The carriage rolled steadily along the stone road which was leading toward Luminos City. Inside the carriage, the atmosphere felt strangely restrained.
"Can I meet my friends first?" Alicia asked quietly.
Across from her, Angus raised an eyebrow, "Your friends? They are in Luminos City?"
"Yes…" Alicia nodded, "It won't take long. I only want to greet them before we go to Tasco's place."
Angus leaned back slightly, thinking for a moment, "Well… that shouldn't be a problem... It has been a long journey anyway. A little rest before meeting our special guest would be wise."
The conversation was simple yet the silence that followed was heavy.
Harry sat beside the window without speaking.
The distance between the father and the daughter had never truly healed since the last argument. Over time, the gap between them had grown wider and wider until neither of them seemed willing to be the first to close it.
If Angus had not been there to maintain such casual conversation, the carriage would have remained completely silent.
Alicia turned her gaze toward the window to find Luminos City that slowly appeared in the distance.
The tall white walls surrounded the city like a sleeping giant. The towers rose beyond them and their pointed roofs were piercing the sky. From afar, the city looked magnificent and almost untouchable.
However, Alicia's thoughts were elsewhere.
"I wonder if Baston and Luke succeeded…"
Killing a noble was not something that could easily disappear. Even if the target deserved it, the consequences could still be severe. She hoped the punishment would not fall too heavily upon them.
The carriage continued forward but as they approached the gate, something immediately felt not right.
A long line of carriages stretched across the road like a tangled snake. The soldiers stood near the gate, inspecting every person one by one. Normally, Luminos City welcomed the wealthy travelers since this city thrived on the luxury.
The nobles came here to gamble, drink, and indulge themselves in the entertainment while the merchants came to chase the fortune.
Under normal circumstances, the money could easily smooth any inconvenience but today was different.
The line barely moved and more soldiers were stationed along the road than the usual. Their expressions were stern and their weapons were unsheathed.
Even from inside the carriage, Alicia could sense the tension in the air. The carriage slowed to a crawl as the line ahead barely moved.
From the window, she could see the soldiers which were moving between the carriages with careful eyes. They checked the luggage, questioned the travelers, and occasionally whispered among themselves in low voices.
Something about their behavior felt different from a normal inspection. They were not merely enforcing the rules because they were searching for something.
She noticed several soldiers who were examining the wheels of a merchant wagon as if they were expecting something to be hidden inside the wooden frame. Another man lifted a heavy crate that was filled with the fabrics before he was suddenly slicing the cloth open with his dagger.
The merchant gasped, "Wait! Those are expensive…"
The man ignored him and continued searching until he seemed satisfied. Only then did he step away and allow the wagon to proceed.
The surrounding travelers exchanged uneasy glances. Even the wealthy nobles who were waiting in line appeared noticeably quieter than before. A faint whisper drifted between several merchants who were standing beside their carts.
"Did you hear what happened near the northern district?"
"I heard something exploded…"
"No, no, someone said an entire house collapsed overnight…"
"And they say the governor sealed that street immediately…"
"I heard a rumor there was a dark wizard. I'm not very sure of it…"
Their conversation faded as a soldier walked past them but Alicia had already heard enough to deepen the unease in her heart.
An explosion, a sealed district, and a dark wizard that was roaming inside the city. None of it sounded like a simple incident. She slowly exhaled and turned her gaze further ahead.
Near the gate, a tall banner that was bearing the governor's crest fluttered in the wind. Beneath it, a group of armored figures that looked noticeably different from the ordinary city guards stood neatly.
Their armor was darker and their posture was rigid. Unlike the other soldiers, they barely moved. Even from afar, she could sense the faint aura of discipline that was surrounding them.
Those must be the private guards from the governor himself. A faint shiver ran down her spine. After all, they rarely left the residence unless the situation was extremely serious.
If they were already stationed here, then the governor must have believed the threat was far from ordinary.
