53 — Chapter 53

Two days later, I arrived in the city where Michael, my scouting target, was located.

The city’s appearance was almost identical to the Fortress City.

The atmosphere was much the same as well.

It was a cluttered, unpretentious cityscape—the kind of place where someone like me could live comfortably.

The cities under Dorgu’s domain didn’t vary much.

I had visited several other cities before to assassinate various executives or members of subordinate organizations, and as expected, there were no major differences.

The only real exception was the Black Wall City.

Since it served as the headquarters for Representative Dorgu, it was likely the only one that was particularly developed.

By the way, this was my first time visiting this specific city.

Fortunately or unfortunately, there just didn’t happen to be anyone here who was hostile toward me.

None of the organization’s high-ranking officials lived here, either.

While it was slightly inferior economically compared to other places, it was a peaceful town with few conflicts.

The streets near the main gate of this city were also congested, making it impossible for the Golem Car to move properly.

Well, this was the state of things everywhere in Eurea.

It was a sight I had long since grown accustomed to.

I felt no irritation.

That said, I wanted to use my time meaningfully.

Since I was stuck, I decided to take advantage of the wait to gather some information.

My goal, of course, was to track down Michael.

I just needed to find his general location.

Leaving Alice in the Golem Car, I stopped by a roadside stall.

I struck up a conversation with the shopkeeper while casually browsing the goods.

“Hey there. Business going well?”

“It’ll be going great if you buy a lot, brother. How about it? Everything here is worth the price.”

The shopkeeper, wearing a headband, answered cheerfully.

He was smiling amiably, but his rugged facial features made him look quite intimidating.

Judging by his appearance alone, he could have been a bandit chief.

There was an indescribable gap between his look and the sight of him selling things at a stall.

I let out a wry smile as I pulled out a leather pouch filled with coins.

“Hahaha, then I guess I’ll have to contribute.”

My eyes landed on some honey-preserved fruits.

They looked like small oranges, packed inside a jar.

Bottles of juice, apparently squeezed from the same fruit, were also lined up nearby.

The prices were all cheap, so I bought enough for Alice as well.

I had been craving something sweet anyway.

It would make for a perfect dessert.

“Thanks for your business! You’re quite the big spender, brother.”

“I might not look it, but I’m actually rich.”

I joked with a grin as the shopkeeper packed my purchases into a bag.

Since I received a considerable salary from Dorgu, being wealthy was a simple fact.

I was occasionally forced to pay fines, but my total balance remained in the black.

A little expenditure didn’t hurt one bit.

As I handed over the payment, I asked the shopkeeper a question.

“By the way, do you know a man named Michael? I heard he’s working as an adventurer.”

“Of course I know him. He’s a celebrity in this city. What about him?”

“Nothing much. I just heard his name through the grapevine and got a little curious.”

When I answered that way, the shopkeeper smirked as if he’d figured something out.

“Haha, I see. Looking for a match, aren’t you? It’s not uncommon lately. Folks who hear tales of Michael’s prowess come from all over to challenge him to a duel to test their mettle. For a merchant like me, it’s a blessing since I can sell goods to the spectators.”

“I see…”

Hearing the shopkeeper’s words, I did a mental fist-pump.

The fact that dueling was popular was quite convenient.

If I could witness Michael fighting someone, it would likely be the key to unraveling the mystery of his abilities.

Even if I couldn’t figure it out myself, I had Alice with me.

With her observational skills, she was bound to uncover the secret of his strength.

“Michael should be at the Adventurers’ Guild. Around this time, he’s always looking for commissions.”

“Could you tell me where the Guild is?”

“Sure thing. Consider it a bonus for buying so much.”

I received a memo from the shopkeeper with directions to the Adventurers’ Guild.

It was nearby, a distance easily covered on foot.

It was a large building facing the main street.

Given the name “Adventurers’ Guild,” it was likely an organization run by a union.

It seemed to be a common profession in this world.

I made a mental note to ask Alice for a general overview later.

As I tucked the memo into my breast pocket, I thanked the kind shopkeeper.

“Thanks for the info. It helps a lot.”

“Don’t mention it. If you end up dueling him, try to do it in front of my shop, alright?”

“I hear you. Leave it to me.”

Responding to the shopkeeper’s banter, I headed back to the Golem Car stuck in traffic.

It had moved a little while we were talking, but not so much that it had disappeared from sight.

As I climbed into the driver’s seat, Alice immediately questioned me.

“Did you find out anything?”

“Yeah, I’ve got a general idea of where that bastard Michael is. Let’s go stake the place out.”

I gripped the steering wheel and smirked.

Afterward, I secured a decent inn away from the main thoroughfare.

I checked in and left the Golem Car in the parking space.

From there, clutching the fruit and juice I’d bought from the stall, I headed toward the Adventurers’ Guild.

The Adventurers’ Guild was an impressive wooden structure.

Watching from a distance, I saw armed individuals actively moving in and out.

Now that I thought about it, I felt like I’d seen people and buildings like this in other cities.

They even existed back in the Empire that summoned me.

I simply hadn’t been interested before, but it seemed adventurers were everywhere in this world.

“We wait from here, then.”

“Are you bored?”

“No. I’m with you, Jack. It’s not a burden.”

We watched the Guild from the shadows.

Thanks to the constant bustle of the crowd, we didn’t stand out.

It was the perfect environment for surveillance.

“But wouldn’t it be more certain to go into the Guild to look for him, or wait inside?”

“I don’t want to run into Michael face-to-face yet. I’m not going to approach him immediately. First, we observe.”

I answered while biting down on a cigar.

Dorgu hadn’t set a deadline for the job.

There was no need to rush.

I could afford to take my time.

To succeed in scouting someone, you have to determine what they want.

I should only make contact after a thorough investigation.

And so, we waited for a while.

Eventually, a young man emerged from the Adventurers’ Guild.

His physical characteristics matched the documents perfectly.

That was likely Michael.

The young man was accompanied by three women.

A red-haired girl wearing leather armor was clinging to his arm.

A tall elf walked beside the youth with a dignified expression.

A brown-skinned woman, her eyes hidden by her bangs, followed the three of them in silence.

The group, with its skewed gender ratio, left the Guild in a harmonious atmosphere.

“That person is surely…”

Having seen the four of them, Alice muttered in surprise.

“No mistake about it. I never thought we’d reunite like this.”

I tossed my cigar away and crushed the embers under the sole of my shoe.

Without moving from the spot, I stared intensely at the backs of the four people leaving the Guild.

The corners of my mouth curled up naturally, and a deep breath escaped my lungs.

I felt my eyes go wide.

With a feat of sheer willpower, I stopped my fingers from creeping toward the grip of my handgun.

It was a complete coincidence.

It seems such a thing as “twists of fate” really does exist.

I doubt there will ever be another day where I feel this grateful to destiny.

The rumored man I had come to scout was the same Summoned Hero I had met back at the dwarven settlement.