As the sun nearly set, turning the surroundings dim, Ray and his group returned to the inn. They had rented out an entire floor but were gathered in one room.
Ray rested in a chair with his eyes half-closed.
A sound came from the open window.
It was Bang, who had returned after completing his solo mission. He dispelled the concealment field he had maintained using an artefact and began speaking.
“As you requested, I tracked Rasker… After meeting us, he headed straight for the Rioseuk Soldier Guild headquarters.”
‘Rasker’ was the name of the mercenary who had promised Ray to introduce him to a guide who would accompany Ulte.
Since Ray did not fully trust Rasker, he had sent Bang to keep tabs on him.
“Who did he meet there?”
“It seems he met with the Guild Master.”
“Did you overhear their conversation?”
“The security was tighter than expected.”
“Hmm…”
The Guild Master of the Rioseuk Soldier Guild likely had connections with all the power players in this area. Just knowing that Rasker met with the Guild Master wasn’t enough to draw any conclusions.
‘Perhaps we should first meet the guide who accompanied Ulte and then decide.’
While Ray was pondering this, Bang spoke up.
“Ron.”
“Is there more to report?”
“Not exactly… But given the current circumstances, isn’t it most likely that Hophe wandered alone through the Forbidden Forest and perished?”
“Perished?”
“Yes, that’s my belief.”
Listening to this exchange, Jetteu chimed in.
“The Forbidden Forest is a dangerous place. It’s possible Hophe ventured too deep without companions, got attacked by demons, or fell into a trap due to being disliked by mercenaries. In such cases… frankly, it’d be hard to find traces.”
Hearing both Bang and Jetteu’s arguments, Ray gave a small laugh.
Their claims were reasonable in their own right.
If someone wandered alone in the Forbidden Forest and disappeared, most people would assume they were eaten by demons.
But that assumption only held because they didn’t know Ulte’s true capabilities.
‘There’s no way Ulte could have fallen to something as trivial as demons.’
Ulte was a formidable individual—not just someone skilled in brute combat. Even among all the mercenaries around here, none were as experienced as Ulte. Moreover, Ulte was armed with various artefacts obtained from dungeons across the continent, the most crucial being Valerius’ legacy.
Through Saria’s testimony, Ray was well aware of Ulte’s strength and therefore couldn’t agree with Bang and Jetteu’s assumptions.
Ulte was not the type to perish from an ambush by demons or mercenaries.
‘Even if an entire knight order of decent caliber came after him, Ulte could evade and escape.’
And yet, Ulte had vanished, and there had been no word of him so far.
This meant that something capable of either killing or capturing Ulte existed nearby.
Ray was even considering the possibility of a high-ranking demon or devil worshipper operating in a land cut off from the outside world.
‘Given how evil has spread across the continent, it wouldn’t be surprising if cultists or high-ranking demons were causing trouble in the “Forbidden Forest.”‘
A place like the Forbidden Forest would never be left untouched by those with sinister intentions.
Thus, the forest remained a dangerous zone even for Ray.
‘…Still, there’s no need to be overly cautious.’
If Ray had come here alone, he would have been much more careful. However, Luna was with him now.
Unbelievable as it might sound, Luna had surpassed the level of even high-ranking mages.
With Luna’s support, Ray believed he could tear apart even a creature on Eridanus’ level.
At that moment, the wind whistled again.
Someone landed on the floor after passing through the open window.
Having reactivated the soundproof barrier, Ray turned to face the rugged-looking man and asked,
“Are you Burzel?”
“Yes… No, yes sir.”
Burzel awkwardly bowed his head.
Ray stared at Burzel silently.
He seemed familiar. Recalling the memory, Ray realized he had briefly seen this mercenary at Wypor’s Nest during the evening.
“You were with other mercenaries at Wypor’s Nest earlier. You’re part of the intelligence unit, right?”
“Ah… No, there seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“That… I’m not affiliated with them. We just do business when needed.”
“I see, so you’re a local collaborator.”
Burzel wasn’t part of the intelligence team trained and dispatched by the empire but rather someone recruited locally by the intelligence unit.
Ray had only learned from Comet how to summon a collaborator in Rioshuko but hadn’t known the exact identity until now.
Ray gestured for Burzel to sit down and rummaged through his pocket.
“If you’re a local collaborator, working on an empty stomach won’t do. If you assist thoroughly with this matter, you’ll be well compensated.”
Ray laid kingdom silver coins on the table.
Though burdened, Burzel took the coins and tucked them into his bosom.
“For what purpose have you summoned me?”
“What’s the status of the mercenaries at Wypor’s Nest?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Word has spread that Hophe possessed a valuable artefact, which has attracted quite a few opportunists.”
“!”
Only then did Burzel realize that the “valuable artefact” Ray mentioned was bait.
While Ulte indeed possessed many precious artefacts, Burzel had no way of knowing this.
Ray urged Burzel.
