Lira led the way.
Izuma, the only human in their group, kept his head down, matching her brisk stride. Adia followed nervously, twisting the hem of her sleeve, her eyes flicking anxiously from shadow to shadow as if mind rustling with thoughts.
"We're almost there," Lira said sharply.
"Safehouse is two blocks up, past the old tannery. Don't slow down."
Izuma's heart pounded as the city pressed in—every shout, every hurried footstep, every suspicious glance. He was grateful for Lira's confidence, but the tension in her posture told him she was just as wary as he was.
Adia's steps faltered. She glanced up, biting her lip, as if wrestling with a secret. Lira shot her a look over her shoulder, eyes narrowing.
"You alright back there?"
Adia's cheeks flushed.
"Um… actually, I… I think I know someone who could help us…"
Lira stopped so suddenly Izuma nearly bumped into her. She turned, arms crossed, brow raised high.
"Now? You remember this now?"
Adia shrank under the scrutiny, voice barely above a whisper.
"He's… a friend. I mean, I hope he still is. He… he's a knight."
Izuma blinked.
"A knight? Like, armor, sword, the whole thing?"
Lira's eyes widened, then narrowed in disbelief.
" Adia, are you serious? You know a knight? In this city? And you're just telling us now? ", Her voice rose with every word, drawing a few curious glances from passersby.
Adia's face burned. She twisted her fingers together, glancing away.
"I didn't think you'd believe me…"
Lira let out a short, incredulous laugh, shaking her head, pupils narrowing to a single, small dot.
"A knight. This is ..." She stuttered, Then continued, "This is Crazy!"
She gasped as if choking on air.
"Knights don't exactly go out of their way to help people like us—"
She stopped, dragging her gaze to izuma.
" especially not a human. "
Adia blinked twice, then looked at Izuma with a sheepish smile,said:
"Oh, r-right! I forgot you're human, Is-Izuma. Sorry, I'm so bad with details sometimes." She said, stuttering.
She laughed nervously, then frowned.
"Wait, knights hate humans, don't they?"
Lira shook her head, Then placed her hands on her hips, sighing with disappointment, she said.
"No, that's not actually true. It's a common misconception. Knights don't hate humans—"
She stopped, as if choosing the right words to carry on the conversation with.
"They just assume most humans wandering around are escaped slaves or runaways. And that's illegal here. So if you're human and not with a master or carrying papers, they'll probably arrest you first and ask questions later."
Izuma's stomach twisted. "That's… not fair," He said quietly, a mix of anger and helplessness rising in his chest. "Just because I'm human, I'm automatically a criminal?"
At that moment Izumas mind exploded with info, as if the thought had branched off, Way farther than the : "humans are slaves" line he'd been stuck on just moments before.
His mind raced, "So I'm basically a criminal. No papers or proof of identity to who or what I even am and–"
The thought had been cut short.
"Oh but my–" his mind immediately regretted jumping to conclusions.
"–My student ID would prove useless here huh, They wouldn't recognize it nor the material it's made of and what about the letters?, The language, The—"
Before Izuma could get lost again in the spiral of thought, a voice interrupted.
" I know "
Lira's voice softened, but her eyes stayed hard.
"It's not fair. But that's how it is. Most knights just follow the law, and the law says humans without papers are trouble. Some might look the other way, but most won't risk it."
Adia looked genuinely upset at her own mistake.
"I'm sorry, Izuma. I really did forget. He was always nice to me, so I didn't think about all that."
Izuma managed a small smile even though his heart ached, "It's okay. Let's just find your friend."
"A-And–" Adia stuttered, Cutting herself off as if she was about to regret everything said.
Hesitantly, voice even softer, She said.
"A-Also...He's… not just a knight. He's… he's a royal knight."
The effect was instant. Lira's jaw dropped. For a moment, she just stared, eyes wide as moons, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. Even Izuma felt the weight of the words, though he didn't fully understand.
Lira finally found her voice, and when she did, it was a strangled whisper, getting louder and louder with each word said.
"A royal knight? You mean one of the king's personal guards? There's only two in the whole kingdom, Adia. They're like—living legends. People tell stories about them to scare children into behaving. They say a royal knight can cut down an entire country with a single swing, that they can sense lies, that they never, ever break an oath. They're the king's shadow. Untouchable. Some say they're not even mortal."
Izuma glanced at Adia, who looked like she wanted to disappear. "You're friends with one of those?"
Adia nodded, shrinking even smaller. "I… I helped him once. He said if I ever needed help, I could find him."
Lira ran a hand through her hair, her expression a storm of disbelief and exasperation.
"You're telling me you know a royal knight, and it just slipped your mind?"
Adia's voice was barely a whisper. "Sorry…"
Lira let out a long breath, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"This is the most insane thing I've heard all week. And I've heard some truly bad things."
Izuma tried to lighten the mood. "So, royal knights are a big deal, huh?"
Lira stared at him as if that was even a question to consider.
"A big deal? They're the biggest deal. If you see one, you bow. If you cross one, you run. Most people never even see their faces. Some people think they're not even real."
Adia's gaze flickered to Izuma, then away. "He's… different. I promise."
Lira shook her head, muttering. "This is madness," as she walked off.
They followed along with adia in the lead, winding through alleys that grew narrower and more confusing with every turn. The city seemed to fold in on itself, the streets twisting in ways that made Izuma's head spin. They passed a pair of goblin merchants arguing over a crate, a feathered woman sweeping her stoop, and the faint clang of a blacksmith hammering metal somewhere nearby.
