Chapter 25

　　Thanks to the commission fee, their finances were comfortable. And since Drakium wasn’t far, Cadel decided to splurge on a carriage. He also felt it was about time to save his strength. He needed to stockpile enough stamina to endure even if his fatigue recovery dropped to fifty percent for a day. Only then would he have a chance to view Van’s personal story.

　　This quest had made Cadel realize the need to get a proper read on Van Herdos. The better he understood the man, the more effectively he could control him.

　　That’s why I didn’t nitpick the price and just called for a carriage… but where the hell is it?

　　He had even handed over an advance payment the night before and asked the driver to meet them out front. Yet the coachman he remembered was nowhere to be seen.

　　The only carriage around is that expensive-looking one… A noble’s carriage? Did the plain commoner carriage I called get put on a waiting list or something? Some caste system rule where you can’t pull up in front of a noble’s carriage?

　　There was no way such a rule existed. Still, with his carriage nowhere in sight, Cadel was starting to get anxious.

　　“Captain, should I go look for it?”

　　Sensing his impatience, Van asked carefully, but Cadel waved him off. Unless the driver had taken the advance and run, he would show up eventually. This was a medieval setting, after all. There was no need to get worked up just because things didn’t run on a strict schedule.

　　Just as he calmed his restless thoughts and decided to wait a little longer, the noble’s carriage, which had been parked a fair distance away, began rolling toward the inn. Wary of the vehicle brazenly approaching the entrance, Van pulled Cadel behind him.

　　“Looks like they plan on ramming right into us.”

　　Van scowled in annoyance, glaring at the coachman. However, instead of offering an apology or even a glance, the driver simply brought the carriage to a halt right in front of the inn.

　　What, are they waiting for a guest to come out too?

　　The massive carriage blocked his view. Left with no choice, Cadel was about to walk around it, but stopped when the door swung open right in front of his nose, revealing the man inside.

　　“What are you doing? Get in.”

　　Van exclaimed, “You…!”

　　Recognizing the man’s face, Van reflexively scowled, while Cadel stared in shock at the unexpected encounter.

　　The person in the carriage was none other than Lumen. Looking as immaculate as ever, he stepped out and reached a hand toward Cadel.

　　“Lumen…? What are you doing here…?”

　　“It seemed our temporary Captain’s eye for quality was lacking. So I upgraded our ride with my own money.”

　　When Cadel hesitated, Lumen reached out further and grabbed his hand. Caught off guard, Cadel was pulled right into the carriage. As he settled onto the plush, cushioned seat, Lumen gave Van a nonchalant jut of his chin.

　　“Get in or get left behind.”

　　“You… why on earth are you…”

　　“Why are you both saying the exact same thing?”

　　“The two-day deadline the Captain gave you has passed! Yet you shamelessly show your face?”

　　“Don’t be so uptight just because I’m a little late. I even brought a nice carriage as an apology. I got the captain’s advance payment back, too, so stop yapping.”

　　As if he didn’t want to hear another word, Lumen tried to pull the carriage door shut right in Van’s face. In response, Van roughly threw the door open, looking ready to rip it off its hinges, and climbed inside. He confidently claimed the seat next to a still-speechless Cadel and spoke with force.

　　“His insolence knows no bounds, Captain. Are you really going to let this slide?”

　　Cadel paused, falling deep into thought.

　　True, Lumen hadn’t met the deadline. He hadn’t bothered to apologize or ask for understanding, either. Instead, he had shamelessly procured a new carriage to seamlessly force his way back into the party. To maintain his dignity as the captain, Cadel felt he should probably reject him harshly at least once. However…

　　These cushions are comfortable. And it’s so spacious in here.

　　Basking in a level of comfort that completely outclassed the cheap carriage he had rented, Cadel’s desire to discipline Lumen unbelievably disappeared.

　　Ultimately, Cadel just leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes.

　　“I’ll let it slide this once for the commendable effort.”

　　Van protested, “Captain…!”

　　“In exchange, you’ll be covering all our inn and food expenses at our next destination, Lumen.”

　　This was why the power of capital was terrifying, no matter the era. Ignoring Van’s indignant protests, Cadel settled in to enjoy the comfortable journey.

* * *

　　The capital, Drakium. True to its lofty reputation, the heart of the Mainyu Kingdom was the absolute pinnacle of splendor.

　　Blindingly bright lights banished every speck of darkness, illuminating towering, sophisticated architecture. Sweet scents wafted through the air, and processions of nobles paraded by, dripping in expensive jewelry. Amidst these dazzling streets, Cadel was busy looking every which way.

　　“There’s an inn I noted the last time I visited Drakium. Let’s unpack first.”

