I quickly hid behind something and quietly observed the situation.
I moved as soon as I noticed him, and I don't think anyone was paying attention to me.
The thief was a 38-year-old man, a Thief Level 18.
He was wearing clothes that weren't exactly rags and was acting like a street dweller.
But something was a bit off.
I could tell by secretly observing him.
The man occasionally glanced in a certain direction.
I probably looked the same to a third party if they were watching.
In my case, I was hiding, so I was staring intently.
The thief was lying on the street but frequently moved his body, each time casting a sharp glance in a certain direction.
The direction the man was looking at probably had the building where the thieves who frequented the brothel entered and exited.
It was reasonable to assume he was scouting the place.
If the one in the building was the thief who stayed in town, then the one searching for him was the one who was driven out.
This man was likely part of the same gang.
Despite being on a covert mission, he wasn't very good at it.
If someone looked closely, he would probably be caught, wouldn't he?
Or maybe no one pays attention to street dwellers.
I stayed hidden in the area and continued to monitor the thief.
Stakeouts seem to test one's bladder.
The thief moved when the stimulation from my bladder was about to get strong.
The man stood up and came towards me.
He passed by the side where I was hiding and walked down the street.
If he went that way, it would lead to the exit of the slum.
It was good that he didn't go deeper into the slum.
People were also coming from the opposite direction.
As they passed by, the thief punched the person coming from the opposite direction.
Confused by the sudden action, I wondered what was happening.
The man who was punched probably felt the same way.
The thief didn't run away or check the result but started walking leisurely.
Perhaps he knew the man.
The man who was punched was lying face down at the edge of the road.
No one seemed to care.
This must be the daily life here.
Before the thief disappeared from sight, I moved.
I followed him from behind.
It was like a detective drama I had seen on TV.
I never thought I would be imitating a detective in another world.
I also had to be careful not to be followed by someone else.
While focusing on the front, I also had to pay attention to the back.
This was quite difficult.
The man was also walking while occasionally glancing back.
I changed my position sometimes to the left of the thief and sometimes quite far behind, so I don't think he noticed me.
If he paid too much attention to the back, his movements would become unnatural.
The thief didn't seem to be very experienced with this.
Maybe because the thief gang was half-destroyed, they lacked skilled members.
Or perhaps, due to the continuous rain, the thief was in a hurry.
If he came to confirm the enemy's base after the rain stopped, I was lucky.
The thief crossed through the town of Beil and went out through the south gate.
There were fields outside the city walls, and beyond that, a forest.
While it might be possible in a crowded town, it would be impossible to follow him outside the town.
The grass in the fields wasn't very tall. Walking through it would be noticed immediately.
Even if I crawled, it would be noticeable in a different way.
Perhaps the fields outside the city walls were designed to be visible in case enemies or monsters approached.
I stopped following the thief when he disappeared into the forest.
Are the thieves hiding outside the town?
It would be difficult for them to hide in the slum, which is the home ground of the thief who stayed in town.
It's more likely that they are hiding outside the town.
It's reasonable to assume that the man returned to the hideout where the thieves who were driven out of town are hiding.
After going to the east gate to empty my bladder, I went to the south side of the town.
I paid attention to my surroundings and used my appraisal skills while moving.
My behavior of looking around must have seemed suspicious to others.
Well, it can't be helped.
Few people walk in the forest.
If the thief saw me first, he would be cautious, whether he knew me or not.
He might consider me an enemy and attack me by surprise.
If I was seen by the thief first, the opportunity would turn into a crisis.
I had to find him first at all costs.
I walked slowly and quietly, trying not to make any noise.
The ground was muddy from the rain, making it difficult to walk.
Moreover, the area to the south of the town was too wide.
I searched until evening but couldn't find anyone.
As the sun set, I teleported back to the wall of the adventurer's guild.
After having dinner, I teleported outside the town and monitored for a while.
The next day, I continued to explore the forest to the south.
However, I couldn't find anyone even after searching all day.
