Chapter 789

Chapter 41 Leaving the City

“Xi Sister”

The boy stood up and took two steps forward, then turned back to look at me, his face hidden under the hood, the expression unclear, but I thought it was reluctance.

I also stood up, my large cloak billowing behind me in the slight breeze. The fox mask under the hood was partly shadowed, making him hard to see clearly.

“She came by unicorn carriage. Take her through less crowded areas, at least where the city guards won’t see. Look for an opportunity to get on the carriage. Lilyth will have everything arranged. She’ll take you to meet those people first. Stay alert; if things go wrong, run. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Okay.”

The boy nodded but didn’t leave.

“When everything is settled, go find Grandma Claire. Check if the village is still safe. If she’s willing, try to bring her to you and take care of her. I know what you’re thinking, but remember what I told you before. This is something you must do. There’s no excuse to avoid it.”

“…”

The boy stayed rooted, not moving. “Ha—”

I sighed helplessly and waved at him. “Go, don’t keep them waiting.”

After these words were spoken, the young knight named Barry clenched his fists, his mouth opening and closing several times under the hood.

He seemed to have many more things he wanted to say to me, but something held him back, preventing him from speaking. This had happened a few times over the past three days. He would want to say something but couldn’t figure out how, standing there dazed for a moment, hesitating, until finally turning around and continuing to walk away.

All those words he wanted to say were condensed into a few parting words as he left. His voice traveled to my ears with his departing figure: “I will find you again.”

“I know I’m not qualified yet, but I will find you, for sure.”

Though the voice was not loud, it was resolute. It sounded more like he was saying it to himself than to me—like he had made a firm decision after much contemplation.

“Let’s hope so.”

I watched his distant figure and muttered, “But perhaps this is the best ending for both of us. Maybe we should just part ways.”

Barry, who had already walked far away, couldn’t hear these words.

I remained standing in place, watching until he reached the end of the stone path and turned onto another street. Soon he was near the unicorn carriage. Lilyth was still looking around, and Barry, with his cloak wrapped around him, deliberately slowed down in front of her. He turned his head, and their eyes met briefly. Then Barry continued walking with his head down, while Lilyth seemed to want to call out to him, but quickly reacted and turned to hurry back into the carriage.

After a short while, the unicorn carriage began to move slowly.

I patted the package at my waist and pulled the brim of my hood lower. As the boy and the unicorn carriage gradually moved further away and out of sight, I quietly followed them.

We had already checked the area on our way here. The only sparsely populated places nearby were the alleys branching off from the corner of the city wall where Barry and I had been earlier, or the narrow streets that the unicorn carriage couldn’t enter. We had to find a less crowded street, as long as the city guards didn’t see us. There were three such streets to the west, each lined with residential buildings and no shops.

The feeling was like Doyle Street; there weren’t many people around, and even the city guards on the highest towers couldn’t see this place. Judging by the direction Barry had left in, he seemed to be heading towards the nearest street.

I left the corner and merged into the loose crowd, following the path Barry had just taken. There was no need to rush; he walked slowly, so I followed leisurely from behind, until he and the rhinoceros carriage turned another street bend. Only then did I quicken my pace.

Following them, we crossed two streets. Gradually, the number of pedestrians started to dwindle. After turning the third street bend, we arrived at the street we had scouted beforehand. There were almost no people here, so it wouldn’t do to continue following openly. I was about to look for a low building to jump onto when suddenly, I saw Barry stop far away, and Lily’s rhinoceros carriage stopped with him. She lifted the curtain with one hand and quickly exchanged a few words with him. Then Barry was pulled into the carriage.

Good.

I instinctively looked around, confirming that no one was nearby, before looking up towards the city wall. The distance to the wall wasn’t far; the silhouettes of the guards on the crenels could be seen, but only from where I stood. Barry and Lily were obstructed by buildings, creating a blind spot.

After confirming these things, I immediately turned and walked away.

Even if they were seen, it wouldn’t be a big problem. The reward apparently had no picture, and hardly anyone could recognize Barry, so as long as they didn’t act, it would be difficult to connect them to the Third Knight Order.

However, the city had tightened security due to recent disturbances. Lily wanted to leave the city and used the excuse of a suburban farm, while also hiding it from her mother, requiring some effort to arrange. Therefore, not only did we have to consider Barry, but also the severe consequences if the matter was exposed.

Some things are not feared in the myriad, but in the万一. Acting cautiously would never be wrong.

I took a few steps back towards the wall, planning to take off once Lily’s rhinoceros carriage moved further away. However, after a few steps, I heard the carriage turn around behind me, the sound of wheels grinding against the ground growing closer.

I quickly pulled my hood down and, with confusion, turned around. I saw the rhinoceros carriage speeding toward me, racing past the street near me, stirring up dust, and heading toward the side gate of the city wall.

?

I was puzzled. What’s going on?

Is this the rhythm of leaving the city directly? The person hasn’t been seen yet, could they be inside the carriage? That doesn’t make sense.

The carriage was small, barely enough space for two people. What’s happening?

What’s Lily doing?

I quickened my pace. At this moment, I didn’t think anything would go wrong. Barry’s reaction when getting into the carriage was normal, and Lily probably had other plans, though I didn’t know what they were. For now, I decided not to act rashly.

So I stopped at the street corner, observing quietly as the rhinoceros carriage gradually moved away, heading toward the city wall. They went to the side gate.

From here, through the scattered crowd in the distance, I could faintly see the situation at the side gate. Lily’s rhinoceros carriage stopped in front of the city gate. A member of the Warhammer Army approached to check, and the driver said something to them. It was too far for me to hear—only then did I notice that the driver was not the maid from before but a man I didn’t recognize.

Who was that?

The man quickly chatted with the guard, gave them something, and then someone tried to lift the curtain to look inside. But Lily appeared first, speaking with the person, who seemed to nod and then waved to let them pass.

A moment later, the city gate opened, and the rhinoceros carriage slowly drove through, exiting the city soon after.