Surviving as the Emperor's Assassin

Chapter 4. I Arrived at the City.

“Making a living is really not easy.”

‘Survival’ is a problem that needs to be viewed in the long term.

Even the most basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter don't just fall from the sky.

To continue this fugitive life, the financial aspect had to be resolved immediately.

I had the money the old man gave me, but I didn't even know how much it was worth.

Eventually, I would hit a limit.

Finding a way to earn money was essential.

“Isn't that right?”

“Yes?”

The bandit blinked stupidly at my words.

“Weren't you listening?”

“I was listening!”

No matter how I looked at it, that wasn't the reaction of someone who was listening.

Lies came out automatically.

But whether these guys were listening or not wasn't actually that important.

Thanks to the bandits' diligent Q&A session, I had roughly grasped how things worked around here.

The level of technological development was about what you'd call the Middle Ages.

Considering the existence of magic and various monsters, it was closer to a 'medieval fantasy' setting.

“Is becoming a mercenary the only way?”

“That's right! Absolutely! You'll surely become a great mercenary, the kind that appears once in a thousand years!”

According to them, there were many people here who made a living by wielding weapons.

Even excluding criminals like thugs and bandits, respectable professions like knights, soldiers, and hunters existed.

It was amusing, but this place also had regular and irregular workers.

Regular workers were called by their respective professions, but irregular workers were lumped together.

Namely, ‘mercenaries’.

Guys who would do anything, be it acting as a knight or hunting, as long as they were paid.

“This sucks.”

I let out a deep sigh.

Identity checks didn't seem very strict around here, but staying in one place for too long would eventually lead to getting caught.

A stable job was out of the question.

Therefore, naturally, I couldn't become a regular worker.

The fact that I was an irregular worker both on Earth and here was somewhat depressing.

“……Can we leave now?”

The bandits fidgeted, watching my expression.

The ignorant saying "the law is far, but the fist is near" was practically truth here.

And not just far, but as far as Seoul to Busan.

Just look at how these bandits, who had charged so fiercely, turned into meek sheep after just a few hits.

“Yeah, watch yourselves on the way out.”

I waved my hand.

Continuing to harass those who had surrendered wasn't fun.

“Thanks for the clothes and sword. I'll put them to good use.”

It was hard to say that the belongings of guys who went around robbing people were particularly good, but they were better than nothing.

They would also serve as a sort of disguise.

While I was at it, I cut off the long, flowing hair.

I couldn't change the color, but even this much should change my appearance considerably.

“Yes, sir.”

The bandits slinked away without raising their heads.

“Which way should I go?”

After all the bandits had left.

I started walking leisurely and soon reached a fork in the road.

I had heard about the surroundings from the bandits I met earlier.

The left path led to a city.

With many people living there, there would likely be many jobs.

However, the chances of encountering those hunting me would be significantly higher.

The right path led to a relatively small castle.

A closed society with little interaction with the outside world.

They wouldn't be very friendly to a stranger carrying weapons, and there wouldn't be many jobs available for a mercenary.

The conclusion came quickly.

“If things go wrong, I can just run away.”

Either way, I couldn't last long without earning money.

I chose the left path and started walking.

* * *

The city, surrounded by low walls, had several gates, and at each gate, guards managed entry and exit.

The system involved giving a few coins to the guards who wished to enter the city and passing through the gate.

“Where are you from?”

“I came from the Imperial Capital.”

The young man standing before me answered with a timid face.

His expression clearly showed he didn't understand why he was being held back despite having paid the toll.

“Hmm, the Imperial Capital.”

The guard scanned the young man up and down.

“Last night, His Majesty the Emperor passed away. If you came from the Imperial Capital, you must know, right?”

“Y-Yes, of course.”

I was more flustered than the young man being questioned.

What happened last night was already known this far?

No matter how fast word travels, this was too fast.

Weren't letters supposed to take days just to reach the next town in the Middle Ages?

‘Am I going to get caught here?’

My blood ran cold.

But leaving the queue now would surely look even more suspicious.

For now, all I could do was hope the guards wouldn't recognize me.

“They say the culprit escaped. About your age, I hear.”

The guard swaggered, poking the young man's body here and there.

He didn't seem genuinely suspicious.

Just simple nitpicking.

It was a shallow trick, obvious what he wanted.

“Oh my, that's terrible! The world is so chaotic, guarding must be tough work!”

As if it were natural here, the young man fumbled out a few more coins and placed them in the guard's hand.

“You must have had a hard journey getting here.”

The guard gave a satisfied smile, patted the young man's shoulder, and stepped aside.

“Another vigorous young man. Where are you from?”

It was my turn.

I quickly handed the coins to the guard.

“I came from Dorg Village.”

I quickly gave the name of one of the villages I heard from the bandits.

“From Dorg Village to Dejong? You've come quite a long way too.”

The guard's eyes narrowed.

“Came to become a mercenary?”

“Yes……. How did you know?”

I forced a smile at the guard's words.

He was sharper than he looked.

In other words, he was someone likely to figure out my identity.

Maybe I should just head to another city?

But not entering the city after paying the toll would also be suspicious behavior in its own right.

Tension made my hand instinctively reach for the sword hilt.

