Chapter 31: The wind takes away more than just time.

The merchant’s carriage approached the city gate, only to be stopped by the guard in charge of inspection.

Mell Carlo, hidden inside a wooden barrel, could naturally sense that the carriage had come to a halt.

“Routine check. What are you hauling?”

“It’s just some merchandise.”

The merchant smiled, taking 30 Orens from his pouch and handing them to the guard.

The guard accepted the copper coins without counting, weighing them in his hand, then stepped aside.

“All right, you may pass.”

Thirty Orens—no more, no less—was just enough for a night’s worth of drinking.

These merchants would sometimes smuggle contraband as well, but it didn’t matter much.

Even if they caught a criminal merchant, there wasn’t much reward, so it was better to maintain this relationship and earn some extra.

With no one in sight, Carlo had already left the city.

On the other side, Arkay led the old Sword Saint and others to the gang’s compound.

But before they could even enter, a faint smell of blood reached them.

Chocolate was collapsed in terror outside the gate, and another child beside him was equally petrified.

“What happened?”

The old Sword Saint drew the sword at his waist.

“D-dead…someone’s dead.”

Chocolate scrambled away from the entrance, rolling and crawling.

His legs felt weak and cramped.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen death, but the fear of it never truly fades.

“Chocolate, what about Mell? Did you see Mell?”

“I don’t know. I just got back.”

Chocolate stood shakily.

The Knight Order immediately surrounded the compound.

The old Sword Saint entered alone.

Arkay and Lily wanted to go in, but were held back at the gate.

If the enemy was still inside, the courtyard would be dangerous.

It had already been known that cultists had infiltrated the imperial city, but they had yet to be caught.

The old Sword Saint quickly inspected the courtyard.

His movements were decisive.

With a single strike to the throat, he had likely also seized the victim’s weapon.

The victim clutched their throat, blood pouring uncontrollably, still trying to resist with their final strength.

The enemy had leaped back, leaving faint footprints—possibly a child or woman’s, though an assassin could move that way by walking on their toes.

“Come in.”

Eugene Sword Saint beckoned Arkay inside.

“Do you recognize this person?”

The old Sword Saint asked Arkay.

Arkay hesitated, then forced himself to look at the victim’s face.

“I think he was a gang investigator. He came before when checking the duchess’s wallet.”

“Your friend named Mell doesn’t seem to be here. Did he run into the city, or was he taken by the killer? How old is your friend?”

“About my age, I think.”

Arkay answered.

The old Sword Saint stroked his chin.

If that’s the case, the little one named Mell could likely be ruled out as a suspect.

It’s difficult for a child to kill an adult, especially with such lethal precision—a dagger thrown accurately into the throat, then a short sword stabbed into the heart.

Two attacks in total.

It seemed more like the work of an experienced assassin.

Gang members in the imperial city being killed by hired assassins was not uncommon.

But soon the Sword Saint noticed a wound on the victim’s hand—a penetrating injury.

Just how sharp would a thrown weapon need to be to do that?

Anke watched silently, already guessing what had happened.

If he hadn’t gone out seeking excitement, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

He could only hope that Mell had escaped.

Was he truly an Apostle?

“Go look for your friend in the city. If you can’t find him, he was likely taken.”

Eugene didn’t ask further.

This little gang leader who had just returned probably didn’t know what had happened either.

The old Sword Saint, lacking any talent for investigation, relied on his sharp instincts.

But with age, even that had dulled a bit.

They searched the city the entire afternoon, but not a trace of Mell Carlo could be found.

A person disappearing into the city was like vanishing into the sea—completely gone.

“Try to think positively, child. Maybe your friend isn’t dead, only taken. I’ll have someone investigate.”

The old Sword Saint consoled.

If the enemy was determined to hide the target, even mobilizing the Knight Order wouldn’t guarantee finding them with their current information.

Moreover, he couldn’t mobilize the Imperial Knight Order for such a reason—there was the matter of identity.

Mell Carlo was only an orphan.

But what could they gain from kidnapping an orphan?

If he was just a witness, wouldn’t it make more sense to kill him outright?

“What about the other child?”

“Chocolate doesn’t want to come with us?”

“He’s a strange one, not even willing to go to the Church?”

“Yeah, he doesn’t want to.”

“To each their own. I’ll have my friends in the gang take care of him. But you’re coming with me to the Knight Order for training!”

The old Sword Saint took Arkay and left.

Lily followed Sister Crabel to the Church for training.

They would still see each other often, after all, they were in the same city.

Though their hearts still worried for Mell Carlo, there was nothing more they could do.

Other than worry, there was nothing truly useful they could offer.

May the gods watch over you, Mell.

Lily enjoyed conversing with the nun.

This old sister was nothing like the others—neither stern nor harsh, but warm and loving.

“Lily, you originally believed in the Goddess of Light, so entering the Church is truly the will of the gods.”

The nun smiled, gently placing her hand on Lily’s head.

“Yes. My family worshiped the Goddess of Light.”

“But, even if you believe in the same goddess, there are now many different sects… Never mind, why am I talking to a young girl about this?”

The nun paused in front of the Knight Order’s main gate, then changed the subject.

“If you want to talk about great changes, Eugene’s is the greatest. I can no longer see the confidence in his eyes that he once had.”

Lily stood silently.

So, this old nun had known the Eugene Sword Saint since he was young.

“If Eugene had been born a little later, I believe he could have been the hero to defeat the Demon King. Unfortunately, by the time the Demon King returned, he was already growing old.”

“Is Lord Sword Saint that strong?”

“There were others with greater talent, but they died along the way. He became the Empire’s strongest swordsman. But now, even I don’t think being younger would’ve made him the Demon King’s equal.

When he returned, even his disciple was dead—not the Demon King himself, but just one of his followers.”

The old nun seemed to be reminiscing, comparing fragments of her youth with the present.

The wind carried away not just time, but their passionate days of youth.

They were old now—how many years did they have left?

“Let’s go, Lady Crabel.”

Another nun at her side reminded her.

“All right, all right. I know. Let’s return to the Church, little one.”

They walked toward the monastery.

The male and female monasteries were separate, but they would sometimes meet in the cathedral, which was the headquarters of the Garde Empire Light Church.

Arkay also followed the old Sword Saint into the Imperial Knight Order for the first time.

Unlike the Royal Knight Order, the Imperial Knight Order was built entirely for war.

They might not be good at protecting, but when it came to killing, they showed no mercy.