Chapter 264
"The one responsible… you say?"
Phaden, who had asked back, furrowed his brow before adding, "Surely, you don’t mean that person, do you?"
"No, you’re right. The one who rose to prominence in the North and has since left countless achievements—and chaos—in their wake."
The blue eyes beneath the hood flickered with a peculiar longing.
"The Order is trying to keep his name under wraps, but somehow, many know it. He might even be appointed a new saint, yet for some reason, he’s still not within the grasp of the order..." The princess muttered to herself, then removed her hood. Her glossy brown hair, neatly tied, cascaded down.
As Phaden unconsciously stared at her hair, she spoke, "We are going to meet him."
Her words were filled with certainty.
"But… my lady, didn’t you originally say you were heading West?" Phaden quickly diverted his gaze from her hair and added.
The princess nodded. "I did. But I’m not the only one interested in the West or the border regions. Suddenly, a thought struck me. Could I really outdo my brothers by acting alone? Is this struggle over the West and the borders truly what Father wishes for us?"
The depth of her smile increased, displaying both elegance and a subtle air of authority."So, I changed my perspective a little. Then I came to this conclusion. I can’t be sure if it’s the right answer, but... considering I’ve been given permission, doesn’t that mean there’s at least some possibility?"
"…" Phaden let out a quiet hum.
His eyes, as he looked at her, were filled with unease. "If the rumors are true, his whereabouts are difficult to guess. Moreover... it will definitely become dangerous."
Lowering his head slightly, as if in apology, Phaden continued, "Many will soon learn that you have left your position. Some might see it as a perfect opportunity to eliminate a competitor. The easiest choices are often the most effective, as history has shown. In such a situation, to follow someone whose whereabouts are unknown—"
"It won’t take as long as you think, nor will we have to go far," she interrupted, tilting her head toward him, her voice soft. "He’s already in the capital."
"…!"
"I learned that from a report that came in just yesterday. As of now, only a handful of people within the Order know, myself included."
"Where… in the capital is he?"
"That part, I don’t know yet. But if it’s him, he’ll reveal himself again soon. And when that news breaks, I’ll hear of it right away. And besides…"
The princess’s gaze, fixed on Phaden, glimmered. "You’ll protect me, won’t you? No matter what happens."
"…Of course. I’ll give my life if I must."
"I won’t place all the burden on you. Asme will come with us as well, so don’t worry beyond that."
Glancing briefly at the women standing by the side door, Phaden finally lowered his head. n"I will follow your command."
"Good. I’m excited. It’s been a long time since I’ve left the capital."
The princess, with a refreshing smile, looked back at the two hooded women. One of them bowed deeply while the other approached her. She walked with a smooth, gliding motion, making no sound.
Finally, the princess turned back to face Phaden.
"Shall we discuss the details on the way?"
Only then did Phaden realize he had kept her standing too long in this smelly, gloomy alley. Hastily, he turned.
"Allow me to escort you."
***
"I think it’s about time you head inside the carriage, my lord," said Philip, sitting on the coachman’s seat.
Ian, who was lounging half-reclined on the roof of the carriage, reached for the bottle of liquor beside him.
"Just one more sip." He tilted his head back and brought the bottle to his lips.
The blue sky filled his vision. There was far more blue than the white clouds drifting by. It was a sight he hadn’t been able to see until yesterday.
The weather was pleasantly cool, making it perfect for lounging on the roof and enjoying a drink. Of course, he hadn’t just been wasting time. The past few days, with no night raids, had provided a good opportunity to organize the thoughts that had been swirling in his mind.
Although there were a few annoying distractions here and there…
Ian finally raised his upper body. Beyond the straight path ahead, a low wall stretched across the horizon, likely enclosing the entire area. It was probably a common sight in the central regions. Glumir of Lu Sard suddenly crossed his mind—perhaps they had tried to replicate something like this.
