"What do you think?" Sean said.
The other's words caught him off guard.
It was probably because she noticed his gaze on her that she fell into this state of fear and shame.
Her dust-covered face flushed slightly.
"Shameless!"
"Haven't you heard that Sean Vigor has always been alone and quite the womanizer?" Sean said.
This remark also stirred up the two prisoners nearby, who began to struggle until a soldier standing beside them punched them until they spat blood.
"Gibeck!"
"Tashigi!! Let her go. If you've got the guts, kill us. Don't think you'll get anything out of us." The prisoner in the opposite cell thrashed and roared, only to be punched again by the guard before settling down.
"Don't touch him."
The woman in front of him looked worriedly at the man being brutally beaten, then suddenly turned a pair of fierce eyes toward Sean.
"If you've got the nerve, take me to your bed. I'll make you feel the thrill of having a blade by your side."
She let out a cold laugh.
"Your threats mean nothing to me, woman. And you're useless to me too." He walked out of the cell, instructing the soldiers nearby to keep watching them. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly turned his back to the three and said,
"I've heard recently that the inns in the northern part of the mercenary guild often house outsiders, many of whom have only come to Oro City recently." Sean said, turning to look at the three. The ones who had been hostile and noisy just moments ago fell silent.
They didn't dare meet his eyes, because eye contact would mean he'd guessed right.
But even without direct eye contact, Sean could still see the states hovering above their heads.
"How I hope you can be reunited." With a smile, he was about to leave the underground prison.
Just then, a soldier suddenly ran up to him.
"Milord, should we take this female ranger—"
Seeing his soldier's hesitant expression, Sean wondered if his reputation as a womanizer had spread so far that even his own retainers believed it.
He waved his hand.
"Just keep an eye on them."
He left the underground prison.
Sean wasn't in good spirits today. He hadn't slept well the night before, and after finishing his work, he'd encountered a rebel night raid that destroyed his room. He'd only managed to rest briefly in another room until dawn.
He rubbed his head. If this continued, he might become the empire's newest count to die from overwork.
He hadn't been sitting in his office long when Luke, Danti, and the Clode siblings, having heard the news, rushed over to ask about last night's events. He briefly explained what happened, and Luke suggested recalling some of the garrison troops to the count's mansion.
Sean agreed.
Since a night raid had already occurred, even if he disagreed, they would still insist on recalling some soldiers. Meanwhile, Luke devised a system of changing sleeping rooms daily, arranged according to a fixed sequence.
Harry also mentioned that this practice was common among high-ranking nobles, and even the king in the palace changed his sleeping quarters daily to prevent hidden rebels from finding a pattern.
As for Joseph and Aslant, who arrived later, they reported that they hadn't found anyone unusual in the square. The main issue was the crowd—too many spectators made it difficult for soldiers to maintain order, and with so many people packed together, spotting an enemy mixed in was nearly impossible.
This was something Sean had already considered. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stared at the sand table for so long this morning.
"No matter. Lately, keep an eye on the northern area, especially the inns near the mercenary guild. If there are outsiders, that's where they'll be most concentrated. Investigate everyone thoroughly," Sean said.
Although he'd seen two red dots enter that area on the sand table, there were still too many people there. Unless he went himself to check each one, he'd have to rely on the garrison to focus their investigation. Still, narrowing the scope to one location already reduced their difficulty significantly.
"That place is right—it's the most chaotic area and often a gathering spot for bandits from outside. I'll send people to keep watch immediately," Joseph said.
"Mm."
Sean could have gone himself, but he wasn't sure of the enemy's strength. If they were too high-level, fighting in the streets could cause chaos. More importantly, if they targeted him directly, it might trigger his passive skills.
He had mixed feelings about the Eye of Gheros. It allowed him to ignore many attacks from human strongmen, but it also meant he couldn't reveal that power in public, or all of Oro City might fall into madness.
So he'd let Joseph and the others investigate first. The enemy was probably trying to find a way to rescue their comrades.
As for defense, Sean wanted the Sky-Covering Wings headquarters to send capable people as soon as possible. With a few powerful wizards by his side, he wouldn't have to stare at the sand table every day to check for enemies. As for the statue and the Necronomicon...
He hadn't forgotten about that. In fact, it was a weight on his mind.
If it involved the followers of the Old Gods again, Sean feared it might once more affect Oro City, and he didn't know how to handle it.
The Necronomicon.
The Necronomicon...
Sean quietly recalled the details Alphonse had mentioned.
Luke and the others watched him, not daring to speak while he was thinking.
Suddenly, Sean looked up at Harry.
"Harry, how much do you know about the alchemists of Rietis?"
"Alchemists?!" Harry was taken aback. Why had the topic suddenly shifted to alchemists?
"I only know there's an alchemist guild in Rietis, home to many famous alchemists from southern Basharan Empire. I've heard you need to be capable to join."
"What level do you need to be to join?" Sean asked.
"Probably around level 6. But that was the rule a few years ago; I'm not sure what it's like now."
Harry wasn't certain, but Alphonse, a level 7 alchemist, should be among them.
"Alright, send another letter through your friend to the alchemist guild, addressed to an alchemist named Alphonse. Make sure it's delivered to him personally."
Since he didn't understand the Necronomicon, he might as well find someone who did to explain it.