章 5: Miner of Lasogon
Orwell trudged through the scorching sun, his thick garments heavy and drenched with sweat. The weight of his journey had taken a toll on him as he had just returned from a restaurant where he had first met Tobias. His noble features twisted with exhaustion, a result of his preference for solitude and his refusal of the escort offered by the ruler of Antemur. He was alone and unguarded.
As he walked, a young man collided with him, causing him to stumble. The stranger apologized quickly and hurried away, but Orwell paid him little attention. All he could think about was getting back to the inn to rest. His body yearned for the comfort of a soft bed and the respite of a cool breeze. The heat of the sun had taken its toll on him, and all he could think of was the sweet release of a good siesta.
With each step, Orwell's exhaustion grew, his body aching from the relentless heat of the sun. He yearned to escape its fiery gaze and collapse into the cool, dark sanctuary of his chamber. As he approached the ancient wooden sign that marked the inn, a sense of relief washed over him. He had finally reached his destination.
Stepping inside, he greeted the innkeeper and engaged in small talk before being shown to his chamber. As he reached the door, he fumbled through his coat pockets, searching for his coin purse and key. The image of the young man who had collided with him earlier flashed through his mind, and he remembered the way the stranger had smiled as he apologized. Suddenly, a sinking feeling washed over him as he realized that his coin purse was missing. The weight of the world seemed to rest on his shoulders as he realized he had been robbed, his precious coins and identification taken from him. He couldn't help but wonder if the young man was the thief and if he had been the one to take his coin purse.
Panic set in as Orwell realized the gravity of the situation. He was stranded with no money and no way to pay for his stay at the inn. He cursed himself for not paying closer attention to his surroundings and for not accepting the escort offered by the ruler of Antemur. He was now in a serious predicament and didn't know how he was going to get out of it.
He cast his gaze upon his wrist, adorned with a necklace worn like a bracelet. The pendant, in the shape of a picture card, read "Miner of Lasagon." Despite the fear of being pursued, he knew it was unlikely as the person he had encountered earlier seemed too tired to keep up with him. He drew out his wallet and sat on the edge of the alley, counting its contents. "Only two? This gold coin must be valuable. The rest is but mere silver and copper." He preferred to act during the day when the streets of Antemur were deserted and no one could bear witness to his actions. Outsiders, unfamiliar with the area, were easy targets for him to steal from.
He paused to catch his breath, but as he did, the card on his bracelet suddenly turned midnight black. It began to move as if it were being pulled by an invisible force. "This color-!" He watched in awe as the tip of the card slowly rotated in a clockwise direction, the force pulling it seemingly moving as well. He scanned the alley, knowing that the range of the card's movement tracker was three hundred meters, and it could be leading him to someone or something far away. As the tip continued to move, he knew that the person or thing must be getting closer, drawing near with each passing moment.
He kept his eyes peeled as he scanned the roads in front of him. The layout of the area was an alley in front of him, followed by a straight road, then another alley. Every so often, he would glance down at the card on his wrist, still turning. He was waiting for something to pass by, his eyes focused on the furthest road he could see. As he watched, his gaze sharpened, ready to spot any movement.
The cards on his bracelet spun faster as Tobias appeared, running right in front of him. His eyes widened in surprise as he hadn't expected his target to be so close, after focusing his gaze on the distance. He watched Tobias closely, trying to predict where she was headed. As soon as she turned, he quickly stepped forward and began to follow her, keeping a close tail on her.
Confused, Tobias stood in the shadows of the tower, searching for a place to hide while trying to find a way to reunite with Ephi. "Iridium coins. I can't wait to see them with my own eyes," He thought, hiding in the alley with stealthy eyes. The shadows cast by the surrounding buildings provided him with a small cover to conceal himself. Knowing that his target was of high value, he didn't dare to approach her on the open road. Targets who carried bags would be more difficult to steal from, as the size of the bag was relatively larger, making it more likely for them to notice. Tobias decided to head towards the south gate. As he watched her depart, he followed her, moving quietly and carefully.
Tobias, who had intended to take the alley to speed up her journey, found herself lost in a dead-end alley. A tall wall blocked her path and she couldn't continue on. The alley she was in was not an outer one, but an inner one that wasn't connected to the outside. Exhausted from running, she decided to take a moment to rest. The narrow and heavily shaded alley provided a refreshingly cool respite.
"Hello. Stranger girl."
A letter flew through the air, soaring high above the houses so as not to be noticed. It gracefully dodged poles, flags, ropes, and clothes being dried in the sun, before diving into the alley. A hand reached out and caught it with precision. "Must be a letter from Mr. Ruzel. I'll read it later," the thief thought, tucking the letter into his pocket. He then approached Tobias, who was resting and exhausted, with a sly grin on his face, "Now, what do we have here? A treasure trove, perhaps?"
