"A certain fortune teller left" rare books in the village.
On a conspiracy note, the fortune teller woman from the second chapter could have likely left them.
It seems to convenient, esp the fact that the fortune magic doesn't seem to come up ever again. You would think others would have something as good as clairvoyance and looking at other's stars (which can give an edge in battle) to be useful.
I still believe the fortune teller woman is the one that is watching and protecting him from the kingdom.
I mean mc wasn't tailed when he was working in the kingdom, and the red robe person's name never gets through the kingdom's intelligence. Not to forget that the heroes do mention his condition in front of the kingdom's personnel, who would definitely try to look for him afterwards.
Moreover, the heroes' reconnaissance mission at the border was likely a mission by the kingdom to confirm the red robe's identity by having the heroes identify him. The Beast's cage has long existed; the kingdom did not act immediately for all of fire guy's previous crimes. Sending him to jail could also be as a way to protect Hiro.
On the fact of the kingdom's intelligence, they definitely gather information, or else how did they know the beast's cage perpetrator was going to the border? How did they know red robe was at the lab?