Just as Baston had predicted earlier, Luminos City fell into a state of lockdown after the dark wizard incident.
For the next several days, the martial law was declared throughout the entire city.
All residents and visitors were required to obey the governor's orders without exception. The people were advised to remain inside their homes or lodgings and were forbidden from wandering around the city unless they possessed special permission that was issued directly by the governor's office.
Normally, such a decree would have caused the widespread protests. However, the situation was different this time.
The moment the words of dark wizard began circulating among the citizens, most of the complaints immediately vanished.
A shadow had fallen over Luminos City.
The news had spread quickly, starting from the area around Carpel Inn where the earlier chaos had taken place. The witnesses whispered about the terrifying presence they had felt that day.
Some swore they had seen the black mist that was creeping along the streets while the others claimed that the air itself had turned cold as if the death had briefly walked through the city.
Whether those stories were true or exaggerated, no one could say for certain but the fear had already taken root.
However, not everyone accepted the lockdown willingly.
Several wealthy guests who had come to Luminos City for the business or leisure were deeply dissatisfied.
They had only planned to stay for few days. Now, they were trapped here indefinitely. Certainly, Luminos City was not a cheap place to remain idle.
Every additional night that was spent in the luxurious inns drained a considerable amount of money. The thought of wasting their wealth while doing nothing was enough to irritate many of the visiting people.
Yet, even those complaints faded after the next piece of news emerged.
The dark wizard had not entered the city alone. He had been associated with a noble and not just any noble. The man involved was Viktor Anderson.
Once that name appeared in the rumors, the entire atmosphere inside Luminos City shifted.
The city guards and investigators immediately began their search for clues. The magical detection devices were installed at various checkpoints throughout the streets. These instruments were capable of sensing traces of dark mana.
If even the slightest sign appeared, the device would emit a loud alarm that could be heard across the surrounding blocks.
The instructions were clear and the citizens were to flee immediately. The knights and the wizards would then arrive to deal with the suspicious individual.
Although the authorities tried to maintain the calm, the presence of those instruments only deepened the tension among the population.
People began to watch each other more carefully.
The neighbors whispered and the servants observed their masters. The merchants evaluated the behavior of nobles with suspicious eyes.
The fragile balance of trust that had existed within Luminos City slowly began to fracture. And then, came the announcement that shocked everyone.
Viktor Anderson was dead. His body had been found and he had been decapitated.
To send a clear message to the public, the authorities displayed the headless corpse in the central square of the city.
By noon that day, a large crowd had already gathered there. The scene was grim.
Viktor's heavy body lay on a raised wooden platform that was surrounded by the guards. A dark cloth covered the neck where his head should have been.
Although the sight was disturbing, many people stared without hesitation. Their expressions were not filled with pity. They were filled with anger.
"He deserved to die!"
"Of course he did! Bringing a dark wizard into Luminos City? That's madness!"
"I heard he worked with the wizard secretly for months!"
"What kind of noble would do such a thing?"
"His greed must have blinded him."
"Maybe, the dark wizard promised him power…"
"Perhaps, for some women…"
"Perhaps, for the endless wealth…"
One merchant spat onto the ground, "Bah... Everyone knows the dark wizards are liars. Only the fools believe their promises."
The crowd murmured in agreement. Although Viktor was dead, the damage he had caused was still spreading.
The security across Luminos City had increased dramatically. The guards now inspected the travelers at every major intersection. Even the residents who were carrying ordinary magical items were required to undergo inspection.
The freedom within the city had become extremely limited. And as the days passed, another dangerous change slowly emerged.
It was the distrust and the problem had begun with a noble. Naturally, people started questioning the nobles as a whole.
Many merchants quietly discussed the matter among themselves while they were waiting inside their lodgings.
If one noble could secretly collaborate with a dark wizard, who could guarantee that the others were innocent?
After all, the nobles possessed power, wealth, and influence. If they wished to hide something, ordinary people might never discover the truth.
The merchants who had been trapped in Luminos City began exchanging glances whenever a noble passed by. Some of them even formed a silent agreement.
Once they left the city, they would spread this story across the kingdom. If the nobles truly had dealings with dark wizards, people deserved to know.
Of course, no one openly spoke such dangerous words. But beneath the calm surface of Luminos City, the idea continued to circulate like a hidden flame.
It was a spark that was waiting for the right moment to ignite.
Before that spark could grow bigger, someone stepped forward which was Luke Anderson. The young noble appeared in the central square three days after Viktor's body had been displayed.
The news spread quickly, drawing another big crowd to the plaza. Everyone wanted to hear what the Anderson family had to say.
Standing on the platform before the gathered citizens, Luke looked calm but serious.
His voice echoed across the square, "Everyone here must have many questions."
He paused briefly, letting the murmurs settle, "The first question is whether the Anderson family has any connection with the dark wizards."
Luke looked around at the crowd, "I will answer that clearly. The only person involved in this matter was Viktor Anderson. The responsibility belongs to him alone."
His words caused a ripple through the listeners. Some believed him but most of them did not.
Luke continued, "That man acted out of greed. Despite his noble status, he chose to walk a forbidden path. And the worse was he even attempted to kill me."
The square erupted into shocked whispers. They never though the simple occasion turned into another cruel conflict.
Luke raised his hand for the silence, "Yes… Viktor wanted my wealth and land even though we belonged to the same family. I attempted to negotiate peacefully. I offered him my inheritance and property if it would satisfy him but that was not enough."
Luke's expression darkened, "He wanted my life as well. Many assassins were sent repeatedly to hunt me down. Day after day, I survived only by chance."
The crowd gasped. Some people exchanged incredulous glances. They really wondered if such person was truly a noble.