The thief extended his hand, "May I see what's in your bag?" Tobias, sensing danger, held her bag close to her chest, taking a few steps back to increase the distance between them. "I'm not going to show it to you," she said firmly. "It's something precious to me." The black round object, although its purpose was unknown to her, was a gift from Ira.
It was true, Tobias didn't have a complete understanding of money and payments. That's why she didn't pay for her snacks beforehand.
He smiled warmly at Tobias, trying to reassure her, "I'm not a bad person. I just wanted to see it."
"My relic card shows eighty. So she should have eighty iridium coins. The Miner of Lasogon card allows me to locate the highest currency within a two-hundred-meter radius and shows me the direction it's coming from. Due to the large amount, I need to confirm it before taking any action. If it wasn't really iridium, I would have returned the card to the Goddess of Gambling, hahaha. But that's impossible," He thought to himself, all the while maintaining his friendly expression.
"Really? I don't quite understand why you're so interested in these black things," Tobias said, her expression uncertain. "But since you followed me here, I'll show you." She fumbled with her bag and when her hand emerged, she held a black coin that emitted a dazzling yellow-blue streak of light. "You can call me Tobias. What's your name?" She asked, her tone unsuspecting.
As Tobias scanned the area, she was caught off guard when the boy suddenly appeared behind her, his intentions unclear. Without warning, an arm wrapped tightly around her neck, rendering her immobile and unable to move. The coin she had been holding slipped from her grasp as she frantically tried to break free. He quickly and unexpectedly kicked her in the leg, causing her to collapse to the ground.
". My name is Rod. Nice to meet you, Tobias," he said with a sly grin as he placed his foot on Tobias' neck, muffling any cries for help. "That unique light, the coins are the real deal. I have to act fast and get out of here. This person is definitely not someone to be underestimated. After this, I think I'll have to lay low for a while."
"You really don't understand anything, do you? You're so stupid and naive," Rod sneered as he ruthlessly pounded on Tobias' neck, causing a sickening crack. After ensuring that there was no sign of movement from Tobias, he quickly snatched her bag and grabbed the dropped coins. Without a second glance, he silently slipped away, leaving the area. "I did it. Let's go," he thought to himself as he sprinted away with stealthy steps, his heart pounding with the thrill of the successful robbery.
Sshuushhh~
Suddenly, something pierced Rod's neck, a small arrow seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Instantly he fell to the ground, his hands frantically trying to pull it out. However, his body was paralyzed as the arrow hit, triggering a shock. The blood pouring out of his wound indicated it was serious. He trembled as he saw his palm covered in blood. Within seconds, his skin turned blue as the toxin from the arrow spread through his body. His vision blurred as he struggled to see the change in color. In a matter of moments, he lay motionless, dead from the poison smeared on the arrow. The thick purple liquid on the arrow indicated that it was not an ordinary weapon.
The place was eerily silent. The wind blew through the alley, the only sound heard. Suddenly, a hooded figure leaped down from the roof. As she landed, the wind swirled under her feet, gathering and condensing as she stomped on the ground slowly. She adjusted the small crossbow on her left wrist. "What just happened here, Tobias?" Ephi asked, her voice low. She had arrived at the right time, but perhaps a little too late. Her eyes immediately fell on Tobias' bag, which someone had been carrying, and she rushed over to grab it roughly, quickly checking the contents for any signs of theft.
"Earlier, Bell told me that Tobias carried a lot of Iridium coins. So this is what the highest-rated coin looks like, after Exile coins?" Ephi mused as she bit into the coin to test its density. A pained expression crossed her face as her teeth came in contact with the hard surface. "Uhhh," she exclaimed, trying to gather a strong wind around it but to no avail. The coin remained unscathed.
Ephi placed the coin back into Tobias' bag and shook her head. "I just finished my assignment and you're definitely not okay, Tobias. I shouldn't have left you for a second," she said, feeling guilty. She picked up the unconscious Tobias and used her abilities to climb walls and jump between roofs with the wind. "I can't take you back to the mansion like this. While we're outside, why don't we have some fun first? I will take you to a place of an old friend of mine," she said, trying to distract herself from the guilt. They left Rod's body in a deserted alley, abandoned and forgotten.
Tobias finally returns to Antemur after experiencing some unexpected things. Of course, there was still something else waiting for her ahead. But no one knows what will happen.
クリエイターの想い 
Unwisher
Unwisher The poison that Ephi possessed was of a deadly nature. Its potency was such that if it managed to pierce through the scales of a dragon, even the mightiest of beasts would fall victim to its lethal effects.
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