Dallen double-checked his order one last time at Lokaga's shop before cautiously stepping out the door. The bait box containing a few bugs he'd picked up to show Mau back at the lodging felt light, making his steps toward the street buoyant.
As he turned directly into a narrow alley, the quiet street was filled only with the faint echo of footsteps and the subtle sound of water trickling from behind Lokaga's shop.
Just as Dallen was about to take flight while navigating the narrow, elongated alley, he rounded a corner and collided with a figure that appeared out of nowhere. In an instant, he felt the brush of someone's shoulder, and something fell from that person's shoulder with a small metallic clink.
-Ting-
Dallen turned his head toward the sound and halted, shrinking back. What had fallen to the ground was the clasp of a cape adorned with a knot motif. The silver outline of the cape clasp gleamed faintly on the floor.
The unfamiliar old man who had collided with Dallen and stopped in place was staring at him with narrowed eyes. Due to the missing clasp that had been fastening his cape, the black garment hung open down to the old man's waist.
"Ah, I'm truly sorry. I was about to take off suddenly and..."
Dallen bowed his head in apology.
The old man picked up the fallen clasp from the ground, reattached it to his cape, and silently regarded Dallen. Silence lingered, but Dallen sensed a peculiar dark aura emanating from this old man. There was something heavy in his gaze that inexplicably subdued those who met it.
As Dallen drew closer to the old man, a subtle scent reached the tip of his nose.
It was a fragrance difficult to express with common words. It wasn't an ordinary perfume, nor a natural essential oil. It carried a slightly spicy edge, like freshly dug ginger, mingled with the musty, damp odor of an old pile of fallen leaves.
In that moment, Dallen felt a chill run down his spine. The old man paused as if mulling over Dallen's apology, then slowly nodded and opened his mouth.
"It's alright. Unexpected things happen in alleys like this."
The old man's voice was low and deliberate, yet it carried no hint of displeasure or irritation toward Dallen.
Relieved by the old man's composed tone, Dallen cautiously asked,
"Thank you. Is that... thing you dropped okay? Because of me..."
Dallen inquired, glancing at the cape clasp now gleaming on the old man's chest.
The old man slightly turned his head to look at his own cape clasp in response to Dallen's question, then shifted his gaze back to Dallen. A peculiar smile tugged at the corners of the old man's mouth.
"It's fine. It's not an expensive item anyway."
The old man touched the cape clasp with his right hand, slowly closing and opening his eyes. His serene gaze held a sharpness that seemed to pierce deep into one's inner self. The old man's fixed pupils were locked on Dallen.
As Muidoc slowly approached, Dallen felt an inexplicable discomfort and wanted to turn his head away again. Muidoc's hand naturally drew nearer, captivating Dallen's attention. Though inwardly on guard, Dallen couldn't tear his eyes away.
"I see..."
Dallen continued the conversation naturally.
"Ah, I've been rude not to introduce myself sooner. I'm Dallen."
Upon hearing Dallen's words, the old man quietly nodded.
"Dallen... It suits you well. I suppose I should share my name too. I'm Muidoc. I come from distant Ixtarn, and I'm staying here in Latulle Cave for a short while at a friend's invitation."
Dallen nodded and looked at Muidoc. There was a strange energy emanating from his eyes and demeanor. His every word was relaxed and indifferent, like being submerged in the still depths of a slowly settling lake, yet the atmosphere surrounding Muidoc was far from light.
As Muidoc's questions continued, Dallen felt a subtle unease. The words were kind, but Muidoc's gaze, as if he could see through everything, made Dallen's heart uncomfortable. Above all, his eyes still gleamed sharply, as if probing for secrets.
Struggling to decipher this odd sensation, Dallen briefly averted his eyes and said,
"Were you heading to Lokaga's shop, by any chance? It's famous among anglers for its baits. It's a great place to recommend if you're looking for special lures."
"I've heard as much. Especially that they handle high-quality hawkmoth caterpillars. I came specifically because I was told you can find rare baits in this Latulle Cave that aren't common elsewhere."
Muidoc replied in his still leisurely tone to Dallen's query.
"Hawkmoth caterpillars... Yes, you can certainly get excellent bait at Lokaga's shop."
Dallen said with a smile.
Though the conversation flowed, a subtle tension lingered between them. Each of Muidoc's words was measured, and his voice carried an indescribable ominous undertone. Dallen found himself unwittingly captivated by Muidoc's tone and gaze.
The short exchange with Muidoc seemed to ease Dallen's tension somewhat, but soon the piercing quality of Muidoc's eyes and his inscrutable smile weighed heavily on his mind. His words and manner were quiet, yet there was something subtly concealed beneath.
"Do you have some other purpose for seeking hawkmoth caterpillars? It doesn't seem like you're going catfishing."
