"You only need to show the Erl Family crest, and you can skip all these tedious processes."
"You were only recently bestowed a title by Lord Raymond, so you haven't had time to learn about all things noble."
Dalton urged his horse forward, walking abreast with Sir Karl, and turned his head to explain.
Hearing this, Sir Karl paused, then turned his head to observe the procession.
Soon, he noticed that everyone in the procession was crowded on the right side of the bridge.
Meanwhile, the left side of the bridge still had a relatively wide path, clearly left open intentionally.
"Sir Karl, please follow me. I'll handle the rest."
As the two and the carriage advanced towards the city gate, the commoners on the right side all turned to look.
Most of them had eyes filled with awe and envy, and naturally, there were also those full of jealousy.
They watched as Sir Karl's group passed by the procession and gradually moved into the distance.
Seeing this, the soldiers stationed at the city gate proactively stepped forward, bowing slightly in greeting.
"Sirs, how may we assist you?"
"My name is Dalton, and behind me is Sir Karl. We belong to the Erl Family and wish to enter the city now."
While speaking, Dalton pulled a round emblem from his pocket and handed it to the soldier.
The soldier, with a serious expression, respectfully took the emblem with both hands. He quickly glanced at the gold thread patterns and the family crest adorning it.
Afterward, he quickly scrutinized Sir Karl's attire and the horse he was riding.
The horse's coat was bright and shiny, appearing incredibly smooth at first glance.
The warhorse was tall and robust, with clearly defined muscles—definitely a top-quality warhorse.
From this, he generally confirmed Dalton and the others' identities, quickly handed the emblem back, and bowed again to everyone.
The soldier forced a smile and said in a deep voice: "Sir Karl, it is an honor to meet you. Welcome to Vizima."
"Let them pass!" He then turned and nodded to his comrades behind him, shouting loudly.
In just over ten seconds, Sir Karl's group was successfully allowed to pass and enter the city.
After all, how could one be stationed at the city gate year-round without some discernment?
The guards could generally recognize the identity crests of nobles within the city, including those of the royal family.
Even if nobles from some remote areas with fiefdoms arrived, it didn't matter if they didn't recognize them; they just needed to be polite and not offend them.
As for verifying the authenticity of noble identities, that wasn't their job.
Moreover, they didn't believe any commoner would dare to impersonate a noble, or even forge a noble family crest to act. Impersonating a noble was a serious crime.
Once an impostor was discovered, not only would the person impersonating the noble be executed, but their family would also not be spared.
After Sir Karl and the others departed, the guards began to discuss in low voices.
"Guys, how many nobles have arrived recently?"
"If I'm not mistaken, he's the seventh. Many more nobles are expected to arrive in the coming days."
"That's right, the Martial Arts Tournament is in a few days. Nobles from all over Temeria planning to compete will be arriving. There are estimated to be over twenty competing knights alone."
...The group entered the Trade District of Vizima through the city gate, and the sight of the Trade District was a refreshing change for Sir Karl.
Clean cobblestones paved the ground, brick buildings were densely arranged on both sides of the narrow streets, and flowers were placed by the windows of the houses.
Merchants in splendid attire occasionally walked the roads, all highlighting the wealth and power of the residents here.
"Tsk… this can barely be called a city; most of the outskirts are just villages," Sir Karl muttered under his breath.
"Sir Karl, should we go to the inn first to arrange our itinerary and affairs for this trip?" Dalton asked softly.
"Dalton, you arrange it. You don't need to ask me about everything."
"Understood, Sir Karl."
The group proceeded a little further towards the center of the Trade District, finally catching sight of an inn not far away.
As they headed towards the inn, a father and daughter passed by them, conversing.
"Father, that red-haired lady we met at the market earlier was so pretty. Can you buy me a doll like her?" the girl said timidly.
The young man, dressed simply with a slight beard, had one or two patches vaguely visible on his clothes, indicating his financial situation was not good.
The man's face twitched, and he scratched his head awkwardly, appearing somewhat flustered.
He looked left and right, and besides seeing a procession and carriage nearby, he saw no one watching him.
He then squatted down to face the girl and said gently in a moderate voice: "Tamara, my darling, the dolls at the market are expensive and ugly. When we go back, Father will buy you a prettier one."
"Okay, Father, you have to keep your word," Tamara bit her fingertip, hesitating for a moment before agreeing to the man's request.
Seeing his daughter agree, the man's expression was slightly helpless, and he subtly sighed.
He thought to himself: "Alas, I'm such a failure as a father. I don't even have money to buy a doll for my child. Perhaps I should try a higher-paying job?"
"Anna also said she wants new clothes and doesn't want to wear patched clothes all day."
Having received her father's promise, the girl again showed a carefree smile and skipped forward, holding the man's hand.
The conversation between this father and daughter naturally reached Sir Karl's ears within the procession.
Suddenly hearing a familiar name made Sir Karl thoughtful. He stopped urging his horse and looked back at the backs of the father and daughter.
"Wait, a beautiful red-haired woman at the market? Tamara…"
"In Vizima… Triss Merigold? Then they are Philip the Bloody Baron and his daughter?!"
Sir Karl racked his brain, recalling the almost forgotten details, and finally found information related to this father and daughter.
"Sir Karl, what's wrong? Is there a problem with that father and daughter?"
Seeing Sir Karl stop, Dalton turned his horse to his side, frowning in confusion as he looked at Philip and his daughter.
"Nothing. I'll wait for you at the inn entrance. I have something for you to do."
Immediately, Sir Karl leaned slightly on his horse, and Dalton quickly brought his ear close.
"Dalton, you go tell…"
"Hmm… Ah? I understand, Sir Karl." Dalton's eyes widened as he looked in surprise at the backs of Philip and his daughter.
He couldn't quite understand why a pair of commoners had suddenly caught Sir Karl's attention, and even received his favor.
However, since Sir Karl had ordered it, he would follow the instructions. As for the reason, he wouldn't speculate too much.
Thus, after nodding to Sir Karl, he urged his horse to unhurriedly chase after Philip and his daughter.
At the same time, Sir Karl continued towards the inn, a cold smirk on his lips as he thought to himself.
"Anna! If I hadn't met you, so be it, but since I have, you're out of luck! You wretch only deserve the stake and the iron maiden!"
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