They stood before a grand yet timeworn establishment, its structure a contradiction of faded grandeur and lingering decadence. The towering building loomed over the street, its upper levels adorned with ornate carvings, now chipped and weathered with age. Golden lanterns flickered outside, casting elongated shadows that danced across the damp cobblestones. Music pulsed from within, muffled yet rhythmic, intertwined with the occasional burst of raucous laughter. Despite the revelry inside, the street remained eerily quiet, as though the very walls of Rivermoore held their breath.Calen lingered in the shadows, his gaze locked onto the hooded figure ahead. They didn’t even glance at the main entrance, where a pair of doormen in fine yet well-worn attire kept watch. Instead, they cast a swift, almost habitual glance over their shoulder before slipping into the narrow alleyway beside the building.Calen’s instincts flared. He adjusted his hood and followed, keeping his steps light, his bo

Calen walked back to the inn with steady steps, though his mind was filled with countless possibilities. The night air felt colder—or maybe it was just the effect of the adrenaline slowly fading after his encounter with that woman. He had been lucky not to get killed tonight—but luck alone wouldn’t be enough to complete his mission.He couldn’t be reckless.Once he arrived at the inn, he went up to his room, locked the door, and dropped onto the bed. His eyes stared at the wooden ceiling above him, his thoughts racing.That woman lived in the palace. That was the only certainty he had gained tonight.But how could he sneak into the palace without drawing attention?Calen closed his eyes, recalling the map of the city he had studied before coming to Rivermoore. The palace was located deep within the city, surrounded by high walls and heavily guarded. The main gate was always watched, and even the royal servants had to show their permits to enter and exit.Sneaking in just like that? Im

One of the courtesans, a woman with deep auburn hair and mischievous eyes, leaned in, lowering her voice as if to share a delicious secret. "There’s quite the interesting rumor going around," she said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.Garrick raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? And what might that be?"The woman’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. "They say the Queen herself has taken an interest in something happening here in Rivermoore. Something… illegal."Calen, who had been silently nursing his drink, barely flicked an eyelid, but his attention sharpened. He resisted the urge to lean forward, knowing it was better to let the information flow naturally.Garrick chuckled, shaking his head. "Illegal business in Rivermoore? Unlikely. This city runs tighter than a ship in a storm."The woman hummed, swirling the wine in her goblet. "Perhaps. But even the purest river has shadows beneath its surface, don’t you think?" She traced a delicate finger along the rim of her cup. "The

The streets near the palace were cloaked in deepening darkness, the air thick with the distant scent of damp stone and burning oil. The flickering lanterns along the roads cast long, wavering shadows, stretching like ghostly fingers across the uneven cobblestones. Their weak glow failed to reach the narrow alleyways, where silence reigned and the city's filth clung to the walls like forgotten whispers.Calen moved with measured grace, his disguise flowing around him like the delicate robe of a noblewoman slipping through the city on some clandestine errand. He kept his steps unhurried, his posture demure, careful to let his movements betray uncertainty—the hesitation of someone out of place, someone who had wandered too far from safety.It was a calculated performance. A lure.But he was not alone."Hey, beautiful! Where are you going?"The voice came from the shadows to his left, slurred yet confident, thick with the lazy arrogance of a man who knew his authority granted him a certai

Calen scanned the barracks, eyes sweeping over the rows of neatly arranged bunks. He needed an empty bed. A place where no one would question his presence—at least for now.Fortunately, in a palace this size, soldiers were constantly being transferred, rotated, or added to the ranks. There were always a few unclaimed spaces meant for new arrivals.He spotted one. A simple cot near the back. No personal belongings. No signs of ownership.Perfect.Without hesitation, he moved toward it and sat down, his muscles finally relaxing after the long, tense night. For now, he had blended in.But just as he let his guard down for a moment—"Hey!"The sharp voice snapped his focus back into place. Instantly alert, he rose to his feet as someone approached.A young soldier.Short brown hair, bright green eyes, and a wide, friendly grin. He carried himself with an easy confidence, his expression open and unguarded. The kind of man who made friends wherever he went."I don’t think I’ve seen you befo