The following morning,
This was a very humble inn located in the northern part of the ruined village. The outer walls were made of aged wood, much of the paint peeling away, and there appeared to be strange pentagram-like symbols hastily drawn on the walls. The windows were shattered, barely holding together. Despite the inn's dilapidated condition, it was bustling with business. In these dark times, exiles, deserters, and thieves were numerous, and all of them sought a place to rest, even if that place was far from pleasant.
Sweat-soaked, Will entered the inn. It was summer, yet he still wore the heavy black armor his father had gifted him.
"Owner, a cup of water! No, two cups!" Will exclaimed, stumbling toward an empty table, his exhaustion evident. He barely had the strength to order.
"Two copper coins per cup, four copper coins for two, kid," the innkeeper replied as he approached with two wooden cups in hand. The innkeeper was a grizzled, disheveled middle-aged man, exuding an aura of menace.
"Alright," Will muttered in agreement, his hand reaching for the coin pouch at his waist.
"I only have gold coins," Will admitted, pulling a gold coin from his pocket and placing it on the table. Immediately, the eyes of the other patrons in the inn were drawn to the gold coin, and to the unfamiliar young man holding it.
Will had no money when he first arrived at the Bone-crushing Arena; the four men who captured him had taken all his belongings. However, after receiving a bounty, Jin had shared a portion of his gold with both Will and Lisa as a token of thanks.
"Kid, let me give you a word of advice. I don't care who you are, but you should know that the people who come to my inn are either bandits or fools with nothing to lose. The moment you pulled out that gold coin, I'm sure they've marked you. If you don't want trouble, you'd better leave now." The innkeeper leaned in, whispering into Will's ear.
Upon hearing this, Will's already weary mind tensed, and he dared not move too suddenly, instead carefully scanning the room to see if anyone was eyeing him.
"I have no money to pay. Consider this cup of water my treat. Finish it and leave quickly," the innkeeper said, straightening up and speaking loudly as he placed one of the cups of water in front of Will.
"Alright, alright," Will responded, lifting his gaze to meet the innkeeper's eyes.
With that, the innkeeper left, and Will grabbed the cup, drinking deeply, his throat parched.
Just then, two men at the neighboring table suddenly stood up. Both were clad in tattered armor, with knives strapped to their waists, their appearance suggesting they had just returned from battle. With wooden cups in hand, they marched directly toward Will.
"Hey, kid, which king do you swear allegiance to?" one of them demanded, sitting across from Will with a scowl.
"I—I don't understand what you mean," Will replied, setting down his cup, his expression one of confusion.
"Judging by the armor, you must have been separated from your unit," the man continued, pressing.
"No, I'm not a soldier," Will replied.
"Bang!" The second man suddenly slammed his cup onto the table.
"You're not a soldier, yet you dare wear armor! You must have killed a soldier and taken his gear!" the second man shouted, his tone accusing and loud, clearly having had a few drinks.
"Sigh, here we go again," the innkeeper muttered from afar, watching the scene unfold with a resigned air. His tone suggested that such incidents were not uncommon at his inn.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Will said, standing up, preparing to leave. He quickly understood the innkeeper's warning—the place was no longer safe for him.
"Trying to run, are we!?" One of the men suddenly drew his knife and slashed at Will.
Will, undeterred, swiftly drew his own short sword and parried the attack.
"Yah!" The second man, seeing Will armed, charged at him, brandishing his knife wildly. In the heat of the moment, Will raised his foot and kicked, using his giant-like strength to send the man flying out of the inn.
"Agh?" Seeing his companion's fate, the remaining man froze, astonished. He had not expected the young boy in front of him to possess such strength. In the split second that his attention wavered, Will seized the opportunity. His left fist clenched tightly and struck the man's chest with remarkable speed.
"Ah!" The man was sent flying out of the inn, his body crashing into the street outside. Will sheathed his short sword and walked slowly to the door.
"Run, run!" The two men outside scrambled to their feet and fled in terror.
Will watched them flee with a long sigh before returning to the inn, heading toward the innkeeper.
"I didn't expect it to end like this, kid. You're something else. But I still advise you to leave quickly. Those soldier-thugs won't give up easily, and they're probably out there gathering more people to deal with you." The innkeeper, wiping a glass, spoke gruffly to Will.
"Mm, I'll leave soon. But I need to ask you something."
"What is it? Go ahead." The innkeeper replied.
"Do you know if there was ever a town nearby?" Will inquired.
"Rem Town? Not far from here. Just head north for about ten minutes, and you'll find it. But it's gone now. A plague destroyed it... and nearly destroyed me," the innkeeper said.
"Destroyed you?" Will asked, puzzled.
"Yes, I used to live in Rem Town. I got sick too, with that disease. I couldn't stop coughing, and I would vomit that awful, dark green liquid. I had terrifying dreams. I truly thought I was going to die," the innkeeper explained.
"So, how did you get cured?" Will pressed.
"Because of them," the innkeeper suddenly said, pointing toward the door. Will turned to follow his gaze. Outside, a group of people in deep purple robes and hoods walked past swiftly, heading north.
"Who are they?" Will asked, turning back to the innkeeper.
"I don't know, but they look like members of some religious order. When I was sick, someone dressed like them came to my house. He said he could cure me, but it would cost a lot. I agreed, of course, since I wanted to survive."
"How did they cure you? What medicine did they use?" Will's voice was filled with excitement now, as he realized that he might soon be able to help the old woman's son.
"No medicine. The man just prayed for me, speaking strange words I couldn't understand. After that, the symptoms disappeared. He told me the plague was a punishment from God for Rem Town, and that I should leave and never return. So, I moved here," the innkeeper said.
"I see, so they must be priests or something, praying for people," Will murmured.
"Maybe," the innkeeper said curtly.
"What are they doing now?" Will asked.
"I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. But they pass by here around this time every day," the innkeeper replied.
"Rem Town, the plague, the purple-robed cultists," Will muttered to himself, a sudden sense of connection forming between these three things in his mind.
After a few more brief words with the innkeeper, Will left the inn and continued on his journey.