Chapter 8: Ash and Stolen Goods

Rohan City was one of the eight major cities in the Rosia kingdom, making it a hub for adventurers and hunters. The lands that surrounded the city’s walls hid many dangers, including monsters and dungeons alike.

As Nikolai left the academy the next day, he headed straight toward the Hunters Union. There was no rule that students can’t become adventurers, only that it was rather rare.

The Rohan Academy provided techniques, guidance, and opportunities for those who graduated from the military academy. However, it wasn’t a place that Nikolai would limit himself to.

He knew of many exploitable facts about the surrounding land. One of them is something he aimed for today, A Goblins Graveyard.

It wasn’t something precious, only something that Julian chanced upon in their second year of the academy. When goblins die out of sickness or old age, their relatives bury their remains in a hidden place in the goblin’s village.

These remains weren’t anything special, but they were the resources that the goblins use once they reach adulthood. Some of them are crystals.

However, not all goblin villages had that because, with such proximity to humans, they were bound to be exterminated and looted before they die of sickness or old age.

Nikolai knew of such a place. That’s why once the investigation was over, he grabbed a few clothes and his life savings and left the academy.

The current issue was that he didn’t have enough money for weapons of his own. Without money, he couldn’t buy weapons. Without weapons, he couldn’t become an adventurer. Without becoming an adventurer, he wouldn’t be able to hunt. Not being able to hunt meant that he’ll never reach the E-rank, granting him privileges similar to those of adulthood.

He aimed to gamble as soon as possible to make a lot of money for his ship. If he wanted a proper first skill that would make his other plans easier, he needed to find that island.

As Nikolai wandered through the brick-lined streets, with vendors on each side and shops busy making a living, he thought about illegally forging a new ID card.

When he graduated in his past life, he worked for a local guild in Rohan city. At that time, he had met the boss of the underworld in Rohan City, Hyde Crow. He learned that every casino, brothel, and bar were the properties of this man.

He was a very dangerous person. Nikolai had the confidence after he had returned to the past, but he wanted to avoid him at all costs for now. He still remembers how this man humiliated him when he was trying to stop him once.

One step at a time.

Before he knew it, he was already standing in front of a very familiar place. Not the Hunters Union, but a fence hid beside the market of the city.

It was a bakery shop called Rare Goods, which was kind of true. Stolen goods were rare goods. Nikolai took a deep breath and entered the store.

“Welcome! What can I get you?” The man behind the glass welcomed him with a bright smile.

“Raisin cookies.” Even though Nikolai said that the man’s bright smile was the same.

“Sorry sir, we’ve run out of them today.”

“Can you check the back for me?” Nikolai said as he took out a Rosian Silver Coin and placed it on the table. “I’ll be grateful.”

The man glanced at the coin and Nikolai with suspicion, as if trying to determine his age. Nikolai’s appearance was of a weakly, sick, black-haired teenager with no redeeming qualities other than the dark circles under his eyes.

“You can check the back,” The man snatched the coin and glanced at the door on his left. “Make sure you have your money.”

With that, Nikolai was allowed inside. He found himself in a dark hallway with a lit window in the end. Nikolai walked slowly toward the window and knocked on the glass.

The window slid open as a man, the fence, revealed himself. He had thick eyebrows with two prominent frontal teeth that made him look shady.

“Are you lost, kid?” The fence glanced at him. “We don’t sell your momma’s milk. Get out of here.”

“I’m here to buy some weapons.”

“I said, get out.”

“Stolen weapons,” Nikolai repeated. “I know what you do, what I didn’t know was that you have an age limit for your customers.”

“I don’t,” The fence took something out of his teeth using his finger. He balled the food leftovers into a ball and flicked it at Nikolai’s shoulder. “But young ones usually have less money, unless your daddy was someone big. Judging from your clothes, you’re just a poor kid trying to do something stupid.”

“Not as stupid as stealing from Hyde.” Nikolai cleaned his shoulder with disgust. “I admire your bravery, buying something that is that man’s belonging, do you know no fear?”

The man stared at him without saying anything. With one swift motion, the man had a revolver pointed at Nikolai’s forehead.

“The dead don’t speak,” The fence grinned. “You were foolish to threaten me, kiddo. Now, you’ll lose your life.”

“You won’t kill me,” Nikolai was unafraid. “If you did, my friend will make sure that Hyde knows that you have his merchandise.”

