Chapter 281: An unwanted spy
Reaching the ground floor, Luke didn’t find the woman, so he turned to the old man.
"Where can I ask for food and water?"
Without looking back, the old man lazily raised his left hand toward a nearby door.
"This room."
Luke nodded and walked over, pushing the door open.
To his surprise, it wasn’t an ordinary room at all. It opened into a modest dining hall.
Rows of wooden tables filled the space, with a handful of travelers quietly enjoying their meals. The warm glow of lanterns and the aroma of freshly cooked food gave the place a cozy atmosphere.
"It’s surprising," Luke muttered.
He hadn’t noticed any eatery from outside. The entrance was probably tucked away in the narrow alley beside the building.
The woman who had guided them upstairs was weaving effortlessly between the tables, balancing a round wooden serving tray with practiced ease as she delivered food to the customers.
Noticing him at the entrance, she smiled.
"Oh? You changed your mind?"
"About what?" Luke asked.
"Your woman looked like she was frowning at the thought of eating our food."
Luke let out a faint chuckle.
"Well, she genuinely believed you were offering it out of kindness."
His mate was simply that innocent. She always chose to see the good in people’s actions instead of searching for hidden motives behind their words.
The woman laughed softly.
"Ahaha... I probably would have, if my father outside wasn’t so greedy."
Bathed in the warm lantern light, she looked unexpectedly charming. Her deep green eyes shimmered with a gentle warmth that held Luke’s gaze for a brief moment before he snapped back to his senses.
"We’ll need six meals and eight buckets of water," he said. "How much will that cost?"
"Umm... what would you like to eat?" she asked, holding the wooden tray against her chest.
"What do you recommend?" Luke replied, folding his arms.
"Most people usually order plain bread with meat and broth. But since you seem fairly wealthy, I could suggest something a little more extravagant."
A faint smile tugged at Luke’s lips.
"Forget all that. Tell me what you actually like."
She lowered her gaze, a small smile appearing on her lips.
"My favorite? Why would you want to know that?"
Luke shrugged.
"You seem like an honest woman, so I’d rather trust your taste."
A soft giggle escaped her.
The longer she spoke with the young man, the more she found herself drawn to him.
Leaning in slightly, she lowered her voice.
"Actually... I don’t enjoy most of the dishes they make here. How about I cook for all of you instead?"
Luke raised an eyebrow.
"And what makes you think you’d do any better?"
She let out a tiny huff before raising her right hand.
"See these little cuts? I didn’t get them chopping firewood. I’m an excellent cook."
Luke let out a thoughtful hum before gently taking her hand.
The unexpected touch caught her completely off guard.
Holding it with surprising care, he ran his fingers lightly across her palm, examining the tiny cuts as though her hand were something fragile and precious.
His face was so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath, and before she realized it, heat had spread across her own cheeks.
"Hmm... you’re right," Luke murmured. "These little cuts do stand out on such delicate hands."
He slowly let go.
For a brief moment, disappointment flickered across her face, escaping as a quiet sigh before she could stop it.
Luke looked at her curiously.
"Hmm?"
Her cheeks deepened to a rosy crimson.
"It’s nothing..." she said quickly, avoiding his eyes. "I’ll bring the food and water up shortly."
She turned to leave, only for Luke’s voice to stop her.
"What about the toras?"
She spun around once more. Holding the tray behind her back, she took a few slow steps backward and flashed him a playful grin.
"Meet me here tomorrow morning, and I’ll tell you."
With that, she turned on her heels and hurried away.
Luke watched her leave with an amused smirk.
"Even after becoming a family man, I haven’t lost my touch."
He hadn’t been trying to charm her for a discount or any other benefit. Complimenting a beautiful woman simply came naturally to him.
Running a hand through his hair, his gaze fell to the basket he was carrying.
Right.
He still had to throw away the spoiled food.
A short while later, he left the building through the entrance meant for customers visiting the eatery.
Just as he had guessed, it opened into a narrow, dimly lit alley.
Looking to his right, he could see the warm glow of lanterns spilling from the bustling streets beyond. The lively chatter of merchants and travelers drifted through the night air.
Thanks to Lunar Warden, every conversation reached his ears with remarkable clarity. Whether it came from inside the dining hall or the crowded marketplace, he could distinguish the voices with ease.
’The moon feels unusually dim tonight.’
Perhaps it was entering a new phase. That would explain why he felt less invigorated than he had the previous evening.
...Or maybe he was simply exhausted.
After all, he hadn’t truly slept for two days.
[Host, Lunar Warden greatly improves your recovery, but your mind never truly rests unless you sleep comfortably for a few hours.]
Luke nodded to himself.
Even during the carriage ride, where he had enough room to stretch his legs and even a heavenly soft pillow beneath his head, he had never actually relaxed.
His mind remained constantly alert, monitoring every sound and movement around the carriage.
There had been no one else capable of protecting it.
His vigilance had been necessary.
’Haah... tonight I’ll sleep like a log.’
With that thought, he ventured deeper into the alley until he came across a concrete bracket surrounded by a swarm of buzzing flies.
He opened the basket, ready to dump the spoiled food.
Then he felt it.
Someone was nearby.
Very close.
Luke didn’t bother looking around. He already knew where the presence was.
Above.
"!!!"
The figure’s eyes flew open the instant Luke looked straight at him.
The man wore a reddish-black cloak that concealed most of his face, leaving only his eyes exposed.
Luke narrowed his own.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he sprang upward.
The cloaked man froze in panic before immediately spinning around to flee.
A faint snicker escaped Luke.
He caught the edge of the nearest roof with one hand and effortlessly pulled himself onto it.
Ahead of him, the cloaked figure was already racing across the rooftops, leaping from one building to the next while trying to disappear into the darkness.
A futile attempt.
Under the effects of Lunar Warden, the night wasn’t a veil.
To Luke, the fleeing man stood out like a dark stain on a pristine white sheet.
Luke exploded into a sprint.
His feet barely seemed to touch the rooftops as he mirrored the man’s route, clearing each gap with ease while steadily closing the distance.
The cloaked man risked a glance over his shoulder.
For a brief instant, their eyes met.
A chill shot through his spine.
Panic flashed across the man’s eyes.
Luke exploded forward with every ounce of strength he had, soaring over the gap and landing heavily on the rooftop just as the cloaked figure was about to leap away.
The man’s escape route was cut off.
For a brief moment, they stood motionless, facing one another beneath the pale moonlight.
Luke’s eyes narrowed.
"You..."
His cold voice broke the silence.
"...You were in the forest too. Those bastards were your men, weren’t they?"
Back then, Luke had sensed someone’s presence watching from afar, but it had been too faint to pinpoint.
Now...
He was looking straight at him.
The cloaked man’s hand slipped beneath his robe.
Luke’s instincts screamed.
With a savage snarl, he flicked his wrist and hurled his dagger.
SQUELCH!
At the last possible moment, the man twisted his body aside.
The blade missed his chest and buried itself deep into his shoulder instead.
A muffled groan escaped his lips as pain contorted his face.
Luke immediately lunged forward, determined to seize the bastard before he could escape.
But the man reacted first.
Something small fell from his hand and struck the rooftop.
Puff!
A dense cloud of smoke erupted, swallowing the entire rooftop in an instant.
Luke clicked his tongue.
By the time the smoke began to thin, the cloaked figure was gone.
Luke’s gaze swept across the surrounding rooftops.
Nothing.
Not a single trace remained.
More troubling than the man’s disappearance was the fact that even his presence had completely vanished, as though he had never been there to begin with.
Luke frowned.
"This is fishy."
~~~~~
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