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“Get out of the lake immediately!”

“I’ll just catch one and be out of your hair.”

The man who blew the whistle clicked his tongue.

”Every time at this hour, we get these crazy people. If you don’t come out now, we’ll drag you out.”

I realized they were the lake’s caretakers.

Feeling embarrassed, I quickly swam back to shore.

“My apologies. I didn’t know it was prohibited.”

The men looked me up and down.

“A tourist, are you? Be careful next time. Every now and then, someone drunk ends up drowning in this lake.”

“Thank you.”

The man who seemed to be the leader approached the lake and dipped a stick into the water. With a faint mana fluctuation, bubbles emerged, purifying any impurities. It seemed this was how they maintained the lake’s cleanliness.

Looking closely at their matching blue uniforms, I realized they were Urgon soldiers.

‘Hmm.’

Not wanting to pick a fight with low-ranking soldiers, I glanced back at the tavern. The three were still staring at me with disapproval.

They truly lacked any sense of romance.

My clothes were soaked, so I quickly paid for the food and headed to a nearby, decent-looking inn.

As expected, the White Horse members trailed behind me.

* * *

I woke up after a good night’s sleep and stepped outside to a bright sunshine.

It was a clear day with not a cloud in the sky. A gentle lake breeze blew.

“Refreshing.”

The morning view of the lake from the inn was quite romantic. The turquoise Eastern Lake was beautiful, and many people were already strolling along its shores.

After enjoying the leisurely atmosphere for a while, I narrowed my eyes.

‘They’re starting to gather.’

The groups of people walking around looked somewhat unusual.

The clans invited to the banquet were gradually arriving in Shan Kris.

Taylor suddenly appeared behind me and stood beside me, hands clasped behind his back, admiring the lake.

He must have slept well because the footprints on his face had almost disappeared.

Uncharacteristically, Taylor said with a slightly embarrassed expression,

“Thanks to you, I slept well.”

“Thanks to me?”

“The facilities were nice.”

Blair and Arin also emerged from the inn, each expressing their gratitude in their own way. I looked at them in turn.

“What are you thanking me for?”

“No need to play dumb. You paid for our share too, didn’t you?”

I looked at Taylor and Arin, then at Blair, who was standing nonchalantly.

“You paid, didn’t you?”

Blair pointed a finger at himself.

“Me?”

Blair, tilting his head with a puzzled expression, suddenly rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a money pouch.

He checked inside and then started to panic with a flustered look on his face.

“Uh, it’s gone?”

Taylor looked at Blair with a puzzled expression.

“What’s wrong, Blair?”

“… My money’s gone, Senior Brother.”

I replied nonchalantly,

“You seemed drunk, so I took it and paid for the meal. You were short on cash, so I covered my own room. Next time, carry more money with you. You’re not beggars. Oh, wait, you are now, aren’t you?”

“You stole my money?”

“Stole? I bought the steamed carp, so why should I pay for your room too?”

“Even so, how could you just pay with someone else’s money?”

“Then you should’ve stayed on the streets instead of following us into the inn. Of course, you have to pay for your own rooms. What nonsense are you talking about? You’re like a bunch of freeloaders.”

My words were so undeniably true that everyone was speechless. Seizing the opportunity, I put on a stern face again and pointed at Blair.

“Bring me some water. I’m parched after drinking too much.”

“What?”

“I said I’m thirsty… me.”

While Blair was still processing the situation, Taylor quickly went into the inn and came back with a water bottle.

“Quick on the uptake, aren’t you.”

Money talks, indeed.

“If you don’t want to beg on the streets, figure it out yourselves.”

“…”

The White Horse members, suddenly penniless, looked at each other in dismay.

I strolled leisurely, then turned back. The beggars were shuffling along.

“What are you doing? Come on.”

The beggars quickly caught up.

* * *

As soon as we entered the bustling downtown area, people started glancing at us.

There was no time to enjoy the scenery. Everywhere we went, eyes followed us.

At first, I tried to maintain a composed expression with a melancholic gaze, but upon closer inspection, I realized they weren’t looking at me.

‘This won’t do.’

I immediately entered a nearby clothing store. A woman who appeared to be the clerk approached and asked, “Welcome. Are you looking for something specific?”

“Do you have anything to cover the face? Like a mask.”

“For yourself, sir?”

“Not me, them.”

I gestured towards the people behind me.

The clerk’s eyes widened when she saw Arin, then she nodded in understanding.

“A veil would be better. Masks aren’t commonly worn here. Would you like to see them over here?”

Various colorful veils were neatly displayed on one side. I casually picked up a red one and handed it to Arin.

“Wear this for now. The men are staring too much.”

“Okay. But I don’t like red.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not a color I like.”

Arin picked up a black veil next to it and skillfully wrapped it around her face. She had strong preferences for a beggar.

Meanwhile, feeling awkward like a guy who got rejected after giving a gift, I tried on the red veil.

“How’s this?”

“…”

“Actually, I was going to wear this veil myself. I needed one too.”

While everyone remained silent, the clerk let out a strange laugh and complimented me.

“It does suit you. But veils are usually worn by women. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

I quickly ripped off the veil.

“Is that so?”

Honestly, I knew my behavior was quite pathetic.

But sometimes, you have to pretend you don’t know, even when you do. And this was one of those times.

Maybe the clerk thought I was some kind of cute, clueless guy.

Anyway, looking at Arin in the veil, I wasn’t quite satisfied.

The veil was thin, and her features were still clearly visible.

“Don’t you have anything in a different material?”

