Chapter 615: Leonera Village

"Thanks for the ride, Uncle."

"Haha! It’s alright, young man. I’m heading this way anyway. Take care, you two."

The old farmer gave them a warm smile before tugging gently on the reins.

Amon raised his hand and waved.

"Take care!"

The farmer waved back before guiding the horses onward, leaving Amon and Arnold standing at the entrance of Leonera Village.

Arnold crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at Amon.

"Should we go?"

"Yeah. Let’s go."

Amon adjusted his clothes before walking forward.

He was wearing a brown lace-up tunic with a V-shaped collar and leather lacing running down the sleeves. The loose, gathered fabric was held at the waist by a simple leather ring belt. Brown trousers and chocolate-colored leather boots completed his outfit.

Beside him, Arnold wore a simple gray tunic with matching trousers.

The two entered the village through the main road.

Leonera was much larger than Amon had initially expected.

The earthen road stretched deep into the settlement, with expansive farms occupying both sides. Crops grew in neat rows, while several farmers could be seen working in the fields.

The houses were mostly constructed from wood and stone. Some were small and modest, while others were surprisingly large, almost resembling the homes found in small cities.

As they walked deeper into the village, the atmosphere became livelier.

People moved through the streets, talking with one another.

Children ran around while playing games, their laughter echoing through the surroundings. Middle-aged women stood outside their homes, chatting and gossiping with their neighbors.

Amon looked around with mild curiosity.

"Well, this looks like a perfectly normal village."

"Yes..."

Arnold’s expression remained serious as his eyes slowly traveled across their surroundings.

"But we might not have anything to do with the villagers themselves."

His gaze continued moving from one person to another.

"The thing we’re looking for could be someone hidden among them."

Amon glanced at him.

"You’re already suspicious of everyone?"

"I’m observing."

"That’s basically the same thing."

Arnold ignored him.

Soon, the peaceful residential areas gave way to the village’s marketplace.

The market was surprisingly large and somewhat crowded. Merchants shouted about their goods while customers moved from one stall to another. The smell of freshly baked bread, cooked meat, vegetables, and various spices filled the air.

Amon looked around. "Where should we start?"

"For now, we should simply explore," Arnold replied. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "And tonight... we should visit somewhere people go to relax and let themselves loose."

Amon raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You mean a tavern?"

"Exactly."

"That’s actually a good idea." Amon nodded. "I used to work at one for a few years. Most men would get drunk there and talk freely without worrying about anything."

Arnold glanced at him.

"That’s a good place to gather information. But does this village even have a tavern?"

"There should be one."

Amon shrugged. "I mean, the business of selling alcohol exists almost everywhere. Even small villages have taverns. And Leonera is huge, so there should definitely be one."

"Fair enough. Let’s keep looking while we explore."

"Sure, bro."

The two continued walking through the marketplace, casually discussing where they should begin their investigation.

"Oh? Are you two new to the village?"

A voice came from the side. Amon and Arnold turned toward the speaker.

A young man in his mid-twenties stood nearby. He had curly brown hair, slightly tanned skin, and a gentle expression.

He wore a long black-and-white robe, while a cross-shaped necklace hung around his neck.

Judging by his clothing and the symbol around his neck, he appeared to be a devotee of the Goddess—most likely a deacon or priest.

He was carrying a bag of vegetables in one hand.

"Yes, we are," Arnold replied respectfully.

The young man smiled.

"Then welcome to Leonera Village. I’m a deacon working under the priest of the local church. My name is Atlas."

"Thank you for welcoming us, Sir Atlas." Amon gestured toward himself. "My name is Daemon, and this is Silas."

Arnold glanced at Amon. Apparently, they had decided to use fake names during their investigation. But Amon used names of his liking for both.

Atlas looked between the two of them. "Hehe. You two certainly have some unique names. Daemon and Silas."

He chuckled. "It’s nice to meet you. So, what brings you here? Are you visiting someone? Perhaps relatives?"

"We’re simply adventurers and travelers," Arnold answered smoothly.

