- Three days earlier a letter, and now you bring me a knife. You truly know how to treat women with gifts, Adrius Vardally.

- Come on, Flor. I tried the inspection facility, but they could not find any traces. It's urgent, and you are the best at this.

- I like your last sentence. Is this the main weapon?

- Yeah, he died from being stabbed through the chest by this thing. This seems to be the most vital clue remaining.

- Okay, let me try the Separation spell.

The spell that Florence refers to is the technique used to find workshop marks on objects. This is a type of stamp that is enchanted to mark the workshop of many specific items, including weapons. Arms factories in Bravovia must use this mark to be considered legal business, products made without the mark will be listed as illegally manufactured and will be confiscated. People delivering or using them are against the law and will be treated as criminals. This is a common regulation implemented by human kingdoms to control the production and weapon trading activities. And just as Adrius had predicted, Florence did not find a workshop mark on this knife. A murderer usually won't leave such obvious evidence.

- Although I couldn't find the mark, I know this is a product of the Ys'tavian people. The inner core of the knife handle is made from wood of the Thorn Oak tree, which is only found in the Forbidden Forest where they inhabit. Also, this artifact can only be made by the skills of the Ys'tavians.

- Great. Thank you, Flor. That is the most useful information today for me.

Florence skillfully combined the fragments of the knife back to its original state. This work requires a lot of experience on the expert level, but with her "blessing hands", the young lady of the Hestic family has mastered these techniques from an early age. She slowly removed the protective gloves, being careful not to scratch the nail polish she had just made yesterday. 2 experiments in 3 days, that's too much exposure to spells and Obsidian powder (a material used in alchemy), not to mention the cold weather which made hand skin rough easily. If it weren't for the request from someone she had a special affection for like Adrius, Florence certainly wouldn't have let her meticulously groomed fingers be "at risk" that much.

- All right, detective. Have you come to any conclusions?

- Sort of. A scholar named Damian was killed by someone not from the Astronomical Institute. By the time I got there, he had already been killed a day before. The culprit infiltrated at night, stabbed him to death, then left. The only clue he left behind was an unauthorized Ys'tavian knife.

- How do you know he was killed by an outsider?

- Shoe prints. There was rainwater and mud, but not the kind of soil found around the Alburnic region, which hadn't rained for several months now. So this trace must have come from somewhere else.

- Scholars at the Institute could also go elsewhere and then come back to commit crimes.

- Yeah, that's a possibility. So I spent the whole day checking it. No scholar has left the campus of the Institute for a month. The only one who was about to leave was Damian, if what he wrote in his letter was true. So Starglance scholars couldn't leave such traces.

Adrius reached for the Sunglade apple juice on the table and took a large sip. It has been his favorite drink since childhood, and the best type is only served at the Hestic Manor. With the current devastating winter situation, Sunglade apple juice is becoming more and more popular in Althia because of its ability to keep the body warm for a long time. Using a new yeast recipe, Lance & Luthers Inc. has beaten all competitors and become the exclusive manufacturer of this drink in the Kingdom.

Behind the success of this brand is the Hestic family, who have invested lots of money in facilities and human resources for their business. Their ability to understand people's needs and predict the next market trend is what has helped them rise to become the second largest family in Althia, even though they started out as merchants with modest wealth in the northern lands. It is their rapid growth in power that sometimes makes other houses, including the Darvally family - descendants of the founders of Althia and still rule the kingdom to this day, feeling wary. However, the King never showed his concern to his Adrius, because he did not want political calculations to interfere with the pure friendship between him and Florence. Besides, until now, the Hestic family still keeps a close relation with the Althia nobles and well-played their part as a great house in this Kingdom's difficult time, so concerning their loyalty is unnecessary.

Florence watched intently as Adrius sipped his favorite drink. Then, she continued to ask:

- What do you think about the letter? Does anyone in the Institute know about his intentions?

- Unfortunately everyone said no, even though I'm not sure they're all telling the truth. They said for about a month now he has been conducting his own research, but he does it alone and does not share the information with anyone.

- I guess they are studies on the unusual situation of the Kingdom, right?

- Right. Even the reason he was killed was most likely due to these studies. His library was ransacked, many papers were stolen or torn. The remaining manuscripts are also Althia's observations of weather conditions, and the handwriting matched perfectly.

- So from what I understand, there is a person, or a force that intentionally caused a weather disaster for Althia, and anyone who wants to stop them will be eliminated. This ill-fated scholar is an example.

She excitedly snapped her fingers as she came to conclusion, startling Adrius. This girl's hand movements always surprise others… in many different ways. He smiled:

- Well, Flor, your wit truly is sharper than a knife. If there is a dark force behind all this, then finding them will be the key to unleash Althia from this damn winter. That's why catching this murderer is even more crucial.