“No, this is what’s in fashion these days.”

The clerk looked at me with that same doe-eyed expression.

“Do you need anything else? Maybe a new outfit? I can give you a good deal.”

“Show me one. In red.”

I deliberately emphasized the word “red.”

It didn’t really matter if it wasn’t red, but I just felt like it. It was a statement that I wouldn’t tolerate anyone questioning my decisions from now on.

The clerk brought out a red outfit with matching top and bottom.

“Isn’t it too plain?”

“This is the trend these days.”

“Is that so?”

“The cold, aloof vibe is what’s considered cool.”

Although I didn’t understand what she was talking about, I didn’t want to be a man out of touch with trends.

“Now that I look again, it’s not bad.”

I grabbed the outfit and then, feeling generous.

“Get one for each of these beggars too. In red.”

Taylor and Blair were about to voice their opinions but silently accepted the red outfits.

* * *

Dressed to impress, I stepped back onto the street. It seemed the veils were working because the stares had significantly decreased.

Finally, we could enjoy the downtown area in peace.

As we explored, I stopped abruptly at a spot where a crowd had gathered.

“Wow, that’s huge.”

Clang—Clang—The sound of hammering echoed through the ground, and the whirr of crafting tools filled the air. It was a massive blacksmith’s workshop.

Pushing through the crowd, I got closer and saw countless weapons on display.

There were even magic weapons on one side.

Beard had praised Shan Kris’s blacksmiths so highly, and now I could see why.

Blair was staring intently at something, so I asked,

“What are you looking at?”

“… I can’t believe I’m seeing Vancle here.”

Following his gaze, I saw gloves embedded with magic stones on display. Blair’s eyes were fixed on a particularly ornate pair showcased separately.

“What’s Vancle?”

“Specialized equipment used by high-ranking War Mages. I never thought I’d see something like this outside the Magic Tower.”

So, in other words, it was specialized equipment for those foolish mages who used Mana Cores.

The size of the magic stone embedded in the center of the glove indicated it was at least A-rank. Now that I looked, Taylor couldn’t take his eyes off the Vancle either.

I looked at the two of them with a disapproving gaze, their expressions practically drooling.

“Get a grip. You’re not improving because you’re distracted by such things. Wasting magic stones on making useless stuff like that.”

At that moment, a man who was admiring the Vancle next to me chuckled and said,

“You’re quite the funny young man. Calling Vancle useless. You’re not a mage by any chance, are you?”

“…”

His eyes reminded me of Snake Eyes from the past.

He had a serpentine look about him, and it didn’t seem like we’d have a productive conversation.

Not wanting to engage, I slipped away from the crowd and continued on my way.

* * *

After exploring the downtown area for a while, I grabbed a meal at the tavern we visited yesterday and returned to the lakeside inn for the night.

From the next day, I simply lingered by the lakeside, observing people.

Occasionally, I would close my eyes and carefully sense the auras of the men passing by.

Stronger individuals were gradually appearing.

In fact, some must have already entered Urgon territory.

It was customary for the host of a banquet to start receiving guests a few days in advance.

“Shouldn’t we be heading there soon?”

I shook my head at Taylor’s question.

“Going early won’t do us any good. Besides, the main characters always make their entrance last.”

On the day of the banquet.

I deliberately dawdled, and only after lunch did I leisurely stroll towards the west side of Eastern Lake.

The crowd gradually thinned, and the lake narrowed.

At some point, the path abruptly ended, and what appeared to be a patrol unit blocked the way.

“This is Urgon territory. State your business.”

I silently handed over the invitation, and the patrol leader politely stepped aside.

The path widened again, and the surrounding scenery suddenly changed.

A vast, open field stretched out before me, with a massive wall extending on both sides. Beyond that, I could sense a mana barrier.

A gatekeeper in a blue uniform emerged from the main gate, bowed deeply, and shouted,

“Welcome to Urgon! Please state your name!”

I opened my Circle and observed the gatekeeper.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

Seeing the gatekeeper’s tense expression, I knew my plan had worked.

He assumed I was someone of high status. After all, the later one arrives, the stronger they tend to be.

“I already showed the invitation at the entrance. To check again is quite disappointing for Urgon’s hospitality. What’s your affiliation, gatekeeper? I need to speak to the clan head directly.”

The gatekeeper, looking flustered, urgently gestured inside.

“My apologies.”

“I asked for your affiliation.”

The gatekeeper, with a disciplined expression, replied crisply,

“I am an apprentice of the Azure Dragon Magic Squad. I have caused you inconvenience.”

‘Apprentice?’

I had thought his aura was strong for a gatekeeper, but to think he was a mage…

He seemed far weaker than the Azure Dragon Magic Squad members I saw last time, but having mages as gatekeepers meant they were taking this banquet seriously.

At that moment, the mana barrier at the main gate disappeared, and a graceful attendant appeared from inside.

“Welcome. Please allow me to escort you.”

As soon as we entered the gate, a breathtaking view of the turquoise lake unfolded before us.

The Western Lake of Shan Kris.

I followed the attendant, taking in the surrounding scenery.

It was a lake as vast and romantic as the Eastern Lake.

It was a testament to the might of Urgon.

I slowly absorbed the sights: the spacious buildings occupying the vast land, the mana fluctuations subtly enveloping the estate and training grounds, and the Skull Marks and mages stationed throughout.

‘This is Urgon.’

The attendant led us to a grand banquet hall by the lake. Many people were already gathered inside, engaged in conversations.

Suddenly, my heart started pounding.

It seemed the banquet was about to begin.

———-