Alicia's fingers tightened slightly against the edge of the window. Her mind instinctively returned to Baston. The boy always had a habit of stepping into dangerous situations without explaining everything.
What if he had uncovered something deeper than a dark wizard?
What if the incident inside Luminos City was only the surface of a much bigger problem?
She quietly clenched her hand, "Baston…"
For a brief moment, she wondered if meeting with him today would answer her questions or only create even more mysteries.
Behind her, Harry and Angus were still discussing about the meeting in low voices, completely unaware of the storm of thoughts that were forming inside her mind.
Outside the carriage, the line slowly advanced. The massive gate of Luminos City loomed closer with every passing minute.
And for the reasons that she could not explain, Alicia felt as though the moment she stepped through that gate, she would be entering a place that was filled with few secrets that were waiting to be uncovered.
Before her carriage could move further, a loud voice erupted from the front of the line.
"What do you mean by this?!" a middle-aged nobleman was shouting furiously at a city guard, "I visit Luminos City every year! I am a regular guest! Why are you searching my carriage like I'm some criminal?"
The guard remained calm, "Sir, please calm yourself. We are just following the governor's orders."
"Orders?" the noble scoffed, "Since when do the guards dare to treat nobles like this?"
"If you are dissatisfied," the guard replied evenly, "You are free to leave. We will not force anyone to enter Luminos City."
The nobleman's face turned red with anger, "How dare you talk to me like that? Do you even know who I am?"
"Whether you are a noble or not," the guard said firmly, "The governor's command must still be carried out."
He gestured to the soldiers around him, "If you continue to obstruct the inspection, we will be forced to detain you and your family."
The nobleman trembled with fury. Just as he was about to explode again, a younger man beside him quickly stepped forward with a polite smile.
"My apologies, sir... My father means no disrespect…" he bowed slightly, "But may I ask? Why has the security suddenly become so strict?"
The guard studied him briefly before answering, "There was an incident a few days ago. A nobleman secretly brought a dark wizard into Luminos City."
A ripple of shock spread through the surrounding crowd.
"What?!"
"A dark wizard?!"
The younger noble looked stunned, "Then… isn't it dangerous for us to enter the city?"
"The dark wizard has already been subdued," the guard explained, "The governor personally oversaw the operation. Every corner of the city has been inspected."
He paused slightly, "However, we must ensure there are no remaining threats."
The younger noble nodded slowly but the guard's next words shocked everyone even more.
"By the way, the royal guards have also been informed to assist with the investigation."
"The royal guards?" someone whispered.
The murmurs spread through the crowd.
At first, the fear had spread quickly once people heard the words of dark wizard. Such individuals were despised across the kingdom.
But, the mention of royal guards changed the atmosphere.
The king's personal soldiers were famous throughout the land. Each one of them possessed extraordinary strength. If the royal guards were involved, then the situation must be under control.
Gradually, the tension among the travelers eased. Inside the carriage, Harry had also heard the entire conversation.
"The dark wizards are becoming more brazen," he muttered, "To infiltrate Luminos City of all places…"
Angus nodded thoughtfully, "Our territory faced similar problems before… We found several criminal groups that were hiding in the outskirts. They were not directly connected to dark wizards but eliminating them closed many potential security gaps."
Harry's expression darkened, "We will need to strengthen our defenses once we return."
Angus looked at him, "You're planning something?"
"I'll establish several checkpoints around the borders of our land…" Harry's tone was calm but decisive, "It may create inconvenience but the security must come first."
Angus gave a slow nod, "That would be a wise decision."
While the two men discussed the security matters, Alicia sat silently. But inside her heart, the waves of shock were crashing violently. In the end, she began connecting all the clues inside her head.
Now, everything suddenly made sense.
Baston had offered to help Luke eliminate his uncle.
At the time, she had wondered why he would involve himself in such a dangerous matter but now she understood. It was connected to the cult.
