Sitting atop the 'Black Horse', Tris was on his way back to the city of Aldor.
Letting out a long yawn, he stretched his shoulders, then twisted his waist side to side as a light exercise to loosen up his body.
Normally accustomed to a disciplined routine of eating and sleeping on time, the sudden need to stay up all night had truly disrupted his daily rhythm.
Even after catching up with a nap, Tris still felt somewhat sluggish.
'Children who want to grow well shouldn't stay up late.'
Recalling the knowledge he had gained from his dream, Tris quietly reminded himself to keep striving to maintain good habits.
Because a large number of soldiers and adventurers had been mobilized, moving and operating intensely around Aldor due to recent events, the Magical Beasts had grown fearful and temporarily relocated elsewhere.
Thanks to that, Tris's journey back to the city was peaceful, without any sudden ambushes. It didn't take long before Aldor appeared before his eyes.
"Hm?"
Looking at the city from afar, Tris noticed something unusual.
Although it was not yet curfew time, the city gates were tightly shut, with no one entering or leaving.
Realizing he couldn't get in through the main gate, Tris urged the 'Black Horse' to rise into the air and observe the city from above.
At first glance, everything seemed quieter than usual. Most of the townsfolk appeared to have chosen to stay indoors rather than wander outside.
The more he observed, the stronger his sense of unease grew, as though his instincts were sounding constant alarms.
With a grave expression, Tris began carefully employing various forms of magic to scrutinize the surroundings.
'The city walls have activated protective barriers…'
'The mage tower of the city is in an active state. The type of magic being used is unclear…'
The more closely Tris observed, the more he felt that something serious was unfolding.
If the Goblin King's army were right outside the city, then shutting the gates and maintaining defensive measures would be understandable.
But in a time of peace, sustaining such protective magic would consume enormous resources, resulting in a tremendous waste.
For that reason, the current situation was riddled with contradictions and confusion.
'Moreover, both the cathedral of the Light Church and the Count's mansion show minor damage on certain walls and windows. The marks look as if they came from inside, pushing outward…'
'Two such important locations experiencing issues at the same time? Something major must have happened.'
Tris silently affirmed this conclusion.
He judged that descending into the city himself would be unsafe, so he drew out the 'Feathers' and set them to infiltrate, investigate, and scout.
After cloaking the puppet in concealment with magic, Tris immediately directed it to dive down toward the city below.
Yet an unexpected shock occurred. As soon as it reached a certain altitude, an arrow wrapped in magic tore through the air, aimed straight at the puppet with uncanny precision, despite its concealment and rapid movement.
"Damn it!"
Tris hastily adjusted the puppet's flight path to evade the arrow.
Even so, one of its wings was struck, completely shattered and destroyed.
Fortunately, the puppet managed to land before a second attack could be launched.
Once it crashed among the buildings below, Tris quickly commanded it to hide thoroughly, wary of anyone coming to track it down.
The puppet ran away and hid itself carefully, wary of anyone rushing over to discover it.
The sight of a bird with one broken wing sprinting frantically on its short legs looked both pitiful and comical.
. . .
Not long after, a young woman with short blond hair, a youthful appearance, and a seductive figure clad in a short red dress led a squad of soldiers to the area where the puppet had fallen.
Despite searching thoroughly for quite some time, they were unable to locate their target.
Afterward, the short‑haired girl left in frustration, while the squad of soldiers remained behind to continue the search assigned to them.
. . .
* * * * * * * * * *
In the evening, Rin was sitting alone in her rented room, reading a book.
Even though Tris was not around, she diligently maintained her self‑study routine, carrying it out regularly as if it were a daily habit.
As the night grew late, Rin was about to close the book on the table and prepare for rest.
But before she could do so, an unexpected voice whispered right beside her ear.
"It's me. Stay still, don't act suspicious or speak. Take out paper and pen, and write down what you want to say."
Hearing Tris's voice, Rin was filled with joy, yet at the same time confused about why Master would give such strange instructions.
Nevertheless, she obediently followed, writing her words on paper exactly as told.
Rin: "Master, what has happened?"
Tris: To guard against being monitored or spied on, I'm using this kind of remote magic communication to ensure your safety
Rin: "Surveillance? Is there an enemy targeting you?"
Tris: "Further investigation is needed. I suspect someone is plotting against the entire city. In fact, their scheme is already underway. Have you noticed anything unusual these past days?"
Rin: "At lunch, Rin overheard people saying the Count ordered the city gates shut to prepare for the Goblin King's army. There's also a command for everyone to stay indoors to avoid further disorder. People are unhappy, but they understand and comply."
Tris: "That order is highly suspicious. In truth, they're using the Goblin King as an excuse to suppress and control the city."
Rin: "Then what should we do now?"
Tris: "The skies are under heavy surveillance, so I cannot take you out. For now, stay here as usual, act naturally, and keep listening for information. Avoid leaving your room if possible."
Rin: "Rin understands."
Tris: "One last thing, make sure to destroy that paper completely. That's all, I'll cut the connection now."
After that, Tris's voice faded away.
Knowing Master had departed, Rin closed her notebook and carried it into the bathroom.
Inside, with the door shut, she tore up the sheet she had written on and took out a fire‑starter from her spatial ring.
Watching the paper burn to ash before her eyes, Rin silently prayed that Master's works would proceed smoothly and without hindrance.