### Chapter 34: Message Delivery
Nightfall descended.
Outside the tavern’s small building, lamp lights on the road flickered back to life. In the distance, the lively chatter reached a crescendo, while nearby, the street became increasingly deserted. The outside world returned to silence, interrupted only by the occasional faint sounds echoing from the dark alleys.
Downstairs, however, there was a seemingly louder commotion.
Barry and I had been cooped up in the room all day. He actually woke up in the afternoon, and after changing his dressing, we barely spoke a word. Since then, our exchanges had only been occasional. We nibbled on some food together before evening, but throughout it all, Barry wore a face heavy with thoughts.
He was probably wrestling with some emotions that wouldn’t just slip away.
And that’s fine…
Let him think it over in peace.
Some things aren’t figured out in a day; they might need a long stretch of time to settle.
After that, I didn’t press him for any more deep conversations. There was no need for me to toss around any more life lessons or, heaven forbid, bring up things he’d like to hear. Those would only lead to him becoming emotional, irrational, and increasingly gloomy. Some thoughts, when they get stuck, can sink a person for a long time or trap them in illusions of comfort that are as false as they are enticing.
All I could do now was give him some quiet time.
I walked over to the window, chewing on the last bite of dessert, and cracked the old window slightly open to let some air into the stuffy room that had felt like a cave all day. I squinted a bit, gazing out at the tranquil street under the night lights while listening to the distant chaos of Jasmine Lane, both vibrant and wretched.
It’s dark now…
Lilith should be on her way soon, right?
Just as I thought that, a War Chariot rolled slowly into view from the far end of the street. The sound of the wheels creaking on the empty road echoed sharply in the stillness.
My instincts kicked in first, but as the vehicle drew closer and I spotted the maid from earlier in the day driving it, I quickly shut the window. I turned to Barry, who was lost in thought by the bed, and said, “I’ll be stepping out for a bit. You stay in here, lock the door, and keep it down.”
Barry shot his head up in surprise. “Where are you going?”
His voice quivered with a mixture of unease and worry.
“Your little girlfriend is here.”
I didn’t even look back as I grabbed my cloak from the coat rack, secured the hood, and listened for any sounds outside the door. After a few seconds of silence, I added, “I won’t be gone long. If something happens, open the window.”
Without waiting for a response, I swung the door open and slipped out, closing it behind me. I hurried down the hallway, descending the stairs. When I reached the first floor, to my surprise, I found quite a few people lounging about, drinking and feasting on meat—seriously, their tables were piled high with big chunks of roasted or stewed meat. Just last night, I barely remembered the scene; now all I could think was how ragged and shabby these folks looked, and yet they managed to splurge on booze and food.
I guessed they were probably homeless, living for the day like it might be their last. With any little money they could scrounge up, they’d spend it here, only to end up like the guy from this morning—beaten up and dragged away like a dead dog, not knowing where they’d end up.
Once I stepped downstairs, the usual routine kicked in. Everyone abruptly halted, turning to watch me with unified gazes.
I’m thinking of gouging out your eyeballs…
If this were the old me, that’s probably how I’d feel. I’d get all worked up before they’d even done anything!
But now? Now I could genuinely ignore their stares.
When they made their move, I didn’t feel a ripple of emotion rise in me.
And I wouldn’t after they acted.
That tavern maid flitted around, serving drinks, and when she saw me, she gave me an extra glance and a cheerful nod—I considered it our little greeting. I strolled past her with a wave and made a beeline for the door. As I pushed through the slatted door, I casually glanced back, just as I noticed that woman shifting her gaze away from me.
I narrowed my eyes.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the tavern and onto the street.
The white War Chariot was now passing the small building, not stopping but moving slowly a bit further down the road, clearly waiting for me.
I jogged after it, quickly matching its pace before trailing behind for a stretch. Once I’d completely exited Jasmine Lane and turned onto another street, the War Chariot finally came to a halt at the corner. The maid driving turned around and waved at me. I walked up and heard her say, “Miss Lilith is in the carriage.”
“Got it.”
I nodded and lifted the carriage flap to hop inside.
“Lilith…”
Inside, I saw the woman sitting primly, her hands nervously resting on her abdomen, and a frown marring her face. She didn’t look particularly happy, wearing an expression of worry. I sat across from her, pulling down my hood, ready to chat about changing locations, but she jumped in hurriedly, cutting me off.
“I just finished meeting the people I told you about.”
She said anxiously, her brows furrowed in distress. “I was planning to pay them to take Barry away, but they absolutely refused! They don’t need the money; it didn’t matter how much I offered! They just wouldn’t take on an outsider, probably thinking it would be a drag… What should I do? Am I being too hasty? Am I overestimating the simplicity of this?”
“……”
I rubbed my forehead, feeling a little speechless. “Do you have any idea what they want?”
“I—I don’t know…”
She stumbled through her response, twisting her fingers together and wracking her brain, “I just know they seem to be looking for something specific over here… They asked me about the specifics of the heretic war from two years ago and about the Currency Exchange and the Faith Organization…and, um…”
“What else?”
“There’s also the leader. He asked me about Barry and that Pope Knight sister of his…”
As she spoke, her voice trailed off timidly, and she instinctively glanced at me before quickly turning away.
Oh…
Did she suspect something?
Not that it really matters…
“Where are they from? Describe their clothing and details to me.”
I inquired again. The woman seemed to relax a little, hiding her hands behind her back, barely daring to meet my gaze as she recalled, speaking haltingly, “Their clothes… I think they were wearing large cloaks like yours. I haven’t interacted with them much, so it’s hard to tell… Ah, but I suspect they’re from the North… probably Ethanbel. I’ve been there before, so I can tell from their accent.”
“…Hmm.”
I nodded again.
I could practically confirm my suspicions.
“Do you have any paper and a pen?” I tapped on the cabin, asking her.
“I don’t have any…”
Lilith looked startled, struggling to keep up with my train of thought, but she obediently replied, “But Lena should have some… Ah, Lena is my maid. Just a moment, I’ll ask her.”
She turned, lifting a corner of the carriage flap, and asked the driver maid for pen and paper. After a brief exchange, she lowered the flap again and handed me a leather notebook and a feather quill. She then reached out of the carriage to receive an inkpot from the maid and handed that to me too. “Are you going to… write something?”
“Writing a letter.”
I replied, spreading the notebook open, tearing off a blank page, dipping the quill in ink, and reclining back on the soft seat as I began to write.
The fine steel nib scratched against the yellowed parchment, making a ‘swish swish’ sound, and scrawled in an awkward script were the words:
[Forgiveness Head.]
