Published at 30th of July 2019 01:04:24 PM
Chapter 24
Episode 5: I Mean No Harm – Chapter 24 . 1
Kailisys was a large city . Considering how big the palace was, it wasn’t surprising for the capital city to be proportionally bigger . Therefore, trying to find Kyrie in this city was like trying to find a needle in a haystack . Thankfully, Calian knew what Kyrie was up to around this time, but it was difficult to pinpoint the location .
On top of that, Calian needed something that couldn’t be bought in just any old store .
That’s why he had come up with this insane plan of buying what he needed as well as some information about Kailis from the Secretian spies .
The spies were much more than simply sellers of information . They were real swordsmen who were thoroughly trained to spy on the affairs of a foreign land . That’s how dangerous this place was .
Moreover, Calian’s appearance was very easily recognisable, even just by people who were passing by . If these spies ever took a glimpse of his crimson eyes, the situation would blow up out of his control .
That’s why this whole thing was insane .
“I’ll take you to where the birdfeed is,” said White Eagle—the owner of the shop and the guardian of the spies’ foothold . Since he had confirmed that Calian was not an enemy, he didn’t show any further malice or murderous intent .
I guess I still have my days to live . Even while thinking so, Calian did not lower his guard . He followed White Eagle to the back of the shop while trying to stay out of the range of the man’s possible attack .
The spies didn’t know each other’s identities . The number and identities of the spies were never disclosed as a safety measure for when one got caught spying . That way, the other spies wouldn’t be involved in a chain of arrests . For the same reason, the spies never showed each other their faces .
On top of that, the Secretian spies during this time were selected without discrimination of age and gender . Therefore, it wasn’t strange for there to be a spy who was as young as Calian .
Calian placed all his trust on such circumstances and had succeeded in making White Eagle believe that he was a young, newly dispatched spy from Secretia .
“Just give me a second,” said White Eagle .
Calian was surrounded by stacks of miscellaneous junk: empty birdcages, feeders, perches of various shapes, and cleaning supplies, just to name a few . Even in thick clouds of dust, White Eagle avoided everything with ease . Then, he pulled a wooden stick that was leaned diagonally against the wall, blending into its surroundings .
—creeeak!
When Calian heard something that sounded like a metal chain being wound, the whole room started rotating slowly . After a string of soft rumbles and sharp creaks, the room connected to the storehouse of a different property . White Eagle opened the storehouse door that led to a small backyard . They crossed the yard and entered the house .
Calian followed White Eagle past the living room and headed upstairs . After passing another secret passage, they finally reached a large study . A big table was placed in the middle of the room, and the walls were lined with bookshelves and racks .
“Take a seat,” said White Eagle as he offered Calian a cup of water .
Since Calian was already being severely harmed by the things that he drank, he placed the cup on the table without taking a sip .
White Eagle grumbled, “That’s right . I used to offer tea, but nobody would drinking . It was such a waste to throw out all those expensive tea leaves, so I’m just offering water now . But since nobody drinks the water, either, I could just stop offering at all . ”
Calian didn’t seem to be the only one refusing drinks . White Eagle must have been annoyed about his efforts always going to waste .
“I was told not to eat or drink any old thing that is offered to me,” replied Calian, smiling a little . It was Alan who had told him that .
White Eagle nodded . “I mean, you’re not wrong . You seem like a newbie . We’ll be seeing each other from time to time, so I’ll introduce myself . I go by White Eagle . ”
Although Calian already knew his code name, he nodded without letting it show . He had already come up with a name for himself before coming here, and had made sure that nobody in Secretia used it .
“Red Swan . ”
When Calian had first met Rumein, he couldn’t help but feeling like a swan . Since Calian was different inside than what seemed on the outside, there was no nickname more suitable .
“Yes, it’s nice to meet you . So, what kind of birdfeed are you looking for?”
The headquarters sold basic information and items needed for various incidents that one might encounter while acting as a spy . They were the “birdfeed” .
Calian glanced at the bookshelf, and then at the wall rack . “One information, one item . ”
White Eagle opened his hand . “Five florens for the information, and three florens for the item . You gotta pay upfront . ”
Calian found it strange that White Eagle told him the price before even asking what information and item he wanted . Since the shop was run solely at the freedom of White Eagle, its policies were not reported to Secretia .
“It’s fixed price,” added White Eagle, noticing Calian’s confusion .
Calian wondered if he would be able to get a gold bar for three florens if he asked . Of course, he didn’t actually ask the man about it . He wasn’t about to be treated like an idiot . Instead, Calian took out 8 gold coins from his pouch and handed them to White Eagle . It was more costly than he had expected, but it couldn’t be helped .
White Eagle took the coins and dragged his chair forward . “So, go ahead and tell me . ”
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Calian explained his needs . White Eagle silently stood up and scurried around the room . Soon, he sat back down across Calian with a map and a small object wrapped in paper in his hands .
“First, there’s your item . ” White Eagle pushed the small object towards Calian . Then, he handed him the map . “And here’s your information . ”
It was a detailed map of Kailisys . There was a single dot marking a location .
“So it only exists in Kailisys?” asked Calian .
White Eagle nodded and jabbed his fists in the air . “Fighters tend to gather where there are lots of people . This is the only place that’s big enough to have all the features that you described to me . ”
In other words, there was a very low chance that Kyrie was in someplace other than Kailisys . Calian was even more certain now that the boy that he had seen on the way to the showground was indeed Kyrie .
