The three of them walked along the cobblestone streets of the inner city toward the branch.
Gas lamps flickered to life one by one in the night, stretching their shadows long and short across the stone.
The air was freezing, and their white breath flashed under the lamplight before dissipating.
The river of light overhead continued to shimmer, its lavender glow covering most of the sky as it flowed slowly.
Conrad walked at the front, his pace brisk.
Hoguer and Lu Yuan followed side by side, both silent.
Since leaving the Baron’s mansion, Hoguer hadn't mentioned that statement again.
Lu Yuan had no intention of explaining.
And Hoguer clearly had no intention of asking.
The three maintained a tacit silence as they crossed two streets, turned past Mint Lane, and continued for a while until the silhouette of the main branch building appeared in the distance.
The branch gates were open.
The Nightwatcher on duty nodded to them, asking no questions.
But Lu Yuan noticed something.
There were two additional horses under the porch.
There were no emblems on the saddles, but the material of the gear was obviously expensive.
The copper buckles were polished to a shine, and the leather was pressed with fine, dark patterns.
Clearly, these did not belong to the Nightwatchers.
The three entered the main building together.
They headed upstairs.
Before they even reached the door of the second-floor meeting room, light leaked through the gap.
Judging by the brightness, at least six or seven lamps were lit inside, making the room far brighter than it should have been in the dead of night.
The sound of voices also drifted out faintly.
There was more than just one or two people.
Lu Yuan and Hoguer exchanged a glance.
Hoguer’s brow furrowed, and he raised a hand to signal Conrad to stop.
He walked to the door.
The door was slightly ajar but not closed tight.
Through the gap, the long table in the meeting room was visible. Several documents were laid out on it, along with a pot of steaming black tea. At least a dozen teacups were arranged, a few of which had already been used.
Hoguer looked back at Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan raised his hand and knocked twice on the doorframe.
The voices inside ceased for a moment.
“Enter.”
It was Kraus’s voice.
Lu Yuan pushed the door open and stepped inside.
He swept his gaze across the room.
The meeting room had many more chairs than usual.
Kraus sat at the head of the table, several documents spread before him, his cup of tea resting by his right hand with steam still rising. His expression was the same as always, unreadable.
In the first row on the left.
Agnes sat closest to the door, her black hood lowered, her moon-white hair cascading over her shoulders.
Two figures in deep grey monk robes stood behind her, hands folded in front of them, heads bowed in silence.
On the right side of the meeting room.
Two people Lu Yuan had never seen before.
A man and a woman, sitting very straight.
The man was in his early thirties, with a gaunt face, high cheekbones, and a deep red high-collared coat. An antique gold badge was pinned to his collar. His eyes were sunken, and his pupils seemed to have a faint reddish tint under the light.
The woman was slightly older, around forty, with her short hair tucked neatly behind her ears. She wore the same deep red coat but had no badge. Her expression was indifferent, her gaze fixed on the tabletop like a nail.
Clearly, these were people from the Ascension Society.
Kraus had mentioned before that the Ascension Society would come sooner or later.
Looking further in.
Calvin Morton sat on the left, near the window.
His monocle reflected the light coldly, and his face retained its usual gloomy cast, with sunken eyes and the corners of his mouth turned slightly downward. His hands were folded on the table.
Beside him sat a woman.
In her early thirties, her long brown hair was tied back. Her features were regular, but there was a certain sharpness in her brow and eyes.
She wore the standard academic robes of a Polymath Tower mentor, deep blue with silver trim on the cuffs.
Lu Yuan hadn't seen her before, but based on her position and attire, she was likely a mentor as well.
And at the very end of the meeting room, directly facing Kraus...
Sat a single individual.
He wore a deep blue silk coat, with intricate patterns embroidered in gold thread on the collar and cuffs.
An eagle-patterned badge the size of a thumb was pinned to his chest. Unlike the copper one Baron von Linde wore, this was silver with gold inlay, crafted with extreme precision.
His right hand rested on a silver cane. The cane was entirely silver, with a gold relief around the head depicting a wheat stalk intertwined with a sword.
He was about fifty, with grey-white sideburns trimmed meticulously. His face was gaunt but firm, with high cheekbones and a sharp jawline.
His eyes were bright, his expression composed, carrying an air of one who scrutinized everything.
A person stood behind him.
Wearing the fine attire of an attendant, well-tailored and deep grey.
In his thirties, fair-faced, of average height and build—he looked quite ordinary.
But he wore a smile on his face, the kind of flawless, leak-proof smile that stayed fixed regardless of what happened.
Lu Yuan’s gaze lingered on this attendant for half a second longer.
He couldn't say what was wrong, but his intuition told him this person was not simple.
“My apologies.”
Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and bowed slightly toward Kraus.
“We just returned and didn't know a meeting was in progress. We’ll report later.”
He prepared to back out.
“Come in.”
Kraus’s voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.
He glanced at Hoguer and Conrad at the door.
“Everyone, come in and sit. Raymond just returned as well; I’ve saved spots for you.”
Lu Yuan looked back.
