The Enutrof fell silent for a while as he reflected on possible ways to approach this problem.
Before he could finally reach a decision, an obnoxious voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
“I have an idea!” Percedal blurted out.
“Shut up!” the old man barked.
“I trying to focus and the last thing I want to do is waste my time with your nonsense.”
“But it’s a really good idea.
Just…” The knight looked him in the eye, pleading for second chance.
“Hear me out.
Pretty please?”
“I swear,” Ruel let out a grunt, “Sir Dally or whatever your name is, if you go and say something stupid I swear I’ll smack you real hard with shovel.”
“Somebody’s about to get smacked…” Rubilax whispered, already anticipating what is about to happen.
“Shut up, Rubi.” Percedal then tried to put on the most intelligent voice he could manage.
“Look, the Black Crow only steals magical items, right?
Well, I was thinking.
What would one person do with so many items?
Rubilax alone is too much even for me.
Then I thought.
What do crows and bandits have in common?
They like gold.
So… what if he sold a bunch of those items to get some?”
“I told you to…”
Right before Ruel was about to give Percedal a good smack, an unexpected voice stopped him in his tracks.
It was Eva.
“Wait!
I think, for once, he actually said something smart.”
“Oh Really?” The knight’s face lit up just by hearing her praise.
“I’m so flattered by your kind words, fair lady…”
“Say another word and I’ll let Ruel’s shovel rearrange your face.” The Cra’s serious voice immediately erased Percedal’s grin.
“Let’s think about this logically.
Our target needs to make money somehow, and in a backwater place like this there aren’t too many places where to sell magical items.
If we track down his buyers, we can get our first solid lead on the bandit’s hiding place.”
Listening to Eva’s explanation made a brilliant idea come to Ruel’s head, one that could give them the clue they needed to catch the Black Crow.
“I think I know someone who might have that information…” The old man’s eyes narrowed with glee.
“Boys and girls, how about we pay old Kabrok a little visit?
If anyone knows about suspicious merchandise…
it’s that crook.”
The five adventurers head over to Kabrok’s shop, ready to get information out of him the nice way or the hard way.
Before they crossed the door, Ruel took Percedal and Yugo aside and pointed at a wall near the door.
After all the trouble they caused last time, it was best to not have any more unfortunate accidents.
“You two” The old man grumbled.
“Wait out here.”
“What?
But…”
Before Percedal could continue, Ruel put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him straight of the eye.
“This is a job that requires, how can I say this, some finesse.
That old swindler knows how to get on people’s nerves and the last thing I want is for you to do something stupid and get us all in trouble.
Same goes for Yugo.
Just sit here, stand guard and, for the love of the Gods”
He added special intensity to these last words.
“Stay out of trouble.”
The Iop was about to open his mouth to protest, but Eva’s disapproving look made him shut up and step aside.
He didn’t need a single word to tell how she felt about him.
It seemed, no matter how much he tried, he would still be an idiot in her eyes.
Accepting their fate, the boy and the knight stood watch while the rest of the group entered the shop, closing the door behind them with a bang.
Once he got inside, Ruel smiled with glee once he had a good look at the counter.
Old Kabrok was behind it rather than his fearsome wife.
And, from the way he watched them walk in, it was clear he’d was expecting someone to show up sooner or later.
The merchant curved his lips into a greedy smile as he saw them.
“Welcome back.” His gaze moved from Ruel to Eva to Amalia.
“I see you haven’t brought the sword with you.
Do you really want to reject my once-in-a-lifetime offer?”
Ruel wasn’t in the mood for games.
The old man approached Kabrok with an angry look on his face and slammed his hands on the counter.
“We’re here for something else, Kabrok.”
The Osamodas didn’t even blink.
He just stared at Ruel straight in the eye and answered in his usual dismissive tone.
“As I said before, my offer is final.
If you’ve come here to negotiate, you’re wasting your time.
Come back when you have my sword.”
“I’m not here for your stupid deal.
We just want to ask you some questions, and for your own good I hope you answer them.
Tell me…
does the name ‘the Black Crow’ ring a bell?”
“Black…
Crow?” Kabrok gulped nervously and looked away, trying to seem as innocent as possible.
“If you mean that dangerous bandit, I don’t have the faintest clue.
Honestly, I think he’s nothing more than a local rumor…”
Evangelyne’s sharp instincts immediately told something was off in the merchant’s answer.
The sweat on his brow, his strange shaking… He had to be lying.
Armed with this information, she leaned towards Ruel and whispered in his ear.
“I can see it on his face.
He’s lying.”
The old Enutrof narrowed his eyes and, without another word, unsheathed his shovel and aimed its blade straight at Kabrok’s throat.
Fear, he thought, is a language every coward can understand.
“Don’t try and play games with me, you snake.
