The train pressed steadily toward the Royal Capital. At first, the crew planned to stop in a nearby city, but with the Queen aboard, they decided it was safer to continue directly to the capital. After the attack, guards patrolled nonstop—moving from car to car, inspecting luggage, questioning passengers, and detaining anyone who seemed suspicious.
The train stopped only briefly at each station—no more than a minute—before surging forward again. The atmosphere remained tense, but slowly, the journey resumed its rhythm.
After two long days, on the morning of the third, Rick finally saw it.
The Royal Capital.
A colossal city unlike anything he had ever imagined—alive with activity, overflowing with towering spires, shimmering glass structures, and streets wider than entire towns. Even from the train window, the skyline seemed endless.
When the train at last rolled into the Grand Royal Station, Rick felt his breath catch. The station was enormous, crafted with marble pillars and gilded metalwork, large enough to hold thousands of travelers. Usually, the station bustled with constant movement—trains arriving and departing in waves.
But today, it stood almost empty.
Only Royal Knights and city guards filled the platform, maintaining a perimeter around the train.
As passengers disembarked, Rick's heart thumped nervously. The guards checked everyone thoroughly, and Rick tensed when they approached him. The memory of Luke's attack still lingered, and carrying a magic firearm made him anxious.
But thanks to Leon's earlier intervention, everything went smoothly. No issues. No accusations.
For the first time since the ordeal began, Rick stepped onto the stone floor of the Royal Capital.
His body relaxed, and he let out a long breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Finally… I'm here," he whispered. "I can't believe I had to go through so much just to reach this place."
A tired but genuine smile crept across his face.
I'm really free… finally free.
"But first," he reminded himself, "I need to complete my mission."
He stood still for a moment, absorbing the sprawling city before him. The towering buildings. The distant sound of bells. The elegant banners fluttering in the wind.
"This place is huge," he muttered. "I should ask for directions…"
He tightened his grip on the package he was meant to deliver and turned toward the exit of the station, ready to begin his long-awaited journey into the heart of the Royal Capital.
After wandering through the massive city for what felt like ages, Rick finally managed to deliver the package and complete his mission. Exhausted from the long journey and the maze-like streets of the Royal Capital, he trudged along with a tired sigh.
"I can't believe it took me an entire hour just to find the location," he muttered to himself. "Why do they make the roads here so complicated…?"
But at least the mission was finished. Now he could head to the Adventurer's Guild to receive his reward—if he could find it.
"I need directions again…"
He walked aimlessly through the bustling streets until he noticed a small shop with lanterns hanging at the entrance. Hoping for guidance, Rick stepped inside.
An elderly woman behind the counter looked up with a warm smile.
"Hello, young man. What do you need?"
"Um," Rick began shyly, "I'm new to the Royal Capital, and I want to go to the Adventurer's Guild. Could you please tell me the way?"
The old woman blinked, then chuckled. "Oh my, the Guild? That's quite far from here, dear."
Rick stared at her blankly. "F–far? But I walked for hours already…"
Seeing his shocked expression, the woman softened her tone. "Child, the Royal Capital is enormous. Walking from one corner to another can take an entire day. That's why we have magic trams—smaller versions of full trains. They're meant to help people travel inside the city more easily."
Rick's eyes widened, instantly sparkling with excitement. "Magic trams!? That sounds amazing! I've never ridden one before!"
Her laugh echoed through the shop. "What a cute kid. In that case, you need the Mini-Tram Station. From there, you can take the line to Central City—the district where the Adventurer's Guild is located."
She pointed outside. "Go straight from here, turn left at the fountain, and keep walking until you see the blue-roofed building. That's the Mini-Tram Station."
"Thank you so much!" Rick said, nearly bouncing with energy.
Following the directions the old woman had given him, Rick finally reached the Mini-Tram Station. Compared to the Grand Royal Station, this one was tiny—yet still far bigger than the one he knew back in Easter City. He stood there for a moment, admiring the place with sparkling curiosity.
