Chapter 18: The Green Barrier

After Yiluo got back into the carriage, she looked at Coco, who was still tense.

As the figures of the Holy Church grew more distant, Yiluo gently touched Coco’s cheek and whispered softly,

“It’s alright now.

Everything’s fine.”

Coco was clearly still shaken, but under Yiluo’s gentle, comforting touch on her cheek, her panicked heart gradually settled.

She looked at Yiluo with growing admiration.

She knew, of course, that not a single word Yiluo had said earlier was true — yet she had convinced those knights and priests completely.

It made Coco increasingly curious about who Yiluo really was.

Yiluo’s image in Coco’s heart grew stranger and stranger.

The girl she first believed to be a naive, sheltered noble lady…

Had gradually become a kind, black-bellied, gluttonous, mysterious lady.

Oh — and also extremely strange.

Very, very strange!

Even though Yiluo’s image cracked more and more, becoming darker by the day…

Coco found herself increasingly reliant on her.

She even felt the urge to lean into Yiluo’s arms and let her pat her little head under the hat.

This thought shocked Coco.

She had never felt anything like it before.

Her face felt hot — she didn’t know whether it was because of the crisis they’d just escaped or because Yiluo’s soft, delicate fingers on her cheek had some kind of magic.

Either way, she kept her head lowered, too embarrassed to raise it or meet Yiluo’s eyes.

If… Yiluo were my master… then maybe…

Coco’s heart grew warm at the thought, imagining a beautiful future.

But she forced herself to stop.

She had to return to the Green Barrier.

Return to her original master.

As long as her master hadn’t abandoned her, a maid had no right to run away.

And besides… she didn’t know whether the Viscount and her mother were safe.

Coco buried her worries deep in her heart.

Meanwhile, Yiluo looked at the heavy rain outside the window.

Although she kept smiling to comfort Coco, she also carried her own concerns.

They had managed to trick Lombard for now — but if they stayed in Green City for too long, they risked being exposed.

She would need a new disguise, a new identity.

This Holy Church… was definitely not a good organization.

“Miss Yiluo, are you two really from the Tessleet Empire?”

Jack asked through the small window, full of doubt.

Hearing him, Yiluo and Coco looked at each other — and suddenly burst into laughter, their earlier worries dissipating by half.

“Oh, so it wasn’t real after all!”

Hearing their laughter, Jack also burst out laughing.

“And going to the Asa Empire wasn’t real either? Hahaha—”

“When Lombard heard you mention those two places, you should’ve seen his face!

He looked like he was crying while smiling!

So satisfying!”

“Miss Yiluo, I admire you.

Even if you didn’t pay me the rest of my fee, I’d still escort you safely to the Green Barrier!”

The Tessleet Empire’s Manlin Port and the Asa Empire’s Fulin Port were two random locations Yiluo had extracted from Jack during earlier conversations.

As for marquises and dukes — all made up.

The Holy Church oversaw too many countries.

Yiluo didn’t believe Lombard would just happen to know those two places or their nobles.

And even if he doubted her and tried to investigate…

By the time results came back, she’d be long gone.

This round, Lombard had been thoroughly fooled — turned into a complete idiot.

“Don’t jump to conclusions so fast.

Tell me about this Lombard.

Just one look and I could tell he wasn’t a good person.

I need to protect my master.”

Jack noticed Yiluo didn’t deny anything, so he wisely stopped probing.

He composed himself and explained seriously:

“Miss Yiluo, you must be careful of this man.

He looks friendly, but his methods are cruel and scheming.”

Yiluo had already noticed that — the way he shot from behind was far too practiced.

“Lombard is from the Holy Capital, Kubabil.

A lower fifth-rank warrior, appointed as a Holy Knight.

He became bishop of Green City about a year ago.

He’s ruthless and greedy.

Adventurers say he came to Green City just to secure enough merit to return and get promoted to archbishop.”

Lower fifth rank, huh?

Yiluo murmured.

He was the strongest person she had encountered so far.

That final arrow he used to kill the Ice Leopard had made her feel a clear threat.

“I rarely leave home, so I don’t know much about the Church.

What level is a Holy Knight?

Are fifth-rank warriors common?

And what was that arrow called?

It looked powerful.”

Jack was stunned.

“Miss Yiluo, you’re too uninformed!

Aren’t you fifth rank yourself?

Or are you Earth Rank?

My god!

No wonder you fooled Lombard so easily!”

“Does your master need a fourth-rank upper warrior?

One who might reach fifth rank in a few years — handsome, emotionally intelligent—”

Yiluo glared at him.

“Stop rambling.

Answer the question.”

Jack suddenly felt she wasn’t as scary as before.

He chuckled and continued:

“Fifth-rank warriors aren’t common, but the Church has many.

Being appointed a High Knight is considered an honor, though not everyone who qualifies gets chosen.

Holy Knights are fifth-rank.

Glory Knights are Earth Rank.

And above that are Titled Knights — minimum Heaven Rank, each with enormous accomplishments.”

