The tolling of the bell continued to echo, low and distant, as if rising from the deepest parts of the ground. With every chime, the sense of oppression in the air thickened. Matthew didn't look up, nor did he make a deliberate effort to listen; like the other Class holders, he simply began organizing his gear and preparing to withdraw. The more critical the moment, the less curiosity one should show.
Hall had already turned around and was walking toward the depths of the warehouse. As he left, the two heavy black iron gates slowly opened, and over a dozen fully armed City Guard soldiers ran inside. Their movements were swift and their expressions solemn. Every one of their swords was unsheathed, yet they made no sound. The entire process was highly disciplined, as if it had been repeated countless times.
Matthew only caught a glimpse with his peripheral vision before pulling his gaze back. Nearby, a Silver Rank mercenary lowered his voice. “Here we go again.”
Another man gave a bitter smile. “Third time this month.”
“Do you know what's down there?”
The man immediately shook his head. “No idea, and no one dares to ask. Regardless, every time the bell rings, the place gets locked down for half a day.”
A third mercenary leaned in, his voice even lower. “I heard that there was once a Gold Rank who got drunk and insisted on going in to take a look.”
“And then?”
“Then?” The mercenary shrugged. “Afterward? There was no ‘afterward.’ The next day, the Class Holders Guild simply announced the mission had failed and the person hadn't returned.”
The group fell silent, not pursuing the topic further. Matthew, however, committed the details to memory: a Gold Rank, missing, no body, no explanation. Even the guild hadn't conducted a public investigation. This indicated that the matter involved a level higher than the Gold Rank.
Soon, the return convoy reassembled. Ryne remained at the front, his expression no different than when they had arrived, as if nothing had just happened. With the transport wagons empty, the return trip was much faster. In less than half an hour, they had left the warehouse district.
The moment the iron gates slammed shut, Matthew cast a quick glance back. The tall stone walls blocked everything from view once more, and the area returned to silence. It was as if the tolling of the bell from earlier had been nothing but an illusion.
Upon returning to the urban area of the royal capital, Ryne finally spoke. “Mission complete. Rewards will be distributed this afternoon. Furthermore, everything that occurred within the warehouse today is part of the mission's confidentiality agreement and must not be shared. Violators will be handled according to the laws regarding the leaking of military secrets.”
The Class holders nodded one after another. No one raised any objections; clearly, everyone knew the rules. The group quickly disbanded. Aidan held back for a long time, only finally speaking up once they were two streets away.
“Brother Matthew, what exactly is down there?”
Matthew shook his head slightly. “I don't know.”
Aidan seemed a bit disappointed. “Even you don't know?”
Matthew smiled. “It’s normal not to know. Truly dangerous secrets are never meant to be known by others.”
Though he said that, he had already formed a new judgment in his heart. First, something definitely existed underground. Second, the kingdom's high command knew, the City Guard knew, and the Class Holders Guild knew. Even the old man named Hall knew. Only the ordinary Class holders were kept in the dark. In other words, this was a secret that had existed for a long time but had never been made public.
At this thought, Matthew realized his previous investigative direction might have been slightly off. He had been searching for wizards, but it now seemed that what the royal capital truly hid might not be a single wizard, but rather a massive secret system. Wizards might only be a part of it—perhaps even just the tip of the iceberg.
Matthew stopped his train of thought. Knowing some things too early was not necessarily a good thing. At the very least, with his current status, he was not yet qualified to touch that level.
That afternoon, at the Class Holders Guild, the mission hall was as busy as ever. Long lines formed at the counters as many Class holders collected their rewards for the day. Matthew and Aidan joined them. The person in charge of registration was the same Deacon from yesterday. When he saw Matthew, a faint smile appeared on the old man's face.
“Your first mission. How was it?”
Matthew replied calmly, “Smoother than I imagined.”
The Deacon nodded meaningfully. “Smooth is the best possible outcome.” He pulled a heavy coin purse from a drawer and placed it on the counter. “Thirty gold coins. Additionally, your evaluation was good. If there are similar missions in the future, the guild will prioritize notifying you.”
Matthew gave a slight smile. “Thank you.” He took the coin purse and was about to leave when the Deacon seemed to remember something.
“Wait.” Matthew stopped. The Deacon looked down at the register on the desk before looking back up. “This is your first time in the royal capital, isn't it?”
“Yes.”
“Are you interested in joining the Class Holders Guild’s long-term cooperation list?”
Matthew didn't answer immediately, instead asking, “What’s the difference?”
“It’s simple,” the Deacon explained. “Long-term cooperation members get priority for high-level commissions. Some commissions aren't even released to the public.”
Matthew's eyes flickered slightly. The phrase ‘not even released to the public’ caught his interest. The Deacon continued, “Of course, the requirements are higher. You must be at least high Silver Rank, have a good reputation, and pass an audit.”
Matthew nodded. “I’ll consider it.”
The Deacon didn't press him, simply handing over a wooden identification token. “Whenever you've made up your mind, come find me.”
After leaving the Class Holders Guild, Aidan held the coin purse the entire way, unable to stop smiling. “Thirty gold coins. This one trip earned us more than we used to make in a month.”
Matthew chuckled. “The easier the money is to earn, the higher the risk.” Aidan nodded repeatedly. He was still feeling a bit of lingering fear from the atmosphere in the warehouse, especially that tolling bell. Although nothing had happened, it had made him feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
As the two walked, they encountered a commotion ahead. A crowd had gathered in front of a mission announcement wall, seemingly over something that had just occurred. Aidan stood on his tiptoes. “Another new mission?”
