CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 42: UNINVITED GUESTS

The common room of the Rusty Lantern Inn had only just begun to settle into the rhythm of morning. A sleepy bard strummed half-hearted chords in the corner while an old miner mumbled to his reflection in the bottom of his mug. Alenia was busy serving food to the tables.

And then the door slammed open with a bang that silenced everything.

A dozen pairs of eyes turned at once.

Boots thudded heavily against the floorboards as four armored guards entered, followed by a tall, broad-shouldered figure dressed in a clean black and crimson tunic. He was a Tigerman — tall even by beastkin standards, his movements fluid and precise, like a predator who didn’t need to prove it.

He stopped just inside the threshold, surveying the room with the calm authority of someone used to being obeyed.

"I am Officer Marrek Clawthorne," he said, "of the Ginip Town Hall. Acting under the direct authority of the Mayor’s Circle. We are here for a man named Kael Lancaster."

He didn’t shout. He didn’t need to.

The room practically held its breath.

Marrek’s eyes swept across the space and landed on the innkeeper behind the counter. He stepped forward.

"Where is he?"

The innkeeper blinked once. He took his pipe from his mouth slowly. "Room 203. Second floor. But... uh—what’s this about, if I may ask? Has he done something wrong?"

Marrek didn’t break eye contact. "That information is not for you. Thank you for your cooperation."

Without another word, he turned. The soldiers followed him upstairs in silent unity, armor clinking only slightly with each step.

Alenia exchanged a glance with the innkeeper.

"What the hell did he get into now?" she whispered.

...

Kael was dreaming.

He didn’t remember the dream. It had been warm. Quiet. Soft around the edges. Something with light, he thought. And music? Maybe.

But it vanished like mist the moment the pounding started.

Thud-thud-thud!

Kael’s eyes shot open.

What the—

Again: Thud-thud-thud! The door shook in its frame.

He sat up fast, brushing his hair out of his eyes, already muttering. "Tch. I told them not to bother me today."

His bare feet slapped the wooden floor as he moved to the door, tension already curling in his gut. He reached for the handle and yanked it open with an annoyed scowl.

Then froze.

Five guards. Grim expressions. And in the center, towering like a statue carved for intimidation, stood the Tigerman.

The cold, unreadable gaze met Kael’s.

"Kael Lancaster?"

Kael opened his mouth. Closed it. Then tried again.

"No—I mean... yeah. Me. I’m Kael."

The officer inclined his head a fraction, a movement that was somehow both polite and final.

"You’re required to come with us. Now."

That’s when the fear hit.

Not the wild, shaking kind. The quiet, knife-to-the-throat kind. The cold math kind.

Kael’s thoughts began spinning, analytical spirals:

Did the Artificer say something?

Did someone see me? Was I followed?

Can I run?

No. Bad move. There’s five of them. Maybe more outside. These aren’t random guards—they’re city-sanctioned. That means they’ve got authority, and they’re expecting me not to cooperate.

Plus, Seris is still half-mangled. She couldn’t run five feet without collapsing, and dragging her would only get us both caught faster.

Also... I can’t fight them alone.

It’s suicide.

The ring might absorb a hit. But it’s not made for a drawn-out clash. Stun gun’s low on charge. No real weapons on hand. My only real weapon is surprise, and I just burned it opening the door like a damn civilian.

Storage access? Sure, I could grab something. Pull out the knife, a smoke bomb. But that would reveal too much. The guards aren’t thugs—they’d notice the dimensional glitch. And if they saw it...

No. No showing of my Dimensional skills. Not in front of witnesses.

And it’s too late for a lie. They already know who I am. That means they’ve verified my face, likely through registration records or someone pointing fingers.

Also, I’m the new merchant in town with miracle goods and a growing reputation.

Maybe they’re just curious.

That might be worse.

Because curious people dig. Curious people ask questions. They bring scrolls and scribes and mind-readers.

Kael felt sweat bead at the back of his neck.

Okay. Breathe.

What do they want?

Worst case: they know everything. The goods. The portal. The death of Red Morn. The burning of the Artificer’s shop. The lair. All of it.

But if they knew all that? I’d be arrested already. Shackled. Gagged. Hell, maybe even executed on the spot.

No—this is something else.

They aren’t here to kill me. At least not yet.

They’re here to pull me in. That means they need something. A statement. A hearing. Or maybe it’s a power move. See what I do. How I react.

I think I just comply.

I go quietly. I keep my head down. I pretend I’m just a dumb merchant who got lucky. I answer their questions with half-truths and let them underestimate me. Let them think I’m just clever—not dangerous.

And if they press too hard? Then I get creative.

Because I’m Kael Lancaster, a man from Earth with enough survival instinct and petty spite to turn a minor business into a minor empire.

So I play their game—for now.

And if they want a war later?

I’ll give them something they’ve never seen.

Kael’s hand lowered from the doorknob. His voice, when it came, was level.

"Okay, I’ll come."

Behind him, Seris was trying to rise, one hand pressed against the bed frame.

Her voice cracked. "I can’t let you go alone."

Kael turned to her. His gaze softened for a moment—but only a moment.

"You can barely walk. Just rest."

"But they—they’re taking you," she said, voice shaking.

"This is an order. Stay here. Rest."

She blinked. Once. Then nodded slowly, the weight of the command settling over her.

Kael stepped into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

"I’m not under arrest, am I?" he asked carefully.

Officer Marrek gave him a long look. "You are not currently under arrest."

"Then what is this?"