Bypassing two narrow alleys filled with clutter, she followed the edge of the main road until she finally reached the Central Plaza of Twilight City’s Outer District.
Calling it a plaza was a stretch; it was more like a large, cleared open space.
The ground was paved with somewhat orderly stone slabs, though the edges were badly worn and showed slight cracking.
While the buildings surrounding the plaza were far from grand, most of their exterior walls were intact.
Some shops even had trimmed greenery at their entrances, adding a touch of life to the area.
The crowd here was dense.
The air in the plaza was thick with the scent of baked bread and fresh leather — not exactly fragrant, but full of the grounded reality of everyday life.
The cries of vendors, conversations, and children’s laughter rose and fell in waves. It was noisy, but not grating.
Most of the onlookers were dressed decently or very neatly.
Local residents carried shopping baskets, travelers in foreign gear peered around curiously, and young men wearing shirts with various merchant guild emblems darted through the throng to deliver messages or goods.
Compared to the oppressive and wary atmosphere of the Dock District, this place felt more like the busy prosperity of an ordinary day.
Suddenly, the density of the crowd ahead increased significantly.
Faint, rhythmic footsteps and a suppressed whisper of excitement drifted over.
Aurelia paused and looked up.
At the other end of the plaza, the crowd began to part like water before the bow of a ship.
Soon after, a valiant and orderly line of Holy Knights and a carriage convoy slowly entered the open space.
Their silver armor shimmered in the afternoon sun, and the Church emblems on their chests were solemn and striking.
Following them was a deep blue carriage decorated with simple gold patterns and pulled by two white horses.
The carriage was closed, appearing both low-key and dignified.
‘…A Church convoy? Could they be escorting Laurence?’
Aurelia narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the largest carriage.
However, the windows were tightly shut, leaving no gap for her to peek inside.
Seeing the convoy draw closer, she realized that retreating hastily against the flow of the crowd would only make her stand out.
She forced herself to look down and let her hair fall, using the strands to hide more of her profile.
At the same time, she moved half a step into the shadows of a nearby fabric stall.
The carriage stopped at the widest part of the plaza’s center.
An attendant stepped forward quickly and respectfully opened the door.
A foot wearing a polished leather boot stepped out first, and then that figure appeared in the center of everyone’s vision.
The sunlight seemed to favor him specifically, casting a dazzling golden glow over his signature short, fiery red hair.
Today, he wore a well-tailored, silver-gray travel outfit designed for mobility, paired with a deep blue half-cloak.
The Magic Sword at his waist was the same one he had always used.
It was this very sword that had severed everything she had worked for at the Base, severed her future with the Sword of Saint Radiance, and severed… every bit of warmth she felt for that place she once called Home.
He stood as straight as a pine tree, his face wearing a carefully refined smile.
His golden eyes swept over the gathered crowd, bright and full of charisma.
Unlike the image of the hero about to be crowned that she had seen in the newspapers, the Laurence of this moment looked more like a young leader preparing to embark on a great journey.
He raised his hand and waved naturally to the curious and excited citizens.
Once upon a time, he used to give her that same gentle smile.
‘Once this Bastard Redhead leaves, I’ll head back to the tavern to get used to the work environment. Just looking at him makes me angry…’
Aurelia raised her hand to rub her temples as a sharp pain throbbed in her mind.
“Friends of Twilight City!”
Laurence’s voice was clear and loud, possessing a magnetic quality that easily captured the audience’s attention.
“Thank you all for stopping here. Passing through this place, I am deeply moved by the prosperity and vitality of this city.”
His tone was sincere and his smile warm, immediately winning over many onlookers.
Scattered cheers broke out in the crowd.
“As you may have heard,” Laurence continued, his tone remaining calm but becoming more solemn, “this heavy responsibility of traveling to the Holy City is not for my personal glory. It is for every living being on this continent who longs for peace.”
He paused briefly, his gaze seeming to look into everyone’s hearts.
In those eyes, there was a hint of maturity and calculation that didn’t belong to a youth, though it was hidden exceptionally well.