Matthew shook his head. “Doesn't look like it.”
As they drew closer, they saw a brand-new missing person notice posted on the wall. To be precise, it wasn't just one, but seven. Seven portraits were neatly arranged there. They were of different ages and backgrounds: a merchant, a mercenary, and even a young noble. The only commonality was that the location of their disappearance was the same: the West District.
Nearby, several residents were whispering. “Another one gone.”
“That's the seventh one already.”
“Didn't they say they caught the culprit?”
“Who knows? Anyway, I’m heading home as soon as it gets dark now.”
Another old man shook his head. “You young people don't know. Something like this happened twenty years ago, too. Even more people went missing back then.”
Someone nearby immediately interrupted him. “Old man, stop talking.” The old man shut his mouth at once, looking as if he realized he had said too much, and hurried away.
Matthew stood still, his eyes narrowing slowly. Twenty years ago. This was the first time someone had mentioned a specific timeframe. It meant the anomaly in the West District hadn't just started recently, but had been ongoing for at least twenty years.
Just as he was about to catch up with the old man, a low voice suddenly sounded from behind him. “Young man, if I were you, I wouldn't chase him.”
Matthew turned slowly. Standing behind him was a tall, middle-aged man. It was the same person who had refused to take the escort mission at the Class Holders Guild earlier—the Eagle Wing Squad Captain, Ryan.
Ryan held a wine flask, his gaze calm as he looked at Matthew. “Interested in having a drink together?”
Matthew looked at the man, neither agreeing nor refusing immediately. Ryan smiled and raised his flask. “Don't worry, I'm not buying. I'm just inviting you to sit for a bit. We'll each pay for our own drinks.”
Matthew couldn't help but laugh at that. The statement actually made him lower his guard a little; at the very least, it showed the other wasn't trying to force a connection. “Sure.”
Ryan nodded and turned toward the other side of the street. There was a small-scale tavern there, not nearly as bustling as the ones near the Class Holders Guild. Most of the people going in and out were veteran mercenaries.
Inside the tavern, the wooden tables were wiped clean, and the air was filled with the aroma of rye ale and roasted meat. In a corner, a bard was gently strumming a lute. Ryan found a seat by the window and ordered a rye ale. Matthew asked for a cup of hot tea, while Aidan hesitated before finally ordering a fruit wine.
Ryan glanced at him and smiled. “Young man, drink less. Only with a clear head can you live long.” Aidan smiled sheepishly.
Once the drinks were served, Ryan took a large gulp before speaking. “Do you know why I looked for you?”
Matthew shook his head calmly. “No.”
“Because throughout the journey today, you were the only one who didn't spend the whole time looking around.”
Matthew didn't respond. Ryan continued, “People who take that mission for the first time usually fall into three categories. The first kind looks at everything along the way, wanting to know every detail. The second kind is terrified the whole time, not daring to look at anything. And the third kind is like you—asking nothing and showing nothing.” Ryan suddenly laughed. “The third kind usually lives the longest.”
Matthew picked up his tea and took a small sip. “It’s just a habit.”
“It’s not a habit,” Ryan said, shaking his head. “It’s experience. Only those who have truly experienced danger know when to keep their mouths shut.” Matthew neither denied nor confirmed the statement.
After a moment of silence, Ryan asked, “You’re not from the royal capital, are you?”
“No.”
“From a county seat?”
“Something like that.”
Ryan nodded. “No wonder. Then let me give you a piece of advice.” He set down his glass, his voice soft but exceptionally serious. “In the royal capital, knowing little isn't necessarily dangerous, and knowing a lot isn't necessarily dangerous either. What's truly dangerous is letting others know that you know too much.”
Matthew's eyes narrowed slightly. That single sentence was worth more than any secret. Ryan continued, “People die every day in the royal capital. They disappear every day. People strike it rich every day, and they vanish every day. Don't ask why. Because this is the royal capital. The kingdom's greatest interests, greatest secrets, and greatest powers are all concentrated here. It’s not that no one investigates certain things; it’s that the people who do investigate eventually stop.”
Aidan felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but ask, “Why?”
Ryan gave a small smile. “Because staying alive is more important than the truth.”
The tavern suddenly grew quiet. Outside, the sun was slowly setting, casting long golden shadows into the room. Ryan looked out the window, as if remembering something. “Fifteen years ago, I was like you. I thought that as long as I investigated, I could eventually uncover the truth. Later, my captain died. My vice captain died. Three of my brothers died as well. I was the only one who survived.”
He spoke with a calm tone, as if telling someone else's story. But Matthew knew that such calmness only meant the experience had been carved into his very bones. Ryan picked up his glass and finished the last of his ale. Then he stood up and pulled a heavily worn copper coin from his robe, placing it gently on the table.
“This is for you.”
Matthew looked down. The copper coin was ordinary, but for one detail: a tiny symbol had been carved into it—a crescent moon and... a drop of blood.
Matthew didn't pick it up immediately, instead studying it for a moment before finally reaching out. The coin was old, its edges polished bright from years of being carried. The kingdom's crest on the front was almost worn away, but on the back, someone had used an extremely fine blade to carve a crescent moon. Beneath the moon was a single, slender drop of blood. The engravings were deep, looking less like a craftsman's work and more like something someone had painstakingly carved by hand over time.
Aidan leaned in as well. “What is this?”
Ryan shook his head. “I don't know.”
Aidan was stunned. “You don't know?”
Ryan laughed. “If I knew, I wouldn't be sitting here drinking today.”
With that, he turned and left.
...
Rate on N.U.
