Chapter 155 – Glasses boy is surrounded again
I haven’t walked alone along the main street of Krozheit since the day I arrived in this city.
It was as crowded as I remembered, with people coming and going the narrow road.
The weather was nice today, so I was slowly walking while looking at various things.
If I recall correctly, the craftsmen’s district and the gate I entered Krozheit from are on the opposite ends of the city.
I could reach it quickly if I moved through the roofs, but walking via main street will take longer.
Not to mention that I only know the rough location of the craftsmen’s district, so I don’t know what’s the shortest route to get there.
Nonetheless, let’s move slowly via main street anyways.
As I walked, I started wondering about what Lisse has been doing since then.
Me and old lady Adyll left Lisse at the restaurant last night, but what did she do after that?
I don’t think she took any big actions during the night, but I think there’s a high chance of her meeting up with Florentine in the slums.
Taboo Children are quite conspicuous, so Lisse will surely hear information about Florentine easily.
Not to mention that Zett was apparently beaten up and kicked out of town, so Florentine should be the hottest topic in this city right now.
… Wait, hold on.
This rumor is…
Sure, no details about Florentine’s name were shared in the rumor that I heard, but it was still definitely Florentine that beat Zett up.
And as Taboo Children are rare enough as is, and it has to be a Taboo Child that is strong enough to beat Zett, it should be easy for anyone to conclude that Florentine was the one to do it.
Therefore… Isn’t it quite possible that Zett’s comrades might start targeting Florentine?
… This is bad!
I instantly changed directions and started running towards the slums.
******
Florentine should be fine right now, as she is really strong.
However, she can only use her strength against opponents that fight her head on.
If one knows that she is strong and wants to retaliate, they can use other methods, like traps or poison.
I wouldn’t be worrying if this involved Lisse, Chace or Cherry, but in Florentine’s case… I want to make sure that she is okay.
It might be spoiling her a bit, but I was raised while being told that it was important to take care of those who are younger than me. I want to help her as much as I was helped back then.
“Hey, over here… Hey, wait!” Someone said.
“Oh, young lady, why don’t you play with this uncle here… Wait!” Another person said.
“Hey, you with the glasses! You’re the one who… Hey, stop!” A third person said.
As I ignored the people calling out to me, and took a few turns through some alleys that led me away from the main street, I started seeing plenty of shabby and worn out buildings.
Seems like I’ve already arrived at the slums.
I continued to ignore the people who tried blocking my way, until I eventually stopped.
There’s no point in rushing here if I don’t have more information. I don’t know how to find Florentine here.
I can’t start calling her name out loud, nor can I ask people for information on her, as people would take advantage of me if I made it clear that I was looking for someone.
And also… These alleys are really convoluted and narrow. I honestly don’t know where I am right now.
When I looked at these alleys from above at night, I understood that they were quite intricate and irregular, but… Now that I’m inside them, I’ve realized that they feel more like a maze.
And I can also feel some gazes coming from the shadows…
I’m not sure why, but I’m sure I’m being watched… Though well, if it’s an opponent that I can detect this easily, then they probably aren’t a threat.
But if they’re watching me, it means they’re wary of me.
So, there is no point in trying to ask those people for information. They won’t tell me anything.
Taking this into account, I decided to enter a building that possibly functioned as a store, as it had a sign in front of it.
Is this a… Clothes store? There are clothes on display alright, but they were all tattered and filled with holes.
That said, I could smell some insect repellent, so the clothes here shouldn’t be infested by anything even if they’re quite ragged.
So, I guess this does function as a store alright.
“Good morning.” An old lady sitting behind the counter greeted me while grinning. She too was wearing ragged clothes, “Those are some nice clothes, miss. I can buy them at a high price.”
… Oh? So that’s how this place works?
She buys good clothes and exchanges them for money and rags, I guess? So as to let newcomers look like the others resident of the slums?
It’s probably the first place that people who just arrived at this city go to when they don’t have anything else to rely on.
Well, I don’t have any problems with my clothes, so I don’t need her services for this.
“I’m looking for Zett. Do you know anything?” I asked her.
I can’t name Florentine, nor can I say that I’m looking for a Taboo Child. It’s too dangerous.
Therefore, I have to say that I’m looking for someone that people wouldn’t be surprised to hear about, like Zett.
After all, he is the leader of a criminal gang.
