As the morning sun peeked in from the room's windows, I lazily opened my eyes to see the light, only to immediately close them and laze around for a few hours more.
It was when the bell of the Cathedral of Waves, the Storm Church in Bayam tolled eleven times, that I finally woke up from my slumber.
I finally felt alive and healthy now, no longer plagued by fatigue and lack of spirituality.
Getting up from the bed, I washed up, and called the service staff to clear the table and bring me breakfast.
After lazing around for even longer, I packed up all my belongings, and finally checked out of the Wind of Azure inn.
I took a carriage close to a street before the Red Theatre, and found Old Man Osmil's Gift shop.
As I entered, the Old Man looked up at the entrance and saw me. The expression on his face, that was neutral, turned soft when he saw me all fine and healthy.
"Li'l Lorenzo, how did your business in the city go? I hope there weren't too many problems."
He asked with a chuckle.
"Eh… It was quite alright. There were some problems, but it went relatively smoothly. I also had some help, so there wasn't much to worry about."
Smooth my ass!
I couldn't help but remember the nightmare of getting my trump card weapon being stolen. I hadn't expected that freaking Swindler to change his direction, and attack me instead. In hindsight, I should have been more cautious, but my relatively smooth progress that far, along with the availability of the charms, had made me a bit arrogant.
Of course, I hadn't discounted a Swindler's ability to steal items with spirituality from distance, it was just that when he was being chased, I, who was cautious enough to maintain a certain distance, was caught by surprise from the tenacity of the person whom I expected to be more of a coward. At least that is what the papers given by captain said. But I guess perspectives of a Sequence 5 and a Sequence 9 were bound to have differences.
Marauders were scary! I could truly empathise with Klein now, who had to deal with a fucking King of Angels of this pathway. Well, will have to, in this situation.
Taking a deep breath, I controlled my emotions and chatted with Old Man Osmil for a bit.
After bidding him farewell, I took a carriage to the Amyris Leaf Bar. Once I was in there, I went to the bar counter, and asked the bartender for a glass of Zarhar. It was truly the best beer at sea.
As I sat there in silence, listening to the background noise of drunken sailors grumbling, I savoured the taste of the beer, and the feeling of sitting still on solid ground.
Once, when enough time had passed, I was signalled by the bartender to go inside a particular card room. I followed the instructions and went in.
Inside was sitting the old man who owned this bar, and its underground business, Strongman Ozil.
I went in, and casually sat down cross him on the card table. I sat there silently, staring at him and waiting for him to speak.
After staring back at me for several seconds without breaking eye contact, the man finally gave up and spoke.
"The bounty for Bacardi and Russell is 900 and 100 pound respectively. Since it took a few roundabout channels, 910 is what we got after removing the middlemen cut."
I nodded at his words, not saying anything. I put my hand forward on the table, and opened my palm, as if asking for a palm reading...
As for the cut, I didn't worry about that, since the money came from a gang leader, of course he would take roundabout ways. And since I didn't have any legal connections yet, I couldn't get the whole bounty.
Seeing my open palm, the Old Man sighed and pulled out a small box from his side. I received it, and opened to check it. It was a thick stack of 10 pound notes, with two 5 pound notes on top.
I deliberately took my time to count the 10 pound notes twice, making sure to confirm that they were 90 in total.
He-he. I have finally become a pirate hunter!!
I couldn't help but feel excited from inside. My total balance at present was 910 pounds from today, and 12 pounds, 15 soli that had remained from my stay in Bayam
After verifying the notes, I put the box of money in my suitcase, and stood up to thank the man. After he returned my formality, I wished him good luck and left the bar.
Without looking back, I went straight to 31 Acid Lemon Street, to a simple café that had brown tinted glass windows. A person inside could easily see out from the windows during the day, but people outside couldn't see inside.
After having a cup of coffee, several cakes, and a beef rib eye, I left the café in a happy mood.
As I boarded a public carriage to the docks, I pulled out my pocket watch to look at the time.
It was 6:02 in the evening.
Once I reached the harbour, I paid the driver the fair, and started walking towards the ferry I was supposed to take to Pilsey Island.
It was a red evening, as the setting sun shone on the horizon, dying the clouds rising up from the West in bright orange. It was a beautiful sight, it was a fascinating sight.
Walking among the people that were either coming from, and going to the harbour was me, who had completed his first mission after transmigration, and had digested the first potion of my pathway.
Among the crowd of people, I was someone with a story to tell. Among the crowd of people, everyone had a story to tell.
In this crowd of people, two men walked out from the light of the setting, red sun.
Dressed in a linen shirt, black vest, black pants and brown boots was a man with charred yellow hair. He had a not so chiselled face, with soft curves at places. He looked like someone who'd hail from the south of Intis.
A step beside him was a young gentleman with neat black hair, dark brown eyes, who wore gold rimmed glasses. He was dressed in a classic Loen styled suit with a black top hat.
I, who had already stared for too long, turned my eyes straight, and walked like I had seen nothing.
I, who had nothing to do with those men, kept my gait straight, and walked like nothing had happened.
I, who had the control of an Assassin, made sure my body didn't give out any sense of tension or paranoia.
It was only when I had reached my ferry, that I heaved a sigh of relief.
So, it begins, huh?
Looking up at the sun that was halfway below the horizon, I felt my ferry leave the harbour and swim away.
It was a lazy day, it was an easy day, it was a fulfilling day.
On this day, another new story was about to begin.
Jan 12, 1350, at 6:26 in the evening, Gehrman Sparrow had arrived in Bayam, the City of Generosity. On this day, the legend of the most famous pirate hunter across the Five Seas was about to begin.
It was the beginning of a new story, a new character, a new adventure.
______
Arc 1 Assassin is complete.