Dallen asked softly, but in that moment, he wondered if the question delved too deeply without realizing it.
Muidoc paused at those words, flashing a peculiar smile as he slightly turned his head.
"Actually, I'm the type who likes to see what I'm seeking with my own eyes."
He raised one corner of his mouth and stared at Dallen.
"For instance, I wanted to confirm for myself if these hawkmoth caterpillars are truly unique items only found in Latulle, hard to obtain elsewhere. Ah... and I'll clarify that I'm not buying them for catfishing..."
He slowly shifted his steps, nudging a small pebble on the ground with his foot. The sound echoed quietly through the alley, grating on Dallen's nerves.
"In truth, rather than just coming for bait, I thought perhaps I might discover more intriguing ingredients. I've heard rumors that this Latulle Cave harbors special beings not found anywhere else."
As Dallen listened to Muidoc's words, he sensed an alien quality in his deep, probing gaze. It gave him an ominous feeling, as if he himself had become one of those 'special beings' Muidoc mentioned.
"Latulle Cave has more than just bait; there are many special artisans and items as well."
Dallen nodded cautiously and said.
"And in other alleys, there are shops selling various tools. Though I'm not sure what exactly you're looking for..."
Listening to Dallen's words, Muidoc slowly stepped closer to him. His eyes held a hunger-like gleam, and tension crackled between them.
"Dallen... Yes, someone like you, a Muwa who flits about Latulle with wings, must know this place inside out. For example, where things are sold, where the good items are... things like that."
Muidoc said in a quiet voice.
At those words, Dallen instinctively took a step back. He felt a budding wariness in his heart.
"I'm just... wandering around for my own business. Nothing grand. And since I was born a Muwa, flying is convenient for me. Haha..."
Dallen laughed lightly, as if uninterested in prolonging the trivial chatter, and continued the conversation in a more relaxed posture despite Muidoc's new questions. But Muidoc steered the topic again, revealing his minor curiosities once more.
"Then, Dallen, is there a place where I can easily get fruits like figs or grapes? I'd like to find millet or sorghum too. I plan to cook with friends today."
Dallen slightly nodded at Muidoc's question and smiled.
"Hmm... For figs and grapes, you can get them from the Deusi farms here in Latulle. There are probably farms handling grains like millet or sorghum as well."
"Oh, the Deusi run farms too?"
Muidoc looked at Dallen with apparent interest.
"Yes, the Deusi mainly tend farms outside the cave, growing various crops."
Amid the naturally flowing questions, Dallen thought this level of conversation would end soon. He relaxed, figuring he was just explaining a bit more about the farms outside his cave.
Muidoc finally nodded, gazing at Dallen with serene eyes as he absorbed his words.
"Then, one more question: Is there a place in Latulle that handles large quantities of fruit wine?"
Dallen maintained a light smile and answered Muidoc's persistent queries.
"In Latulle, dwarves mostly run the distilleries. They age the liquors in barrels for long periods. The aroma is deep and the flavor rich, so many seek them out from outside. The Deusi breweries are famous too, so you can get fruit wine there as well."
"Dwarven aging skills... Hmm, intriguing. They surely have apple distillates too... Five barrels should suffice."
Muidoc briefly averted his eyes from Dallen, slowly surveying the deep shadows of the alley as if lost in thought.
Dallen followed his gaze, stepping back once more, and prepared to bid Muidoc farewell.
"If you get the chance, visit the Deusi breweries or the dwarves' distilleries. If you enjoy liquor, you won't regret it. They're not hard to find. Latulle has quite a few large distilleries. And most of them source their ingredients—like crops for the distillates—from Deusi farms, so if you ask there, it won't be difficult to find what you're looking for."
"I'll do that, Dallen. Thanks to you, today seems like it'll be a very special time. You've saved me far more trouble than I expected."
Muidoc nodded with a satisfied smile.
His voice gradually lowered, as if a quiet wave was enveloping Dallen's consciousness.
Only then did Dallen feel a peculiar heaviness pressing down on his entire body. Muidoc's voice seemed to sink into the air, wrapping around him, and his eyelids began to droop. It was a sensation of his voice slowly, deeply resonating and seeping into his mind.
Muidoc's voice faded as if receding, then echoed again, lingering in his ears. Muidoc's form blurred and scattered in Dallen's vision, like being swallowed by encroaching darkness.
'This is strange... My eyes... What's happening...?'
Dallen strained to see Muidoc through his increasingly hazy vision. But his consciousness was already slipping away.
His head spun, and the last thing remaining in his sight was Muidoc's cold smile. A low chuckle from Muidoc tightened around Dallen's body. He mustered his final strength to tremble, but soon his awareness faded completely, sinking into utter darkness.