“Looks like they’re gone.”
Just as planned, we knocked out the black-cloaked men, tied them up with rope, slapped a note on their foreheads saying “I’m the thug who attacked the guests,” and dumped them at the inn’s entrance. By morning, they were gone.
“Too bad. It would’ve been hilarious if they’d been surrounded by a crowd mocking them.”
That would’ve been a real treat.
“Haha! Maybe they used magic to escape?”
I wasn’t sure how long the paralysis from my electric shock would last. I hadn’t exactly tested it on the monsters in the Demon Forest, and humans are built differently anyway.
“Good morning! Did you sleep well?”
Downstairs, the innkeeper greeted us with her usual warm smile. Thankfully, she didn’t seem aware of last night’s commotion.
“Yeah, slept like a log.”
“That’s great. Breakfast is ready whenever you’re hungry, so come on by.”
“Thanks!”
Rio responded cheerfully, and we headed to the back of the inn to wash up before making our way to the dining area.
“So, are we heading to the castle today? The guards might still be light this early,” Rio suggested, dipping her bread into her soup.
The castle stood at the northern edge of the city, beyond the noble district.
“We’re not sneaking in, you know.”
“Oh, right.”
“We’ll march in and slap this brooch down right in front of them.”
“Haha! That’s the spirit!”
Rio gave a firm nod, her expression resolute. They might’ve had their reasons for summoning us, but I wasn’t going to let them walk all over us.
“First, we need some intel.”
“Wait… we’re not storming the castle today?”
Finishing the last of my soup, I paused to explain.
“It’d be reckless to go in blind, wouldn’t it?”
“Well… yeah.”
Her face briefly showed disappointment, so I poked her cheek. She retaliated by grabbing my finger with a pout.
“So, we’re just scoping things out for now?”
“Exactly. If we can observe the guards and their routines, we’ll have a better idea of what we’re up against.”
“Can you even tell that from outside the castle?”
“That’s why we’re going to check it out.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her adorable curiosity.
“Oh… yeah, that makes sense.”
“For now, let’s head to the guild and see what we can learn there.”
“Alright.”
Since the black-cloaked guys already knew who we were, there was no point in continuing with aliases. We’d also reverted to our usual outfits. Subtlety wasn’t the plan anymore. After last night’s takedown, they should’ve realized we weren’t pushovers, so there was no harm in showing a bit of strength.
“Welcome. What can I help you with today?”
At the guild, we were greeted with the same professional tone as yesterday. Efficient, but utterly bland.
“We’re planning to visit the castle. How far can a regular adventurer go inside?”
“...Tourism?”
The receptionist’s confused expression made it clear this wasn’t a common question.
“Something like that.”
I wasn’t about to give a straight answer, so I kept it vague.
“Typically, adventurers can go as far as the castle’s front gates. Occasionally, guild quests for work inside the castle come up, which allow entry. Access beyond that depends on the specific request.”
“Interesting.”
That was useful information.
“Are there any quests like that posted now?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
A shame. Getting in with an official guild contract would’ve been the easiest route.
The receptionist added that adventurers ranked B or higher could enter the castle freely, as they were treated similarly to nobles. They wouldn’t even need a reason to be there.
“Thanks for the info.”
So, while it wasn’t a viable option for us now, it was good to know for the future. The takeaway: commoners had no business entering the castle.
“Where’s the monster appraisal counter?”
“Over there.”
Might as well get the practical stuff done while we’re here. Time to deal with the main reason we came to the guild today.
“Well, what do we have here?”
At the counter, we were greeted by a sultry woman with an ample figure—not the gruff old man we were used to in Zain.
“Got a big one. Think you can handle it?”
“Oh? A big one, huh? Wait, is that a storage bag? Let’s see what you’ve got.”
She tapped the counter eagerly, mistaking my plain backpack for a storage bag. I wasn’t about to correct her.
Reaching into the bag, I pulled out a massive Murder Raptor from my spatial storage.
“Eek! Aaaahhhhhh!”
The four-meter-long beast elicited a shriek from the appraiser. Clearly, I’d made an impression.