Chapter 59

Chapter 59
## Chapter 59

The abrupt exclamation of a mounted soldier drew the focus of the surrounding crowd for a brief span.

Ignoring the many eyes on him, the rider jumped from his saddle and hurried toward Lucian.

“My Lord, why are you standing back here in the common queue? Had you simply approached the gates, we would have granted you passage immediately…!”

“I ask for your indulgence, but I am afraid I do not recall your face, Sir Knight. Have we met?”

“I was stationed under Captain Jurgen’s command during the campaign to put down the recent uprising. We didn’t have the opportunity for a formal introduction, so it is only logical that you wouldn’t recognize me, Lord Lucian.”

It became clear then; he was one of the men who had served alongside Jurgen.

If that was the case, he had likely been a firsthand witness to the bravery Lucian showed when he risked everything to save the First Prince. This explained why the man was showing such profound deference to Lucian as a person, rather than merely acknowledging the prestige of his noble house.

Sensing the pressure of the onlookers, Lucian pitched his voice low.

“To be candid, this is a private journey, not a matter of family business, so I wished to avoid making a scene. I had heard that the progress was steady, so I intended to simply wait for my turn.”

“Oh, you have picked a truly unfortunate hour to arrive.”

The soldier clicked his tongue, surveying the area. Luckily, though people were curious, Lucian’s specific identity remained unknown to the masses. After a short pause for thought, the knight leaned closer and spoke softly into Lucian’s ear.

“Come with me. I can see you safely inside ahead of this crowd.”

“I would prefer to avoid any action that might draw further scrutiny, if it can be helped…”

“There is a secondary gate utilized only for high-priority movements. If we use that entrance, no one will be able to track your path.”

Lucian’s interest was piqued. If such a doorway was available, the people nearby might stare for a moment, but they would lose his trail instantly. Those watching out of idle curiosity would quickly move on once he vanished from sight.

“But is it permissible for me to utilize such a portal? It sounds like a restricted entrance not meant for public knowledge.”

“It isn’t exactly a hidden tunnel. It is simply that access is strictly limited to those with proper clearance. However, for a man of your reputation, Lord Lucian, authorization will undoubtedly be granted.”

“Are you certain? It would be quite a humiliation to be rejected at the threshold and forced to retreat in view of everyone.”

“The officer overseeing the watch is Captain Jurgen himself.”

In that case, there was no cause for concern.

Jurgen was deeply indebted to Lucian following their shared struggles with the Allied Forces. Given that Lucian had maintained an excellent rapport with him until the conclusion of the war, a minor favor like this would surely be honored.

“Very well. I shall follow your lead.”

Lucian and Raymond broke away from the queue and followed the soldier. The gazes that tracked their departure eventually fell away as they put distance between themselves and the line. Once they were sufficiently far, Lucian glanced back at the spot they had abandoned.

Just as the merchant had cautioned, it was a vantage point from which entering the city within twenty-four hours would have been a miracle.

“What happened to ‘the line will move swiftly’? I was nearly resigned to sleeping on the dirt tonight.”

“Hey, how could I have predicted the protocols would become so incredibly rigid? I’m telling you, it was always fast in the past!” Raymond shot back, his expression a mixture of outrage and frantic justification.

The knight, overhearing their lighthearted bickering, offered a faint, knowing smile.

“He isn’t entirely wrong. Under standard conditions, you would have passed through the gates in a heartbeat. You simply arrived at a bad moment.”

“Is the verification process being enforced so strictly because Krepelt violated the Grand Accord?”

“Indeed. Now that the Grand Accord has been cast aside, there is no telling what sort of treachery those villains might attempt.”

The Grand Accord served as an essential set of unstated laws governing the conduct of war, carrying immense weight as it had been upheld across the lands for centuries. By disregarding it, Krepelt had effectively abandoned both their honor and their humanity.

“It would not be a shock if they tried to send covert killers or engaged in acts too foul to describe. In a worst-case scenario, they might even try to target the civilians within the capital. Strict identity screening is vital to stop such things.”

