What in the world is going on?
I straightened my clothes and opened the door.
As soon as I opened it, the cool morning air brushed past my cheeks. I immediately walked down the corridor to the first floor and began to assess the situation.
“M-my Lord! W-what is the meaning of this?!”
A man who appeared to be the innkeeper was stuttering, unable to hide his bewilderment, as he asked for an explanation. A middle-aged man standing with his hands behind his back, stroked his goatee and began to clarify the innkeeper’s concerns.
“Yesterday, we received information indicating that the thief who was planning to steal Lord Jang’s treasure hid here at this inn.”
Here?
It was clearly quiet until I went to sleep.
I quietly leaned against the wall and observed the inn.
There were hardly any people on the first floor, but just like the frozen air, everyone seemed cautious and uneasy.
Everyone must be frozen in surprise at the sudden situation. I quietly kept my lips sealed and resumed observing the unfolding events.
“Sir, does this mean in our inn?!?”
“Yes!”
Here in this inn?
That black-clad person?
I recalled the events of last night. The black-clad figure who swiftly stole the treasure and vanished. What stood out was how silently they landed before disappearing.
But why would they hide here?
What could possibly be here?
…Could it mean there’s a thief among the guests?
At this rate, I’m practically like that little detective who finds himself in the middle of a homicide wherever he goes. Why does the thief have to hide here among all places?
No, rather, how did they know?
The black-clad person seemed to have shaken off their pursuers in an instant, yet was there some other method of tracking?
“But, we’ve never accommodated any suspicious individuals!”
“Are you now accusing me of lying?!”
“N-no… It’s just…”
The innkeeper, clearly baffled, began wiping his sweat and waving his hands frantically.
Of course, it’s reasonable.
Once a search starts, business will be affected for a few days. For the innkeeper, this is certainly a bolt from the blue. But with someone of high rank demanding an investigation, refusing is out of the question, and nodding in resignation is likely unavoidable.
“Everybody, gather all staff and guests outside!”
“Yes, yes!”
What a bother.
Since I’m already involved, resolving it quickly would be the best course of action. I fully descended the stairs and made my presence known on the first floor.
“Who are you?”
Everyone’s gaze naturally turned to me. I removed my hat as I replied.
“Just a traveler staying here for a night.”
“A colored-eyed person…?”
Do you often see colored-eyed people? Of course not; in the heart of the Central Plains, seeing someone like me is like plucking stars from the sky. Perhaps only in a coastal trade city would you see someone like me. It’s exceptionally rare to encounter a colored-eyed person in the inland Central Plains.
The physical distances of this era make traveling difficult enough.
Someone like me ended up here purely by the alignment of coincidences.
“I speak Central Plains’ language well, so there’s no need to worry.”
So, please calm down with that foreigner phobia.
You’re making the same face people do when a foreigner asks for directions. There’s no real reason to be so frightened. Even a colored-eyed person can communicate effectively enough to live in the Central Plains.
“A colored-eyed person fluent in Central Plains’ language… Could you be the Blue-Eyed Lion?”
“Yes.”
Since there’s no reason to hide it, I answered truthfully.
It’s surprisingly helpful to have a known name. Being recognized makes it easier to be accepted, even for someone like me.
“I never expected to meet the Blue-Eyed Lion here…”
The bearded man looked at me curiously while muttering under his breath. He seems surprised to meet me here.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand…
“Do you have any idea what this is about?”
“You must’ve heard about it. Lord Jang’s treasure was stolen. The Thousand-Li Tracking Incense hidden in the treasure indicates the trail leads here. That’s why we’ve brought soldiers to search the place.”
The man kindly explained the situation to me.
“Hiding here… Is that right?”
“Yes.”
Not escaped but hiding?
Something feels off. I mentally filed away my suspicions and addressed the group.
“Actually, I spotted and alerted everyone to the black-clad person yesterday, but it’s hard for me to believe they hid here.”
“You’re the one who raised the alarm?”
“Yes, likely.”
