After leaving the restaurant, Jin was wandering the city streets, observing the markets. He was looking for anything suspicious, but… he found nothing!
He stopped in front of one of the shops; it was a bakery. The shop owner was an old man sitting on a rocking chair in front of the place, holding his cane. He was a normal, calm old man.
Old Man: "Are you looking for something specific, young man?"
Jin looked at him; he didn't sense anything strange about him. He truly was just an ordinary citizen.
Jin: "No, grandfather, I was just looking to see if there were any stuffed pastries."
Old Man: "Yes, certainly. They are inside. You will find my grandson inside; go in, don't be shy."
Jin didn't want to buy anything, but because of his anxiety regarding the danger of the investigation, he was trying to act very natural even with simple people. Therefore, he entered the shop.
Inside, he found the man's grandson, a small child, perhaps around ten years old. Jin joked with the child for a bit, then took some pastries and left.
When he stepped out, he stood for a moment watching the scene before him, feeling a slight hint of doubt about the situation. There were four men wearing long hooded coats and masks covering their entire faces; these were the Heretical Inquisitors, and in the lead was a young Holy Knight.
Jin looked at the people in the market around him and found the situation calm. This was a bit strange; according to his information, the Inquisitors wandering in their official uniforms usually signified an urgent matter.
Jin asked the old man beside him: "Why don't the people feel anxious about the presence of the Inquisitors, even though they are wandering in their official uniforms?"
Old Man: "That is because of the young man in the lead."
Jin looked at them. The knight in the lead was a young man, perhaps in his twenties. He had snow-white hair and bright gray eyes. People were greeting him, and it seemed they knew his identity, not just out of respect for his status.
Jin felt curious and asked the old man: "Who is this knight? And why does someone like him have simple people knowing him and dealing with him so cordially?"
The old man smiled.
Old Man: "This boy is called [Lucian]. It is said he is the best talent in the Temple. He goes on many patrols outside the Holy Kingdom and wanders among the commoners, checking on security naturally. He interacts with people a lot, which is why they love him. Therefore, people do not feel anxious about the Inquisitors when he is present."
Jin looked at Lucian, feeling a strange sensation he couldn't understand. But what sparked his concern was… that he could not measure his strength. However, he didn't care much for the matter; his knowledge of Holy Power was limited, and it was natural not to be able to estimate the strength of Holy Knights easily.
Later… Jin went to the Temple.
The situation was normal. At the outer gate, they searched him quietly and spoke to him with respect, and it was the same for everyone entering the place. Inside the Temple, there were some Inquisitors and knights performing guard duty. Outside, there was a section resembling a hospital filled with healers, and people were paying their respects to the statue of the Ruler of Light [Luminara].
Jin looked at them, smiling sarcastically while muttering in an inaudible voice: "These poor souls, they sanctify another creature and believe it is a god."
Jin wandered the place for a bit and found nothing strange, so he decided to leave. Jin turned and began walking. The knight Lucian passed by him. Jin felt a bit of tension; this was because he hadn't sensed Lucian's presence or the sound of his footsteps until he saw him, even though he had sensed the Inquisitors around him.
Lucian looked at him and spoke cordially: "Oh? What are you doing here?"
Jin turned his head feeling anxious, wanting to know the meaning of this behavior. Lucian's expression changed, and he spoke with embarrassment.
"Haha, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone I knew. Anyway, do you need anything?"
Jin relaxed a little.
Jin: "It's alright. Thank you, I don't need anything."
Jin left, but Lucian remained standing, watching. One of the Inquisitors beside him asked: "Is there something strange?"
Lucian: "No, he just looks like a friend of mine. He has the same eyes. But… there is something strange."
Inquisitor: "What is it?"
Lucian: "This person… I didn't sense his presence until I saw him."
Inquisitor: "It's fine, perhaps he is a strong warrior."
Lucian: "No..."
Lucian's gaze changed to one filled with doubt, and he finished his words in a calm, serious tone: "I couldn't measure his strength at all… but there is something strange… a feeling I don't understand."
Inquisitor: "Man, for goodness' sake, what's so strange about there being a warrior whose strength you can't measure? Let's go."
They moved from the spot, but Lucian was still thinking: This person… he is roughly my age… how could my eyes not measure his strength?
Outside, Jin was about to leave the square, but a conversation between two soldiers caught his attention.
"Hey… the Bishop will be leaving soon."
"What's the problem? He came quietly and will leave quietly via the forest road. Why do you care?"
"I was wondering, why doesn't he come with a procession instead of leaving quietly?"
"They say he is a man who loves simplicity."
The two soldiers continued their conversation, but Jin didn't care about the rest and left. He was thinking about what he had heard.
I don't know why… but I feel it would be good to keep an eye on this person.
End of Chapter