Chapter 297
Of course, it might not have mattered much whether or not Ian used the basement tonight. It was already night, and the sky was thick with dark clouds. The night was the time when Lu Solar slept, and based on experience, such cloud cover weakened the influence of the gods. Still, there was no reason to ignore the safest possible method.
At this rate, I might as well be an honorable, corrupted one.
A faint chuckle escaped Ian’s lips. After all, this was the main reason he had stopped in this city. Taking out the fragment of the Black Wall in the capital was far too risky. The capital was, quite literally, a city blessed by the gods.
If something unexpected happened, I’d have to absorb chaos power—and doing that there would alert the gods immediately.
So, tonight was essentially his last chance before they reached the capital.
"I can’t wait for the uniform to arrive. I really want to see you in it." Elia’s voice drifted through the door at that moment. It seemed she was heading out for dinner.
"Will it arrive by tomorrow morning?"
"Most likely. I hope he’ll like it…"
"Don’t worry. I’m sure he will. He might seem stoic, but he’s not the type to hide his feelings completely."
Their voices faded as they walked away. Ian’s smile softened a little more than before.So that’s why she asked for the attendant right after unpacking… She ordered my uniform.
It seemed Elia had also prepared a farewell gift for him. Ian, too, had prepared something— the fragment of the Black Wall. If no issues arose during his inspection, he planned to give it to her. The purpose of reviewing the fragment before they reached the capital was to ensure it was safe.
Of course, he wasn’t giving it to Elia personally. Even though he had trained her on the dangers and the fragment itself was a lower-grade piece, it was still too dangerous. Instead, he intended to have it officially registered as research material for the university, along with a recommendation. It would not only advance Black Wall studies, but also solidify Elia’s academic standing.
Instead, Ian planned to include it with a recommendation letter, registering it as official research material at the university. Not only would it advance the study of the Black Wall, but it would also help secure Elia’s position there.
And if we’re lucky…
Perhaps they might find a way to safely dismantle the wall without Ian having to cross it. However, that thought didn’t go much further.
Suddenly, Ian’s relaxed expression tightened. A vague sense of unease crept into his mind, setting his nerves on edge. His hearing heightened, picking up every sound beyond the bathroom door—the splash of water, Seras’s languid voice, Asme’s soft whispers, the tired murmuring of a knight reciting prayers for his squire, the creaking of a door being opened, footsteps, hurried breathing, clattering utensils, and the frantic movement of servants. Every sound grew louder, erratically filling his mind like a broken radio.
Then, like tuning into a specific frequency, one sound stood out: footsteps and breathing near the front gate.
"Clear the area. Make no noise. Lock the servants inside."
The unfamiliar voice of a man reached Ian’s ears, accompanied by the distinct clinking of armor. Ian finally let out an inaudible sigh and rose from the bath.
Just when I thought I’d finally get a proper rest...
Unwelcome guests had arrived. Judging by the footsteps, there were about twenty of them, all properly armed. He could even hear the heavy clank of full plate armor among them.
As he dried himself, Ian’s previously heightened nerves quickly settled into a cold, steady calmness.
"Who are you? Stop right there. If you come any closer—"
Philip’s crisp voice was the last sound that penetrated Ian’s ears before everything went silent. It wasn’t surprising. That had been a reflex born out of instinct. Without the backing of real danger or heightened concentration, such reactions couldn’t last long.
In any case, it seemed that the situation hadn’t escalated into violence. If it had, his senses would have sounded the alarm again. With Elia behind him, Philip wouldn’t have recklessly chosen to fight anyway.
Ssshhk—
Ian quickly slipped on a shirt and pants as Swamp’s Resentment coiled around his fingers once more.
After loosely tying the waist of his pants, Ian grabbed the sheathed Truesilver Steel Sword propped against the wall and stepped out of his room. The hallway was still quiet.
Clearly, the princess’s group hadn’t yet realized what was happening downstairs. However, Ian simply tightened his grip on the sword’s scabbard and quickened his pace. It would only be a matter of time before they noticed something was wrong.
