"Cough cough, young man, I see you're new here. So, what can I do for you?"
The tavern owner coughed as he accepted Knox's compensation (?).
"As expected of tavern owner, you must be very quick, right!"
At this, a vein throbbed on the owner's forehead.
I know what you mean, but why the way you're saying it feel so misleading?!
Pfft!
A few chuckles broke out around him, some trying to hide it, others unable to stop laughing.
"Cough cough cough!!!"
Seeing the owner coughing, Knox decided to tease more.
"Excuse me owner, are you sick? Do you need some medicines?"
Another vein throbbed on the owner's forehead.
"You brat! You're still young, but already like a devil. Enough chit-chat—what do you need? Don't think I don't recognize you, 'White Devil.'"
A flicker of surprise crossed Knox's face.
"Why are you surprised? Don't underestimate tavern's information networking, alright?!"
Indeed… it seemed I had still underestimated one of those "must-visit" places after reincarnating into a fantasy world.
"What did the owner just say?! 'White Devil'?!" one voice exclaimed.
"Wasn't there some chaos yesterday? The incident where 'The Slippery Rat' got wiped out… wasn't that also rumored to be caused by some 'White Devil'?" another whispered anxiously.
"No, there's still one survivor. And that survivor keeps muttering 'White Devil.' Considering that was only a branch location… isn't this a huge deal?" a third added, eyes wide.
The crowd exchanged uneasy glances, their voices low but tense. Some even stared at Knox in disbelief. But among them, a few reactions stood out.
"Hooo, so that is the rumored 'White Devil'? I thought he'd look more... devil-like. But he's just a kid." Said a burly man with white hair, wearing a long coat.
"Even so, Dad," replied a white-haired boy beside him, "I don't think a normal kid could have that kind of pressure, right?"
Some people around them also nodded, as if agreeing with the father and son's conversation.
Well, although this situation was kind of expected… isn't it a little too fast?
And what's with this 'Slippery Rat' gang anyway?
What kind of genius thought it was a good idea to combine 'Slippery' and 'Rat'?
"Mr. Owner, what's this 'Slippery Rat' gang? Are they famous or something?"
Knox tilted his head slightly as he asked, his tone filled with innocent curiosity.
Before the owner answer Knox, a voice answered him faster.
"Heh, you sure ask the right question, kid."
Knox turned around. Standing there was a burly man with white hair and a long coat, a sharp grin tugging at his lips. Beside him, a boy with the same white hair watched silently, his eyes calm yet observant.
"Name's Kael Edvalt, head of the Thieves' Guild. And this one—" he rested a hand on the boy's shoulder, "—is my son, Kajann."
At first, Knox didn't recognize the name. Kael Edvalt—it didn't ring any bell. But the moment he heard "Head of the Thieves' Guild", his expression subtly shifted. That title carried a different weight.
The Thieves' Guild—an underground network that thrived on secrets rather than gold. They had eyes and ears in every shadow, trading information like currency. Their bases were hidden across the continent, connected by secret portals only they could use. In the Neutral Zone, nothing stayed hidden from them for long.
And beside Kael stood his son—Kajann Edvalt.
Knox knew that name. In the original story, Kajann appeared as one of the key informants who provided crucial intel to major figures—including Simon himself. He would go on to play several important roles later in the story, particularly in the events surrounding Flema, the Saintess who infiltrated Kizen.
To meet him this early... things might develop differently than I thought.
Knox mused, his calm gaze flicking between the two white-haired figures.
"Halo Mr. Thieves Leader, and halo Mr. Edvalt. My name is Knox Aznable. Seeing you appear in front of me like this… looks like you've got something I need, right?"
Kael chuckled softly, one hand resting on his hip as his sharp eyes scanned Knox. "Pfft—no need to be that formal, kid. Just call me Kael. Titles like 'Leader' sound too stiff for a place like this."
Beside him, the white-haired boy smirked, "Same for me. Just call me Kajann. 'Mr. Edvalt' makes me sound like some old man already."
Knox blinked once, then smiled faintly.
"Alright, Kael and Kajann it is. So, you must've already guessed what I need, correct?"
Kael nodded with a knowing grin.
"Let me guess—you're after information about the 'Slippery Rat,' right? Then listen up, kid. That Rat Gang you took down was just a branch. The main group's based north of this town. Their hideout's inside an old sewer—pretty much a damn maze. If you ever plan to get in there, you'll need a proper map."
Knox leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing with a faint smirk.
"Hmm… That's quite a lot of information to just hand over for free, don't you think? You don't seem like the type who works out of kindness, Kael. Let me guess—this is business?"
Kael chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. "Sharp kid. You're right—it's business. There's something inside that Slippery Rat hideout that I need."
Knox tilted his head. "Oh? And what might that be?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gestured toward the back of the tavern. "Not here. Too many ears."
Knox shrugged and followed as Kael and Kajann led him deeper inside.
They passed through a narrow corridor behind the counter, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses fading behind them. Eventually, the passage opened into a hidden chamber—lit dimly, lined with maps, ledgers, and stacks of parchment.
Knox's eyes scanned the room briefly. "So, this tavern is a front, huh?"
Kael grinned. "You could say that. This place is one of our Thieves Guild branches. Convenient for… quiet conversations."
He then sat down at the wooden table in the center, folding his arms.
"What I'm after is a ledger. It's kept deep inside the Slippery Rat's main hideout. That book contains records—names of corrupt officials and brokers within the Dark Alliance. One of the Rats used to be an official there, and he brought that ledger with him when he ran."
Knox raised an eyebrow. "A ledger full of dirty secrets, huh? Sounds like something people would kill to hide—or to have."
Kael smirked. "Exactly. That's why I need someone capable enough to get it for me."
"But why me? With your information network, you should have more reliable choices, right?"
Knox put a hand to his chin, genuinely curious. "Why pick me?"
"Simple," Kael said. "Sooner or later you'd clash with them anyway — you already have. Think of this as an investment in you."
"An investment, huh?" Knox smirked and leaned forward. "Interesting proposal."
"But what's my reward?" he asked. "To be honest, you're right — I planned on hunting them down before they became a real problem. I also plan to work as a bounty hunter. Given how notorious they are, there should be bounties on them, right?"
Kael chuckled softly. "Your reward, huh? You can take everything you find in their hideout — gold, items, weapons, whatever catches your eye. The only thing I'll be taking is that ledger… and any information tied to it. Anything related to intel belongs to the Thieves' Guild. Fair enough, right?"
Knox crossed his arms, thinking for a moment. "So basically, I do the cleaning, you take the paperwork. Not a bad deal."
Kael grinned. "Exactly. Efficient, isn't it?"
Knox let out a faint laugh but didn't answer right away.
Still, this "investment" thing feels a bit too generous. Even if I'm strong, why would the Thieves' Guild leader personally make a deal like this with me? There has to be more to it…
He glanced at Kael out of the corner of his eye. The man's calm smile didn't waver in the slightest.
Wait… in the original story, Kajann later worked directly under Nefthis's command. Could it be— Kael also has ties to her?
The thought made Knox's smile deepen slightly.
If that's true… then this "investment" might be far more beneficial than I expected.
"Alright then, I accept the request."