Matthew slowly lowered the curtain.
The room fell silent once more.
He didn't continue thinking about those magic crystal iron pillars. While clues were piling up, there was still nothing that truly tied them all together.
He knew very well that he was still missing a piece of the puzzle—a piece that could connect everything. And that piece wouldn't just appear on the table by itself.
...
The next morning, the Royal Capital was as bustling as ever.
After eating breakfast, Matthew didn't stay at the inn. Instead, he took Aidan and headed back to the Class Holders Guild.
Compared to the previous two days, the guild was even more crowded today. The main hall was packed with people, and a large crowd had gathered in front of the mission wall.
Some people were frowning, while others looked excited. Many mercenaries were whispering among themselves.
“What’s going on?” Aidan stood on his tiptoes to get a look. “It looks like there's a new mission.”
The two of them slowly approached. In the center of the wall, a new commission written on striking red parchment had been posted.
【Long-term Escort Commission】
Location: West District outskirts.
Objective: Escort Royal Capital municipal supplies to the designated area.
Requirement: Silver Rank and above preferred.
Reward: Thirty gold coins.
Deadline: Settlement upon completion of a single escort.
Special Note: Execution during daytime only.
Thirty gold coins. When that number was seen, a chorus of gasps erupted from the crowd.
“Thirty gold coins? For a single escort?” “Are you kidding me? A normal escort pays five or six gold coins at most.” “This is nearly six times the usual rate!”
However, an old mercenary nearby let out a cold sneer. “The more money there is, the shorter your life will be.”
That one sentence silenced many in the vicinity. Someone couldn't help but ask, “Brother, what do you mean by that?”
The old mercenary glanced around before lowering his voice. “In the last half-month, three escort teams have already died. Although they say they ran into bandits, have you ever seen bandits capable of making three Silver Rank teams disappear at once?”
The expressions of those listening changed instantly. While the Silver Rank wasn't considered the absolute top in the Royal Capital, they were certainly not weak. Ordinary bandits simply couldn't make several Silver Rank experts vanish simultaneously.
Just then, a staff member in a black uniform walked out onto the second-floor balcony of the guild hall. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the hall.
“This mission was issued personally by the Kingdom's Treasury. The City Guard will accompany you the entire way. The mission is safe, so please put your minds at ease.”
Hearing that the City Guard would be accompanying them, many people visibly relaxed. However, not a single truly experienced Class holder stepped forward to sign up.
Matthew stood at the back of the crowd, silently staring at the commission. His gaze grew deeper as he processed the keywords: Treasury, City Guard, West District, daytime execution.
These details combined were enough to tell him a great deal. If it were just a normal transport, there would be no need for such a high reward, nor would there be a specific emphasis on it being daytime only.
Just then, Aidan suddenly lowered his voice. “Brother Matthew, should we... should we take it?”
Matthew didn't answer immediately, continuing to gaze at the mission scroll. A moment later, the corners of his mouth slowly curled up. Finally, the opportunity had arrived.
It wasn't that he was actively seeking out secrets; rather, the secret had proactively issued an invitation to the entire Class Holders Guild.
Matthew didn't step forward right away. He remained on the outskirts of the crowd, calmly scanning the hall. It was his habit to observe the people before a mission; understanding who else was involved was far more important than the mission itself.
...
In the hall, most of those surrounding the mission wall were Black Iron Rank Class holders. Their eyes were full of longing. Thirty gold coins was enough for an ordinary Class holder to live on for half a year.
However, very few actual Silver Rank experts stepped forward. They simply stood to the side, talking in low voices with solemn expressions.
Matthew soon noticed a five-person squad. They all wore silver eagle badges on their chests, indicating they were all Silver Rank. The captain was a middle-aged Knight with a short beard.
At the moment, he was frowning as he looked at the mission scroll. Someone nearby couldn't help but ask, “Ryan, is your Eagle Wing Squad not taking it?”
