Chapter 104: Orchestrated commotion (1/2)
”It seems we are not the only ones hurrying here to investigate what happened,” Markus said, glancing at a huge crowd of people waiting in a long queue in front of the Inn's doors.
”This place… I never thought I would get to enter the city of Celestials…” Al replied, completely ignoring what Markus said. Being one of the most prominent figures in future history didn't make him a different man. And being able to see a city proper for the very first time in his life without trying to torch it down, had to be a huge shock for him.
”Then I have some bad news,' Markus announced, shaking his head in defeat.
”What happened?” Al instantly prepared himself for the worst.
'Just as expected,' Markus thought to himself as he smiled lightly. 'If I were to just tell him the news right away, he would pay any attention, huh?'
”Most likely, the best that we can count on, is a bit of straw in the stables.” Markus shook his head. ”And even that might be hard to come by. How about we just see whatever there is to see deeper in the city before leaving for the plains?” Markus suggested while looking around.
The city itself was somewhere in the middle of the scale from a rundown and dying town and a thriving metropolis. From the looks of things, it was about the size of any other random city from the times before modern medicine and technology became a thing.
”You are the leader here, sire,” Al replied in a jokingly manner before his face suddenly turned serious. ”But honestly speaking, I think I will feel better sleeping outside this place.” Al didn't even need to tell this. From what Markus could tell from the limited time he knew the man personally, he used to hold his head high, as if wanting to look ahead of everyone else. But ever since their small group reached the area near the city, Al's complexion continued to suffer.
”I think this would be a better choice too,” Markus replied, holding the same stance as Al, although for greatly different reasons.
'If we stay in the city, it will be hard to control who is going in and who is going out,' Markus thought just as a sudden commotion nearby forced his eyes to look over.
”I'm telling you! That's what I heard there! If you want to go look for them in the fucking staging ground, feel free!”
Barely twenty meters away, a group of warriors suddenly split into two. As if voicing the complaints of everyone that was backing them, two young men argued with each other.
”Can't you see how big the reward is?” The other party stomped his feet before attacking. ”As long as we catch just the two of them, we won't need to work a single day for the next few years!” The man shouted, before pointing his hand at the people standing firmly behind him. ”Do you really believe that a group of two could fight against our entire clan?”
'There is something wrong with them,' Markus suddenly noticed, putting a stop to his walk and gesturing at Al and Lessen to do the same. And after just a few moments of observing, the saint managed to pinpoint just what was bothering him about those commotion-starting fellows.
'They are all fake!' Markus thought to himself when the debate right beside him finally started to reach its conclusion. It was easy to notice it once one would focus on the tone of the people and how they accented their words.
”Fine, but what about those mercenaries they hired? I know they managed to only get a single one here, but the news from the warcamp claims that they left for the desert with over twenty men in total!” The reluctant character of the scene suddenly brought up yet another, juicy piece of information, instantly swaying the mood of the crow that was watching the commotion to his side.
'So they don't want people to go to the desert, huh?' Given how it seemed that the reluctant guy would triumph in the debate, Markus made a mental note before smiling and turning around. Yet, just as he was to make a single step, the proactive party counter-attacked.
”Those two are already condemned as a threat to civilization. No matter where they go and what they do, the entire world will be after them.” The young man made a short pause before allowing a huge, smug smile on his face. ”Do you really think that mercenaries will fight for him if we tell them about this? Heck, the second prince went out of his way and obtained a warrant for those mercs, allowing them to wash their sin by helping to catch those two fuckers!”
'It feels like I'm in the exposition part of some poorly written novel,' Markus thought before shaking his head in a silent defeat. ”Well, that works for me.” He said, before suddenly pushing forward.
”Shut up, both of you,” Markus ordered, suddenly becoming a third party in the war of the words. ”I know what are you doing and why are you doing that. I'm interested, so tell me where the fuck did those two go before I get bored with your farce.” Markus didn't even bother to check if Al and Lessen followed him.