If you don’t tell us everything you know, I swear not even the Gods will save you.
Think really hard about this, Kabrok.” Ruel’s face changed to a cruel smile.
“How do you think your wife will react if she finds out you’ve been doing business with bandits?
I bet the fight will be…
legendary.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Though Kabrok tried to act tough, Ruel could already see the fear in his eyes.
He knew exactly where his weak points were. This story is hosted at g.com.
“Do you really want to test me?
I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.” The Enutrof raised his voice.
“Miranda!”
“Shut up!” Kabrok hissed.
After composing himself, he wiped the sweat from his brow and his voice dropped to a pleading whisper.
“Fine, fine.
I’ll tell you everything.
Just leave my shop and don’t say a word.”
Ruel crossed his arms, satisfied.
Nothing tasted better than victory.
“That’s more like it, Kabrok.
I hope this time you’ll tell us the truth.”
“Though I am an honest merchant…” The shopkeeper paused for a moment as he searched for the right words.
“I admit that, from time to time, I visit places of…
somewhat dubious reputation in search of new products.”
“What ‘places’?”
“A few leagues to the north there’s a camp.
It doesn’t have a name, but it’s well known among traveling merchants.
If you don’t ask too many questions, you can find rare items at reasonable prices.
Maybe you’ll find what you’re looking for over there.”
A camp full of shady merchants, Ruel thought.
Very interesting…
if that’s even true.
The old man turned to Eva, seeking confirmation before making a decision.
If he could trust anyone’s judgment, it was hers.
“What do you think?”
“I still don’t trust him,” the Cra replied.
“But at least he’s given us a lead.
Though…
I have the feeling he knows far more than what he’s telling us.”
The answer was about what he’d expected.
Ruel turned again towards Kabrok and clenched his shovel.
“I know you’re still hiding something from me, Kabrok.
Say it now or you’ll regret it.”
“Look, that’s all I can tell you,” Kabrok raised his hands.
“As a good merchant, I cannot betray my suppliers, not even the shadiest ones.
But…
if you promise to leave without tipping off a certain someone, I’ll tell you where to find the camp.”
“I like that deal,” Ruel answered without hesitation.
“Let’s see what you have to answer.”
Kabrok bent down under the counter, pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper and, with piece of charcoal, he scrawled a doodle that barely tried to be a map.
“Look, here’s us,” he said, pointing to a shapeless blotch.
“And here, to the east, you’ll see some hills.
Climb that plateau and you should be able to spot the camp.
Simple as that.
Although, I have to warn you it’s quite a…
curious place.
I’d advise you to watch your step…”
Before the merchant could continue, Ruel snatched the he map and showed it to his companions, who nodded in approval.
Even though the artistic quality of the map was terrible, it was enough to get the job done.
Before leaving, Ruel gave one last look at Kabrok and delivered a few parting words.
“If this turns out to be a waste of time,” his voice shifted to a threatening growl, “I swear I’ll come back here and shove Dally’s sword where the sun don’t shine.”
“How about a ‘thank you’ for once, Ruel,” Kabrok responded in a mocking tone.
“With manners like that, it’s no wonder she left you.”
The word she cut through the air like a knife.
Ruel’s face, which already looked angry, blazed with an even deeper rage.
That was a line Kabrok should not have crossed.
“So that’s how it is, huh?” The old man let out a booming shout.
“Miranda!
Your husband has something to tell you!”
“TRAITOR!” Shouted Kabrok, who erupted in a string of insults as creative as they were vulgar.
Before he could continue, a piercing shriek echoed through the entire shop which made the glass shake.
It was Miranda.
“What have you done now, Kabrok?!”
“Sweetheart…
it’s nothing, just…
a misunderstanding!”
Taking advantage of this opening, Ruel, Eva, and Amalia shuffled out of the shop before Miranda could see them.
Now that their mission was accomplished, they had no time to waste.
As they walked away, a single word from that conversation wouldn’t leave Amalia’s mind.
She…
As Ruel stormed off, she quietly approached Eva and whispered in her ear.
“You heard what I heard, right?” Eva nodded in confirmation.
“Looks like Ruel’s got some juicy drama in his past.”
“I don’t think now’s a good time to bring it up.” The Cra glanced at Ruel, who was still fuming from the shop visit.
“It seems like a really personal subject for him.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Amalia grinned slyly.
“But one of these days I’m going to get the whole story out of him.
Just wait and see…”
Meanwhile, back at the shop’s entrance, Percedal leaned back against the wall beside the door while Yugo crouched on the step with Az on his knee.
The first few minutes were filled with an awkward silence where they just stared at the street with not much to say.
It didn’t take long for Yugo to notice his friend was more downcast than usual.
“Hey, Dally.”
Once he got no answer, he gave Percedal a nudge with his elbow.
