Chapter 59
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 59
The sudden shout of a knight momentarily drew everyone’s attention.
Despite the surrounding stares, the knight quickly dismounted and approached Lucian.
“Why are you standing in line here? Had you come to the front, we would have passed you through at once...!”
“I beg your pardon, but who might you be? I’m afraid I don’t know you, Sir Knight.”
“I served alongside Captain Jurgen during the suppression of the recent rebellion. We never had the chance to speak, so it’s only natural that you wouldn’t recognize me, Lord Lucian.”
I see, he was one of the knights by Jurgen’s side.
In that case, he must have personally witnessed the feat Lucian performed when he dove in to rescue the First Prince. It made sense why he was showing such deep respect to Lucian as an individual, rather than just to his family name.
Feeling the weight of the gathering gazes, Lucian lowered his voice as much as possible.
“To be honest, this is a personal visit, not an official family matter, so I didn’t want to cause a scene. I’d heard rumors that the wait wouldn’t be long, so I was simply waiting my turn.”
“Oh dear, you’ve chosen a poor time to visit.”
The knight clicked his tongue and glanced around. Fortunately, while they had drawn some attention, Lucian’s identity hadn’t been leaked to the crowd yet. After a moment of thought, the knight leaned in and whispered into Lucian’s ear.
“Follow me. I’ll get you inside ahead of the others.”
“I’d prefer to avoid doing anything that draws more attention, if possible...”
“There is a separate gate we use for urgent situations. If you enter through there, no one will be able to follow your trail.”
Lucian’s eyes widened. If such a door existed, people might stare for a moment, but they wouldn’t be able to follow him. Those following out of curiosity would soon lose interest when they couldn't find him.
“But is it alright for me to use such a gate? It sounds like a hidden entrance that others aren't supposed to know about.”
“It’s not exactly a secret passage. It’s just that entry is strictly forbidden to anyone but authorized personnel. However, for someone of your standing, Lord Lucian, permission will certainly be granted.”
“Are you sure? It would be quite embarrassing to be turned away and have to come back out.”
“The man in charge is Captain Jurgen.”
Ah, then it should be fine.
Jurgen owed Lucian quite a few favors from their time with the Allied Forces. Since Lucian had left a good impression until the very end, a simple request would likely see him through.
“Understood. Then I shall leave it to you.”
Lucian and Raymond followed the knight’s lead and stepped out of the line. The eyes following them eventually looked away as the distance grew. Once they were far enough, Lucian looked back at where he had been standing.
Just as the merchant had said, it was a position from which entering within a single day would have been impossible.
“What was that? ‘The line will move quickly’? I almost ended up sleeping under the stars.”
“Hey, how was I supposed to know the procedures would suddenly become so strict? I’m telling you, it really used to be fast!” Raymond protested, his face a mask of indignation as he scrambled to make excuses.
The knight, listening to their banter, gave a wry smile.
“He’s not wrong. Under normal circumstances, you would have been inside in no time. You just had bad timing.”
“Is the identity verification process being tightened because Krepelt broke the Grand Accord?”
“Yes. Now that the Grand Accord has been discarded, there’s no telling what kind of schemes those bastards might pull.”
The Grand Accord was essentially an unwritten rule to be followed on the battlefield, but its weight was immense, having been observed across the entire continent for centuries. Breaking it meant that Krepelt had thrown away both honor and decency.
“It wouldn’t be surprising if they attempted assassinations or committed acts too heinous to speak of. In the worst-case scenario, they might even try to take the commoners of the capital down with them. Thorough identity checks are necessary to prevent that.”
Lucian nodded silently. Would someone who broke the Grand Accord refrain from sending assassins? Believing that would be like believing a black mage who uses humans as sacrifices would refrain from violence.
“A well-trained assassin could easily pass a simple identity check, but the more sieves we have to filter out impurities, the better. If we can catch even one by chance, the strengthened inspections will have been worth it.”
“It is as you say. It’s a natural measure given how critical security is right now.”
“I appreciate your understanding. Ah, we’ve arrived.”
The knight stopped at a section of the wall. Lucian blinked at the sight of the smooth, featureless stone. Where is the entrance supposed to be?
Just then, the knight pressed down on a specific engraving on the wall.
Clack, thud.
“Do not mock the dragon’s wings for being thin.”
Along with the sound of a mechanism engaging, a voice drifted out from inside the wall. Lucian wondered how a voice could be heard through such a thick stone wall, only to see that a tiny hole had appeared.
Through the hole, which was too small for even an arm to pass through, the knight shouted back.
“For with those thin wings, the dragon watches over all the mountains in the world.”
“State your affiliation.”
Once the password was accepted, the voice from beyond the hole moved to the next step of verification. The knight, seemingly used to this, replied in a casual tone.
“I am Glen of the Black Scale Knights. I encountered an honored guest while on patrol and brought him here instead of the main gate.”
“An honored guest? You brought an outsider here knowing that entry is forbidden to all but personnel?”
The voice was thick with displeasure. It sounded as if they might close the hole at any moment, but Sir Glen didn’t even flinch.
“I did.”
“Just who is this guest that you would violate basic regulations?”
“It is Lord Lucian. You must have seen him yourself on the battlefield.”
Clack, thud, click.
The response was the sound of the mechanism working again. As the small hole closed, the individual bricks of the wall began to shift and open. When the process was complete, an opening large enough for five men on horseback to enter had appeared.
