I Have a Task Log

Colin and the others returned to the dwarves’ sewers.

"Is there anything we need to do this time?" Ale asked, watching her companions prepare.

"It’s similar to when we scouted for the Demon last time. Just leave everything to us."

After Colin spoke, Dorn, standing beside him, chimed in with a grin, "Hear that? You’re useless, little Elf—OW! What are you doing, Kase, my man!"

Kase, who had just smacked him on the head, said in a booming voice, "We can’t go with you this time either."

Colin ignored the rowdy group and began Casting the [Disguise Technique] to alter his appearance.

His strange Muscle Chest Armor transformed into a standard Plate Armor Chest Guard. At the same time, his features changed to those of a blond, blue-eyed man from the North.

Orelia, standing beside him, also began Casting.

She used Magic to hide her horns and hooves, changed her skin tone to a normal pinkish-white, and in a flash, transformed from a Tiefling into a human.

After her transformation was complete, she noticed the strange expressions on the others’ faces and asked timidly, "Um... is something wrong?"

"It’s nothing." Colin reached into his pocket and pulled out the note from Bob and his crew.

Colin hadn’t just been sitting around waiting for the Triumphal March these past two days. After discussing the plan with Kase and the others, he had contacted Bob’s group.

The Hundred Eyes Gang had recently helped them gather information on Karen Stone Heart’s general daily routine. As long as they followed the schedule, they should be able to find him.

All that was left was to tail him for a while and see if he did anything suspicious.

Colin looked at the note and said, "It’s around noon. Karen Stone Heart should be at the Dream of Returning Harbor Tavern having lunch with the cleaners."

"Then follow me."

With that, Dorn led the other two out of the sewer.

The three of them split up immediately after exiting, keeping several dozen meters apart like strangers. However, thanks to Dorn’s Mind Communication, they could still communicate fluently without anyone noticing.

Dorn’s ability was incredibly useful for missions that required stealth.

The trio arrived at the entrance of the Dream of Returning Harbor Tavern.

’I came here with Kase to escort the cleaners back in the day.’

At that thought, the memory of the Carrion Insects made Colin shudder, goosebumps rising on his skin.

He shook the image from his mind and was the first to enter the tavern.

Colin nonchalantly found an empty table. Putting on a Rommon accent like a true wandering Mercenary, he barked his order at a serving girl, then plopped down into a seat.

While waiting for his food, Colin’s eyes immediately locked onto Karen Stone Heart, who was seated nearby.

He was sitting with several cleaners.

He was a tall, sturdy, middle-aged man with a scruffy beard and short, pale blond hair.

Though he looked a bit haggard now, you could still see traces of his former dashing looks.

Colin scanned the man’s equipment.

The man wore a matching suit of Full Plate Armor. A polished Charell Helmet sat on the table beside him. A warhammer hung at his waist, and an almost absurdly large metal tower shield leaned against the table.

All his gear had basic Enchantments, but they were mostly simple effects like Defense +1 and Attack +1. There was no special Magic Equipment.

Morel’s note had also included Karen Stone Heart’s background.

He was a Warrior who excelled at close-quarters combat and defending against attacks. His squad had once supposedly faced a giant ape over six meters tall in the southern rainforests.

This was also why the mission had been given to Colin and his team.

After all, a veteran Adventurer was not an opponent an ordinary person could handle.

’Then again,’ Colin thought, ’why would a Shield Guard, the one who’s supposed to absorb enemy attacks, be the team’s sole survivor?’

"We can head out now, sir," one of the cleaners sitting with Karen said.

Karen merely nodded in silence.

The group then rose and headed outside.

Colin quickly sent a mental message, telling Dorn and Orelia to follow.

He feigned being a casual passerby and followed Karen’s group until he saw them open a manhole cover on the side of the street and climb down into the sewer.

"Do you know the sewer system around this entrance? We need to find a place to go down," Colin asked via their mental link.

"Go to the alley up ahead and turn left," came the reply.

After receiving the reply, Colin went to the dim alley ahead. Dorn and Orelia followed him in shortly after.

The three of them lifted the manhole cover and climbed down into the sewer.

Colin took out the Spellbook he had obtained from the Silver Star Court. Recalling the Large Shield he had just seen, he began Casting.

The [Object Positioning Skill] activated. A faint blue arrow slowly materialized on the spell’s page, pointing to their right.

Dorn studied the arrow. His voice then sounded in Colin’s mind, "Alright, I’ll go ahead and see where they are. You two follow behind."

Colin and Orelia promptly began acting like Adventurers hired to clean the sewers, following the Dwarf from a distance.

The three of them followed him through the foul-smelling sewers, but they found nothing suspicious about Karen’s movements, not even when he returned to the Surface.

It wasn’t until evening that Karen parted ways with the cleaners.

He left the tavern and walked alone down the main street. Colin and the other two patiently followed behind him.

By conserving some energy and using the Rising Tier Spellcasting technique to cast Tier Two Magic, Colin was able to keep his [Disguise Technique] active. Orelia’s, however, had already worn off. The poor girl had to trail far behind them to avoid drawing attention.

Before long, Karen reached the city gate.

Following from a short distance, Colin watched the man’s back, his Large Shield prominent.

Just as the Hundred Eyes Gang’s intel suggested, although Karen Stone Heart lived in an apartment in the Castle District, he would spend several hours outside the city after work before returning. This was his strangest habit.

Dorn, dozens of meters away, glanced over. His voice sounded in Colin’s mind: "Should we keep following him?"

"Let’s keep an eye on him. Has Orelia sensed anything unusual yet?"

"She says she hasn’t."

With that answer, Colin silently fell into step, slowly trailing Karen Stone Heart.

Colin and his companions followed him into the slums.

It was worth noting that the number of vagrants in the slums had decreased significantly. Perhaps the policies of Edwin and his administration were taking effect, or perhaps the cold snap was finally letting up. ’I can only hope,’ Colin thought, ’that the people who disappeared have been moved into the new apartments.’

The group continued to shadow Karen.

Here, too, Karen did nothing out of the ordinary. He just looked like he was taking a stroll.

’But that in itself is strange,’ Colin thought. ’Who strolls through the stinking slums like they’re walking through a garden?’