“Not right?”
Atia leaned over to the window and looked at the street scenery.
There was not a single lamp on the road. The streets were almost completely enveloped in darkness. Only by relying on the faint light provided by the weak moonlight could one make out the path ahead.
The doors and windows of the houses on both sides of the street were tightly shut. Not having even half a spark of firelight was one thing, but there was not even the slightest sound to be heard.
The entire city seemed to contain only the uniform footsteps of the soldiers and the sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the stone pavement.
“It’s far too quiet.”
Eileen said, “Rather than calling this a city, it would be more accurate to call it an empty shell wearing the outer skin of a city.”
“But didn’t City Official Lawson say they are currently implementing a full curfew? Perhaps everyone has already gone to sleep early…”
Atia guessed.
“Those merchants who rise early and return late may indeed have already rested once it grew dark, but a city does not only contain merchants.”
Mia explained, “People are not machines. Even under a full curfew, there will still be some people who cannot sleep at night. For example, the adventurers of the Adventurer’s Guild. Some people feel uncomfortable all over if they go a single day without drinking. Even under a curfew they may not necessarily behave. Yet…”
Her gaze fell on the entrance of a tavern by the roadside.
The main door of the tavern was tightly shut. There was not a single point of light coming from the cracks of the door, and not a single sound issued from within.
Clearly, this was extremely abnormal.
Drinking was the only recreation for many ordinary people, and even the vast majority of adventurers. Even a full curfew would not necessarily be able to stop that group of alcoholics.
As the saying went, where there is demand there will be business. A tavern owner would never go against money.
On the surface they obeyed the curfew, yet who knew how many secret paths there were in the dark that allowed drinkers to come to the tavern and spend money.
Atia immediately understood Mia’s meaning and observed the tavern with Trace Eyes.
“Inside the tavern… there is not a single person…”
“Not only that. Have you seen any soldiers patrolling inside the city along this entire journey of ours?”
Eileen looked toward the front of the carriage. “Lawson personally said that after the full curfew was implemented, some people developed crooked thoughts. A normal person’s first reaction would be to strengthen patrol intensity and dispatch additional soldiers to patrol. Yet tonight there has not been even a single patrolling soldier.”
“Miss Eileen is right. What’s more, if people can already sneak out, places like taverns and little rooms cannot possibly be completely empty.”
Mia expressed agreement with Eileen’s statement.
Only at this moment did Atia finally realize the seriousness of the matter.
“What exactly does City Official Lawson want to do?”
“Who knows? But it definitely isn’t anything good.”
Eileen shrugged.
“Then… then what do we do now? Should we run away?”
“Running away isn’t necessary, but we have to do something. At the very least we cannot let him lead us by the nose.”
“Miss Eileen, what do you mean?”
“This old thing is not as simple as he appears. This investigation commission is very likely a setup he has arranged. If we react too intensely it is very likely to arouse his suspicion.”
Eileen’s fingertips paused at her chin. The light in her eyes darkened for a moment, then she lowered her gaze and pinched her earlobe.
When she raised her eyes again, her expression had already settled into a calm and relaxed state.
“Find an opportunity to capture him, then let Declan properly interrogate him and see exactly what he wants to do.”
“This… how are we supposed to capture him?”
Atia pointed at the group of soldiers outside the window.
These soldiers were clad in heavy armor and were clearly the elite forces of Mordin City’s Knight Order.
Although their individual combat strength could not compare to high-rank warriors, once their numbers increased, even Declan might not necessarily be able to handle them.
“Who said I wanted to force things while facing this many people?”
Eileen lightly knocked on Atia’s head. “We have to use our brains. What if Lawson is only a scapegoat? If we make too much noise and alert the people behind him, what then?”
“Eileen, do you mean for me to use teleportation magic to transfer him away?”
Mia asked.
Eileen shook her head.
“That’s still too conspicuous. Doing it this way is safer…”
Ten minutes later, the soldiers escorted the two carriages to the front of an inn.
“My lords, this is the best inn in our Mordin City, bar none. Although the environment cannot compare to the Royal Capital, it is already the best conditions our city can offer. If any of you are dissatisfied, allow me to apologize to everyone first.”
Lawson placed his posture extremely low, so humble that it reached the marrow of his bones. From him one could not detect even half a point of the arrogance belonging to a noble.
If Lawson was not putting on an act, then under his leadership Mordin City, while not necessarily prosperous and powerful, would at least be several hundred times stronger than other small border cities.
What a pity…
This Lawson was old, and old people did not speak many truths.
“City Official Lawson, we briefly discussed the situation of that magical beast and believe that now is the best time for investigation. Please tell us the last location where the magical beast appeared. We will set out immediately.”
The moment Mia got out of the carriage, she spoke directly.
Lawson was also stunned upon hearing this.
“Lady Mia, nighttime is precisely when this magical beast’s strength is at its peak. I believe it is better not to take this risk. It will not be too late to investigate after daybreak tomorrow.”
“If it is gone by then, what exactly are we supposed to investigate?”
Mia spoke with conviction. “Find two people to lead the way in front. On the way there, tell us everything you know about this magical beast to the best of your ability.”
“This…”
Lawson looked a little troubled, yet upon seeing Mia’s gaze that almost allowed not even half a point of questioning, he still nodded.
“I understand, Lady Mia. Then I will have my two personal attendants lead the way. Aside from myself, they are the ones who understand this magical beast the most.”
Mia nodded, then looked toward Declan and Lucen who were standing at the entrance of the inn. “What are the two of you still standing around for? Get in the carriage.”
“Lady Mia, are we only taking one carriage?”
Declan asked.
“What else?”
Eileen explained, “Two carriages are far too high-profile. In addition, go untie the Ignis and find two ordinary horses to pull the carriage. Afterward I will have Mia place a silencing magic on the carriage to guarantee that not a single sound will come out.”
“There is no need to trouble the two lords from the Duke’s Private Knight Order with the matter of finding horses.”
Lawson looked toward a soldier and commanded, “Go to the inn’s stable and bring two horses over. Quickly.”
The soldier nodded mechanically and walked toward the inn’s stable. Before long he led over two horses and harnessed them to the carriage.
Lawson’s two attendants led the way in front, while Mia also called for Lawson and the others to board.
“Declan, pull your arms back in. It’s so crowded!”
“Lucen, what do you mean by that? I’m already doing my best!”
“My two lords, please stop arguing. I can just stand…”
Inside the carriage, Declan, Lucen, and Lawson naturally sat together. Yet because Declan’s frame was simply too large, he squeezed the already thin and small Lucen until the latter kept crying out in misery.
Lawson truly could not stand watching any longer and could only brace himself and rise from his seat.
“City Official Lawson, when was the last time you observed the magical beast?”
Mia paid no attention to the two making a racket opposite her and, according to Eileen’s instructions, chatted with Lawson about the investigation matters to divert his attention.
“Roughly on the night three days ago…”