Cain navigated the streets without a map. The capital was a mix of various eras, with some areas being very old and others quite new. Particularly, the buildings and roads around the guesthouse were so new that they could be considered entirely modern. The smooth, unblemished streets seemed impossible to get lost on, even if one were drunk.
‘There’s nowhere to hide around here.’
He knew better than anyone where fugitives typically sought refuge. Before attending the mad old man’s school, Cain had lived on the streets. He had been chased by police for pickpocketing and sometimes found himself in unwinnable fights, making escape a part of his daily life.
Satin wasn’t foolish; he would quickly realize this area offered no hiding spots.
‘Somewhere older would be better.’
He considered the narrow alleys where cheap rooms were clustered—places where sunlight barely reached and unpleasant smells lingered. In such areas, a mix of locals, outsiders, and immigrants made it easy to blend in without drawing much attention.
Over the past few days, Cain had traveled through the capital several times by carriage, moving between the palace and The Grand Temple. He recalled the scenes he had observed from the carriage, mentally noting a few potential locations.
***
‘Have they noticed I’m gone yet?’ Satin wondered, listening to the faint sounds of the street. It was time for early risers to begin their day. Someone at the guesthouse might have discovered the rope hanging out the window by now.
“Would you like something to eat?” the man who had brought Satin here asked, his energy belying the fact that he had been up all night. After tending to Satin’s leg, he rummaged through the small kitchen.
Satin glanced around the house before replying, “No, I’m fine.”
Though hungry, he had no appetite. The man seemed skilled at bandaging but not so much at housekeeping, judging by the mess. Satin doubted there was anything edible in the kitchen.
The man stopped what he was doing and sat across from Satin at a small, wobbly table. Satin, feeling uncomfortable with the table’s instability, kept his arms by his side.
The man’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, “Then let me tell you my plan.”
There was something unusual about him. Though he had a pleasant demeanor, there was an unsettling distance in his manner. Perhaps it was his eerily bright eyes or his unnaturally cheerful expression.
‘Is this what they call madness?’
In the dark, the man had seemed merely eccentric, but in the light of day, he was somewhat frightening.
Satin nodded vaguely, unable to express his lack of interest in the man’s plans.
“This morning, the hero will visit The Grand Temple. He and his companions will enter the Chamber of Whispers—a very important event.”
This information was not particularly secret, so it wasn’t surprising that the man knew about it. However, his next words caught Satin off guard.
“Today is likely the last scheduled visit. After exiting the Chamber of Whispers, the hero will leave the capital.”
Satin had originally planned to leave after today’s events, though his current circumstances had changed that. He had declined several invitations to palace banquets, feeling undeserving of the praise.
‘I am a fraud, but I don’t need to be celebrated for it.’
He had not shared his plans with anyone, always giving vague responses when asked about his future. No one knew what he intended to do after today.
Yet, the man spoke as if he knew Satin well, “The hero is kind but not sociable. He will likely return home after completing his duties. Though his origins are uncertain, he is probably from south of Redwood, possibly Cloverland. The one who defeated the Demon King is not the hero, but he must have been involved secretly.”
“I see,” Satin replied, wondering if the man was a stalker. Despite his reservations, he feigned interest to avoid arousing suspicion.
“Why do you think that?”
“Think about it. The hero needs a backstory. There must be events that shaped him. Heroic tales are usually like that.”
The man grinned, and Satin found himself smiling along, though he felt uneasy.
“If you want to see the hero before he leaves, time is running out. Once today passes, you’d have to go all the way to Cloverland, and chasing him there would be difficult. If he hides, you won’t know where to look.”
Satin had originally planned to return to Cloverland in a few days, just as the man guessed. Now, his destination had changed, but the thought of someone following him was unsettling.
Satin cautiously asked, “Do you really need to see the hero’s face?”
“What do you mean?” The man’s eyes flashed, startling Satin, though it was just the sunlight reflecting off them.
“I mean, the hero has nothing left to do…”
“One achievement is enough, isn’t it? What more could you want? Ah, you’ve seen the hero’s face, haven’t you? That’s why you’re so calm! If I had seen him during the parade, I wouldn’t be doing this!”
The man suddenly raised his voice, as if something was boiling inside him.
“I could barely see him from a distance. All I saw was his hair—black and curly, just like yours.”
The man narrowed his eyes, and Satin tried to hide his surprise.
“…I dyed it. Like the hero.”
“It suits you.”
Fortunately, the man didn’t seem suspicious and nodded.
“Look at the time. Anyway, here’s my plan. The hero will travel by carriage from the guesthouse to The Grand Temple.”
“I see.”
“We’ll wait and stop the carriage midway, where the road narrows at a bridge. The hero won’t get out, but the carriage will have to stop. That’s when we attack.”
“…Attack?” Satin’s eyes widened in shock.
What was this madman planning?
The man nodded vigorously and continued, his voice excited, “That’s why we need two people. You’re injured, so you’ll stop the carriage. Pretend your injured leg is slowing you down. Meanwhile, I’ll sabotage the carriage wheel and disrupt the procession.”
“But do we have to go that far? Damaging the carriage will surely get us punished.”
“Ha! Are you afraid of that? After climbing the guesthouse wall?”
“I didn’t climb the wall and get hurt…”
The man didn’t wait for Satin to finish.
“Let’s go. It’s a bit early, but better early than late. Now, where’s that hammer?”
Satin wondered how to escape this situation, but the solution came unexpectedly. A visitor arrived—the landlord, complaining about rent and noise.
Satin seized the opportunity to slip away through the window. Luckily, it was on the first floor, so he didn’t have to jump far. He grabbed a robe hanging in the man’s room and climbed out.
‘Thanks for the help,’ Satin thought, grateful for the bandage that had improved his ankle’s condition. He hurried away, limping slightly.
The surroundings seemed familiar. Beyond the residential area, he recognized large buildings from his previous carriage rides to The Grand Temple and the palace. He had come farther than he thought.
‘If I were alone, it would have taken much longer,’ he thought, grateful for the man’s support despite his crazy plan.
Satin blended into the crowd of early risers heading to work. He kept his face hidden under the robe, worried that someone might recognize him from the parade after his supposed victory over the Demon King.
He walked quickly, head down, until he reached a familiar main street. He looked around for a carriage stop, knowing he couldn’t leave the city yet due to lack of funds and the risk of being recognized.
A few people were already waiting at the carriage stop. Satin joined them, planning to find an older, less conspicuous part of the city to hide in.