Episode 5: I Mean No Harm – Chapter 24 . 2
“Thank goodness,” murmured Calian .
Anyway, five florens for a single marked map, huh… Calian took the two items and stuffed them in his inner pocket, feeling a little cheated .
Just then, White Eagle pulled out a piece of notepaper full of writing . When he saw Calian hesitating to take the paper, he grinned widely . “Instructions . ”
It didn’t seem like a horrible deal, after all . Calian let out a little chuckle and took the paper . He stood up and left the house through its main entrance without going back to the shop through the storehouse . As he looked around, he could tell that the house was just behind the bird shop .
Instead of walking back to the shop, Calian called his horse in a low voice . “Raven . ”
Not long after, he could hear the clip clop of Raven’s hooves . Raven was walking towards him, only his white band visible in the dark . Calian quickly climbed onto Raven and rode away from the shop . Soon, he reached a moderately bright but unpopulated cafe and pulled out the map and the instructions .
— Be careful . It’s quite a dangerous place .
Calian scoffed as he recalled what White Eagle had said and muttered, “As if it would be as dangerous as you . ”
In order to reach the location on the map, Calian had to go back out to the road he took to get to the shop . After carefully reading and memorising the instructions, Calian burned the map and the instructions with the candlelight that lit the entrance of the cafe .
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Concern settled in Calian’s eyes .
He wasn’t lost because he had burned the map . The map was precise, and there was only one place that was still open nearby . What concerned Calian was none other than the name of the shop that was printed above the entrance to the two-storey building in front of him .
— Sispanian’s Strong Scent of Alcohol
Of course it had to be here .
“Hahh…”
Calian was standing in front of the pub that he had been baffled at while he was heading towards the bird shop . He lowered his gaze and stared at the entrance in defeat .
“Who in the world names their shop like that? Sispanian is a member of the royal family, too . Won’t they get punished for insulting the royal family?” he grumbled .
Since Sispanian didn’t act as a queen after Hatsua’s death, it’s difficult to say that Sispanian is a proper member of the royal family, answered Old Calian .
Calian had a lot to say, but didn’t bother . He handed over Raven’s reigns to the attendant and entered the pub .
The pub wasn’t very different from those in Secretia . The place was filled with the mildewy smell of years-old oak barrels and the unique bitter-sour scent of hops . Soon, a server approached Calian .
“Do you have anyone else with you?” they asked a little stiffly . They seemed suspicious of this customer who had stepped into the pub in the middle of the night with a hood draped over his face .
“I’m here by myself . ”
The server tilted their head when they heard Calian’s youthful voice . His age didn’t matter in the bird shop, but it did in the pub . Instead of offering any explanation, Calian took out a silver coin and handed it to the server . The server understood its meaning and lowered their guard right away .
“Let me take you to an empty seat . ”
Calian shook his head and followed the instructions that were written on the paper . “I’d like to go to the fourth floor . ”
It was very clear that the building only had two floors . However, instead of telling him that there wasn’t a fourth floor, the server replied, “Please follow me . ”
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Since Calian had just been in a similar situation, he stayed alert as he followed the server . Because it was already late into the night, most customers were already wasted and Calian could walk around without attracting many eyes .
They walked past five or six tables and turned around the corner, where a thick wooden door was located . The server took out a key from their pocket and opened the door, gesturing Calian in .
“Please head in this way . ”
Calian nodded and stepped into the room . The server turned on the light and closed the door behind Calian without further explanation . Calian listened as the server’s footsteps grew softer .
Calian quietly looked around . The space seemed to be furnished for about four or five people to drink in: a rectangular table, a cabinet, a rope with a handle used to call the server by ringing the counter bell, a framed abstract painting, and some built-in hooks for coats and jackets .
At a glance, the room just looked like a secret meeting area . Nothing stood out in particular . Of course, that wasn’t the case for Calian .
Butterflies, third from the left . The instructions had kindly specified what he had to do . Calian calmly walked over to the wall on the other side of the room and stared at the butterfly-shaped tin hooks . He pinched and twisted the third hook out of the six that were attached to the wall . The hook turned slowly, and when it was almost at a 90-degree angle—
—click!
It was stopped by something . Calian let go of the hook and pushed the cupboard that was placed in one corner of the room . Although he hadn’t used much force on it, the cupboard slid smoothly to the side . A downwards staircase appeared where the cupboard used to be .
Calian took a deep breath and started walking downstairs, his hand placed on his knife .
It was just bright enough to watch his step, so it wasn’t hard to walk downstairs . After descending the stairs for a while, Calian paused his steps .
“Third floor . ” To his side was an entrance labelled with the number 3 . “The gambling grounds . ”
The entrance was covered with a dark cloth . Between the curtains, Calian saw silhouettes of a few men sitting around a round table . Calian turned away from the 3rd floor and continued down the stairs .
After descending almost twice the number of stairs as he had gone down to reach the third floor, he began to hear shouting . Not long after, the stairs ended at an entrance labelled with the number 4 .
“I guess this is it . ”
The shouting and cheering noises were now deafening . Calian breathed in, and breathed out . He stepped inside without further hesitation .
Calian had just stepped into a fighting arena .
This is where he would find Kyrie, the swordless swordsman .