### Chapter 36: The Tavern (Part One)
[Forgiveness Head.]
After scribbling down this long-forgotten nickname, I paused, biting the feather of my quill in contemplation before continuing my writing.
[
It’s been a while, has the secret fruit tree in the garden grown taller?
Are its leaves as green as your head?
Well, I’ve returned with new fruit seeds from the desert of the Eastern Continent.
Surprised? Shocked?
But I can’t go back just yet. I need to stop by my old home first to check if the wheat fields are still standing strong against that biting cold, and if there are any pesky bugs daring to brave the snow and cause mischief. I suspect there might be some.
Please give my regards to the owner of the garden and tell her I miss her dearly. She needs to be careful of the garden’s creditors—they’re a dangerous and mad bunch, sharp-minded with more spies than we could ever imagine. So, no hasty moves, okay?
By the way, Miss Lilith’s request to you is also my request.
Stay safe.
I trust we will meet again soon, but please don’t seek me out.
]
…Hmm, that should do it.
After finishing, I set the quill down, picked up the paper, and read it over twice. Satisfied, I folded it and handed it to Lilith. “Take this letter to that green-haired guy.”
Lilith received the paper with a look of surprise.
Right in front of me, she didn’t dare peek at its contents; instead, she widened her beautiful eyes at me and blinked in hesitation. “Do you… know them?”
“Maybe,” I answered casually. “I can’t be 100% sure. But you need to get this letter to him quickly and pay attention to his reaction when he reads it. If I’m right, he’ll ask you where I am immediately after reading it… Don’t tell him where I am! Just let him take Barry and tell him now is not the time for reunions. I’ll seek him out if needed.”
I paused for a moment.
“But if he looks confused after reading the letter, doesn’t understand it, or can’t guess who wrote it—even the slightest sign of that—turn around and leave immediately. Don’t talk about me anymore, and remember to take the letter with you. Find a place to burn it. We’ll think of something else for Barry.”
If that green-haired guy Lilith mentioned really is Rect, then just a glance at the letter’s salutation will make it crystal clear who wrote to him.
Because only I would call him Forgiveness Head.
Though he still doesn’t grasp the sinister implications of that nickname, that’s not important. Once he realizes the letter is from me, the contents will become abundantly clear.
If all goes well, I really believe that guy is Forgiveness Head.
Though I have no idea why he’s showing up in Alectine City at this time, I suspect it might have something to do with me…
Viki must be feeling quite unwilling about this.
Has she already caught wind of, or suspected something?
After all, her brain is quite handy for those things.
But precisely because of this, Viki is probably the person the Church or Angel should monitor closely. If there’s even a hint of trouble, she’ll be in a dangerous spot.
That’s why I took the risk of asking Forgiveness Head to deliver the news that I’m still alive. I want her to know that things are far more complicated than she imagines and not to act rashly in a way that could draw the Church’s suspicion, like sending Rect here to investigate me.
That’s too risky.
She isn’t fully aware of the stakes involved, clueless about the Church’s hidden side…
I’m worried she’ll screw up.
And if she does, it’ll be catastrophic.
“Phew—”
With my mind racing through all these thoughts, I let out a long sigh, still thinking about Barry alone in the room. I patted Lilith’s shoulder and said, “You might not be in Jasmine Lane for long. You don’t need to come back. If everything goes smoothly, three days from now, you bring people to the west side gate of the city. I’ll send Barry to meet you, and then just get out of here.”
“…Okay.”
Lilith nodded seriously.
I didn’t say anything more after that, waving my hand to signal the conversation was over. I lifted the curtain and jumped down from the carriage, not looking back as I quickly headed toward the tavern.
The war chariot slowly pulled away behind me.
The streets were brightly lit, yet not many people were around.
When I came out, I hadn’t walked far. I turned the corner and returned to Jasmine Lane. After walking down the alley for less than five minutes, I spotted the small tavern in the distance—the lights inside flickered bright, casting a yellow glow over a small area at the entrance. I could hear the ruckus from the first floor even from a distance; it was probably the liveliest spot at the end of Jasmine Lane.
If not for the starving refugees lurking in the shadows throughout the city…
If it weren’t for all these disturbances…
Then this place wouldn’t seem too dull or annoying if I stayed a few more days to let my emotions settle.
…Huh?
Suddenly, I halted in my tracks.
In my view, the tavern grew closer, appearing perfectly calm from the outside, yet the window belonging to my room on the second floor was, I realized with dread…
Half-open!
…Not good.
I squinted, hunched my body slightly, and with a strong push of my right foot, I activated Moon Step.
Bang—
A dull thud resonated through the empty street, accompanied by flying debris and dust. In an instant, the tavern loomed right before me. I leaped into the air, my cloak billowing like a bird taking flight, and crashed through the second-story window with a loud crash, shattering the frame. The window pane flew into the room, vaguely knocking someone over.
“Who is it—”
“This kid has company!”
“d*mn it—”
The sudden commotion turned the small room into chaos. Shadows darted around, yelling as figures rushed toward the window brandishing weapons.
Looking for d*ath…
With the momentum of my leap, I launched a kick at the first figure to come through the window, sending the burly man flying. He had no chance for resistance and crashed to the ground, bl**d pouring from his mouth as he collided with the two men following him. They dropped their meat cleavers and tumbled into the door, knocking over a coat rack, and lay on the ground unable to get up.
“Little Shay!”
Before I could steady my landing or assess the situation inside, Barry’s panicked voice rang out from across the room.
He called my name! I immediately turned to see the boy’s face bruised and battered, desperately climbing onto the bed, trying to worm his way over to me.
Behind him, the fourth man—who should have been holding him down—had been struck in the face by the flying window pane. Bloodied and dazed, he was now getting back up, one hand clutching his face, instinctively reaching for Barry’s ankle while letting out a pained shout.
I recognized this guy…
He was one of the thugs who dragged Barry out from the tavern this morning.
A fleeting thought zipped through my mind, and with quick reflexes, I snatched a cup from the table and hurled it at him, smashing it against his forehead with a satisfying crack!
“Ah!”
He screamed as he collapsed.
“Get behind me.”
My face was calm, hidden under my hood, and I gestured for Barry to get behind me before stepping toward the pile of three fallen bodies by the door.
Meanwhile, the only woman in the room, after a brief moment of shock, screamed in fear and dashed for the door, opening and slamming it shut in one fluid motion before bellowing into the hallway.
“Someone, help!”
“There’s a m*rder—”
In my hurried glance, I only caught a glimpse of her back, but I recognized her instantly—she was the maid from the tavern.
