Messenger

Well~ A lot happened until now, I guess we should trust Kibamaru-san to do what he feels is right, Gin thought as he turned to look back at the looming building behind him.

Framed against the blue skies, with its rafters extending upto the heavens and its majestic grandeur depicting of a valiant history, the Grand Palace was not just a mere building built to flaunt the Akagami clan's countless generations of accumulated wealth and prestige.

It was a symbol. A symbol of ages past, of heroes risen and fallen in battle, their countless battle exploits and strategies all recorded in detail within its halls.

Smiling, he turned and walked on. Casually, he reached into the folds of his shirt and pulled out a long white envelope. Looking it over once more, his mind wondered back to the conversation he had with Kibamaru before he departed.

_

"I suppose you'll be leaving for Cardinal City after this?" Kibamaru asked.

Nagahide nodded, affirmatively. "Yes,"

There are four major cities that are acknowledged by both the Union and Mana-artist as universal trade posts. One was the once obscure city, Lamparr which came to fame during the Third World War.

The others were Inran, Yamashi, two cities that were acknowledged to be under the influence of Mitsuhide clan-the water-series Mana-artist family and Windblade clan of the Wind-series, respectively.

Many mana-artists clans have cities under their influence, where they receive resources to cultivate their scions. It's a give and take situation, where the clan provides protection to the citizens and the citizens provides resources to the clan. Of course, some other underground families do not follow these types of rules. For such families Lamparr city was the most suitable to exchange and trade for resources.

Aside from these three cities there was one other city. This city holds quite a special status among both factions, Union and Mana-artists.

This city was mostly focused on development and research. Cardinal city was first founded during the midst of war and was developed by a wondering priest named Zedriff. He was a mysterious person who started a orphanage that took in war orphans and provided them with clothes and food.

No one had ever seen what he had looked like and like he had appeared he disappeared just as mysteriously, as if he had never existed in the first place. Unwilling to let his name disappear just like that, soon a city appeared spreading out and developing at a rapid pace.

It was said that the orphans were behind this rapid development, but many discarded such notions thinking that there's no way children would be able to develop such a grand and majestic city that held countless experts in awe of its grandeur.

Some believed it to be the work of the Auditors but up to now, even when the war has stopped, and the times of peace slowly but surely approaching, no one had ever seen head or tails of this mysterious entity that was said to be so powerful that one member alone could rival a god.

Cardinal city. City of mystery. No one knows its ruler. Nor does anyone know of its purpose. On the surface many saw it as a city focused on developing new inventions and innovations. But many of the higher ups with various clans and the union was suspicious about its true nature.

One of the main reasons for it was the fact that upto now, no one had launched a battle of conquest for it. Many cities, whether large or small fell under the jurisdiction of a Mana-artist clan or the Union. But the Cardinal City was the only one that remained neutral and aloof over this power-struggle.

And to remain neutral for such a long time in the midst of such overwhelming powers where both sides are no less than dragons...it just goes to show that the Cardinal City was not as weak as it portrayed itself out to be.

And now, Kibamaru had given him explicit orders to deliver a message to a person of authority in that very city.

"Send this letter to that person," Kibamaru had said, stamping the clan's crest onto the bottom of the letter. Carefully puuting the letter into the envelope he held it out to Nagahide, who took it.

"You understand right?" Kibamaru asked.

Nagahide nodded, solemnly. Then he had left without looking back.

_

To be powerful in such a city means that the person in question was not a mere push over either, Nagahide mused, as he put the letter back. Which means I would have to be careful ...Then his figure became transparent. Soon after, his figure had vanished as if he hadn't been there at all.

From where he stood under a stone archway, a black shadows soon detached itself from the shadowy crevices at the foot of the archway and left in the same direction he had been going...