As they walked, Adia and Lira began discussing the city's dangers.
"You have to watch out for the mages here," Lira said, voice low. "Some districts ban magic, but here it's just… risky. You never know who's got a spell up their sleeve."
Adia nodded, her voice still shy but steadier.
"You have to know who to trust. Magic can get you in trouble if you're not careful."
Izuma frowned, curiosity getting the better of him. "So… magic. How does that work, exactly?"
Both women stopped dead in their tracks and turned to stare at him. Lira's eyes went wide, her mouth falling open in genuine shock. Adia's expression was softer, but just as puzzled.
"You're joking, right?" Lira said, searching his face.
Izuma immediately reading the situation, tried to play it off, with his voice cracked, He muttered. "Yeah, of course. J-Just… checking if you're paying attention."
Adia smiled faintly, but Lira wasn't fooled. "You really don't know, do you?"
He shrugged, embarrassed. "Not really."
Lira sighed, her tone shifting to something almost conspiratorial. "Magic is everywhere, Izuma. Some people are born with it, some learn it, some buy it. But here's the thing—"
She leaned in, lowering her voice, eyes darting around nervously.
"The council doesn't just regulate magic. There's a secret order, hidden in plain sight, that enforces the rules. They say these enforcers can sense illegal spells, erase memories, and even summo—"
"Wait!"
Adia suddenly blurted, her eyes lighting up.
"We're almost there. I think it's just around the corner—maybe by that bakery?"
Lira's mouth snapped shut, eyes still wide with the secret she'd been about to reveal. She shot Adia a look that could have frozen fire.
"You think? Adia, are you sure?"
Adia blinked, looking genuinely puzzled. "Um… I mean, it's definitely close. I remember there was a bakery and a fountain and… maybe a red door? Or was it blue?"
She glanced at Izuma, as if hoping he might know.
Lira groaned. "Great. So we're not almost there, we're just… somewhere."
They wandered through the winding streets, following Adia's uncertain directions. "Turn left at the bakery—no, wait, maybe it was right. Sorry!"
Adia said, cheeks pink with embarrassment. Twice they circled the same block, passing a group of suspicious vendors who started to watch them more closely.
Finally, after much wandering and second-guessing, they stopped in front of a nondescript stone building. Adia hesitated, then knocked in a specific pattern—two quick taps, a pause, then three more.
The door creaked open, and a figure stepped out.
He was tall but not imposing, his frame hidden beneath a heavy, dark robe. His face was completely concealed behind a knight's mask—smooth metal, with three strange horn-like spines jutting from the top. Only his eyes were visible: a striking, unnatural violet that seemed to glow faintly in the dim light.
He peered at them, head cocked. "Uh… can I help you?"
Adia stepped forward, hands twisting nervously. "It's… me. From the bridge, remember?"
The knight stared, then scratched his head, the gesture oddly casual for someone so mysterious. "Oh! The bread girl! You're the one who saved my lunch from those birds!"
"But i–" Adia's sentence was cut off by a single glance from the knight, Izuma noticed this but didn't think much of it.
Switching his entire demeanor around,
He grinned behind his mask, waving them inside. "Come in, come in! I was just about to make tea. Or was it soup? Wait, do I even have soup?"
Lira whispered to Izuma, "He's not what I expected. I thought royal knights were supposed to be… well, knightly."
Izuma shrugged. "Maybe he's undercover."
The knight rummaged through a cupboard, muttering to himself. "Let's see, dried beans, some spoiled fish, uhhh....and—oh! A single Giant Mushroom. That's almost a meal, right?"
Izuma stared at the mushroom which was no bigger than a pickle.
Adia, still shy, tried to help. "We don't want to trouble you…"
"Nonsense!" The knight declared, nearly tripping over a chair.
"Guests are always welcome. Unless you're here to rob me. Are you here to rob me?"
He eyed a look of genuine concern.
There was silence then.
Izuma grinned. "Just hiding out."
"Perfect!"
the knight said, clapping his hands.
"I'm very good at hiding. I once hid from a whole battalion for three days. Or maybe they just forgot about me. Hard to say."
Lira muttered, "I'm starting to think they forgot about you on purpose."
The knight's violet eyes sparkled behind the mask. "Well, you're safe here. I promise. And if anyone comes looking, I'll just tell them I'm out. Works every time."
Adia managed a tiny smile, her shyness softening in his presence. "Thank you. Really."
He waved it off, nearly knocking over his cup. "Don't mention it! Now, who wants soup? Or was it tea?"
As the group settled in, Lira's earlier words echoed in Izuma's mind—the secret order, the enforcers, the unfinished warning. He glanced at Lira, who caught his eye and gave a tiny, meaningful shake of her head. Whatever she'd been about to say, it wasn't safe to discuss—not yet.
As the knight triumphantly produced a single, slightly wrinkled carrot–looking thing from his pantry, he announced, "Dinner is served!" and dropped it into a chipped bowl with a flourish.
Izuma, Lira, and Adia exchanged a look. In perfect comic timing, all three thought at once:
*Is this really a royal knight?*
And as the knight tried to slice the carrot–thing with the wrong end of a spoon, Lira whispered, "If we survive dinner, we can survive anything."
Izuma grinned, and for the first time that day, he actually believed it...