The palace was just a few blocks away from the Academy, and I made my way toward it with the sword held carefully in one hand, hoping I wouldn’t drop it. People stared as I passed, eyes widening at the sight of the polished blade. Some nudged their friends, while guards gave approving nods, almost as if to say, “That’s impressive.” Even kids pointed it out to their mothers.

This sort of attention grated on me, but at least it was directed more at the sword than me.

“Oi,” a guard stepped into my path, his voice stopping me. “Where are you going with that sword, lad?”

“To the Queen,” I answered plainly. “Delivering this on behalf of Mortan.”

“Ah, that’s Mortan’s blade, alright,” the other guard remarked, nodding. “Are you running errands instead of his son?”

“Yeah. His son’s at school,” I replied.

“Wait, why aren’t you in school?” he asked, eyeing me curiously. “You should be at Redwood Academy. It’s the law.”

“I’ll be starting tomorrow,” I said. “I just enrolled today.”

“Alright then. You’re clear,” he grunted, stepping aside.

“Hmm.”

That little exchange reminded me of how little I knew about this place—its rulers, its customs, or how it stood with nearby kingdoms. I’d been so focused on escaping that I’d overlooked the basics.

Pulling the cape around me, I covered most of the sword to avoid drawing more stares. Only the tip peeked out by my knee, and the hilt rested discreetly against my shoulder.

“That’s better,” I murmured.

“Hello, mister,” a voice called from behind, making me pause. I turned to see that kid from the tavern—the one who’d asked about my bullet wound. He looked up at me with wide eyes.

“Oh… hey,” I greeted, slightly surprised. “Sorry, forgot your name.”

“Gabriel,” he replied, keeping pace as I started moving again.

“Shouldn’t you be in school?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s past three. School’s out,” he answered, then added, “Have you seen a dog around? Missing one leg?”

“A dog?” I asked, recalling the quest in the Guild. “Was it your family who reported it?”

“My sister did,” Gabriel said with a nod. “She says he ran away… but I don’t think that’s true.”

I paused, realising I needed to stick to the story. “Hmm. Tough luck.”

Gabriel didn’t seem convinced. “I asked the Guild worker who reported it, and he said it was you—a guy with a weird scar on his head.”

Smart kid. At his age, I’d been too preoccupied with my own worries to even think about solving mysteries. He was already piecing things together like a junior detective. Made me wonder if the Guild worker was bending the rules by sharing my details.

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“Yeah, that was me,” I admitted, with a dull voice.

“How did you know he ran away?” he pressed, his eyes narrowing.

I kept my tone calm. “Someone saw him chasing a squirrel while a guard was letting a woman through the gate. Your dog slipped past, probably got lost outside. I’m sorry, kid.”

Gabriel’s shoulders sagged, his eyes dropping to the ground. “Oh…”

“Hey,” I said, glancing back as he slowed to a stop. “Don’t worry. You’re a strong kid. You’ll be alright.”

“Th-thank you, mister…” he murmured softly, his voice trailing off as he lingered on the path.

With a nod, I turned away and kept walking, letting the moment settle in the afternoon’s heat.

══════✦══════

Norman District was farther than it looked on the map, and I found myself taking more breaks than expected. The sword seemed to grow heavier with each step, and my legs were starting to ache. By the time I was within a couple of blocks, my breath was short, and my patience was wearing thin.

I spotted a bench and collapsed onto it, leaning the sword against my side with a sigh. It felt strange to be this tired from just walking, but the weight of the sword and the lingering pain in my leg were wearing me down.

“So hot,” I muttered, wiping my brow. “I miss cloudy weather…”

After a quick break, I forced myself up and continued onward. With each step, the surroundings became more elegant. Luxurious houses were sprawling, multi-story structures, and people dressed in clothes I hadn’t seen anywhere else. Even the pavement beneath my feet had a polished look, like even the ground itself was made to show off wealth.

Finally, the entrance to Norman District came into view, flanked by two guards standing between two imposing houses. They were turning away anyone who looked less than affluent, even denying a kid who’d chased his ball toward the entrance.

“Halt,” one of the guards ordered, blocking my path. “What business do you have in Norman?”

“I have a delivery,” I replied, handing over the parchment Mortan had given me. “Here.”

The guard unfolded the paper and scanned it with a scrutinizing gaze. “Hm. You’ll want to deliver this to the Queen's Palace. Go ahead. You may pass.”

“Thanks, sir,” I said, reaching to take back the paper.

“Hold on, not so fast.” He stepped closer. “Gonna need to pat you down first. Got any weapons on you?”

“N-no,” I stammered, standing still as he roughly patted me down. “If I wanted to attack someone I’d just use this sword…”

He found my phone, examining it in his hand, tapping at the screen and shaking it slightly. After a moment, he seemed to decide it wasn’t a threat and returned his attention to me.

“Alright, you can go through,” he said, still holding my phone. “What’s this thing, though?”

“Wait, aren’t I getting that back?”

“I don’t know what it is,” he replied, shrugging. “Not letting you through with it.”

“But---fine. Just keep it safe, alright?”

The guard scoffed, tucking the phone away. “Keeping things safe is my job. You don’t need to remind me, kid.”

“Hmm…”

Stepping past him, I was greeted by the sight of an open square with a massive fountain at its centre. Atop the fountain stood a statue of a man in a crown, his sword’s tip resting on the ground while his hands gripped the hilt. Around the square, finely-dressed people strolled by, and every stall displayed high-quality wares—jewellery, rich fabrics, and fresh produce, all with a hefty price tag, no doubt. Not a single homeless person in sight, like in the other districts, and every home lining the square had an air of richness to it.

“Wow,” I muttered, taking in the scene. “That’s… rich.”

Grabbing the map from my back pocket, I followed a path toward the Queen's Palace and then rolled it back up. I was close—just three blocks away.

“Hmm,” I grunted. “So tired…”