"Hey hey!" A call from nowhere pulled Furen and the other two from their thoughts. Quevedo, his hands in the shape of a megaphone, was cheerfully waking his companions, a wide smile plastered on his face.
Accustomed to luxurious surroundings, Karl was only slightly surprised before regaining his composure:
"Okay, stop shouting, let us in."
Quevedo blinked, without saying anything, then turned to lead his companions to the tavern entrance. He was about to enter directly, but the guard posted in front placed his long spear across it without the slightest hesitation. Quevedo was forced to stop. He looked at the impassive guard and said, laughing:
"Come on, officer, how many times have you seen me? Couldn't you just let me in without a pass?"
The guard, clad in thick armor, emitted a muffled sound, like metal rubbing against metal: "No."
Quevedo scratched his cheek, then reached into his clothing and pulled out a brightly colored card: the famous pass. The guard didn't even take it. He took a ledger from his left hand, flipped through it with one hand, compared it to the card with a quick glance, and then said, "You may enter."
The spear he held before him rose immediately. Quevedo put away the brightly colored map. Despite the fact that it had flashed by so quickly, Furen clearly made out a silhouette formed by the colorful patterns of what looked like a pass. Furen couldn't say for sure who it was, but he was certain it was Quevedo, even though Quevedo's name on the map was slightly distorted.
Quevedo, his face grim, made a weak gesture with his right hand and said, "Let's go."
Pushing open the door, he discovered a surprisingly crowded tavern. The usual tavern noises could be heard, but there was no trace of the stench or the dialect curses of the "Flame Axe" tavern.
A central aisle, devoid of tables, led to a huge counter. On either side, the tables near the bar were used for drinking. Further along, most were surrounded by groups of people, so Furen couldn't make out what was on the tables.
Quevedo began to explain everything in a strangely familiar tone: "Strictly speaking, the Old Sage's tavern shouldn't be called a tavern at all, but rather a tavern in name only," Quevedo paused, "a casino. Many people lose their entire lives gambling there. Our government hasn't cracked down on casinos; it's simply raised taxes, which is clearly insufficient."
"However, compared to other casinos, at least Old Sage isn't as bloodthirsty. He forbids people indebted to the casino from gambling and forces them to work. Many work for thirty or forty years to pay off their debts. Old Sage has only run this tavern for about forty years." Quevedo continued, but his tone was no longer as light as usual.
Soon, Quevedo led Furen and the others to the bar. Quevedo then addressed an old man with white hair and beard: "Old Sage, it's been a long time!"
The old man looked to be over seventy, but his movements betrayed no sign of aging. Seeing Quevedo greet him, he immediately replied, "Quevedo! Not so long ago. Just two weeks ago, didn't you buy something from me? You even mentioned... what was it again? Something that was going to happen 'soon'?"
Quevedo gave an embarrassed laugh: "Hey, Old Sage, you really haven't lost any of your flair... But why use your talents to listen to the conversations of young people?"
The Old Sage ran his hand through his hair, still thick despite its whiteness: "I don't waste my time on that. But you, you're an exception. The old man that I am likes to keep an eye on... particular individuals."
Quevedo smiled somewhat artificially, then resumed his usual demeanor: "Come now, I'm not anyone special. You, on the other hand... Anyway, let me introduce you to my companions."
With that, Quevedo pointed out Erich, Freun and Karl in turn, saying: "Here is Erich. Here is Furen. Here is Karl. They are my companions. I would ask you to let me introduce them to the others." Quevedo emphasized the word "companions".
The old Sage understood the allusion and said, "Very well, you can introduce them to the others first. Besides, you've arrived at just the right time. The party will be starting soon, so you can show them around, then take them to the party at 4:30 p.m. Ask me for the maps after the party; I need some time too." With that, the old Sage looked attentively at Furen, Erich, and Karl, then waved and turned to leave.
Unsurprisingly, Quevedo ordered: "Four glasses of South Welsh beer."
The bartender sitting next to the old Sage, wiping the glasses with the same nonchalance, only brought out four glasses after hearing Quevedo speak, poured South Welsh beer into them, and handed them to him. Quevedo took the beer, gave three glasses to the three men, took a sip, then led Furen and the others away from the bar.
Furen tasted the beer. It was nothing like the Ormir wine from the day before, but it wasn't bad. Light, easy to drink despite a high alcohol content, without pronounced bitterness: just to his liking.
Quevedo led them to a virtually invisible staircase. He smiled, then descended without a word. At the bottom of the steps was a door leading to a basement bathed only in the light of a single candle.
Another armored guard stood at the entrance, but unlike the impassive-faced guard at the gate, he didn't look at Quevedo with the same indifference. Instead, he removed his visor and said, "Hey, Quevedo, bringing newbies into the extraordinary world? Great, the more people at the Beyonders Market, the better!"
Clearly, Quevedo and this guard knew each other well. Quevedo approached the guard and said, "Hey, Carret, it's been a long time! You're still not head of the guard? I've seen you serving as a simple guard for two or three years now."
The guard replied bitterly, "Alas, becoming head of the guard is impossible. Our captain..." "He's too powerful. I would never dare aspire to a position like his. Being a simple guard, earning a decent salary, and performing simple tasks is quite enough for me."
Quevedo tapped his armor, which resonated pleasantly: "Still as sturdy as ever! It seems your armor is heavier than the army's. I'm not inviting you for a drink now; next time you're off duty, we'll open one."
At the mention of alcohol, Carret suddenly seemed enthusiastic, but then corrected himself, thinking of his duty: "Okay, next time we'll drink and talk."
Carret then opened the basement door. Quevedo waved goodbye to him, then led Furen and the others inside the Beyonders market.
(End of chapter)