While I did expect that Zelindo may send someone to check on me or even accompany me, even after his long-winded explanation about why I was the perfect candidate and everything else, I didn't think much about it.

Still opening the door in response to the knocking, I almost cursed at the man. "What the fuck?" Niceties were for other situations, so I said what I thought as I looked at the group of five, armed to the teeth, standing before the house, led by no one else than Falko.

"And a good dawning to you, too, Maester Lindar." Falko, who had exchanged his usual clothes for a mix of leather and chainmail, as well as added a small crossbow to his sword, which now hung on what appeared to be a holster strapped to his right side, gave me a bow, maintaining the courtesy while his voice oozed sarcasm.

"Eh, sorry for that." It was definitively wrong to go and offend someone who never allowed himself even a mean word, but seeing him and another four armed people had made me think more that something happened than that they could be my escort. Something that I conveyed to him after inviting the group inside. Yet only he entered the house, the other four staying outside.

"Apologies accepted, even if they are unrequired. From what I heard Maester Zelindo explain about your talks, he did miss the part about us escorting you to the [Spire]. It also seems he decided on it overnight, as we just learned about it at dawn." After hearing me out, Falko dismissed the matter.

"So you five will be my escort? I am thankful for that, even if I don't understand the need for one. Or why Zelindo decided to send you out while being under such threat." I only touched on half the truth, as I was more nervous about my safety than Zelindo's. {Falko aside, four people I don't know at all and in such a setting? I hope there's not a new Eithne among them.}

Chubu showed me that even among the ones considered trusted, there could be a bad apple. Worse than that, it also showed me that what I saw with [Status Screen] wasn't true-to-life, at least, when remembering that Eithne led everyone by the nose for a long time, having no numbers in either of the skills she should have to do so. On a smaller scale, the same I had confirmed recently with Soni, who, with a measly 6, at [Deceit], had no problem hiding her true personality from who she wanted, the lovestruck Azar included.

While doubting that I could find out anything, I still took my time to examine my temporary companions. Thanks to my [Perfect Memory] and [Status Screen], a glance at the three women and the single, if we exclude Falko, man, where enough to get all the details and analyze them without them being present.

Thus, while I continued talking with Falko, who explained the route we would take and some other things to know before setting out, my mind worked on something else. It studied and analyzed the stats, skills, titles, and even looks of the quartet, trying to find anything odd or worthy of caution.

The last part of Falko's explanation brought me back to focus on the ongoing conversation. "...if the Maester is right and there is something fishy going on, then as soon as you find out anything, you will be targeted, and where else could it happen but outside? The [Spire] is heavily protected, and no one unrelated can enter it. Still, no one but a few people are allowed to stay there overnight, and you are not of them."

"I see." Well, now I at least understood what was going on or why Zelindo suddenly decided to send me a sizable escort. No matter how good of a fighter he considers me to be, I still need to eat, rest, and, most importantly, sleep. Plus, if the [Spire] was so guarded and restricted, then I probably may require more eyes than just mine, especially outside.

It also explained why he sent Falko along, even if the guy was below his companions' skill. {Let's hope that I am just being paranoid and, for now, trust in Zelindo's judgment. After all, the old fox is definitively neither dumb nor naive.}

"Anyway, now that we went over all we had to, let me introduce the others and head off." I was just about to ask Falko why the rush. After all, the [Spire] was barely ten [Primordial Steps] from Megvuroz, and Azar would only meet us in the late afternoon.

Yet, Falko guessed it and answered without waiting for me to ask, "If we arrive early, as we should, we can go around and familiarize ourselves with the surroundings. I have only been once to the [Knowledge Spire], and it was on official business, so it's better to get a better grasp of the workshops and everything else.

_______

The first one Falko introduced was a woman, probably somewhat younger than me, named Larcia. Her attire consisted of light chainmail that barely reached her thighs and covered only up to her shoulders, from before which light-blue padded clothes poked out.

She also was equipped with leather armguards and knee guards, carried a short, not longer than a meter and a half, spear, and had a round shield on her back made of leather-covered wood reinforced with iron barbs that made me unsure of if it was a piece of defensive equipment, or if the several-centimeter long spikes were more of a weapon.

With her waist-long brown hair, petite build, and an attractive face adorned with some freckles and greenish eyes that got along with her pale skin, I would call her cute, if not for the amount of cussing she revealed to speak out even at our first meeting, something that, as I would later discover, was basically her preferred way to communicate.