“You’re bluffing.” The fence pulled the revolver’s hammer, a distinct click echoed through the hallway. “How about I kill you before looking through your body? I bet I’ll find out who your friend is.”

“Take it easy, Ash.” Nikolai sighed. “I’m not your enemy, only a customer.”

“How do you know that name?” Ash’s eyes were filled with killing intent. “The more you talk, the more I’m tempted to kill you.”

“I know your sister,” Nikolai revealed. “I’m from the Chaos Orphanage, your sister worked there when I was a kid.”

“My sister is dead.” Ash was hesitant. “That doesn’t explain how you knew about this.”

“She showed me a picture of you once, I didn’t know it was you before I came in here.”

Nikolai wasn’t lying, he had truly met his sister. However, she never mentioned that she had a brother, at least not to Nikolai. He only knew this because he found this out after buying something from Ash in his past life.

“Alright, I believe you.” Ash retracted his gun. “Just to make sure, what was my sister’s name?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Her name was Mary,” Nikolai answered and Ash smiled. When he smiled back, Ash pointed the gun at him again.

“Your bluff ends here, that’s not her name!” Ash’s finger touched the trigger. “You’ve lied, kiddo. Now, you die.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know you’re bluffing. Just open the door already, I have other things to do.” Nikolai pushed the gun away and looked at Ash speechless. Ash smiled and unlocked the door.

“You’re a tough nut to crack, kiddo. Don’t your fear death?” Ash asked as he opened the door. Nikolai walked inside to the room that was filled with shelves lined with stolen goods.

“The more you look death in the eyes, the less scary it gets.” Nikolai smiled as he scanned the room. “At some point, it becomes appealing. I’m sorry for what happened to your sister.”

“Let’s talk business. What do you need?” Ash waved him as if he didn’t want to talk about it. “I don’t have a variety of weapons, you see.”

“I need a gun and a dagger.”

“I have those. They’ll be 20 silvers.” Ash went to grab the two weapons but Nikolai stopped him.

“Aa,” Nikolai scratched his head. “You have a great judgment, I’m broke indeed.”

Ash paused his actions and turned toward Nikolai while squinting his eyes. His hand grabbed the revolved on his waist again as his lips parted to reveal his giant teeth.

“Are you playing with me, boy?” Ash took out his gun. “I don’t have time for this.”

“I didn’t say I don’t have anything to offer. I have intel.”

“I’m not interested.”

“It’s about Hyde.”

“… Go on.” Ash paused and returned the gun to its holster. “Make sense or I’ll shoot you.”

“I know that you’re looking into Hyde’s movement after what happened to Mary. You must also know that’s he’s planning to raid some ruins at the moment. I know what ruins he’s going to raid.”

“Why would I need that sort of information?”

“Hyde is like a chameleon, once it wanted to hide, you won’t find it. You need this information to find him.”

“What ruins are they?” Ash asked through gritted teeth, but Nikolai didn’t answer. Seeing him like that, Ash cursed and went to grab the two weapons. He threw them at Nikolai and waited for his answer.

“Abani Ruins.”

“Impossible, the guild that has bought Abani’s rights is…”

“He has people on the inside. That’s all I know.” Nikolai wanted to leave before he saw a panel in front of him.

[Fate has been stolen. 5 Fate Points has been gained.]

[New Character, Ash, has been registered.]

[Fate Meter: 22] [+5]

[Choose a response in thirty seconds.]

[Dialogue: Goodbye.]

[Dialogue: Don’t interfere with Hyde.]

[Action: Suggest a plan.]

Nikolai read the panel as quickly as he could. The first thing that grabbed his notice was that Ash’s fate meter was neutral, it didn’t have a +/- sign.

‘Sometimes, people aren’t good or bad. They’re just people.’ Nikolai sighed. What grabbed his attention was that there was a +5 next to his fate meter. ‘Did I cause this rise?’ He most likely did.

“I have an idea on how to get to Hyde without killing yourself.”

“I’m not going to die, I…”

“You will.” Nikolai turned and looked him in the eyes. ‘I’ve seen it.’ He thought to himself as he remembered the past.

“… what is it?”

“Use the information indirectly. A tip to the guild or the kingdom, anything. A win is still a win even if you’re not there to see it.” After he finished talking, Nikolai left. Another message appeared in front of him.

[Fate has been stolen. 5 Points have been gained.]