After buying a ticket to Central City, he stepped inside the platform area. There, a small engine waited with four open carriages attached behind it. Each carriage had only a simple roof for shade—no walls, no windows—making the whole thing feel more like a magical trolley than a train.
"Wow…" Rick whispered, eyes wide as he stepped aboard.
When the tram began to move, he felt his heart lift. It was his first time experiencing something like this, and the fresh breeze, the view of the enormous city passing by, the hum of the magical engine—all of it made him incredibly happy. He enjoyed every second of the ride.
After nearly an hour, the tram pulled into Central City. Rick hopped off with a bright smile spreading across his face, energy renewed. He stood for a moment, taking in the enormous buildings and the busy streets. Then he began walking toward the Adventurer's Guild.
On the way, he realized something.
It took an entire silver coin just for this ride…
He paused, thoughtful. The cost was high, but then he shrugged.
Well, I have plenty of gold coins anyway. It's worth it.
And with that, he continued cheerfully toward the guild.
The Adventurer's Guild, just like everything else in the capital, was massive and majestic. Rick took a deep breath, comforting himself.
It's fine. Everything will be fine.
He pushed open the doors. To his surprise, no one even looked his way. The hall was loud, filled with armored adventurers, roaring laughter, clinking mugs, and busy conversation. Feeling invisible, Rick quietly walked toward the receptionist counter.
He submitted the request slip from his completed quest. After verifying it, the receptionist nodded and placed a small pouch on the counter.
"Here—twenty silver coins after adding the expenses."
Rick accepted the pouch with a grateful nod. Then, hesitantly, he raised a hand.
"Um… can I ask you a question?"
"Yes? What is it?" the receptionist replied.
Rick looked around at the crowded hall. "Aren't you surprised that a little kid is taking quests?"
The receptionist paused, then unexpectedly chuckled. Rick blinked in confusion.
"W-why are you laughing…?"
"I'm sorry," the receptionist said gently. "It looks like you're new here. That's also why you were looking here and there earlier. "
Hearing that, Rick felt heat rush to his cheeks. He puffed them slightly in frustration. "Was it really that obvious…?" he muttered, voice small and shy.
"Well, it was kind of cute," the receptionist admitted with a smile. "Anyway, in the Royal Capital, there are many nobles and merchant families who send their kids to the Adventurer's Guild for training. That's why no one is surprised to see a little kid."
Rick blinked, stunned. Hearing this, his embarrassment melted away into a soft, relieved warmth. He had thought he was the only kid trying to become an adventurer.
After calming down, he spoke again. "Um… can I ask another question? Can you tell me where the City Guard's headquarters is?"
The receptionist stiffened, clearly surprised. "Why do you need the City Guards? Did you lose something? Or… is there a problem?"
Rick hesitated. He didn't want to mention the train incident or anything that might sound suspicious. "It's… something like that," he replied, scratching his cheek. "I just need directions."
The receptionist studied him for a moment, then finally broke into a small sigh. "Alright. Go straight, turn left, and keep walking. You'll see the building."
Rick nodded gratefully. "Thank you very much."
With that, he left the guild.
Following the directions, Rick made his way through the bustling streets until the City Guard Headquarters came into sight. Fortunately, all city-related offices were located in Central City, so he didn't need another mini-train ride.
As he approached the towering building, Rick's steps grew smaller. His fingers fidgeted with his cloak as nerves tightened in his stomach.
"Oh man… I'm so nervous," he whispered to himself. "But… I need to go inside."
He stood there, debating how to start and what exactly to say, when finally one of the guards noticed him.
The guard stepped forward, lowering his stance slightly.
"You there," he called. "What are you doing in front of Headquarters?"
Startled by the sudden voice behind him, Rick nearly jumped out of his shoes.
"Sorry!" the guard said quickly. "I didn't mean to scare you. But you were mumbling to yourself in front of the Headquarters, so I came to check if everything was alright."