"Damn… that man was insane," one merchant muttered.
"Greedy and murderous..."
"Sounds more like a bandit than a noble…"
Another person shook his head, "A noble who hires the assassins to kill his own relative. He was very disgraceful."
While the merchants openly criticized Viktor, the nobles who were standing nearby remained silent. Their faces were stiff and none of them dared to defend the dead man.
The reputation of nobles had already suffered greatly from this incident and they knew the public mood was unstable.
Luke bowed his head toward the crowd, "For the actions of my uncle, I sincerely apologize."
He remained in that position for several seconds. When he straightened again, his voice became firm.
"However, an apology alone is not enough. My uncle accumulated considerable wealth inside his Luminos card during his time in this city."
"Instead of leaving that money unused, I propose that it would be distributed among the citizens who were affected by this incident."
For a brief moment, the square was silent. Then, the crowd erupted with excitement.
"Yeah!"
"That's right!"
"Share it!"
Money had always been an effective remedy for the anger. The atmosphere instantly became lighter since most people had no sympathy for Viktor anyway.
If his death could bring such financial compensation, then perhaps the situation was not entirely unfortunate.
While the merchants cheered loudly, the nobles began whispering among themselves. They were less concerned about money. Their real concern was the reputation.
If they remained silent, the public might assume that all nobles shared Viktor's guilt. Finally, one noble stepped forward.
"Excuse me…" he said politely, "I believe the compensation should be distributed only among the common citizens and merchants."
He glanced at the other nobles before continuing, "Since this incident was caused by a noble, it would be inappropriate for the nobles to receive any portion of the money."
His declaration immediately drew the approving murmurs.
Another noble quickly added, "I agree… I also wish to make it clear that not all nobles behave like Viktor Anderson. I have always followed the laws of the kingdom with honor. So, I hope everyone will not judge all of us based on one criminal."
A third noble raised his hand, "If the funds from Viktor's Luminos card are insufficient, I am willing to contribute the additional compensation."
"Yes! Count me in as well," another noble declared.
"The merchants are busy people and losing several days here means losing profit. Allow me to make a donation to compensate for your wasted time."
The crowd responded enthusiastically. The merchants were delighted and the nobles were relieved. Both sides appeared satisfied with the arrangement.
However, not everyone believed the display was genuine.
Some merchants exchanged subtle smiles. They understood the true purpose behind this generosity. It was a form of silence.
It was a polite way to ensure that the scandal would not spread too far beyond Luminos City. If the merchants accepted the money, they would have less reason to talk.
Luke watched the entire scene quietly.
His eyes were cold. This kind of political performance was something he had seen countless times within the noble society.
The circle was always full of apologies, compensation, and reputation management. Everything was carefully calculated.
He hated it yet he also understood that he lacked the power to change it. With a small shake of his head, he stepped down from the platform and left the square.
His duty to restore the Anderson family's name was complete. What happened to Viktor's remaining wealth no longer concerned him.
*****
Later that afternoon, Luke returned to the inn. The moment he stepped into the room, he stopped.
Baston was sitting comfortably near the window with a plate of pastries that were rested on the table. The fat boy was eating happily as if nothing unusual had happened in the city.
He stared at him silently for a moment.
While he had spent the entire day handling the complicated family matters, Baston seemed to be living a completely carefree life. Sometimes, he felt strangely jealous of that simplicity.
"You're eating again?" Luke finally said, "Are you trying to make yourself even fatter?"
Baston glanced down at his body before shrugging, "What else can I do? We can't leave the inn anyway. Eating and sleeping are the only activities left for a servant like me."
Luke crossed his arms, "There's a training room downstairs and we could exercise there. If you train regularly, your body might actually become slimmer."
The inn's training room was originally built for the traveling knights. The guests could practice their swordsmanship or spar with each other.
Ever since Baston demonstrated such impressive combat skills in the coliseum, he had been eager to test himself against him.
Unfortunately, Baston knew the truth.
The performance that Luke admired had not been his own. It was the puppet's. If he himself stepped into a serious duel, the difference would become obvious very quickly.
Surely, Luke would definitely be disappointed.
He sighed internally since he had delayed the request several times already. If he refused again, the noble boy might grow suspicious or worse, decided to leave Luminos City early.
That would cause serious trouble since he still had unfinished business here.
There was a matter of Tasco, the refunded money, and most importantly, the upcoming visit from the Xavierius family. They would come to discuss about the Gale element.
Baston was curious about what they planned to propose. After all, he possessed the knowledge about the elements that this world did not fully understand.
The old book he had read described a rare method that allowed someone to inherit an elemental affinity without marriage or bloodline.
However, the process was extremely complicated.
It required talent, patience, and careful preparation. Even then, the success was not guaranteed. It could be said the method was only for the chosen one.
If the Xavierius family discovered this method, the implications would be enormous.
"Tomorrow…" Baston finally said, "How about sparring tomorrow?"
Luke's eyes lit up instantly, "That's what I wanted to hear! Don't forget about your promise."
Baston nodded with a faint smile, but inwardly, he was already calculating his next move.
If the Xavierius family arrived soon, he could settle the Gale element matter quickly. After that, his long and troublesome vacation in Luminos City might finally come to an end.
Outside the window, the streets remained unusually quiet. The guards continued their patrols beneath the dim glow of magic lamps.
Somewhere in the distance, a detection instrument suddenly emitted a faint metallic hum.
For a brief moment, Baston paused while chewing his pastry. His eyes shifted toward the darkening city beyond the glass.
The investigation into the dark wizard had not ended.
And in Luminos City, the secrets had a habit of lingering longer than anyone expected.