Carrying a pouch filled with 2-3 kg of gold coins and a longsword, Arthur wandered through the city, exploring its streets and stalls. As he passed by a food vendor, the aroma of roasted meat caught his attention.
Unable to resist, he bought a serving and took a massive bite.
"Ah... this meat is the best," he said, savoring the flavor while devouring an entire rack of ribs.
"Granny, I need five more!" Arthur said without hesitation.
"Hoho... slow down, young man. I still have plenty," the old lady chuckled.
She began frying five more ribs, coating them with butter, seasoning, and a touch of garlic, filling the air with a mouthwatering aroma.
Before Arthur could take another bite, two men wearing cloaks approached the food stall.
"Granny! Four meat ribs, please!" one of them called out.
"Coming!" the old lady replied cheerfully as she got to work.
Arthur, still focused on his meal, barely paid them any attention—until one of the cloaked men walked up to him.
"Hey, kid. Sorry to bother you, but I wanna ask you something," the man said.
Still chewing, Arthur glanced at him. "Yes?"
The man pulled out a piece of parchment and held it up. "Have you seen a girl that looks like this?"
Arthur's eyes flicked to the drawing—it was a rough but recognizable sketch of a girl, probably around fifteen.
"Have you seen her?" the man asked.
"Nope," Arthur replied without hesitation.
"Alright, thanks," the man said, tucking the drawing away.
Arthur simply shrugged and went back to his meal. Just as he took another bite, Leclerc stepped into the stall.
"AH! IT'S HIM! CATCH HIM!" one of the cloaked men shouted.
"Huh?!" Leclerc's eyes widened before he immediately turned on his heels and bolted.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Was that Leclerc?" he muttered before shrugging and continuing his meal.
Thirty minutes passed, and Arthur had already finished devouring fifty cow ribs. Just as he leaned back, satisfied, Leclerc stumbled back into the stall, panting heavily.
"Huff… huff… Two cow ribs, please…" he gasped.
"Sorry, sir, we're all out," the old lady said apologetically.
"Ah… wait—Arthur?"
"Yo," Arthur replied, unfazed.
Leclerc's eyes darted to the four remaining ribs on Arthur's plate. His stomach growled loudly.
"Can I have some?" he asked, swallowing his pride.
"Five bronze," Arthur said flatly.
"Fine…" Leclerc groaned, fishing out the coins.
Leclerc took a bite of one rib and set the other aside, letting out a deep exhale.
"They were searching for my daughter," he muttered.
Arthur leaned back. "Are they still after the artifact?"
Leclerc's expression darkened with sorrow. "Yes… indeed," he growled before continuing. "I don't even know where she is right now."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Why are you telling me this? You know I could just tell them, right?"
Leclerc hesitated before offering, "Six gold?"
Arthur smirked. "I'm not a snitch."
Then, as if shifting gears, he casually asked, "Have you ever heard of someone named Kiliar?"
Leclerc furrowed his brows. "I don't think so… Why?"
"No reason," Arthur replied
Before Arthur could ask another question, someone outside suddenly rushed in, their cloak billowing behind them.
"LECLERC!" the voice shouted.
"Huh?" Arthur muttered, turning toward the entrance.
Standing there was a tiny girl, around 154 cm tall, with short brown hair and a dust-covered fancy dress.
Leclerc's eyes widened in shock. "ALICE!"
Without hesitation, he ran forward and embraced her tightly.
"Oh, great. A reunion," Arthur muttered.
Before anything else could happen, the store suddenly collapsed, debris flying everywhere. From the dust, a bald man in a tattered cloak rose, standing in the center of the wreckage.
Arthur narrowed his eyes. "What are you guys, Cloak Clan?"
The man ignored him, his gaze locking onto Alice. Without hesitation, he lunged straight for her.
Slash!
Arthur's longsword flashed in an instant, intercepting the attack. Yet, as he looked closer, his blade hadn't even left a scratch on the man's neck.
"Ah… what the hell is your neck made of?" Arthur muttered.
The bald man responded with a lightning-fast punch, aiming for Arthur's gut. Arthur barely raised his longsword in time, blocking the strike, but the force sent a shockwave through his arms.
"Tch... Oi, run, dumbass!" Arthur barked.
Leclerc didn't need to be told twice. He scooped Alice into his arms and bolted out of the ruined store. Meanwhile, Arthur and the bald man squared off, both poised to attack.
"Not bad, kid," the man smirked.
Arthur rolled his shoulders. "I haven't even used magic yet."
Without warning, the man charged, his fist rocketing toward Arthur's face.
"Not yet," Arthur whispered.
He slid left, tilting his longsword to deflect the incoming blow. Using the momentum, he spun around and delivered a sharp, precise slash to the man's arm.
The bald man barely flinched. Instead, he grinned. "Impressive, kid."
Arthur exhaled, shifting his stance. It's time.
Activating Nul, a magic that reflected attacks back at their source, Arthur stood still, waiting. The moment the man struck again, his own attack would turn against him.
The battle had only just begun.
Both of them rushed at each other, but every strike the bald man landed only rebounded, injuring himself instead. Meanwhile, Arthur kept slashing, his longsword glowing with a crimson aura, carving deep cuts into the man's body with each precise swing.
The bald man gritted his teeth. "What kind of magic is this?!"
Arthur smirked. "Something you won't see again."
With a brief jump, he launched himself into the air, crossing his longsword in front of him. Focusing all of his aura into the blade, he dashed downward like a crimson comet, slicing clean through his opponent.
Shing!
The bald man's head tumbled to the ground, his body still standing for a few seconds before finally collapsing.
Arthur landed smoothly, flicking the blood off his sword. "Ah… too easy."