NOVPUB
Chapter 276: Arriving at Flamecrest City
Flamecrest City is the capital of the Flamecrest Grand Duchy, a city that has stood for millions of years, rich with the history of its sovereign rulers, the Flamecrest family. The city is known by many nicknames, including the City of Heroes and the City of Fire Dragons, but its most famous title is the City of Fire.
Many cultivators compatible with the fire element come to this city to deepen their comprehension and advance their cultivation. The volcanic mountains visible in the distance provide an ideal environment for fire-element cultivators to practice. This is also why the Flamecrest family is renowned as a fire-element-based lineage in the region.
The sun had not yet reached its highest point when Aldrian stepped out of the teleportation portal into the city. The city itself was not so different from Rivas City or the capital of the Doria Empire, except for the noticeable presence of people with red hair walking here and there.
"So this is the place where Father grew up," Aldrian thought.
Without wasting any time, he decided to find a place for them to stay first. It was his usual procedure whenever he arrived in a new city. Since they didn’t know anyone familiar with the area, they relied on the most common approach—asking the locals.
After finding what they were looking for, Aldrian’s group headed toward an inn said to be located near the Flamecrest family mansion. It was reputed to be the best in the city. The inn was owned by the Flamecrest family, which worked in Aldrian’s favor. At the very least, this gave him a legitimate entry point to approach the Flamecrest family—"legally."
Amidst their journey to the inn, Aldrian observed his surroundings. He could sense the awkward atmosphere whenever members of the Flamecrest family passed by. People didn’t dare voice their opinions in front of them, yet the news of the family harboring devils had truly shocked the populace.
The people of this city, who had long regarded the Flamecrest family as their heroes, found it hard to believe what had happened. Some believed that even if devils were found among the Flamecrest ranks, it was merely an oversight or a misunderstanding. For the most part, the citizens still seemed to have faith in the Flamecrest family.
However, this was not the case for those who were not from the city. They seemed to condemn the Flamecrest family and held harsh opinions about them. The news of devils being linked to the Flamecrest was like a hammer shattering their faith in the family’s integrity. They felt betrayed by the nobles who had produced so many heroes across generations for both the family and the empire as a whole.
The people demanded a solid explanation for why there was a devil within the Flamecrest family. However, the reasons provided by the Flamecrest seemed more like excuses meant to deflect backlash. Many remained unconvinced that the family was unaware of the devil’s presence, especially when he was one of their trusted commanders and already well-known to many. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
Aldrian finally arrived at the inn, and once they settled in, he began thinking about his next plan. He couldn’t just barge into the Flamecrest family and announce that he wanted to help—that would only make them suspicious. He needed someone or something to make them accept his assistance. His focus was on his father first, and then the Flamecrest family.
"I have to gather information first to ensure my next step," he thought.
He then walked to the ground floor of the inn, where it was used as a restaurant. Besides a guild like the information guild, there was no better place to gather information than a place where people congregated and talked about many things like this place. He sat at one of the stands and ordered a drink while focusing his hearing on the conversations around him.
There were hundreds of people here, each discussing various topics, but Aldrian focused only on those connected to the Flamecrest family. Once he overheard a conversation about it, he listened carefully until he found something that he considered a starting point for his next move. Through all the discussions, he gathered a clearer understanding of why this matter had become such a stain on the Flamecrest family—one that was difficult to erase.
A few people saw one of the famous commanders of the Flamecrest, Commander Marcus, releasing his devil energy, with his skin turning reddish as if he were about to transform into his Devil form. From there, the news spread widely and was later confirmed by some who claimed to be members of the Flamecrest family.
Aldrian thought he could start making his move with this information, so he approached a group of people who happened to be discussing the topic. There were four of them, all at the Baron stage of cultivation.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, may I ask a few questions? I overheard something interesting," Aldrian said, taking out a small pouch of high-level energy stones from his storage ring. The four people widened their eyes when they saw the pouch and instantly grinned at Aldrian.
"Of course, young master, we’ll gladly help. What questions do you want to ask?" one of them said.
Aldrian then sat beside them, placing the pouch on the table before speaking.
"I heard you were talking about the recent events involving the Flamecrest family and the devil. I also heard that the reason this news is spreading is because some people saw a member of the Flamecrest family exuding devil energy, and so on. How credible is this news? How can people believe it?"
"I have to say, this is mostly credible, young master. If the ’some people’ you’re referring to were just random individuals, the story might be different, and not many would take it seriously. But these people are members of the Golden Phoenix Commerce who happened to pass by Commander Marcus when he suddenly attacked them with his devilish characteristics. Fortunately, there were enough of them to outnumber him, allowing them to escape and tell the tale to the masses. To make things worse, some people from the Flamecrest family itself have confirmed that Commander Marcus is indeed the devil."
Aldrian then pondered for a moment before asking again,
"Do you know who the members of the Golden Phoenix Commerce were that were attacked by the devil? Or do you know who from the Flamecrest family confirmed that Commander Marcus is the devil?"
"As for the Golden Phoenix Commerce, we don’t know the details about their identities. But I can tell you about one of the members of the Flamecrest family who confirmed it. He’s a friend of a friend of mine, so I can guarantee the reliability of this information," the other replied.
"Can you take me to this Flamecrest family member? I have something to discuss with him," Aldrian said.
"If you want to talk to him, it can be arranged, but it depends on my friend and whether he can bring his friend. With the situation in the Flamecrest family right now, it’ll be tricky to arrange a meeting, as they can’t leave the mansion without companions."
"Please arrange it. I’ll gladly offer more rewards if you can bring him here to meet me," Aldrian said, taking out a small pouch of peak-level energy stones, causing all of them to widen their eyes in shock.
"I’ll wait at this inn until midnight. If your friend can’t bring him here, I’ll consider this deal a failure." Aldrian then returned the small pouch to his storage ring.
After seeing the wealth Aldrian displayed, there was no way these people would pass up the opportunity. The one who had given Aldrian the information immediately dashed outside to call his friend. The others stayed by Aldrian’s side, engaging in conversation about various topics. Being from this city, they had a deep knowledge of its history and the many rumors circulating around it. This was a great opportunity for Aldrian to familiarize himself with the city.
About an hour later, the man who had gone outside to call his friend returned with another person. Aldrian, who had been watching, looked at the newcomer and waited for him to speak.
"Young master, are you the one who wants to meet my friend Jil, a member of the Flamecrest family?" the newcomer asked.
Aldrian nodded. "Yes, that’s me."
"My apologies, but may I ask what your purpose is in wanting to meet him?"
"I just want to investigate the truth behind this devil story, so I need firsthand information from someone who knows the situation directly."
"Do you have any affiliations?"
"No, I don’t have any. However, let’s say I have a distant connection to the Flamecrest family, and this news about the devil is troubling me, so I just want to understand more or perhaps help in this case," Aldrian replied.
"I see. However, I’m afraid I have to disappoint you, young master. Since Jil told the others about the devil, I haven’t been able to contact him until today. However, if you want to investigate this matter, I have another way for you to meet someone else who can provide you with good information about it. Perhaps he can even bring you inside the mansion."
