Chapter 94: Advanced Swordsman

Elias pulled the dark blue gugel farther over his head as he walked through the streets of Kilmir, allowing the cloth to conceal his crimson hair and keeping his face partially shaded from the harsh western sunlight.

He had expected the city to be somewhat quieter after the discovery of the five corpses, but the atmosphere was far more tense than he had anticipated.

More guards than usual were scattered throughout the streets, standing near intersections, questioning citizens, and occasionally entering buildings as they continued their search for the killer.

As Elias passed groups of people gathered beneath the shade of buildings and awnings, fragments of their conversations reached his ears.

"Are they sure only five people were killed?"

"No one knows, but they are saying that the bodies were completely dismembered."

"Do you think the killer is still somewhere inside the city?"

"Did you hear that the spatial rift near the city is Grade Two?"

"I did... I am thinking of leaving the city before any disaster befalls."

"Exactly! There is no Lord in Kilmir, so why should we stay here?!"

Elias’s brows furrowed slightly beneath his gugel.

He continued walking without looking toward them, but his attention remained fixed on the conversation.

According to common knowledge, the guardian of such a rift was a Lord-rank monster, meaning that even the strongest swordsmen in Kilmir would not be able to deal with it because, as far as everyone knew, there wasn’t a single Lord residing in the city.

That alone was enough to make the citizens nervous.

"I heard another spatial rift appeared near Meldmir!"

"What the hell?"

"They said it is only Grade One, though."

"That is still dangerous, and I was thinking about moving my pregnant wife and my ten children to Meldmir."

"At least it is not another Grade Two..."

A different group began discussing something else.

"Did you hear about the Grade Three rift near Moondrop Waterfall?"

"Grade Three?!"

"Keep your voice down!"

Elias’s expression became thoughtful.

’Three spatial rifts appearing around the region at nearly the same time...’

"Have you heard about Sir Joran?"

"The young knight from the east?"

"Yes. Apparently, he has been earning quite a name for himself recently."

"I heard he defeated several powerful monsters by himself."

"Some people are saying he might become an Exalted knight before long."

Elias ignored them as he had no reason to care about some young knight he had never met, but the repeated mention of the east reminded him of Natasha’s words from earlier.

She had been born and grown up there before the Sun Church discovered her and brought her to Ruler’s Cradle.

Elias wondered briefly what sort of place the east was. He did know some history of it, but that wasn’t enough to know of its current state.

Anyway, he pushed the curiosity away as there were more immediate concerns.

As he turned down another street, his attention was drawn toward a young man and woman standing beside the wall of a nearby building.

The two were holding each other tightly, their faces filled with anxiety as they muttered to one another.

"Why does this have to happen now?!" the man muttered desperately. "We still have not married."

Elias couldn’t help but glance at them.

The woman hugged him even tighter, and the two continued mumbling about their future.

A guard walked past him, and he pulled his gugel closer before quickening his steps.

Several citizens wearing similar hoods walked past him, their faces similarly concealed from the sun and the prying eyes of others. Elias blended into them without difficulty.

He continued toward the Sun Church while keeping his gaze forward.

As he passed a fruit shop, however, a metallic sound reached his ears.

Clink.

Elias’s eyes shifted briefly toward the shop.

Several fruits were displayed across wooden tables, while the shopkeeper was nowhere near the shop.

He didn’t pay it any mind and continued on his way.

Soon, the familiar white structure of the Sun Church appeared ahead.

Elias approached the entrance, and just as he reached the doors, the small bell rang.

He stopped for half a second.

’Who is the person ringing it? Do they know me?’

The guards allowed him to enter.

The interior was considerably calmer than the streets outside, although even here, several workers appeared more hurried than usual.

A moment later, a familiar figure approached him.

"Sire Elias," Bram called out with a respectful smile.

Elias turned to him. "Deacon Bram."

"May the Sun shine on us forever," Bram said while performing the church’s greeting before gesturing toward the corridor. "His Greatness is waiting for you."

Elias smiled faintly and followed him.

They exchanged a few words along the way, but neither lingered on meaningless conversation.

Eventually, Bram stopped before a familiar door.

"His Greatness is inside," he said.

Elias nodded.

"Thank you."

Bram bowed before stepping away, leaving Elias alone.

Elias knocked twice and waited.

"Come in," an old voice answered.

Elias pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Priest Mekah was sitting behind his table, but unlike the last time Elias had visited him, the old priest did not appear relaxed.

His brows were slightly furrowed, and his expression carried a level of concern that immediately caught Elias’s attention.

Elias closed the door behind himself before approaching.

"Is something troubling you, Your Greatness?" he asked.

Mekah looked toward him, and a faint smile appeared on his face as he gestured toward the chair opposite him.

"Take a seat, Sire Elias," he said.

Elias returned the faint smile and walked toward the table before taking the chair closest to Mekah.

The old priest placed both hands upon the table and slowly interlaced his fingers.

For several seconds, he simply stared at Elias, then he said slowly, "There has been a problem..."

Elias’s expression darkened.

"What problem...?"

"The City Lord is planning to shut the city gates until the killer is found."

Elias’s heart sank.

"Shutting the gates just for five deaths..." he mumbled.

He obviously wasn’t saying it because he didn’t value those lives. It was simply rare for lords to take such a bold step for commoners.

"The number is not what is troublesome, Sire Elias," the old priest said.

"It is the way they have been... dismembered... and brutally disposed of... with the precision of an advanced swordsman."