Clues

At the Silver Deer Inn, the three of them sat around a table.

Lailas frowned deeply, took out several sheets of parchment, and recounted the information she had recorded.

"It's fragmented, but it points in a clear direction. The Wolf Gang-or, more precisely, Solas 'Gold Tooth'-is definitely involved in the disappearances in the slums."

The half-elf pulled out a supply list and continued:

"Look here. Over the past few months, they've frequently purchased large quantities of basic food and crude clothing. The Wolf Gang isn't a charity. They have no use for these supplies. This looks more like an effort to keep a group of... expendable people alive."

"You think the Wolf Gang abducted the poor from the slums? But what would they want them for?" Renato asked skeptically. "The poor in Fried City can't read a word. Many can't even spell their own names, and they're malnourished. Nobody would hire them. They couldn't even work down in the mines."

Perly asked quietly:

"Could it be human trafficking? Selling them as slaves?"

"You ought to brush up on your history, young lady, and read fewer trashy novels," Lailas countered, though she seemed distracted. "The Southern Principalities began abolishing slavery seven hundred years ago. Even the most backward of them, the Kingdom of Falania, abolished it almost three hundred years ago."

"The north was a little later." Renato gathered his recollections, looking somewhat embarrassed. "The Borealia Empire abolished slavery under Boreal XI. He enacted a legal code granting freedom to all serfs-except debt slaves. In theory, there are no slaveholding territories in the empire now."

"Frostforge Hold might be different. It's an autonomous dwarf territory. They owe allegiance only to the emperor and don't have to follow imperial law," Renato added. "As for the Northmen beyond the Great Glacier, let's not even get into them. They don't just keep slaves; they eat people. They're no different from monsters."

"Could it be mages from the Necromancy School? Perly, is it possible that necromancers hired the Wolf Gang to obtain corpses..."

"Impossible." Perly shook her head, dismissing Renato's theory. "I've never studied necromancy, but this is common knowledge. These people are too frail. There would be little value in raising them."

"Besides, even if a ritual spell required the life force of living creatures, necromancers wouldn't need to take that kind of risk. A few gold coins would buy plenty of livestock, and their life force is far stronger than that of starving, skeletal people..."

"There's no need to speculate. At least we can be certain the Wolf Gang is involved, and that it plays a key role."

Lailas handed Renato two silver coins and said:

"Though their purpose remains unclear, these records show that this is more complicated-and more dangerous-than we imagined."

"'Gold Tooth' may be working for more than just the Wolf Gang. Renato, I'm afraid this is only the tip of the iceberg. We'll have to be extremely careful from here on. I'm already very grateful that you've helped me get this far. You can withdraw at any time."

Renato noticed that the half-elf was holding something back. What had she seen? What did she know?

And the [Quest] still wasn't marked complete. He had been paid, but the quest wasn't finished. What was going on?

"What's with you? Why do you love being so cryptic? Lailas, we've gotten this far. How could I quit halfway?"

He ignored Perly's repeated meaningful looks. You've got to be kidding. This was worth 4,000 experience points. How could I let it slip through my fingers now?

Looking at Renato's determined expression, Lailas took a deep breath. After a moment's silence, she said:

"I still need to gather some information. I'll come find you before our next move."

"That's it? I'm risking my life investigating this with you, and you won't tell us anything about yourself? Or do you still not trust us?"

"No, that's not it..." The half-elf covered her forehead, looking embarrassed. "Give me a little more time, Renato. I'll tell you myself someday..."

Having failed to obtain the quest experience he had expected yesterday, Renato sat on a bench in the guild hall, considering his next job.

The potions he had bought from Reliable Enchanting had put a serious dent in his purse, costing him a hundred silver coins.

Although his remaining money was still enough to see him comfortably through the winter, Renato wanted to earn more while the weather wasn't too cold.

Only lousy jobs remained at the Adventurers' Guild. They were either excruciatingly time-consuming or outright suicide. None were worth taking.

A group of mages had recently arrived in the city. Renato was certain none of them were locals of Fried City.

Their robes bore embroidered emblems identifying them as members of the Mage Association.

They had supposedly been sent by the higher-ups to investigate the cause of the earthquake in the Phantom Forest. Perhaps because Brekka Town wasn't fit to accommodate such distinguished mages, they were all staying at inns in the city.

"Renato, listen. We've recently taken on a big job: clearing the ghouls out of the Northern Cemetery. The pay is generous."

The man speaking to him was Jack, the captain of the Stout Spear, a fellow with a slightly crooked nose. He was persistent. This was already his third attempt to recruit Renato.

"If you qualified as a third-rank Adventurer, I'm sure you're a skilled fighter. There must be at least a dozen ghouls in the cemetery. No matter how good you are, you can't fight them all alone."

"We're all tough men in the Stout Spear, and we need someone with your skills. I can make the call to give you the biggest share on this job-five Silver Crowns as your payment..."

The Stout Spear had four members in total. Aside from Jack, who wore a mail vest, the others all wore hardened leather armor.

Back in Brekka Town, Renato might have considered them decent teammates. Now, though, he only thought these lads still had a long way to go.

Renato stood. He was already half a head taller than Jack, and his armor made him look even more imposing.

"Jack, you're a decent lad, but you're still inexperienced. You need more practice."

Renato moved to leave, but Jack grabbed his arm and continued:

"Don't turn us down so quickly. You don't know us, so why not give us a chance? Are you afraid of the dead in their graves? Do this one job with us, and you'll see for yourself..."

A dirty handprint appeared on Renato's plate vambrace, making him frown.

Damn it. The little mage had only just cleaned that for me last night.

Renato shook off Jack's hand and cut him short in a hostile tone:

"Don't test my patience, Jack." He looked down at him. "Go be a farmer and stay out of trouble. Don't try playing adventurer. I suspect ghouls would rather eat living people than corpses."

The four members of the Stout Spear swore and grumbled as the guild staff escorted them out of the hall. Renato sat on the bench, quietly watching the farce he had set off.

Perhaps he had been too easygoing. These novice adventurers in the city seemed completely unafraid of Renato, even though his armor alone was worth enough to buy every piece of equipment the four members of the Stout Spear wore.

It hadn't been like this in Brekka Town. Newcomers avoided him whenever possible. Few dared to pick a fight with a well-equipped "veteran."

Perly was an exception. She was much cleverer than this Jack fellow, and cute, too.

"Ah, a different place, different rules. What a pain."