“That arrow Lombard fired was his finisher, Stigma Feather.

It was at upper fifth-rank power.

He can’t normally use it.

Those six priests buffed him so he could release it.”

“But even then, he’s far inferior to his teacher.”

Jack spoke casually, but Yiluo felt far from relaxed.

Even that upper fifth-rank attack had made her uneasy…

And above that were Earth Rank, Heaven Rank, and even higher?

She was nowhere close.

“Who is Lombard’s teacher?”

“Glory Knight Aransa.

Stigma Feather is actually his signature technique.

He once killed a Heaven-Rank magical beast — a Six-Headed Icefire Serpent — alone.

Rumor says he has already broken into Heaven Rank himself but hasn’t been formally titled.”

“You saw Glory Knight Aransa use Stigma Feather before?”

“Of course not!

A Glory Knight wouldn’t come to Green City unless something major happened.

But the gap between fifth rank and Earth Rank is enormous — not to mention Heaven Rank.

They say Aransa killed the Six-Headed Icefire Serpent with a single arrow.

Even without seeing it, anyone can imagine the power.”

Yiluo looked at Jack’s dramatic expression and said,

“What if he waited until it was asleep and shot it from eight hundred miles away? A sneak attack?”

Jack: “…”

“Don’t say that — it might really be true.

Lombard is brave when fighting third-rank beasts face-to-face.

Fourth rank? He shoots Stigma Feather from behind.

So sly.”

Yiluo’s mood darkened.

So Lombard was definitely a future threat — unpredictable and dangerous.

And behind him stood a possible Heaven-Rank Glory Knight, Aransa…

A monster in strength — and an old schemer to boot.

Damn it.

She would need to plan her future carefully.

In her seventeen years as an undefeated agent, her personal ability was one thing — but sixty percent of her success came from her organization’s intelligence network and logistical support.

They ensured she always held the advantage.

After sending Coco safely away, her priority would be:
strengthen herself, acquire intelligence, and only then seek a path home.

To oppose the Holy Church was the worst possible option.

If she could, she must avoid any direct conflict with them.

.

.

The next two days passed peacefully.

Finally, at dusk, they reached the Green Barrier.

Amid towering mountains stood Green City’s wall — fifty meters tall.

The thick green stone bore countless marks of past wars, yet remained unshakable.

A thin layer of moss and vegetation covered it, giving it an ancient, immovable aura.

With no modern siege equipment, it was truly a natural fortress.

Not to mention the dozens-of-meters-wide, ten-meters-deep moat outside.

Three gates existed, but only one was open.

There weren’t many people entering or leaving.

Twelve soldiers with swords or spears inspected travelers and carriages.

Along the wall stood more soldiers at intervals, with giant crossbows and cannon-like constructs beside them.

As Yiluo’s carriage reached the gate, a bearded but spirited veteran approached.

“Hey, isn’t this Jack the adventurer?”

“How’s life?

Did you strike it rich?

Dressed so nicely, driving such a fancy carriage — did some noble lady fall for you?”

Jack hurried down from the carriage and patted the old soldier’s shoulder.

“Brother Nos, you look even livelier than last time!

I’m broke, so I’m doing big jobs to earn some coin.”

“I heard your youngest reached second rank at age seventeen.

Amazing! Congratulations!”

Nos was the squad leader of the gate guards — only upper first rank, but well-respected due to his long service.

Hearing Jack’s praise, he grinned.

“That was half a year ago.

He’s nearly mid second rank now.”

“You’re not bringing anything dangerous into the city, right?”

Jack recognized Nos’s meaning immediately.

This old guy was greedy — but predictable.

He shook Nos’s hand again, secretly slipping him a silver coin.

“Brother, when have I ever caused trouble for you?”

Seeing the silver coin, Nos was delighted.

He tucked it inside his armor and walked toward the carriage.

“That’s true — Jack, you’re skilled and obedient to the rules.

But I still have to check by regulations.”

Normally, everything would be checked thoroughly, but with a bribe, it was just a formality.

“Of course, of course,” Jack said.

Nos looked through the carriage window — and froze.

He muttered something under his breath and tried to open the door, but Jack stopped him.

“Brother, what’s wrong?

I’m trying to enter quickly here.”

Nos snapped out of it and shook his head.

“That girl in the carriage — who is she?”

“The noble daughter of Marquis Elizabeth from the Arcanthi Empire, along with her lovely maid.”

Nos glanced at the growing line behind them and sighed.

“The maid is quite pretty.

And… ah, forget it.

Go on.

Times have been unstable lately — be careful when taking jobs outside.”

“Thanks, brother.”

As Jack entered the city, Nos became absent-minded while checking others.

His mind replayed Yiluo’s face over and over.

The more he thought about it, the more wrong it felt.

“She looks too much like… that person.”

“But that’s impossible…”

“My eyes must be playing tricks…”

“No… If something really went wrong, I can’t bear the responsibility!”

After thinking for a while, Nos decided to end his shift early.

He had to go to the cathedral.