The joyous and bright spirit of festivities welcoming and celebrating spring had transformed the city completely, to the point that it felt unfamiliar as Serin watched from the carriage. At the same time, the wheels rolled onto the paved roads—now coated with powdered colours of a wide variety.

  What had once been the familiar harbor city was now drowned in colour, noise, and the restless tide of people flowing through every alley and plaza.

  Bright ribbons hung between rooftops like streams of colour fluttering in the sea wind. Lanterns made from coloured glass swayed gently above the streets, casting shifting patterns of red, gold, and blue upon the stone roads below.

  Music echoed everywhere.

  Flutes and bagpipes sang from one corner while drums thundered from another. The laughter of children, the cries of merchants, and the chatter of travelers all mixed into a chaotic yet strangely harmonious symphony.

  In each alley and street, people threw colourful powders into the air, creating a thin layer of vibrant mist, while shopkeepers, merchants, and vendors recoiled, carefully avoiding the colours that might stain their wares.

  From rich tycoons to minor nobles, people from every sort of background kept their differences aside to share and revel in the joyous occasion. Serin even saw beautiful ladies from noble families freely watching and enjoying the festivities, accompanied by their own escorts, all under the watchful eyes of the city's knights. For such a large festival where all sorts of people from inside and outside the city mixed, safety was paramount.

  The carriage stopped at the entrance of the centre plaza and amidst the gossiping whispers of the onlookers—Serin, Epher, Ellis, Princess Leia, and Eldric stepped out. Behind them, Steward Bartley and a handful of Ascendant Knights got off their steeds.

  Everyone wore plain, simple clothes, but it was no surprise for the onlookers who could already guess the identity of these young men and women with good looks and extraordinary demeanour. Not to mention that Serin and Ellis were both well-known faces in the city.

  During festivities, it was not strange for the nobles to mix into the crowds among the common people. It was a way of exhibiting their absolute confidence and prestige in front of the common masses. At the same time, it was also a strange show of goodwill from the ruling class towards the peasants, as if the highborn nobles were doing the lowborn peasants some sort of favour worthy of gratitude.

  Looking at the admiring, almost worshipping but restrained looks he would get from the so-called ‘lowborns’—and this moment being no different—Serin couldn't help but roll his eyes and smile bitterly, feeling unspeakably uncomfortable. Of course, he fully understood that this was the norm of the world and blatantly going against it would only be stupid and cause others to look down on him instead.

  Serin shook off his thoughts and followed Steward Bartley along with the others, Hymund and Symund gladly at his side while the female Ascendant Knight guarding the Princess and the other knights walked tightly in front and behind the group, isolating it from the crowds around them.

  Serin looked around and saw that everyone in the group was used to such an arrangement. Only he was the one stifled and awkward, feeling like some exotic bird getting paraded around the town.

  “Still not used to it, cousin?” Ellis chuckled, giving Serin a playful nudge.

  “It’s much better in the capital. We don't have to be so constrained as everyone is so used to it there,” Princess Leia said, craning her slender neck to curiously look around the city.

  “I’d like to visit myself…” Serin blurted, genuinely feeling curious about this capital he had been hearing so much about.

  After a moment, he realized that everyone suddenly turned silent, looking at him strangely, making goosebumps appear on his skin.

  Epher put his hand on Serin's shoulder and looked at him mischievously. “I don't think you want to go to the capital… yet.”

  Serin shrugged and gave an awkward laugh, finally understanding why everyone was looking at him so strangely. Going to the capital meant putting oneself in the deadly and conniving political whirlpool close to the emperor… and with his special identity, no wonder everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

  “On second thought… Brinescar is not bad at all…”

  Serin’s awkward joke eased the strange silence and the group began moving deeper into the plaza.

  The centre plaza was even livelier than the streets they had just passed.

  “Look! Very interesting…” Epher's eyes shone with a meaningful glint as he pointed towards the fountain, garnering everyone's attention in that direction.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  A wide wooden stage stood erected near the city centre plaza fountain, with crowds of onlookers stopping by and gathering to watch the show. Beside the stage, various bustling street sellers stood with their different wares placed either on portable wooden stands or hung with hooks on tall broad bamboo poles.

  The stage was occupied by a troupe of performers wearing fancy costumes and exaggerated masks.

  One person was posing as a sea monster with big black squishy tentacles, another wore priestly robes and held a scepter in hand with a gem shining atop. Opposite to him, Magi robes fluttered in the wind, glitter shining in the air reflecting sunlight and creating a spectacular magical effect, enchanting the sights of the onlookers instantly.

  And of course, knights proudly flaunting the Hainar Family's insignia charged bravely as they ‘fought’ the sea monster—the onlookers cheering in excitement and pride.

  “The Count is meticulous!” Princess Leia exclaimed.

  Serin nodded, but then fell into thought after seeing Ellis's reaction.

  Everyone quietly watched the show play out. The Priest of the Divine Order chanting prayers, the sea monster lunging forward ferociously only to be forced back by the Magi Master's wind slash. Immediately, a particularly brave, valiant knight managed to slip away through the tentacles… shoving his spear right through the monster's head, purple blood spurting out everywhere.

