Half an hour later, the twelve Griffin Knights left, and only then did Hailia reluctantly look away.
"Your Excellency Velin, I'm sorry for taking up your time."
"It's nothing. Besides, I enjoy watching Griffin Knights train too," Velin replied with a smile. "It's almost time. We should head to the lake."
"All right."
As they descended from the platform, the number of visitors began to grow.
Weaving through the crowd, the three of them reached the lakeside entrance.
Velin and Hailia handed over their numbered tokens and entered without trouble. Kyle lagged a few steps behind, slipping the Command Document he had prepared into the Constable's arms as he passed him, then walking inside without drawing attention.
The Constable, who was putting on a stern face while actually slacking off, suddenly felt something foreign against his chest and reached for it.
"A letter?"
The feel of parchment puzzled the Constable. He took it out, but the instant he saw the seal at the bottom, he shoved it back inside his clothes.
"I must have seen that wrong."
A few seconds later, the Constable beckoned to his colleagues patrolling in the distance.
Two Constables came over to the lakeside entrance, and one of them asked, "What happened?"
"Cover for me. I need to report something important to the captain."
Before either could react, the Constable guarding the entrance stepped through the wooden gate, tossed the key behind him, and sprinted toward the Constabulary Station, all without a moment's hesitation.
"Who's staying?"
"My little sister's attending my wedding feast tonight, so I'll be off."
With that, the Constable on the left slipped away and quickly left the area.
By the time the other Constable collected himself, his colleague was already dozens of meters away.
"Your little sister's attending your wedding feast? Well,