Road to the Capital
After a tearful goodbye and in a good mood, Lucian left Halcyon and was headed toward the Capital.
He enjoyed every little detail and scenery of the journey, whether it be the beautiful and lively forest with birds singing or the mountains that provided a view to remember.
What he felt after seeing Automara from the mountain was not the pressure to go or the burden to stop Dorian's plans, but his curiosity to seek the forbidden land and discover the secrets it had in store for him.
The capital was now in sight; it looked as warm and lively as ever both from afar and up close. But it was when you entered that you noticed how closely monitored and controlled the area was.
Warm lights, people bustling, children playing, merchants shouting their goods, people playing instruments.
But when you looked closely, you saw the difference between the society, with the rich flaunting their wealth and the poor trying to live by. The number of guards employed was alarming, and while mostly out of sight, there were lots of them, listening to every conversation and ensuring what they deemed as "peace" for the government.
Trying not to attract much attention, Lucian wore a scarf and a hat.
Disappointing Truth of Luxury
He decided to try famous cuisines and restaurants but soon realized why these restaurants were famous.
Their customers were the rich who wanted to dine in a "fancy" place because it had food that tasted "better." The food was soulless, made purely for the rich to flaunt their wealth and riches. Not just overpriced, but it also tasted basic, bland, and downright bad.
Disappointed by the food, Lucian now wanted to visit some tourist spots, but most of the places were designed to show off the power of the government and its control.
People obviously did not like the government, but they couldn't do anything about it. As soon as something against the government or Automara was stated—guilty or innocent—the person was punished.
The Hidden Café
Disgusted by these facts, Lucian wanted to go somewhere quiet. That's when he saw a café in a backstreet that looked odd and empty, but it smelled inviting. The aroma of bread and tea filled the air. It was "Moonlit Café."
He entered and saw an old lady. He ordered some food and struck up a conversation with her.
"Not many young ones wander in here, usually the ones who need answers," she said, her eyes sharp and her demeanor calm.
"I am just traveling the world... it's kind of complicated," Lucian replied.
"Some things can't be said out loud or explained. I understand."
"Your food will be served down there," she pointed to the door that led to the basement.
The table and chairs were already set up down there, so Lucian was a little confused, but he decided to go down, trusting the old lady.
He went downstairs, and a lady was waiting for him. She had a mysterious aura around her, her face covered by a veil, sharp eyes, and wise words. She seemed young, but by her words, she sounded old.
"I feel like you're thinking something rude," Lucian was startled by that comment.
"What wrong could I think about such an elegant-looking lady?"
"You are smooth for your age, I give you that."
"I have some advice for you. The sooner you understand it, the better it will be."
"What one must fear is greed, not power. When you see greed, you see betrayal."
Lucian was confused by the statement and still had other questions.
"Will I be betrayed? By who?"
"Who knows? It might not even happen."
"Do you happen to know anythi—"
Before he could finish, she handed him a slip along with his tea. It read:
"Then the moon and sun chase each other. Find both, and you shall get the answer."
Lucian did not understand what she meant by these riddles, but he now knew he had to work his brain through this and not rely on others.
"Thanks for the advice," he said, sipping his tea.
"We should resume our date then, shall we?"
That was an unexpected and fatal blow to Lucian; he became red and lost his composure. It caught him off guard.
She started laughing. "Sorry, I didn't expect you to be this flustered. You're still a kid."
"I am not a kid!" Lucian said angrily.
"As you say, boy…" she said, while leaving.
While Lucian was mad about this, he was also thankful for the advice. He left a big tip and went back upstairs.
"Sorry, she likes to tease others," the old lady said.
"No, it was helpful. I am thankful for the advice."
"Such a kind person you are. Drop by next time you come to the capital."
"Sure," Lucian replied, leaving the café, now excited to go to Ironclad and try to find some clues and answers, solving the mysteries.
A Warning and Departure to Ironclad
On his way out, he overheard some people talking.
"Did you hear the rumor?"
"Yeah, a man was caught in Ironclad trying to gather information about Automara."
"I think he'll be tortured and put in prison for his whole life."
This conversation reminded him how easy it was to get caught and how carefully he had to take steps.
He was now ready to depart for Ironclad, looking forward to meeting new people, trying new food, and finding answers.
But something felt wrong. Lucian felt that the advice he got wasn't just some random words, but something he needed to understand before it was too late.