And well, he and Florentine definitely got involved in some way last night, and it was not in a way as shallow as my meeting with him.
So, if I search for Zett, I’ll probably either find Florentine on the way, or get some information about her in the process.
“Oh, Zett?” The old lady’s expression didn’t change. She kept on grinning, “I don’t know… Perhaps I might remember it if you buy something though?”
I figured this would happen.
I don’t have much time to negotiate though. As someone who is searching for Zett, I cannot stay in the slums for long, or I’ll surely get in trouble.
So, I approached the old lady and whispered, while acting as if I was someone who was really worried about anyone else seeing or listening to this.
“It’s a message from that person.” I glanced at old lady for a second before showing her the letter that Dynawood gave me and that had the wax seal of the manager of the brothel district.
At this moment, the old lady’s expression changed. She stopped grinning.
Good. It seems like she knows what this seal means. The manager of the brothel district is quite famous, after all.
… Though this wasn’t a message to Zett, but to the ruler of the craftsmen’s district.
I know I’m not using this letter in the way it was supposed to be used, but my top priority right now is to check on Florentine.
I can’t be picky with my methods for this… Well, I do have my limits though. Some things are no good.
“Is it about the rumor?” The old lady asked with a serious expression.
I don’t know if she’s connected to Zett, but judging from her reaction, she seems to know something at least.
“Yes. I came to find out what happened to Zett last night… That person thinks it would be a problem if he disappeared.” I told her.
That was a blatant lie though.
“It’s a hoax.” The old lady told me.
Oh?
She continued, “I don’t know all the details, but I’m sure nothing serious happened to that bad kid.
“If something did happen, rumors like this wouldn’t be spreading. This is definitely a hoax that was created with some specific purpose in mind.
“Otherwise, everyone in the slums would have already started moving, me included. Lots of people would be in trouble if that bad kid disappeared.”
… Is that how it is?
I don’t know how the relationship between Zett and the residents of the slums works, but it seems like he has a good reputation here.
I suppose he does feel like the ruler of this area.
And well, it’s good to hear that this rumor is a hoax. It means that Florentine didn’t actually kick him out of Krozheit.
“By the way, I heard that Zett was beaten by a Taboo Child?” I asked next.
Just to be sure, I brought this topic up.
And at this point, the old lady grinned again, “He was certainly beaten up alright. They were flashy enough to even destroy a building.”
Oh, so he was beaten up…? As in, Florentine did fight with him, but didn’t kick him out of the city?
And someone purposefully disseminated partially truthful information about it…
Hmmmm…
“Is it safe for me to assume that everything you just said is true?” I asked.
In this case, the only thing I need to be sure of, is if this old lady is saying the truth.
“I have no intentions of getting on the bad side of the ruler of the brothel district. The same goes for that bad kid. We don’t want to go against you.
“I don’t know where that bad kid is though, so if you want to deliver that letter, you’ll have to give it to someone else.” The old lady replied.
She doesn’t seem to be lying…
“By the way, where is the Taboo Child of the rumors?” I asked.
“I think she’s still in the orphanage, as I didn’t hear anything about her moving. If you wanna see her, go there.” She told me.
The orphanage… Alright.
“Well, then.” The old lady said.
“Well, then?” I repeated her words.
“The information fee. A messenger from the brothel district surely wouldn’t buy information for free, right?” The old lady grinned wider.
… I suppose there is no way out of this one.
******
I took out some money, that miss Seviarow had given me in case I needed it, gave it to the old lady, then left the store.
Since the old lady asked for an information fee, her words must be truthful, as she’d probably be wary of retaliation if she lied to a messenger of the brothel district.
I don’t know if the information was worth how much she was paid for it, but she would not ask for payment if she wasn’t confident in her words.
But well, at least I got the information I needed.
If Zett leaving the city is a hoax, then Florentine should be fine. I shouldn’t need to worry about her, especially if it’s this easy to find out where she is.
That said… Since I’ve come all the way here, I guess I might as well go to her, just to take a look at her and be sure she is safe.
I heard about the location of the orphanage, so let’s go there.
… In hindsight, that was probably a bad idea.
******
“Secure her!” I heard a shout.
I had just found a building that looked like an orphanage and started approaching it.
But then this shout came, and immediately after it, twenty or so people came out of the shadows and the alleys and surrounded me.
What’s happening now…?
And… Isn’t this the second time I get surrounded in this city?
