The guards did not lead Lin Gui to the magnificent castle.
Instead, they led him through a few streets to the guard training camp in the eastern district.
Before they even drew near, the thunderous shouts of training drills and the clashing of weapons resounded.
Occasional magical explosions also drifted over, mixing into the chaotic din.
The air was thick with the scent of sweat and dust.
Walking into the bustling training field, Lin Gui immediately spotted the City Lord sitting on the high viewing platform.
He was a plump, middle-aged man dressed in luxurious silk robes.
Standing beside him was a solemn-looking Knight Commander.
Nearby was the City Lord's daughter, dressed in an intricate lace gown and wearing exquisite makeup.
She was idly playing with her nails.
Her face was written with impatience and reluctance, showing absolutely no interest in the sweat and struggle on the field below.
Lin Gui looked at the guard captain leading the way with a puzzled expression.
The guard captain smiled awkwardly and explained in a lowered voice.
“The City Lord said... he wants you to... prove your strength first. To prove you have the ability to take on that lucrative commission.”
Lin Gui looked utterly bewildered.
“I have to prove myself? Prove what? Isn't he the one begging me to take the mission?”
The guard captain grew even more embarrassed, leaning close to Lin Gui's ear to whisper in an extremely low, rapid voice.
“Oh, Lord Mage Lin Gui, surely you understand how nobles are by now?”
“They love putting on airs! Even though he's the one begging you to do something, he has to make it look like you're the one begging him so he can act all picky.”
“The City Lord has always looked down on adventurers, thinking they're low-class and unrefined, but because of that...”
“...that little ancestor of his is in a real hurry to get to Caran City.”
“And we really can't find any other High Rank mages in New Covenant City, which is why he came to you.”
“Actually, besides you, the City Lord has already assembled an escort squad led by the Knight Commander.”
“All they need now is a High Rank mage to hold down the fort and handle any threats in the wilderness.”
“In the entire New Covenant City, you're the only one who fits the bill.”
Lin Gui finally understood, but asked curiously.
“Why is the City Lord in such a hurry to send his daughter to Caran City? It's not safe over there right now.”
The guard captain curled his lips, his voice dropping even lower.
“It's because of some old ancestral tradition. Apparently, they have a generational marriage alliance with a prominent noble family in Caran City.”
“The City Lord's wife came from there, in fact.”
“Now that this young lady has come of age, she has to be sent over to marry a noble young master there.”
“They want to cling tightly to this connection, hoping the entire family can move to a major city like Caran in the future.”
“After all, the Dark Tide will be here in less than half a year.”
“Anyone with the means wants to head to a bigger city. It's much safer, after all.”
“Ah, I see.”
Lin Gui came to a sudden realization.
Recalling the rumors of this young lady's arrogant and overbearing behavior in New Covenant City, he remarked with some emotion.
“That's probably for the best. At least she won't stay here and keep causing trouble for New Covenant City.”
The guard captain nodded secretly in deep agreement.
Glancing at the City Lord on the high platform, who seemed to be growing impatient, he quickly whispered to Lin Gui.
“Lord Lin Gui, if you really don't want to take this troublesome mission.”
“Just hold back during the test and lose on purpose. That way, everyone has an easy way out.”
Lin Gui nodded, quite pleased with this arrangement.
He wouldn't have to waste his breath arguing with the City Lord; he would just throw a fake match and lose.
This would prove he was indeed as “low-class” as the City Lord thought.
Then he could easily decline this troublesome chore. Perfect.
“Oh, right. This is the payment for the test. You get it regardless of whether you win or lose.”
As the guard captain spoke, he slipped five shiny gold coins into Lin Gui's hand.
Lin Gui's eyes instantly lit up, and he deftly pocketed the gold coins.
The silent complaints he had harbored toward the City Lord instantly transformed into sincere praise.
“Our City Lord... is actually a pretty decent guy!”
Even though he knew this amount of money was probably just pocket change for an afternoon tea to a noble.
“The test is simple. Just spar with that warrior over there who came to apply. It's just a friendly match.”
The guard captain pointed to an empty circle in the center of the martial field.
