Inside the forging room, a bearded dwarf laughed heartily as he held up a newly forged longsword.
A faint blue glow emanated from the blade. Several apprentices standing around immediately burst into cheers.
“The Master succeeded!”
“Another masterpiece!”
Aidan couldn't help but sigh in admiration. “That’s amazing.”
Matthew, however, noticed something else. Next to the forging table sat a piece of deep red ore about the size of a fist. The ore emitted an extremely faint energy fluctuation. It wasn't mana, but it was far more active than ordinary metal.
The clerk followed Matthew's gaze and explained with a smile, “Is this the guest's first time seeing it? This is Crimson Flame Iron. It’s the most sought-after material in the Royal Capital lately. The price has nearly doubled.”
Matthew asked casually, “Why has the price gone up?”
The clerk shrugged. “I don’t know. I heard both the White Tower and the Palace are buying it up. Even several major merchant groups are hoarding it. Now, even if you have the money, you might not be able to find any.”
Matthew’s eyes flickered slightly.
The White Tower again. And another massive acquisition. First it was Silver Moon Grass, then purification potions, and now Crimson Flame Iron. These items had no apparent connection to one another, yet they shared a common thread: the authorities were purchasing them in bulk.
What exactly were they preparing for? War? A large-scale project? Or... some kind of plan that couldn't be made public?
Matthew didn't press further. He simply made a silent note of the name “Crimson Flame Iron” in his notebook.
By the time they left the equipment shop, the sun had already begun to sink in the west. Another day in the Royal Capital was drawing to a close. Matthew had a faint feeling that the scattered clues he had collected were getting closer to forming a complete picture.
The orange afterglow of the setting sun bathed the entire Royal Capital. Matthew and Aidan walked slowly back toward the inn along the flagstone road. Neither spoke along the way.
Once they entered their room, Aidan finally couldn't help but speak. “Brother Matthew, we’ve found out quite a bit over the last few days. What do we do next?”
Matthew placed his sword on the table and remained silent for a moment before saying slowly, “We stop investigating.”
Aidan was stunned. “Huh? Why?”
Matthew walked to the window and looked at the distant White Tower bathed in the evening glow. He said calmly, “Because right now, finding anything out would be meaningless.”
Aidan was even more confused.
Matthew continued, “Have you noticed? Over the last few days, the people we’ve met have become increasingly powerful, and the matters we’ve encountered have reached higher and higher levels.”
Aidan nodded. It was true. On the first day, it was just mercenaries. On the second, the City Guard. On the third, the warehouse. On the fourth, the library and the White Tower. Now, they knew more secrets, but knowing more only made them feel more powerless.
Matthew said slowly, “It’s not that the secrets are actively appearing. It’s that we have reached the limit of what we can currently access. To go any further would be to step into another world.”
Aidan fell silent. Although he didn't understand all the complexities, he understood one thing: they weren't strong enough yet.
...
Matthew took a notebook from his storage ring and gently flipped it open. On the first page, a sentence left by Herbert caught his eye once more: “What truly limits you is never knowledge, but strength.”
Matthew gently closed the notebook, his gaze becoming firm. “Starting tomorrow, we take missions. We earn money, we cultivate, and we raise our Knight rank. Along the way, we’ll look for a cultivation method for beyond the Tier 2 Wizard level.”
This was his true purpose for coming to the Royal Capital. As for the West District, the White Tower, Hall, and that mysterious woman—they wouldn't disappear. As long as he kept getting stronger, they would cross paths again sooner or later.
...
Early the next morning, the Class Holders Guild was as busy as ever. Matthew went straight to the mission announcement wall. This time, he didn't look at the ordinary escort missions. Instead, he turned his attention to another area: long-term exploration commissions.
There were significantly fewer missions here, but the rewards were staggering. “Investigate ancient ruins,” “Escort an alchemical merchant caravan,” “Clear an underground nest,” “Hunt high-tier magical beasts.” Some had even been posted for six months without anyone taking them.
