Sean looked ahead.
A man around his own age wore a smile tinged with a state of [Guess!].
"Hello," Sean replied politely.
"I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Harry... Harry Wallop. My grandfather is Count Wallop."
A count!
No wonder he showed a sense of [Pride!] when speaking, but he mentioned his grandfather instead of his father, so Sean guessed that his father's generation might not have inherited the title, hence the reference to his grandfather.
Sean didn't know all the nobles in the north, but since the other party had already revealed his family, Sean responded in kind:
"Sean Viger. Baron of Tylermian Town in the southern Empire!"
Unlike the [Envy!] state of the man beside him, the other showed a hint of [Disappointment!].
What.
Was he looking down on Sean's status?
You're not even a titled noble yourself, yet you dare to look down on someone who inherited a legitimate title!
"So you're Baron Viger." Though disappointed inside, he didn't show it on his face, still offering a friendly greeting.
He glanced at the several maps laid out on the table.
"Baron Viger, you've just arrived in Rietis City, right? Planning to look around?"
People who buy such maps are usually tourists or merchants with special needs, and because they're finely detailed and expensive, they don't always sell.
"Just a hobby. I haven't been in the north long, so I want to learn about the local culture and history."
Suddenly, Sean noticed a flicker in the other's eyes.
"So Baron Viger is interested in these academic subjects!"
A casual remark had sparked the other's interest... Sean looked at the maps on the table.
Just then, the prompt [Being tracked...] appeared in his field of vision again. Sean instinctively glanced toward the entrance; several people had come in, but he couldn't tell who.
"Baron, what do you think?" the bookstore clerk beside him asked again.
"It's fine. I'll take this one... I'll look around a bit more to see if I need anything else."
Sean's sudden shift in demeanor left Harry and the bookstore clerk puzzled.
"Baron Viger, is there anything else you'd like to see? I know a lot about this area."
It was clear that this young man, stripped of his count's title, wanted to get closer to Sean, but Sean had no mind for that now.
"I'm just browsing."
"I'm familiar with this place. I can give you a tour."
The disappointment from earlier was gone, replaced by eagerness.
Sometimes you just can't figure out what people are up to... If it weren't for his ability, he'd probably be fooled many times over.
But...
Sean also noticed something.
Their conversation had drawn the attention of people reading nearby.
The prompt [Being watched...] suddenly increased by several, but [Being tracked...] stood alone!
The two were separate.
"Alright, then show me around. I'd like to learn about the local history," Sean said suddenly.
With the two prompts listed separately, it would be easier to find the person tracking him...
He walked off toward a spot he wanted to check out.
"Baron Viger, history books are over here."
"Wait a moment, I want to look here first..."
...
In the center of the bookstore stood rows of towering shelves that required small ladders to reach.
They divided the entire store into countless small sections, some even forming maze-like circular patterns that cordoned off areas.
Weaving through the shelves, Sean followed the prompts to search.
There were many people,
But the person behind the prompt kept evading him. It seemed they were observing him but deliberately avoided him when he approached.
They circled around the shelves...
Sean pulled a book from a shelf, and the gap between them allowed him to see through.
"Sorry, I didn't know someone was on the other side."
Since they were facing each other, taking out the book revealed the person opposite.
The one who had been tracking him!
Sean kept a meaningful smile on his face, which instantly triggered states of [Surprise!] and [Incredulity!] in the other.
It took a long moment for the other to speak.
"It's fine, it's fine..."
To Sean's surprise, the tracker was a young man in his early twenties.
He looked ordinary, even somewhat malnourished and thin, with sallow skin and dull eyes—the kind of face that easily blends into a crowd.
No wonder Sean hadn't spotted him when he looked back earlier.
Sean smiled, put the book back in its place, and walked out with the two chatterboxes beside him.
"Baron Viger!" someone called out from behind.
Sean turned around.
It was the person from across the shelf.
Once a tracker is discovered, tracking loses its purpose. Having memorized his face, whether Sean looked back or not, the other would feel watched.
"Oh, how do you know my identity?" Sean asked.
The other glanced left and right at the two people beside Sean, then hesitated.
"I have something to say to you alone."
"Say it here. I don't know you."
Sean kept the two with him to pressure the other and to bolster his own courage.
Having more people around gave him confidence, and if the other made a move, he could react...
But for now, the tracker showed no extreme reaction. The value displayed above his head remained:
[2500/2500, Neutral] and his current state was [Hesitant!]
He looked around but still didn't dare speak directly.
"I think you should talk to me alone, my lord."
"Then I'll just leave!" Sean didn't give in.
He was currently level 2, likely matching the other, but his combat skills were lacking.
If it came to a direct confrontation, even someone at level 3 or 4 might not beat him, so he wouldn't follow the other into some dark corner.
"It's Duke Haruman."
The other finally spoke.
Duke?
Sean immediately recalled Freylia mentioning that the Southern Grand Duke was also in Rietis City, and that the duke was arguing fiercely over the matter of Koga City.
"Duke Haruman?"
At the mention of the duke's name, both men beside him showed signs of [Nervousness!]. The grand duke's name was likely known to everyone in the city.
"Yes, Duke Haruman hopes you can come see him..."