Ch.1616. Shelter

It was an era where death was always close at hand. Weakness from plague and starvation was common, and fatal accidents from wild animals like boars were frequent.

Nevertheless, what was considered most dangerous was something else entirely: travel. This was because one could experience all the aforementioned dangers while simultaneously having to be wary of fellow humans.

What were the chances that a stranger encountered in foreign lands would be a friendly neighbor? Not very high, at least.

Distrust and vigilance were the basic qualities a traveler needed to possess. Unfortunately, those who lacked them had long since been buried.

That’s why when heading to distant cities or outposts, people typically formed groups with others sharing the same destination.

Of course, there were those who traveled alone due to circumstances or urgent matters. Peddlers, messengers, and criminals were among them. And establishments for such travelers could occasionally be found along the main roads.

These were buildings that served as both inns and restaurants, commonly called “travelers’ rests” despite regional differences. They were characteristically isolated, standing alone with no villages or facilities nearby.

Creeak.

As the door of the rest house, which had been closed all this time, opened, everyone inside turned their attention toward it.

A boy wearing a leather cloak stood with one foot on the threshold, surveying the interior. The greatsword at his waist seemed disproportionately large for his frame, almost like a toy.

The inside was bustling with various characters. Men who looked like troublemakers were drinking heavily and making a ruckus, while on the opposite side, another group was silently continuing their meal.

When the boy closed the door and fully entered, the interior, which had been filled with all sorts of noise until just moments ago, became eerily quiet.

The boy—Rex—approached the counter with an expressionless face.

A man who appeared to be the owner of the rest house was wiping dishes with a dry cloth. Without even glancing in Rex’s direction, he spoke in a curt tone.

“What?”

“I’d like to stay for the night. How much is it?”

“Five copper coins. Includes a meal.”

Rex took out a pouch from inside his clothes, counted the money, and neatly placed the coins down. The man glanced briefly at the table and added:

“Something to drink?”

“Do you have milk, by any chance?”

“…This is a tavern.”

“Ah, then just water, please.”

When Rex answered compliantly, the man’s eyebrows twitched.

The man sighed deeply and went through the back door. Shortly after, he returned and handed Rex a wooden cup. It contained milk with a rich, savory aroma.

When Rex looked up with a puzzled expression, the man grumbled in response.

“I was joking. It’s been sitting outside for a while so it’s lukewarm, but drink it anyway.”

“Thank you.”

Rex was sipping the milk when he pushed back the hood of his cloak. Flowing golden hair spilled out, and his features, previously hidden in shadow, were clearly revealed. The man’s expression showed surprise.

“You’ve got quite a pretty face.”

“Haha…”

Rex scratched his cheek awkwardly.

Indeed, the boy’s appearance was distinctive. His flawless, fair skin, brilliant golden hair, straight nose, and well-formed lips harmonized like a work of art.

On the surface, he looked every bit like the child of a noble family, yet there was also a certain plainness about him that made it difficult to determine his true identity.

“What’s a little brat like you doing here, walking in without any fear?”

Just then, an angry voice cut in.

Rex turned his head. One of the rough-looking men who had been snickering in the corner was now glaring at him with a twisted expression. His face was flushed red, suggesting he was already quite drunk, and he looked displeased about something.

Despite the harsh tone, Rex maintained a calm face without responding. The man, perhaps interpreting this as fear, continued even more aggressively.

“Ha! Look at this—drinking milk of all things. Well, I suppose you’re still at the age for suckling at your mother’s breast, aren’t you?”

When the man turned around as if seeking agreement, a burst of laughter erupted from where his companions were gathered. None showed any intention of stopping him; some even whistled encouragingly.

The man looked back at Rex with a satisfied expression. His gaze, which had been scanning Rex up and down, stopped at the greatsword on his waist. Base desire dripped from his eyes. His purpose for approaching was obvious.

Rex’s eyes grew cold as frost. He discreetly slipped his hand inside his clothes, making sure others wouldn’t notice. The touch of the dagger against his fingertips felt cool.

Regardless, in the man’s mind, that greatsword was already as good as his.

The man looked down at Rex, flicking his tongue. Rex had his head bowed low, his face hidden.

‘By now, he should have figured out the situation, right? No, why am I even thinking about this? If he stays quiet, all the better for me. If he resists, things will just get troublesome.’

The man thought simply.

It was the boy’s fault for wandering around outside in the first place.

‘If you’re going to carry something like that, you should at least try to hide it. Are you advertising for someone to take it from you?’

However he had obtained it, that greatsword was not something an ordinary person should possess.

Even the man, who had no knowledge of metallurgy, could tell at a glance that the sword was special. Though the blade was concealed in its scabbard, the handle bore antique engravings. It was certainly a high-quality item.

The man glanced around furtively. The owner of the rest house was washing dishes some distance away. His posture suggested he wouldn’t interfere in their business if they didn’t interfere in his.

The group that had entered earlier showed no interest and continued talking among themselves.

While there was an unwritten rule prohibiting conflicts in travelers’ rests, rules only functioned properly when there was power to enforce them.

‘Good.’

The man split his lips into a grin and spoke in a vile voice.

“Hey, kid. That sword looks nice—where’d you get it? Let me touch it. Hand it over, will you?”

Rex was still staring at the ground.

Suddenly, the man felt as if the surrounding air had grown chilly, and he tilted his head in confusion. Must be his imagination. Muttering to himself, the man reached out with a sneer.