Chapter 155 – Glasses boy is surrounded again
I haven’t walked alone along the main street of Krozheit since the day I arrived in this city.
It was as crowded as I remembered, with people coming and going the narrow road.
The weather was nice today, so I was slowly walking while looking at various things.
If I recall correctly, the craftsmen’s district and the gate I entered Krozheit from are on the opposite ends of the city.
I could reach it quickly if I moved through the roofs, but walking via main street will take longer.
Not to mention that I only know the rough location of the craftsmen’s district, so I don’t know what’s the shortest route to get there.
Nonetheless, let’s move slowly via main street anyways.
As I walked, I started wondering about what Lisse has been doing since then.
Me and old lady Adyll left Lisse at the restaurant last night, but what did she do after that?
I don’t think she took any big actions during the night, but I think there’s a high chance of her meeting up with Florentine in the slums.
Taboo Children are quite conspicuous, so Lisse will surely hear information about Florentine easily.
Not to mention that Zett was apparently beaten up and kicked out of town, so Florentine should be the hottest topic in this city right now.
… Wait, hold on.
This rumor is…
Sure, no details about Florentine’s name were shared in the rumor that I heard, but it was still definitely Florentine that beat Zett up.
And as Taboo Children are rare enough as is, and it has to be a Taboo Child that is strong enough to beat Zett, it should be easy for anyone to conclude that Florentine was the one to do it.
Therefore… Isn’t it quite possible that Zett’s comrades might start targeting Florentine?
… This is bad!
I instantly changed directions and started running towards the slums.
******
Florentine should be fine right now, as she is really strong.
However, she can only use her strength against opponents that fight her head on.
If one knows that she is strong and wants to retaliate, they can use other methods, like traps or poison.
I wouldn’t be worrying if this involved Lisse, Chace or Cherry, but in Florentine’s case… I want to make sure that she is okay.
It might be spoiling her a bit, but I was raised while being told that it was important to take care of those who are younger than me. I want to help her as much as I was helped back then.
“Hey, over here… Hey, wait!” Someone said.
“Oh, young lady, why don’t you play with this uncle here… Wait!” Another person said.
“Hey, you with the glasses! You’re the one who… Hey, stop!” A third person said.
As I ignored the people calling out to me, and took a few turns through some alleys that led me away from the main street, I started seeing plenty of shabby and worn out buildings.
Seems like I’ve already arrived at the slums.
I continued to ignore the people who tried blocking my way, until I eventually stopped.
There’s no point in rushing here if I don’t have more information. I don’t know how to find Florentine here.
I can’t start calling her name out loud, nor can I ask people for information on her, as people would take advantage of me if I made it clear that I was looking for someone.
And also… These alleys are really convoluted and narrow. I honestly don’t know where I am right now.
When I looked at these alleys from above at night, I understood that they were quite intricate and irregular, but… Now that I’m inside them, I’ve realized that they feel more like a maze.
And I can also feel some gazes coming from the shadows…
I’m not sure why, but I’m sure I’m being watched… Though well, if it’s an opponent that I can detect this easily, then they probably aren’t a threat.
But if they’re watching me, it means they’re wary of me.
So, there is no point in trying to ask those people for information. They won’t tell me anything.
Taking this into account, I decided to enter a building that possibly functioned as a store, as it had a sign in front of it.
Is this a… Clothes store? There are clothes on display alright, but they were all tattered and filled with holes.
That said, I could smell some insect repellent, so the clothes here shouldn’t be infested by anything even if they’re quite ragged.
So, I guess this does function as a store alright.
“Good morning.” An old lady sitting behind the counter greeted me while grinning. She too was wearing ragged clothes, “Those are some nice clothes, miss. I can buy them at a high price.”
… Oh? So that’s how this place works?
She buys good clothes and exchanges them for money and rags, I guess? So as to let newcomers look like the others resident of the slums?
It’s probably the first place that people who just arrived at this city go to when they don’t have anything else to rely on.
Well, I don’t have any problems with my clothes, so I don’t need her services for this.
“I’m looking for Zett. Do you know anything?” I asked her.
I can’t name Florentine, nor can I say that I’m looking for a Taboo Child. It’s too dangerous.
Therefore, I have to say that I’m looking for someone that people wouldn’t be surprised to hear about, like Zett.
After all, he is the leader of a criminal gang.
