บท 27: 27 - Rufus

Rygar looked at the young dwarf in front of him. The boy still appeared shaken, his face covered in soot, and his gaze hesitant, as if he wasn't sure where he was or who he could trust. Rygar decided to earn his trust first. He crouched down to the boy's level and tried to smile, attempting to appear friendly and harmless, but it ended up looking a bit awkward.

"Hey, it's alright now. You're safe," Rygar's voice was calm but carried an undertone of firmness. "What's your name?"

The boy hesitated, his eyes diverting for a moment before answering, almost in a whisper, "I... I don't have a name yet."

Rygar raised an eyebrow, surprised. "No name? Ah, that's right, dwarves only get names at seven years old..."

The boy nodded nervously.

Rygar slowly nodded. He had heard about dwarven traditions in his lessons with his mentor but had never encountered a young dwarf to confirm it firsthand.

"I see. But tell me, little one, what happened to you? And how did you escape that place?"

The boy took a deep breath, still reluctant, but began to speak. "It... It was with the help of a man who works there. One of the bosses. They called him Twin."

Rygar tilted his head, intrigued. "Twin?"

"Yes..." the boy replied, his eyes filling with a mix of fear and hope. "He wasn't any different from the others, but last night, he came to me and took me to a place... a hidden sewer pipe, behind one of the warehouses. He told me to cross to the other side and find someone with..." he hesitated, looking at Rygar with curiosity. "Animal ears."

Rygar was intrigued, even a little cautious. Did this "Twin" send him to look for them because he knew who they were, or did he think they would help the boy?

"And that's what you did? When you got to the other side, did you find Taes?"

The boy nodded slowly. "Yes... I did what he said. When I saw the man with the ears, I asked for help. He brought me here."

Rygar was silent for a moment, processing the information. A trafficker who helped slaves escape? That seemed contradictory, there was definitely more to this, he needed to speak with this man first. He looked at the boy again, this time more seriously.

"Do you think you would recognize this man, Twin, if you saw him again?"

The boy bit his lip, hesitating, but finally nodded. "I think so."

Rygar nodded back, his mind already formulating the next steps. "Then, I need you to help me identify him. This could be the key to saving others like you."

The boy's eyes widened, and he took a step back. "I... I don't know... What if they catch me again?"

Rygar placed a firm but comforting hand on his head. "I won't let that happen. Don't worry, I'm very strong."

The boy looked at him for a moment, as if deciding whether he could trust the promise. Finally, he gave a small nod.

Rygar stood up and looked at Taes, who had been nearby, watching the interaction. "Taes, write down everything I say."

Taes nodded, quickly grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill. Meanwhile, Rygar began to describe the results of his investigations that day.

He described all the points he had investigated, the guards, the layout of the place, the number of employees, and all kinds of details.

He paused, allowing Taes to keep up with his words. Then, he continued: "If the boy is telling the truth, then this Twin might be our best chance to capture someone from the higher ranks, that is, unless he himself is one of them. He seems to have access to the facilities and a motivation to help. We need to find out more about him."

Kidar, who had approached during the explanation, crossed his arms and looked at Rygar. "What's the plan?"

"It's simpler than we thought at first. Most of these places only have advanced warriors at best; the smaller ones only have weak guards. Maybe the leader of this group is a Saint-level warrior, but it won't go beyond that."

Kidar laughed and replied, "Of course, you're the anomaly here, it's not strange that there's just one Saint."

Rygar smiled. "Since that's the case, let's just capture a higher-ranked person who knows where their main base is and the whereabouts of most of the members, and interrogate him. After that, I'll invade and kill them all, with some of you making sure no one escapes. The others will attack other bases, Taes will lead one group and you will lead another. Eidar will come with me." Rygar thought for a moment.

Rygar looked at Kidar and Taes with determination. "Gather the information I've given with everything the other warriors have gathered so far. Let everyone know. I want them ready to act as soon as we have something solid."

Kidar nodded, his expression serious. "And you?"

Rygar looked at the young dwarf, who still seemed nervous but determined to help. "I'll go with him. We're going to identify this trafficker and 'have a conversation' with him."

