Lucien stepped inside the carriage and sat quietly across from the noble. It was a woman—young, elegant, with long silver hair tied loosely to one side. Her eyes were calm but sharp, watching Lucien closely.
"You don't talk much," she said, smiling softly.
Lucien didn't reply right away. He kept his head slightly down, the veil from his hat still hiding most of his face.
"I just prefer silence," he finally said.
The woman leaned back, still looking at him. "That's rare these days. Most people can't stop talking."
Lucien gave a small nod. "Talking wastes energy when it's not needed."
She chuckled a bit. "Interesting answer. What's your name?"
"Vel," Lucien replied smoothly, still using his persona.
"Vel... hmm," she repeated. "Alright then, Vel. Since you're riding in my carriage, consider this a peaceful trip. No questions from me—unless I feel like asking."
Lucien smiled faintly under his hat. "Fair enough."
The carriage continued down the road toward the kingdom, the forest passing by quietly outside, while inside, the silence between them was strange—but not uncomfortable.
And finally, they arrived at the entrance of the kingdom. The security of the kingdom seemed tight. As they entered, Lucien looked outside of the carriage, and all he could see were small buildings, like workshops or inns. All the houses here had only two floors. But then, Lucien shifted his gaze to the noble woman who let him in and said, "Thanks for the ride." Then, he suddenly vanished.
The noble woman froze as she witnessed Lucien disappear. She used her detection spell but could not sense him at all.
Lucien, who had just used his magic to teleport to a nearby alley, started walking calmly as the carriage slowly moved away. While walking along the narrow street, a young boy suddenly bumped into him. The kid looked around 12 years old, wearing ragged clothes and moving in a hurry. Without saying anything, the boy quickly ran off. But Lucien already knew—he had just stolen the pouch Kalios gave him.
Without making a sound, Lucien followed him silently. A few moments later, he saw the boy bump into a middle-aged man. The boy tried to run again, but before he could escape, the man grabbed him by the arm and stopped him in place.
The man looked at the kid with narrowed eyes and asked, "What are you holding, brat?"
The boy hesitated, but then answered, "It's... for my sister. She's sick, and I need money for medicine."
But the man just gave a mocking smile and grabbed the pouch from the boy's hand. The kid, trying to stop him, clenched his small fist and punched the man in the face. But the man didn't even flinch. Instead, he grabbed the kid by the arm and suddenly threw him toward the wall.
As the boy flew, just before hitting the wall, someone appeared and caught him mid-air by his ragged shirt. It was a man in a white veiled hat and a long white coat—noble clothes that stood out in the dirty alley. The man holding the kid gently placed him on the ground.
The man who took the pouch stepped back a little, surprised, and looked at the noble. "Who... who are you?"
Lucien, calmly fixing the boy's shirt, answered without emotion, "The owner of that pouch."
The man was shocked for a second but then laughed, pulling out a small knife from his belt. "You think I'll give it back just like that? Die!"
He rushed forward to stab Lucien, but before the blade could even reach, Lucien's fist had already moved.
Thud!
With just one clean punch, the man was sent flying back, crashing into the wall and passing out instantly.
Lucien picked up the pouch and dusted it off. The kid, who witnessed everything, stood frozen—scared after seeing what Lucien had done.
Lucien turned to him and spoke in a gentle voice, "Hey... I'm not going to hurt you. Where do you live?"
The boy looked down and nodded slowly, his voice shaking, "F-Follow me..."
Lucien gave a small nod and quietly followed behind.
As they walked through a few narrow paths, they eventually stopped in front of a large wall. Lucien raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is this where you live?"
The kid didn't say anything right away. He just reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. Holding it up to the wall, he let the ring face it directly.
Suddenly, a glowing magic circle appeared, spreading across the surface like ripples on water.
Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly. 'Hmm... high-level illusion magic,' he thought to himself.
As the magic circle finished forming, an entrance opened up, and they both stepped inside.
Lucien's eyes widened slightly in surprise. 'A place like this exists?' he wondered.
All around them was a hidden village, like its own little world tucked away in another space. The buildings were old but well-kept, and people walked around quietly. The sky above them was dark, filled with quiet stars—like they were inside an orb rather than the real world.
Lucien looked around carefully, taking it all in. This wasn't just a secret hideout.
It was a high-level illusion, crafted to hide an entire village within a single space.
They kept walking through the hidden village, until they reached a small house near the edge. From the outside, it looked shabby—broken wooden walls, a rusty roof, and a creaky old door. Lucien stared at it for a second but didn't say anything.
The boy opened the door, and as they stepped inside, Lucien's eyes shifted slightly in surprise.
'It's... clean.'
Despite the poor condition outside, the inside was neat. The floor was swept, the small furniture well-arranged, and everything smelled faintly of herbs. On a small bed in the corner, a young girl lay quietly, her breathing weak. She looked around ten years old and seemed bedridden.
Lucien walked closer, keeping his steps quiet. He glanced at the boy and asked gently, "What happened to your sister?"
The boy lowered his head and spoke in a soft, painful voice. "She's sick... we've been alone since we were small. We were abused by... bad people. That's why we ran and hid here."
Lucien looked at the girl for a moment, then slowly raised his hand. A faint glow of white light formed in his palm. It was a healing spell—simple, but strong.
He placed his hand above the girl's chest, and a soft light covered her. A few seconds passed, and her pale face slowly gained color. Her breathing became steady, and her eyelids twitched.
The boy gasped. "Is... is she okay now?"
Lucien nodded, lowering his hand. "She'll be fine. She just needs rest and food."
The boy wiped his tears and looked at Lucien with wide eyes. "T-Thank you, mister!"
Lucien crouched down and asked calmly, "Why is your village hidden with high-level illusion magic?"
The boy hesitated for a second, then spoke quietly. "It's because of the mayor… the one who controls the 12th District of this kingdom."
Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly. "12th District?"
The boy nodded and explained, "The city is divided into districts. From lowest to highest... it's the 12th to the 1st District. We used to live in the 12th District. It's the poorest, and the people there are treated like dirt."
He clenched his fists. "The mayor of that district... he's cruel. He lets bad people hurt others for money, for fun. That's why my sister and I escaped."
Lucien closed his eyes for a second, then stood up. "I see." He looked at the boy, then at the girl. His gaze was calm—but behind it, a quiet storm was forming. 'That mayor… 12th District… I'll remember.'