Lin Gui nodded and walked toward the center.
His appearance had already drawn some attention.
In particular, the adventurers and veterans who recognized him began whispering.
“Isn't that the messenger, Mage Lin Gui?”
“What is he doing here?”
As Lin Gui walked, he pondered how to lose naturally.
It couldn't look too fake, yet it had to perfectly convey that he was “outmatched.”
Just then, a sudden commotion erupted at the entrance of the martial field.
The shouting and training noises that had filled the air were suddenly choked off as if by an invisible hand, quickly dying down.
Almost every eye was involuntarily drawn to the source.
A guard was leading a figure into the martial field.
The first thing that caught everyone's eye was a simple traveler's cloak.
However, the hood wasn't fully drawn, and a few strands of silver hair, flowing like moonlight, playfully escaped from beneath it.
As she drew closer, the shadow of the hood could no longer conceal her breathtaking face.
Her skin was as fair as the finest mutton-fat jade.
Set against the rugged backdrop of the training camp, it exuded a heart-stopping purity.
Her emerald-green eyes seemed to shimmer with flowing light as she looked around.
Her facial features were as delicate as a deity's most perfect masterpiece.
Every line was flawless—any more would be too much, any less would be too little.
She simply walked in silence, yet she seemed to carry her own light, illuminating the drab surroundings.
“A-A goddess has descended to earth...”
A young guard's mouth fell open, entirely oblivious to the wooden training shield slipping from his hand and clattering to the ground.
“A-An elf! It's an elf!”
Another veteran with a bit more experience stammered in a low voice, his eyes filled with awe.
“Heavens... I've never seen anyone... anyone so beautiful in my life...”
An adventurer muttered to himself, forgetting to wipe the sweat from his brow.
“She seems to be looking this way... M-My heart is beating so fast...”
Another soldier instinctively stood up straighter, his face flushing red.
Even the City Lord's daughter on the high platform, who had been completely uninterested...
She couldn't help but sit up straight and peer over curiously, a faint trace of jealousy flashing in her eyes.
The City Lord himself and the Knight Commander were also clearly drawn, whispering to each other.
The entire martial field seemed to have been placed on mute, leaving only heavy breathing and irrepressible gasps of admiration.
All eyes were focused on the elven girl.
They were filled with shock, admiration, and disbelief.
He heard the rising tide of unmasked praise and sharp intakes of breath around him.
Lin Gui's brow twitched violently, and an extremely ominous premonition welled up in his heart.
He raised his head, watching the figure being led by a guard toward the other side of the martial field.
His eyes instantly went dead and lifeless with exhaustion.
Her eye color had changed to a common emerald green.
But with that breathtaking silhouette and that uniquely ethereal elven aura, who else could it be but Theia?!
Theia also spotted Lin Gui in the field, her face instantly displaying surprise followed by a slight, guilty look of being caught red-handed.
She apparently hadn't expected to run into Lin Gui here either.
“Theia!”
Lin Gui called out speechlessly, his voice sounding exceptionally clear in the suddenly quiet martial field.
“Didn't you say you were going out for a stroll? How did you end up strolling here?”
The crowd's gaze followed her.
Theia trotted over to Lin Gui's side with a slightly embarrassed expression and whispered.
“Uh... I just thought I'd make some pocket money while I had the time. We can't actually eat dirt on the way to the City of Equality, can we?”
“I heard them say you get five gold coins just for participating in the test! Isn't that basically free money?”
“I can just hold back and admit defeat to get five gold coins! It's a total steal!”
The more she spoke, the more she felt her plan was flawless, her eyes shining brightly.
“By the way, Lin Gui, don't tell me... you actually want to take this commission??”
Lin Gui: “...”
He looked at the elven girl before him, who was thrilled to have discovered this “wealth hack.”
She was completely unaware that she had become the center of attention for the entire venue.
Then he thought of the City Lord on the high platform, waiting to watch a duel between “experts.”
He also thought of the five-gold-coin “hush money” he had just pocketed...
Today's matter, it seemed, would not end according to the simple script he had envisioned.
Rate on N.U.