The middle-aged Knight slowly shook his head. “No.” “Why not?” “Too much money.”
Those three simple words silenced many people. The questioner was puzzled. “Isn't more money better?”
Ryan glanced at him and spoke calmly. “Why do you think the people from the Treasury are willing to spend thirty gold coins to hire a Silver Rank to escort a few wagons of goods?”
The man opened his mouth but found himself speechless. Ryan continued, “If it were just dangerous, that wouldn't be a problem. The problem is that no one knows where the danger is coming from.”
The hall fell silent again. That one sentence hit the nail on the head. The unknown was the truly terrifying thing.
...
Matthew nodded silently. This Knight named Ryan was very experienced and shared the same thoughts as him.
Just then, another person slowly descended from the second floor of the guild. Upon seeing the newcomer, the hall grew significantly quieter.
The newcomer was an old man in his fifties, wearing a dark blue uniform with a golden badge on his chest. Seeing that badge, many Class holders bowed in respect.
“Lord Deacon.”
The old man nodded slightly and walked to the mission wall. His voice was steady and unhurried. “Everyone, I have a few points to add regarding this commission.”
Everyone's attention focused on him immediately.
“First, this mission will be issued every day. Second, the escort route is fixed for each trip. Third, the City Guard will be in charge of command throughout the mission.”
The Deacon paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the hall. “Fourth, no Class holder is allowed to leave the escort route without authorization, nor are they allowed to explore the surrounding buildings. Violators will have their mission eligibility revoked immediately.”
A wave of discussion broke out in the hall. Someone asked in a small voice, “Why?”
The old man gave a curt reply. “Military control.” He offered no further explanation.
A strange look flashed in Matthew’s eyes. Military control? The reason was logical, but perhaps too logical. Precisely because it sounded so reasonable, it was all the more suspicious.
If it really were military control, why would they need to hire Class holders? Wouldn't it be safer for the City Guard to handle the escort themselves? Unless... the City Guard didn't have enough manpower left.
Thinking of this, Matthew suddenly realized that the situation seemed even more serious than he had imagined.
...
Just then, Aidan lightly nudged his arm. “Brother Matthew, someone's coming.”
Matthew turned to look and saw a squad of Knights slowly entering the hall. They all wore uniform silver-white light armor with dark blue capes, and a golden iris was engraved on their chest plates.
As soon as they appeared, the entire hall fell silent. Even the mercenaries who had been arguing a moment ago instinctively moved aside to clear a path.
At the front of the squad was a young Knight around thirty years old with a cold face and a steady aura. Matthew only needed a single glance to judge the man's strength: Silver Rank peak. He was likely only a step away from the Gold Rank.
The youth walked straight to the mission wall. Without even looking at the mission details, he said directly, “The Iris Knight Order will take all of today's escort missions.”
An uproar broke out in the hall as those words fell. However, the Deacon shook his head slightly. “I'm afraid a single team can only take a maximum of three escort squads for this mission.”
The youth frowned slightly. “Why?”
The Deacon replied calmly, “Orders. It is also the regulation.”
The youth was silent for a moment before finally nodding. “Three, then.”
After completing the registration, the Knight Order quickly departed. The entire process took less than two minutes.
However, Matthew kept his eyes on their retreating backs. Just now, his Spirit had keenly sensed something on the young Knight’s waist—an extremely inconspicuous black badge.
The badge was only the size of a thumb, engraved with an incredibly complex silver pattern. An ordinary person wouldn't have noticed it, but Matthew had seen something similar in one of the wizard notes Herbert had left behind.
It wasn't a family crest; it looked more like a spiritual inscription.
Though it was only for an instant, waves of shock surged in Matthew’s heart. This was the first time since arriving in the Royal Capital that he had seen something related to the wizard system in a public setting. Moreover, the wearer was a member of the Kingdom's Knight Order.