- So what are you going to do next?

- I need to identify the owner of this knife. I'm going to Grydour tomorrow. That's the best place to ask about illegal weapons like this.

- Careful, Adri. These guys won't hesitate to get rid of anyone who knows about their plans. You're a prince, but not untouchable. After your appearance in Starglance, they will surely keep an eye on you.

- Surely it is. A force that can cause such weather conditions for an entire country cannot be underestimated. Thank you so much, Flor. Without you, I have no idea what to do next.

- No need to be polite. Let's say you owe me and these Rubytide nails for once. I will reclaim this debt in full. Now go home and get some rest lad, you're starting to look like a Hogwood goblin again.

Adrius is always in a slightly disheveled state when he is so focused on doing something: his clothes are ragged and dusty, his hair is more disheveled than usual. Every time seeing that, Florence always teases that he looks like a Hogwood goblin - petty thieves lurking in the damp woods or underground sewers beneath the city. It was a bit excessive, but he took it as a friendly reminder.

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They said goodbye to each other. It was pitch black outside when Adrius started returning to the palace. A heavy silence dominated every street where Adrius crossed, casting everything on either side of the road a pale and dreary tone. It felt like the flames along the road and the unrepeated falling snow were the two things that moved in this scene. Darkness was on his sides, above his head, behind him and in front of him. Adrius found himself galloping through a narrow tunnel, and the flickering lights were the only thing protecting him from being swallowed up by the darkness. But at least, it was a natural, necessary, and harm-free darkness. There is another darkness, more evil, enveloping this Kingdom in a harsh snow globe, night and day. It is vague, lurking, but dangerous and full of intrigue. It is willing to destroy anyone who gets in the way.

What is it, what does it want, what is its next move? Is it watching you right now? Too many unanswered questions, but at least for now, a glimmer of hope has emerged. Adrius knew he had caught the Viper by its tail, he could pull it out into the light. But at the same time, it possibly knew he had touched it. The Viper would struggle and attack him with its fangs and venom, with its deadly jaws and squeezes. If he wasn't careful, then not only him but also the people he cares about would be in danger. In order to protect the Kingdom, those will be the obstacles that Adrius must confront. And the young prince was ready, as the way he gripped the reins and threw himself into the darkness without hesitation.

***

Before dawn of the next morning, Adrius and some soldiers of the Royal Guard disguised themselves as a group of merchants traveling in a carriage and headed to Grydour. This is a large autonomous city straddling the boundary of the 3 Human Kingdoms: Althia, Eiselburg, and Streyburg. It is not controlled by any country, but has the right to trade with all three, as well as a number of countries in other continents. The city is run by the Mayor Hillshard, a Streyburg lord who once disagreed with the authority's methods of running the country. Fearing that he would one day be annihilated because of his opposite influence, he moved his entire estate to the Great Valley and continuously lobbied the two neighboring Kingdoms to establish a "neutral territory" between 3 nations". This groundbreaking move was finally approved by all three sides, and thus the autonomous city of Grydour was born.

This place has its own law and military forces, with the policy of "non-interference in any political situation of other countries". The most prominent architectural work here is the Tri-Kingdom Palace - a complex of buildings designed by the most talented architects from the 3 Kingdoms, which is also a place for mutual events such as meetings at leadership level, the Moon god Festival or the annual Athletic championship. But people often visit Grydour not only to admire this masterpiece, but also to trade. This place can be considered as the largest Market complex in the entire Bravovia Continent. With an open policy and absolute protection, Grydour attracted merchants from all lands and races to come here, and sell everything they had. There's a famous saying about this place that you should know: "If what you're looking for isn't in Grydour, it's probably never made in this world."

That's why this place concentrated a huge amount of illegal transactions. On the surface, of course, it's city policy that doesn't allow the purchase of contraband (there's also a regularly updated list of what's considered "banned"). However, with the abundant revenue that these transactions bring, the government is willing to ignore the underground activities of the black market, and even taking actions to protect the secrets of high-level deals.

Because of this, Adrius believes that he will find clues about the owner of the knife here. The team's target now is a Ys'tavian arms smuggler named Valdikjack. This guy has a small shop in the west of the city, whose main business is herbs and medicines. However, that is only a cover for his illegal business, mostly smuggling Ys'tavian-made weapons to anyone who needed it (and enough money to pay). The plan was outlined as follows: the Royal Guard ambushed outside the shop while Adrius and commander Thamarin went inside to directly ask questions. If this guy doesn't cooperate and intends to escape, the external combat team will coordinate and bring him back to Althia as quickly and discreetly as possible. An unexpected encounter will alarm the city guard, and more dangerously, this guy's influential partners.

