First lesson outside the barracks

"Celestoria... truly lives up to its name," Borne murmured in awe.

The city walls towered into the sky, built from thick blue stones.

Moss and vines grew along the walls, and their mottled appearance gave off an ancient aura.

Lucius was equally stunned by the sight before them.

He opened his mouth as if wanting to say something but seemed at a loss for words.

Both of them had served in Stormhaven for a long time.

Although Stormhaven was also a city with a long history, it was nowhere near as grand as Celestoria.

They slowly made their way toward the city gate, stepping into the ancient city.

Just past the gate, they were greeted by a wide plaza.

The plaza was paved with bluestone slabs, bearing countless hoofprints and wheel marks—traces of history.

The first thing that caught their eyes was a broad main street lined with various shops on both sides.

The shops flanking the street were mostly two or three-story buildings of wood and stone construction, with the lower levels made of gray or dark brown stone, giving them a solid and sturdy appearance.

The street was bustling with people, a constant stream flowing like a river.

People wore a wide variety of clothing: some in long robes and cloaks, others in leather armor, and still others in simple linen garments.

Street vendors lined the sides, selling all kinds of wares, while merchants moved between stalls, chatting and laughing with customers.

In the distance, an elderly tailor at the entrance of a tailoring shop was meticulously measuring a noblewoman, while the apprentices nearby busily mended garments, their hands moving ceaselessly.

Taverns, tea houses, and shops had their doors adorned with signs and banners in various styles.

Colorful drapes and decorations hung on the walls, and a few tables and chairs were set outside, inviting people to rest or chat.

A mage apprentice, dressed in a light blue robe, was holding a heavy spellbook, seemingly engrossed in reading.

Lucius keenly noticed a faint blue glow flickering for a moment on a small pouch hanging from the mage apprentice's waist.

He casually made his way toward the apprentice, pretending to be unaware.

Borne, following behind, noticed Lucius's actions with some curiosity but didn't ask questions and kept pace.

As they passed by the apprentice, Lucius suddenly stumbled, his body tilting forward, colliding with the mage apprentice.

The apprentice staggered, nearly dropping the spellbook.

The mage apprentice looked up angrily.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! It's so crowded here; I didn't see you. Let me compensate you."

Lucius quickly apologized, wearing a look of regret.

He swiftly reached out to steady the apprentice's shoulder while his other hand deftly moved toward the small pouch at the apprentice's waist.

With a swift and precise motion, he made almost no noise as his fingers pinched the near-mid-tier beast core, slipping it smoothly into his sleeve.

The mage apprentice accepted the copper coins from Lucius, muttering under his breath, "Two rude bumpkin soldiers."

Lucius apologized again.

The mage apprentice waved dismissively and walked away, completely unaware that something from his belongings was now missing.

Everything happened so quickly that Borne hadn't caught on to what had just occurred and, still puzzled, asked if Lucius's foot was alright.

Lucius pointed toward a stall.

"Let's fill our bellies first; it's my treat."

"Great!"

The two of them arrived at a bakery, where the baker behind his stand handed over four freshly baked loaves.

Lucius handed over eight copper coins.

As they walked away, they heard the call from behind them.

"Freshly baked bread! Hot naan just out of the oven!"

They wandered aimlessly, eating the bread as they went.

"This is ridiculous! How are we supposed to find the blacksmith shop?"

Borne was clearly overwhelmed by the bustling scene, unsure how to locate the blacksmith shop they needed.

He frowned, feeling a bit lost.

Lucius, on the other hand, remained much calmer. He squinted his eyes, carefully observing the surroundings.

Noticing a group of armored patrollers, he immediately had an idea.

"Borne, come on, I know where the blacksmith is."

Borne, still puzzled, didn't ask questions and quickly followed Lucius's lead.

Dressed in their uniforms, the two stood out amidst the bustling crowd.

The patrol captain, an older officer with a sharp gaze and arms crossed over his chest, quickly noticed them approaching and looked quite stern.

Lucius stopped a few steps away from the captain and saluted.

"Sir."

His voice was clean and clear, with a tone of respect.

The captain looked up, his gaze sweeping over them, clearly taking note of their uniforms, and eyed them warily.

"You're soldiers from outside? What do you want?"

The tone was not particularly friendly.

Lucius smiled as he swiftly approached the captain, lowering his voice, while something slipped from his sleeve into his palm.

"Sir, we've just arrived in Celestoria and are looking for a reliable blacksmith. Could you please point us in the right direction?"

Lucius quickly slipped a gray-blue object into the patrol captain's hand.

The captain's eyes twitched slightly.

He glanced down at the object with his peripheral vision, and his pupils constricted as he sharply inhaled.

The captain's fingers swiftly concealed the item as if nothing had happened, then he lowered his voice.

"If you're looking for a blacksmith, you'd best head to the southern district.

The blacksmiths there are more professional, especially near the city walls.

There are a few old, established shops with excellent craftsmanship."

Lucius nodded and politely thanked him.

"Thank you very much for your help, sir."

The captain waved his hand and added in a low voice,

"Also, if you want a shortcut, you can go through this alley and head west.

It's much quicker to get to the southern district than taking the main street."

Borne watched all of this unfold, inwardly marveling at how things could be done in such a way.

Lucius smiled slightly, saluted the captain again, and quickly left with Borne.

"You really know how to handle things. What did you give that guy?"

Borne couldn't help but ask, his curiosity mixed with a bit of admiration.

"Just a near-mid-tier beast core."

At this, Borne's eyes widened, and he stopped in his tracks.

"Where did you get it?"

Lucius shrugged, looking nonchalant.

"Just a little while ago."

Borne finally realized what had happened and understood that Lucius had stolen the item from the mage apprentice earlier!

He stared in shock, blurting out,

"Ste—"

Before he could finish, Lucius quickly noticed Borne's intention and swiftly covered his mouth, speaking in a low tone,

"Shh, don't say anything."

Borne froze for a moment, then obediently nodded.

Lucius let go of his hand, ensuring no one around them had noticed, and continued walking.

"Don't make such a fuss, Borne.

We don't know him; what are you so worried about?

Besides, those mage apprentices are all wealthy; they wouldn't miss a mid-tier beast core.

That mage apprentice's robe alone could buy the lives of ten of us."

Borne's face showed reluctance, but he nodded nonetheless.

Though he felt a bit uncomfortable with the act, he understood that Lucius meant well.