"Oh, Clock."
It was not long after sunset.
In one corner of the capital, the tavern gradually filled with a crowd as night fell.
The tables were packed with loud, rowdy men who never cared about others. Their laughter rang out without hesitation. The air was thick with the smell of food and wine mingled with the sweat of laborers, creating the unique atmosphere of this place.
"Hey, Clock. Did you do something?"
"...Huh?"
The orange glow of a magic stone lit up the tavern. In one of the dimly lit seats at the edge, a plump tavern master was quietly sipping his drink when he called out to the man.
"What are you talking about? I haven’t done anything that would make the kingdom look for me."
"Something like that? The patrol soldiers have been asking about a guy named Clock around thirty years old. They’ve been asking a lot of people."
"...For real?"
The master’s face was filled with suspicion as he tried to read the man’s expression. For a joke that was too unfunny, the man set down his swaying glass.
To Clock, it was a completely unfamiliar story.
Why would the kingdom’s knights be looking for him? If it was true, he was in deep trouble.
If the knights were involved because of some specific crime, that made sense. But when the kingdom itself moved against an individual, that was completely different.
There was a high possibility it was a mistake.
There were countless men named Clock, but even if there weren’t, the condition of being around thirty made him a clear suspect.
"...Master. I suddenly remembered I have a sudden errand."
"Really? You’re in for it. Do your best today. I’ll cover your tab for now."
What is required for a verdict is not the truth, but necessity.
If the kingdom merely says they are looking for him, it doesn’t matter whether he is innocent or not.
If he is caught, there is a good chance he will be hanged on the spot.
The danger was clear.
Clock stood up.
Seeing him, the master lowered his empty glass and quietly retreated into the back.
He was an old acquaintance, yet he reacted so casually.
After all, he was just a customer. This was how things were between two "old men."
He slipped out of the tavern without anyone noticing.
For now, he was in hiding.
It would be best to stay hidden until this situation blew over.
As the man left the tavern with downcast eyes, the master went to the two customers who had given him the information.
"How was it? It was definitely him, right? You didn’t try anything at the noble’s mansion, did you?"
"Does he have that much guts? He said he knows nothing."
The two men exchanged glances and shrugged with a look of disappointment.
Nothing was more fitting to serve with drinks than this kind of exciting, juicy gossip.
"If you can show that kind of big-man energy, it’ll be the best story ever!"
"Ha, when that happens, I’ll report the whole thing to the knights."
A loud laugh echoed through the tavern.
A small, unusual story was elevated to a momentary laugh.
When the master returned to serving customers, the usual daily routine resumed.
He quickly forgot about Clock, and the familiar scene returned.
After all, that was just how it was.
Ordinary daily life could not be overturned so easily.
"National Military Police!! Is the owner here?!"
A while later, the knights arrived at the tavern.
Armed police boots thundered across the floor. The sudden commotion sent the tavern into chaos.
They were looking for a certain man. This was the man’s favorite hangout.
The bar frequented by many adventurers was instantly filled with soldiers and an otherworldly atmosphere.
He looked up at the moonlit sky.
The clouds were faintly hazy. The gray sky was due to the light buzz from drinking.
His mood was strangely dreamy. If he lay down now, he could sleep right away.
So what now?
He had fled the tavern in a panic, but the walk back to the inn had been foggy.
He had become the prey, but he didn’t know how far things had progressed.
He was starting to think he wasn’t even in panic mode yet.
He soaked in the pleasant feeling from the alcohol.
With the mindset of "let me think about what I ate yesterday," he reflected on his past deeds.
The things he had done recently... only theft came to mind.
A case of mistaken identity. Nothing related. Someone who looked just like him.
If he had caused something big enough for the kingdom to move, he wouldn’t forget it.
He was completely unrelated.
But he couldn’t just ignore it.
Because their names were the same, there was a real possibility of being caught in the crossfire.
It would be wiser to hide behind a false name for a while.
He had to endure being seen by people while hoping no one would say anything unnecessary.
Here, there were too many familiar faces.
It would be best to leave the capital as soon as tomorrow.
"...Alright, I’m going to sleep early tonight."
He stepped on the neatly laid stone pavement.
In his view, he saw the inn where he had been staying.
He understood that the day had come to an end and felt relieved.
It was at that moment—
"Good evening."
A slender, beautiful voice.
"...Huh? What?"
From across the way, he was suddenly called out to by a woman’s voice.
He looked up and saw four of them. They were walking straight toward him.
Based on their hair length and atmosphere, they were all women.
The first two were wearing swords at their hips, and the last two were in robes.
From their attire and presence, it was clear they were an adventurer party.
"—We are looking for Clock Rivorno."
The woman’s voice called his full name.
It was the leader. In the darkness it was hard to see clearly, but she had an incredibly beautiful atmosphere.
But that thought lasted only a moment.
"...Who the hell are you guys?"
A sharp killing intent came from the group.
