Chapter 41: Entering the City, The Chaotic Capital

On the way to the City of Courage, Plakaka gave Vilyric and the others a detailed explanation of the current situation in the capital.

In short, a storm was brewing.

Although on the surface, the four gates had been sealed for over half a month, and anyone entering or exiting had to go through strict checks… in reality, this was merely for show; those truly qualified to partake in this game could easily bring their forces into the city.

Now, the City of Courage was a hotbed of chaos, teeming with unfamiliar faces, both visible and hidden. Just from the Liliya faction’s reconnaissance, they had identified around seven or eight different organizations and foreign powers that had infiltrated the capital.

Among them were those who had reached agreements with certain princes or their noble subordinates, coming to offer support, as well as those thinking to take advantage of the chaos and claim a piece of the pie.

But without a doubt, those who dared to get involved at this time would not be simple characters.

“Heh heh, of course, compared to Princess Vilyric, they’re just bigger fish in the sea. And then there’s this one…”

As Plakaka walked, he stealthily glanced back at the Giant Dragon beside the Black-haired Girl and couldn’t help but shiver.

This was, of course, his first meeting with Xiao Guang.

Beastmen were particularly sensitive to aura, and Plakaka, being a figure who had existed for over a century, had seen much. Although he had never interacted with a real Giant Dragon, he was quite familiar with Half-Dragons of the Beastman royal line.

That kind of aura was somewhat similar yet even more profound and terrifying. Although most of it was suppressed by Xiao Guang, legendary Plakaka could still sense a bone-chilling cold from her.

Thinking of Princess Vilyric’s miraculous powers, it was clear that following her was such a powerful existence resembling a Half-Dragon…

The answer was obvious.

With that thought, the mouse man instinctively moved a bit further away, like a beast avoiding its natural enemy.

“Stop buttering up and start getting to work, Plakaka. I remember you said the one collaborating with the Throne of Immortality was Prince Ban Meikailande, right? Did your old colleagues manage to get in? How many came? How many Throne members?”

“Oh! Of course! I’m reasonably familiar with how the organization operates, so I’ve had the little mouse handle this aspect of reconnaissance. If nothing goes awry, there should be about three hundred Immortals in the City of Courage now. The members of the Throne are harder to spot, but there should be at least one or more…”

The former Lord of the Throne shamelessly revealed the organization’s secrets.

Vilyric wasn’t worried about Plakaka having ulterior motives. When she resurrected this mouse, considering his identity and history, she had conveniently cast an eighth-tier Divine Word spell on him.

If he showed any signs of betrayal, the Priestess could trigger the skill, and no matter the distance, she could instantly eliminate Plakaka; even resurrection magic wouldn’t save him.

Moreover, once they were within close range, Vilyric could sense the presence of the spell’s vessel and unilaterally transmit simple messages to him.

Previously, she had used this method to notify Plakaka to meet up with her employer, Miss Liliya.

Vilyric didn’t think a little sweet talk would ensure the mouse’s loyalty forever. Dealing with someone who valued their own life above all else, getting a hold of Plakaka’s life was the simplest and most effective method.

Additionally, “Immortals” is a term used to define members of the Throne of Immortality. The organization has four levels: “Mortals,” “Immortals,” “Ascenders,” and “Throne.”

Three hundred Immortals would be equivalent to about three hundred elite-level combatants, plus at least one legendary Throne, making for an extremely formidable force.

It’s essential to know that the undead of the Throne of Immortality are much harder to kill than ordinary people; usually, only someone a full tier above can ensure a victory.

It seems that Prince Ban Meikailande is putting in serious resources, intent on victory, but one wonders what benefits he promised this group of lunatics to make them obedient.

However…

“That’s quite a lot of lower-tier power, but isn’t one Throne member a bit lacking?”

Vilyric was somewhat surprised.

After all, the City of Courage was not like other places, especially at such a critical time when much of the kingdom’s high-end combat power, both underground and above ground, would concentrate here, not to mention possible foreign interference.

Just one legendary member would struggle to exert enough suppressive power.

“You’re right. I also feel something’s off. Under normal circumstances, for a large nation like the United Kingdom, there should be at least two active members of the Throne. But these arrangements can be changed at any moment, and I can’t determine exactly which Thrones are currently here.”

“There could indeed be more than one, but they’re exceptionally strong, so I couldn’t locate them. If that’s the case, at least they’ll be one of the top three, meaning they’re transcendent-level.”

Transcendent-level… huh.

I never expected such powerful figures to exist in an underground organization; no wonder it’s an old power that has been around for centuries.

But this must also relate to the undead not being bound by lifespan; as long as they’re not killed, they can exist indefinitely.

Thus, the group chatted about this and that, and under the slightly tense guidance of the mouse man due to the presence of a Dragon Lady, Vilyric arrived at the East Gate of the City of Courage.

Since the lockdown had gone on for over half a month, the residents of the kingdom, now understanding the situation, seldom dared to frequently enter and exit the capital; only a few small merchant caravans and returning adventurers who had completed their commissions lined up for inspection at the East Gate.

Plakaka tightened the hood on his head, concealing his Beastman features, checked the status of the magical items hanging around his neck, and then activated his invisibility to move forward alone.

He approached a man in his thirties, who appeared to be a city guard officer, scanning passersby with a stern gaze, and while the officer was oblivious, suddenly slipped something into his hand.

“!”

The officer’s expression shifted, but as if realizing something, he quickly regained his composure. He paused slightly, glanced at something in his palm, then raised his head to scan the surroundings.

Soon, the man’s attention fell on Vilyric, Xiao Guang, and Nickles, who were standing there alone.

He strode over, exuding impatience and familiarity, and seemed to scold Nickles, the only man in the group, with a smile.

“How come it took you so long! Let’s move, move, get inside quickly! It’s a critical time now; be careful of being caught by unfamiliar faces just hanging around the gates!”

Without giving him a chance to respond, he promptly shoved Mr. Fierce Wolf into the city gate, and Vilyric, understanding, grabbed her confused pet and followed. The guards, under the leader’s orders, did not stop them.

Once inside, standing behind the enormous half-open gate, the Priestess could still hear the officer’s loud reprimands and curses.

“What? You say there was no inspection? Inspect this crap! We’re all old acquaintances in the city; how could I mistake you? Don’t you recognize me? Of course, there are so many people in the city that a rookie like you can’t recognize them all! Stop yakking! If I say there’s no problem, then there’s no problem!”

“Uh…”

Vilyric tilted her head.

“Why go through all this? As long as Nickles’ identity clears, entering the city normally would be fine, right?”

After entering the royal city, they maintained their invisibility, but only a certain invisible Mr. Fierce Wolf could quietly explain next to them.

“Princess Vilyric, there are no telling how many spies from various factions have infiltrated near the gate. Now that the capital is under lockdown, entering and exiting requires strict registration; the longer we stay, the more eyes may notice you.”

“You’ve been with Princess Liliya in the West Frontier all this time, showcasing extraordinary power. You’ve already been investigated by many with ulterior motives, and numerous nobles or their subordinates have seen your portraits. Only this quick entry method can minimize the impact.”

“…?”

To be honest, Vilyric had called Plakaka to assist simply because she was unclear about the current situation and wanted to avoid causing trouble with Nickles, who was a wanted man.

However, given Plakaka’s careful actions, it seemed the situation in the City of Courage was likely even tenser than she had imagined, primed to explode at any moment. Any stronger external force injected could amplify the power of this ticking time bomb.

It looks like the ritual’s conclusion would trigger a massive upheaval.

Whoo, whoo, whoo~ How interesting~

   

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