Tall walls, like the ones he had seen in history books. A trench filled with water, the only way connecting to the city a molded bridge. Beyond the long line of people, two guards stood in front of the gate, controlling who came and went. Those who passed were directed to another person. He didnˋt wear armor like those around him, being dressed in simple gown. Feather in hand, he noted something, each time he was spoken to.

Escorted by the Knights captain, Ray didn't stand in line, as his statue commanded. The horses trotted right next to the many citizens, roasting in the glaring sun, but none of them complained. With an apathetic gaze, they let the soldiers pass, some even lowering their heads. The Noble and his subordinates seemed used to such treatment and didn't act any different than the rest of their journey.

As Frederic approached the gate, the soldiers guarding the gate stared at them with wide eyes, one running to the man taking notes. Without stopping the five proceeded, not even bothering to return the salute of the remaining guard. Just as they were about to enter the city, a hurried voice caught up with them.

"Lord Lockhall, what a pleasure to meet you here! It is good to see you unharmed after such a dangerous mission. And not only that, you are back in record time too! I'm sure his Grace will be delighted!"

Pulling the reins, the four horses came to a stop. To their side, the man, previously speaking to the entering people, had his arms wide open and flashed a smile one could see from a mile away. Now that he was so near, Ray got a good look at him. Although not old, the man had grey, almost white hair. The bags under his eyes didn't diminish the glow they emitted, only emphasizing his strangely blue iris. As he puffed out his chest, the Insignia sewn onto his humble garb came inevitably into one's sight. It was undoubtedly a source of pride for him.

Ray noticed the scowl on Frederic's face and started to build anticipation for this encounter. He couldn't blame him as the sarcasm in the man's speech was so obvious.

Without much delay, the captain spat.

"Sir Baldwin, what a surprise. I didn't expect to encounter someone of your statue playing notary at the gate?"

Baldwin's expression darkened, but his smile remained as it was. He walked in front of the horses and stroke the mane of Frederic's.

"Life has its highs and lows, my friend. After all, not all of us born into high positions. Some need to work for their pay."

"And by the way...may I ask who your new companion is? I don't remember seeing him when you left."

Suddenly thrown into the conversation, Ray, who previously gloated in the misfortune of these two, sprung up. He didn't know if he was supposed to answer himself or wait until the captain introduced him. The customs of Nobles weren't something he was familiar with.

Fortunately for him, Frederic didn't let him wait. He shot him a short glance and continued his verbal showdown with Baldwin.

"We found that peasant in the Barren Mountain range. He is an escapee and the reason we had to abort the mission."

The notary gave Frederic a quizzical look, asking,

"Abort the mission?"

"It is possible for him to have vital information on Arabel's tunnel network. Bringing him back immediately was more important than begging for the help of those underground rats."

As the conversation took a turn Ray didn't understand, he leaned into the ear of his driver and whispered.

"Say, who is that guy and what did Lord Lockhall mean with underground rats?"

Scoffing at Ray's attempt at fishing for information, the soldier reprimanded him just loud enough not to interrupt the exchange in front of them.

"Heh! Don't ask 'bout shit ya don't understand, kid. 'em muddy waters are too deep to stick yar nose in."

Ray rolled his eyes to an almost audible degree. But as ridiculous as he found the soldiers scolding, he stopped asking; else they would grow suspicious.

Lord Lockhall and Baldwin talked a while longer, but only discussed mundane topics. While Frederic hadn't been away for long, it seemed much happened in Noble society. The gossip mainly revolved about the affair of some Viscount's wife and the coming of age of a Count's son. Nothing Ray was particularly interested in.

What he was more worried about was the lack of a certain fire coming up during the conversation. Although he didn't expect information to travel as fast as in his homeworld, it had been several days since the Inferno. How could a nation bordering that forest not have any intel on it?

His every fiber screamed that something seemed suspicious, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Before he had the chance to further develop his, increasingly paranoid, thoughts, the horse he was on restarted its trot.

The city opening before him, all his previous concerns flew out the window. Floods of people rushed in between crooked buildings, dodging left and right to avoid the many obstacles. Merchants and hagglers shouted their prices into the mass, providing a never-ending noise background. Even the strong smell of feces and rotting meat contributed to the ambiance.

The horses squished with every step on the muddy road, even though rain hadn't come in a while. With a steady rhythm, the five advanced, in the chaotic masses, unobstructed. Wherever they went, a rift formed. Scrambling to the side, no one wanted to be near them. A moment ago strangers, people, who couldn't get out of the way in time, were helped by whoever was next to them.

Ray originally thought the soldiers' help would be up to here, and he was going to be asked to dismount, and scram, but his saviors seemed to have different plans. Without stopping in between, the city's scenery passed by until they came to another gate. From equipment to the number of guards, the security of this separator was a lot higher in quality compared to outside the city.

Beyond the heavily manned gate, the disorganized structure of the buildings became straight and clear. Mansions lined the streets, and fashionable Noble men and women busied the stores. Here, nobody dodged their horses but kept going as if they weren't even there. A curious glance once in a while was all they got.

Navigating became, understandably, a lot harder and the ride wasn't as smooth as before, hindering Ray from taking the rest of the city in. After a few more minutes of rattling on horseback, the group entered an open courtyard. Batches of soldiers trained all over, some running past them, shouting war cries. Behind the 'training grounds' stood several imposing buildings, each in a different style. Servants hurried in between, trays with amenities in their hands.

The closer the group got to them, the tenser the atmosphere became. Frederic's face crumbled. He bit his lips, sunk his nails into the reins and sweated in buckets. When they were only about a dozen meters away, the large door, of the mansion in the middle, opened and servants streamed out, lining up at the sides of the entrance. Frederic and the soldiers dismounted, followed by Ray, who didnˋt know what was going on. As he leaned closer to his familiar soldier, loud footsteps accompanied by laughter reverberated from the mansion. Out of the shadows of the candlelight, a large man, by every measure, stepped into the courtyard. As he set foot onto the stairs, the servants, soldiers as well the Noble Lord Lockahll fell onto one knee at once, shouting in harmony.

"We greet His Grace, Duke Bellridge!"

The most sensible action for Ray would have been to imitate the others, behave like he has at least some kind of common knowledge. Unfortunately, he was to busy staring at the company of His Grace with an open mouth.

Cold eyes, a slick smile and elegant appearance. One of the commanders of the army camp in the Barren Mountain range stood right behind the Duke. He didnˋt say anything nor did he betray any emotions, but his eyes were fixated on Ray.

Both, stuck in their own world and thoughts, completely ignored the people around them. The soldiers and servants kneeling sneaked a few peeks in fear and anticipation. After a few seconds in absolute quiet, the Duke's fat jiggled, his laughter resounding as loud as thunder.

"Seems like we have a lot more to talk about than I thought, young friend."