Two tall, powerful figures sat at a dining table, feasting voraciously. They seemed unaccustomed to using spoons, and one of them even bit off a piece of a cup while drinking. Tars, however, merely sat across from them with a faint smile, watching the two ravenous creatures—Aiskin and Big Dumb Hum.

  "Don't rush. You can have my portion, too. We can order more if it's not enough. Aiskin, it's your turn to order this time—get another round of the Bug-Shell Stew!" Tars said cheerfully.

  It had been three days since their meeting with Rodrigo, the young noble from Starry City, and the two hulking kobolds had been living outside the Abyssal Bedroom for two days now. This tavern had become the place the three of them frequented most.

  At Tars's words, Aiskin's hand trembled slightly as she held her spoon. She still seemed somewhat nervous—far more so than Big Dumb Hum, which came as a surprise to Tars. As for Big Dumb Hum, if he weren't still so maladapted to his surroundings, he could practically support himself by now. In their walks through the streets, people had already approached him several times to invite him to join their ranks—mostly mercenary groups. Word was that friction between two Cavern Cities was escalating, and war was imminent.

  Aiskin raised her hand to call the waiter and successfully placed the order, remembering to get a portion for Tars and a cup of Sour-Mushroom Wine without being reminded.

  In truth, the scarred waiter was even more nervous than Aiskin. Unlike Tars, the two kobolds possessed a far more intimidating physical presence and appearance, compounded by an indescribable, wild aura. Tars felt more approachable to others, but despite being unique among their kind, the other two still retained a distinct edge of savagery.

  Over the past two days, Tars had also discovered a place resembling a black market. It sold small items smuggled from the Cavern Cities, though nothing had crossed into the supernatural realm yet. Most of it didn't interest him, but he did buy several biographies and novels said to have come from the chambers of a book-loving noble lady. After skimming them, he tossed them to Aiskin and Big Dumb Hum. Once they mastered Common, they could read, though much of the content remained beyond their comprehension. That didn't matter; it was all part of the adaptation process.

  The rhythmic clink-clank of a hammer could be heard from a distance.

  "Boss, is my order ready?" Tars shouted.

  Once they had eaten their fill, they headed to the town's blacksmith shop. The roar of the forge made it the brightest spot on the street. Under the admiring gazes of Aiskin and Big Dumb Hum, Tars traded his coins for a longsword and a heavy warhammer.

  The sword went to Aiskin, and the hammer to Big Dumb Hum—choices that suited their temperaments perfectly and added a layer of ferocity to their appearance.

  Transplanted bioluminescent flora lined the roadside; there was a silent pact among the residents that few would ever trample or destroy them.

  The three walked home in high spirits, Big Dumb Hum's massive frame drawing frequent stares from passersby. Just as they reached their gate, a man walking toward them caught Tars's attention. The stranger cast a curious glance at the trio, but no words were exchanged as they simply passed one another.

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  That might be a wizard apprentice, Tars thought. He hadn't felt a distinct ripple of mental energy; it was merely a gut feeling.

  Back at the house, Aiskin and Big Dumb Hum chose to return to the Abyssal Bedroom to get used to their new weapons and because the light there was better for reading.

  Following his routine, Tars took a quick walk through Karyu's room. Again, he found nothing.

  He returned to his own room and was just about to begin his meditation when a knock came at the door.

  "Are you Master Tars? Young Master Rodrigo sent me to inform you that the departure time has been moved up." A young mercenary stood respectfully outside the courtyard gate.

  "When?" Tars asked, cutting straight to the point.

  "If possible, please come with me right now." The mercenary made a polite gesture of invitation.

  Tars nodded, glanced back at Karyu's room, and followed the mercenary out.

  When he saw Young Master Rodrigo again, the man's mood seemed slightly off, though he still greeted Tars with a smile.

  "Master Tars, due to certain circumstances, we must depart ahead of schedule. I hope you don't mind," the handsome Rodrigo said.

  "Of course not."

  Tars scanned the people in the room. It seemed casters really were hard to find; aside from the red-haired woman, he was still the only one.

  "Here is the spell-handbook we agreed upon." Rodrigo handed over a scroll with both hands.

  Tars took it and unfurled it on the spot. It was a collection of notes on studying spellbooks. A quick glance showed it mostly discussed insights and theories regarding the Ghost Sound spell, with nothing particularly extraordinary.

  Though slightly disappointed, Tars carefully rolled it up and stowed it away. He offered a smile and said, "I am very satisfied with this payment."

  Young Master Rodrigo seemed to let out a sigh of relief. "Please rest here for a moment. Once everything is ready, we will depart."

  Tars nodded. Soon, he was the only one left in the room. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of busy preparation outside. This was his first time being employed by someone and his first time heading out to explore a ruin.

  I just hope everything goes smoothly. And if it doesn't, he thought, I just have to hope my skills are enough to handle the trouble.

  After an unknown amount of time, a knock came from the outside. He opened his sharp eyes.

  A caravan of nearly two hundred people slowly took to the road—a number far exceeding Tars's expectations. He was currently sitting alone in a bug-carriage. It was a cramped space; a six-legged insect with a crude, woven carriage mounted on its back. There were only two such bug-carriages in the entire caravan—Tars's and the young master's. Rodrigo's was slightly more spacious, housing both the noble and the red-haired woman. The two carriages were led by a bug-handler near the front of the line.

  Tars let out a yawn. The rhythmic swaying of the insect was almost lulling him to sleep. This bug was definitely a natural at rocking a cradle.

  He pricked up his ears. Every now and then, he could hear someone in the caravan being attacked by burrow-worms, but fortunately, these men were experienced and dealt with them quickly. Word was that things would improve once they were further from town; burrow-worms stayed beneath the surface, sensing vibrations to strike at prey. They loved to lurk near the various towns of the Abyss, acting as both a threat to the humans and a crude form of protection against other subterranean beasts.

  Gradually adjusting to the swaying of the carriage, Tars took out the long-neglected Ear-Planting technique and began to read. It was a minor spell that allowed one to grow temporary "false ears" on mushrooms or plants for eavesdropping.

  He remembered Rodrigo saying that this Abyssal town was chosen because the ruin wasn't far—it just required a specific time to be seen. Since he couldn't fully focus here, and the journey likely wouldn't be long enough for him to master the spell, he just skimmed through it.

  He planned to look over Light in a bit to see which one would be easier to pick up.