Chapter 858 - 868 - Capital

Chapter 858: Chapter 868 - Capital

Entering the capital took surprisingly little time.

The guards at the outer gate recognized the insignia of House Valedorn before the carriage reached the inspection line.

The tax collector exchanged a few words with the officer on duty, documents changed hands, and the entire entourage was allowed through without the wagon inspections Lucien saw being imposed on ordinary merchants.

The city opened around them.

Mirelle forgot to hide her curiosity almost immediately.

Tavian did not even try.

Auren had already spent half the morning questioning the coachman about the capital roads and now looked ahead from the driver’s position as though he intended to memorize the entire city before sunset.

Lucien watched through the carriage window.

The capital felt alive in a way the smaller city near their village never had.

Wide roads carried wagons in both directions. Stone buildings rose several floors high in the busier districts. Shops crowded the main streets while narrower lanes disappeared between workshops, inns, warehouses, and residences.

There was order beneath the noise.

Drainage channels ran beside several roads.

Public wells stood at intervals.

Guards patrolled important intersections.

Signs marked merchant districts and administrative roads.

Lucien smiled faintly.

No mana did not make people stupid.

Given enough generations, humans always found ways to organize themselves.

The convoy continued toward the noble quarter.

The streets grew wider. The buildings changed. Walls appeared around private estates. Gardens became visible behind iron gates. Carriages carried household crests. Servants moved between residences wearing colors that identified who employed them.

Tavian leaned toward the window.

Lucien glanced at him.

"Try not to stare too much."

Tavian immediately straightened.

Mirelle did the same.

Lucien smiled.

"You look like country bumpkins."

Mirelle slowly turned toward him.

Lucien reconsidered his amusement.

Aurelia covered a smile.

Seran looked entirely comfortable.

That caught Lucien’s attention.

Seran knew where several streets led before the carriage turned.

He recognized an old fountain.

He even pointed out a theater that had apparently changed ownership since his last visit.

Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"You spent a lot of time here."

"The caravan performed here several times."

"For nobles?"

Seran smiled.

"Sometimes."

...

By the time they reached the Valedorn estate, Lucien was already wondering whether Seran had once performed for members of the royal household itself.

The estate was large without feeling excessive.

Its main residence stood behind a broad courtyard surrounded by gardens, storage buildings, servants’ quarters, and a separate stable large enough to handle the tax collector’s entire entourage.

Household servants came out immediately.

The tax wagons were moved toward a secured portion of the estate.

The tax collector gave several instructions before turning back toward Luke and the others.

"I need to report to the palace and deliver the taxes before I can arrange your audience."

Luke nodded.

"How long will that take?"

"Possibly the rest of the day."

The older man looked toward everyone.

"You can rest here. If you want to see the city, you may do that as well."

Luke hesitated.

The tax collector smiled.

"My guards already know your faces. You will have no trouble returning."

That eased the concern somewhat.

Not long afterward, the tax collector departed again with most of the tax wagons and several retainers.

Luke and Cienna remained at the estate.

There were still arrangements to discuss, and Cienna wanted to make sure their rooms and belongings were properly settled before wandering through an unfamiliar capital.

Lucien had expected that.

He had not expected Luke to look toward Seran.

"You know the city?"

Seran smiled.

"Well enough."

Luke looked immediately less worried.

"Then keep everyone together."

Seran placed a hand over his chest.

"You can trust me, Uncle."

Luke stared at him.

Aurelia stepped closer.

"I’ll make sure they return."

Luke relaxed.

"Good."

Seran looked offended.

They left the estate soon afterward.

The noble district immediately fascinated everyone.

Mirelle paid attention to storefronts whenever they passed a commercial street serving noble households.

Tavian slowed whenever he saw ornamental metalwork or unusually well-made gates.

Auren looked at road widths, intersections, and carriage traffic with more interest than he showed the mansions themselves.

Lucien enjoyed watching them.

"Try not to keep looking around like that," he said.

Mirelle glanced toward him.

"Why?"

"People will know you came from a village."

Tavian immediately stopped staring at a bronze gate ornament.

Mirelle straightened.

Auren adjusted his posture.

Seran laughed.

"You are cruel."

Lucien smiled.

"You were thinking the same thing."

"Of course."

They continued deeper into the noble quarter.

