My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill-Chapter 316

"I understand completely. Well, since you’re here anyway—any recommendations for a good inn? Somewhere clean with decent food?"

Cassius leaned in slightly, his voice dropping just enough that only Satou and Sylvara could hear while maintaining the appearance of giving friendly family advice.

"The Silver Candle, two streets in on the left from here. Clean rooms, decent food, reasonable prices. Ask for a third floor room—they’re quieter, away from street noise. Good for getting proper rest without disturbances from the tavern crowd on the ground level."

The implication was clear—third floor rooms would be better for people who needed privacy and didn’t want attention from other guests or staff.

"That sounds perfect," Sylvara said. "Thank you, cousin."

"Safe travels," Cassius replied with a professional nod, then stepped aside to let them pass. "And maybe we can share a drink before you leave the city. Catch up properly."

"We’d like that," Satou said.

They walked through the gate, and as they crossed the threshold, Satou felt the detection wards wash over them like invisible water. The magical sensors registered their body heat, tracked their movement, cross-referenced against the official registry that Cassius had just filled out, found everything in order, and remained inactive.

No alarms. No alerts. Just quiet acceptance of two legitimately registered visitors entering the city.

They were inside Valstrath legally, with official documentation, and without raising any suspicion whatsoever.

Behind them, Marcus called out lazily, "Hey Drake, I’m taking my break early. Need to hit the latrine before I piss myself. Hold the gate yourself for fifteen minutes."

"Go ahead," Cassius replied. "I’ve got it covered."

As soon as Marcus wandered off toward the guard barracks, Cassius processed the remaining merchants with increased efficiency—clearly motivated to clear the queue quickly.

Satou and Sylvara moved deeper into the city, maintaining their tired traveler personas as they navigated the evening streets. Around them, Valstrath’s nighttime activity continued—shops closing for the evening, guards on patrol, citizens hurrying home before full curfew, taverns beginning to fill with workers finishing their days.

The city was old and prosperous. Stone buildings that had stood for centuries, streets paved with actual cobblestones rather than just packed dirt, proper drainage systems visible along the roads. This was established civilization—the kind of place where infrastructure and security were invested in because there was wealth worth protecting.

"That was almost too easy," Sylvara said quietly once they were well away from the gate.

"Because Cassius spent a week setting it up properly," Satou replied, keeping his voice low as they walked. "Good intelligence work makes the impossible look routine. We just saw the execution—we didn’t see the preparation, the relationship building with Marcus, the careful positioning, the contingency planning."

They followed the street Cassius had indicated, watching for the inn he’d recommended.

The Silver Candle appeared after two turns exactly where Cassius had said—a three-story building with warm light spilling from windows and the smell of cooking food drifting out. A modest but well-maintained establishment that looked exactly right for traveling merchants who wanted comfort without extravagance.

"Should we check in immediately or wait for Cassius?" Sylvara asked.

"Check in now, establish our cover," Satou decided. "Cassius is still on duty for several more hours. He’ll find us when his shift ends—the man knows where we are since he told us where to go."

They entered the inn, and the common room was moderately busy with evening guests. A fire burned in a large hearth, casting warm light across wooden tables where travelers ate late dinners. The smell of roasted meat and fresh bread made Satou’s stomach reminder him they’d been traveling all day on minimal food.

The innkeeper—a woman in her fifties with sharp eyes and efficient movements—looked up as they approached.

"Help you?" she asked, her tone professional but not unfriendly.

"We need a room," Satou said, keeping his hood up and his voice low. "Third floor if you have one available. We’ve had a long journey and would prefer somewhere quiet."

"Third floor, room seven," the innkeeper said immediately, pulling a key from the wall behind her. "Three silver per night, includes breakfast. Pay for the first night now, we’ll settle the rest when you check out."

Satou counted out three silver coins—part of the traveling funds Loki had provided for the mission. The innkeeper took them with practiced efficiency and handed over the key.

