Chapter 59

At the knight’s sudden shout, all eyes turned in their direction for a moment.

Despite the surrounding attention, the knight dismounted immediately and approached Lucian.

“Why are you standing in line here? If you’d just come forward a bit, we would’ve let you in right away…!”

“Excuse me, who are you? I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“I took part in the suppression of the recent rebellion alongside Captain Jurgen. We didn’t get a chance to speak, so it’s natural that Count Lucian doesn’t remember me.”

I see. He must have been one of the knights who stood with Jurgen.

So he would have directly witnessed Lucian’s actions when he charged in to rescue the First Prince.

That explained why he showed such deference—not toward the family, but toward Lucian personally.

Sensing the gathering gazes, Lucian lowered his voice as much as possible.

“The truth is, this isn’t an official visit on behalf of the family. It’s a personal matter, so I didn’t want to draw attention. Besides, I heard that if you waited a little, you could get in fairly quickly, so I was just waiting here.”

“Ah, then you came at a bad time.”

The knight clicked his tongue briefly and looked around.

Fortunately, although attention had gathered, Lucian’s identity hadn’t yet been revealed. After thinking for a moment, the knight leaned toward his ear and whispered.

“Follow me. I’ll get you in first.”

“I’d rather avoid drawing attention… if possible.”

“There’s a different entrance we use in emergencies. If you go in through there, no one will be following you.”

Lucian’s eyes lit up. If there really was such a gate, even if it drew some attention at first, no one would be able to track them afterward.

Any curious onlookers would soon lose interest when they couldn’t find him.

“But is it okay for me to use that entrance? From what you say, it sounds like a passage others aren’t supposed to know about.”

“It’s not exactly a secret passage. It’s just strictly off-limits to unauthorized personnel. But someone of your status, Duke Lucian, can use it without any issue.”

“Are you sure? If it’s not allowed and we have to come back, we’d become a laughingstock.”

“Captain Jurgen is responsible.”

Ah, then there was no issue. Jurgen owed Lucian quite a bit from the allied army.

He had left a good impression to the very end; if asked, he would definitely let them in.

“Alright. I’ll leave it to you.”

***

Lucian and Raymond left the line, following the knight.

As they moved away, the stares that had gathered began to dissipate.

Once they had gained some distance, Lucian looked back at the spot where he had been waiting.

Just as the merchant said, it was impossible to get in from that position in a single day.

“What was that about the line moving quickly? I almost ended up sleeping under the stars.”

“Hey, how was I supposed to know they suddenly tightened the procedures like that?! It really used to be fast.”

Raymond defended himself with an unfair expression, muttering excuses.

The knight who had overheard their conversation gave a wry smile.

“He’s not entirely wrong. Before, you would’ve entered quickly. You just came at the wrong time.”

“Is the stricter identity verification because Krephelt broke the Grand Accord?”

“Yes. Once the Grand Accord was broken, we don’t know what kind of tricks they’ll try.”

The Grand Accord was, in theory, an unwritten rule of the battlefield, but it had been respected across the continent for centuries, giving it significant weight.

Breaking it meant that Krephelt had thrown away both honor and appearances.

“It wouldn’t be surprising if they attempted assassinations, or even committed acts so vile they’re hard to speak of. In the worst case, even the citizens of the capital could be affected. To prevent that, thorough identity checks are necessary.”

Lucian silently nodded.

To think that someone who broke the Grand Accord wouldn’t send assassins was like believing a necromancer who sacrifices people would refrain from violence.

“A well-trained assassin can pass an identity check without issue, but the more filters we have, the better. If we catch even one by chance, the heightened inspections will have been worth it.”

“Exactly. In times like these, security is the top priority. It’s a natural measure.”

“Thank you for understanding. Ah, we’ve arrived.”

The knight stopped in front of a section of the wall. Seeing only a smooth surface with nothing unusual, Lucian blinked.

Where was the entrance?

Then the knight firmly pressed one of the carved reliefs on the wall.

Clack, clank.

“Don’t underestimate the dragon’s wings for being thin.”

Along with the sound of a mechanism activating, a voice echoed from within the wall.

Just as Lucian wondered how it was possible to hear a voice through such a thick wall, a small opening appeared.

From that hole, too small for even an arm to pass through, the knight shouted.

“With those thin wings, the dragon watches over all the mountains of the world.”

“Identify yourself.”

Once the password had been used, a second verification followed from the other side. The knight replied calmly, as if he were used to this.

“Glenn, of the Black Scale Knights. While on patrol, I encountered a distinguished guest, so instead of using the main gate, we came here.”

“A distinguished guest? You brought an outsider here knowing this entrance is forbidden to anyone who isn’t authorized personnel?”

The voice that echoed back was filled with deep displeasure.

It sounded like they were ready to shut everything down on the spot, but Knight Glenn didn’t even flinch.

“That’s right.”

“And who exactly is this ‘distinguished guest’ for you to break even the most basic rules?”

“He’s Young Lord Lucian. You must’ve seen him yourself on the battlefield.”

Clack, clank, click.

Instead of a reply, what they heard was the sound of a mechanism activating.

At the same time the small hole closed, each block of the wall began to shift.

When it fully opened, it revealed an entrance wide enough for five people to ride through on horseback.

“Go ahead.”

