The gunshot came from directly above the inn. Judging by how clearly it rang out, it had not come from the nearest second floor, but more likely from the farthest fourth floor.
"Oh, damn it!"
The captain cursed under his breath. After gathering up his cards and apologizing to Shade, he headed with Lieutenant Hoyle toward the counter on the 1st Floor. They clearly intended to go upstairs with the innkeeper to inspect the situation. Before the local police arrived, the two men in Delarion military officers' uniforms needed to secure the scene and check whether there were any wounded people who could be rescued.
The guests on the 1st Floor silently settled their bills and left through the door, afraid of getting caught up in trouble. Shade neither followed the two officers upstairs nor left with most of the others.
He stood up, asked the waiter who had replaced the bearded man innkeeper for two glasses of low-alcohol apple wine, then carried them to the bard sitting in the corner. He sat opposite him and pushed one of the glasses over.
Although the kingdom prohibited brewing private liquor, small-scale fruit wine brewing at large inns like this was permitted. These two glasses of apple wine had been made from the first harvest of apples from Sikar Mountain this summer. They were not as good as the fruit wines from major wineries, but they were at least cheap.
A shooting had occurred upstairs, so the bard could no longer continue performing. But leaving now meant he would earn no more money today, so he huddled in the corner and waited. When he saw Shade sit across from him and even offer him a drink, he recognized Shade as the man who had tossed out two one-shilling silver coins earlier.
"Thank