“How do I look?”
“Like someone trying too hard. How about you relax a bit?”
“You think so? Is this better?”
“Barely.”
Arthur gave an awkward chuckle when he was told he was putting on too much of a front. He was holding both of his new weapons and striking an overly gallant pose. Mary stood nearby, and Roland could sense the animosity radiating from her eyes. While the others kept quiet, he had no problem speaking to Arthur plainly now. He didn’t see himself as one of Arthur’s retainers, but more like a partner in crime.
Just as Roland had to worry about appearances to a certain degree, Arthur was facing a different kind of pressure. He was one of the heir candidates who had not yet earned true acceptance from the others. They all knew that if his brothers noticed any flaw in his behavior or appearance, they would likely cause a scene. Roland could only imagine how much stress his friend was under, but there wasn’t much he could do besides playing the role of the perfect High Knight Commander.
"Don’t get discouraged, Lord Arthur. You look quite gallant and fashionable. I’m sure all the other nobles will be green with envy."
While Roland shared his honest opinion, Mary chose to compliment Arthur on his dramatic posing. He was clearly overdoing it, but that did not mean he looked bad. His long white hair matched the polished richness of his attire, which had been crafted with both tradition and extravagance in mind.
Arthur stood confidently, dressed in a refined outfit that reflected his natural sense of style. His black coat, trimmed with silver patterns inspired by the Valerian crest, was elegant without being excessive. Beneath it, he wore a dark green vest and a crisp high-collared shirt, the deep green drawing attention to his eyes. His long, silvery-white hair was neatly brushed and draped over his shoulders, deliberately concealing the tips of his ears.
"How do they feel? Is there a problem with channeling your aura?"
Mary focused on complimenting Arthur, but Roland remained focused on the task at hand. They were nearly out of time, and it was time to leave. The new blades Arthur held were still prototypes, but by the look of things, they were a success.
"These are quite astonishing. I just wish I could practice more. Of all the things I thought I would lack, time was not one of them…"
Arthur held one of the rapiers in his right hand and gave it a quick flourish. With his current tier three class, he had reached superhuman status. The speed at which he moved the blades would appear as a blur to most observers, even those who had also reached tier three. In the past, he had given up on the idea of advancing this far and believed he would eventually fade into obscurity. Now, however, it felt as if there was too much to do, and not nearly enough time to do it.
"Unfortunately, we don't have time. Once we're back, I’m sure you can take Mary and finally explore the dungeon properly. I could even prepare a proper suit of armor for you and some of your guards."
Roland said as he moved toward the door, clearly urging them to leave.
"That would be splendid, my friend!"
Arthur replied with a cheerful tone, then turned to his maid.
"Ah, yes, we did have that agreement, didn’t we, Mary? I suppose you won’t have any excuses left now."
"... Yes, Lord Arthur."
Mary replied with a tone of resignation while Arthur smiled. The young lord had longed to explore the dungeon and experience a true adventure. For years, he had been confined to training with bound monsters, striking them repeatedly just to raise his skills. He had promised not to face real danger until he reached his current level, and now that the time had come, he was ready to train seriously and explore in earnest.
A noble had many duties and experiences to face, and venturing into deadly dungeons to face monstrous creatures was one of his next goals. But before that journey could begin, they all had to tackle the next challenge. It might be a minor step forward, or it might prove to be a mountain waiting to be climbed. They wouldn’t be sure until they arrived at the city of Isgard.
"Shall we?"
Roland asked as he pushed the door open. Arthur nodded.
"Indeed."
Behind the door stood two armored men in full suits of armor. Their visors were lowered, and both saluted their lord before taking their positions behind him. Roland remained at the front as he led the group forward and was the first to step through the exit of the mansion. Only after he had stepped outside and given a nod did Arthur emerge, where everyone was already waiting for his departure.
Outside, many servants stood in silence. The maids and butlers were present with their heads bowed. In front of them stood a large carriage prepared specifically for this mission. It was a gleaming testament to noble wealth and enchanted craftsmanship. Its body was painted a pristine white with a subtle sheen, accented by golden highlights that caught the early morning light.
At first glance, it appeared to be nothing more than an overly expensive carriage drawn by four white steeds. However, it had been constructed from costly alloys, and multiple runic enchantments were hidden beneath the chassis. Though it looked like a normal, lavish carriage, it held a few surprises.
