a bit. The Phaeirn Royal Hunting School. A training ground for professional monster hunters who specialized in hunting all kinds of creatures across the kingdom.
“If you’re from the Royal Hunting School, does that mean the royal family knows about this incident?”
“No. I came here because I heard rumors of a troll nearby. The Lycanthrope is an unexpected prey.”
Karl chuckled.
“Care to join me, Sir Knight?”
“No. I’m on a pilgrimage.”
“Ah. How honorable.”
Karl said sarcastically. Knights’ pilgrimages were about challenging achievements to gain fame and honor. So Fernandez was planning to hunt alone.
“Alright. Hope you succeed in the hunt before I do.”
Karl disappeared into the alley with a flick of his wrist. His movements were so smooth it was like he melted into the shadows. Fernandez watched for a moment before muttering.
“Karl. Doesn’t ring a bell?”
– *Doctor Karlomano Pavilos… I just met a big shot.*
“I thought he was just a vampire hunter, but he hunts all kinds of things?”
– *That’s how the Hunting School is these days.*
Vampires, the nobles of the night and kings of the undead. A race hostile to the Temple of the Gods, despite having no connection to demons…
Professor Pavilos was a human hero who single-handedly wiped out one of their highest-ranking bloodlines, the ‘Seldenberg’ family.
It happened long before Fernandez became a full-fledged dark mage, but it was such a famous event that even he remembered it. Anyway, in this era, legendary figures pop up all the time, Fernandez grumbled.
“Master, if that old man is experimenting with Lycanthropes, this is going to be troublesome.”
– *Maybe it’s natural we don’t remember. If Karlomano succeeded in hunting the werewolf early, the incident might have ended before we even noticed.*
“True. Should I give up on finding the master?”
Fernandez fell into deep thought. His main goal was to annihilate the Bronze Scales Sect, and finding his master or resolving the Lycanthrope incident was secondary.
But his master had the [Arcane Vision]. A relic close to the essence of modern magic. There were no duplicates. It was one of the things he couldn’t obtain in his past life, and while he didn’t need it back then, it was now an essential relic for Fernandez, who couldn’t use magic.
[Mana Detection], [Sensory Amplification], and [Magic Search]. There was no better relic for tracking dark mages or demon summoners.
“AAAAAHHHH!!!!”
Just then, a horrifying scream came from a distant alley. Fernandez quickly ran toward the source of the sound.
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