"Oh! Well, actually… I came here to report something," Rick replied, regaining his breath.
"Report? What kind of report? Did you lose something?" the guard asked, confused.
Rick shook his head. "It's not like that. The Second Vice-Captain of the Royal Knight's Second Unit told me to give a detailed report about the incident on the train."
The guard's expression shifted immediately. "I see. So your name is Rick? In that case, come inside. I'll take you to the room where you can give your report."
Rick nodded silently and followed him in.
As they entered the main hall of the headquarters, several guards turned their heads.
"Who's that kid?" one guard asked.
"This is the kid we were informed about," Rick's guide answered.
"Ah, I see. Good luck with that," another guard muttered with an awkward wave.
Rick tried not to shrink under the attention.
The guard led him down a corridor and stopped at a door. "Wait here. I will call the person in charge of taking your report," he said before disappearing down the hall.
Left alone, Rick glanced nervously around. The room looked gloomy from the outside, but once inside, he was surprised by how bright it was. Tall shelves filled with books lined the walls, a sturdy table stood in the middle, and two sofas faced each other across it.
Rick sat down, fidgeting with his sleeves while waiting.
After several minutes, a knock sounded at the door. It swung open, revealing a guard holding a file. He stepped inside and gave a courteous nod.
"Hello there. My name is Reo, Vice-Commander of the City Guards," he introduced himself. "I'll be the one taking your report. I've already instructed the other guards not to interrupt us."
Reo sat down directly across from Rick, placing the file neatly on the table.
Hearing Reo's introduction, Rick grew tense—he hadn't expected to meet the Vice-Commander himself. Reo immediately noticed Rick's nervousness.
"Don't worry," Reo said with a calm smile. "We've already confirmed that you're innocent. You have nothing to fear. Just tell us everything that happened."
Those words eased Rick's nerves. He took a quiet breath and began recounting the events leading up to the attack on the train.
Two hours passed—two long hours of questions, clarifications, and careful explanations. When it finally ended, Rick stepped outside the Headquarters with Liam, who escorted him out so the boy could rest.
But inside the building, on the top floor, another conversation was unfolding.
In a neatly arranged office, a woman stood by the window, arms crossed, watching Rick leave below. A knock on the door broke her focus.
"Come in," she said.
The door opened, and Reo entered, placing a file on her desk, he reported, "Here is the report from the kid."
The woman was Commander Lina Addison—leader of the City Guards, and one of the few individuals who had reached the level of Grandmaster.
She flipped through the report quietly, her expression unreadable.
"It looks like the kid is innocent," Lina concluded. "This matches the results of our investigation."
"That's right," Reo agreed, taking a seat.
"Anyway," Lina continued, "how is the investigation going on the culprit who used drugs?"
"We are working on it," Reo replied, placing another file on the table. "We're working continuously, but we still haven't found anything that could lead us to a suspect."
Lina rubbed her forehead in frustration. "And what about the attack on the prison?"
"Judging from the clues and the survivor's testimony," Reo said grimly, "it's confirmed that the attackers were from Spider's. "
Lina's jaw tightened in anger.
"Damn it… those bastards," she muttered. "Always resorting to cowardly tactics."
"Just what the hell is happening…" Lina muttered, pacing slowly across the office. "The neighboring country is showing suspicious movements, the number of monsters is increasing, and now this attack…"
Worry crept into her voice—a rare sight from someone as strong as a Grandmaster.
"Well," she finally said with a long sigh, "send the report to the Royal Palace."
"Yes, ma'am," Reo replied immediately. He gathered the documents and exited the room, leaving Lina alone.
She stood there quietly, her eyes drifting back to the window where Rick had once been visible, her thoughts heavy with concern. Something deep inside her whispered that these incidents—seemingly unconnected and scattered—were not coincidences.
And unfortunately…
Her instincts were right.
Because these events would become the spark that ignited a future war.