"We enjoy exploring new places. We stayed in Eldermere for a few days and decided to look around the surrounding regions. We heard people talking about how peaceful and beautiful the villages here were compared to the cities, so we decided to visit Leonera."

Amon listened silently. He didn’t like the lie Arnold had come up with, but for the moment, there was no reason to interfere.

Atlas’s expression brightened.

"Oh, young adventurers! Haha! That’s wonderful."

He shook his head with an amused smile.

"It must be exciting to travel around the world and see different places. You’re certainly not the first adventurers to visit Leonera."

He adjusted the bag of vegetables in his hand.

"I hope you have a pleasant stay. And if you need any help, don’t hesitate to visit the church."

He pointed down the road.

"If you continue straight, you’ll eventually reach the village square. The temple is located there. You can find me there if you need anything."

Atlas turned around, preparing to leave.

Amon suddenly remembered something. "Wait. Is there a tavern here?"

Atlas stopped and looked back. "A tavern?"

"Yeah."

"Haha! Of course there is. It’s one of the most popular places among adventurers." Atlas pointed down the road.

"Continue straight, then take the right turn. After walking for a few minutes, you’ll find it. It’s fairly well-known around here."

Arnold nodded and gave a slight bow. "Thank you."

"Haha, there’s no need to be so formal."

Atlas smiled warmly. "Just don’t get into a fight while you’re drunk."

With those words, he waved goodbye and continued on his way.

Amon watched him disappear into the crowd. "Hm. Should we also look for an inn?"

Arnold frowned. "Why didn’t you ask him about that?"

"I just remembered."

Arnold sighed. "Well, since we’re going to spend the entire day observing the village, we might as well find somewhere to stay."

"Agreed."

The two continued exploring Leonera.

Eventually, they found a decent inn, rented a room, and had lunch before heading out again.

---

Night eventually descended upon Leonera.

The peaceful atmosphere of the village changed completely. The tavern was packed with customers.

THUD!

Several wooden mugs filled with ale slammed onto a table.

A drunken man loudly boasted to his companions. "Haha! Damn! You gotta believe me, man, the whores from Eldermere are just amazing. The way they move, the way they blush like sweet pure flowers, and the way their bodies move like real sluts! haha, they know exactly how to please a man!"

His friends burst into laughter. "Expensive they must be? Need to visit sometimes. You made me curious."

"Maybe. But definitely worth visiting at least once."

"Hey! One more ale over here!"

"Start the music! I want to dance!"

The tavern was filled with laughter, loud conversations, clinking mugs, and the heavy scent of alcohol.

The entire building was constructed from wood, with numerous tables arranged throughout the spacious room. Almost every table was occupied.

Waiters and waitresses moved between the customers, carrying plates of food and fresh drinks.

At one corner of the tavern sat two young men.

Two large wooden mugs filled with ale rested on their table.

Amon leaned back in his chair, his cheeks slightly flushed as he stared out through the nearby window.

Outside, darkness had completely covered Leonera.

The lively atmosphere of the tavern seemed almost disconnected from the quiet village streets beyond the window.

"What do you think of the village?" Arnold finally asked. "Have you noticed anything strange?"

Amon slowly turned toward him. "What can I say..."

He took another sip of his ale. "Honestly, nothing."

He glanced toward the window again. "It looks like any other normal village."

Arnold sighed. "This is going to be troublesome."

"Should we explore again tonight?"

"We should." Amon nodded.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Amon noticed Arnold staring at him. He looked back.

"...I apologize." Arnold apologized to him.

Amon raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"Once again..."

Arnold lowered his gaze slightly.

"You were dragged into this because of me. You’ve been involved in danger after danger because of my System."

Amon stared at him for a moment before shrugging.

"Meh. Why are you apologizing again?"

He lifted his mug. "It’s not like apologizing is going to change anything. And like I said before, I don’t particularly hate what I’ve been through."

Arnold frowned. "Why?"

He still couldn’t understand why Amon wasn’t angry with him, even after finding out the truth.

If it had been someone else, they would have hated Arnold to the core. Even Arnold himself would have hated anyone who had used him for their own benefit.