Naturally, no other members of the group were found in Odryf.
Although he had fought several battles, Isaac, who didn’t have to worry about leading troops or managing supplies, was the first to arrive. After all, he had death on his back and had come down practically as if he were being chased.
Even Nel was so irritated by exhaustion that Isaac, too, couldn’t help but feel drained.
At one point, he even thought about pretending to die and activating the ‘Agent of Chaos’ ability.
However, after seeing the Reaper’s scythe get shattered into pieces only to be restored again, it seemed that such an action wouldn’t be effective. There are times when killing is impossible. The Reaper, who embodied the very concept of ‘death’ that the Immortal Order sought to control, was one of those beings.
‘Besides, I don’t know what risks the Agent of Chaos might entail...’
It wasn’t too late to resort to such a high-risk measure after trying every other possible method. He could find out the true nature of the tax imposed on him through Shalok and Leonora.
‘First, I need to find Shalok.’
Bringing a dragon into a bustling city like Odryf would cause chaos, so Isaac had Nel stay at the coastal cliffs near Odryf. Even if Nel were to be spotted a few times from the sea, it would be dismissed as sailors’ tall tales.
***
Isaac headed to a tavern on the outskirts of Odryf.
The tavern was called ‘The Laughing Octopus.’ He hadn’t chosen it at random; it was a well-known establishment mentioned in the game, famed for its food.
Not only was he curious about the dishes that had only been mentioned in the game’s lore, but it was also a place frequented by notable figures, making it easy to pick up on rumors about them.
Isaac ordered the famous octopus stew and started listening to the conversations around him.
Since he had pulled his hood low over his face, no one recognized him. The allure of a Nephilim could draw people in, but it could also evoke fear.
All he had to do was keep his hood down and glance around in a foreboding manner.
Sure enough, no one turned their gaze towards Isaac. Anyone who did look his way would freeze as if hitting an invisible wall before quickly turning away.
‘By now, Shalok should have arrived in Odryf, right?’
It was almost certain that Leonora would be somewhere in Odryf, but there was no certainty about Shalok. Nevertheless, it was likely that he would come to Odryf, even if only to make a show of trying to stop Isaac.
Isaac’s only concern was that he might have arrived too early.
“Hey, did you hear? Captain Shalok has withdrawn all the bounty posters.”
Just as the conversation was getting interesting, the server brought a large plate of octopus stew to Isaac’s table. Although the spicy aroma made his mouth water, he was momentarily speechless at the sight of a whole octopus, its head as big as his own, staring up at him.
‘This isn’t something one person should be eating...’
It was enough food for at least eight people.
Isaac, who had intended to avoid drawing attention, now found himself cutting up the enormous octopus alone, which naturally attracted some stares. He nonchalantly picked up a knife and fork and started slicing through the octopus.
Although his fingers felt sore, it was probably just his imagination. Beneath its fearsome appearance, the dish was a seafood stew filled with clams, abalone, squid, and various other ingredients in a spicy sauce.
‘...Should I say it reminds me of home? It really is delicious.’
Before long, Isaac had devoured all eight servings of the octopus stew. Despite appearing lean and slender, he consumed the massive meal with ease, leaving onlookers in stunned silence. It was only after he licked the last bit of sauce clean that Isaac noticed the stares. He casually wiped his mouth with a napkin, pretending nothing had happened.
‘I must have been really hungry.’
It had been a while since he’d properly filled his stomach or savored the taste of food. While he tried to eat regularly to avoid losing his humanity, it wasn’t always possible in the midst of his busy schedule.
For the first time in a while, Isaac felt truly content.
***
“Young man, you’ve got quite the appetite. Still hungry? Want more?”
As soon as Isaac finished eating, the merchants at the next table gathered their plates and drinks and came over. Before Isaac had a chance to respond, they even ordered more food.
It was almost impossible to fill Isaac’s stomach, but since there was no reason to refuse, he just let it happen.
“You don’t seem like you’re from around here. Where are you from?”
“I’m from the north.”
Isaac answered vaguely without being specific. The merchants laughed heartily.
“Yeah, the north. Where else would someone come from to Odryf Port at the southern tip of the Gerthonia Empire? The undead-infested east? The sea to the south?”
Isaac simply looked at them without replying. Sensing something off in his gaze beneath the hood, the merchants quickly shut their mouths.
But they hadn’t approached Isaac out of simple charity.
TL Note: Want to Read Advance Chapters? CLICK HERE