Hidden Under the Shadows (1)

Belial left after saying those words. Did he really come just to say that one thing?

Was he curious about who had been interfering with his plans at every turn?

Thanks to that, I gained a lot of information. Though I’m sure the same goes for him.

Before my regression, the Belial I saw was truly a trial imposed upon humanity.

I was too terrified to even meet his gaze. How could a mere human maintain their sanity before that majesty of spreading vast wings that could block out the sky itself?

Just that action alone devastated the ecosystem.

“Phew……”

But now it’s different.

Until now, my perception of Belial was close to that of a natural disaster, but after that conversation just now, I could see him a bit more humanly.

Yes, humanly.

Though he hated humans so much, he was one who resembled humans.

That’s why it gave me chills.

You can avoid natural disasters.

No matter how powerful the typhoon, even if it’s a forest fire that engulfs an entire mountain.

You can survive somehow if you get away from that place – that’s what natural disasters are.

“Well, it couldn’t be easy.”

But Belial was human-like. That means he possessed hatred while having power comparable to natural disasters.

Think about a natural disaster that follows me for life. Could there be anything more terrifying than that?

I knew he was cunning. I knew about his meticulousness in investing thousands of years to make plans.

But that had been somewhat buried under his power.

Something that should never be buried. Power that’s practically his essence.

“Oh my, the kids must be waiting.”

I don’t know what he’s trying to do. But I can’t just hole up in the Pantheon Temple being wary of that. Just live normally while maintaining a bit of vigilance like always.

Yes, prepare like that as I always have.

*     *      *

Since I had to keep my word, I led Claire and Linea out into the city.

The two seemed to have sensed the general situation from my expression, but there shouldn’t be any problems.

Of course, priests were following us. But since they were all in plain clothes and keeping their distance as they followed, it wasn’t bothersome enough to be particularly concerned about.

“How do you feel visiting Coinur, the empire’s heart and trend-setter?”

I asked Claire, who had a sullen expression as if she hadn’t wanted to come out.

“Can I be honest?”

“Feel free to criticize or praise as you like. It’s not like I’m the owner of this place or what does it matter?”

“It’s all things I’ve seen before.”

“That’s why it’s called a trend-setter.”

“Ah.”

Things that start trending here spread throughout the empire like blood flowing from the heart.

“If you look carefully, there should be plenty of things you haven’t seen before.”

Claire must have some expectations too. After all, isn’t this the empire’s largest city?

Moreover, all our travel destinations so far have been places overflowing with unique characteristics.

<Future City> Nidavellir, <City Awaiting the Sun> Rubia, <Academic City> Arcanum.

Each one a town full of distinct features. So much so that the Forys duchy we first visited was the most ordinary.

“I’m not particularly curious. Let’s just go eat? I heard from Linea-unnie. That the meat dishes from Coinur are supposed to be that delicious.”

“That’s because she’s nobility. The common food is terrible.”

With so many people coming and going, food sells even if it’s made terribly.

Didn’t we fail to even find lodging just now? How would restaurants be any different in such a situation? Rather, they take advantage of being in the capital to overcharge.

The reason Linea said the food she ate in the capital was delicious was only because there were skilled chefs who could establish themselves here.

That’s the kind of disparity that exists.

Anyway, finding a delicious restaurant here is quite difficult.

It will be even harder with so many establishments.

But it’s fine.

“First, let’s go to a place I know.”

The destination was already decided.

Leading the group through the bustling streets. As expected of the capital, there are too many people. The street noise is so loud that even communication between us is nearly impossible due to the commotion.

Perhaps because of that, even Linea with her keen senses seems to be having a harder time than usual.

Even for me as a human, this level of noise is enough to make me frown.

Let alone for Linea as a beastkin, it must be beyond words.

“Here.”

“Ah, thank you.”

I grab Linea’s hand as she staggers while holding her head.

While I’m at it, I grab our little one’s hand too as we make our way out of the crowded street. Such high-maintenance companions.

As we emerged from the crowd like that, Linea stopped and said.

“I’m fine now.”

“Right, it would be awkward to hold a noble lady’s hand for too long.”

“…That’s not it.”

Well, before being nobility, holding a teenage girl’s hand shows I was quite lacking in consideration.