　　Lumen, on the other hand, casually wove through the crowds, entirely accustomed to such blatant displays of wealth.

　　It made sense. He had been a noble since birth and was utterly sick of seeing ridiculously over-dressed people and parties that were little more than excuses to burn money. Drakium’s dazzle didn’t stimulate Lumen’s senses in the slightest. But there was no better place to agitate Van.

　　Van had to fight down his nausea every time he saw nobles giggling behind feathered fans and the servants trailing after them. Noticing Van’s complexion turning from pale to stark white, Cadel quietly stepped up beside him.

　　“You didn’t sleep a wink in the carriage. Aren’t you exhausted?”

　　“…No. I’m fine.”

　　“Once we get to the inn, don’t wander around. Just go straight to sleep. We’ll start looking for commissions tomorrow, so make sure you get some proper rest.”

　　He patted Van’s shoulder as the knight nodded silently, then followed after Lumen.

　　Lumen was annoying, sure, but letting him join was definitely the right call. As a noble of the Mainyu Kingdom, he was well-versed in Drakium’s geography, had a wealth of information, and above all, had his own money. Since Lumen hadn’t officially joined the mercenary order yet, Cadel’s plan was to milk his personal funds for all they were worth. Once he officially joined, Cadel would be the one footing the bill to raise him, after all.

　　Whether he knew of Cadel’s ulterior motives or not, Lumen led them into an inn that was visibly clean and luxurious. He even showed off his generosity by booking them each their own room. Offering a half-hearted word of thanks, Cadel went into his room and unpacked.

　　“Hmm, let’s see. First, I’ll grab the bone powder…”

　　He had told Van to rest up since they would be moving at the crack of dawn, but Cadel had no intention of calling it a night just yet. He wanted to find the exchange NPC to hand over the bone powder as soon as possible. Recruiting knights and helping them grow inevitably took a lot of time and effort, but his own growth was a simple matter of reaping what he sowed. He wanted to find a way to get stronger as quickly as possible, even if it meant carving out time from his sleep.

　　Packing his money, items, and a spellbook just in case, he carefully opened his door. It would be a hassle to make up an excuse if he ran into Van or Lumen, but fortunately, the hallway was empty. Cadel hurriedly slipped out of the inn.

　　What commissions can I pick up in Drakium again? I don’t remember any of the story quests.

　　Cadel racked his brain as he wove through the bustling crowd.

　　As the capital of the Mainyu Kingdom, Drakium held a significant presence in the game, but unexpectedly, it had little connection to any major main story quests. Instead, it was home to various merchants and event NPCs, making it ultimately crucial. The “exchange NPC” Cadel was looking for was one of them.

　　Ugh, if this were still a game, I could just click the exclamation marks. How long is it going to take to find them by walking around a place this huge?

　　Letting out a deep sigh, he stopped in his tracks and stared up at the sky with a vacant expression. It was a habit of his whenever he felt overwhelmed. But the stifling, heavily clouded night sky, devoid of a single star, felt just like his own mind. Full of greed and lacking answers. It didn’t exactly make him feel better.

　　Still carrying that unresolved frustration, he was just about to resume his aimless search when—

　　“Where are you wandering off to?”

　　Lumen’s curious face suddenly popped into view, replacing the sky that had filled Cadel’s vision. Startled upon meeting those deep blue eyes, Cadel snapped his head upright. Lumen chuckled softly and took a step back.

　　“You scared me! What are you doing out here?”

　　“Taking a walk.”

　　“A walk?”

　　“…Not exactly. I noticed the captain was missing, so I came out to find you. Anyway, you probably shouldn’t head down this way. There’s a ducal estate nearby. Loitering around there will only draw suspicion.”

　　Smiling affably, he naturally fell into step beside Cadel. Cadel glared at Lumen, pressing a hand to his still-pounding chest.

　　“Stop following me and go back. I’m not going anywhere weird.”

　　“I suppose so. You even left your loyal hound behind.”

　　But clearly having no intention of turning back, Lumen widened his stride to match Cadel’s quickening pace.

　　Crazy bastard! Why are his legs so long? Now I’m the only one speed-walking like an idiot!

　　It took Cadel three steps to match a single one of Lumen’s. The harder he walked, the more inadequate he felt. Unable to shake the feeling that he looked like a small dog being taken for a walk, Cadel eventually gave up on trying to lose Lumen.

　　Fine. Lumen knows the layout of this place better anyway. Maybe he’ll actually be of some help.

　　If Lumen insisted on tagging along, Cadel would use him as much as possible. Catching his slightly ragged breath, Cadel shot him a sideways glance.