Aidan looked down at the short sword at his waist.
This sword was very important to him.
After becoming a Black Iron Rank Class holder, he always felt that wearing a sword gave him more confidence.
But Brother Matthew was right.
The royal capital was not the countryside.
A young outsider walking around with a sword asking questions would indeed easily attract attention.
“I understand.”
“Change into more ordinary clothes as well.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t sound too abrasive, but don’t sound too timid either.”
Aidan hesitated and asked, “What does that mean?”
Matthew said, “If you are too abrasive, it’s easy to displease people. If you are too timid, it’s easy to get bullied.”
Aidan thought for a moment and smiled bitterly. “That’s a bit difficult.”
Matthew glanced at him.
“So speak less.”
Aidan was startled for a moment, then nodded seriously.
“Understood. Speak less, listen more.”
“Yes.”
Matthew finished his last sip of soup and slowly set down his bowl.
As the warm food settled in his stomach, much of his physical fatigue dissipated.
But his mind did not relax.
His first night in the royal capital.
He would not rush into action.
The more unfamiliar a place was, the less one should let novelty drive their actions.
First, eat.
Rest.
Organize the information.
Tomorrow, he would send Aidan out to test the waters.
One step at a time.
Aidan closed his notebook and carefully tucked it into his breast pocket.
He looked at the remaining food on the table, then back at Matthew.
“Brother Matthew, should I head out tomorrow morning then?”
“After breakfast.”
“Do I need to return to report back a few times?”
Matthew thought for a moment.
“Come back once at noon.”
“If you only gather ordinary news in the morning, come back at noon to tell me.”
“If you encounter anyone suspicious, return immediately.”
“If someone is following you, do not return to the inn.”
Aidan's expression changed.
“Then where should I go?”
Matthew said calmly, “Go to a crowded place, walk in a few circles, and then wait near a patrol squad for a while.”
Aidan quickly committed it to memory.
“Crowded places, take detours, stay close to the patrol squad.”
“Once you're sure you've lost them, return to the Gold Lion Inn.”
“Yes.”
Matthew continued, “If you can't lose them, do not come back.”
Aidan's heart tightened.
Matthew looked at him, his voice not loud but very clear.
“If you come back, you might lead them here.”
Aidan's face paled slightly, but he still nodded.
“I understand.”
Matthew said, “If that happens, find an opportunity to have the inn's staff pass a message, or go to the Fiery Lion family's shops for help.”
Aidan took a deep breath.
“Yes.”
Only after Aidan finished speaking did Matthew say indifferently, “But on the first day, as long as you don't ask reckless questions, the likelihood of encountering such a situation is low.”
Aidan smiled bitterly.
“Brother Matthew, what you said just now made my skin crawl.”
“Being nervous is a good thing.”
Matthew picked up his cup again and took a sip.
“It means you will be careful.”
Aidan thought about it and said seriously, “I will be careful.”
Matthew nodded.
“After you finish eating, accompany me outside in a bit.”
Aidan said immediately, “Yes.”
The room fell quiet.
The two continued eating.
The oil lamp burned steadily, its light falling on the table and the edge of Aidan's open notebook.
The pages were densely packed with the words Matthew had just spoken.
Map.
Clothes.
Cloaks.
Second-hand market.
Well-informed taverns.
Do not mention magic stones.
Do not mention Matthew.
Do not ask about the black market directly.
Observe first, do not go deep.
Return to report at noon.
The handwriting was not particularly neat, but it was written very carefully.
Matthew glanced over out of the corner of his eye, feeling a bit more satisfied with Aidan.
Aidan was not clever.
At least, he wasn't the type to understand everything instantly.
But he was obedient.
He was willing to take notes.
And he knew when to be afraid.
That was enough.
In a place like the royal capital, fear was not a bad thing.
A youth who feared nothing would not live long.
Only someone who knew fear yet was willing to follow instructions was worth nurturing.
Matthew slowly finished his last bite of meat.
Warmth spread through his stomach.
He leaned back against his chair, his eyes remaining clear and alert.
His first meal in the royal capital had not been a relaxed one.
Because he had already begun planning his next steps.
But this feeling actually gave him peace of mind.
Rather than waiting around doing nothing, Matthew preferred to break things down.
Arrange them one by one.
Advance step by step.
As long as there was progress, there was no stagnation.
And as long as he didn't stop, he would sooner or later find what he needed in this royal capital.
After finishing his instructions and lunch.
The midday sun was at its peak.
The window on the third floor of the Gold Lion Inn was half-open. A breeze blew in from the street, carrying the dry scent of sun-baked flagstone roads and the unique bustle of the royal capital.