Lucian gave a quiet nod. Would a faction that spat on the Grand Accord hesitate to deploy assassins? To believe otherwise would be as foolish as trusting a dark sorcerer who deals in human lives to show mercy.

“A highly skilled killer could likely navigate a basic check, but the more layers we have to sift out the corruption, the better our chances. If we intercept even a single threat by chance, these heightened patrols will have proven their worth.”

“You are right. It is a logical precaution considering how vital security is at this juncture.”

“I am grateful for your perspective. Ah, we have reached the spot.”

The soldier halted before a stretch of the city wall. Lucian blinked, staring at the seamless, unremarkable masonry. Where was the door supposed to be?

At that moment, the knight pushed down on a specific carving embedded in the stone.

*Clack, thud.*

“Do not mock the dragon’s wings for being thin.”

Accompanied by the rhythmic sound of internal gears, a voice emerged from within the stone. Lucian marveled at how a voice could penetrate such a massive wall, only to notice a tiny aperture had opened.

Through this hole, which was far too narrow for a limb to pass, the knight called out his reply.

“For with those thin wings, the dragon watches over all the mountains in the world.”

“Identify your unit.”

Once the code was verified, the voice from the other side proceeded to the next level of security. The knight, clearly accustomed to the routine, answered in a relaxed manner.

“I am Glen of the Black Scale Knights. I happened upon a distinguished guest while on my rounds and escorted him here rather than the main checkpoint.”

“A distinguished guest? You brought a civilian to this location knowing that entry is restricted solely to active personnel?”

The voice was heavy with irritation. It seemed as though the aperture might be shuttered at any second, but Sir Glen remained unfazed.

“I did.”

“Exactly who is this individual that justifies a breach of core regulations?”

“It is Lord Lucian. Surely you recognized him yourself when we were on the field of battle.”

*Clack, thud, click.*

The only answer was the sound of machinery resetting. As the tiny hole vanished, the specific stones of the wall began to shift and slide. When the sequence ended, an opening wide enough for five riders to pass through abreast had been revealed.

“Please, step inside.”

“….”

Lucian and Raymond exchanged a quick glance before walking through the gap. Lucian was quietly awed by the sheer density of the wall and the complexity of the hidden mechanisms.

*I assumed a section containing machinery would be a structural vulnerability, but there is no way to force this open unless it is triggered from within.*

“Lord Lucian!”

The moment they crossed the threshold, the soldiers on the interior quickly pulled off their helms and offered a low, respectful bow. Disconcerted by such a high level of formality, Lucian dismounted rapidly and moved to stop them.

“Please, there is no need. Such grand gestures make me feel quite out of place.”

“How can you say that? The events of that afternoon, when you charged in to aid His Highness the Crown Prince and the rest of us, are burned into our memories.”

Lucian offered a helpless smile at the soldiers’ eager expressions. It was clear that in their minds, he was a budding legend. Since they were so set in their admiration, no amount of arguing would change their minds. Lucian decided to stop resisting and accept their hospitality.

“If you insist, then I simply ask that you help me go about my affairs quietly so I may finish and depart. This is not a formal visit, and I would prefer not to cause any commotion.”

“Understood. We shall tend to your mounts, so please, feel free to visit the capital as you wish. Oh, and you should take this with you.”

One of the knights reached into his tunic and produced an item for Lucian. It was a small bronze token etched with the image of a black dragon’s talon.

“The mood in the capital is very tense because of the conflict. Patrols are everywhere, so if you want to avoid being stopped constantly, just present this token. They will allow you to pass without interrogation.”

“I am grateful for your thoughtfulness.”

Lucian accepted a second token for Raymond and, with the soldiers’ guidance, finally stepped into the heart of the capital. The inner side of the wall led directly to the drill fields adjacent to the Black Scale Knights’ barracks. Anyone attempting to break in through this path without permission would likely be caught by training soldiers and sliced apart instantly.