Clock reflexively reached for the knife at his waist.
His back foot naturally shifted back a step to create distance.
"What do you want with me?"
"...?"
He lowered his voice and asked in a threatening tone.
She didn’t answer. He couldn’t see her face because of the shadows, but it felt like she was staring at him like prey.
A siren sounded inside his brain.
Clearly not friendly.
From his numerous experiences of fleeing from strong opponents, the instinct he had honed only for survival was warning him that this situation was dangerous.
"Hey. Say something."
"I... I am the one called the Hero. I came to kill you."
"...Huh?"
It was a sudden declaration of war.
He pulled the knife from behind his waist.
He pointed the blade at her and glared, sending her a beastly hostility befitting a ruffian.
"The Hero... is that Hero Anna? ...Why is the Hero coming to kill me?"
Hero Anna. A living legend called the Hero who had appeared after hundreds of years.
The representative of humanity. The chosen one. The one with the mission to defeat the Demon King.
She was never supposed to be anything that a petty thief like him should be involved with.
His mind was shaken by the unexpected words.
He glared, trying not to let her see his inner turmoil, while pointing his blade at her.
But none of the group showed any sign of being shaken.
"We’ve been searching for you this whole time. To settle the grudge I have against you."
"...Grudge? Did I do something to deserve having a grudge against me?"
The man made a grimacing face.
He had no memory of being hated. No, he actually had plenty, but it depended on the other person.
Theft, burglary, robbery, and afterward rape.
He had lived by stealing, so it was only natural that those he had victimized would hate him.
But he had no memory of doing anything that would make his face and name known throughout the kingdom.
"...It’s a case of mistaken identity, right? You have no reason to hate me."
He offered a half-hearted explanation.
Since he really had no memory, that was the only thing he could say. Even if it wasn’t a mistake, the possibility of a misunderstanding still existed.
The fact that his name was his full name bothered him, but he decided to ignore it for now.
"...Do you have any memory of the Croe Baron’s family?"
"Croe... baron’s family?"
What the hell was she talking about?
He frowned at her question.
Croe...?
He turned the words over in his mind.
Somehow they felt familiar, but he couldn’t remember.
He basically didn’t commit theft against nobles because the risk of getting caught was too high.
If the person he stole from happened to be a noble, that might be possible, but he would know immediately by looking at her.
"Unfortunately, I have no connection to noble-sama."
He waved his hand and asserted himself with a bold attitude.
It was important not to show suspicious movements in situations like this. Saying it clearly that they were different made it easier to gain trust.
"Sorry. You’re not the target I’m looking for. Well, just do your best—"
And before things got any more troublesome, he decided to leave.
He tried to slip away nonchalantly and was about to pass through the dark night—
"...I see."
The woman lowered her voice.
It clearly showed disappointment.
With smooth movements, she placed her hand on her waist,
"...Eh?"
What came to him was a death omen.
He instinctively— no, belatedly— retreated.
Sharp light from the blade reflected in his eyes.
"W-wait! I really don’t know anything!!"
The sword had been drawn.
With a speed he didn’t recognize, it blocked the path right in front of him as he tried to pass by.
He hadn’t seen the moment the sword was drawn.
This guy... isn’t a real Hero...!!
It was beyond human movement.
With her hair slightly swaying, she stood quietly before him.
The gaze that seemed to be examining him pierced through the man.
"Really, I don’t know anything!! This has to be a misunderstanding...!! Let’s calm down first. Come on, let’s start with talking."
He tried to spin it, thinking he might get away with it and even thought he would be killed.
Her calm voice. Her delicate female atmosphere. He had thought he could handle her with a little scolding.
Her extraordinary power and lack of mercy. Cold sweat ran down his spine.
"Um... hey, is that Clock guy really that similar to me? Come on, isn’t there a lot of places where he’s different?"
He rambled on with words. He was insisting that he was just some unrelated person.
The air grew still. He tried to persuade them, but only silence came back.
Without saying a word, they put pressure on him as if they were criticizing his crime.
A faint breeze blew.
His heart shrank from the woman’s intense presence that flowed like water.
"Damn, what the hell is this girl. Just say something. This isn’t getting anywhere."
The opponent’s eerie atmosphere sent chills down his spine.
His lips dried. A slightly cold air brushed his cheeks, bringing an unbearable sense of urgency and irritation.
He might be dead in three seconds.
He wanted to run away immediately if he thought the sword might swing at any moment.
Should he just run away?
But if he turned his back, he would feel like dying.
She wasn’t someone he could easily run from. He should at least try to end this peacefully.
If he managed to get out of it smoothly, he would immediately leave the capital at full speed.
This kind of person was one he should not get involved with.
He suddenly looked behind the Hero.
Watching from behind were the other three women.
If they were accompanying the Hero, they were probably part of the same adventurer party.
He couldn’t see their faces because of the moonlight and darkness, but he didn’t feel any movement.
...Okay, begging for his life. Let’s do this.