“Guys from the countryside who think they're strong always get interested in mercenary work at least once. Thinking they can become something great if they just go to the city with a cheap sword.”

The guard chuckled.

Because the clothes and sword I took from the bandits were in bad shape, I apparently looked like a country bumpkin who came to the city chasing foolish dreams.

“Ahaha. You have a sharp eye.”

I brushed off the remark, which could be taken as dismissive.

I am a fugitive.

It's important not to stand out.

There's no need to cause trouble over trivial matters.

“You're well-built, and your body is very sturdy. How about working for the guard instead of being a mercenary? I have that much authority.”

An unexpected offer for a regular job.

Was it okay to recruit guards like this?

Shouldn't they properly check identities first?

“Thank you for the kind offer, but I have my circumstances.”

I politely declined the offer.

I still hadn't gotten that far from the Imperial Capital.

The location wasn't good for settling down.

“Right, it's that time.”

Surprisingly, the guard backed down easily.

Seeing how overly empathetic he was, perhaps he himself had come to the city for similar reasons and ended up staying.

“If you change your mind after experiencing it yourself, come find me. I'm Bill.”

The guard gave me an affectionate gaze and opened the way.

It was uncomfortable, but I couldn't complain when things were going smoothly.

“I am……”

“Tell me your name later when you feel like joining the guard. It feels bad when someone you know the name of dies.”

The guard waved his hand dismissively.

He seemed to have judged that since mercenary work is so dangerous, we might not meet again.

Feeling disappointed that I didn't get a chance to use the alias I'd carefully crafted, I entered the city.

The atmosphere in the city was strange.

Apparently, as mentioned right from the entrance, the Emperor's death was the cause.

* * *

“Did you hear the news?”

“I still can't believe it. His Majesty the Emperor passed away……”

“What kind of evil bastard could have done that to His Majesty the Emperor……”

About half of the conversations I overheard while passing by were related to the Emperor.

It was a little, no, quite surprising.

Usually, high-ranking people like kings were outside the interest of commoners.

“They say it's a guy named Luke Ivers. The ‘Sword Saint's’ disciple.”

“For the Sword Saint to lose the culprit. Must be because he was his disciple……”

The name of this body was also mentioned repeatedly.

‘Luke Ivers’. Let's remember that.

The old man I met that day seemed to be a great person called the ‘Sword Saint’.

‘That aside, the people's support for the Emperor is solid.’

If the assassinated target had been a tyrant, I might have been remembered as a hero by the public, but judging by the atmosphere surrounding the Emperor's death, he seemed closer to a wise ruler.

Anyway, I didn't know why he committed such an act.

Killing the Emperor must have been difficult, so there must have been a significant reason.

But anyway, that was important only to ‘Luke Ivers’.

My own affairs were more urgent.

‘I'd like to rest for a few days, gather information, and then start, but…….’

As time passes, the risk of being caught by pursuers increases.

Besides, wandering around for days looking shabby without working is perfect for raising suspicion.

Working diligently also serves as a kind of disguise.

Not many people would think the escaped Emperor's assassin would be working diligently.

“Phew.”

Sighing, I looked around.

The way mercenaries worked, according to what I heard, was to go to a place similar to a manpower agency called a Mercenary Guild, pick one of the piled-up jobs, and get moving.

Having to commute to a manpower agency even here…….

“I heard Mercenary Guilds are usually near the city entrance.”

Most jobs given to mercenaries—escort, monster hunting, exploration, etc.—had to be handled outside the city, so it was natural.

“Oh.”

Recognizing the Guild building wasn't very difficult.

A large monster skull hung on the building's outer wall.

It was hard to guess its appearance in life, but I could tell it had many horns.

What else could a building with such a hideous design be if not the Mercenary Guild?

Creak.

The poorly maintained door had to be pushed hard to open.

Due to the small windows, it was dark inside even though it was midday.

Perhaps the lighting was intentionally kept dim because the people inside the Mercenary Guild were half-asleep.

I looked around once, but there was no bulletin board with job requests posted like in games or comics.

After thinking for a moment, I realized.

The illiteracy rate in this world seemed quite high.

It was surely even worse for guys who chose brutish professions like mercenary work.

A bulletin board was useless if no one could read what was written on it.

‘Then how on earth does it operate?’

There was a place inside that looked like a reception desk, but I didn't want to wander around advertising my ignorance.

Setting aside the embarrassment, the probability of attracting guys trying to rip me off somehow was high.

“……”

In times like these, imitating others is best.

I silently slipped into a corner and sat down.

It was a boring time.

Hoping for some information, I listened intently to the mercenaries' murmurs, but most of it was just rumors about the Emperor's death.

How much time passed like that?

Bang.

A girl burst through the door with imposing confidence.

Her tanned, youthful face was striking.

“Goblin hunt! 3 silver coins! Three people!”

The girl shouted the request details.

Request details, payment, number of people needed.

This seemed to be the format for requesting mercenaries.

‘Goblins, huh.’

A familiar name from games.

Usually, they appear frequently as weak monsters you fight right at the start of the game.

It seemed like a suitable request for a beginner, but I couldn't be sure.

I carefully waited for the reactions of the surrounding mercenaries.