And well, he and Florentine definitely got involved in some way last night, and it was not in a way as shallow as my meeting with him.
So, if I search for Zett, I’ll probably either find Florentine on the way, or get some information about her in the process.
“Oh, Zett?” The old lady’s expression didn’t change. She kept on grinning, “I don’t know… Perhaps I might remember it if you buy something though?”
I figured this would happen.
I don’t have much time to negotiate though. As someone who is searching for Zett, I cannot stay in the slums for long, or I’ll surely get in trouble.
So, I approached the old lady and whispered, while acting as if I was someone who was really worried about anyone else seeing or listening to this.
“It’s a message from that person.” I glanced at old lady for a second before showing her the letter that Dynawood gave me and that had the wax seal of the manager of the brothel district.
At this moment, the old lady’s expression changed. She stopped grinning.
Good. It seems like she knows what this seal means. The manager of the brothel district is quite famous, after all.
… Though this wasn’t a message to Zett, but to the ruler of the craftsmen’s district.
I know I’m not using this letter in the way it was supposed to be used, but my top priority right now is to check on Florentine.
I can’t be picky with my methods for this… Well, I do have my limits though. Some things are no good.
“Is it about the rumor?” The old lady asked with a serious expression.
I don’t know if she’s connected to Zett, but judging from her reaction, she seems to know something at least.
“Yes. I came to find out what happened to Zett last night… That person thinks it would be a problem if he disappeared.” I told her.
That was a blatant lie though.
“It’s a hoax.” The old lady told me.
Oh?
She continued, “I don’t know all the details, but I’m sure nothing serious happened to that bad kid.
“If something did happen, rumors like this wouldn’t be spreading. This is definitely a hoax that was created with some specific purpose in mind.
“Otherwise, everyone in the slums would have already started moving, me included. Lots of people would be in trouble if that bad kid disappeared.”
… Is that how it is?
I don’t know how the relationship between Zett and the residents of the slums works, but it seems like he has a good reputation here.
I suppose he does feel like the ruler of this area.
And well, it’s good to hear that this rumor is a hoax. It means that Florentine didn’t actually kick him out of Krozheit.
“By the way, I heard that Zett was beaten by a Taboo Child?” I asked next.
Just to be sure, I brought this topic up.
And at this point, the old lady grinned again, “He was certainly beaten up alright. They were flashy enough to even destroy a building.”
Oh, so he was beaten up…? As in, Florentine did fight with him, but didn’t kick him out of the city?
And someone purposefully disseminated partially truthful information about it…
Hmmmm…
“Is it safe for me to assume that everything you just said is true?” I asked.
In this case, the only thing I need to be sure of, is if this old lady is saying the truth.
“I have no intentions of getting on the bad side of the ruler of the brothel district. The same goes for that bad kid. We don’t want to go against you.
“I don’t know where that bad kid is though, so if you want to deliver that letter, you’ll have to give it to someone else.” The old lady replied.
She doesn’t seem to be lying…
“By the way, where is the Taboo Child of the rumors?” I asked.
“I think she’s still in the orphanage, as I didn’t hear anything about her moving. If you wanna see her, go there.” She told me.
The orphanage… Alright.
“Well, then.” The old lady said.
“Well, then?” I repeated her words.
“The information fee. A messenger from the brothel district surely wouldn’t buy information for free, right?” The old lady grinned wider.
… I suppose there is no way out of this one.
******
I took out some money, that miss Seviarow had given me in case I needed it, gave it to the old lady, then left the store.
Since the old lady asked for an information fee, her words must be truthful, as she’d probably be wary of retaliation if she lied to a messenger of the brothel district.
I don’t know if the information was worth how much she was paid for it, but she would not ask for payment if she wasn’t confident in her words.
But well, at least I got the information I needed.
If Zett leaving the city is a hoax, then Florentine should be fine. I shouldn’t need to worry about her, especially if it’s this easy to find out where she is.
That said… Since I’ve come all the way here, I guess I might as well go to her, just to take a look at her and be sure she is safe.
I heard about the location of the orphanage, so let’s go there.
… In hindsight, that was probably a bad idea.
******
“Secure her!” I heard a shout.
I had just found a building that looked like an orphanage and started approaching it.
But then this shout came, and immediately after it, twenty or so people came out of the shadows and the alleys and surrounded me.
What’s happening now…?
And… Isn’t this the second time I get surrounded in this city?