When the guard mentioned a nobleman that was bringing a dark wizard into the city, she immediately guessed the identity of that person. Surely, it must be Luke's uncle.
If Baston and Luke targeted him, then the man must have been connected to the cult. And if a dark wizard had appeared, then the situation must have escalated far beyond what Luke initially expected.
Alicia felt a faint chill, "Baston… what exactly did you uncover?"
Her curiosity only deepened. Before arriving at Luminos City, she had already contacted Luke through a communication device.
Luke had simply told her where he was staying and he said they should talk in person. That alone told her something important.
Luke must have many questions about the cult. At least, that was what she believed.
She still assumed Luke knew very little about it. After all, Baston was usually the one who investigated the strange matters. But what she didn't know was that Baston had already revealed few secrets to Luke.
When the noble boy received Alicia's message earlier, he had been stunned. He never expected her to suddenly arrive in Luminos City.
Originally, he had planned to ask her about the cult once their vacation ended.
Even though Panto might also know something, Luke still felt more comfortable speaking with Alicia.
But now, she was already here and the timing felt strange. He briefly wondered if Baston already knew about her arrival but he quickly dismissed the thought.
Both he and Baston had been too busy dealing with Viktor. There was no way Baston had time to predict something like this. He wanted to ponder more but the present situation forbade him for doing that.
At the moment, he stood inside the training room of the inn. His sword was raised toward someone across from him which was Baston. The duel had already begun.
"Here I come, Baston!"
"Make your move..."
The steel soon clashed and Luke lunged forward with swift precision. His movements were sharp and disciplined, reflecting several years of knightly training.
However, Baston's response was unexpected.
Instead of attacking aggressively, the fat boy focused entirely on the defense. He dodged, parried, and moved with surprising agility.
Luke pressed the attack again and again yet Baston never left an opening. The rhythm of their duel echoed throughout the training hall.
"CLANG…"
"CLANG…"
"CLANG…"
Unbeknownst to them, Alicia had already arrived. After renting the rooms at the inn, she quietly followed the sound of clashing swords.
When she pushed open the training room door, she froze to see the two boys that stood inside the arena.
Luke moved like a blade of wind. He was fast, precise, and deadly. As for Baston, he moved like flowing water. He was flexible, calm, and unpredictable.
Her eyes widened slightly. Luke is strong but Baston was something else. She wondered when he become this skilled.
She knew Baston was a talented wizard but seeing him fight like this was completely unexpected. Even Luke could not overwhelm him. Behind Alicia, Angus had also entered the room. He watched the duel with keen interest.
"That boy is very impressive," Angus said quietly.
Alicia nodded and Angus studied Baston carefully.
"His magic talent is already exceptional yet his physical movements are also remarkable. If he wished, he could easily become either a knight or a wizard."
Harry who came late also nodded slowly, "But talent alone isn't enough..."
He sighed softly, "In this world, the status still matters. If he remains a commoner, people will continue looking down on him."
Angus smiled faintly, "You still want him to join our family, don't you?"
Harry chuckled quietly, "You know me too well but something tells me that boy's destiny lies elsewhere."
His eyes remained fixed on Baston, "I have the feeling he will go much further than we expect."
Meanwhile, the duel had reached its climax.
Luke attacked once more and Baston suddenly stepped forward. Instead of retreating, he swung his sword with tremendous force.
"CLANG!"
The impact echoed loudly.
Luke's sword flew from his hand. The noble boy staggered backward in shock. But as he regained his balance, his eyes suddenly widened.
Baston's arm trembled slightly and a faint cracking sound had echoed during the strike. His gaze dropped to Baston's forearm and his expression froze.
"You broke your arm again?"
Baston simply stood there. His face remained calm but deep inside Luke's mind, an unsettling thought appeared.
Why did it feel like Baston never felt the pain?
From the doorway, Alicia watched everything in the silence. A strange feeling crept into her heart.
For some reason, the more she observed Baston, the more mysterious he seemed.