“Even now, shadows continue to grow in certain corners. There is a force that twists life, erodes order, and brings forth madness and destruction.”
His voice rose steadily, carrying a seemingly pure and fervent conviction.
“That is the thing hated by all the world, the thing that must be thoroughly eradicated — the Power of Calamity!”
Aurelia’s brow furrowed.
She instinctively hid her right hand behind her back and tucked herself deeper into hiding.
“It may lurk in the dark, or it may disguise itself as something harmless!”
Laurence continued, his eyes turning sharp.
The kindness remained, but it was now tempered with the resolve of a warrior.
“But its essence is consumption and destruction! It is the absolute evil of this world! Against such evil, I, as the Brave, have no room for compromise! There is only complete purification and tearing it out by the roots!”
“Absolute evil? Then what am I?”
Aurelia muttered under her breath.
So, it didn’t matter who someone was, what they had done, or what struggles they had faced.
Even if they were forced into it, even if they didn’t want to fall and become a terrifying Corrupted God’s Artifact…
The moment they were touched by Disaster, in the face of Laurence and the justice he represented, only one ending remained: purification.
Simple, crude, yet highly efficient.
As if he felt this wasn’t enough, Laurence took a step forward.
His voice grew more impassioned, carrying an infection capable of inciting the masses.
“This is not just a battle; it is the final judgment of Light over Darkness! Any leniency, any hesitation, is a betrayal of this sacred mission!”
He suddenly drew the Magic Sword from his waist and held it high, letting the sunlight flow over the blade and reflect a piercing light.
“I swear upon my life! I will sweep away all gloom with the force of thunder! No matter where it hides, what form it disguises itself as, or what deceptive illusions it possesses, I will — “
His sharp gaze swept through the crowd as if searching for something, or perhaps just to reinforce his steady tone. ” — Purify it completely! Not a single one shall remain!”
He spoke those last few words with iron determination, and they echoed across the plaza.
Moved by the power and conviction in his words, the crowd erupted into even louder cheers and applause.
Fanaticism or awe appeared on many faces, as if they were looking at the incarnation of hope, the messenger of Light.
As the one who held the Braveblood that hadn’t appeared for a thousand years, and as the God-Blessed who possessed the only power capable of completely nullifying the Power of Calamity, his vow was more than just a personal resolve.
It was a declaration of the world’s will.
‘Tsk, listen to how righteous he sounds. He’s just like some justice freak. I’m done watching. The more I look, the more annoyed I get…’
Aurelia took a deep breath and stole one last glance at the red-haired figure who seemed to radiate light.
Then, without hesitation, she turned to slip away quietly from the other side of the fabric stall.
She kept her head down, letting her loose black hair hide her face as she quickened her pace.
She wanted to get as far away as possible from this suffocating place of “Light.”
However, just as she moved out from the shadow of the stall and tried to blend into the edge of the shifting crowd, a sensation of being watched made her freeze.
In the center of the plaza, Laurence, who was currently shaking hands with a representative of a local merchant guild, had a slight flicker in his golden eyes.
His smile didn’t change at all — it remained warm and polite — but his peripheral vision seemingly caught the back of the black-haired girl who was bowing her head and walking away quickly.
That back wasn’t particularly noticeable in the crowd, but the way she was trying to hide and leave rapidly stood out as abnormal compared to the surrounding people who were either standing still or moving slowly.
Laurence’s smile remained unchanged, but after finishing his pleasantries with the merchant representative and turning toward the carriage, he gave an order to the nearest Holy Knight in a very low voice.
“That black-haired girl who is leaving… please go take a look. Be mindful of your methods.”
The Holy Knight nodded slightly without making a sound and walked toward Aurelia’s direction with steady, swift steps.
His tall, upright figure was still eye-catching in the plaza, but the crowd’s attention was mostly still fixed on Laurence, so no one took special note of where the knight was going.
Aurelia felt a jolt of alarm in her heart.
She suppressed the urge to run and tried her best to steady her pace, showing no signs of anything unusual.