After dinner, I went outside the town again.
Tomorrow is the day of the appointment with the slave trader.
There's no more time.
Should I target the thief who stayed in town?
However, attacking the thief's base in the slum, which is in the middle of the town, would be difficult.
I don't want to attack a thief who is unlikely to attack me if left alone.
I should target the thief who was driven out of town and poses a threat to me.
This way, it would be considered justifiable self-defense.
Even if it doesn't hold up, the difference between reacting to an attack and a preemptive strike when there is a threat is always ambiguous in reality.
While I was thinking about these excuses, a light appeared in the corner of my vision.
I found him.
It was the same Level 18 thief from yesterday.
The light source was moving slowly.
Was he about to go out or return to the hideout?
It was already dark.
The surroundings were pitch black, and it was hard to see my feet.
The darkness made me less noticeable, but I could trip over a tree root and ruin everything.
If I made a loud noise by falling, it would be all over.
I teleported behind the thief, judging the movement of the light.
When I emerged from the dark wall, the man's figure appeared in the light of the lantern.
The thief was walking slowly through the forest, holding a lantern and shining it on the ground.
The lantern's light dimly illuminated the surroundings.
I could barely see the condition of the ground.
Following the man with a lantern, I had a clear view of what was ahead.
At this distance, I wouldn't lose sight of the thief.
I moved slowly, matching the thief's movements, and followed him carefully without making a sound.
Eventually, the man reached a small cliff on the mountainside.
There was a cave halfway up the cliff.
The entrance to the cave was covered with a door, which was firmly closed.
The man knocked on the door.
After a while, the door opened, and someone showed their face.
A 31-year-old man, Thief Level 24.
Is this the hideout?
The Level 24 thief said something and opened the door wide to welcome the Level 18 thief.
The Level 18 thief entered the cave.
After welcoming the man, the Level 24 thief carefully observed the surroundings and confirmed both sides.
Judging from his caution, this cave was definitely the hideout of the thieves.
I finally found it.
The thieves who were driven out of town are hiding there.
If I attack that cave, I can capture them all.
The Level 24 thief closed the door, and the surroundings became pitch black.
I checked the surroundings.
There was no light, and no one was around. My appraisal skill didn't detect anything.
It seemed no one was there.
I teleported back to the outer wall of Beil's inn.
Ideally, I would want to confirm the number of people inside, the levels of the thieves, and their daily activities over several days, but I don't have that time.
I have to attack tonight, no matter what.
It's unlikely that the thieves will move their base in the middle of the night.
Of course, if they are being pursued and caught by the enemy, it's possible.
There was no presence around the cave.
It's reasonable to assume that no one else has found it yet.
Attacking immediately would be dangerous because they are awake.
Humans' weakness is that they sleep at night.
If they could sleep in shifts like the innkeeper, they could detect danger.
I don't know the daily routine of the thieves.
However, they are probably sleeping in the early morning.
Even if they take turns keeping watch, more than half of them should be sleeping.
It's better to attack later, even if there's a chance they might escape in the meantime.
Since I'm alone, I can't keep watch.
I need to rest and prepare my body.
I returned to my room and lay down on the bed.
Perhaps because of the excitement of finding the thieves, I couldn't fall asleep.
Thinking about killing people also brought up various thoughts.
Still, I eventually fell asleep.
I woke up early.
I could tell by my senses. I probably didn't sleep well for a long time.
I might have been tense to avoid oversleeping.
I took out Durandal and put it on my waist, put on my backpack, and wore my coat.
I don't need to worry about leveling up, so I should use Durandal in battle.
The copper sword and scimitar are stored in my item box.
I might need a second sword in some situations, but it could be a hindrance if I carry it on my waist.
Considering the pros and cons, it's better not to carry something that could be a hindrance.
If the situation requires a second sword, it probably means I'm already in a losing position.
If I have time, I can take it out from the item box.
It's the first time I'm wearing Durandal in and out of the inn, but the coat should hide it from the outside.