Damian no longer had his mount. Raikono had stayed behind to protect everyone. Besides, a stealthy mission would be impossible with a giant wolf flying around with lightning around its body.

"Sir, are you going to Ishgand city?" a man asked.

It was the coachman, and Damian had decided that a carriage would be the best way to travel. The creatures pulling it were not horses, but a type of lizard, which made it much faster.

"Yes, that's right," Damian said, his face hidden by a hood. "Here is the money."

This type of carriage was shared by many people, and each passenger would get off at their own stop, like a bus. Damian had changed his appearance to look somewhat older, with a beard and slicked-back hair. This was all thanks to his ability to change his facial features, which was one of the best abilities for committing crimes or doing other things without being recognized.

"The city you want to go to is our last stop," the coachman said. "You can get in now."

Damian nodded and entered the carriage. It was spacious, and the other passengers glanced at him for a few seconds before going back to their own business.

Damian scanned the carriage for an empty seat. It wasn't the most comfortable, but it would do. The situation would only improve as people started getting off at their stops.historical

"Can I sit here?" a young man asked.

Damian didn't pay attention at first, thinking the question wasn't directed at him. No one spoke to him, especially looking like he did at the moment.

But when he realized the question was indeed for him, he slowly turned his head and looked at the young man. "Yes? Is something wrong?"

The young man could sense a sense of danger, but tried his best not to show it. "There's no other free space. Can I sit next to you? I promise I'll be quiet the whole time."

It was impossible to tell if the youth was telling the truth, but Damian didn't have the power to deny him anyway. If there was no other place for the young man to sit, then he would have to sit there.

"Sure," Damian said.

The young man smiled and sat down next to Damian, but of course, kept his word and didn't say a word. Damian returned to his thoughtful state, thinking about how he could infiltrate the castle.

'How can I do this? Well, this Ishgand city is near the Snowheart family's castle, so I can stay there and think of something.'

All Damian had to do now was wait. The lizard pulling the carriage was quite fast, and the entire journey took them three days. During this time, many people got off at their stops.

But Damian remained in the carriage, only getting out to use the restroom and then returning to his seat. What surprised him was that the young man, the one who had asked to sit next to him, didn't get off until the last stop!

"Are you stopping in Ishgand city too?" Damian asked.

The young man was surprised by the sudden question, considering Damian hadn't said a word to him since they met. "Yes, indeed. I'm staying with the Snowheart family for a while for training. I'm a squire, looking to become a knight!"

That was it. It was a chance for Damian to enter the castle! All he had to do was kill the young man and take his identity. It shouldn't be so hard, right?

But the thought of killing that young man, who didn't look like a bad person, weighed on Damian. But then the young man said the next sentence, saving his neck.

"They're hiring guards, and you can also become a tutor if you're good enough. Don't you want to try? I think it's a good way to make money."

"Really? Do you think someone like me has a chance?" Damian asked.

"Of course! They don't ask about your past, so anyone can become a guard. All you need is decent strength and hard work!"

The youth was quite optimistic, and Damian decided to go his route, trying to become a guard. With the youth by his side, maybe it would make a good impression?

"Alright, you convinced me. But first, we need to stop in Ishgand to buy supplies for the trip."

"Understood!"

Damian looked older, so the youth acted respectfully toward him, like a soldier talking to a superior.

'Is it part of his squire training? Anyway, I think this might work!'

The idea was not bad, and the job of a guard would be quite valuable in the type of mission Damian planned on doing.

So when the carriage stopped, Damian and the youth, Lucas, stopped in Ishgand to buy some things, like food and water, two fur cloaks to survive the cold environment, and a sword for Damian.

Ishgand was considered a city, but the amount of people living in it was much smaller, with the streets being empty. The cold environment was the main reason for such a thing.

All the buildings inside the city were made of stone, and a thick layer of snow covered their roofs, the streets, and everything around the city.

Damian could see through the building's windows the people inside, standing near the fire to warm their bodies, drinking warm ale and talking about many things.

He went to one place to buy food and water, another one to buy his fur cloak, and his final stop was a small blacksmith shop to buy a weapon.

"This is made using Mythril, a rare ore that is found in the snowy mines down the city. It is way better than the average sword," a bulky tall man wearing an apron said.

Damian grabbed the sword, swinging it a few times. He also asked for some things to use the sword on to see if it truly cut things, and it worked well.

"I will take it."

After they left the shop, Lucas could not stop looking at the sword, like a kid staring at a toy.

"Is everything okay?"

Lucas scratched the back of his head, "Y-Yes, it is. It's just that I cannot wait to finish my training and use this type of sword."

Right. Lucas was still a square, and if the knowledge Damian had did not trick him, it meant there were many things he could not do while his training was not over.

"Did you grab everything? Let's go!"