Aidan looked in the direction of Matthew's gaze, but he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. He just felt that the man looked very ordinary.
Matthew smiled and didn't explain. The more he experienced, the more he trusted his own judgment. Whether a person was dangerous or not, most of the time, didn't require them to make a move to tell. Just looking at the reactions of the people around them was enough.
...
Just then, a sudden commotion came from the other side of the plaza, and many people turned their heads to look.
“They're here.”
“The Red Bear Mercenary Group is back.”
“Why are there so few of them this time?”
The crowd automatically parted to make way. Soon, a dozen or so Class holders slowly walked in. Their armor was covered in deep scratches.
Some had thick bandages wrapped around their arms, others still had wet blood on their faces, and there were also two who were being supported by their companions, limping forward.
What drew the most attention was the very end of the line, where a handcart was being slowly pushed forward.
On the cart, three corpses lay silently, already covered with white cloths, with only their feet exposed. Blood dripped down the wooden boards, falling drop by drop onto the stone bricks.
The entire plaza suddenly fell quite silent. The mercenaries who had been boasting and chatting just moments ago all shut their mouths.
Many silently cleared a path. There was no jeering, no crowding around to gawk; they just watched in silence.
The smile on Aidan's face faded bit by bit. He subconsciously gripped the longsword at his waist, his voice sounding a bit dry. “Dead...”
Matthew did not speak, only staring at the handcart. His gaze was very calm, because this wasn't the first time he had seen such a scene.
Caravan guards, forests, bandits, magical beasts—along the way, he had seen plenty of dead people.
But this place was different. This was the royal capital, the most prosperous place in the entire kingdom. Yet, even here, death still occurred every single day.
Wealth, glory, opportunity, and danger—they were always bound together, without any exception.
...
Nearby, an old mercenary sighed softly. “We were just drinking together yesterday. Today, they can't come back.”
Another shook his head. “They took that commission for Greystone Canyon. I heard they ran into a pack of frenzied Rock-Armored Lizards. That any of them made it back alive is already a stroke of massive luck.”
Someone else chimed in, “That's why they say money isn't easy to make, and life is more important.”
The old mercenary took a sip of ale and spoke slowly, “When I was young, I always thought the royal capital was paved with gold. Only later did I realize... beneath the gold lie nothing but dead men's bones.”
...
Those words sent a slight tremor through Matthew's heart. He did not refute it, because that was indeed the truth.
No matter which world it was, resources would never be handed to someone for free. If you wanted to obtain them, you had to trade something in return.
Some traded their time, some traded gold coins, and some traded their lives.
As for him, perhaps he was a bit luckier than others because he possessed the panel. But that did not mean he would be this lucky every single time in the future.
At this thought, Matthew exhaled softly, the emotions in his eyes returning to calm.
The royal capital was very prosperous, that much was true. But the more prosperous a place was, the less one could afford to let their guard down.
Yesterday's Blood-Veined Rapier was an opportunity. But next time, who could guarantee it wouldn't be a trap?
Matthew patted Aidan's shoulder, his voice calm and firm. “Let's go. We've seen enough for today. The real royal capital is only just beginning to show itself.”
Matthew did not linger any longer, leading Aidan as they slowly departed from the Class Holder Plaza. The two walked at a leisurely pace, and the clamor of the plaza gradually faded behind them.
Along the way, Aidan was noticeably much quieter. The three corpses covered in white cloths seemed to linger in his mind, refusing to fade.
Only after they had completely left the plaza did he speak in a low voice. “Brother Matthew, I used to think that as long as one became a Class holder, they were already amazing. Now I realize... even amazing people can die.”
Hearing this, Matthew smiled faintly. “It's not that amazing people die, but that everyone dies. The only difference is, some die early, some die late, some die completely worthless deaths, and some die for something worthwhile.”
Aidan nodded in silence.
He realized that after traveling with Matthew all this way, Matthew never seemed to lose his head over a small increase in strength.