“Miss, please stay a moment.”
A low voice sounded, devoid of emotion and carries great authority.
Aurelia’s body jolted, as if startled by the sudden voice.
She slowly turned around, her face showing a mix of surprise and nervousness, along with the awe and confusion typical of an ordinary person facing a Holy Knight.
“K-Knight… sir?”
Her voice trembled slightly, making her look like a timid, fragile girl.
“Are… are you calling me?”
The Holy Knight standing before her was more than a head taller than she was.
His silver plate armor was blinding in the afternoon sun.
The eyes behind his visor scrutinized her calmly.
His hands hung loosely at his sides, but Aurelia could sense a dormant power — the ready stance of a well-trained warrior who could jump into combat at any second.
“A routine inquiry,” the Holy Knight’s voice remained steady.
“I saw you stop for a moment and then leave in a hurry. Did you notice any unusual activity around here? Or perhaps, did you see anyone acting suspiciously?”
“U-unusual?”
Aurelia blinked, trying her best to make her eyes look vacant.
Then, as if remembering something, a look of realization dawned on her face.
“Oh! Do you mean that… that red-haired Brave?”
Her tone was full of awe and the excitement of a commoner seeing a celebrity.
“I… I was just over there watching. The Brave spoke so well, and his voice was so loud… but there were too many people, and I’m short, so I couldn’t see well from the back. I… I was thinking of finding a stool to stand on…”
Aurelia’s voice grew quieter, and a sheepish flush appeared on her face.
She intertwined her fingers in front of her, playing the part of a young girl who was frustrated that her small stature prevented her from watching the spectacle.
She even instinctively glanced around the plaza, as if she were truly searching for a low stool or wooden crate she could borrow.
‘My acting skills haven’t gone to waste!’
The Holy Knight listened in silence, seemingly weighing the truth and logic behind her words.
The reason was very common, and even had a clumsy charm to it.
It fit the profile of a young girl out on her own who was curious but lacked the strength to push through a crowd.
“Are you alone?”
The Holy Knight asked, his tone still unreadable.
“Yes… I… I came here to find work. I want to earn some money…”
The Holy Knight’s gaze swept over her simple homespun dress and lingered on her face for a moment.
Finally, as if by accident, it landed on the new Bandage wrapped around her neck.
“Your neck…”
As if being reminded of something shameful, Aurelia instinctively raised her hand to her neck but stopped halfway, looking a bit aggrieved.
“T-this… a few days ago on the road, there were too many people. I got pushed and accidentally hit a stone step on the street. It left a big cut and bled a lot…”
“But a kind uncle helped me bandage it, and… and he even gave me a place to stay. He’s a very good person!”
The Holy Knight was silent for a moment.
Over by the carriage, the sound of Laurence finishing his farewells and preparing to board could be heard.
“I see.”
The Holy Knight finally spoke again.
His tone was still flat, making it impossible to tell if he believed her or not, but the invisible pressure of his scrutiny seemed to lighten.
“Since you have a place to stay, focus on your work. Twilight City is large, but you must be careful with your words and actions. Especially after dark, do not linger on the streets.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll definitely remember. Thank you, Knight sir!”
Aurelia nodded repeatedly, showing a face full of gratitude and humbleness.
The Holy Knight said no more.
He gave her a polite nod and turned away decisively, returning toward the convoy.
Laurence was holding the carriage door, ready to step inside.
Hearing the Holy Knight’s low report, the gentle smile on his face remained unchanged, but his golden eyes seemed to casually sweep toward the spot where Aurelia had been.
It was empty now, occupied only by the stall owner packing up fabrics and a few passing pedestrians.
The moment he stepped into the carriage and closed the door, that gentle smile turned incredibly dark.
His right hand tightened its grip on his sword hilt, and his breathing quickened slightly.
‘A black-haired, red-eyed girl with a neck injury… Heh, to think she’d end up in a place like this. Just you wait, Calamity. With the Braveblood’s power this time, you… will definitely die!’