Seran moved without hesitation.

Lucien noticed that too.

He knew shortcuts.

He recognized guard posts.

He avoided certain streets without checking signs.

Eventually, Lucien looked toward him.

"Where are we actually going?"

Seran slowed slightly.

"There is someone I want to see."

Aurelia’s expression softened.

That caught Lucien’s attention.

"Who?"

Seran thought about the answer.

"A friend."

Lucien stared at him.

Seran stared back.

"A noble friend?"

"Yes."

Lucien’s interest increased immediately.

Seran had spent years as a traveling performer, con artist, impersonator, and general source of trouble.

A noble whom he genuinely called a friend sounded interesting.

"How did that happen?"

Seran looked ahead.

"We met during one of the caravan’s performances."

Aurelia added quietly, "He was sick even then."

Seran nodded.

"We visited him more than once whenever the troupe returned to the capital."

Lucien expected them to turn toward one of the smaller estates.

They did not.

The houses became larger, then larger again.

The walls rose higher.

The guards at the gates wore better equipment.

Lucien gradually looked toward Seran.

"How noble is this friend?"

Seran ignored the question.

That was suspicious.

Then they turned another corner.

Seran stopped.

Everyone else stopped with him.

A massive estate occupied much of the street ahead.

Its walls were higher than those surrounding the neighboring residences. The gate was reinforced and guarded by men whose equipment looked expensive even compared with the other noble retainers they had seen.

A crest stood above the entrance.

Lucien did not recognize the heraldry.

Mirelle did.

Her face changed.

"Seran."

Seran looked toward her.

"Yes?"

"That is a Duke’s estate."

Tavian stopped breathing for a moment.

Auren stared at Seran.

Lucien slowly turned his head.

"You neglected a detail."

Seran smiled.

"It did not seem important."

Aurelia laughed softly.

They did not approach the gate.

That made Lucien suspicious again.

Seran continued along the outer wall until they reached a quieter section partially hidden by several old trees.

Then he stopped.

Lucien stared at him.

Seran looked at the wall.

Aurelia already seemed to know what was coming.

"Let’s sneak in."

Nobody moved.

Tavian blinked. Mirelle stared at Seran as though she had finally discovered the limit of her patience. Auren looked toward the distant gate, then back toward the wall.

Lucien rubbed his forehead.

"You know this is a Duke’s residence."

"Yes."

"And your plan is to climb over the wall."

"Also yes."

"Why?"

Seran looked almost confused by the question.

"Because going through the front gate takes too long."

Aurelia chuckled.

That was when Lucien realized something worse.

"You have done this before."

Seran smiled.

Aurelia’s expression confirmed it.

Lucien was about to respond when a familiar sensation touched his awareness.

His expression changed.

The faint resonance returned.

Lucien stopped breathing for a moment.

The noise of the street faded from his attention.

He listened.

"..."

There it was.

Clearer than before.

The sound came from beyond the wall.

Lucien slowly turned toward the estate.

The resonance strengthened.

It was directing him inside.

His heartbeat changed.

Seran was still explaining something to Tavian about where the guards usually passed when Lucien stepped closer to the wall.

Someone was inside.

Someone the strange sound wanted him to find.

His thoughts immediately returned to Tavian, Mirelle, Auren, Seran, and Aurelia.

People who should not have been familiar in this era and yet somehow were.

Lucien looked toward the top of the wall.

Seran noticed.

"Wait."

Lucien moved first.

He caught the stonework, found a narrow foothold, and pulled himself upward.

Seran stared.

Lucien reached the top before him.

For once, Seran looked genuinely offended.

"That was my idea."

Lucien dropped onto the other side.

Seran cursed quietly and climbed after him.

Aurelia followed with the practiced resignation of someone who had clearly done this before.

Tavian looked toward Mirelle.

Mirelle looked toward Auren.

Auren stared at the wall.

"We are going to be arrested."

Mirelle sighed.

Then she started climbing.

Auren followed.

Tavian muttered something about terrible influences before going after them.

Lucien barely noticed.

He stood inside the Duke’s estate with his attention fixed deeper into the grounds.

The resonance was still there.

It had become stronger.

Whatever waited inside, Lucien was certain of one thing.

Seran’s sick noble friend was no ordinary coincidence.