Ian stopped at the end of the hall, where the stairs led down.
Below the stairs, soldiers stood in a line along the walls. This must have been the source of the footsteps Ian had heard. They all wore black surcoats over chain mail, with the Imperial flag emblazoned on them, and each held a crossbow of moderate size. When Ian appeared, they looked up at him without any sign of surprise. Though they seemed ready to aim their crossbows at any moment, Ian didn’t even blink.
They don’t seem like regular troops...
He casually thought to himself as he surveyed the hall. It wasn’t difficult to figure out who had brought them.
Next to the large door, someone sat at a table prepared for waiting guests. However, what caught his eye first was the knight in full plate armor standing with their back to Ian, as if shielding the person seated behind them.
The armor appeared to be intricately crafted, as though it was adorned with gold. The ornate design made it seem more like a decoration than a practical combat weapon. Moreover, the wolf-head-shaped visor brought an extra element of style.
Beside the knight stood a middle-aged man in a plain gray uniform, devoid of any insignia. His face was somewhat gaunt, with a well-trimmed mustache, making him resemble a mage.
Both of them were staring at Ian with a strange air of wariness.
If anyone saw this, they’d think I broke in.
Suppressing a smirk, Ian walked, stepping onto the stairs. His goal was to get a clear view of the person seated behind the two. The person was both shielded by the knight and disguised under a black hooded cape.
Clack—
At the same time, the soldiers pointed their crossbows at him in unison. Of course, Ian didn’t bother asking what they were doing.
Woosh.
Instead, he simply summoned the Platinum Barrier while simultaneously drawing his Truesilver Steel Sword with his right hand.
The soldiers’ eyes widened. Even the middle-aged man standing beside the knight reacted the same way. Receiving his glance, the knight quickly raised an arm.
As the soldiers lowered their crossbows, the middle-aged man spoke. "Could it be… are you Sir Ian Hope, the agent of that great being?"
"My lord, you’ve arrived! Everyone, kneel immediately and show proper respect!"
The response didn’t come from Ian, but from the side of the stairs.
Ian descended a few more steps and turned to look down the corridor next to the stairs. It was then that he saw Philip standing opposite the soldiers. As expected, he was blocking their entry any further. Although he seemed to have left his helmet, sword, and shield behind, he was wearing the rest of his armor. Even In that state, he could take down all the soldiers if he wanted to.
"And now state your identity and purpose for this visit. You’d better have a good explanation for choosing such a rude approach!" Philip, who had added that, glanced at Ian.
Judging by his expression and the look in his eyes, he seemed ready to strike them all down the moment Ian gave the signal. Ian subtly shook his head, then nodded to the side. It was a sign for Philip to protect Elia in the dining hall. Philip clicked his tongue and nodded in understanding, stepping back obediently.
"Forgive the rudeness, Agent of the Saint."
A cool voice echoed through the room. The man in the black cloak seated at the table rose from his seat. From his tone and voice alone, it was easy to deduce that he was an arrogant young noble.
The middle-aged man with the mustache and the golden-armored knight both took a step back to the sides. At the same time, the man removed the hood from his head. The moment Ian saw the well-groomed blonde hair beneath it, one corner of his mouth lifted.
As I thought, only the Order or the royal family would pull off something like this without consideration.
This man was another Imperial prince. Unlike Seras, he didn’t seem to hide his identity at all. Well, that explained why he had appeared with a bunch of soldiers in tow.
"They are merely here to fulfill their duty to protect me. There was no intention to threaten the Agent of the Saint or your companions."
He spoke nonchalantly, turning his gaze toward Ian. Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly, but not because of the prince’s smile.
This bastard... could he be...?
His sharp, somewhat arrogant face felt strangely familiar. The prince, meeting Ian’s gaze, soon let out a short exclamation.
"Oh my, it seems I forgot to introduce myself."
With a snap of his fingers, the middle-aged man with the mustache, who had been standing at the back, immediately stepped forward, as if on cue. He was likely the prince’s personal attendant.
"I shall introduce him properly."