Even after obtaining the Purple-quality Blood-Veined Rapier yesterday, he had only been happy for a brief moment before immediately considering the side effects and calculating the risks.
In the past, he had felt Matthew was cautious to a fault. But looking at it now, this caution was probably the very reason he was able to stay alive.
...
The two continued forward. Before long, the street grew lively again. Compared to the Class Holder Plaza, this area had far more shops selling various materials.
A dazzling array of goods was displayed at the storefronts: dried herbs, beast blood in glass jars, magical beast fangs, ores, and even many plant roots they had never seen before.
The air was thick with a mixture of herbal scents. Some were fragrant, some pungent, and others made one's head spin slightly just from a whiff.
Aidan couldn't help but rub his nose. “The smell here is so strange.”
A shop owner nearby burst into laughter. “Not used to it, eh? You'll get used to it once you've stayed a while. Everything sold here is top-notch stuff. Many potioneers and alchemists rely on these to make a living.”
Hearing the word “alchemist,” Matthew couldn't help but stop in his tracks and direct his gaze into the shop.
Wooden stands were arranged inside, with various materials neatly categorized on them.
【Fire-Patterned Lizard Tail】
【Green Vine Grass】
【Silver Leaf Flower】
【Ironwood Resin】
...
The names were diverse and bizarre. For many of them, Matthew had never even heard of them before.
Seeing Matthew pause, the owner immediately came out to greet them warmly. “My Lord, would you like to take a look? Our shop is an old, established brand. All our materials are the freshest. Many potioneers in the royal capital come to my place to buy.”
Matthew smiled and shook his head. “I'm just browsing.”
The owner wasn't disappointed either; he was long used to this kind of thing. Every day, the number of people who just looked was far greater than those who actually bought.
...
Matthew continued to browse slowly, but his gaze grew increasingly serious. He realized that the resources of the royal capital were even more abundant than he had imagined.
If the county seat could offer twenty kinds of materials, then here, one could buy at least two hundred, if not more.
Many things were simply not sold in the county seat at all; only by coming to the royal capital could one lay eyes on them.
At this moment, Matthew suddenly understood why so many people risked their lives just to enter the royal capital. It wasn't because it was safer, nor was it because it was more prosperous.
It was because of resources. The most important thing for an extraordinary's growth was always resources.
Without resources, no matter how high one's talent was, they could only slowly grind away. And the royal capital happened to possess the most abundant resources in the entire kingdom.
...
Just then, a slightly surprised voice suddenly rang out. “Old Hoff? Why did you put this out as well?”
Another shop owner walked over upon hearing the voice. Looking at a small box covered with a black cloth in the corner of the counter, he couldn't help but smile. “Does anyone actually buy this stuff?”
Old Hoff grinned. “Just trying my luck. What if I run into someone who recognizes its value?”
The other sneered. “Recognizes its value? It's been sitting there for two years. You still haven't given up?”
Old Hoff curled his lip. “What's the rush? Someone will buy it eventually. The royal capital is never short of rich people. Besides, whether the thing is real or fake, who can say for sure?”
Matthew had already been preparing to leave, but hearing these words, his footsteps paused imperceptibly.
His gaze slowly drifted toward that inconspicuous black wooden box. He did not approach immediately, only casting a calm glance, yet a trace of interest had already sprouted in his heart.
Yesterday, it had been just like this. In an unremarkable weapon shop, he had picked up the Blood-Veined Rapier.
So today... would there be another unexpected harvest?
Matthew's gaze lingered on the black wooden box for a brief moment—so short that the shop owner didn't even notice.
Yesterday, it was precisely because of an unremarkable weapon case that he had obtained a Purple-quality Blood-Veined Rapier.
Now, an almost identical scene had appeared once more. To say he wasn't tempted would be a lie.
His panel was fully capable of identifying equipment quality. In theory, as long as an item was put on display, he had a chance to pick up a bargain again.
...