Kidar gave a small approving smile. "Understood. Let's prepare."

Taes continued organizing the information they had gathered. After a few minutes, Rygar checked to make sure everything was recorded before giving his final instructions.

"Taes, finish organizing everything and then share it with the others and Eidar when he arrives. I want everyone to be aware of your group and your targets tomorrow."

Taes nodded without hesitation. "Yes, boss!"

Rygar then turned to the young dwarf, kneeling again to be at his level. "Are you ready for this?"

The boy hesitated for a moment before nodding, his small fist clenched at his side. Despite his fear, there was a spark of courage in his eyes.

Rygar smiled. "Good. Let's go then."

He stood up, signaling for the boy to follow him as they prepared to leave in search of the trafficker named Twin. The sun was already setting, and the city was gradually growing darker.

As they walked through the streets, Rygar took the opportunity to ask the little dwarf some questions. He wanted to get to know him better, and perhaps, with that, ease some of the tension in the boy.

"So, tell me... What do you like?" Rygar asked casually, glancing at him briefly.

The boy hesitated for a moment, seeming surprised by the question. "What do I like? I... I think I like high places."

Rygar raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "High places?"

"Yes... I used to live in the mountain ranges. From up there, everything looked so small. It was peaceful... and we were close to the sky."

There was nostalgia and sadness in the boy's voice, and Rygar felt the weight of what he was saying. It seemed more than just a preference for landscapes; it was a memory of a place he'd probably never see again.

"That must have been an amazing place to live," Rygar commented, trying to keep the conversation light.

The boy nodded, but his expression soon changed, becoming more somber. "It was... but we had to travel to visit my father's friends."

Rygar gently asked, as he believed it was good to share these kinds of things, "What happened?"

The boy took a deep breath, as if he needed to gather strength to speak. "We were traveling on the Sword Road. My parents and I. And we were attacked by bandits..."

Rygar looked at him attentively, noticing the effort the boy made to continue speaking.

"I only remember there were many of them. They surrounded us. My parents tried to fight, but..." His voice faltered for a moment. "They killed them. They told me it was my parents' fault for resisting, and that now I would be an orphan slave."

Rygar sympathized with the boy. This was one of the main reasons he had trained and fought so hard since arriving in this world. The fate of becoming a slave was worse than death for him, and the best way to avoid it was by being strong.

"They threw me into a cart with other kids and brought me here."

The silence between them was heavy. Rygar knew that nothing he said would erase the boy's pain. Still, he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Your parents were brave. They did what was right, even knowing the cost."

The boy looked up, surprised by Rygar's words, and then nodded slowly.

Rygar continued, "Don't think you shouldn't fight because your parents died doing that. On the contrary, to avoid suffering the same fate again, you need to fight."

After a while, they arrived at the location Taes had indicated. It was a busy area, with people coming and going, even at that hour of the night. The lanterns illuminated the streets poorly, casting shadows that danced on the walls of the surrounding buildings.

Rygar looked at the little dwarf and pointed to a more secluded corner where he could wait without being noticed. "Hold onto me. I'm going to climb that building. From up there, we'll have a better view of the exit."

The boy nodded obediently and held onto him. Rygar, with agile movements, climbed the building and reached the roof. From up there, he had a clear view of the entrance and exit of the establishment.

He looked down, seeing the boy watching him with curiosity. "Stay alert. When he shows up, let me know."

The boy nodded again, but seemed nervous. Rygar decided it was a good moment to bring up another subject. "You need a name, you know?"

The boy blinked, surprised by the sudden change of subject. "A name?"

"Yes. It's strange for me to keep calling you 'you,' don't you think?"

The boy seemed to think about the idea. "But... I only get a name when I'm seven."

"Well, that's your race's tradition. But you're here now. We can give you a nickname for now."

The little dwarf hesitated but seemed intrigued. Rygar continued: "In my homeland, there was a name that meant something like 'being red-haired.' I think it suits you. How about Rufus?"

The boy's eyes brightened. He repeated the name, as if testing the sound of it. "Rufus... I like it!"

Rygar smiled, satisfied. He had chosen the name casually, but it seemed to please the boy, which was the most important thing.