Amongst the commotion, there were people who heard my voice?
“Hmm… Let’s return to the matter at hand. Please assist with the investigation. This is a very valuable treasure, and Lord Jang would be furious if we fail to find it.”
I quickly agreed, having no intention of complicating things unnecessarily.
“I will assist.”
“Thank you.”
A formal yet empty thank-you was returned. Was it gratitude for not causing trouble? I crossed my arms and turned around, as I had nothing immediate to do.
I should wake the others in advance.
“I’ll wake my companions.”
I went upstairs and immediately entered the room.
“Great Hero Wi, any issues?”
“Some traces of the thief who stole the treasure at last night’s night market were found in this inn.”
“Hmm…”
Elder Baek unraveled his crossed legs with an expression of growing headache. He seemed to sense that the situation was getting complicated. The others began to dress, equally solemn expressions on their faces.
Unless we’re someone of importance and can avoid it, we’re as ordinary as anyone else in the eyes of the bureaucracy, so creating unnecessary friction is senseless. The best answer is full cooperation to resolve things quickly.
“I’ll go wake Hye-ryeong.”
“Do so.”
Elder Baek nodded at me, though his gaze seemed unusual.
Why is he looking at me like that?
I discarded my confusion and headed toward Hye-ryeong’s room.
Arriving at the door, I gently called out.
“Hye-ryeong?”
“Uuh…”
“Hye-ryeong, wake up.”
“Umph…”
Is she still lost in dreamland? Does the laziness increase with every trip, or is it just me? Sighing, I strained to hear the footsteps coming from the other side.
The footsteps grew closer, then the sliding door opened.
“Sir… what is it?”
“…Hye-ryeong, properly dress yourself.”
Your shoulder is completely exposed, you know.
“Ah!”
My words startled Hye-ryeong, who quickly fixed her clothes with an embarrassed look. An awkward silence followed.
“Hye-ryeong, things have gotten complicated, so get ready and come downstairs.”
“R-right…”
Hye-ryeong answered quietly, looking away.
—————————-
“Thank you all for your cooperation.”
The man with the goatee, who introduced himself as Inspector Meng Podu, was the first to speak as he observed the gathered guests and staff on the first floor of the inn. Contrary to the typical intimidating image of officials, he displayed a somewhat gentlemanly demeanor before addressing us.
“Women to the left, men to the right. These individuals will examine you.”
“The Tang family…”
The Sichuan Tang family?
The Tang family?!
If the Tang family is involved, Lord Jang must be far more influential than I thought, despite the security breach that led to the theft.
We obediently split into two groups to wait for the inspection.
Then, a man and woman who looked like martial artists emerged from behind Meng Podu. They approached us, seemingly sniffing around.
After some strange investigative procedures, the two martial artists quietly went back to Meng Podu, whispering something in his ear. Meng Podu nodded, listening intently, and then looked at us with a troubled expression.
“It seems they’ve evaded capture easily.”
Apparently, no trace of the tracking fragrance was found on us.
So, does that mean we’re cleared of suspicion?
It seemed Meng Podu also realized he wouldn’t capture the culprit this way and instructed the two Tang family members to continue tracking the scent before turning back to us.
“Anyone here who was at the night market last night, please raise your hand.”
I immediately raised my hand. They seem to be investigating those who were at the night market first.
“Everyone who raised their hand, please come forward. I need you to tell me what you did last night.”
Right.
Witness statements are important.
“Blue-Eyed Lion, since you were the first to spot the black-clad person, please provide your testimony first.”
“I understand.”
“The rest of you, please wait in the rooms. My assistants will call you one by one.”
I sat across from Meng Podu, eyeing him.
“Hmm…”
This feels like I’m a suspect in a mystery novel.
“Would providing testimony suffice?”
“Not exactly… I have one question beforehand.”
The atmosphere changed.
It was familiar.
The guards surrounding me.
I shifted my gaze from the guards to Meng Podu.
“Blue-Eyed Lion, why is there a trace of tracking fragrance on you?”
…What?
