“This is an outpost?!?!”
Elvia’s voice was filled with clear disbelief.
“This is clearly a city-state.”
“Did that guy give us the wrong address?”
Lin Gui did not look back; his gaze fell on the grayish-white city wall in the distance.
“We’ll know after we go up and ask.”
He stepped out from behind the withered grass.
No disguise.
No Veil of the Gloomy Night to shroud them as they tried to sneak in.
He simply walked out onto the small, man-made path without any reservation.
He walked toward the city gate.
Elvia froze for a moment and then followed him.
The appearance of the two immediately caught the guards’ attention.
A few guards poked their heads over the city wall, their gazes watching them warily.
At the gate, people coming and going stopped in their tracks, stepping aside and scanning them with scrutinizing eyes.
Before they could reach the gate, a squad from the Defense Force galloped out on horseback.
Their iron hooves pounded against the gravel ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
They intercepted Lin Gui and Elvia, forming a semi-circle around them.
The captain in the lead drew the sword from his waist and pointed the tip at Lin Gui.
“Who are you?”
His voice was cold.
“What are you doing here?”
Lin Gui did not retreat.
He raised his hand and waved the letter he was holding.
“I am a Messenger.”
“I don’t know where this is.”
“However, the sender of the letter gave me this location...”
“And asked me to deliver the letter here.”
The captain’s gaze fell on the envelope, and his brow furrowed.
“Who sent the letter?”
Lin Gui turned the envelope over and took a look.
“Kewell.”
The Defense Force members behind the captain looked at each other.
They whispered in low voices.
“Kewell?”
“There’s no such person.”
“Have you heard of him?”
“No.”
Their frowns deepened.
The wariness in their eyes spiked.
Lin Gui ignored their reaction and continued:
“The recipient is...”
He paused for a moment.
“Sivir Vera.”
The air froze.
The expressions of those Defense Force members changed instantly.
Some widened their eyes, some gripped their weapons tighter, and some subconsciously took half a step forward.
“It’s the Mentor’s name!”
A young member of the Defense Force gasped in a low voice.
“A letter for Lady Vera?”
Another person’s voice carried disbelief.
“How can there be a letter?”
“Didn't the Mentor say that everyone she knew...”
“Died in that revolution?”
“Perhaps... it was sent by a comrade from the Propaganda Department?”
A third person chimed in, their voice very low.
“They go to various city-states to find people for our cause...”
The conjectures grew more and more numerous.
The information transmitted through their words also increased.
The captain in the lead let out a sharp, loud cough.
The whispering stopped instantly.
He looked back and glared at them.
Then, he said to one person beside him:
“Go call the Mentor.”
That person dismounted and ran quickly into the city gate.
The captain turned back, staring once again at Lin Gui and Elvia.
He didn't speak.
Nor did he step aside.
The surrounding Defense Force members didn't move either.
Their weapons remained pointed at them.
Time passed, second by second.
Elvia was getting bored of waiting.
She pulled out the magic toy she had bought in Withered Wood Town from her dress.
It was a glass sphere that could glow.
Her fingers pressed against the sphere, and various colored halos appeared within it.
Red, blue, purple.
They flickered in the sunlight, looking quite beautiful.
The Defense Force members’ attention was drawn to the toy.
No, to be precise...
They were drawn by Elvia’s beauty.
In the tension of the moment just now, they hadn't looked closely at the other party’s appearance.
Now, under the backdrop of the colorful light, that face looked impossibly beautiful.
But their gazes did not linger for long.
They only took one look and then moved away.
Elvia arched an eyebrow.
On the surface, she was playing with the toy, but she was secretly observing everything.
She observed this so-called "outpost."
It was clearly a city-state.
And it was a city-state not marked on any map.
Yet it was a place specifically named by an Inspector.
She also observed those Defense Force members.
Crude armor with several signs of repair.
Old horses with severely worn hooves.
The intermittent gloom and restraint in their eyes.
Elvia had seen this kind of gaze in a certain group before.
Rebels.
But what surprised her was...
Even though the other party was attracted by her beauty, they didn't linger for a single second.
They didn't even take a second look.
This didn't fit the characteristics of the naked desire and repressed nature often seen in rebels.
Or could it be that they were used to seeing beauties?
Soon, Elvia knew the reason.
In the distance, a figure was approaching.
Wearing a hood that concealed her features.
Her frame was petite, and her gait was light.
Upon seeing that figure, the Defense Force members stepped aside to make a path.
The captain put away his sword and bowed his head slightly.
The figure walked up to Lin Gui and Elvia.
She reached out and pulled back her hood.
A pair of large, fluffy ears popped out from her hair.
Her fur was pale blue, soft, and fluffy.
Her face was very small, and her features were as exquisite as if they had been painted.
Her skin was fair with a faint touch of pink.
Her eyes were pale blue, as clear as a mountain stream.
Deep in her pupils, something indefinable seemed to be circulating.
