Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume14 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 2===

The imperial capital's layout could basically be divided into two parts.

There was the nobles' residential district with Nefescal Palace at the center and the surrounding urban area.

The two areas were separated by walls. Guarding that massive gate was not ordinary soldiers but spirit knights from the army. Naturally, the alert level was dramatically higher and they could not deceive their way through using a forged pass like earlier.

Kamito parked the carriage at a stop. Leaving the carriage there, they continued their way on foot in the city.

"...Phew, I almost suffocated."

Coming out of the wooden box, Ellis stretched hard.

"It's all thanks to Ellis' quick thinking just now."

"Yes, but I never imagined I would ever sneak into the imperial capital like this..."

As a Fahrengart knight, she must feel quite uncomfortable about sneaking secretly into the imperial capital.

"First, let's get into contact with that Murders merchant."

Claire took out something from a wooden box while she spoke. The enchanted equipment and spirit crystals in the wooden box were not only for earning the gate guard's trust but also for bribing the Murders merchant.

"The magic equipment shop at District 5."

Putting on gray overcoats, the trio walked quickly in alleyways.

"This place was more bustling the last time I visited..."

Under his hood, Kamito whispered.

"Looks like an air of unease is hanging over the Empire's citizens due to the incident."

After passing through several gates demarcating divisions between districts, they stepped into a slum district.

Even the most prosperous city on the continent had its own dark side.

The magic equipment shop stood all alone inside the district.

Without examining closely while they walked, it would have been very easy not to notice the shop.

Completely nondescript, it was an ordinary shop in appearance. From the perspective of an ordinary citizen unversed in enchanted equipment and spirit crystals, all one could tell was that it was a slightly messy shop.

Claire knocked four times at a predetermined interval.

It was a secret signal. Soon, the door unlocked with a quiet sound.

A short man's smiling face emerged from the door's gap.

"...I have waited for you, ladies."

"You're the guide?"

Hearing Claire's question, the man giggled and gestured with his eyes for them to come in.

Entering the shop, Kamito and company changed back into ordinary school uniforms.

Then they put on black cloaks over their uniforms. Woven with protective magic, the Academy's uniforms had excellent durability, comparable in specs with the military uniform of the Imperial Knights. Although it was a bit conspicuous, the school uniform was still worth wearing.

"&mdash;You have already received word from the Cardinal's messenger, haven't you?"

"Indeed, a request hoping for my aid... How polite. The Cardinal is one of my major customers after all."

The Murders merchant grinned.

Claire poured out something from the bag in her hand onto the counter.

"This is the Cardinal's reward for you&mdash;"

"...Wow, that's so generous. All rare treasures."

Picking up a small spirit crystal to play in his hand, the merchant smiled with satisfaction.

"The Cardinal has also broken the underground merchant Vivian Melosa out from Balsas Prison. This is enough of a reward for Murders, right?"

"Yes, of course, of course. Standing from our perspective, it's not like we can ignore the ascension of Prince Arneus, who's allied closely to the Holy Kingdom&mdash;"

The merchant brought his hands together while he spoke.

"Recently, business has become hard. Although we earned a fortune from various nations across the continent during the Ranbal War, in this day and age, our only sources of income are limited to scrapped militarized spirits and cheap cursed armament seals&mdash;"

"...Y-You bastard, how impertinent! It is only because of people like you that my esteemed sister&mdash;"

"Ellis, stop&mdash;"

Seeing Ellis about to draw her sword impulsively, Claire hastily stopped her.

"...B-But can this man really be trusted?"

"There is no choice. His aid is absolutely essential."

"Please don't worry. Murders merchants all have a scale in their heart for weighing risks and benefits. As long as the scales don't tip over, betrayal definitely won't happen."

The merchant smiled and opened a door in the depths of the shop.

"Please, come this way&mdash;"