NOVEL NEXT Chapter 193: Outsider(2)
Chapter 193: Outsider(2)
The night had settled deep over the town, cloaking it in a quiet, heavy darkness. Outside his tavern, a stout man with a thick belly and worn-out apron stood by the doorway, casting one last gaze at the empty, dim-lit street. With a sigh, he reached for the sturdy wooden door and swung it shut, the soft creak of its hinges cutting through the silence. He heaved his weight against it, locking the latch firmly, ensuring it was shut tight against any unexpected visitors who might stumble by after hours.
The man paused, wiping a meaty hand across his balding head and glancing back at the darkened windows. Inside, the tavern was now empty of the raucous voices and laughter that had filled it only an hour before, its tables scattered with the remnants of the evening's patrons—a few forgotten mugs, a discarded cloak, crumbs littering the floor.
With one last look at his quiet tavern, he turned and began the slow trudge back to his small room above, where a cold bed awaited him and the long, silent hours of night stretched ahead.
As the tavern keeper turned from the locked door, the faint sound of footsteps reached his ears, breaking the silence. He froze, as the darkness three men emerged , their figures concealed by heavy cloaks that swept around their boots. They moved with a quiet confidence, stopping just a few paces away.
One of them tilted his head, his voice smooth and calm as he spoke. "Evening," he greeted, a vague politeness in his tone that carried an edge. "Would you be Aldwin?"
The tavern keeper straightened, eyes narrowing suspiciously. He knew his regulars and these men were not among them. He kept his voice steady, though his heart quickened. "Who's asking?" he said gruffly, his gaze darting to each of their shadowed faces.