Conqueror Of The Dark Soul

Chapter 17 - Message

Back to the present.

"East? Yes, I think we can take you there. We'll be passing through the same road to Delburg City," said the middle-aged man in typical merchant attire.

In front of him, Alden smiled and nodded slightly, "Thank you!"

"This is the first time I've seen a mage use magic without incantations. As long as you protect the carriage, there's no need for thanks," the man remarked.

The man's name was Don, a trader who frequently traveled to various cities for business.

Don had two companions, Gen and Rett, who served as official guardians protecting the carriage from Dark Soul attacks.

To clarify, let's paint the situation outside the city.

Heinburg City is a small town; to the west, there are only forests and mountains. Nothing noteworthy about that place. To the south, it directly borders Vinburg City, which has a slightly larger area than Heinburg. Meanwhile, to the north, it shares a border with Grandburg City, known as the oldest city in the Devon Empire.

On the other side, the east is an uninhabited area for several kilometers until you reach Delburg City.

Alden's goal is to get as close as possible to the Rinderr Mountains, which they will pass on their way to Delburg. According to Alphonse, the dwarf village is around the mountains.

As for why merchant carriages need guardians, there are several reasons. Among them is the prevalence of bandit or robber attacks. On the flip side, the most common reason is to protect them from Dark Soul attacks during the journey.

Considering the uninhabited areas along the road, guardians are not very focused on clearing the Gates that appear there, making it possible for the Gate to remain unclosed. Dark Souls roaming in that area can be a particular danger to traders like Don.

"The group will move tomorrow night," Don told Alden.

Alden nodded, "Alright."

After that, he went to find an inn to sleep for the day. Throughout the day, he had decided to look for a ride to his destination. The problem was that Alden didn't want to walk several kilometers for this if he could hitch a ride with the traders.

He had done the same when adventuring to reach this city from the southern continent.

Choosing an area not far from where Don and his group were, Alden arrived at a small inn. However, the issue was that it was close to the bar where he met the little silver-haired girl suspected to be the Emperor.

"As long as she doesn't realize my presence, I should be safe," Alden murmured, encouraging himself. An optimistic smile on his face radiated a glimmer of imagination.

Alden lay on the inn's bed, with his short coat still on. His longer hair at the back remained tied.

At that moment, a knocking sound came from the door.

Alden immediately furrowed his brow, "Who comes at a time like this?"

"Mmm, the innkeeper shouldn't remember me... Are there other guests who booked the same room? No, the key is with me," Alden lifted his body and slightly tilted his head to hear the knocking sound again.

There was concern in his heart.

"I don't sense any danger," Black Orb commented.

Black Orb floated towards the door and peeked through a small gap in the boards. "Just a regular person," he said after seeing the person in front of the door.

"Okay," Alden stood up and walked towards the door. He turned the doorknob slowly and pulled it open.

The figure in front of him was an old man with silver beard, bald head, and slightly hunched. He held a wooden staff to support himself.

The old man's bright blue eyes, once sharp, now looked withered. For some reason, Alden felt familiar with the old man. "Can I ask for your help?" the old man asked.

Alden furrowed his brow with confusion and surprise.

"Pardon...?"

The old man smiled bitterly, "Allen The Fate." As those words came out of his mouth, the old man looked at Alden without changing his emotions, displaying a bitter smile.

On the other hand, beads of cold sweat appeared on Alden's forehead. Not only him, Black Orb also suddenly jolted. There should be no one in this world who recognizes that name; Allen erased the existence of Allen The Fate and Alden from the world. The only one who should remember that name should be a Dark Soul!

But Black Orb was certain that the man in front of him was not a Dark Soul. Alden also saw the man's aura, and there was nothing unusual; in fact, his aura was very pure, far from the taint of a Dark Soul.

"Do you recognize that name?" the man asked.

Alden adjusted his expression to appear normal. And Black Orb began to calm down; he started to speak, "From the way he talks, I'm sure he doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Umm, no," Alden answered, trying to sound casual.

The problem is, if Alden is recognized at this moment, there is a possibility that the same thing will happen in the future, which will clearly be a disadvantage. Perhaps the Dark Lord will assign the Emperor to hunt him again.

On the other hand, Alden is sure that the old man is not strong at all. Perhaps he is even an ordinary person. A foolish thought crossed his mind, "Should I kill him?" but he quickly dismissed it, remembering his principles; he wanted to be a normal human.

The old man now showed an awkward smile; he then scratched his cheek. "Oh, forgive me, I saw you entering this place. You look a lot like someone."

Alden shuddered. "Okay, that might be enough evidence to say that he clearly recognizes Allen The Fate." Alden whispered to Black Orb.

Black Orb fell silent. Then he said afterward, "Okay, this might be bad."

"But, I think he won't do anything. Tomorrow you'll leave the city, and after that, I think it'll be okay." Black Orb continued.

At that moment, a woman's voice was heard from downstairs. "Grandpa!"

A young girl with silver hair, blue eyes, and a slightly short stature climbed the stairs briskly. "You should rest! What are you doing here?" she said, a hint of worry in her tone.

"Erin, I'm just taking a walk. I need some fresh air," the old man said to reassure the young girl.

At that moment, Alden froze. "Should I escape?" Alden whispered. Clearly, this is the worst situation he has to face.

"No, no need," Black Orb said.

"I can't even sense the Dark Soul Emperor's energy from her anymore, even Dark Soul energy; now she looks like a regular human." As Black Orb spoke confidently, the silver-haired girl looked at Alden standing in front of the door.

She widened her eyes and pointed at Alden, saying enthusiastically, "Ha! Allen!"

"..." Black Orb stopped talking.

"..." Alden smiled awkwardly at this point.

"Grandpa! He's the one!" Erin said with enthusiasm. The radiant smile on her face was completely opposite to what Black Orb knew about Dorm The Savage.

The old man turned towards Alden and smiled satisfied.

At that moment , Alden had already planned to enter the room, close the door, and jump through the window. It sounded like the most emergency escape plan, but he immediately halted when the old man spoke, "I have a message from Lord Alioth."

Alden froze again.

"Once again, Allen The Fate, I need your help," the old man bowed even further. On the other side, Erin looked at this with a puzzled and amazed expression. She continued shifting her gaze, alternating between her grandfather and Alden.

"A message?" Alden dispelled his unease and promptly asked.

"Can we talk for a moment?" the old man said.