Aidan couldn't help but swallow hard. “The minimum requirement... is high Silver Rank?”
Just then, a familiar voice came from behind them. “First time looking here?”
Matthew turned around. Ryan was standing not far away with his arms crossed, a faint smile on his face. “How is it? Do you think there’s a lot of gold?”
Matthew nodded. Ryan, however, shook his head. “Young man, what’s truly valuable about these missions isn't the gold. It’s the qualification.”
As he spoke, he reached out and pointed to a yellowed parchment at the very top. “See that?”
Matthew looked up. At the top of the parchment, several eye-catching words were written: “Long-term Exploration: Black Mist Mountains.”
Below it was only a single line of description: “Locate the Third Observation Post, lost three hundred years ago.”
Mission Duration: Indefinite.
Mission Reward: Five thousand gold coins and—a single White Tower Contribution Credit.
Matthew’s gaze slowly settled on those last four words. A White Tower Contribution Credit. This was the first time he had seen a legitimate opportunity to come into contact with the White Tower.
Matthew studied the entire commission in silence. Ryan let out a chuckle. “Do you think completing this mission will get you into the White Tower?”
Matthew looked up. “It won’t?”
Ryan shook his head. “Of course not. If the White Tower were that easy to enter, I don’t know how many people in the Royal Capital would be breaking their necks to get in.”
He pointed at the announcement. “A so-called Contribution Credit is just the White Tower acknowledging that you’ve done something valuable. With it, many things will become more convenient in the future.”
Aidan asked curiously, “Like what?”
Ryan began to count them off on his fingers. “You can buy potions sold publicly by the White Tower, rent alchemical workshops, apply to read certain restricted texts, and even participate in the annual public trade fair. Sometimes, you can even hire someone from the White Tower to help you.”
Ryan paused for a moment. “Of course, that’s assuming your contribution is high enough. A single credit is far from enough.”
Matthew nodded. That was reasonable. What truly attracted him wasn't the White Tower itself, but the restricted texts. The knowledge Herbert had left him was ultimately limited. If he could enter a higher-level public library, he might be able to find a cultivation method for beyond the Tier 2 Wizard level.
...
Seeing Matthew staring at the commission, Ryan couldn't help but laugh. “Don't even think about it. That mission has been hanging there for eight years. Even a few Gold Rank experts have died trying. It’s not something you can touch right now.”
Matthew withdrew his gaze without arguing. He would never lose his judgment just because a reward was high. He continued to look down the list. Finally, a new commission caught his attention.
Commission No. 317: Explore the Royal Capital’s underground drainage channels. Confirm traces of recently sighted large magical beasts.
Reward: Eighty gold coins.
Requirement: Silver Rank or higher, team of four.
Matthew’s eyes narrowed slightly. The underground drainage channels.
Ryan followed his gaze, the smile on his face slowly fading. “That one... is actually suitable for you.”
Aidan’s eyes lit up. “Eighty gold coins!”
Ryan shook his head slightly. “The money isn't the point. The point is... that it’s underground.”
Matthew turned to look at him. “Is there a problem?”
Ryan was silent for a moment before lowering his voice. “The surface area of the Royal Capital is actually smaller than its underground portion.”
Aidan was stunned. “The underground is bigger than the surface?”
“Yes,” Ryan nodded. “Over hundreds of years, as the Royal Capital expanded, the underground expanded as well. Drainage, warehouses, abandoned mine tunnels, the old city district... there are even refuge facilities left over from the war. No one knows exactly how many places are connected down there.”
He suddenly smiled. “Some say rats live underground. Some say magical beasts live there. Others say... another Royal Capital is hidden beneath us.”
Aidan couldn't help but shiver. “Is that true?”
Ryan shrugged. “I don't know. I’ve never been down there, and I don’t want to go.”
...
Matthew silently committed the commission to memory. It wasn't because of the eighty gold coins, but because the bell from the warehouse yesterday had come from underground. The old man in the library today had also pointed toward the underground. Now, the Class Holders Guild had issued an exploration mission for the underground. Once was a coincidence. Twice was a clue. Three times... was definitely not an accident.