Her build was very petite; standing in front of Lin Gui, she only reached his chest.
She looked up at Lin Gui.
“Delivering a letter?”
“You are the ones who want to give me a letter?”
Elvia scrutinized the demi-human before her, her expression somewhat astonished.
Demi-humans were common.
Many nobles in the Carter Royal Capital liked to hire demi-humans as servants; they were quick-handed and had exotic charms.
Even foxkin, whose beauty could rival that of elves, she had seen plenty of.
It was just that...
It was her first time seeing a foxkin with blue hair.
A member of the Blue Fox tribe?
As Elvia scrutinized her, Lin Gui, beside her, gave a simple scan.
The person before him looked exactly like Sivir.
But...
She was a fake.
Ever since he received that propaganda flyer, Lin Gui knew that this Sivir was a fake.
But he hadn't expected those people to go to such lengths to destroy Spark.
The same appearance, the same hair color.
Even the clothing was the same as the last time he saw her.
The only thing different was her temperament.
The Sivir before him had an uncanny sense of artificiality that gave Lin Gui a sense of psychological aversion.
That old hag who always pretended to be a young girl, whose age was unknown, would never be like this.
And most importantly...
She didn't recognize him.
Lin Gui handed over the letter.
“Your letter.”
Sivir took it and looked down at the envelope.
Lin Gui turned, preparing to leave.
“Wait.”
A voice came from behind.
Lin Gui stopped and looked back.
Sivir looked at him, the corner of her mouth curling into an arc.
The smile was intriguing, but it was quickly covered by a friendly facade.
She looked down at the content of the letter.
The interest between her eyebrows grew stronger and stronger.
She spoke as if reading from the letter:
“7-Copper Post Office...”
“Delivering letters for the common masses...”
“Is this real?”
Elvia secretly reached out and tugged on Lin Gui’s sleeve.
Signaling him not to get involved.
Lin Gui, however, turned back very calmly.
“We don't just deliver letters for the common masses.”
He paused for a moment.
“It’s for everyone.”
“Regardless of whether they are refugees or nobles...”
“As long as they have longings to convey, and as long as they are on the routes we have established...”
“Anything can be delivered for the price of seven copper coins.”
He had also secretly opened that letter from the Inspector.
But the content inside was written in an encrypted font.
He couldn't understand it.
He didn't know what information the letter had transmitted to this fake Sivir before him.
He only needed to respond normally.
Among the Defense Force members, someone caught a glimpse of the letter in Sivir’s hand.
He frowned.
“What does that say?”
“Why can't I understand it?”
Sivir smiled and explained:
“It's the foxkin language.”
“You won't be able to understand it.”
The man didn't ask further.
Sivir looked up at Lin Gui.
“Can I also send a letter?”
Lin Gui nodded.
“Of course.”
Sivir gave a light chuckle.
“Then...”
“Enter the city.”
“I will entertain you properly.”
“And while we're at it, I'll get some stationery to send a reply to my friend in the distance.”
Elvia’s mouth twitched.
This woman—could she also be trying to shove a tracking letter onto them?
She reached out and tugged on Lin Gui again.
She made eyes at him.
Signaling Lin Gui to refuse.
Lin Gui, however, didn't notice it at all.
Instead, he calmly pulled out some items from his messenger bag...
Special 7-Copper Post Office stationery.
And a pen.
He handed them over.
“The visit won't be necessary.”
“I have stationery.”
“You can just write it directly.”
He paused for a moment.
“Please be quick.”
“I'm in a hurry.”
Sivir arched an eyebrow.
Elvia secretly gave Lin Gui a thumbs-up.
Clever enough.
Sivir was about to speak again.
Lin Gui pulled out another propaganda flyer from the bag.
A newly printed one for the 7-Copper Post Office.
He handed it over, pointing at the routes on it.
“Our delivery routes are on here.”
“Deliveries to other places are also possible.”
Lin Gui pointed back over his shoulder.
“My captain is still waiting for us not far away.”
The Defense Force members looked in the direction he was pointing but didn't see any so-called captain.
Clear doubt and surprise appeared on several faces.
“There are accomplices?”
“No, companions,” Lin Gui corrected in a flat voice. “So please, be quick.”
The Defense Force members looked at each other, and someone whispered, “Then hurry up and let the Mentor finish writing the letter so they can leave.”
“Yeah, don't waste time. After all... strangers aren't welcome here.”
The captain also nodded slightly, his gaze turning to Sivir with a sense of urging.
Sivir arched an eyebrow, a flash of annoyance crossing her eyes.
But she didn't say anything.
Her eyes scanned Lin Gui’s black hair and black pupils with focus, as if confirming something, or perhaps just a casual glance.
Then, she lowered her head, using her knee as a desk for the stationery, and simply wrote a few lines.
After finishing, she folded the letter and handed it to Lin Gui.
Lin Gui took it and scanned the address on the envelope.
It wasn't a reply.
The recipient address read: Coppergate City Mage Guild.