"I wish we could have spent that money elsewhere.”
Arthur muttered as he looked at the extravagant carriage in front of him. Roland knew exactly how much it had cost to build and had personally modified the original schematics to fit more runic enchantments. For the price of this single carriage, they could have likely created several battle golems, which made the whole thing feel like a waste. Even so, they had to maintain appearances. Without it, Arthur’s brothers would certainly mock his arrival.
"We can dismantle it for parts once we’re back."
Roland whispered to Arthur as the two made their way toward the carriage. He would not be riding inside with his friend. Instead, he had been assigned to a horse positioned just in front of it. While the four horses pulling the carriage were all snow white, the stallion given to Roland was pitch black. He wasn’t wearing his usual heavy armor, but he still looked unmistakably like a noble knight. His cape fluttered as he mounted the steed, which was covered in heavy runic barding, and he glanced back toward his supposed lord.
Mary was the only one permitted to sit inside the carriage, her status as the chief maid granting her that privilege. She opened the door and waited for Arthur to enter first, then followed him inside. His voice echoed from within the carriage shortly afterward.
"Let us depart then."
The entourage of around sixty well-equipped soldiers and knights began to move. Morien and Gareth, the two knights who had waited patiently outside Arthur’s private quarters, now rode behind the carriage, flanking it on either side.
As the company descended from the estate’s elevated position and entered the first tier of the city, Roland couldn’t help but feel a strange tug at the edge of his thoughts. They hadn’t even reached the city square yet, but the streets were already lined with people. Cheering people, which in itself was odd.
The announcement had been made to clear the streets for Arthur, who was preparing to leave. This was not meant to be a triumphant event or an opportunity to gain more favor with the people. They were simply departing toward the current main city teleportation gate.
Originally, they had planned to build the gate within the range of the barracks, considering it was primarily a military asset. However, after they began harvesting mana fluid before the culling event, they amassed such an immense amount of funds that they were able to construct two gates. The one they were heading to stood in the center of the city, closed to the public, but the one that had been finished.
It appeared that the people of Albrook held genuine affection for their noble lord. The soldiers wore awkward smiles as the commoners cheered, a clear sign of how well the city was being governed. Roland, who had anticipated some hostility due to the extensive monitoring system, was somewhat surprised. Yet it seemed that as long as the citizens were fed, clothed, and sheltered, they asked for little else. At least for the time being.
"I'm not sure it will stay that simple forever."
Roland had the modern world to reflect on. The inventions he had once taken for granted were considered luxuries in this one, accessible only to kings and high nobles. He understood that as they continued to develop their lands, people would begin to expect the technological comforts they were introducing, such as constant hot water and a functioning sewer system.
This shift meant that maintaining public approval would become increasingly expensive. They would have to preserve the runic devices that were quickly becoming standard. To do that, they needed either to reach new heights on their own or to secure the full support of Duke Alexander Valerian, the ruling authority of the region.
Their visit to the noble gathering was not only a chance to display Arthur’s rising power and status. It was also a critical opportunity to forge alliances and build connections. They were in dire need of new sources of income, because the mana fluid harvested from the dungeon would eventually run out. Without fresh means of funding, sustaining their growth would become difficult.
‘Even those elemental metals won’t be enough; the more we push onto the market, the lower their value will become.’
He continued thinking to himself as his horse trotted forward. For some reason, many of the waves from the crowd seemed directed at him. He could only assume it was because he was riding in front of the carriage, receiving the attention meant for Arthur, who outwardly appeared to be the mastermind behind their operation.
Even so, when he passed by groups of people, many turned their heads and kept watching the man on the dark stallion. Roland paused in thought, then awkwardly raised his hand and began waving back. By now, he understood the value of acknowledging the people who lived under his rule. Cheers broke out as the elusive High Knight Commander returned the crowd’s greeting, and so they continued on their way toward the gate that would lead them to Isgard.
The gate's grounds were still under construction.Only the foundation and the first two levels of the tower that would house it had been completed. In the future, it was set to become a major travel point and possibly a location the mage guild would make use of. While they could not force the mages to establish a branch in Albrook, they hoped to attract them with promises of research funding. The nearby dungeon filled with tier-three monsters was an enticing bonus that few mages would ignore.
"Wayland, don’t worry, I’ll keep everyone safe while you’re gone!"
