Restart:Untalented Man

After a few minutes passed, a lone voice among the crowd spoke up, almost hesitantly, "Turtevekesia."

"Tsk! Turtevekesia, huh?" Bain clicked his tongue, annoyed by the fact he just got hold of.

Although he doesn't pursue any further on the man who gave the information to him, he does remember the face just in case. He had a lot of questions to ask afterwards.

Right now, catching the Ferrons before they slip past the border was their top priority.

He doesn't want to face another failure.

His underperformance during the war had done enough damage to his reputation.

In a short amount of time, a pursuit team was formed to hunt the Ferrons.

In the courtyard of the mansion, soldiers assembled. Torches flickered, casting elongated shadows on the faces of the men who would be embarking on this mission.

Despite having to operate in the middle of the night, none of them show an exhausted or sleepy expression. Instead, they were quite energetic.

"Alright, listen up!" Bain's voice cut through the still night air. "We receive information on the whereabouts of the Ferron family. They are believed to be on their way to Turtevekesia. If so, the quickest path they would take is through the city of Tegrot. Your objective is to go there, locate and capture them. Move with haste and be prepared for anything."

....

Tegrot, a city nestled at the western border of Ryntum Kingdom, served as a crucial gateway for those seeking passage to the neighbouring Turtevekesia.

In spite of lacking distinct specialities or renowned features, the city held it's title as a 'border city' long before the inception of the Ryntum Kingdom.

Due to Turtevekesia's closed-off nature, there are not many people passing by to and from Tegrot.

Well... That's only true before the Kingdom of Ryntum was established. 

Ever since the day Riz laid eyes on the red gemstone belonging to the King of Naharog at the coronation ceremony and added with the appearance of Fire Priest Gliibious, he had paid close attention to this west neighbour.

However, the low flow of people in and out of Tegrot was a challenge for Riz to make any move.

In order to know what was happening within that place, he had to slip his spies. And to do so, the current situation had to be changed. 

Riz devised a plan to alter the city's dynamics and its surrounding by introducing a duty-free zone on the outskirts of Tegrot to serve as the linchpin in his strategy.

Because the concept duty-free zone was foreign here, his idea was considered unique and caught the curiosity of the people.

Traffic and activity immediately surged.

What was once a quiet border city swiftly transformed into a bustling centre of commerce and information exchange. 

An area where certain goods could be imported, stored, handled, and re-exported without being subject to taxes that would normally apply was enough to allure merchants, traders, and travellers alike.

Goods from Ryntum, in particular, were highly sought after.

Seeing the increased flow of people from many places, including Turtevekesia, Riz took the opportunity to send his spies to blend in seamlessly and slip into the close-off country.

Unfortunately for Riz, while his idea provided an opportunity and boost to the local economy, it also became an enabler for some people to increase their criminal activities.

In an unknown location within Tegrot, Albert is waiting for someone.

From his demeanour, he appears to be anxious. Albert's impatience manifested in the rhythmic tapping of his foot against the cold hard floor.

Even though it was chilly tonight, beads of sweat adorned his forehead.

Tap—

Tap—

Tap—

"Where the hell is that guy?" he muttered.

The question seemed more rhetorical than directed at anyone in particular, given that there was only him in the room.

His eyes darted restlessly, scanning the place. This is his first time coming here in person.

Creak—

The door swung open, revealing a man with a lack of hair entered. His scalp bore the markings of various scars and that alone is sufficient to intimidate people.

He was followed by several men behind him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Albert."

"What took you so long?" he queried.

"You come so suddenly and request me to get you out of this kingdom. Do you think it is easy for me to arrange that?! I had to readjust the schedule because of you. If anything, be grateful that I accept your request. I heard you got involved in a pretty big scheme."

"Tsk! Don't mind about me." Albert clicked his tongue, annoyed that he was being berated by someone he considered beneath him. However, he couldn't act too rude as the fate of his entire family depended on this bald guy. "Anyway, what's the progress?"

"We are going to ship you and your family together with the rest of our cargo. It might not be very comfortable, but bear with it," the bald man explained, his tone conveying a no-nonsense attitude.

Albert's face brightened, "Great! So, when does the cargo move out?"

"Very soon! You should go and call your family to this location. I bet the soldiers are on their way here as we speak. To be honest, staying at the inn isn't a very good move." the bald man advised. "There's a lot of eyes and ears in that place."

Albert stood up and wished to quickly fetch his family. His eagerness was noticeable in his hurried movements.

Seeing Albert's scared yet energetic attitude, the bald man has less confidence in this rich patron.

There's no way Albert could discreetly go to the inn and return without drawing attention or being seen.

"You know what..." the bald man opens his mouth, "I will send my men to escort you."

"Oh?! That's kind of you," Albert replied, being as appreciative as he could.

"Kind?" His eyes twitched, "I'm simply being extra careful here. I don't want to die because of you! If I get caught, I will be double dead. Now, get going!"