That’s when it happened. Rex abruptly raised his head, grabbed the man’s arm, and pinned it to the table. The man froze at the sudden action.

He instinctively tried to pull his arm free, but Rex was so strong that he couldn’t move an inch.

Rex’s other hand held a dagger, and upon seeing it, only one thought crossed the man’s mind: I’m fucked.

“W-wait!”

Ignoring the man’s plea, Rex instantly drove the dagger into his hand. With a crunch of splintering bone, blood sprayed out.

“AAAAARGH!”

The man thrashed about like a freshly caught fish. It was truly disgusting to see a grown man whimpering and dripping snot while screaming. One might have felt pity, but instead, the feeling of revulsion only intensified.

There was no need to show mercy for something he had brought upon himself. Rex pulled the dagger from the man’s hand and immediately gripped it in reverse. Then, without hesitation, he slashed at the man’s face.

Thud!

The onlookers could only gape, not understanding what had just happened. In the blink of an eye, a person had been reduced to a half-dead state. No one had clearly seen the movement.

Silence fell, with only choking sounds coming from the sprawled corpse. Soon, even those ceased completely.

“You son of a bitch!”

The man’s companions, belatedly grasping the situation, rose roughly, pushing their table aside.

Though they seemed agitated enough to rush at him, none dared to move.

Despite having brutally killed someone, Rex’s face remained expressionless. As if disposing of such trash was hardly worth mentioning.

The men felt an inexplicable chill at the sight. Of course, the one who had just died had been caught off guard, and if they all attacked together, dealing with this mere boy would be child’s play. Yet their hesitation wouldn’t subside, mainly because of Rex’s gaze.

“What kind of kid are you…?”

The blue eyes that had seemed innocent when he first entered the rest house were now as deep and dark as storm clouds.

Feeling intimidated by the boy they had underestimated, one of them approached Rex with curses but stopped short. His clothes were already soaked with cold sweat.

After hesitating for a long while, he finally kicked an unrelated chair and turned his back.

“Damn it, let’s go!”

The others seemed to have been waiting for those words.

Taking out their anger wouldn’t bring the dead man back, and if they had truly picked the wrong opponent, it would be an even bigger problem.

After all, it was the fool now lying on the floor who had suggested swindling Rex in the first place. Though they traveled as a group, they had no loyalty strong enough to risk their lives for revenge.

Birds of a feather flock together—a saying perfectly suited to them.

“What? You’re just leaving him behind?”

As the men fled, Rex looked after them with bewildered eyes. He had expected a fight to break out. They escaped so quickly that he hadn’t even thought to stop them.

Whoosh.

Wind seeped in through the wide-open door.

“Ahem.”

The owner of the rest house, who had been keeping his distance, cleared his throat, came out from behind the counter, and closed the door. Then he narrowed his brow at the blood-covered floor.

Rex didn’t apologize or offer to help clean up. Had the situation gone badly, the owner would have remained just as passive. The owner didn’t seem to blame Rex either.

In any case, Rex had to collect what he could. He searched the corpse.

For all his big talk, the man turned out to be nothing more than a thug who only knew how to intimidate others.

A few silver coins and a short scimitar were all that was worth taking. At least he had absorbed the power of the pattern, which was fortunate.

‘He was nothing special.’

Rex closed his eyes and consciously drew up energy. The change was so subtle that it would be difficult to notice without concentration. Still, having something was better than nothing.

“Impressive for someone so young.”

A man with a genial appearance addressed him with an interested tone. He was one of those who had been quietly observing from the side during Rex’s altercation with the thug.

Behind the man, five people were watching Rex carefully with sharp eyes; they appeared to be his escorts.

Four were sturdy men, and one wore a hood pulled so low that their gender was indiscernible. Including the man himself, the party totaled six.

The escorts were well-armed and consistently silent. They were on an entirely different level from the thugs from earlier—comparing them would be disrespectful.

“Are you a merchant?”

“Oh, you can tell? My name is Dunstan. I lead the Pennybrook Trading Company. Have you heard of it? Probably not. Hahaha.”

“I’m Rex.”

Dunstan spoke as if impressed by Rex’s perceptiveness, but Rex didn’t think it was much of a deduction.

He had simply recalled seeing pack horses and a wagon in the stable right next to the rest house before entering.

Judging by the escorts, the man was either a noble or a merchant, and someone of noble status wouldn’t rest in such a shabby place. That left only merchant as a possibility.

Dunstan glanced at the corpse. The fact that he didn’t even blink at the gruesome sight suggested that, contrary to his first impression, he had seen his share of unpleasant things.

“Well done. Those fellows were quite noisy. I feel much better now. We could have handled them ourselves, but our policy is to avoid conflicts as much as possible until the trading journey is complete.”

Dunstan extended his hand with a friendly smile. Rex shook it with a dubious expression.

As if getting to the main point, Dunstan cleared his throat and spoke.

“Rex, since we’ve met by chance, how about joining our trading party?”

“Trading party?”

“Yes. Normally I’d be reluctant to make such an offer—but you seem skilled and unlikely to slack off.”

Rex thought for a moment before answering.

“What made you judge me that way?”

“As for your skill, I saw enough when you killed that thug, and the rest… well, let’s call it a merchant’s intuition?”

The reason was so flimsy that Rex couldn’t help but chuckle. Dunstan made an awkward face and defended himself.

“It hasn’t failed me yet.”

“I see. Anyway, where is your destination?”

“Ah! I left out the most important part.”

Dunstan said.

“Lindvale.”