“…”

Lucian and Raymond exchanged a glance before stepping inside. Seeing the thickness of the wall and the complexity of the mechanism, Lucian couldn’t help but admire it silently.

‘Since it has mechanisms, I thought it would be a weak point against impact, but there’s no way to enter without someone opening it from the inside.’

“Young Lord Lucian!”

As soon as they entered the wall’s interior, the knights waiting on the other side removed their helmets and bowed deeply.

Faced with such a display of respect, Lucian quickly dismounted and tried to stop them.

“Please, that’s enough. Such excessive treatment puts me in an awkward position.”

“How could it be excessive? The day you came to rescue His Highness the First Prince and us is still engraved in our minds.”

Seeing the bright eyes of the knights, Lucian gave a wry smile. Judging by their expressions, they seemed to see him as a rising hero.

With that kind of attitude, trying to stop them would do no good. In the end, Lucian decided to give in and accept their goodwill.

“If you must insist, then please help me finish my business quietly and return without causing a scene. This is not an official visit, so I’d rather not attract attention.”

“Of course. We’ll take care of the horses, so in the meantime, feel free to explore the capital at ease. Ah, and allow me to give you this as well.”

The knight pulled something from his chest and handed it to Lucian.

When he took it, he saw it was a bronze plaque engraved with the claw of a black dragon.

“Due to the recent war, the atmosphere in the capital is quite tense. Security checks have been tightened, so if you want to avoid trouble, show this plaque. In most cases, they’ll let you pass.”

“I appreciate the consideration.”

Lucian also took the matching plaque for Raymond, and guided by the knights, entered the capital.

The interior of the wall connected with the outer training field of the Black Scale Knights’ garrison.

If someone entered there unknowingly, they’d risk being discovered by knights mid-training—and possibly cut down on the spot.

“It’s completely a secret passage. Is it really a public place?”

“To be precise, it became public about fifty years ago. It’s not openly announced, so we keep it discreet, but those who need to know, know.”

In other words, it wasn’t made public by choice—it was discovered, and they had no other option.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to hide an entrance in the wall for centuries.

‘If they revealed it immediately after being discovered, it’s likely there are other similar passages.’

If it had been the only valuable passage, they would have silenced anyone who found it.

Thinking about that, Lucian felt a chill at the true power of the imperial family.

‘With strength like that, how did they collapse so helplessly during the time of chaos?’

“This connects to the exterior of the knights’ building. It’s a secluded and quiet area—ideal if you want to finish your business and leave unnoticed.”

“Thank you. I won’t forget your help today.”

“By the way, what about lodging? We could offer you a room…”

“I’ll take care of it myself, don’t worry. The help I’ve already received is more than enough.”

Lucian left immediately, before the knights could insist further. No matter how grateful he was, staying at the imperial knights’ garrison was uncomfortable.

‘And more importantly, if I’m going to recruit the true creator of the Nectar, it’s best not to stay somewhere that draws so much attention.’

Even though it was now clear that Haide Forbor’s reputation was false, Lucian didn’t feel disappointed.

He still had a way to find the real one.

***

“No wonder they call it the jewel of the empire. What a magnificent city.”

After wandering through the capital, Tibron, Lucian murmured with a hint of nostalgia.

Kelheim was also a large city, but Tibron, as the imperial capital, was clearly on another level.

“If it weren’t for the gloomy mood after the failed rebellion, it would be perfect.”

“There’s no helping it. The imperial palace hasn’t made any official announcements, and only vague rumors are circulating.”

“Right. When the facts aren’t known, people’s imagination always jumps to the worst.”

“By the way, why haven’t you gone to the guild? You’re just wandering around the city. I thought we came here to find an alchemist.”

Raymond looked at Lucian with a puzzled expression. In response, Lucian shook his head and smiled bitterly.

“He’s not someone you can find by going to the guild. There’s almost no information about him.”

“Huh? Then how do you plan to find him?”

“There are ways. Just walking around, I noticed that the northern slums have less security presence than other areas.”

No matter how much security is reinforced, there are always neglected areas.

The reasons vary depending on the city, but in Tibron, that area was the slums near the north gate.

“From now on, I plan to hang around the north gate area. Looking around like a clueless provincial.”

“Huh? If you do that, you’ll attract underworld types. No matter how noble you are, if you’re a rural noble with no title, they’ll look down on you.”

Not all nobles were equal. Those with only lineage but no title were often looked down on—even by commoners.

They didn’t have the authority to punish disrespect directly, and other nobles saw them as pathetic too.

That’s why, in cities, it wasn’t unusual for provincial nobles to be harassed by thugs and stripped of their valuables.

“They’re not stupid enough to kill a noble, but you could end up in some annoying trouble.”

“That’s exactly what I want.”

“…?”

“If you want information without revealing your identity, the best people to ask are those from that world.”

At Lucian’s words, Raymond’s eyes widened—as if something finally clicked.

Now he seemed to understand, at least partially, what Lucian was planning.

“It’s a rough method, but definitely the fastest. Even with the recent increase in security, they won’t give up their ‘business’ so easily, so it won’t take long for someone to show up.”

“I’m glad we understand each other. Have you done this before?”

“Not many times, but a few. You can expect good results.”

“That’s great to hear.”

The two exchanged a smile.

It was time to cast the bait—and catch the fool who would give them the information they needed.