NAME (As I see it) LEVEL (Hiding anything below average) Strength 12 Danger-Sense 11 Piercing 14 Timing 12 Shield-Combat 17 Block 15

The one to follow was Larthi, who looked like a girl more than a woman, even if she actually turned out to be Larcia's older sister. With barely a meter and a half of height, short hair, and the same freckles and green eyes as her sister, I would hardly take her for a warrior if not for her sunburned skin and equipment. The padded armor, leather bracers, single glove on her right hand, daggers on her belt, and the bow and quiver on her back made her looks irrelevant, especially if one could see her [Status Screen], as I could. And as if to counter her sister, there was Larthi's melodious, low-toned voice and polite manners.

NAME (As I see it) LEVEL (Hiding anything below average) Strength 11 Agility (Dexterity) 13 Camping 12 Orientation 17 Mapping 16 Danger-Sense 19 Identification 11 Detection 14 Hunting 13 Stealth (New?!) 11 Ranged-Combat 15 Accuracy 16 Timing 19

Then it was Thiph, a woman who looked in her mid-twenties and had everything, impressive stats, looks, and equipment. Black-eyed and black-haired, her face was an absolute work of art, each detail complementing the other, from the pale skin to the slightly pointed nose or her reddish lips and upturned eyes.

The only one of the group to wear heavier steel armor, she wore not only a short chainmail and a steel chest protector but also had stell knee-guards, shoulder-guards, arm-guards, and even had her boots covered with plate, nearly as the one of the knights I had met. And that without mentioning her triangle-shaped steel shield on her right arm or that she carried not one but two swords, one shorter than the other, strapped to her hips, with a longer one on her right side, meant to be used by her left hand. She also had a big-ass crossbow on her back, fairly thrice the size of the light one I had inside my [Inventory].

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

NAME (As I see it) LEVEL (Hiding anything below average) Strength 15 Body (Constitution) 14 Education 11 Danger-Sense 16 Identification 14 Detection 16 First-Aid 11 Slashing 13 Close-Quarters 15 Shield-Combat 11 Counter-Attack 12 Parry 11 Block 13 Maintenance 15 Leadership 11 Command 12 Planning 14

The last one would be Caille, a man in his thirties with a heavy, oversized sword hanging on his back, dressed in full leather armor reinforced with thicker, but still leather, shoulder guards. He had his light brown hair cut short, leaving the impression of having an army-like shave that was lightly overgrown and a face whose main point was a heavy, square chin.

Between his steel-like, light blue eyes and their constant darting around as if looking out for a threat or a target to unleash whatever had made him permanently have a frown on his face, he looked somewhat dangerous and unapproachable.

NAME (As I see it) LEVEL (Hiding anything below average) Strength 14 Body 11 Force 13 Quick 11 Close-Quarters 14 Slashing 11 Counter-Attack 12 Parry 13 Danger-Sense 11 Urler Sword Path, Apprentice (Title, never seen before) -

Everyone was quite impressive, especially Thiph. Yet, Caille's title was the one that attracted me most and made me think back to Captain Kaid's one, {Is it a kind of actual sword style people learn? Or just my own understanding of a title I haven't seen before?} His skillset was just too similar, even if far lower, and his title of apprentice actually confirmed my thoughts, at least to a degree.

Actually, I couldn't help but feel somewhat wronged by my nearly-perfect [Analyze], as sometimes it would show me question marks (as it should when meeting the unknown), but on others, I saw a term that I had no idea about.

_______

Introductions done, Falko and I took point as we walked toward the city's eastern gate. The other four kept their distance, acting as if they were a separate group but not drifting too far in case something happened, not that anyone, even I, expected anything to happen inside Megvuroz.

The incidents seemingly related to the followers of the [One God] had brought the city on edge, but they also had done so with security measures. If before, one could walk a few streets without seeing even a single guard, except for the odd patrol or one of the official buildings, now there was at least a pair of guards at every step. It was also probably of the same incidents lessening the number of passersby, making the guards nearly as numerous as the citizens.

The city's plaza was nearly empty, while near the Viscount's Palace, it appeared that a war parade was taking place as at least a dozen of guards in immaculate chainmail, and fully armed, stood at attention or walked around, examining every nook and cranny of the surroundings.

"The fires, robbings, and everything else has everyone on guard..." Falko commented as we walked by the [City's Prison], the black, square-tower-like building with no windows but small barred openings on its four floors I had noticed during the [Traders' Street] incident.

