Eloria City, the heart of the kingdom, was bathed in the afternoon sunlight.
Within the towering city walls, people thronged the broad stone-paved streets, while carriages and horses flowed endlessly.
The clamor and prosperity formed a stark contrast to the bedraggled hardship of several days spent trekking through the wilderness.
The residence Ottorek III had bestowed upon Benjamin was located in the Royal Capital's district for middle-ranking nobles. Though not luxurious, it covered a considerable area and had everything from pavilions to towers.
The mansion gates were tightly shut. It appeared peaceful, yet in several unknown corners, pairs of eyes were fixed on every movement inside through imperceptible surveillance arrays.
They were watchers dispatched by the royal palace.
In their eyes, this "Lord Jack" had a mysterious background and astonishing abilities. Though His Majesty the King had praised him lavishly, he had never lowered his guard.
"Today, the target behaved normally," one watcher in an official robe murmured to a crystal ball. His gaze pierced through the illusion within it, observing Benjamin in the study.
Inside the crystal ball, Benjamin sat at the desk in his bedroom, one hand propping up his cheek while the other casually tossed several copper coins.
The coins spun through the air, ringing with crisp collisions before landing precisely back in his palm or scattering across the tabletop.
Even the watcher grew drowsy from the steady clinking of metal. After all, ever since arriving at this residence, Benjamin had spent time every day performing this "boring" action.
"It's been nearly a week. Other than fiddling with those little coins of his every day, he either reads or goes out for a walk." Another watcher yawned impatiently, worn down by the dull monotony of the job.
"Is he being too cautious? Or is this just how