Matthew wrote down the number 317 in his notebook. He didn't take the mission immediately, but looked up at the hall with a deepening gaze. He had a premonition that he would enter the Royal Capital’s underground sooner or later. Just... not now.
Matthew didn't tear off the No. 317 commission, but kept it firmly in his heart. His gaze continued to move down. What was truly suitable for him now wasn't the most dangerous mission, but a commission with stable returns that could steadily improve his strength.
Soon, a new commission caught his eye.
Escort the Green Rock Merchant Group’s transport team.
Route: Royal Capital — Falling Leaf Town.
Duration: Two days round trip.
Reward: Forty-five gold coins.
Requirement: Silver Rank.
Ryan glanced at it and nodded slightly. “This one is good. The risk is low, and the Green Rock Merchant Group has a very good reputation.”
Matthew reached out and took the commission. Just then, a commotion broke out on the other side of the hall.
“It’s the Cracked Bear Squad! They’re back!”
Many Class holders looked over as the guild doors slowly opened. A six-man squad walked in, every member bearing wounds. The brawny man at the front even had his shoulder wrapped in thick bandages, with blood soaking through. Yet, his face was full of smiles.
The Deacon behind the counter immediately went to meet them. “You succeeded?”
The man laughed loudly and threw a waist-high cloth sack onto the ground with a heavy thud. A moment later, a massive wolf head rolled out.
A chorus of gasps filled the hall. “An Iron-Backed Demon Wolf! And it’s a full-grown one! That’s at least Silver Rank peak!”
Many Class holders looked on with envy. Every part of a magical beast of that level was worth money: the teeth, the pelt, the core—each was incredibly valuable.
Aidan stared with wide eyes. “How much is that worth?”
Someone nearby laughed and answered, “At least three hundred gold coins. If the core is intact, someone might even pay four hundred.”
...
Matthew didn't look at the wolf head. Instead, he looked at the squad. More accurately, he looked at their wounds. Five out of the six were injured, and one man’s left sleeve was empty. He had clearly left his arm behind in that forest forever.
This was the reality of high-reward missions. The more you earned, the greater the price you paid.
Ryan, standing beside him, suddenly said, “Do they look like they’re in their glory to you?”
Matthew shook his head slightly. “They almost died.”
Ryan laughed. “Exactly. Newcomers only see the gold. Those who truly live long see the wounds first.” He patted Matthew on the shoulder. “Remember, in the Royal Capital, there are many who earn two thousand gold a year. Those who live for ten years... are not many.”
...
After the Cracked Bear Squad collected their reward, the hall returned to its usual calm. However, the one-armed member of the squad suddenly walked over to the No. 317 commission. He stood there silently for a few seconds before turning and leaving without a word. He didn't take the mission.
Matthew noticed this detail, and Ryan did as well. Ryan let out a soft sigh. “He used to be one of the people who took No. 317.”
Aidan gasped. “Then his arm...”
Ryan didn't answer. He simply watched the one-armed man’s retreating back and said slowly, “Underground... sometimes, coming back alive is more important than completing the mission.”
The hall became noisy once more, but the No. 317 commission still hung there quietly, like a spiderweb waiting for its prey. No one approached it again, and no one mentioned it.
Matthew withdrew his gaze and didn't linger. He went to the counter and handed over his commission. The Deacon in charge of registration took the parchment, looked it over, and nodded slightly.
“Green Rock Merchant Group. They have a good reputation. You’ll set out tomorrow morning. The meeting point is the East Gate.”
As he spoke, he wrote Matthew’s name in the register and handed over a bronze mission token. “This is your proof. Just give it to the caravan manager tomorrow.”
Matthew took the mission token and put it into his storage ring. Just as he was about to leave, a hearty laugh suddenly rang out from behind him.
“Haha! So it’s you!”
The voice was loud, drawing the attention of many in the hall.
...
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