And he was definitively on point, as the prison's surroundings appeared as a damn military camp, city guards, and even some armed citizens crowding around while watching after every passerby and direction. The latter made me ask Falko about them, as weapons were not a common sight when in the hands and on the belts of anyone but guards except when one was entering or leaving the city.

"With the dozens of incidents, both big and small, as well as the overall situation, the Viscount even called for the citizens that know how to fight; the city's militia.-" Falko answered right away, and as his words were confirmed by [Status Screen], nearly every unarmored man and woman indeed having at least some martial skills, he continued, although in a low voice, "-almost as if it is wartime."

"And he is right! The situation is close to war, especially with all that religious nonsense every damn idiot is babbling about." Caille, the sole other man of the escort group, had moved closer to us as we walked past the prison, and he shared his opinion.

"Nonsense..?" Intrigued by the wording, I repeated the word before looking at him.

"Yeah! Everything they speak about, it is nothing but nonsense. While I do not follow the [One God], nearly half of my relatives do, and I am sure that no one of them condones anything of this shit. Not with some of them escaping the accursed [Holy State] and their policy of burning whatever and whoever doesn't follow what the priests say. They all wish to live in peace and use the freedom the Kingdom gives them. So, why would anyone try and ruin all of it?!" Caille half shouted, half growled his explanation, making everyone close, who thankfully amounted to just me and Falko, understand that, in his case, it was truly personal.

"First, do not shout about your ties with the [One God] faith-" Falko spoke up and then paused, waiting until Caille turned towards him with a nearly-enraged expression, "-we all have friends or relatives that at some degree are connected, but right now, we should care more about their safety than paint a target on their backs."

At first, I had no idea what Falko spoke about, but then, I recalled Arxibiela's words about the local troublemakers and their [Dousing Brigade] shit, prompting me to ask if it was so bad.

"Not as to the point of the Viscount having to interfere, but the guards already have been forced to subdue a few fools that think they can do whatever they want under their so-called righteous purpose." While he did it so I wouldn't notice, I actually did glimpse at how he nudged Caille to shut up before the latter managed to speak.

{Damn, if it is so bad, the girls are in more dangerous circumstances than I thought!} My first thought was to drop everything and rush back home or even Welo's store, but recalling Dart and Xiela's men, I managed to calm down enough to understand that they were in no more danger than a noble with personal guards. Not that it helped me to worry less.

***

Having found a new reason to worry about, I nearly disconnected from everything else until we reached the city's gates. Not that my [Perfect Memory] didn't allow me to recall the commotion and heavy guard around [Megvuroz] main temple, the one dedicated to the [Ten], as I found out from Falko's explanations.

"Starting from yesterday, faithful are restricted from accessing without being subjected to a check by both the guard and the temple personnel. Granted, not the best measure right now, but understandable if one considers their sustained losses during all of this madness." The one to complete Falko's words and clarify what was going on was Thiph, the most heavily armed of these [Trade Guild] elites assigned to me explained, having moved near us at some point.

While I had no interest in other faiths, I still had a Goddess-level task to complete, so I snapped out of my worry to think about her words. As well as thank her with a nod. {So, religious freedom or not, the Kingdom and nobles do interfere, at least in safety matters? And the part about the temple personnel also examining people, are they using some secret method, or do they actually know every one of their believers?} Useful as it could be to learn more, I quickly returned to my still undispelled worries about the girls, brushing the thoughts aside.

My second snap out, the permanent one, would be as we reached the east gates. {Should I go to visit them?} Lod's explanation included the directions from the house and the gates, so I would have no trouble finding it. Still, in the end, I decided against it, following Falko toward the gatehouse. Yet, this time, not a single person was present near it.

Was it because of the increased amount of guards? The situation? An order from the Viscount? Or a mix of all of them? Who knew, but the view couldn't lie. Even if it was just about past midday, not a single soul except for the guards was present all around the gates.

***

After flashing our badges, Falko passed a small token made of steel, which he would later reveal to be a free passage sign from the Viscount's court, and just like that, both of us left the city, bringing me to new, unvisited lands. Though we wouldn't move right away, in place waiting for our four, once again stepping away from us, companions to also cross the three gatehouses, having received a similar token.

"Now, we move as a group. The surrounding villages and Baron Alid Rao'r of the [Lao'z Castle] received the notice that [Megvuroz] is half-closed and will stop their patrols and so stopped their own people from traveling here. So the roads will be far emptier, and I think we all know what that means..." I may not know the local situation, but Falko's words were enough for me to go full alert, aware that no patrols and reduced traffic could only mean one thing - trouble.