The chocolate was nice and smooth, filled with bits of crunchy biscuit. It was a delicious snack. However, it was quite sweet. As soon as Ulgus had that thought, Mell handed him some roasted beans with salt.
“Here, to cleanse your palate.”
“Wow, thank you so much!”
The savory beans had the perfect amount of salt on them.
Mell was so perceptive. She had exactly what he wanted and pulled it out exactly when he needed it. Ulgus wished he could learn that same consideration for others. In that moment, he decided to make Mell his teacher in all matters of the heart.
The group arrived at the harbor town as they were enjoying their snacks. It was the same town where they had previously settled a dispute involving the fishermen’s union. None of them had set foot in the town since.
There was a lot of foot traffic in the harbor town just like last time. It would be difficult to spot the swindler in such a large crowd.
The strategy of going in disguise was going to be very efficient.
A member of the Covert Squadron, disguised as a merchant, quickly approached and led them into a storehouse.
“Gosh, you really surprised me. Your disguises are so good, I didn’t even recognize you as knights.”
They weren’t displeased with this praise—excluding Ulgus, of course.
Their ship would be arriving soon. One by one, the members climbed into the wooden crates prepared for them. It was a tight fit with all of their belongings crammed inside with them too. From a distance, Ulgus heard Ludtink shout, “Damn it!” All the crates were the same size, so it must have been too small for someone Ludtink’s size. The next words he heard was a cry of, “Ow, ow, ow!” Ulgus wondered if the captain was being forcibly shoved inside the crate.
But just for today, he was relieved to have such a small stature.
The crates were sealed up to be transported onto the ship.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t too difficult to breathe inside. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but Ulgus could make do for a little while.
The men at the docks lifted the crates and hauled them onto the ship.
Ulgus started to feel sick as his crate rocked strangely back and forth. He covered his mouth to stop himself from throwing up. Once they were set down in the ship’s storage area, the crew members opened the lids back up for them. Ulgus squeezed his eyes shut at the bright light being cast by the magic stone lamps.
But the light must have revealed how sick he looked, because the crew members called out to him with concern.
“You all right?”
“Urp… Yes, I’m fine.”
Mell wasted no time handing Ulgus medicine for his nausea. “Here, Ulgus. You’ll feel better once you drink this.”
“Th-Thank you very much.”
But someone else started feeling sick as soon as they reached the ship. It was none other than Ludtink.
“Oh, you too, Captain? But the ship is docked right now.”
Perhaps Ludtink hated both the air inside ships and the way they bobbed on the water too.
It was nearly time to disembark, which meant their mission had begun. Ulgus picked up his bag and stayed close enough to Velrey that they wouldn’t get separated.
The ship’s entrance was packed with people—the place where third-class to fifth-class passengers gathered to disembark. Everyone’s clothing resembled the knights’ disguises, and the passengers seemed to originate from many different locations.
As soon as the door opened, Ulgus felt himself being shoved from behind.
“Whoa!”
He nearly choked at the pressure on his back. He looked at Velrey, wanting to ask if she was okay, but she beat him to the punch.
“Hey, you all right?”
She gazed at Ulgus with concern in her eyes. She’d been just as badly mobbed as he had, but didn’t seem particularly distressed by it at all.
Velrey had turned his worries around to make sure he wasn’t having trouble. Ulgus realized this side of the vice captain was probably what made her so popular.
“Oh, um, I’m fine. What about you, Vice… I mean, Velrey?”
“Yeah, no worries.”
The pair managed to make it out of the ship despite the surge of people against their backs. They disembarked to find traders outside with sweets, alcohol, newspapers, and lunches for sale.
Ulgus scanned the area. Everyone was trying to sell them something different. It was actually kind of fun.
“Want a meat skewer slathered with sauce?”
“I’ve got fresh bread straight from the oven!”
“Who wants fresh fruit?”
Ulgus had just eaten that chocolate salami earlier, yet he couldn’t stop his stomach from growling.
They were still on a mission, but everyone else who’d disembarked was purchasing food from the traders. Ulgus thought it might help him blend in if he bought something too. But just then, someone crashed into him from behind.
“Wh-Whoa!”
“Ah, I’m sorry!”
When he spun around, he found a man in his early thirties with glasses standing there. His hair was styled with product and he wore a nice-looking overcoat. He wasn’t a noble, but Ulgus could instantly tell that this man was well-off.
Ulgus’ back stung a bit where they’d collided. His bag could have blocked most of the impact, but unfortunately, he was carrying it in his arms at the moment.
He looked at the man curiously.
“I truly apologize. Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine…at least, I think so.”
“Wow, you speak your words very well. Where were you educated?”
“Ah, I…”
Ulgus twitched. Most people coming from across the ocean didn’t speak with a metropolitan dialect. This was an undercover mission, so he was supposed to be acting like a country bumpkin. But at least now he knew better. He would be able to speak less formally if that swindler ever approached him.
Ulgus mentally convinced himself that he hadn’t failed. Not yet, anyway.
“Perhaps you worked somewhere where you interacted with wealthy families?”
The words “wealthy families” made him think of Liselotte and Ludtink.
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
“I see. It must be difficult work.”
“It sure was. I got yelled at all the time.” It wasn’t technically a lie. Ulgus gazed off into the distance as he spoke.
“They’re so violent and selfish, aren’t they? I know exactly what you mean.”
Ulgus nodded enthusiastically. This man really understood where he was coming from.
“Oh, I know. Let me buy you those meat skewers you were looking at.”
“A-Ah, no, there’s no need for that.”
“It’s my way of apologizing for bumping into you. Please, I’d like you to accept.”
The man purchased a salted meat skewer and one with sauce, then handed them both to Ulgus. He wasn’t sure if it was all right to eat while on duty, but when he shot a glance at Velrey, she nodded stealthily.
The pair escaped the crowd and sat down next to a stack of crates.
Velrey was following them, but not close enough to be spotted. It was easy to observe the disembarking passengers from this spot.
“Come on, now. Eat up.”
“Th-Thank you, I will.”
First, he tried the skewer with sauce. The meat had been grilled nice and crispy on the outside, but was still full of juices once he bit into it. It was the tastiest meat skewer he could have asked for.
“How is it?”
“Really delicious…!”
Ulgus had tasted heaven despite still being on an active mission. He was touched by the kindness of this man.
“Are you going to the royal capital for sightseeing?”
“No, I’m moving there.”
“I see. Do you know someone in the area?”
Ulgus shook his head. He’d already decided on a backstory to go along with his disguise. He was a young man brimming with hope who’d come to the royal capital in search of a job and board.
“No, I don’t. I haven’t found a place to live yet.”
“That must be stressful.”
“It is, but I’ve heard the royal capital is full of places to live and work.”
“Sure, as long as you’ve got money and status.”
The man’s face suddenly turned very serious. It startled Ulgus, who accidentally gulped down a bit of salted meat without chewing it. That felt a bit wasteful. But this was no time to let the skewer distract him. He needed to focus on the mission.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean that everyone says the royal capital is like a dream, but that’s not true at all. Nobles throw their weight around in the city so that the townsfolk have to live meekly. You won’t get a job unless you have either money or status.”
“……”
The man was right—townsfolk could never defy nobles, and work wasn’t exactly abundant either. Ulgus himself had joined the Royal Order because, after spending his life in the low-lying side of town, he heard becoming a knight was a way to make a good living.
“Most nobles are bad people. Make sure you watch yourself around them.”
“O-Okay…”
But that was one thing he couldn’t agree with. The man probably didn’t know that many knights were born into noble families too. In exchange for the privilege they were blessed with, these people stood and fought on the very front lines.