The Masked Warrior Enters Falling Cloud Palace
Videl was still sleeping when a familiar voice gently echoed inside her mind.
"Master... Sir Mora has returned."
It was Amura.
Her calm voice slipped through Videl’s thoughts like a soft bell ringing in a quiet temple.
Videl’s eyes slowly opened.
For a brief mont she stared at the wooden ceiling above her, the fading warmth of sleep still clinging to her mind. Then she exhaled softly and sat up.
"Already...?"
She rubbed her eyes once before pushing herself off the bed.
Sunlight had shifted since she fell asleep. Golden beams stread through the window, painting the room with warm light.
Videl stretched her arms slightly, feeling the tension leave her muscles.
"Alright."
She stood and adjusted her clothes.
A mont later—
Knock. Knock.
Mora’s voice followed imdiately after.
"Videl, prepare yourself. We are about to head to the castle."
Videl walked toward the door.
"Understood."
Mora continued from outside.
"Make sure to wear the mask and hooded cloak I gave you."
Videl froze for a second.
"...Right."
She had almost forgotten.
Quickly, she retrieved the cloak and mask from the table.
The dark hood covered her golden hair completely, while the mask hid most of her face—leaving only her sharp blue eyes visible beneath the shadow of the hood.
She examined herself briefly.
The disguise was perfect.
Anyone looking at her would see only a mysterious warrior.
Nothing more.
Satisfied, she opened the door.
Mora stood waiting in the hallway, his posture calm as always.
He glanced at her once, then nodded slightly.
"Good."
"Let’s go."
They walked down the hallway together.
Videl’s boots tapped softly against the polished wooden floor.
After a few steps she asked curiously,
"So... how are we going to the castle?"
Mora answered without hesitation.
"From the front."
Videl blinked.
"...From the front?"
He nodded.
"We’ll take the carriage we arrived in."
Videl frowned slightly beneath the mask.
"I thought my eting with the Queen was supposed to be secret."
Her confusion was genuine.
She had expected sothing completely different.
A hidden passage.
A secret tunnel.
Maybe even sneaking through the palace at night.
Instead—
They were simply leaving through the front door.
Mora chuckled quietly when he noticed her confusion.
"Videl... the young swordmaster is not eting the Queen."
Videl tilted her head.
"...What?"
Mora’s eyes glead slightly.
"The one eting the Queen today..."
He paused deliberately.
"...is the Radiant Blade — Aurelius."
Videl blinked again.
"Aurelius...?"
"Yes."
Mora smiled faintly.
"A legendary light warrior who supposedly disappeared three years ago."
He continued calmly.
"That will be the rumor we spread."
Videl crossed her arms.
"...I see."
Mora kept explaining as they walked.
"If we hide you completely and move in secret..."
"Those fools outside will try twice as hard to uncover your identity."
"But if we walk openly..."
He gestured ahead.
"And give them a little information..."
"They will convince themselves they already know the truth."
Videl considered his words carefully.
It made sense.
Still...
She sighed quietly.
"All this secrecy..."
"It’s not really my style."
Mora looked at her.
"I know."
Videl’s voice carried faint frustration.
"I would rather et the Queen openly."
"Not like so criminal hiding from the world."
Mora didn’t reply imdiately.
Instead he opened the inn’s front door.
Bright daylight poured inside.
Then he said calmly,
"Sotis..."
"...power grows best in shadows."
And with that—
They stepped outside.
The mont Mora and the masked warrior appeared outside the inn—
The spies noticed.
Dozens of hidden eyes turned toward them imdiately.
From rooftops.
From alleyways.
From nearby taverns and balconies.
All watching.
All calculating.
All curious.
The mysterious companion walking beside Mora drew everyone’s attention instantly.
The hood hid the person’s face.
The mask concealed their identity.
The cloak covered their body completely.
The only visible detail—
Was the hilt of a sword resting at their side.
Several observers narrowed their eyes.
So among them possessed a rare skill—
They could see mana flow.
And what they saw made their expressions change instantly.
"...What the hell..."
One man whispered from a rooftop.
"That mana..."
Another spy leaned forward.
The mana flowing around the mysterious warrior was extraordinary.
Dense.
Pure.
And powerful.
Its quantity rivaled that of elite knight captains.
But that wasn’t what shocked them the most.
It was the color.
Most people’s mana appeared dull grey.
So had faint elental colors mixed within.
Fire users had hints of red.
Wind users had traces of green.
Water users carried shades of blue.
But the mysterious warrior’s mana...
Was brilliant white.
Almost silver.
Radiant.
Sacred.
It resembled the mana of soone deeply attuned to the light elent.
Yet...
It looked even more majestic than normal.
Almost divine.
"...That’s not normal light mana..."
Soone muttered nervously.
"It looks holy..."
Another group of observers noticed sothing else entirely.
The way the warrior walked.
Their steps were smooth.
Balanced.
Calm.
But every movent carried tension.
A readiness.
A warrior’s instinct.
Those trained deeply in martial arts noticed it imdiately.
"That gait..."
One veteran observer murmured.
"He’s always ready to draw his sword."
Another spy nodded.
"Yes."
"Even while walking."
Normally such details revealed a fighter’s training style.
Each martial school had its own patterns.
Its own habits.
But strangely—
None of them could identify the warrior’s style.
It was unfamiliar.
Unpredictable.
Dangerous.
Whoever this person was...
They were not ordinary.
By the ti the carriage began moving toward the palace—
Several observers had already made their decisions.
So imdiately left.
They had gathered enough information.
Their masters needed to know.
Others stayed.
Watching.
Waiting.
Studying every movent.
The carriage rolled through the streets of Falling Cloud, heading straight toward the royal palace.
Inside the carriage—
Videl remained silent.
Outside—
The spies followed.
Because one thing had beco very clear.
This mysterious warrior...
Was soone dangerous.
Not only did their mana suggest a powerful mage—
Their movents revealed a warrior equally deadly.
Perhaps even more so.
A terrifying possibility entered many minds simultaneously.
A magic swordsman.
And not just any magic swordsman.
A high-level one.
Even with all their observation...
No one could determine the warrior’s true identity.
Still—
They now knew one thing for certain.
Whoever this person was...
Their arrival in the capital would shake many powerful people.
So spies turned back imdiately to report.
Others remained outside the palace gates—
Patiently waiting.
Watching.
Hoping to gather even more information...
Once the mysterious warrior finally erged from the palace.
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