Parallel Vol. 4 [LEGACY EDITION]

Episode 16.1: Eggs

Suvron's Bridge

14th Banem 1092

The most famous bridge in all of Destia certainly lived up to its billing. A host of adventurers, tourists and merchants constantly crossed Suvron's Bridge, often stopping at stalls to stock up on necessary items before heading out into the wild. Those who set up stalls on the bridge were usually merchants too poor to pay for spaces inside Suvron's Gate. As a result, their products were usually a lot cheaper than those in the tower.

Naturally, these cheaper products also paled in quality to those sold at the tower. It was a system that ensured every adventurer regardless of their degree of wealth, left or entered Merriheim satisfied.

On this day, like every other day since, the sun shone overhead. Like every other day, the bridge was packed with hundreds of people. However, unlike every other day, the bridge was eerily silent, the eyes of every soul on the bridge directed at the quartet at the bridge's foot.

It was to be expected, as the group comprised three of the most notorious figures in all of Rosendun and Merriheim.

Kashi sat atop Drixlia, led Shadow, Larsial and a full-sized Kira up the bridge. The daeben was unruffled by the attention as a good number of the staring eyes contained the good-fashioned hostility he was used to. Compared to the adoring fans at Lunette's concert, Kashi felt more at ease among the hatred and killing intent.

Despite their murderous thoughts, no one dared to make a move on the daeben. This was not just because they were deep in Maggot territory. The greatest deterrence was the massive direwolf that stood shoulder to shoulder with the stallions. Those ferocious blood-red eyes and teeth as large as fingers promised a gruesome death to anyone foolish enough to cross her.

So it was that Kashi led his group past the bridge without incident. A smile blossomed on the daeben's face as he gazed at Suvron's Gate in the distance. Significant portions of the tower's walls had been replaced with sturdy glass, such that residents within the building had a magnificent view of the world from above. The modern architecture stood out in this world, drawing thousands of tourists and adventurers eager to experience this for themselves.

"Kashi-dono, it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Kashi looked down to see a dark-skinned mertian. The heavy-set bald man looked to be in his late forties. A set of formal, sharp business attire and the host of servants following behind suggested he was a man of considerable influence.

Kashi nodded, acknowledging the greeting. "You are?"

"Ah, where are my manners." The mertian politely bowed at a sharp 90 degrees angle. "I am called Gregor. Master Miote left me in charge of operations here at Suvron's Gate."

"Of course he did," Kashi murmured. Inwardly, however, he let out a sigh as he realized just how little he knew about his guild. However, with an indifferent shrug, he completely abandoned that train of thought. As long as Leila was around, he did not need to get into all these administrative stuff. "Gregor-san, Lunette informed me of a problem you encountered?"

"Yes, of course," Gregor acknowledged as he gestured to a little ways off from the entrance to Suvron's Gate. "If you would follow me."

Kashi got off Drixlia, and after instructing the stubborn stallion to behave itself, Kashi, along with Shadow, Larsial, and Kira followed after Gregor. Kashi noticed their path significantly led them away from the entrance to Suvron's Gate. "This problem. I was informed it was in the basement?"

"Yes, it is," Gregor explained. "Master Miote insisted workers leaving through the tower's entrance was not a good look, so he commissioned a tunnel to be built nearby that connected to the basement. That is what we currently use."