Matthew’s gaze lingered for only a split second before naturally shifting away, as if he had noticed nothing. This was the first lesson Herbert had ever taught him: never stare at someone you shouldn't be paying attention to, especially a wizard.
The stronger a person's Spirit, the more sensitive they were to being watched. Even staring for a few seconds too long could trigger their suspicion.
...
The Iris Knight Order quickly finished their registration, and the young Knight turned to leave. As he passed through the center of the hall, his footsteps seemed to falter for an imperceptible moment.
Then, his gaze slowly swept across the entire hall. It was a calm, emotionless look, yet it caused many Class holders in the hall to instinctively avert their eyes.
Matthew did the same. He was currently looking down at the mission scroll with a calm expression, appearing like any other ordinary Class holder considering whether or not to take the job.
A moment later, the young Knight withdrew his gaze and led his team out of the guild. Only after the doors closed did the atmosphere in the hall become lively again.
...
Aidan let out a soft breath and whispered, “He’s so strong.”
Matthew nodded. “He certainly is.”
However, what he cared about wasn't the man's strength, but that badge. In the notes Herbert had left behind, there was a sentence: “True wizards rarely wear their identity on their faces, but they often hide it in places only their own kind would recognize.”
Badges, rings, cuff insignias, or even a code word—any of these could serve as an identifier. Although he had only caught a glimpse of that black badge, it was enough for Matthew to confirm that the man was at least connected to wizards.
As for whether he was an apprentice, an Official Wizard, or a member of some organization, that couldn't be determined yet.
...
Just then, the guild Deacon spoke again. “There are still two Silver Rank spots left for today's first escort squad. If you're interested, register now.”
The hall grew restless again. Many Silver Rank Class holders looked at each other, but no one made a move. Thirty gold coins was indeed tempting, but life was more important.
Matthew remained silent for a few seconds before suddenly walking forward.
Aidan was startled. “Brother Matthew?”
Matthew simply said, “I'm registering.”
Aidan lowered his voice. “But...”
“Don't worry,” Matthew smiled. “I'm not going there to die. I'm just going to have a look.”
With that, he reached the counter. The Deacon looked up at Matthew. “Name?”
“Matthew.”
“Rank?”
“Silver Rank.”
The Deacon nodded and produced a pale blue crystal. “Test.”
Matthew wasn't surprised. The Class Holders Guild naturally wouldn't rely on verbal claims for registration. He reached out his right hand and placed it lightly on the crystal.
In the next moment, a pale blue light flared up. The light continued to intensify before finally stabilizing at a certain mark.
A look of surprise flashed in the Deacon’s eyes. “High Silver Rank.”
Many people in the hall turned to look, their gazes shifting instantly. A high Silver Rank in his early twenties was considered excellent even in the Royal Capital.
The Deacon’s attitude grew noticeably warmer. “You meet the requirements. Here is your temporary badge.”
He handed over a copper badge engraved with the number seven. “Assemble at the Class Holders Guild tomorrow morning at eight o'clock. Don't be late.”
Matthew took the badge and nodded slightly. “Understood.”
Just as he was about to leave, the Deacon suddenly added, “Young man.”
Matthew stopped. “Is this your first time taking this mission?”
“Yes.”
The Deacon was silent for a moment before saying slowly, “Remember this: tomorrow, no matter what you see, do not leave the team.”
Matthew’s eyes narrowed slightly. However, the Deacon had already lowered his head to continue registering the next Class holder, as if that sentence had been nothing more than a casual reminder.
But Matthew knew better. A Deacon who had worked at the Class Holders Guild for decades wouldn't offer such a warning to someone for no reason. Unless he knew something but couldn't say it due to his position.
Matthew gripped the number seven badge and slowly walked out of the guild. The sunlight hit the copper badge, reflecting a faint metallic luster. But in his heart, there was no sense of relief.
He had a faint feeling that tomorrow's escort might be the first true trial he would face since arriving in the Royal Capital.
Rate on N.U.
