At first, I wasn’t completely sure about someone tailing us, but I noticed that the same smell kept following us around. So, the probability is high. Thalia didn’t notice it yet, of course, and I don’t want to worry her until I am completely sure.

Unfortunately, I don’t really have the skills to escape the shadow following us. Especially not without Thalia noticing.

I am also wondering about who is tailing us and why. Well, not really. There is one person who comes to my mind. It’s that noble orc. But did they really find us already? In a city as big as the capital? Even though our identities were hidden? I thought we have more time until anything happens. How did he find us so fast?

I let out a groan.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s fine. I just thought of something.”

Yeah, I just thought that I can be a real idiot sometimes. How the heck could I forget about this? Of course I wore a mask during the auction, so that guy should not know about me. But Thalia did not. So he doesn’t have to search for me, but for Thalia.

It’s no wonder he found us this fast. I was really careless.

But I still have an advantage. I don’t think he does already know about me since the tail just found us. That means he shouldn’t know who I am or who is backing me. So they’re just gathering information for now. And I know at least my opponent is a noble, and that’s where I am ahead of him.

Well, as soon as they figure out that there is no one behind me, and I am just an ordinary adventurer, they will probably move.

Unfortunately, I can’t just leave the city and be done with it, so I have to deal with it somehow.

We finally enter the inn and go back to our room. I couldn’t think of a method where I avoid leading our shadow here. But entering the inn also means that they finally lost sight of me.

“Thalia, please wait here for a moment. There is something I have to do.”

“Eh!?”

She lets out a confused noise while noticing me leaving through the window.

Without further explanation, I leave through the window and use my enhanced physical abilities to jump on the roof. Then I sneak up, observing our shadow in the back alley.

“Should we maybe just grab her and be done with it? There is no way an adventurer can stand up to a noble, anyway?”

“Idiot! We need more information before we take action. He could be a noble son from somewhere. There has to be something, otherwise he wouldn’t have the money to buy the slave. That’s why we are observing for now.”

“Oh, right, I forgot. Then should we inform the boss about the inn?”

“Yes. We will do that later. But for now, we continue watching him, to make sure they don’t leave the inn again.”

I listen to their conversation for a while, and they really didn’t tell their boss about my location, yet. I guess it’s time to take action myself.

I jump from the roof, instantly knocking the first one out and pin the second one on the ground.

“Quiet, don’t even try to do anything.”

He struggles for a bit, but eventually realizes that I am way stronger than him. “Shit!”

“Now talk! Who ordered you to follow me?”

When he doesn’t answer, I twist his arm a bit more, and he lets out a painful cry. “I won’t tell you anything, bastard.”

“Oh? Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway. I already know who you’re working for. It’s that Hayes guy, right?”

At my statement, his eyes went wide from shock and he blurted out, “How do you know that?”

They really are both idiots. Well, thanks to my bluffing, I have confirmation now. Unfortunately, it’s not like I can prove anything, so I knock out the second guy, too.

How am I going to deal with them now? I can’t just leave them here.

I examine the two guys and notice something. I couldn’t help but facepalm. It seems we are all idiots here. I was an idiot for not being careful enough. These guys are idiots for being noticed and blurting out information without me having even proof. And that noble? He is an idiot for hiring wanted criminals…

I remember seeing their wanted poster at the guild.

With that, it is actually easy to dispose of them. I just have to hand them over, so I carry them under my arms all the way to the guild.

Ok, me carrying two unconscious men like this got me a few weird looks from passersby, but no one says something to me. Instead, when they see me, they immediately look away. I guess they don’t want to get involved in whatever is going on.

“Benji, what is going on?”

Upon entering the guild, Nora immediately calls me out. By the way, that’s the name of the receptionist who handled the request from Richard and Thalia’s registration.

“Hi Nora. I noticed these two guys following me. And when I questioned them, I recognized their faces from the wanted posters.”

“Hm… now that you say it. Yes, they are really wanted criminals. Thank you for… Huh!? What do you mean they followed you? Are you in trouble?”

“Ugh… yeah… but I can’t really talk about it.”

At that she looks at me with scornful eyes, obviously thinking that I am involved with some bad guys.

“It’s not like that, ok? So, please don’t jump to conclusions. I have some trouble with a noble, and I don’t want to involve the guild in my problems. When I bluffed, one of them actually confirmed my suspicion.”

“… he confirmed it?”

“Yes. But as I said, I don’t have any further evidence. And the situation is a bit complicated. So, I don’t think the word of some random petty criminal is enough to bring down a noble, right?”

“Ugh… no it isn’t…”

She looks a bit down. I don’t know if it is because she thought of something bad about me or because she feels sorry that she can’t help me. Maybe it’s both.

“Well, don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure to deal with the situation properly. It would already help me if you can deal with these guys.”

“Ok, but please be careful, ok? But I have to inform the guildmaster about this.”

“Ugh… I guess it can’t be helped.”

After receiving the reward for these guys, I buy a hood for Thalia before I return to the inn. The proprietress is confused, because she didn’t see me leaving the inn, but says nothing. And when I enter the room, Thalia immediately starts questioning me about what was going on.

“Please calm down, I’ll explain, alright?”

She blushes a bit, but nods and lets me explain.

I tell her about the guys following us, that they were sent by that noble, and that I took them to the guild, because they were wanted criminals.

“I think that’s why it would be better if you wear a hood when we go outside. That should make it harder for him to find you.”

She looks at me, almost crying.

“Is.. Is that man really a noble?”

“Yes, but don’t worry about it. We will manage somehow.”