---

The night went on, and they remained alert. Rufus kept his eyes fixed on the entrance of the establishment, while Rygar monitored everything from above, analyzing every movement. Finally, after some time, Rufus pointed.

"It's him!"

Rygar followed the boy's gaze and saw a man coming out the door. He had long brown hair tied in a braid and was carrying a jug of alcohol. Despite his relaxed appearance, there was something in his posture that suggested experience in combat. The man seemed to be middle-aged, and his jovial behavior contrasted with the image one might expect from someone associated with slave traders. He greeted the people around him with laughter and waves, as if he were a well-known figure in the area.

Rygar swiftly descended from the building and approached the man. "Are you sure?"

"I am," Rufus answered, the conviction in his voice outweighing any hesitation.

Rygar looked at the man again before lifting Rufus into his arms. "Alright. Let's follow him."

The man walked for some time, turning several corners, as if he were simply heading home or finishing a typical night. Eventually, he entered a quieter alley, far from the curious eyes of the main street. It was the perfect moment to act.

Rygar gently placed Rufus on the ground, indicating for him to stay hidden behind a pile of nearby crates. "Stay here. Don't move until I come back."

The boy nodded, though his eyes showed concern.

Rygar silently advanced toward the man, moving with the grace of a predator. When he was close enough, he used his Howling Magic at short range. The powerful roar echoed through the narrow alley, completely disorienting the man. He stumbled, barely managing to grab the hilt of his sword before collapsing, stunned by the sonic impact.

With agility, Rygar lifted the unconscious man over his shoulder and returned to where Rufus was waiting. Without wasting time, he scooped the boy up and began climbing the nearby buildings. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, he kept a steady pace until he reached the tavern, where he entered discreetly through an upper window to avoid being seen.

Once inside, Rygar placed Rufus on the ground.

"Is he going to be okay?" Rufus asked, his voice filled with concern. "He... he saved me."

Rygar observed the boy for a moment before answering honestly. "That depends on him. If he cooperates, there's no reason anything bad should happen."

Rufus nodded slowly, still a little worried but trusting Rygar's words. The boy ran off to find Taes, and Rygar carried the unconscious man to his room. There, he called one of the warriors who had accompanied him on the mission. "Tie him up. Use reinforced ropes. I don't want to take any chances."

The warrior nodded and began to work, while Rygar went downstairs to check for updates on the investigation. He found Eidar in the main hall, speaking with one of the warriors. When Eidar saw him, he approached immediately.

"Eidar, why did you take so long?" Rygar called out.

"I was posing as a traveler at the guild and managed to gather some information."

"Alright, let's talk inside." They headed back to the rooms.

"Okay, what do you have?" Rygar asked.

Eidar replied, "I asked some subtle questions about which organization was behind the slave trade in the city. Apparently, their main base is a little outside the city, but not too far, and it's named after their leader, who is called the Black Troll."

Rygar crossed his arms, absorbing the information. "Great work. This will save us some time. Did you find out anything about him?"

Eidar thought for a moment. "I think he's from a demon race, and he doesn't practice any of the three sword styles. He seems to use an axe to fight, and of course, he's known to be really strong."

He continued, "But it seems like someone else showed up recently. I couldn't get any information about the new guy, but they seem to treat him with respect."

Rygar nodded, already formulating strategies in his mind. "Alright, we'll discuss this more later. Call Kidar. I've captured the man who freed the dwarf boy. I want to interrogate him."

Eidar didn't waste any time and went to find Kidar, while Rygar returned to the room where the man was being held. A few minutes later, Kidar arrived, entering the room with his imposing presence. Now, only the three of them remained: Rygar, Kidar, and the captured man.

Rygar approached the man and shook him lightly until he began to stir. The man's eyes blinked several times before finally focusing on Rygar and Kidar. He tried to move, but the tightly bound ropes kept him in place.

"What... where am I? Who are you?" he asked, confusion clear in his voice.

Rygar leaned in, crossing his arms as he looked directly at the man. "Just travelers. We hope you can help us clear up a few questions."

The man blinked again, still dazed, but the tension in the air made it clear he didn't have much choice.