The scene was enough to remind him once again that this world was a game. Either way, beyond the wide-open gate at the end of the path was Borta. The first destination’s arrival time was quickly approaching.
Creak–
Ian bent down to open the carriage door and slipped inside with ease.
Elia, who had been seated with a book spread across her lap, was no longer focused on her reading. Instead, she gazed out the window, likely eager to take in the sight of the approaching gate and city.
Sitting beside her, Ian spoke, "Put that book away for now."
"Oh, you’re right. We can’t let anyone see this." Elia quickly closed the book and handed it to him.
Ian noted she had already read more than half of it and, with a small click of his tongue, tossed the magic book into his pocket dimension. Once she finished it, there would only be one book left in his possession. The quest’s count was progressing, and Elia didn’t seem interested in discovering the parts of the book that Ian had erased—at least not yet.
... When there’s nothing left to read, the story might change.
Before that happened, he needed to either shift her focus or imprint a sense of caution in her subconscious.
Should I really consider seeking the Nightmare of the Mage?
Ian quietly clicked his tongue again. This wretched world was filled with temptations of corruption. Of course, he didn’t entertain the arrogant thought that he could shield her from everything. All he could do was this much. If Elia eventually fell into black magic, it was beyond his control. From the beginning, her goal of researching the Black Wall carried such risks.
Clack, clack—
The gate drew closer outside.
The relaxed expressions of the guards and the open gate suggested they weren’t conducting inspections in this area. That wasn’t surprising. They were in the central region, far from the borders, the North, or even the Inland Seas. This wall had likely been built during times of civil war or war. Now, it likely served merely as a boundary marker between territories. As expected, the carriage passed through the gate without stopping.
When the guards came into view, barely sparing them a glance, Ian leaned forward and tapped on the small window. The carriage came to a halt immediately. Sitting back, Ian looked at the closest guard.
"I have a question."
"Huh…?" The yawning guard slowly approached the carriage.
Ian extended his fist out of the window, and the guard’s sleepy expression quickly shifted as he reached out to receive it.
…People are the same everywhere, Ian thought as he dropped a silver coin into the guard’s hand.
"I heard there’s an Ark Caravan in this city. Where can I find them?"
"Oh, so you’re heading into the city... Sir, is that right?"
The guard, while answering, looked Ian over and belatedly adjusted his speech. He must have suspected that Ian could be a noble. After all, Ian looked quite refined at the moment.
That was thanks to him washing up whenever water was available, and to Elia, who had taken it upon herself to handle both his clothing and meals.
"That’s right."
"You shouldn’t have any trouble finding them. They recently moved into one of the few estates in the city. Just follow the main road toward the inner city, and you’ll see their sign."
It seems they didn’t just survive—they’ve made quite a fortune.
Ian chuckled to himself before adding, "Is the caravan leader in the city?"
"He should be. …There’s a toll for outsiders entering the city, but if you mention that you’ve already paid Alec, you should be able to pass with no issues."
"Much appreciated, Alec," said Ian.
The guard, with a slight smile, took a step back. It seemed the peaceful nature of the town had made its people more generous.
Ian, exchanging a brief smile of his own, turned his gaze forward as the carriage smoothly passed through the gate. Soon, the cityscape of Borta unfolded before them.
The grapevines stretched out, having already been harvested, and in the distance, wheat fields and windmills came into view—several of them scattered across the landscape. There was likely a river nearby.
Clatter—
Before long, the small window slid open, and Philip’s voice followed. "The city is in sight, my lord. It’s bigger than I expected."
His eyes sparkled as he glanced back at Ian. By now, he should have grown used to seeing Imperial cities, but as someone from the outskirts, it seemed Borta still surprised him.
As Philip had said, the city of Borta was nothing short of a grand Imperial metropolis. A tall, majestic castle stood in the center, surrounded by another layer of towering walls that encircled the inner city. Beyond that, a sprawling array of rooftops spread out. The outer wall was relatively low, likely built more recently.