“This is a total hidden passage. Are you certain this is ‘common knowledge’?”

“To be exact, it has been known to the public for roughly half a century. We don’t advertise it because there is no benefit to doing so, but those in high circles are aware.”

In other words, it hadn’t been shared willingly; they had been discovered and were forced to acknowledge its existence. Otherwise, they would have kept a hidden door in the wall for hundreds of years.

*If they went public only because they were found out, I must assume there are other secret paths like this elsewhere.*

Had this been their only vital entry point, they would have likely eliminated whoever discovered it to protect the secret. Lucian felt a shiver at the thought of the Imperial Family’s concealed resources. How could such a formidable power have stumbled so badly during the recent chaos despite having these advantages?

“This path exits near the edge of the knightly district. It is a quiet area with very few people, making it an ideal place to start your business without being noticed.”

“Thank you. I will remember your assistance.”

“What of your arrangements for the night? We could provide a guest room…”

“I will secure my own lodging, so please do not worry. You have already done more than enough for me.”

Lucian made a quick exit before the soldiers could press the issue. Staying in the barracks of the Imperial Guard would be far too restrictive and uncomfortable.

*More importantly, I intend to find the person who truly created Nectar. There is no reason to stay in a place that attracts so much attention.*

Even though the stories about Heide had proven to be a fabrication, Lucian wasn’t discouraged. He still possessed a strategy to locate the actual creator.

“It truly is a city that deserves its title as the crown jewel of the Empire. Stately.”

Lucian spoke with genuine wonder as he surveyed the capital city of Tivron. While Kelheim was an impressive metropolis, Tivron—the heart of the Empire—was on a completely different scale.

“It would be even better if the mood weren’t so dark because of the failed coup.”

“It is unavoidable. Since the Imperial Family has not issued a formal statement, people are only left with vague whispers.”

“True. Without the facts, the public tends to imagine the worst possible scenarios.”

“On another note, why are we simply strolling around instead of visiting the guild? I thought your goal here was to locate an alchemist.”

Raymond, walking at his side, looked at Lucian with a bewildered face. Lucian shook his head with a small smile.

“He isn’t the type of individual you find by walking into a guild. There is virtually no record of him.”

“Wait, then how do you plan to track him down?”

“I have my methods. From what I have observed during our walk, the slum district to the north has fewer guards compared to the rest of the city.”

No matter how tight security becomes, there are always sectors that are overlooked. The reasons differ between cities, but in Tivron, that neglected space was the poverty-stricken area near the North Gate.

“Starting now, we are going to walk through the North Gate district. I want us to behave like absolute rubes from the provinces, staring at everything with wide-eyed wonder.”

“What? If we do that, every criminal in the city will be on us. Even if we are high-born, those thugs have no respect for country nobles who don’t even hold a proper title.”

Not every noble held the same weight. Those who were noble by blood but lacked an active title were often mocked even by common citizens. This was because they had no legal power to punish someone for a slight, and other aristocrats would view their troubles as beneath notice. Consequently, it was a frequent occurrence in big cities for country nobles to be mugged and robbed of their gold.

“Those criminals are smart enough not to murder a nobleman, but we could end up in a very annoying situation.”

“That is precisely what I am counting on.”

“…?”

“If you wish to gather intelligence without revealing who you really are, the most efficient way is to ask someone who lives in that dark world.”

At Lucian’s explanation, Raymond’s eyes lit up as the plan clicked into place. He finally grasped Lucian’s intent.

“It might get a bit messy, but that truly is the quickest path. Security may be high right now, but those types won’t abandon their ‘trade’ so easily. We will find someone to talk to in no time.”

“I’m glad we see eye-to-eye. Have you done this sort of thing before?”

“Not frequently, but I’ve had my share of such encounters. You won’t be let down.”

“I’m happy to hear it.”

The two men exchanged a grin. It was time to set the bait and wait for a fool who could give them the answers they needed.