The two men who escorted him here — Zane and Bron, noticed the abrupt change in the head guard's demeanor and reacted differently to the change.
Zane frowned slightly, while Bron smirked, thinking his conjecture was right. From the looks of things, they hadn't been close enough to hear Finn's words to the head guard, they only came to their different conclusions based off his expression alone.
But Greg shocked them both with his next words.
"Lead him in." He said to another guard who stood attentively by the side. The guard carried out the order promptly, escorting Finn, who had a dazed look on his face through a side gate, but not without collecting a gate fee from him.
The two men — Zane and Bron, were open-mouthed in surprise, but for seemingly different reasons.
"You actually let him through…?" Zane raised a brow and rubbed his chin, acknowledging the head guard — Greg, in a new light.
Greg paused for a moment before a quick realization dawned on him. "Oh. I usually forget you share the sharp senses of your tamed beast, Zane. You need to stop eavesdropping on conversations…"
"That wasn't eavesdropping, though." Zane waved a hand dismissively, getting back to his earlier statement. "I for one would have never thought you'd let an Ossuarist in, considering…" he trailed off, choosing to leave the remaining words unsaid.
Bron, who it seemed was just getting the full picture from their exchange, frowned, "So the boy was an Ossuarist? What's he doing all the way here, then?"
Zane snorted at Bron's words, "Them fucking revenants and chaotic Arcanist souls disturbing the peace in the area ain't a reason?"
"Oh yeah? And what happens to the chaos breaches after all the souls have been purged, huh? Ever think of that?" Bron snapped. "We don't want them coming in here disturbing our livelihood!" he whispered harshly.
"Watch your words," The head guard warned, as he noticed some busybodies among the moving queue subtly straining their ears to hear what was being discussed.
But their curiosity was sharply dulled by a single menacing glare from the head guard. They all quickly returned to minding their business, hot-faced at being caught red-handed.
"I just received orders from above to let them in when they arrive," the head guard said with a measured tone. "That's all I can tell you. I'm sure the higher-ups know what they're doing, so simply leave the thinking to them and mind your business," he said, and turned to leave back to his post, before pausing as if in remembrance, "I don't need to tell you to keep this to yourselves, no?"
The two men got the message clearly and nodded, heading back to their merchant patron, who was bristling at the prolonged delay they had caused him.
.
.
.
Inside the Woodhaven Town…
The man was actually reasonable… Why was he so reasonable? Finn thought, confused and surprised at the same time, though he didn't show it on his face as the guard led him into the town. The guard himself was young, maybe in his mid-twenties, and was particularly nice.
He led Finn through the town that brimmed with life despite the fact the day was just breaking. The street filled with people was a welcome sight for Finn that hadn't seen or talked to anyone for days. Traders bustled along the wide, spacious main street, calling out early morning greetings and haggling with their first customers for the day.
Massive, canvas-covered merchant carriages, identical to the ones waiting on the queue outside, were already being unloaded in large, open-air loading zones, and just as they unloaded their goods, they were being filled with resources from Woodhaven town, ready to be transported back to the various locations they came from.
Nothing here looked like Finn had expected for a settlement so deep in an area notorious for banditry. Even the air smelled more of freshly-sawn lumber, roasted monster meat, and exotic spices than the dreary staleness Finn had anticipated.
As they walked further in, Finn became even more surprised. He now knew where the confidence of not having city walls this deep into a notoriously-known forest came from. Arcanists roamed the streets in more numbers than Finn could've ever thought a town of this nature would have.
It wasn't like they filled the streets to the brim, but rather, because of the general rarity of Arcanists compared to the normal population, the fact Finn had spotted the signature golden crest of the Arcana on vests of more than ten people since he entered the town, spoke volumes to their numbers here.
"Don't mind the Arcanists," the young guard murmured, noticing Finn's curious stare. "They keep the place running smoothly. Most of the ones here came because the pay is good, and the town's taxes are fair."
Finn took his words in, looking around at everything that contrasted against the picture he had in mind. "It's… really not what I expected. The reports usually mention nothing but bandit attacks and uncontrolled chaotic soul mass outbreaks..."
"Ah, the reports are old," the guard chuckled, steering Finn around a bunch of people examining pelts of monster skin by the roadside. "Word gets out about trouble very quickly, but it takes longer for the same word to catch up that the trouble has been... managed."
"This place actually looks liveable…" Finn commented in appreciation.
"Yes. Woodhaven has changed a lot since its inception. And it's thanks to the new policy to hire skilled personnels, Arcanists, and apparently Ossuarists, alike…" he looked at Finn meaningfully.
"And speaking of Ossuarists… we're here," the guard stopped at a bustling inn located at an intersection between three streets. It was a four storey building with windows lining the higher floors, from which he could spot a few people looking out of.
Lots of rooms… Finn noted, before dropping his gaze to the door.
"If you are who you say you are, your colleague is already checked in here, waiting for you."
Finn nodded, expecting the guard to leave, but when he didn't, Finn raised a brow that demanded explanation.
"Oh. I need to confirm if you truly are who you say you are. Please do not be offended. It is simply my job," the guard explained curtly.
Finn sighed but nodded regardless, walking the few steps to the inn with the guard in tow.
He pushed the door open and was greeted with a raucous bombardment of laughter, swearing and loud voices. There were at least a hundred people seated in the ground floor, which seemed to be both a lobby and a dining room/pub all at the same time.
Thankfully, the way the building was built and the doors were positioned, ensured that the receptionists were who he saw first immediately he entered.
The rest of the ground floor stretched further back beyond them, taken up by the patrons of the inn eating their morning breakfast just as the day was breaking.
"Welcome to the new Woodhaven Inn," a bubbly girl with blond ponytails greeted as Finn walked up to the counter.
"Hey. Good morning. Um… is there any Althea here—"
"Finn." A voice suddenly called from the side, causing him to perk up sharply.
"You were quick to arrive…" Althea, who had appeared unnoticed, commented placidly as she walked up to the counter, and particularly to the guard right behind Finn.
"He's with me."
"Oh. Well then, my job here is done," the guard nodded then left the inn promptly
"Nice guy, isn't he?" Finn sighed. "I thought I was gonna be stopped at the gates, but they were surprisingly chill, even sending that guy to guide me…"
Althea simply looked on and said nothing, before turning to the receptionist, "He's the second person I'm expecting. Please check him in."
Finn, who was previously relaxed, immediately noticed something was off with Althea's tone. Not that her tone had drastically changed — she was naturally toneless in most of her speech — but even at that, Finn had noticed something was off.
And while checking himself in, writing his name and the details required into the register, he 'spread' his senses, becoming more vigilant.
It was then he finally noticed…