The sound of carriages, voices, vendors shouting, and the steady tolling of the distant clock tower layered over one another, drifting into the room.
Matthew stood by the window, his fingers resting on the frame, quietly watching the street outside.
Midday in the royal capital was far more bustling than in the county seat.
The streets were wide, paved with neat grayish-white flagstones. The center of the road was reserved for carriages and riders, while the two sides were elevated by a step for pedestrians. The drainage ditches were covered by stone slabs, revealing black drainage outlets only at the corners. At regular intervals along the roadside stood iron lampposts. Pale blue crystals were embedded inside the lamp covers; though they did not glow during the day, one could still tell they were no ordinary oil lamps.
Magic Crystal Streetlights.
While such things were not entirely absent in the county seat, they could never stand in rows along both sides of the main street like they did here in the royal capital.
Matthew looked at the lampposts, his gaze pausing for a moment.
In his past life, he had seen real modern cities.
Skyscrapers, glass curtain walls, heavy traffic, commercial streets as bright as day at night, overpasses, subways, neon lights—those things existed clearly in his memory.
Therefore, in terms of the "city" itself, the royal capital could not make him lose his composure like a true country youth would.
But this was not his past life, after all.
There were no steel skyscrapers, no cars, no electric lights, and no uniform modern transportation.
The prosperity here was of an entirely different kind.
Spired clock towers, thick stone walls, carved balconies, knight statues, noble insignia, magic crystal lamps, armored patrol squads, massive buildings flying chamber of commerce flags, and the carriages, guards, merchants, adventurers, and foreigners weaving through the streets.
It was not as bright and sharp as the cities of his past life.
Instead, it was heavier.
Older.
And more dangerous.
Matthew could tell that the royal capital did not have the clear division between the inner and outer cities like the county seat did.
There was no wall separating ordinary people, merchants, nobles, and Class holders. As long as one could pass through the city gates, it seemed most streets were accessible.
But the absence of a wall did not mean there were no boundaries.
After truly entering this city, Matthew could feel those invisible social divisions even more.
Some streets were wider, with more patrols and neater buildings, where pedestrians would unconsciously lower their voices as they walked past.
Some alleys were narrower, with cluttered stalls and people in a mix of clothing, their gazes more shifty.
At some buildings, no one would stop you at the entrance, but as soon as you saw the uniforms of the guards, the crest on the lintel, or the height of the steps, you would naturally know that you should not casually approach.
The stratification of the royal capital did not rely on city walls.
It relied on wealth, status, order, and the reverence ingrained in people's habits.
This was more complex than the county seat.
And more suitable for hiding things.
Matthew felt a spark of interest.
This interest was not strong, but it was real.
Part of it came from himself.
The other part came from the residual memories of this body.
The original Matthew was just a country boy whose idea of the most prosperous place was the county seat. The county seat had been enough to open the original body's eyes, but compared to the royal capital before him, the county seat suddenly seemed much narrower.
Even though a transmigrator stood here now, the instinct belonging to the original owner deep within this body still vibrated slightly when facing the royal capital.
It was not fear.
It was more like the irrepressible, complex emotion in the heart of someone from a small town who finally stood at the edge of a grander stage.
Matthew did not dislike this feeling.
Because it reminded him that he had indeed come to a grander place.
A grander place meant more danger.
It also meant more opportunities.
He withdrew his gaze and turned to look toward the door.
Aidan was standing there. Although he was trying his best to act composed, his eyes couldn't help but drift toward the window.
Matthew glanced at him.
“Want to go out and see?”
Aidan was startled and immediately pulled back his gaze.
“No, Brother Matthew, I was just...”
Matthew said indifferently, “It's still early. Come out with me.”
Aidan's eyes visibly brightened.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
Matthew walked to the table, picked up his coat to drape over himself, and looked down to adjust his cuffs.
The storage ring was concealed by his glove and sleeve, showing no abnormality from the outside. He only carried a small pouch of gold and silver coins on his person, while his other important items remained in the storage ring.
The royal capital was a melting pot of all kinds of people.
For his first time heading out, he did not plan to dress too shabbily, nor could he appear too wealthy.
Being too shabby would make it easy for others to look down on him.
Being too conspicuous would easily invite unwanted scrutiny.
The best state was to look somewhat well-off, but not like an easy target.
Matthew finished adjusting his sleeves and looked at Aidan.
“Once we are out, speak less and observe more.”
Aidan nodded immediately.
“Yes.”
“Do not mention the county seat.”
“Understood.”
“Do not mention Regg.”
“Yes.”
“And do not mention what happened on the road.”
Aidan's expression instantly became serious.
He knew Matthew was referring to the spell confrontation in the woods that night.
“I won't speak a word of it.”
