Chương 73: Dark Lane

"When I was fifteen," Grey declared righteously, "I was still a clueless brat. Forget adventuring—even watching my neighbor slaughter a pig scared me half to death." He looked at Lante with a solemn expression.

"But you... at such a young age, already possessing ambitions this great."

"How could I not support you?"

"I vote in favor of Lante joining our party!" Zelier had just opened his mouth to object when Vaelis spoke up as well.

"Honestly... there's nothing wrong with young people having dreams." He shrugged.

"It's only one expedition. A little practical experience could do him some good." Vaelis, you traitor too?! Zelier stared at him in disbelief. Even Marcus, who had been lecturing Lante like a wise mentor moments ago, fell silent. He simply raised his mug, took a slow sip, and looked away awkwardly. You shameless sellouts... folding for five gold each! Zelier cursed them internally.

"Hehe! Zelier, they all agreed!" Completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere around the table, Lante turned toward him with a radiant smile.

"I..." At this point, there was nothing left for Zelier to say. He could only rub his forehead helplessly before waving a hand in surrender.

"Fine. Fine."

"Come to the Adventurers' Guild tomorrow morning."

"We'll choose a commission together."

"Great! See you tomorrow morning!" Satisfied beyond words, Lante happily left the Drunken Boar. Before leaving, he even paid the bill for the entire table. Zelier slowly swept his gaze across everyone. Each of them awkwardly avoided eye contact. Grey suddenly became intensely interested in the skewer in his hand. Vaelis lowered his head and began fiddling with one of his buttons. Marcus stared into his mug, seemingly trying to count every bubble in the foam.

"... Ahem." In the end, the thick-skinned Grey was the first to break the silence.

"Come on, Zelier. Don't be mad."

"Seriously, how was I supposed to turn down a deal like this?"

"The last time we wiped out that goblin camp, I only walked away with a little over seven gold." The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"This time all we have to do is escort the kid through a commission, and we each get an extra five gold."

"Where else are you going to find money that easy?"

"Exactly." Vaelis nodded.

"We'll just pick the safest commission available."

"No reason to leave free money on the table."

"..." Zelier drew a deep breath. To be fair... He was tempted too. Five gold wasn't exactly pocket change. It brought him one step closer to finally buying a proper staff.

"... Alright." He finally relented.

"But just to be safe, I think we should invite Cyr."

"An extra mid-tier assassin would eliminate a lot of potential risks."

"She gave you a way to contact her?" Grey asked curiously. Zelier reached into his clothes and pulled out the token Cyr had given him after the goblin commission. A black feather forged from an unknown metal. Cold to the touch. As a personal emblem, it looked undeniably stylish. He twirled it between his fingers.

"Anyway, after we're done here, Marcus, come with me."

"I'm not too eager to visit an assassin's contact point alone at night." Having Marcus—the walking fortress—by his side made him feel considerably safer.

"Sure." Marcus nodded.... After everyone had eaten their fill, the party dispersed. Marcus accompanied Zelier to the address Cyr had designated. By now, Blackstone Town had shed the bustle of daytime. Most shops had already closed for the night. The main streets were nearly deserted, with only a few lanterns hanging beneath the eaves casting pools of dim yellow light and stretching their shadows across the road. Marcus knew the town well.

After weaving through a maze of twisting alleys, he finally led Zelier to a narrow passage with a nearly invisible entrance. Dark Lane. The moment they stepped inside, the temperature seemed to drop. The towering buildings on either side swallowed what little light remained, while damp, moldy air lingered heavily in the passage.

"... Do assassins always meet people in places like this?" Zelier cast a Light spell, illuminating the path ahead. The two carefully picked their way past piles of debris until they finally found a weathered plaque marked with the number 7. Behind it stood an ancient black wooden door. Its surface was scarred with countless scratches, looking as though a single hard kick would reduce it to splinters. Following Cyr's instructions, Zelier knocked five times with measured force. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

A moment later... Click. A tiny wooden panel disguised within the grain slid open from the inside, revealing a narrow slit. Behind it, a pair of wary eyes silently observed Zelier and Marcus.

"... Good evening." Zelier still wasn't used to meetings that felt like something out of a spy novel.

"I'm here to leave a message for Miss Cyr."

"Token." The voice behind the door was hoarse and rasping. Zelier slipped the black metal feather through the opening. The eyes disappeared briefly. Moments later, they returned. The feather was handed back.

"What is it?"

"Please tell Miss Cyr that Marcus's party is taking on a new commission."

"We'd like her assistance."

"There's an additional payment of five gold." Zelier spoke quickly.

"If she's interested, have her meet us at the Adventurers' Guild tomorrow morning." The instant he finished speaking, the eyes vanished. Clack. The viewing slot slammed shut. Silence reclaimed the alley.

"The Assassin's Guild could really stand to learn some manners..." Zelier muttered.

"You should avoid places like this whenever possible." Marcus glanced cautiously into the surrounding darkness.

"I can't shake the feeling someone's watching us."

"It'd be stranger if nobody was." Zelier had expected as much. After all... This was assassin territory.... Early the next morning. Lante stood outside the Adventurers' Guild. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the front doors. The guild wasn't very busy this early. Only a handful of adventurers were gathered inside, discussing something among themselves. Lante immediately spotted Zelier. Marcus, Grey, and Vaelis were there as well.

"Good morning, everyone!" He greeted them politely.

"Morning." Zelier nodded.

"Oh! Lante, you're here!" The same Grey who had looked ready to chew him alive yesterday now strode over with an enormous grin, throwing an arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Sleep well?"

"You got here nice and early. Looks like you've really prepared yourself for today's adventure!"

"Excellent! That's the spirit!" The sudden warmth caught Lante completely off guard.

"I-I slept... pretty well."

"It's your first time at the Adventurers' Guild." Vaelis, wearing his usual poker face, spoke in an unusually reassuring tone.

"It's only natural to feel nervous."

"Don't worry."

"We'll look after you."

"Yes!" Lante nodded enthusiastically. Zelier shot the two of them a sidelong glance, secretly amused by how shamelessly they had changed their tune. He turned his attention elsewhere, scanning the guild hall for someone.

"Looking for me?" A teasing voice drifted into his ears. It was followed immediately by that familiar, cool fragrance.