I gave a slight nod, assuming Miguel had finished. To my surprise, he continued speaking as though he had only just gotten started.
"The Caelthorne family has a large number of affiliated families serving under them," Miguel continued. "Most of those families have been loyal to the Caelthornes for generations. On top of that, they own businesses all across the Elysis Nation. Inns, trading companies, warehouses, mines... honestly, I've lost track of how many they actually own."
The more he spoke, the more animated he became.
"And that's not all. They even have their own knight guards, just like the royal family."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Their own knight guards?"
Miguel nodded.
"Yeah. They obviously aren't as strong or as numerous as the royal family's knights, but they're still made up of well-trained Controllers. Their sole responsibility is to protect the Caelthorne family and carry out whatever orders they're given."
A snort escaped his lips before he continued, his tone carrying obvious contempt.
"Honestly, they're all a bunch of bastards. They throw their influence around wherever they go, and if someone gets in their way, they'll first try to deal with the problem using money or their family's authority. If that doesn't work..." He shrugged. "Well, let's just say accidents have a habit of happening to people who stand against them."
"The Caelthorne family isn't exactly known for showing kindness."
From that point onward, Miguel continued talking without pause as we walked through the bustling streets. He told me about several merchant families that had supposedly gone bankrupt after offending the Caelthornes, spoke of rival businesses that had mysteriously disappeared overnight, and even mentioned that many nobles deliberately avoided provoking the family unless it was absolutely necessary.
I silently committed every piece of information to memory. Although some of what Miguel described sounded like rumors that had spread throughout the city, rumors often contained fragments of truth. More importantly, nearly every story painted the Caelthorne family in the same light.
They were a family that few people were willing to provoke.
By the time Miguel finally ran out of things to say, I couldn't help but look at him with a hint of surprise.
"You seem to know quite a lot about the Caelthorne family."
Miguel immediately rubbed the underside of his nose with an unmistakably smug grin.
"Well," he said, puffing out his chest proudly. "What can I say? I'm just that talented."
I looked at him without saying a word.
The silence stretched on for several moments as Miguel continued waiting expectantly, clearly hoping for some kind of praise.
In the end, I simply let out a quiet sigh.
"...Whatever."."
A faint smile found its way onto my face.
"Thanks, man."
Miguel laughed heartily.
"Hoho! No problem."
He gave his chest a confident pat.
"You can count on me anytime."
Before long, we arrived at the intersection where our paths diverged. We came to a stop, and Miguel casually waved a hand.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"See you."
Still humming cheerfully to himself, Miguel turned into one of the side streets and gradually disappeared from sight. Watching him leave for a brief moment, I then continued toward my rented house, my mind already occupied with everything I had learned about the Caelthorne family.
---
The following week passed by uneventfully.
Just as Bora had promised, Charlie successfully entered the Caelthorne family estate with the help of the underworld contact. He had been assigned as one of the estate guards, but the position came with its own restrictions. While on duty, he was required to remain inside the estate at all times and was only allowed to leave once every seven days on his designated day off.
As a result, the house felt noticeably quieter than before.
For the entire week, only Camose and I remained there.
Fortunately, the little snake proved to be far more obedient than I had expected. Although it clearly wanted to follow me whenever I left for the inn, it never once ignored my instructions. Every afternoon, it would quietly watch me leave before retreating to one of its usual hiding places inside the house, patiently waiting until I returned in the evening.
Before I realized it, a simple routine had gradually formed. During the day, I devoted my time to cultivation and spent what little free time I had with Camose, my thoughts occasionally drifting toward Charlie and wondering whether he had managed to learn anything useful inside the Caelthorne estate. Every afternoon, I would head to the Green Leaf Inn for work and return home after sunset, where the little snake would invariably be waiting for me.
Before I knew it, an entire week had slipped by.
Like every other afternoon, I left the house and made my way toward Market Street. The streets of Astravia were as lively as ever, with merchants enthusiastically calling out to passing customers while travelers wandered between shops and horse-drawn carriages rolled steadily along the roads.
Before long, the Green Leaf Inn came into view.
I pushed open the entrance and stepped inside.
The inn was just as busy as it usually was during the afternoon, yet it only took a single glance to realize that something was different.
An unusual atmosphere hung over the dining hall.
Although customers continued eating and chatting, their attention repeatedly drifted toward the same corner of the room. Quiet whispers spread from table to table as curious gazes followed someone seated there. Even the workers moving back and forth with trays couldn't resist stealing occasional glances in that direction whenever they passed by, making it obvious that whoever had arrived had become the center of everyone's attention.
Curious, I followed the direction of their gazes.
Seated quietly at a table near the window was a young woman.
It wasn't difficult to understand why she had become the center of everyone's attention.
Her long, silky hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing a delicate face that possessed both elegance and gentle beauty. Dressed in refined attire clearly crafted from expensive materials, she carried herself with a natural grace that set her apart from everyone else inside the inn. She sat quietly with both hands resting on the table, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the entrance as though waiting for someone.
Standing silently behind her was a guard with a sword fastened to his waist. His posture remained perfectly straight as his sharp eyes calmly surveyed the surroundings. Judging from the fluctuations of energy surrounding him, he was an Early Moderate-Level Controller.
My gaze lingered on the young woman for another moment before I finally recognized her.
Leslie.
I hadn't expected our paths to cross again so soon.
She appeared to be waiting for someone, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the entrance before quietly returning to the table as she watched people come and go through the inn. After observing her for a brief moment, I turned toward the kitchen, intending to begin my shift as usual. However, before I had taken more than a few steps, I instinctively felt someone's gaze resting on me.
Glancing back over my shoulder, I found Leslie looking directly at me. Our eyes met across the bustling dining hall, and after a brief moment of surprise, a warm smile gradually spread across her face.