“Please, go inside.”
“....”
Lucian and Raymond shared a brief look before stepping through. Lucian was inwardly impressed by the thickness of the wall and the precision of the machinery.
I thought a section with a mechanism would be a structural weakness, but there’s no way to get through this unless someone opens it from the other side.
“Lord Lucian!”
As soon as they entered, the knights on the other side quickly removed their helmets and bowed deeply. Embarrassed by the extreme display of courtesy, Lucian quickly dismounted and tried to stop them.
“Please, stop. Such excessive treatment makes me feel quite awkward.”
“How can you call this excessive? The events of that day, when you came to rescue His Highness the First Prince and all of us, are still vivid in our minds.”
Lucian gave a wry smile at the knights’ sparkling eyes. It seemed that in their eyes, he was a hero in the making. Since they felt this way, no amount of protesting would do any good. Lucian decided to give up and simply rely on their goodwill.
“If you insist, then please just help me go about my business quietly so I can return. This isn't an official visit, so I’d prefer not to cause a stir.”
“Of course. We will look after your horses, so please, explore the capital at your leisure. Oh, and take this as well.”
A knight pulled something from his vest and handed it to Lucian. It was a bronze plaque engraved with a black dragon’s claw.
“The atmosphere in the capital is quite restless due to the recent war. Inspections have been tightened significantly, so if you wish to avoid any hassle, just show them this plaque. They should let you through without a word.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
Lucian took a plaque for Raymond as well and, guided by the knights, finally entered the capital proper. The interior of the wall connected to the training grounds outside the Black Scale Knights’ quarters. Anyone who tried to sneak in without knowing would likely be discovered by training knights and cut in half.
“It’s a complete secret passage. Are you sure this is a ‘publicly known’ location?”
“To be precise, it’s been public for about fifty years. We keep a tight lid on it since there’s no reason to tell others, but those who need to know, know.”
In other words, they didn't reveal it on purpose; they were caught and had no choice but to go public. Otherwise, there would be no reason to hide an entrance in the wall for centuries.
If they went public just because they were caught, I have to assume there are more passages like this elsewhere.
If it were their only precious passage, they would have silenced whoever found it to keep it hidden. Lucian felt a chill down his spine at this reminder of the Imperial Family’s hidden power. How could they have collapsed so helplessly during the chaotic times despite possessing such strength?
“This passage leads to the outskirts of the knight order’s buildings. It’s a secluded spot with few people, so it’s perfect for going about your business quietly.”
“Thank you. I won’t forget your help today.”
“What about your lodgings? We could lend you a room...”
“I’ll find a place myself, so don’t worry. The kindness I’ve already received is more than enough.”
Lucian hurried away before the knights could insist further. It would be uncomfortable to sleep in the Imperial Guard’s quarters, after all.
More importantly, I’m planning to recruit the creator of Nectar. There’s no need to stay somewhere that draws so much attention.
Though Heide’s reputation had turned out to be a lie, Lucian wasn't disappointed. He still had a way to find the real one.
“It truly is a city worthy of being called the jewel of the Empire. Magnificent.”
Lucian murmured with a hint of admiration as he looked around the capital, Tivron. Kelheim was a grand city in its own right, but Tivron, as the capital of the Empire, was on another level.
“It would have been perfect if the atmosphere weren't so gloomy because of the failed rebellion suppression.”
“It can’t be helped. The Imperial Family hasn't made an official announcement, so only vague rumors are circulating.”
“True. Without knowing the actual facts, people’s imaginations tend to run wild with the worst possibilities.”
“By the way, why are we just wandering around instead of going to the guild? I thought you came here to find an alchemist.”
Raymond, who had been walking beside him, looked at Lucian with a puzzled expression. Lucian shook his head with a wry smile.
“He’s not the kind of person you can find by going to a guild. There’s almost no information on him.”
“Huh? Then how are you going to find him?”
“I have my ways. From what I’ve seen while walking around, the slums to the north have fewer security patrols compared to other areas.”
No matter how much security is tightened, there are always areas that get neglected. The reasons vary from city to city, but in Tivron, that area was the slums near the North Gate.
“From now on, we’re going to walk around the North Gate area. I want us to look like total country bumpkins, looking around at everything in wonder.”
“What? If we do that, the underworld thugs will swarm us. Even if we’re nobles, those guys look down on country nobles who don’t even have a title.”
Not all nobles were equal. Those who were nobles by blood but held no actual title were often looked down upon even by commoners. This was because they lacked the power to personally punish someone for an insult, and other nobles would simply find their situation pathetic. Because of this, it wasn't uncommon in cities for country nobles to be jumped by thugs and stripped of their valuables.
“Those guys have enough sense not to go as far as killing a noble, but we could get caught up in something annoying.”
“That’s exactly what I want.”
“...?”
“If you want to get information without revealing your identity, the best way is to ask someone from that world.”
At Lucian’s words, Raymond’s eyes sparkled as he realized the plan. He finally understood what Lucian was thinking.
“It might be a bit rough, but that is the fastest way. Security might be tight lately, but those guys won't give up their ‘business’ easily. We’ll find someone in no time.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page. Have you done this before?”
“Not often, but a few times. You won't be disappointed.”
“That’s good to hear.”
The two looked at each other and grinned. It was time to cast their line and hook a fool who could provide them with information.