Chapter 79: Bring your daughter to court
At nightfall, Leon, after figuring out the patrol routes of the Imperial Guard, chose the right moment to bring Muen to the base of the high wall on one side of the Imperial City.
It was a place not easily noticed, and a patrol passed by every ten minutes. Father and daughter crouched by the wall, discussing how to infiltrate inside.
Entering the Imperial City in the central area was not as simple as when they blended in during the daytime.
This area was home to the Imperial nobles, and even the lowest-ranking individuals had at least four or five guards accompanying them when they went out.
As for those in higher positions of power, there was no need to elaborate.
Leon raised his hand and gently pressed it against the outer wall of the Imperial City. It was cold and rough, and there seemed to be a flow of magical energy within.
“Sure enough, there is a barrier here,” Leon said.
The city walls of the Empire had sensory barriers, so the Imperial City would certainly be no exception.
Moreover, the strength and functionality of the Imperial City’s barrier would undoubtedly far exceed that of the city walls outside.
“If we climb over the wall, we’ll be detected by the barrier,” Leon said.
“I’ll try to open a hole in this barrier. Muen, you keep watch. If there’s any movement, notify me immediately.”
“Yes, Dad.”
Muen immediately stood up and cautiously scanned the surroundings. Leon then began attempting to break the barrier.
When they were at the Dragon-slaying Academy, the teachers taught them some basic principles and techniques for breaking barriers, as it was possible to encounter various kinds of barriers set by the enemy amid military campaigns.
But no matter the function of the barrier, its essence was still a kind of magic formation.
As long as they could find its operating pattern, there was a chance to break it.
However, after several attempts, Leon failed.
He did not dare to forcefully break the barrier, as it would surely attract the attention of the “Royal Sorcerer Corps.”
The barriers on the outer walls, the Imperial City, and various other key buildings of the Empire were all managed by the Royal Sorcerer Corps.
In addition, the Royal Sorcerer Corps was responsible for teaching magic to the royal family members and their offspring.
Leon had never liked those people when he was leading troops in the past.
Every single one of them, without exception, was a superstitious lunatic — and without any moral or ethical boundaries.
Before the Silver Dragon War, he had heard that they were conducting some “dangerous species breeding” experiments, and judging by the dangerous species he had encountered last time he returned to the Empire, it seemed that their experiments had succeeded.
Who knew what kind of absurd things they had come up with after twenty years?
“It’s no use. The structure of the barrier is too complex, far more intricate than it was twenty years ago.”
Moreover, breaking barriers was not Leon’s specialty.
He could easily tear down a wall with a single move, but that would expose their position.
Their purpose in risking this infiltration into the Empire was to protect the Heart Dragon Scales, not to start a fight.
Muen also tried but failed as well. Her bangs drooped down, and the little moon’s face showed a bit of frustration.
“Why is this happening…”
Leon patted her head comfortingly.
“After all, this is a barrier designed to protect the Imperial City, created by a bunch of professionals. If we two could break it so easily, those people would have to find new jobs.”
“So what should we do now, Dad?”
“Well… Since sneaking in doesn’t work, let’s see if we can do something like we did in the daytime—find some cover and sneak in under the radar.”
“Okay.”
This method had a low success rate, but it was better than doing nothing at all, so they decided to give it a try.
Leon and Muen managed to avoid the patrols and made their way to the roof of a post station building near the front gate of the Imperial City.
From here, they could see the situation at the Imperial City’s main gate.
There weren’t many carriages coming and going, and from the luxurious configurations of those carriages, it was clear that the people inside were all wealthy.
It was as if they had diamonds on the horses’ hooves.
“Unlike the city gate, the Imperial City guards carefully check every carriage that comes and goes. Hiding under the carriage would get us caught,” Leon said with a sigh.
“Dad, didn’t you used to come to the Imperial City often when you were in the Empire?” Muen asked.
Leon thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“At first, yes. Later, not so much.”
“Eh? Why?” Muen asked curiously.
“People like me, generals on the front lines, are not allowed to enter the Imperial City freely unless they are awarded honors or have merits.”
Muen blinked. “Then why did you say you used to come here often?”
“Because your dad earned a lot of merits.”
Leon reminisced. “At that time… I used to get a dragon king every month, so I had to come to the Imperial City once a month to be awarded by that damn emperor. Ordinary people only come once a year.”
“After a while, they got tired of awarding me, and I got tired of it too. So we agreed on once every six months.”
Muen widened her eyes, her face full of admiration as she looked at her father.
“Wow~ you were so amazing, Dad.”
Leon coughed twice, not continuing the exaggeration.
“That’s because your mom was also a special award…”
Sigh, old stories are just old stories.
Anyway, he was now married to a special award, so there’s no need to boast about past glories.
Muen asked again, “So did you get any rewards for your honors?”
Leon nodded. “Yeah, money, food, clothes, all kinds of things. My squad members used to joke that I looked like I went shopping every time I came back from the Imperial City.”
Muen covered her mouth and chuckled. “Dad, you must have been quite the handsome guy when you were young.”
“This is a strange thing to say. Am I not young now?”
“You’re already a twenty-three-year-old uncle.”
Leon pinched his daughter’s cheek. “I’m an uncle at twenty-three, and what are you at twenty-two, hmm?”
“Your uncle’s daughter.”
Footnotes:
- Sanji (三基)refers to a special forces unit named “Sanji,” possibly a fictional elite military unit known for its strength.
- Black Armor Rule (黑色铠甲统治)– Refers to a period or imagery involving a highly disciplined or feared military force, possibly used metaphorically to signify an era of power and control.
