Childhood Friends – The Inn
A guard, looking Leo up and down, asked, “You don’t look like a knight. A hired mercenary, perhaps? No? And you're trying to enter the castle armed? How bold. The least you could do is try to hide it.”
“I apologize. I didn’t realize I couldn’t bring a sword inside. I just arrived in Nebis today and was looking for work.”
“Is that so? Let me see the sword. Where did you get this?”
Leo silently unfastened his sword and handed it over. There was no benefit in antagonizing the guard.
“I got it for protection on my way here.”
“Let’s see… What is this? It’s completely faulty.”
“What? Let me see.”
Another guard standing nearby chimed in.
“The weight is all at the tip. I don’t know how good it would be for swinging, it’s like an axe, not a sword.”
“Um… I can’t even carry it?”
Leo asked cautiously.
The two guards, after appraising the sword, returned it to him.
“It's not worth confiscating. You said you arrived today? Bringing weapons inside the castle is prohibited. Leave it somewhere next time.”
“Hold on! What’s that tattoo on your arm? Are you a thug?”
“No. It’s just… my father…”
He had to spend a significant amount of time explaining the tattoo. Lena chimed in to help.
“It’s true. He’s had that tattoo since he was little.”
“Really?”
“Hey, just let them go. Like some idiot thug would walk up to the castle gates with a two-handed sword. Go on. And be careful from now on.”
“Thank you.”
They bowed their heads to the guards and left.
Leo looked at Lena with an expression that screamed relief. She, with narrowed eyes, was ready to tease him.
“Oh my. I knew it from the moment you showed up with that thing. All that swagger and you don't even know how to swing a sword.”
Leo scratched his head sheepishly. Lena, relishing in her victory, added exaggerated gestures.
“And it was even faulty? Oh dear, I was such a fool to be touched when you said you'd protect me with that.”
“Hey, I can use a sword!”
“Sure, sure. I’m sure you can.”
In the end, they couldn’t enter the castle and had to resume their job search outside.
They stopped for a simple meal at the market. Bellflower root dumplings. Lena made a fuss, wondering if they were from Demos Village.
Eventually, Lena found work at a bakery.
A plump lady, resembling Mrs. Hans, wiped her hands on her apron and said, “It would be a great help to have someone assist with the dough. Would you be free to come by tomorrow? I need to see you work before I can decide on the wage.”
“Yes! I’ll be here early tomorrow morning.”
“No need to come too early. I have to fetch water and all that.”
“Yes! I understand.”
“Such a lively young lady. Good. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes! I’ll be here!”
Beaming, Lena emerged from the bakery.
Leo, waiting at a distance, asked, “How much will you be paid?”
“It’s not decided yet. She’ll decide after seeing me work tomorrow.”
“Lena, listen. You can't just accept whatever they offer. You need to negotiate.”
“Oh, come on. I’m not a charity case. I'll be paid for my work, don’t worry. And for your information, I’m a good judge of character! That lady seems decent.”
“…You’re probably just saying that because she looks like Mrs. Hans.”
“I’m not!”
Bickering, Lena and Leo continued their job hunt. This time, it was Leo's turn to find work.
He easily found employment at a tool shop.
The shop owner, impressed by the deftness with which he hammered nails, recognized Leo's skills at a glance. He promised a generous wage and urged Leo to start the next day.
However, Leo was content with simply showing Lena that he had found employment. His true intention was to find clues to the prince's whereabouts.
That's why he deliberately chose a place far from the bakery where Lena worked. He could avoid arousing her suspicions by claiming to give his father a portion of his earnings.
With different hopes in their hearts, they returned to the inn. The sun was already setting.
Lena pointed at the inn's entrance.
“Hey, the door frame is all scraped up.”
“It was like that when we first arrived. Maybe they trimmed the rotten wood from the rain?”
“Ah, makes sense.”
They opened the inn door and stepped inside. Fifteen men were sitting in the lobby, chatting amongst themselves.
“We’re back~”
Lena greeted the innkeeper cheerfully, who returned the greeting with a grin.
“Welcome back. I’ve been waiting.”
Leo bowed his head politely and was about to head upstairs when he noticed something strange.
The men sitting around were getting up one by one, and they all had weapons in their hands.
Mercenaries?
“Ah, why don’t you come down first?”
Lena, who was ahead, tried to make way for the man blocking the stairs.
Leo turned around to see a large man descending, filling the entire staircase. He was carrying a shield.
Alarm bells went off in Leo's head.
“Lena! Get back!”
“What?”
Leo pushed Lena against the wall and blocked the man's path. His hand was already gripping his sword.
As if on cue, the men in the lobby, each brandishing a weapon, surrounded them.
They didn’t bother hiding their hostility. Their weapons were aimed at Lena and Leo, and a few men blocked the entrance as if guarding it.
Their rough demeanor was different from the mercenaries who escorted merchants.
These were thugs.
Facing their blatant disrespect and impending violence, Leo spoke.
“What’s the meaning of this? Stand down.”