After the team was in position, Adrius and commander Thamarin went inside, hooded his shirt and pretended to be a shopper.

- Welcome to Jackpot! - Valdikjack's languid voice sounded. Looks like he had a sleepless night.

- Hello. Do you sell sight-clearance medicine here (a kind of eye drops)? - Thamarin spoke, while Adrius glanced around the shop.

- Yes. Please go straight ahead, turning right to the last shelf.

- Ok. I'll pick up a few more things along the way.

- Enjoy yourself. And you, what do you want to buy? My shop is having a promotion… - He turned to Adrius.

- No, thanks. I go with him.

Thamarin hummed a tune as he walked. Moments later, he whistled twice. It's a pre-agreed signal, which means "No one's here. Procede!". Adrius then approached the counter, holding out the murder weapon wrapped in beast skin cloth.

- Hi, Valdikjack. Actually, we came here not to buy things, but to ask you about this. We need to know its origin.

The shop owner's face remained almost unchanged. It seems his life circumstances have made him familiar with these "customers". He opened the cloth and looked at the knife for a moment. Then, he looked at Adrius again:

- Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. Please leave so I can continue with my business.

- A well-known weapon smuggler in the underworld like you does not know about this? Sounds a bit absurd, doesn't it? Or is your reputation not as good as rumored?

- You don't know who you're talking to. I'll make it clear for the last time, please step out of my shop

- Come on, we've come a long way to get here. Please, give me a name, then we'll be gone before you know it…

Adrius expressed a begging attitude as he pulled out 5 gold coins and pushed them towards Valdikjack. But just as he pushed them to the other half of the table, the shop owner slammed the counter board, sending his hand and the coins flying into the air. Adrius was surprised by this action, and before he could move his hand, the floor right under his feet collapsed. A gravity trap below the floor was activated and sucked in Adrius' legs, rendering him unable to move. Valdikjack took this opportunity to jump over the counter, grab the knife and prepare to run away. He also activated the smoke system in the store to hinder the visibility. "Damn, he has prepared" thought Adrius, struggling to escape the trap that was paralyzing his legs.

But when the smoke cleared, the young prince saw Valdikjack also collapsed. Thamarin had already slipped behind the smuggler and pinned him to the floor before he could escape in the smoke. With a sufficient dose of anesthetic, the man slept soundly. He expertly defused the trap and pulled Adrius up, while the Guards swooped in and quickly brought the target onto the carriage.

- Always look out where you set foot on, Your Highness. Besides, this kind of trap is not easily pulled off just by struggling. You could lose your feet.

- Thank you, Thamarin. Next time I will pay more attention. - Adrius shyly replied. Every time on a mission with Thamarin, he learns something new.

People around the neighborhood flocked to see what had just happened. Taking advantage of the smoke, the team managed to get the smuggler out of there in time without being noticed by anyone. The carriage sped through the crowded markets, heading towards the suburbs. At this moment, Valdikjack regained consciousness and began to mutter:

- You don't know what you've done...

- Oh, we do. We'll make you talk," Thamarin warned.

- One mile to the Althian borderline, Commander - The charioteer turned his head back to announce the team.

- Crack!

The echo of brittle wood breaking sounded, followed by the overturn of the whole carriage that lost control. The whole team bumped into each other painfully, some were even thrown out of the carriage. While everyone was still stuck on top of each other and stunned from the impact, the canvas covering the carriage was cut by something sharp. Adrius dimly saw a tall figure pulling Valdikjack out of the mess. The young prince tried to squeeze out and grab the smuggler with one hand, but he was not strong enough.

- Thamarin, get us out of here - Adrius commanded

- Yes sir. Everyone, get ready to fly - He shouted

He drew strength from one hand and punched hard to the ground. A tremendous repulsion from the ground bounced back, sending everyone into the sky and smashing the carriage. Adrius landed on the ground, immediately pulled out his spellbook and casted Wind Power. The magic coiled in his arms forming a swirling sphere, shooting straight at the stranger. Another strange man used a great shield to block his attack.

- He is not alone. We've been ambushed - Thamarin came to Adrius' side, weapon ready in his hand.

- Excuse me, sir. You stole something from us, and I demand you to return it now - shouted Adrius while a group of hooded strangers approached next to the one carrying the Valdikjack.

- Sorry, this package belongs to us - The big guy raised his voice. Then he commanded his troops - Stop them.

So Adrius's "hit fast score fast" plan has failed. No choice but to fight here. They could not leave Grydour empty-handed. And just like that, the two armies rushed into each other in the middle of the empty suburban area, except for the one that carried the "package". He turned around and headed towards the city center.