“You’ve had that look on your face since we left the tavern.
Is something wrong?”
Percedal thought for a moment and, when he finally answered, his voice was strangely melancholic.
“You wouldn’t understand, little guy.
It’s… matters of the heart.”
The word heart was the exact clue Yugo needed.
“By any chance,” he said with a devious smile on his face, “could this be about a woman?”
“Not at all!” You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Even though he tried to deny it, the blush on Percedal’s cheeks told Yugo everything he needed to know.
“It’s not something a kid like you should know about.”
Yugo smiled even wider.
“You like Eva, don’t you?”
Percedal froze in shock as his face turned even more red.
Before he could put together a good excuse, a sarcastic voice cut in at the worst moment.
“Busted, Dally-boy,” Rubilax said.
“Even a kid can see right through you.”
“Of course not!” But, the more he tried to talk, the more embarrassed he became.
“I… don’t like her.
Wait, I don’t mean it like that.
I love spending time with her.
But not in that way…”
Surprisingly, Yugo didn’t laugh.
For him, this confession was quite sweet.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” he said.
“She’s smart, brave, pretty.
I think she’d be perfect for you.”
Seeing as his master didn’t know what to say, Rubilax decided to add some encouragement.
“Spit it out!
Spit it out!
Spit it out!”
Percedal clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and finally gave an honest answer.
“Okay!
I admit it!
It’s… I’m in love with her.
A lot!
But…”
“But…?” Yugo leaned in.
“I don’t know if I’m worthy of her.” In an instant, his voice lost all his excitement and shifted to melancholy.
“She just sees me as an idiot, nothing more.
While there are times I still think there’s some home of things being different… I mess up and everything goes back to the way it was.
At this point, I don’t know what to do…”
“I’ll tell you exactly what to do,” Rubilax interrupted to add in some of his friendly advice.
“Nothing.
That girl is way out of your league, Dally.
You don’t even stand a chance.
Nevertheless, keep trying if that’s what you want.
Seeing you fail is so entretaining.”
“Damn you!”
Percedal grabbed the hilt, ready to smash the blade once more against anything.
But, before he could do something he’d likely regret, Yugo caught his shoulder .
“Don’t listen to him, Dally.
Didn’t you tell me you should never give up, no matter how bad things get?”
“True…” The knight lowered the blade.
“Come to think of it, that’s the same thing my master used to say.”
“That’s the spirit!
You’ll see.
I’m sure one day she’ll fall in love with you too.
Then, you’ll get married, have kids, go live in a little house out in the countryside…”
“More likely” Added Rubilax.
“You’ll die in some stupid and completely avoidable way.”
Unfortunately for the demon, Percedal wasn’t even listening.
Instead, he rubbed his friend’s head and gave a solemn declaration.
Now, he had something to fight for.
“That… will be the closing chapter of the legend of Sir Percedal.
Thank you for the wise advice, little Yugo.” He said with complete sincerity.
“I knew I could count on you formatters of the heart.”
“Well…” Yugo got a little nervous.
“I’m not exactly an expert.
But… every story about heroes I’ve heard ends that way, so I’m sure it’s for a good reason.”
“Well said.” Percedal lowered his gaze.
“I’m sure you’ll find someone worthy of you as well.”
This time, it was Yugo’s turn to blush.
“You see…”
“Who’s embarrassed now?” Percedal started to tease him.
“Could it be that a certain someone has stolen your heart?”
Before Yugo could come up with an answer, the shop bell jangled.
Eva stepped out first, Amalia right behind her, and Ruel last with a satisfied look on his face and a crumpled piece of paper in his hand.
Yugo breathed out.
“That’s a good question, Dally,” he said quietly, “but the answer will have to wait.
I think they got what they were looking for.
Let’s go!”
With that, Yugo ran towards Ruel, who took little time to explain his latest success.
I’ll get it out of him eventually, Percedal thought as he approached the rest of the group.
Wait…
what was I even asking?
As the group left the shop and headed towards the alleged merchant camp, a black cat leapt from behind one of the windows.
It heard every single word of the conversation.
The animal slipped nimbly toward the back of the building, where, in the shadows, its master waited.
Remi.
The cat approached silently and climbed up his leg to perch on his shoulder.
There, with a deep purr that vibrated against his ear, it shared all the information it had overheard.
After hearing everything, the Sram’s pupils dilated and a crooked smile curved across the bounty hunter’s lips.
“They’re moving faster than I expected,” he said to himself.
“Looks like I’ve got no choice but to follow their tracks.
They might even save me a lot of work…”
The Sram left the shop behind and walked in the same direction as the adventurers.
Thanks to them, the Black Crow might just fall into his hands.
He pulled out a cigar and lit it, exhaling a cloud of smoke as he walked away.
Today could be a wonderful day… for him.