Chapter 21: Friend, Why That Expression?
Standing on the city wall of this city called White Pigeon City, Joshua took the telescope handed to him by Rin and gazed toward the direction where the sun was setting. His vision extended into the distance as the lens focused, crossing the wide stone roads on the land, scattered groves, and verdant wilderness, converging upon the three peaks in the distance.
The setting sun cast patches of orange-red clouds, and the remaining sunlight seeped through the gaps between the peaks. Through the telescope, Joshua could see a winding road rising from the foot of the mountain, leading deep into the range. Thin mist and clouds lingered around the peaks, resembling the language of another world, making one unable to help but chuckle.
The sun had set, and they gradually arrived at the foot of the Imperial Capital.
Since most people with a bit of money and influence chose to use teleportation arrays to reach the Imperial Capital, only farmers transporting grain and some merchants with little capital traveled along the roads and stairs. Now that night had fallen, the flow of people was nearly nonexistent. Standing before the empty road, Joshua murmured softly, "Truly magnificent."
This was a smooth brick-and-stone avenue, flanked by stairs made of gray hard stone. It stretched out from deep within the mountain, gradually widening like a gray thread, until it extended to the warrior's feet.
Beside the stairs stood countless Glowstone hanging lamps, their not-too-bright light illuminating the path, forming a winding ribbon of light in the darkness. This ribbon, combined with the streetlights of other roads leading into the mountain, wove into white lines that coiled around the three peaks.
It looked like a magic formation.
As a legendary warrior in his past life, Joshua's observational skills were naturally far superior to ordinary people. He could clearly sense that the concentration of Arcane Power in the atmosphere at the foot of the mountain was more than a notch higher than that of the surrounding wilderness. At the mountain's peak...
"It's quite pretty," said Ying, who had been looking at the scenery, her silver hair fluttering in the night breeze.
"That's not what Master is talking about," Rin, standing beside her, complained helplessly. He didn't seem to like this phenomenon very much, so he tried to hide his exposed skin—like his hands and face—under his clothes. But since it wasn't winter, the boy in summer attire couldn't cover everything, and a faint white light emanated from him.
Thus, the three of them set foot on the stairs leading to the Imperial Capital. The warm summer night breeze was gentle, and before they knew it, they had climbed to the mountainside. From there, looking down, the night scenery for dozens of miles around was fully visible. Nightingales sang in the mountain forests, and flying insects buzzed in accompaniment.
But a faint voice coming from higher up the mountain broke this harmonious balance.
It was the voice of a middle-aged man, his hoarse tone carrying a hint of weariness. He held an object that seemed to be inscribed with a communication formation, speaking to someone on the other end: "...Yes, Lord Morse, everything has been handled... Of course, how could I dare forget the matters you, Lord Count, entrusted to me? Rest assured, news about that Northern Cold Iron Count is easy to gather; he doesn't seem to care about being observed... Alright, I'll take care of it..."
Fragments of words were spoken as he walked. Joshua stopped in his tracks, turning to look at the middle-aged man's retreating figure. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his brows raised, and his red pupils were full of curiosity.
Had someone just mentioned him?
"Was he just talking about me?" Shrugging, Joshua asked his weapons. Beside him, Rin nodded, confirming, "Yes, he was indeed talking about your title, Master."
Ying added, "It sounded like he was asking about your recent situation, Master."
"Then it shouldn't be a mistake." Hearing the confirmation from the two beside him, Joshua chuckled lightly. "Could it be such a coincidence that I'd run into an acquaintance who knows me here in the Imperial Capital?"
With that, he turned decisively and walked toward the middle-aged man, who had already descended some distance down the stairs.
As they followed the warrior's pace, Ying and Rin didn't forget to tease him. The silver-haired girl shook her head and said, "I think, by now, the minority are those who don't know you, Master."
"And just knowing your name doesn't make someone an acquaintance," Rin added, looking somewhat reluctant. "Just because he mentioned your name doesn't mean we need to go out of our way to ask..."
Ignoring his weapons' comments, Joshua acted decisively—while others might just think about such words in their minds, he was the type to put his thoughts into action. So he walked over and greeted the man, who seemed to be strolling leisurely down the mountain.
"Friend up ahead, you might not believe it, but I am the Northern Count you mentioned, Joshua... Hey, friend, why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"
(To be continued.)