"Miss Ye, you've come at an unfortunate time. The city lord said you would be coming, and he wanted to wait for you, but his business couldn't wait. He only left yesterday, and he specifically left word that if you have anything urgent, you can contact Lord Dinan directly. Lord Dinan is inspecting the city at the moment, though. He'll be back around noon."
As he spoke, the guard bowed slightly, ready to usher Ye Chuqi inside.
That was the privilege her standing afforded her. A single word was all it took for Ye Chuqi to enter and leave the City Lord's Residence freely, even while City Lord Yuges was away.
After hearing the guard's explanation, Ye Chuqi understood why he had recognized her at a glance. Lord Yuges had specifically instructed him and had correctly predicted that she would come to the City Lord's Residence.
Ye Chuqi felt a little guilty, too. If she hadn't had a few things she wanted to consult Lord Yuges about, she might have passed straight through Monte City to the Adventurers' Camp, checked whether she could run into her uncle Bai Fenghua, then headed straight to the Lost Forest.
Visiting Lord Yuges had become an incidental stop instead. Of course, Lord Yuges absolutely mustn't find out he's only an incidental stop. Mm.
Lord Dinan's health wasn't very good, but with good medicine to sustain him, he could easily live for many more years. Plenty of affairs in Monte City demanded his attention and effort, and he had always taken care to look after his health. He only went on inspections like this occasionally and would return at noon, so they didn't take up too much time.
"No need." Ye Chuqi declined the guard's kindness. After a moment's thought, she handed him a small