As they neared the unfinished tower, Roland saw a muscular man shouting at him from a distance. Beside him stood a smaller half-elf who immediately smacked the back of his head, prompting an argument between the two.
When Roland saw this familiar pair, he couldn’t help but smile. Normally, the idea of leaving Albrook and his wife behind would have made him nervous. But now, he had more allies than ever, people he could truly rely on.
“Hey, don’t turn your head away!”
Nevertheless, he chose not to react to his brother-in-law’s antics and simply continued toward the building ahead. The gate was already beginning to activate. It was much larger than the one he had in his own workshop, large enough to accommodate Arthur’s carriage along with the soldiers accompanying him.
As the last of the troops moved up the wide stone ramp toward the towering arch of the blue teleportation gate, the air around them shimmered with runic energy. Roland took one final look at the familiar skyline of Albrook, then passed through the gate. The familiar pull of the magic took hold instantly, and within moments, he found himself on the other side.
His horse seemed slightly disoriented, but it had been trained for this kind of travel and continued forward without issue. He was now in Isgard, a city he had only visited briefly in the past as a stopping point. However, the area he now stood in was unfamiliar.
"Keep formation. Lord Valerian will be coming through soon."
While maintaining the appearance of the perfect knight, Roland made sure his soldiers stayed in formation. They had arrived in a large open space without a ceiling, surrounded by tall stone walls. Along the top of the walls stood archers and various other guards, watching the newcomers carefully.
‘Not much of a grand welcome. I expected as much.’
The city of Isgard was vast, many times larger than Albrook or any other city on the island. It was home to over a million residents from various races, with humans making up about seventy percent of the population.
The people gathered around them did not all belong to House Valerian. Only a few appeared to have come specifically to greet Arthur, the Duke’s son. The lack of a formal reception was no surprise. There was a clear reason for it. Arthur was a bastard.
Roland’s troops moved forward and spread out in a half-circle formation. The luxurious carriage began to pass through the gate, but Roland’s attention was focused more on their surroundings than on the procession itself.
They were clearly in a heavily controlled area, guarded not only by soldiers but also by advanced magical defenses. Several magical devices were pointed directly at them, similar to the enchanted weaponry Roland had seen in Aldbourne, though far more sophisticated. In addition to the usual enchanted ballistae, he noticed mechanisms capable of launching magical flames toward their position. Even worse, the ground was rigged with traps that, if triggered, would incinerate the entire area.
"How dare they!"
Mary’s voice rang out from inside the carriage once it had fully emerged through the gate. The surrounding crowd could not hear her, thanks to the sound-blocking enchantments inside, but Roland had a direct link to Arthur through his helmet.
"It's fine, Mary. We were expecting this."
"But Lord Arthur, this is a faux gate. They are treating us as enemies."
"Please calm yourself, Mary. It’s not as if I can complain."
Arthur tried to soothe her, but Roland remained fixated on the term she had used: faux gate. These were strategic magical gates designed to lure enemies into traps. They were often employed in castles or strongholds, where defenders would allow enemy forces to teleport through, only to rain magical destruction on them the moment they arrived. If necessary, the defenders could activate powerful traps that would annihilate everything in the targeted zone.
To Roland, it was obvious that whoever had chosen to bring them through this particular gate was sending an obvious message. Arthur was not welcome. They could not be certain whether the one pulling the strings was the Duke himself or one of his children, but Roland suspected the latter. The Duke did not usually involve himself in the petty rivalries of his offspring. He let them handle matters on their own and would likely only step in if things became too violent.
“Greetings, Lord Arthur Valerian. I’m glad you arrived just in time.”
A man who looked like a butler greeted them. He offered the customary bow and spoke with the expected politeness, but there was a strange smirk on his face. His eyes were narrow, almost sly, giving him the appearance of a fox in the act of squinting. Then, just as Roland dismounted and was about to hand over his horse's reins to one of the servants, the man spoke again.
“It is unfortunate, but would the young lord kindly vacate the premises? The gate needs to be activated again.”
He bowed again, this time with a mock display of courtesy. It was clearly intended as an insult directed at Arthur. The meaning was not lost on the others either, as a few nearby servants and soldiers began to snicker.
There was no longer any doubt that they weren’t taken seriously. Roland wanted nothing more than to strike the man across the face, but he restrained himself. This could easily be a trap, and they still had no idea who this man really was. It was wiser to stay calm. They had entered the belly of the beast, and anything could happen…
179