"J-Jed! Something terrible has happened!"
As soon as I returned to the estate, Liou came running out barefoot, her face pale and frantic. She looked like she had been worrying herself sick.
I had a vague sense of what it might be and tried to calm her down.
"Take a deep breath and tell me slowly. Did the Emperor's decree arrive?"
"Huh?! Y-Yes… How did you know?"
"I didn't. It's just that there's nothing else that would make you this panicked."
"Oh… It arrived around lunchtime, but I didn't open it just in case."
"Let me see it."
Liou handed me the decree, wrapped in luxurious silk. With equal parts curiosity and unease, I unrolled it to read the first mission. But as soon as I saw its contents, I frowned in confusion.
Jed Arahan is to report to the city of Katura by February 1.
That was it. Just one line.
I even flipped it over to check the back, but there was nothing more. The simplicity was almost insulting.
What kind of joke is this? What are they playing at?
Without knowing the mission details, how was I supposed to prepare? Was this some ploy to prevent me from gathering the necessary supplies?
"That bastard is getting more unlikable by the second," I muttered under my breath.
"Huh? Who? Me?!" Liou asked, startled.
"No, not you. Never mind."
This decree was practically screaming that they didn't want me to succeed. I clenched my teeth in frustration. The Emperor might present himself as noble and just on the surface, but this move revealed his true cunning nature.
Still… he's the Emperor. Damn it.
There was no way around it; an imperial decree left no room for negotiation. Katura was located in the far north, meaning I'd have to leave immediately if I wanted to make it on time. While teleportation gates could get me close to the northern hub city of Remang, Katura itself lacked such conveniences due to being a small town.
Starting with Katura for the first mission… This won't be easy.
Katura was infamous as the Empire's northernmost city, plagued by brutal winters and frequent attacks from beasts. Even without knowing the specifics of my mission, it was obvious this wouldn't be a walk in the park.
The difficulty will only escalate from here. If this is where we're starting…
I had already anticipated some form of retaliation from the Emperor after sending his investigators away empty-handed. Though my actions were legally sound under imperial law, they must have bruised his ego.
This decree is his way of making sure I pay for that.
The single line on the parchment spoke volumes about his intentions: he wasn't going to let me off easy. While I had expected some level of hostility, this still managed to irritate me beyond belief.
As I mulled over my next steps, Liou finally read through the decree herself and gasped in shock.
"Katura?! Isn't that the place where the average temperature is -20 degrees?!"
"If I don't want to freeze to death, I'll need to pack warm clothes."
"But why send you all the way there? Even if there are frequent incidents, why Katura of all places?"
"Have you ever been there before?"
"When I worked with merchant caravans, we passed nearby once. All I remember is how unbearably cold it was."
Yeah… cold sounded about right. Heading to the Empire's northernmost point at the tail end of winter wasn't exactly ideal.
"I need to visit someone first," I said decisively. "If anything comes up while I'm gone, meet me at the detective agency."
"Got it! Oh, should we report this decree to Lord Genedin?"
"Just hand it over to his chamberlain for me."
"Understood! Be safe!"
Liou sprinted off toward the main mansion while I turned toward my next destination: the stables. A thought struck me as I walked—someone important had been neglected lately.
Neigh!
As soon as I approached, Pearl let out a loud whinny, almost as if scolding me for forgetting her. She stomped her hooves indignantly and snorted.
"I'm sorry," I said with a sheepish smile while stroking her head and neck soothingly. "Things have been hectic lately, but that doesn't mean I forgot about you."
Her mood seemed to improve under my touch; her earlier frustration melted away into calm acceptance. Remembering Fernando's advice about treating her as a companion rather than just a mount, I climbed onto her back.
"Let's go!"
Pearl—the white horse gifted by Bahal—would be my steadfast partner for what lay ahead beyond these lands.
When I arrived at the detective agency, my first stop was Lakto's workshop. Without wasting time on pleasantries, I got straight to the point.
"…Can you make me something thick but lightweight?"
Lakto blinked at me in confusion before scratching his head.
"Thick and lightweight? That's quite a contradiction…"
Even as he voiced his doubts, he seemed intrigued by the challenge. After all, Lakto specialized in magical tools—not clothing design.
"I know it's a tall order," I admitted. "But time isn't on my side. Is there any way you can manage it?"
"Hm… The key is warmth without bulk… Alright, let's give it a shot! If we treat it like crafting magical tools and add insulation properties through enchantments, it should work."
"How long will it take?"
"Working day and night? Three days."
"Take five instead—I don't want you overworking yourself."
Lakto nodded before heading upstairs to his workshop with renewed determination.
With today being January 22nd, five days meant he'd finish by January 27th—leaving me four days to travel from Remang City to Katura before February 1st.
Even at full speed with Pearl, that'll be cutting it close.
The thought made me glance outside toward where Pearl waited patiently—a reassuring presence amidst all this chaos.
Back inside the agency, Eddie had apparently been eavesdropping on my conversation with Lakto because he put down his book and smirked at me.
"So… You turned down Krang's offer for help? Think you can handle this alone?"
"The special missions are part of my penance," I replied firmly. "It's only right that I face them myself. Got any useful intel?"
Eddie scratched his head awkwardly before laughing nervously.
"Sorry… Not much on Katura…"
I hadn't expected much from him anyway—his network barely extended beyond Nekar—but disappointment still lingered faintly on my face. Sensing this, Eddie quickly called over Ralph for backup.
"Ralph! You've got connections—know anything about Katura?"
"Katura…" Ralph furrowed his brow in thought before clapping his hands together triumphantly moments later.
"Oh! Now I remember! That's where the Toma Tribe lives!"
"The Toma Tribe?"
"They're one of the barbarian clans—but a pretty large one at that! Around 500 members or so."
Five hundred?! Most barbarian tribes barely reached 100 members; their size alone made them noteworthy.
"Could this mission involve them somehow?"
"Well… It's hard to say for sure," Ralph admitted hesitantly. "But their territory surrounds Katura City entirely—it wouldn't be surprising if they were involved."
"What kind of people are they?"
"Barbarians are usually aggressive—but not these guys! The Toma Tribe gets along surprisingly well with city folk since neither side encroaches on each other's land."
"That's unexpected… How do they survive without farming?"
"Haha! They're exceptional hunters—they hunt beasts for food and sometimes sell their prey in town."
The information was unexpected but potentially useful nonetheless.
"You speak their language?"
"I'm not fluent," Ralph admitted sheepishly. "But enough for basic communication."
"I see…"
For now, though, surviving Katura's brutal cold seemed like a bigger concern than dealing with its people or beasts…
Lakto finished crafting earlier than expected—delivering my custom gear by January 26th—and with everything packed and ready by dawn on January 27th…I set off toward Katura with Pearl galloping confidently beneath me toward an uncertain future ahead!