At last, it feels like we’re in a proper city.
Ian’s lips curved faintly. The city was cleaner and more vibrant than the northern and western regions, not to mention the frontiers.
A fleeting thought crossed his mind—perhaps life wouldn’t have been so harsh if every city in this world had been like this.
The city gate connected to the main gate was also wide open. Nearby, carriages and pedestrians approached the city walls. This wasn’t the only gate. Borta appeared to be a sort of free city, one that travelers often passed through at least once.
"I’ve already paid Alec the toll," Ian said.
The guard at the gate gave a nod at those words and stepped aside.
The carriage entered the city.
The inside of the city was just as lively and prosperous as it had appeared from the outside. There seemed to be proper sewage systems in place, as the air lacked the foul odors often found in other cities. The streets were bustling with well-dressed pedestrians of various races, with about half of them seemingly being outsiders.
"The outside world really is vast," Elia murmured, gazing out the window.
It was her first time seeing a fully functioning city. Although Racliffe had been large, it was still in the process of being rebuilt after its destruction.
Ian responded calmly, "The capital will be even bigger."
"I suppose it would be. I hope to see some dwarves there. It looks like there are only humans and fairies here."
Fairies...?
Almost as soon as the thought crossed Ian’s mind, he spotted one in the crowd. Both its appearance and clothing were rather ordinary for a fairy, though the slightly arrogant expression remained unchanged.
Well, this is the capital, after all, Ian nodded to himself.
Even if the city wasn’t connected to the Inner Sea or the forests, there could still be fairy families settled here.
"As far as I know, dwarves mostly live in the North, but you might find some here in the central region."
"I’ve heard dwarf men are covered in thick hair. I’m curious to see if that’s true."
"They’re quite different from you, so try not to be too shocked."
As they chatted, the carriage turned off the main road. It wasn’t hard to see why. A high stone wall came into view, surrounding an area large enough to hold at least ten mansions.
They must pay an absurd amount of taxes.
Just as the guard named Alec had said earlier, the estate was located close to the second inner wall. It was a sight unimaginable in the frontier, or even in the northern or western regions.
…In any case, it seems like they don’t have any business for the locals.
Two armed guards stood at the firmly closed gate. The carriage came to a stop, and Philip addressed the guards.
"Inform Master Fael that Sir Ian Hope, his client and benefactor, has arrived."
He’s getting good at this without needing instruction, Ian thought, rising from his seat.
As he opened the door, he glanced back at Elia.
"Stay here until Philip opens the door for you. You know basic etiquette, right?"
"Of course. How are you planning to introduce me?" Elia nodded and asked, her curiosity clear.
Ian paused for a moment, then, as he stepped out of the carriage, he replied, "... A client."
After closing the door, Ian turned his gaze. A firmly shut gate stood before him, along with a lone guard. The guard was armed with a long spear, a shield reinforced with leather and leather armor. His muscular arms were visible between the sleeves.
Seems excessive to be so heavily armed here.
Ian tilted his head slightly, puzzled, but then his eyes caught sight of the ornate signs on the sides of the gate. Between the iron framework curving upward like horns, silver decorations adorned the space, and metal ornaments featuring a large ship and scales hung at the ends. One side was plated with silver, the other with gold, giving it an air of luxury. Ian thought that literacy rates didn’t seem much different in the capital, seeing as there were no written words anywhere.
Creeeak—
Just then, the large gate swung open, revealing a man with an impressively groomed beard, dressed in the simplest attire Ian had seen so far. The man’s eyes widened upon spotting Ian.
"Lu Solar…! I was skeptical even as I came, but it truly is you, Sir!"
Good thing. I was worried you’d start kneeling and going on about the Northern superhuman or whatever. Murmuring inwardly, Ian lifted the corners of his lips.
"Long time no see, Fael of Borta."