“Stop overthinking and answer the question. Do I need to make the atmosphere unpleasant?”
“A, sorry. Um… Several mercenaries discussed looking for Hophe.”
“Those openly talking about it can be ignored. If anyone truly knows Hophe’s whereabouts, they’d act covertly. Report anyone acting suspiciously separately.”
Burzel muttered hesitantly, watching Ray.
“Sir, I can’t possibly track down all the suspicious mercenaries alone.”
“I understand. I’ve already ordered additional personnel from the intelligence unit to be dispatched here to assist you. Until they arrive, work together with this fellow.”
Bang emerged from the shadows and approached Burzel.
Burzel’s eyes widened as Bang activated the concealment field of his artefact.
Being a high-grade artefact used by the Royal Guard, its performance was exceptional.
Watching Bang vanish ghost-like before his eyes, Burzel was speechless.
Ray snapped his fingers at Burzel, who was still dazed.
“Snap! This matter is quite important. If you cooperate well, I’ll ensure you’re satisfied. But…”
The core and circle near Ray’s heart began rotating simultaneously.
An intense cold radiated outward, disrupting the surrounding mana.
Burzel’s complexion paled under the strange pressure he had never felt before.
Ray glared directly at Burzel and warned,
“If you betray me, I’ll rip your limbs apart.”
“…T-that won’t happen.”
“Good, let’s work well together.”
Relaxing his expression, Ray patted Burzel on the shoulder.
*
The next morning.
Bang, Burzel, and the newly dispatched intelligence operatives moved to monitor and track mercenaries showing suspicious activity.
Ray, along with Luna and Jetteu, headed to Wypor’s Nest to meet the guide.
Either way, Ray was confident they’d uncover something.
Just as they were nearing Wypor’s Nest, Rasker, the mercenary Ray had spoken with yesterday, greeted them.
The entrance to Wypor’s Nest was still broken, so Ray entered without any interference from the guards and ordered some bread.
While munching on the surprisingly good bread, Ray noticed Rasker returning.
“This is the guy.”
Lifting his head, Ray looked at the guide Rasker introduced.
Expecting an older person, Ray was surprised to see a young man in his twenties.
Seeing Ray’s skeptical look, Rasker quickly added,
“He’s a native here. Since childhood, he’s explored the forest extensively and knows it inside out.”
“…Let me speak with him alone for a bit. Please step aside.”
“Alright.”
Rasker immediately left.
Ray turned to the young guide and asked,
“What’s your name?”
“My name is Olda.”
“Come sit down.”
Olda sat, and Ray handed him the bread basket.
“When did you meet Hophe?”
“Erm… It’s been several months. Actually, we didn’t spend much time together. He preferred moving alone.”
“Can you share any information that might help find Hophe?”
True to form, Ray flicked a kingdom silver coin toward Olda.
Catching the coin, Olda grinned and continued,
“To be honest… He didn’t seem like a fugitive. He appeared interested in ruins. Most unexplored ruins are located deep within the forest, so even my guidance had limits. The same applied to other guides.”
“If you couldn’t guide him deep into the forest, why did Hophe hire you as a guide?”
“I know the terrain of the forest outskirts well. I also know where demons live and am familiar with rumors.”
“Rumors?”
“Like which direction leads to a large temple or an entrance to a dungeon. There used to be cities in the forest long ago, which is why there are many such stories.”
“Are these rumors credible?”
“Haha… Most people consider them mere rumors, but Hophe seemed quite interested.”
Naturally, Ulte would have shown great interest in dungeons and relics. He must have wandered the forest recklessly without regard for his life.
After pondering for a while, Ray changed the subject.
“If you guided him, you must know which routes Hophe primarily used to enter the deeper parts of the forest. Explain.”
Unfolding a somewhat inaccurate map of the forest, Ray showed it to Olda, who hesitated.
“I don’t read maps well. I need to show you the terrain in person.”
This wasn’t unusual.
Given that Olda had been an orphan, it made sense that he hadn’t learned navigation through maps but instead gained knowledge by following mercenaries and observing closely.
“…”
Ray tapped the table with his finger, scanning Olda from head to toe.
His authority manifested, causing veins to burst in Ray’s eyes.
Sensing a slight headache, Ray rubbed his eyes and paused briefly.
“…Alright. Let’s go check it out. Guide us along the path Hophe frequently used. Along the way, share any rumors that caught Hophe’s attention.”
“Does that mean you’re hiring me as a guide, Sir?”
Ray flicked another silver coin toward Olda.
Grinning broadly, Olda caught the coin.
Since they needed to explore the forest while the sun was up, Ray stood immediately.
“We’ll leave right away.”
Despite appearing calm, Ray was pleased with the situation.
The worst-case scenario for Ray would be if those he suspected went into hiding. However, since they were taking the initiative to scheme, it made things easier for Ray.
By tracking back from whoever schemed, he was sure to uncover something useful.