Of course, just seeing how gently she deflects shows how good Linea’s character is.

On the other hand, what about Claire?

“I feel like I’ll only build bad memories in the capital.”

“You can’t always have good experiences. Isn’t that what life is?”

“The ratio is weird. I don’t remember building any good memories?”

“Fate can be cruel sometimes.”

“Damn cultist.”

“Calling an apostle a cultist, you could be arrested for blasphemy with nothing to say in your defense?”

“Go ahead and arrest me.”

Seeing her shaking off my hand while complaining shows she’s still just a kid.

Not only does she lack consideration for others, she’s just plain rude.

“Sigh, this kid really.”

I felt like giving her a knock on the head but seeing her pale complexion makes me feel bad about it. I’m afraid she might just die if I hit her wrong.

“We’re here, let’s go in.”

“I’m glad it was close by.”

Claire subtly smiles as I point to a nearby establishment. Though she didn’t say it, the crowd must have been quite difficult for her.

This just makes me feel guilty again.

“So what kind of place is this?”

“Hmm, it’s not really a place with a specific theme. Just somewhere that sells all sorts of food they can make?”

“How ordinary.”

“Right.”

Being able to make many things means there’s a high chance they’ve been in this line of work for a long time.

Of course, there’s also a high chance they’re just an incompetent person who dabbles in everything.

But this place is fine.

I visited here before my regression too.

“Ah, though there is one thing that could be called distinctive.”

I open the colorfully decorated wooden door and enter.

Then…

“Welcome, masters!”

Employees wearing outfits resembling but somewhat more free-spirited than maid uniforms greet us with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“……”

Ignoring Claire’s contemptuous gaze, I enter with composure.

You can’t mind such things here. That’s the rule.

“I have a reservation.”

“Ah, which room would that be?”

A girl around our age with red hair and green eyes asks with a smile bright as sunshine.

“The Oak Shade room.”

“I’ll show you right away~”

The employee guides us with an exaggerated attitude that seems unnatural. At that sight, even Linea unusually sends suspicious glances my way.

Well, I have nothing to say even if they look at me like that.

It’s certainly a strange-looking establishment from the outside.

Trying my best not to mind the gazes of those two, I follow behind the employee toward a secluded room.

“…When did you make the reservation, Lost?”

Linea trying her best to hide her distrustful gaze.

“This was an unexpected side of you. Thanks to this, I felt the scale in my heart move to the opposite side for the first time in a while.”

Claire not hiding her disgust.

More than that, is this kid moving the scale in her heart about whether to kill me or not over something like this?

She’s frightening.

Ignoring all those gazes and questions somehow, I sat down.

“Then I’ll take your order~”

The employee who guided us closes the door.

“……”

And the cheerful, seemingly affected smile from earlier disappears, leaving only an expressionless face.

Looking at that hardened expression, I asked.

“Is it hard working here?”

“Fuck……”

That short, intense curse expresses her feelings.

While Linea and Claire tilt their heads at the sudden change in atmosphere, I call out the name of someone I haven’t met in a while.

“You need to work on your acting skills more. Mar.”

Information guild Shade.

This establishment is their Coinur branch. Even this environment that makes one hesitate to enter must be intentional.

It’s probably because it’s difficult to operate as an information guild with too many people.

Moreover, it would be hard to even think of this kind of place as an information guild, so there’s no better method of disguise.

“No need to ask how you knew about this place. You were that kind of guy when we first met too.”

“Calling a customer ‘guy’. What kind of manners are those? Do it like earlier.”

“If you don’t want to die, don’t try to mess with me.”

The moment Mar finishes speaking, numerous throwing knives embed themselves in the menu I had been examining.

“My my, quite the princess we have here. Setting aside the excessive overprotection, your problem-solving method is truly assassin-like?”

“Well, she’s still a bit green.”

I can sense at least seven assassins hiding their presence in this room.

It’s not exact since there could be assassins I haven’t detected.

Still, seems she’s grown a lot.

I couldn’t notice even a single one in Forys territory.

“…Lost? Didn’t we say we were going to a restaurant?”

Linea, who finally realized this isn’t an ordinary place, mutters with a sigh.