This was a letter addressed to Coppergate City.
Lin Gui arched an eyebrow, but he didn't ask anything else. Following the rules, he reached out toward Sivir.
“Seven copper coins.”
Sivir froze for a moment, looked down at her empty palm, and then looked around.
The Defense Force members looked at each other.
The captain felt for the money pouch at his waist. After rummaging for a while, he finally pulled out a gold coin and handed it over.
A look of pain flashed across his face, but he quickly suppressed it.
Lin Gui took the gold coin and began counting out a stack of coins from his bag.
Ninety-nine silver coins and ninety-three copper coins.
He handed them over, the two bags filled to the brim.
The captain took the two large bags of coins, looking completely dumbfounded. He looked down at the bags and then up at Lin Gui.
He really hadn't expected the other party to actually give him so much... change.
He was prepared for the gold coin to be completely gone; after all, seven copper coins was so little that providing change was a hassle.
Lin Gui put the letter away and prepared to leave.
Just then,
“Wait a moment.”
Sivir’s voice came from behind, much softer than before, carrying a strange sense of intimacy.
Lin Gui stopped in his tracks.
Sivir walked up, her steps light, like a cat approaching its prey.
She walked in front of Lin Gui and tilted her head up, a smile that was a bit too sweet on her face.
“I didn't notice just now. You... you're that little brat, right... it's been a long time.”
She softly breathed out that address, her voice as gentle as if she were coaxing a child.
That was the special, intimate name the real Sivir had for Lin Gui.
Inside the Spark organization, only the real Sivir would call him that.
She stared fixedly into Lin Gui’s eyes, her pupils slightly contracting, trying to catch even the slightest abnormal reaction from his face.
Surprise, nostalgia, panic, anger.
There was nothing.
Lin Gui’s expression didn't change in the slightest.
He looked down at Sivir, his gaze as calm as if he were looking at a stranger.
“You have the wrong person,” he said, his voice without any fluctuation. “I don't know you. A fox-girl as beautiful as you... I don't think I would forget you.”
Sivir’s smile stiffened for an instant.
She continued to stare at him, trying to find some flaw in his pitch-black pupils.
But Lin Gui only blinked and then tilted his head slightly, as if waiting for her to finish.
A few seconds later, Sivir withdrew her gaze and put on a smile once again.
“Sorry, my mistake.”
She took a step back and waved her hand.
Lin Gui didn't linger any longer, turning and leaving with Elvia.
Elvia’s shoulders remained tense the entire time until they had walked a dozen steps away, only then did she breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
The two of them walked back along the small path.
Behind them, Sivir stood where she was, watching their departing figures.
Her smile faded bit by bit.
In its place was a gloomy, almost twisted expression.
That expression was too abnormal; even the Defense Force captain beside her couldn't help but take a second look at her.
“Mentor...” the captain spoke tentatively.
As if suddenly realizing something, the gloom on Sivir’s face was instantly replaced by a friendly smile.
She turned her head and looked at the captain, her tone as light as if they were talking about the weather.
“Oh, that’s right. How is the thing I asked you to do earlier coming along?”
The captain breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his expression was still somewhat uneasy.
“It’s already been handled.”
He paused for a moment and said hesitantly,
“But... will powerful mages really come to visit?”
Sivir smiled, her laughter light.
“Of course they will.”
She turned her head and looked back at the receding figures of Lin Gui and Elvia in the distance, who were about to disappear.
“As long as their letter is delivered quickly.”
Her voice lowered, as if she were talking to herself.
“It won't be long before they come.”
The captain remained silent for a while before finally speaking up.
“Besides that... I've been a little worried about the other thing you assigned to me.”
Sivir didn't look back.
The captain continued.
“You’ve been secretly spreading the word about the existence of the Embers of Spark, inviting those with rebellion in their hearts to come to the city.”
“Many people have come, and powerful people have come as well. They’ve joined the Embers of Spark. I can feel their intense hatred for the Alliance...”
His voice dropped even lower.
“But even more than that... there are some truly terrible criminals that I can't stand.”
“Are those people really worth recruiting?”
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a chill rise from his spine.
He looked up in shock.
Sivir was turning her head to look at him, an amiable smile on her face.
That smile was incredibly gentle, yet it made the captain’s back break out in a cold sweat.
“One cannot overthrow that massive entity simply by relying on ideals.”
Sivir’s voice was very soft, as if she were explaining a simple truth.
“What the Embers of Spark needs to do is gather all the embers that have rebellion in their hearts.”
“Regardless of who they were before.”
She turned around, her back to the Defense Force members, and walked toward the city gate.
As she walked, she looked at the peaceful city-state before her.
The last rays of the setting sun fell on the grayish-white city wall, coating everything in a warm color.
She looked at it all, and the corner of her mouth slowly curled into an arc.
That smile was visible to no one.
Gloomy and deep, it also carried a hint of cruel expectation.
Rate on N.U.