Straightening his posture, the man looked up at Ian and continued, "This is His Highness, Felix Astrea, a devout follower of Lu Solar, and the fourth noble star of the royal palace."
Felix placed a hand over his chest and offered a slight nod, a smile on his lips. Through the parted cloak, his purple uniform embroidered with golden thread became visible.
A smile finally spread across Ian’s face as he looked down at him.
I was right. It is him.
This was the prince who had visited him in the game, tossing him a worthless reward as if doing him a favor and sending him off to the side palace. Unlike before, Felix wasn’t hiding his identity now, nor was he acting overly arrogant. Still, his characteristic smug expression and tone hadn’t changed.
Of course, now it only deepened Ian’s smile.
Felix’s smile grew as well, as though misunderstanding Ian’s expression.
"Upon hearing that you were planning to leave tomorrow, I grew anxious and thus came to visit, disregarding proper etiquette. I hope you’ll be lenient in your understanding."
Instead of responding, Ian dispelled the Platinum Barrier and sheathed his sword into the scabbard held in his left hand.
"Thank you, Agent of the Saint."
Felix’s smile widened further as he nodded. "When I heard stories about you using a divine shield that shines like gold, I thought it was a mere metaphor. Thanks to you, I now know for certain that it wasn’t. It was quite an enlightening experience."
Ian let his words slip in one ear and out the other. He was more focused on the sound of doors opening repeatedly in the hallway behind him.
As footsteps followed, Ian finally spoke. "So."
Felix paused his flattery.
Ian, still smiling, added, "Why did you come to find me?"
As if waiting for this moment, Felix confidently replied, "I am here on behalf of the First Prince to escort the Agent of the Saint to the royal palace."
***
Seras rushed out of her room, with hardly any time to dry her hair properly. Asme followed hurriedly behind her in the same state. Only Phaden, who hadn’t even removed his armor yet, seemed relatively composed as he greeted her.
"My apologies, Your Highness. I..."
"No need to apologize, Sir," Seras cut him off, hastening her pace.
There was no point in blaming him. It was merely that the situation she feared had come, so there was no room for anger. All she worried about was whether they had arrived too late.
"I am already accompanying the princess."
Hearing Ian’s voice echo through the corridor, a faint sense of relief crossed Seras’s tense face. Of course, it was only a brief relief. She had merely avoided the worst-case scenario.
From what she had observed so far, Ian wasn’t one to make empty promises. If the conditions were right, he could easily join someone else. To secure an exclusive contract with him, she would need to present further conditions.
"I already knew that."
Hearing the voice, Seras’s brow subtly furrowed. It was clearly her half-brother, Felix. Arrogant and foolish, he ranked around third in the First Prince’s faction. However, he was also the person she least wanted to face.
The First Prince was a vile man, with no merits beyond being the eldest by birth. Yet, because of that, he commanded the largest faction. Naturally, the rewards he could offer were bound to be immense.
Slowing her pace to listen to his words, Seras noticed Asme and Phaden also reduced their speed, unaware of the reason.
"I suppose she must have informed you she was acting on His Majesty’s decree."
Felix’s voice continued, "But that’s a lie. You, the Agent of the Saint, are being deceived. His Majesty never issued such a decree. In fact, it was her own proposal."
"So?"
"The First Prince insists that the Agent of the Saint should not fall victim to such tricks. He also mentioned it’s a grave mistake that the royal family has not yet properly expressed gratitude for the Agent of the Saint’s immense contributions."
Seras’s lip curled into a cold smirk. Before she knew it, the railing leading to the stairs was right in front of her.
As she adjusted her dress and straightened her posture, Felix added, "Of course, it won’t end with just words. There will be a proper, honorable reward, filled with both an apology for not visiting sooner and a message of thanks."
"I promised, of course," Seras cut in smoothly, stepping toward the railing.
The scene before her unfolded in an instant—Ian standing at the center of the stairs, surrounded by armed soldiers, with Felix and his group looking up at him.
"I am serving the Agent of the Saint under a legitimate contract."
Felix glanced up at Seras, his eyes calm, his smile unshaken.
"A legitimate contract, you say?"