The part she’s complaining about is strange.

Usually one would take issue with being brought to such a dangerous place, but she’s angry that I deceived them.

“That’s nothing new with him.”

“I’m glad, Lost. That it was revealed you’re not some perverted trash with strange sexual desires.”

“You thought that much……”

As I cower for a moment at Claire’s scathing curse, Mar mutters at their relaxed attitudes.

“Know the saying ‘close to ink gets you stained black’?”

“Be quiet.”

No use trying to deceive me with such minority ethnic sayings. I’m affiliated with the Pantheon Temple, someone versed in all languages.

“Well, whatever. So what’s your order?”

“Give these two a meal and for me… I’d like you to call the highest-ranked person here.”

“Isn’t that me?”

“The low-rank is twisted.”

“Tch.”

Seems that twisted desire for recognition remains the same.

She’s quite something, even though Titan shattered her wrist.

“So? What do you want to eat?”

“…Can you push food down your throat after seeing throwing knives embed themselves in the menu just now?”

“What’s the big deal now? Is this the first time? What’s there to worry about with me here?”

“…Well, I suppose a saint could easily purify poison.”

That’s right. ‘Purification’ is practically symbolic of priests.

I’m not even sure poison would work on Claire to begin with. Though she’s physically weak, she’s not the type that poisons would affect.

With holy power overflowing from her, it’s hard to think anything else could invade that sick body.

“…What do you think our establishment is?”

“I don’t want to hear that from some low-rank who throws knives at the menu over a slip of the tongue.”

Isn’t this your own doing?

*     *      *

After placing our order, we waited for a while before Mar returned with a middle-aged woman.

“…Do you really need to be that thorough with it?”

Seeing the middle-aged woman wearing clothes similar to Mar’s makes me feel like even my non-existent appetite is disappearing.

I wondered how Linea and Claire who actually ordered food were doing, but they weren’t even looking this way.

An appropriate social skill.

“One must always keep their heart young.”

“Could it be that rather than trying to drive people away, this was your personal preference?”

“No? That’s not it.”

The plump middle-aged woman wearing an unusually short skirt answered with a somewhat wicked smile.

“When I see the rotting expressions of those high-and-mighty folks who come in here, it just naturally makes me feel good.”

Seems she’s an even stranger person than I imagined, making me afraid.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Viera.”

“…I’m Lost.”

I stared at that hand offering a handshake for quite a while before grabbing it.

She’s the type I don’t want to deal with.

“So, what does the person who sucked out our Shade’s soul want to mooch off us for this time?”

“…First, I’d like to get some information about Wallace Hope and Another Hope. And……”

And the reason Mar is here without Shade right now.

Originally I hadn’t thought much of it, but it seems suspicious. After all, when I told Mar to call the highest-ranked person, I had expected that slick old man to appear.

“Where is Shade?”

But what appeared was a middle-aged woman with strange tastes.

That crazy daughter-obsessed father sent his daughter to another branch and is wandering elsewhere? Impossible.

It’s not just because he’s daughter-obsessed.

Didn’t he already lose his wife away from his sight?

His overprotectiveness stems from experience.

“He’s been busy moving around these days.”

“Is he in the capital?”

“For now.”

As expected, Shade was in the capital too.

Yet Mar brought this middle-aged woman instead of Shade.

Without adding a single word.

What could that mean? It means she is truly this branch’s ‘highest-ranked person’. In other words, Shade, the guild’s leader, has stepped away from work.

“It seems……”

The head of an information guild cannot carelessly leave their position.

Since their job is to compile information that comes in real-time.

The freshness of information must be the most important factor in their work.

Yet he’s moving around, which means it’s that important of a matter.

“I need to know how things are going on that side too.”

What I told Shade.

The twisted future based on that information.

The reason Shade isn’t here and Mar had to leave Forys territory to come all the way to the imperial capital.

Disguising his daughter who could bolt anywhere as an employee while the information guild’s leader left his position.

Such small pieces come together to point to one fact.

“Did you find the Spore Witch?”

One of Belial’s Seven Blades presumed to have killed Shade’s wife.

Blade of Calamity, Spore Witch Margaret.

Shade found her.

The one who trapped and killed him before my regression.