Chapter 180: Closer to the Truth
A middle-aged man, his face and clothes caked with dust and his whole appearance haggard, walked down the barracks corridor. Behind him followed a younger man in a cleaner uniform.
From afar, the sounds of guards training carried all the way here.
"Those damn bandits! They kept me from contacting Gara and asking about the triplets. In just one week, I must’ve missed so much of their growth, right?" Tristan complained.
Emir wanted to say that for two-month-old babies, a week wouldn’t bring much change. But he stayed silent, his expression unreadable as he trailed behind his captain.
They arrived at Tristan’s quarters, a shabby room with dim lighting. After being closed for a week, the air inside smelled damp.
Tactfully, Emir opened the window, letting fresh air sweep out the staleness and sunlight brighten the space.
Tristan brushed the dust off his clothes and sat heavily in his chair. His vice-captain stood across the desk from him.
"I managed to trace Professor Langga’s activities from a year ago, back when he was here in town," Emir began his report.
The words instantly sharpened Tristan’s focus.
"The night before the Awakening Ceremony, Professor Langga didn’t stay in the mayor’s mansion prepared for him. It’s suspected that the daughter of Raksa County, who was engaged to him at the time, tried to slip him an aphrodisiac, and he left to avoid it.
Instead, he stayed at an inn near the town square—the same inn where Young Master Gara was lodged. And... their rooms were across from each other."
Tristan’s eyes widened. A flood of speculation rushed through his head, but he held his tongue. Langga was no ordinary figure.
"What about your investigation into Langga Alterian’s biological father?"
Emir hesitated a moment before answering. "According to official records, Professor Langga’s father was a poor baron who happened to meet Lady Syeila during her visit to the border. He supposedly died soon after, and Lady Syeila returned to the Altas Duchy already pregnant. But..."
"In deeper investigation, that so-called poor baron—the supposed husband of Lady Syeila—never actually existed. He was nothing more than a name written down by the late Duke for the sake of formal records."
"Is that the reason behind the rumors that Langga Alterian is a devil’s child?"
"There were many excuses fueling the gossip. But the origin of it comes from whispers that, during the months Lady Syeila spent at the border, she actually vanished—not married this so-called husband. No one knew where she went... The border in question was between Swargaloka Province and Palapa Plain Province."
"Palapa Plain Province?" Tristan raised a brow. "Then why the rumors of her being with a devil?"
Palapa was a vast region, spanning mountains, valleys, and the surrounding lands. It was so large that it was divided into three provinces: Palapa Peak, territory of the dragons; Palapa Mountain, domain of devils, vampires, and other creatures of darkness; and Palapa Plain, the land where the lesser races—servants of the other two provinces—lived.
"That border area," Emir explained, "was a place where almost no Palapa Plain folk lived at all. But it was the nearest route from Palapa Mountain to Swargaloka."
"During that whole time, Lady Syeila completely vanished? No information at all?" Tristan pressed again.
Emir answered with a firm nod.
"After the awakening ceremony, there will be a welcoming banquet. I’ll observe him there," Tristan murmured, his face grave.
Emir nodded once more before taking his leave.
The instant his subordinate stepped out, Tristan’s serious expression melted away. He hurriedly pulled out his crystal ring and spoke toward the purple crystal embedded in it.
"How are the triplets this week? What have they been up to? They must’ve grown so much already. Gods, I want to see them."
A woman’s soft laughter drifted from within the crystal.
"They’re growing healthy day by day, Captain. Hopefully, you’ll get to see them again soon."
"Yes, yes..." Tristan nodded indulgently, as though savoring the thought.
...
It only took a minute. Gara felt his body float, completely beyond his control, before it suddenly reappeared whole again along with the sight of those around him.
Then Yuvika stepped forward and pushed open the door.
What greeted Gara outside was no longer the county’s teleportation hall.
Wide. Vast. This hall was enormous, its polished floor gleaming.
As he stepped out of the teleportation portal, Gara saw rows of double doors and long lines stretching before the ones on the right. There were so many doors, yet the lines didn’t seem any shorter.
On the left, where they had emerged, the flow of people was thick as well, though not as heavy as the other side.
Massive pillars stood in the center of the hall, surrounded by circular seating, every spot already occupied.
The place was alive with noise, movement, and... diversity.
Some had furred ears and tails. Some bore scales across their faces. Some had wings, others horns. A few walked on four legs, while others had green skin. The variety was endless.
This was the true capital, the gathering place of countless races.
"Before the mist monsters appeared, sights like this didn’t exist, right?" Gara murmured.
Beside him, Yuvika nodded. "Not many of the people alive today lived in that era. It’s hard for us to even imagine it."
"Hah. A country bumpkin, already shocked just by seeing a few races in one place," Kevio sneered, only to earn a sharp glare from Yuvika.
Gara didn’t bother responding. His eyes were fixed on the scene ahead, the capital city itself.
Broad cobblestone streets stretched wide, lined with pedestrians. Carriages and mounted riders shared the road.
Stone buildings stood tall on either side, some painted white or cream, their roofs tiled with red clay. Wooden flower boxes hung by the windows, brightening the streetscape.
This wasn’t a residential road. Signs hung in front of every building, proof that only influential figures owned shops here.
"Lady Yuvika, Young Master Kevio." A servant—dispatched by the Yugo and Keenan families—approached them.
They were soon ushered into a carriage, leaving the busy streets behind.
Much to Gara’s dismay, he had to pull his attention away from the authentic sights around him. The moment the carriage rolled forward, dizziness washed over him again.
Without caring about appearances, Gara leaned his head against Madha’s shoulder.
Yuvika and Orman, seated across from them, only blinked and kept their silence.
Fortunately, Kevio wasn’t riding in their carriage. If he had been, he would’ve found something to sneer about again.
...