Just as this thought arose, Matthew suppressed it. He shook his head gently.
He couldn't rush. His success yesterday had relied heavily on luck.
The royal capital was so massive. If Purple-quality items were everywhere, then Purple wouldn't be Purple anymore.
What's more, he still hadn't completely figured out that Blood-Veined Rapier from yesterday. Although the side effects could be controlled, it didn't mean there was no danger.
Greed, in most cases, was the greatest danger.
At this thought, Matthew did not stay any longer. He simply committed the shop's location to memory. If he truly needed to in the future, it wouldn't be too late to return and check.
For now, his priority was to familiarize himself with the entire royal capital. Information was far more important than a potential bargain that might not even yield anything.
...
Seeing that Matthew only took a glance before continuing forward, Aidan didn't ask any questions. After what happened yesterday, he already knew that Matthew had his own judgment when looking at things. He just needed to follow along.
...
After leaving the materials street, the streets gradually widened, and the buildings on both sides also changed.
Compared to the lively bustle of the Commercial District, this place was noticeably quieter. There were no loud cries of street vendors, no shouting from mercenaries.
Instead, there were mostly elegant shops: bookstores, instrument shops, galleries, antique shops, and even a few flower shops selling ornamental plants.
A faint floral fragrance drifted through the air. Occasionally, the melodious sound of a lute could be heard coming from a building along the street.
Aidan couldn't help but sigh in admiration. “It's really quiet here.”
Matthew nodded. “Most of these shops don't cater to ordinary people. The shops that can open here likely serve nobles, wealthy merchants, or individuals of special status.”
Aidan nodded, only half-understanding.
...
As the two slowly made their way forward, several old men were sitting together playing chess in front of a tea house ahead, with quite a few people gathered around to watch.
After placing a chess piece, one of the old men suddenly smiled and said, “The royal capital hasn't been very peaceful lately.”
Another didn't even raise his head. “Has there ever been a peaceful year?”
The first old man shook his head. “It's different this time. I went to deliver goods to the west of the city yesterday, and found that several streets over in the Theater District were sealed off at night.”
A third man took a sip of tea and said casually, “My son told me that wasn't the first time they sealed it. They've sealed it three times recently. Every time is in the middle of the night, and it goes back to normal the next day.”
The first old man lowered his voice. “I heard they aren't arresting people. They're looking for something.”
The second man laughed. “Looking for something? What are they looking for?”
The old man glanced left and right, lowering his voice even further. “Who knows. Some say they are looking for a monster. Others say some noble family's young lady has gone missing. Anyway, there are all kinds of rumors.”
The third man shook his head slightly. “Whether it's true or false, just don't go there at night lately. Having lived for so many years, I've come to understand one thing: some commotions are best left alone.”
...
Matthew did not stop walking, but he silently noted down every single word.
If the words of the mercenaries earlier could still be considered drunken boasting, then now, even ordinary old men were discussing the Theater District. This indicated that the matter had already begun to slowly spread.
However, what had leaked out were only the superficial occurrences. What had actually happened remained completely unknown.
A faint curve slowly rose at the corner of Matthew's mouth. He increasingly felt that purchasing the Blood-Veined Rapier yesterday was not just a simple stroke of good fortune. Behind it, it seemed to have quietly connected to some world hidden in the darkness of the royal capital.
At this point, Matthew shook his head slightly, feeling that he was overthinking things. It was purely a matter of his own good luck, and besides, others wouldn't dare use this thing anyway.
In fact, it was a perfect match for him.
After all, wizards had no use for it, and ordinary Class holders didn't dare use it, making him the sole owner of this item...
As for other matters, they could only be discussed later.
After all, as a Class holder, Matthew was at the Silver Rank, and as a wizard, he was a Second-Grade Apprentice. In this royal capital, he was absolutely a top-tier expert. His safety was not an issue...
But this was also a problem at the same time. After all, put this way, taking another step forward would be much harder.
...
...
Rate on N.U.