Matthew continued, “If anyone asks, just say we've just arrived in the royal capital and are just looking around.”
“Yes, Brother Matthew.”
“Also.”
Matthew glanced at him.
“Don't keep staring at noble carriages and people in uniform.”
Aidan's face flushed slightly with embarrassment.
“I... I know.”
Matthew's tone was calm.
“The more you look like someone entering the city for the first time, the easier it is for you to be targeted.”
Aidan's heart tightened, and he immediately stood up straight.
“Understood.”
The two went downstairs.
The lobby of the Gold Lion Inn was spacious and quiet. Lion-head bronze lamps hung on the walls, and the wooden shelves behind the counter held registers and sealed message tubes. Unlike ordinary inns, this place was not filled with the smell of alcohol and noise; the guests coming and going were mostly neatly dressed and spoke in low voices.
Seeing Matthew come down, the inn manager immediately took a couple of steps out from behind the counter.
“Lord Matthew, are you heading out?”
Matthew nodded.
“Just looking around.”
The inn manager's attitude was respectful, but he did not draw too close.
“The streets of the royal capital are complex. If you need a guide, Lord, I can arrange a server who is familiar with the East District.”
Matthew thought for a moment and shook his head.
“No need.”
The inn manager did not press further.
“Then if you have any needs, Lord, feel free to return and let us know at any time.”
Matthew gave an affirmative grunt and led Aidan out of the inn.
As soon as they stepped out of the main entrance, the atmosphere of the royal capital washed over them.
Sunlight fell upon the flagstone road, and carriage wheels made a steady sound as they rolled over it. Shops lined the street one after another, their signs mostly exquisite; some were painted wooden signs, while others were even bordered with metal. Brightly colored long cloths hung at the entrance of the fabric shop, a pungent and rich aroma wafted from the front of the spice shop, and cured animal hides hung outside the fur shop.
In the distance, a clock tower stood tall.
The clock tower had a spire at the top, and its body was carved with relief carvings of knights and longswords. Further away, the spires of several towering buildings emerged from between the rooftops like a forest of stone.
As soon as Aidan stepped out of the inn, his steps involuntarily slowed down.
He looked up at the distant clock tower, then at the carriages coming and going on the road, his eyes barely able to take it all in.
“Brother Matthew...”
His voice was kept very low, but it could not hide his awe.
“This place is so much larger than the county seat.”
Matthew did not mock him.
“Yes.”
A carriage bearing a noble insignia drove through the center of the road.
The carriage body was painted dark blue with silver patterns bordering the edges, and it was guarded by two knight guards in the front and back. When pedestrians saw the carriage approaching, they all consciously stepped aside to both sides, none daring to block its path.
Aidan subconsciously took a couple of extra looks.
Matthew's voice rang out beside him.
“Watch the road.”
Aidan quickly withdrew his gaze.
“Yes.”
Matthew observed his surroundings as he walked.
He saw a patrol squad pass by the street. The patrolmen wore uniform leather armor with swords at their waists, marching in neat steps. The leader had a small silver badge on his shoulder, and when they passed the intersection, nearby stall owners and pedestrians would consciously make way.
He also saw a street sign standing at the intersection.
The street name was written in black paint on the wooden sign, with arrows pointing toward the Chamber of Commerce Hall, the Clock Tower Plaza, and the River Port District below.
This raised Matthew's estimation of the royal capital even higher.
This was not just a simply piled-up metropolis.
It had road planning, drainage facilities, streetlights, patrols, public plazas, and clear district guides.
Of course, this could not compare to the modern cities of his past life.
But in this world, this was already quite mature urban management.
The royal capital was indeed developed.
At least in this era, under this power system, it was sufficiently advanced.
The two walked along the main street and soon arrived at an open plaza.
In the center of the plaza was a fountain.
In the center of the fountain stood a Sword-Bearing Knight Statue. The knight held a sword in one hand and pressed down a shield with the other, his foot stepping on the head of a hideous beast. Water flowed from the beast's mouth around the statue, falling into the stone basin below with a clear splashing sound.
On one side of the plaza was the clock tower.
On the other side was the Chamber of Commerce Hall with its massive archway.
The people entering and leaving the entrance were dressed visibly more decently than ordinary merchants. Some had attendants following behind them, holding ledgers and leather cases.
Aidan looked at the clock tower and asked in a low voice, “Brother Matthew, is that tower just for telling the time?”
“To tell the time, but it also symbolizes order.”
“Order?”
Matthew looked at the clock tower.
“Whoever can make an entire city's people act according to the same bell toll holds a portion of order in their hands.”
Aidan nodded, only half-understanding.
Matthew did not explain further.
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