  The crowd erupted in applause, some wealthy onlookers even throwing coins on the stage—a diligent child of the troupe collecting it all swiftly and thanking them along with smiles and giggles.

  “Did the Count arrange this… or was it Lady Eleyne?” Serin leaned closer to Ellis and whispered in her ear quietly.

  Ellis simply smiled meaningfully and nodded, making Serin's mouth open wide in admiration. The Countess was indeed a one-of-a-kind woman.

  The group moved on deeper into the central plaza, the carriage following closely behind.

  The laughter and hubbub of children echoed from ahead and the group increased their pace, the tall and firm figure of Steward Bartley leading carefully and sternly.

  “Shrimp skewers! Crispy and spicy shrimps! Tasty shrimps!”

  As Serin and the others walked, they were met by the vigorous cries of a street vendor and the frantic sizzle of shrimp skewers hitting the grill. The air was thick with a salty, spicy aroma that prickled their noses and promised something delicious.

  Seeing Serin's gaze drifting towards the street food stand, his mouth almost watering, Steward Bartley smiled softly and asked, “Your Highness, would you like to have it?”

  “Yes!” Serin nodded enthusiastically.

  Even before reaching the stand, the knights and the nearby city watch had already secured the perimeter. When the group stood in front of the street food stand, the onlookers whispered in hushed voices, not expecting the highborn nobles to fancy cheap street food as well.

  Of course, they were right to wonder as this kind of thing was not the norm. Seeing the oily skewers, Princess Leia smiled awkwardly and politely refused, while Eldric seemed disdainful to even look at it as if it were some dirty thing.

  Funnily enough, Epher was just as enthusiastic to try the seafood he had never eaten before, and despite being a highborn himself, he didn't seem to have any aversion to this kind of food at all, which was very characteristic of the Magi—being eccentric and inherently curious about everything.

  “Three skewers, please!” Steward Bartley said, handing the vendor a full silver coin generously.

  A big happy smile bloomed on the vendor's face like a chrysanthemum as he bowed deeply to the Steward and the others and said while showing a thumbs up, “Coming right up, Lord!”

  The vendor quickly skewered six fresh dried shrimp on the stick, seasoning them with salt, pepper, and a blend of spices, and then placed them on the grill—a sizzling sound immediately sparkling out.

  After properly grilling the shrimps on all sides to the point that they darkened slightly like charcoal, the vendor once again sprinkled some seasoning and squeezed a lime on top, then served Serin, Ellis, and Epher with a beaming smile on his face, his hands almost trembling when he handed the skewer to Serin.

  ‘Goodness, did I really serve food to a prince?! Someone who has the same blood as His Majesty?!’ the vendor thought in awe and reverence. The man couldn't believe it.

  Serin ignored the strange looks he was getting from the surroundings and focused on the food. He lightly bit into the shrimp, holding the skewer sideways in his hand.

  Delicious! Salty and spicy… just as I like it!

  Serin was happy and excited to eat such street food after so long, but he was still careful to mind his manners, truly making an impression on the crowd.

  After putting something in his stomach, Serin felt a lot better and his mood improved visibly. The group continued to walk onwards, joyfully watching the people hurling colours into the air, foreign merchants trying to rip off—I mean, sell their wares to the affluent nobles, wandering knights heading towards the taverns and brothels, and even acrobats and fortune-tellers entertaining the city, making the festivities even more lively and enjoyable.

  Alas, as the crowds kept increasing, Steward Bartley had no choice but to urge everyone to once again board the carriage and head elsewhere. Serin and the others too had seen quite a lot and were satisfied, seeing no problem and agreeing to the well-wished advice wholeheartedly.

  Everyone else promptly boarded the carriage and just as Serin was about to get in as well, a strange jolt of trepidation—a numbing foreboding—went through his entire body, causing his hair to stand on end.

  His heart pounding heavily, Serin's hand involuntarily moved towards his waist—towards his sword sheathed in the scabbard.

  Feeling as if someone were shooting daggers at him with their gaze, Serin looked around in puzzlement and apprehension, ultimately seeing nothing as the strange feeling that had washed over him went away as if it had never happened in the first place.

  “Your Highness?” Steward Bartley called out in concern as his eyes moved rapidly, searching for anything unusual.

  The Anchor blessing activated, making Serin's stretched nerves loosen up rapidly. His gaze went over the surroundings once again but everything was still normal and peaceful.

  Perhaps it was just my imagination, but I should be careful just in case, Serin thought resolutely and said while heading inside the carriage, “It's nothing, let's go.”

  The coachman jerked the reins in his hands, causing the horses to cry out and move, putting the carriage forward.

  The carriage quickly picked up its pace and, raising a puff of dirt into the air, it left the city centre in a blink of an eye, eventually disappearing from sight as two hooded figures emerged from the shadows, looking in the direction of the carriage with strange, forced smiles on their faces.