Sure enough, Raymond was walking down the hallway from the stairs.
A layer of fine dust covered his coat, likely from just rushing back from the southern part of the outer city. He paused for a second when he saw the situation at the meeting room door, but quickly resumed his pace and approached.
The four of them entered the meeting room in turn.
Hoguer sat to Kraus’s right and placed the notebook and evidence from his inner pocket onto the table without speaking. Conrad and Raymond stood against the wall.
Lu Yuan found a seat near the door and sat down.
Kraus scanned everyone in the room and took a sip of tea.
“Since everyone is here, we might as well listen together. It’s rare for all parties in Bronze City to gather like this. Some things are best settled face-to-face.”
The man in fine clothes—the Count—nodded slightly.
He didn't stand up; he simply shifted his cane from his right hand to his left and rested it against the arm of his chair.
“Since Vice Director Kraus is being so hospitable, I won't beat around the bush.”
The Count’s voice wasn't loud, but it was extremely clear. Every word was articulated with crisp precision, like someone accustomed to speaking at large venues.
“I called this meeting on short notice. It is my honor, Helmut, that everyone could grace us with their presence.”
His gaze swept across every face in the room at a steady pace, finally landing back on Kraus.
“I’ve recently returned from the imperial center. I heard that many unpleasant things happened in Bronze City while I was away, so I mainly wish to ask about three things.”
Helmut held up three fingers.
“First, it seems many nobles in Bronze City have done things they shouldn't have?”
One finger folded back.
“Second, I need an explanation regarding the Polymath Tower’s recent actions.”
The second finger folded back.
“Third, it seems the Ascension Society and the Church have things they wish to say to the Nightwatchers. Rather than everyone speaking separately and causing misunderstandings, it’s better to speak openly here.”
Helmut withdrew his hand.
“Let’s take them in order.”
Kraus didn't respond immediately, but instead looked at Hoguer.
Hoguer understood, flipped open the notebook from tonight’s operation, and pushed it in front of Kraus.
Kraus looked down at it for a few moments. His eyebrows twitched slightly.
Baron von Linde, mutation, direct evidence.
This was far more serious than the few Barons they had purged before.
This wasn't just a matter of smuggling or colluding with the Grey Covenant; the fact was that von Linde had mutated, and he had lost control, resulting in deaths within his mansion.
He looked up.
“Count.”
Kraus pulled several documents from the folder at his side and pushed them directly to the center of the conference table.
“The evidence regarding the several Barons purged previously is all in here. Accounts, confessions, physical evidence—not a single thing is missing.”
He paused.
“According to imperial regulations, when such things happen to nobles within a territory, the presiding Count must also bear the corresponding supervisory responsibility.”
The Count took the documents and flipped them open.
He scanned two pages, his expression unchanging.
But his eyes narrowed slightly.
Without waiting for him to finish, Kraus pushed Hoguer’s notebook over as well.
“Handled just tonight. Baron von Linde.”
His tone remained flat.
“Worse than the others. Not only did he have dealings with the Grey Covenant, but he himself had undergone a mutation. The Nightwatchers handled him on the spot according to imperial regulations.”
The Count opened the notebook and read a few lines.
This time, a flash of gloom crossed his eyes.
Then he returned to normal.
“The evidence is conclusive?”
“Conclusive,” Hoguer’s voice came from the side.
The Count closed the notebook and tapped his fingers twice on the cover.
Silence lasted for several seconds.
“Lord Count,” Kraus took over the conversation. “Based on the current situation, I’m afraid the noble class of Bronze City requires a thorough investigation.”
The Count stacked the documents and the notebook neatly in front of him.
Then he tilted his head toward the attendant behind him and made an extremely subtle gesture.
The attendant’s smile didn't change.
He pulled a communication crystal from his sleeve, bowed slightly to the Count, and silently exited the meeting room.
Lu Yuan sat in the corner.
He noticed a detail.
He wasn't the only one watching that attendant.
Agnes’s gaze followed him, carrying a hint of something unidentifiable.
The interaction between the two from the Ascension Society was even more discreet; the man’s right index finger tapped the table once, and the woman’s eyelids lifted slightly.
That was all.
Then everyone’s gaze returned to their original positions.
As if nothing had happened.
After the attendant left, the Count looked back at Kraus.
“You have done well.”
His tone suddenly became a bit warmer.
“Bronze City has been peaceful for too long. Some have had their minds clouded and forgotten what pays for the privileged life the Empire bestows upon them.”
He paused, his finger lightly tapping the shaft of his cane.
“Indeed, they need a wake-up call.”
Kraus said nothing, only taking a sip of tea.
“The second matter.”
The Count’s gaze turned to Calvin and the female mentor beside him.
The warmth from a moment ago vanished, replaced by a lukewarm tone.
“While I was away, I heard an imperial envoy arrived at the Polymath Tower?”
He tilted his head as if recalling something.
“But according to imperial regulations, when an envoy is dropped into a city from the imperial center, the local administrative system should be notified and confirmed.”
He paused.
“Clearly, this envoy’s information channels are a bit restricted.”
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