Chapter 63

As I stood at this hour, there were few people boarding the carriage heading to the North District.

The North District is mainly a tourist area. The Reberis Palace stands out prominently, but apart from that, there are only a few residential areas. The number of people living in the North District is not as large as in other districts.

Therefore, it wasn't surprising that I was the only one on the shared carriage heading to the North District. Normally, at this time, people would board the carriage in the opposite direction.

"..."

After that, I received directions to the nearest carriage stop from Lucy, talked with Mui, waited at the stop until the carriage arrived, and finally boarded the carriage, despite the driver giving me a puzzled look.

I gazed at the slowly passing cityscape and let out a small sigh.

If Rebeus were to move, it would likely be around midnight when the whole town is quiet.

It would be better if he didn't show up. If he does... well, I'll have no choice but to stop him. That's why I'm moving like this.

I should have brought a wooden sword, considering the possibility of dealing with people. Unfortunately, the only thing I have now is a real sword made from the material of Zeno Graybull, which is clearly very sharp. I can't exactly test its edge on a human.

For now, I can only hope that things will go smoothly. Well, the fact that I received this request suggests that no one really expects things to go smoothly.

"Sir, we've arrived."

"Yes, thank you."

With a lingering sense of unease, it seemed the carriage had arrived at the North District stop.

After paying the fare and stepping down, the night breeze gently caressed my cheeks.

The surroundings were quiet.

Of course, this is the district with the palace, unlike the West District, where people party late into the night. If anyone were around, they would likely be quickly spotted and taken away by the guard. The area was eerily silent.

There were hardly any people on the streets. I could only occasionally see someone walking in the distance.

With the sparse lighting, it was difficult to see the town's appearance, but I could make out the shadow of the palace towering in the not-so-distant sky.

Hmm, I would have preferred to see this during the day. The building must look stunning against the blue sky.

My last memory of seeing the palace was from a long time ago, but it hasn't faded. It's truly magnificent. I'd love to live in such a place, even just once. But for a middle-aged man from a remote rural area, it's an impossible dream.

"Well, then..."

I shifted my gaze from the shadow of the palace to the horizon. According to Lucy, the Sphen Church should be easy to find from the carriage stop.

"Is that it?"

Relying on the faint light leaking from the buildings, I scanned the area and spotted a building that seemed to be slightly taller than the surrounding structures in a different direction from the palace.

Hmm, it's on a slight hill, I guess. It seemed to be a few minutes' walk away, and it had a modest spire that pointed to the sky, though not as grand as the palace.

After a quick look around, I didn't see any other similar buildings. It's probably the church. It would be embarrassing if I got it wrong.

"...It's still so quiet..."

My whispered words dissolved into the empty air.

On my way to the church, the journey was not short, but I only encountered a handful of people.

It was late, after all, and it was unlikely that many people would be wandering around the North District at this hour. The guard might be patrolling near the palace, but I didn't see any of them in this area.

If I caused a commotion here, the noise would spread quickly. Even if there were no guards around, it was only a matter of time before they arrived from the palace.

I didn't want to cause a commotion. If it came to that, I'd have to resolve the situation quickly.

"Hmm..."

The church was on a slight hill, and the path to the main hall was slightly uphill.

From here, I could see the front door, but it was firmly closed. I couldn't see anyone, but I could see a faint light leaking from the church windows.

Beyond the hill, I could see what looked like a cemetery. If the people buried there were brought here under the cover of darkness... it's a chilling thought.

"...Are they here...?"

It was unlikely that worshippers would be praying at this hour. Probably, Rebeus and his group are inside. I couldn't hear any sounds, so I didn't know what they were doing. I couldn't just barge in, so I'd have to wait in a inconspicuous place for a while.

Standing alone around the church, I must look suspicious. I'm glad there's no one around. I could have been reported, after all.

However, how long should I wait? I'm starting to feel a bit hungry, and it seems unrealistic to stay here indefinitely.

On the other hand, I can't easily leave, as I don't know when or if the people inside will come out. I doubt any stores in the North District would be open at this hour.

Hmm, I guess I'll just have to endure this nagging hunger.

"..."

After waiting for a while, struggling with the creeping hunger and mental fatigue, I noticed movement at the church.

The sound of locks being undone echoed softly, and several figures emerged from the main hall.

Darn, I should have asked for a description of Rebeus. I can't tell who's who.

"..."

The number of figures was more than just a few. There were quite a few of them.

Some of them were fully armored, looking like heavy knights.

They were definitely not worshippers.

If they were the guards for the bishop who was about to flee, it would make sense.

It fits.

I hid in the shadows of the path leading to the church and observed.

They seemed to be carrying a lot of luggage. Several people, including the heavy knights, were carrying large wooden crates.

This is getting serious. There's no reason to move such large items from the church at this hour. Something must be going on.

And if our predictions are correct, it's not something we can ignore.

Well, it's time for me to act.

I got up from my heavy, aging body and approached the group.

"Excuse me, can I have a word?"

Pretending to be someone who just happened to be passing by, I called out in a casual tone.

"!"

My voice startled the group.

The initial reaction was shock, followed quickly by caution. Multiple eyes focused on me.

Their reactions were clearly over-sensitive.