Chapter 103: Shadows Beneath Rabanastre

Chapter 103: Shadows Beneath Rabanastre In Rosaria’s royal capital, Rosalith, the castle gates were well-guarded by soldiers, but it wasn’t walled off from the rest of the city. The wide training grounds of the west wing stretched all the way out to the suburbs and the large garden on the east wing side was open to the public. Ordinary people were checked by guards when they entered the gardens, but as long as they meant no harm, they were even allowed to pass through to visit the temple deeper inside. Beyond that, the facilities and towers of the Central Magic Association could be freely accessed from public roads. Of course, not many citizens wanted to go near them due to how creepy the place felt—but that was a separate issue. The royal palace in Rosalith was open and welcoming. Because of that openness, the responsibility placed on the first division, who specialized in guarding the palace, and the Royal Guard was heavy, and only the best soldiers were chosen for the job. The Kingdom of Rosaria didn’t take pride in locking things up and hiding—they took pride in the strength and skill of their warriors. The Rabanastre’s outer wall was lined with shops and homes and it was far bigger than Mitromica. However, it lacked any liveliness. There was a cold, harsh feeling in the air. Perhaps it was because so many soldiers wearing military uniforms walked openly through the streets. Whenever townspeople saw those soldiers, they quickly stepped aside, almost as if they were afraid. Unlike in Mitromica, no one here was smiling. Stuart guided the carriage into the inn located next to the guild. There were several inns within the outer walls of the city, but the one connected to the guild could only be used by those officially registered with the guild. It was a facility meant exclusively for guild hunters—cheap, safe, and reliable. Another major advantage was that the guild and its affiliated buildings operated outside the authority of national governments. The guild existed not only in Dalmasca but also in the Kingdom of Rosaria, the nation of Nabradia, the country of Arcadia, and many other places across the world. It maintained its own independent network. Hunter registration data and request information were shared across all guilds in every country. In exchange for that level of information sharing, the guild kept its independence from national powers. Of course, the guild could still be influenced somewhat depending on the country it was based in, but the basic unspoken agreement was mutual noninterference. The guild would not meddle in national affairs and in return, the nations would not interfere with guild matters. In Rabanastre, where military oppression and surveillance were especially harsh, the guild’s lodging was without question one of the safest places anyone could stay. Once they were settled in the inn, Aaron slung his bag of artifacts over his shoulder and restlessly headed off to the church. At one point, when Aaron seemed too overexcited, Shiao Yi asked him what was going on. Aaron immediately launched into a rapid, almost unstoppable explanation—something about ruins, fragments, artifacts—so fast and intense that Shiao Yi couldn’t even get a word in. The noise was unbearable and Dominic ended up shouting at him out of sheer frustration: "Enough! Shut that mouth and stop talking!" Maybe his outburst had been too harsh, because Aaron immediately went pale and quieted down on the spot. However, after that, he started acting strangely—staring into space, laughing to himself, shaking his head one moment and nodding the next. The whole thing was incredibly unsettling. Watching this, Shiao Yi leaned away a little and muttered, "He’s like a patient suffering from vacuum sickness in space. You know, when someone’s suddenly exposed to the vacuum of space, gases in the lungs and brain expand and create pockets of air. If they’re rushed back inside a spacecraft and given oxygen too quickly, they can hallucinate and lose their grip on reality for a while. They usually settle down eventually... but sometimes their brain can get damaged. So if you ever have to go outside unprotected, make sure to exhale everything first." It was a strange explanation, and Dominic didn’t understand most of it. But one thing was clear: Aaron had definitely forgotten all about the business he was supposed to be focusing on. Meanwhile, Stuart took Louis to the guild and then immediately set off to make contact with the Supreme Commander’s agents scattered throughout the city. Dominic, together with Shiao Yi, followed Tenby into a tavern that he recommended. It was located off the main street, and it seemed to be a combination of tavern and eatery. The place was fairly busy with customers who had come in for lunch. It had a casual, homey feel, with townspeople and even a few children around. When the three of them entered, looking dusty and worn from their travels in their cloaks and robes, the tavern’s cheerful landlady called out to them in a lively voice. "Welcome!" When she turned and saw Shiao Yi in Dominic’s arms, her kind, round face suddenly clouded with concern. "Oh dear, he doesn’t look well. Is he feeling sick? Or just tired? Don’t worry—I’ll get a room ready upstairs so he can rest for a bit." "N-no, that’s not—" Dominic started to say, but Tenby raised a hand to stop him. Dominic closed his mouth and nodded slightly, then silently followed the landlady’s directions and climbed the stairs at the back of the tavern’s entrance. The staircase led up to a narrow hallway with a few rooms lined up along it. It looked like the place doubled as a small inn. The landlady went back downstairs and Tenby walked to the end of the hallway and opened the door to what seemed like a washroom. Beyond it was another door. When he opened it, a narrow staircase leading down appeared. Tenby went first and Dominic followed right after. The space was so tight only one person could fit at a time, so Shiao Yi had to get down and walk on his own.