"Can you elaborate?" The young man frowned. Belte is a Demon Hunting Master. His counter-surveillance abilities might not match those of the Kingdom Intelligence Department professionals, but with years of fighting Chaos and capturing heretics, Belte naturally also possesses rich counter-surveillance experience. Laine, pursuing all the way, encountered many troubles.
But no matter how Belte goes to great lengths, he is still a person who needs rest and food. This world's environment is not like Earth's in the past life, with the wild outdoors full of danger, and being pursued by Laine all the way, Belte simply couldn't have much time to replenish supplies.
Thus, Belte must replenish food and supplies; to do that, he has to come to a human settlement.
"This gentleman was very strange. He only said a few words the whole time, indicating he wanted a room and asked us to help him buy some alcohol, food, and provisions... Given that he pulled out a Gold Dinar, we complied, especially since he specifically asked for three pounds of beef; that cost us quite an effort. Surely, Lord Knight knows, at this time of year, where would we get beef?" The innkeeper complained.
A Gold Dinar is enough for a family's expenses for three or four months! Laine nodded. Prices of food vary with the season: in spring and summer, a pheasant can only sell for a few Copper Coins at the market. But in this midwinter, a live pheasant can sell for two Silver Dinars, that is, two hundred Copper Coins.
Among meat, beef is the most valuable because cattle are a property and important labor force for the people of this world. So chicken, duck, and lamb are relatively cheaper; only beef is the most expensive.
However expensive it is, a Gold Dinar could buy thirty pounds of beef. So in the end, the innkeeper still managed to get a few packs of cooked beef and provisions for that mysterious man, who left the inn before dawn the next day.
"It's unreasonable; the city gates only open after dawn. Did he say where he would go?" The young Kingdom Knight's brow remained furrowed. The opponent's toughness was truly unexpected, and he still couldn't figure out whether the Demon Hunting Master had really fully succumbed to Chaos.
Whether he has completely fallen or not, I am determined to utterly destroy him! Laine resolved; just for Belte having killed several Demon Hunters and a Demon Hunting Master, he would inevitably slay him on the spot.
Anything tainted by Chaos must either be purified or completely eradicated!
After a conversation with the innkeeper, Laine nodded. The sky outside finally lit up slightly. The young man got up, deciding to go to town, because if it was just as the innkeeper said, then the distance between Laine and Belte was about two days' journey. At such a distance, there was no way Laine could hope to catch up with that cunning Demon Hunting Master.
In this situation, Laine thought it best to stay here and wait for the woman from the Jialan Council to catch up with him, let her open the teleportation gate, and directly proceed to the next location where Belte might arrive.
The sky brightened, snow continued to fall. Laine got up and walked to the inn's door. Seeing that he wasn't arrogant, was kind, and didn't bully others, the innkeeper developed a fondness for this Lord Knight and proactively said, "Lord Knight, it's windy outside and snows heavily. You should rest indoors!"
"The sky's already bright; wouldn't it be strange to go out and play hide and seek in the dark?" The young man turned with a slight smile. His black hair was already covered with a considerable amount of snow, his deep blue eyes shining with a faint glow. He shook his hand and left directly.
"Black hair? Blue eyes? This young and already a Kingdom Knight, ah! Could it be..." The innkeeper, seeing his hair color and eye color clearly, suddenly widened his eyes.
Most Nord Kingdom people are blonde and blue-eyed, with very few having black hair and blue eyes. Moreover, this young man certainly looked no older than twenty-five.
He suddenly recalled the story sung by the minstrel last night, about that Nord Kingdom Knight, the hero of tens of thousands, "Great Hammer" Laine.
In the story, "Great Hammer" Laine also has black hair and blue eyes...
He almost didn't dare to think further.
Stepping out of the inn, Laine walked down the street in the snow. The cold wind and flying snow lashed against his face. The harsh winter added many difficulties to his mission, especially this season, when Nords' winters are known for their severity, something only personally experienced individuals understand. At this season, almost everyone hides at home, enjoying the warmth of the fireplace—nobles, merchants, mercenaries, and farmers alike.
In this season, most farmers stay home repairing tools, sewing clothes, and tanning hides.
But it's not always the case, as occasionally some hunters or fishermen venture out to try their luck. Anything caught that season is a worthwhile little gain.
The small houses on both sides moved backward from Laine's view; Nord dwellings are typically long houses with roofs made of wood and thatch stretching from high above down to the ground, being long but not wide, with lots of firewood piled at the front and doors tightly shut.
As per Laine's many years' travel experience, not many people were truly hospitable as many had paid dearly for it.