Feeling reinvigorated after his chance encounter with a potential ally, Sunny made haste to accomplish his original goal: finding a guard post.
That's the whole reason he entered the market district in the first place. More money equals more guards, so it didn't take long for him to find what he was looking for.
Up on the corner in front of him was a brick tower that stood above the street market. A few knights were standing guard at the door, and an occasional knight could be seen entering or exiting the building.
He observes silently for a moment, pondering how to approach this. There's only one real option: The scared child act. He hates doing it, but getting people to pity you is a really effective tactic—he had already pulled this stunt multiple times today.
After all, what is pride worth if you pay its price with your life?
Steeling himself, Sunny conjures the cold sensation of death from his memory to aid in his act and breaks into a sprint towards the guard post.
"Guards! Guards! You need to help!"
"...What is the matter boy?"
"T-There was a woman in the slums—I watched her kill a bunch of people!"
"Say what? Tell us more, child!"
"She-She said her name was Elsa."
"Elsa? Elsa...Do you mean Elsa Granhiert!? The Bowel Hunter!?"
'The Bowel Hunter huh, how fitting.'
"Yes yes! Her! She said something about assassinating a Lady Emilia person a-and something about House Mathers? I didn't understand...but she said it's happening soon! At the loot barn! You have to hurry!"
To Sunny's surprise, the knights took his words very seriously. He had expected them to write him off from the start, but it appears that Elsa Granhiert, The Bowel Hunter—as he just learned—is more infamous than he first thought.
Just for good measure, he added the names Lady Emilia and House Mathers because he figured they were important.
"Listen here child, you have done this kingdom a great service. Thank you, and do not worry, we will take care of this."
The knight quickly thanked him, pulled a small satchel of coins from his waist, and pressed them into his hand before taking his leave and alerting the other guards.
'Huh...Well, that went better than I anticipated.'
Taking a peek into the bag, there appeared to be 1 silver coin and 5 coppers. Being ignorant of the exchange rate between coins and credits, Sunny simply assumed that this was enough to feed someone for a day or two.
With that done, Sunny rushed back down the main street. There were no food stalls in this area, and the sun had set not long ago. Stalls were closing down shop.
Arriving in the nick of time, he catches a vendor beginning to close up shop with some meat skewers still on the grill.
"How much?"
"A copper each, how many you want?"
"Perfect. In that case, I'll take your last 5."
Exchanging the coins for skewers, he wasted no time devouring his first bites of real meat in nearly a decade. The meat was quite salty and tough, but to Sunny's hungry stomach, it tasted better than anything he'd eaten since he was a kid.
'I could have been frugal and stretched these coins out, but what's the point?'
Walking as he ate, Sunny followed the marching stream of guards towards the slums. Counting nearly thirty knights enter the slums, he didn't think it was enough. Some of them looked decently strong, but even that hulking giant of a man Rom stood no chance. He did not have high hopes.
But, hope is exactly what Sunny is trying to sort out right now.
'I know what happens when I die. But what happens when I live?'
That is the essential question he must answer before making any rash decisions. He could probably brute force his way through this Nightmare if he throws himself at Elsa a few hundred times, but that would be its own nightmare; one he'd rather avoid.
'This isn't my problem. If I can succeed without getting involved then I'd rather do that before dying again...'
For now, Sunny would hold himself back.
Although, that proved to be quite difficult. As the guards entered the slums, Sunny guessed there were about 15-20 minutes left until Elsa enters the loot barn.
Watching the last knight disappear into the alleys; An immediate, but subtle feeling of apprehension begins to tickle his mind.
Only a few minutes passed before the anxiety had began eating at him, like a static sensation was slowly enveloping him.
More quickly now, doubts begin to invade his thoughts.
How does this end?; No idea.
Then what happens next?; Who am I kidding. They're all going die.
When I live...what then?; Simple. They stay dead.
Is this the right choice?; I have to put myself first.
But then you won't get your revenge on Elsa; Damnit ...that's true.
What about Emilia?; What about her. Her life is in her hands.
You won't feel guilty?; Regrets are preferable to death.
Is this cowardice?; Does it matter.
Be honest with yourself; It's easier this way.
...
"Screw it. I'm going in."