"Room’s at the end of the hall, corner position. Quietest in the whole building," she said. "Common room serves food until tenth bell if you’re hungry. Water’s free, ale’s extra."

"Thank you," Sylvara said.

They climbed the stairs—worn wood that creaked slightly under their weight, walls decorated with simple but pleasant tapestries depicting pastoral scenes. The third floor hallway was indeed quiet, with only a few other doors visible.

Room seven was exactly as promised—corner position, small but clean, with a window that looked out over a side street. Two beds, a small table, a washbasin with fresh water, and a chest for storing belongings.

Satou locked the door behind them and finally pulled back his hood, relieved to drop the disguise now that they were in private.

"We’re in," he said simply.

Sylvara pulled back her own hood, moving to the window to examine the view. "The monastery should be northeast from here, maybe half a mile. We’ll need to scout the route tomorrow during daylight so we know the best approach for tomorrow night."

"Agreed. But first, we wait for Cassius. He’ll have detailed intelligence about Richard Clay’s routines and the monastery’s security." Satou sat on one of the beds, feeling the day’s travel catching up with him now that they’d stopped moving.

A thought occurred to him. "Cassius has been spying on Chronus’s kingdom for weeks. He must have learned a lot beyond just spotting Richard leaving. We should ask him what else he discovered."

"Good point," Sylvara agreed. "Information about Chronus’s forces, defensive positions, anything that might be useful in the larger conflict with the Second Seat."

They settled in to wait, both too experienced to relax completely but allowing themselves to rest while they could. Tomorrow night would require full alertness and perfect execution.

Morning came with pale sunlight filtering through the window of room seven. Satou had slept lightly, his enhanced senses remaining partially alert even in rest. Sylvara had taken the watch rotation during the deepest night hours, her assassin’s training allowing her to function on minimal sleep.

They’d risen early, shared the inn’s breakfast in the common room while maintaining their merchant cover, then returned to their room to wait.

Cassius arrived two hours after dawn.

The knock on the door was distinctive—three quick raps, pause, two more. The pattern Cassius had mentioned last night as his identification signal.

Satou opened the door carefully, and had to suppress a smile at the transformation.

Gone was the professional city guard in polished armor. Instead, Cassius wore simple civilian clothes—a plain brown tunic, dark trousers, worn leather boots, and a traveler’s cloak that looked like it had seen better days. He carried a satchel over one shoulder that clinked slightly with the sound of bottles—the appearance of someone who’d been shopping at the morning market.

"Morning," Cassius said casually, his voice carrying just loud enough for anyone in the hallway to hear. "Brought some wine and cheese like I promised. Figured we could catch up properly."

The perfect cover—a local visiting his merchant relatives with food and drink for a reunion.

Satou stepped aside to let him enter, checking the hallway before closing and locking the door behind them.

As soon as the lock clicked, Cassius’s entire demeanor shifted from casual civilian to focused professional. He moved to the window, checking sight lines and potential observation points with practiced efficiency.

"We’re clear," he said after a moment. "This room has good positioning—corner location means only one adjacent wall where someone could listen, and I checked that room earlier. It’s occupied by an elderly couple who are both hard of hearing. We can talk freely as long as we keep our voices reasonable."

He set his satchel on the table and began pulling out actual wine and cheese along with several rolled maps and documents hidden beneath the food.

"The provisions are real," Cassius explained. "If anyone saw me come here, they saw me bringing food to relatives. The intelligence documents are hidden beneath. Standard tradecraft—always have a legitimate reason for any action." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Thorough as always," Sylvara observed.

Cassius unrolled the first map—a detailed layout of the monastery and surrounding area. "Now, let’s discuss how to kill Richard Clay without turning this into a massacre."

He spread the maps across the table, weighting the corners with the wine bottles. Satou and Sylvara leaned in, their full attention on the documents.

"I’ve been watching Richard for three weeks," Cassius began, his tone shifting to pure mission briefing mode. "What I’m about to tell you is based on consistent, verified observation. This isn’t speculation—this is pattern analysis from seventy-two hours of direct surveillance."