Seeing the prompt pop up on his character panel, Nolan smiled and replied,
"As adventurers, this is our duty. There's no need to be so polite, Miss Chevreuse."
"That's right! Our mission should be to patrol the route leading to the Opera Epiclese, right? Is there anything specific we should keep in mind?"
Paimon asked curiously.
"Mhm." Chevreuse nodded and said, "Let me assign tasks to the other members first, then I'll explain the details to you."
"Alright."
Nolan and the others sat down on a bench beside the training grounds, watching as Chevreuse gave orders to the Special Patrol Unit.
"Form up!"
She stepped onto the field and called out, her voice crisp and commanding.
At her words, the patrolling officers immediately gathered before her, standing neatly in two rows.
"Reporting, Captain — all members present!"
Once everyone was assembled, the last soldier counted off and reported the total number to Chevreuse.
"Good. Now I'll assign today's duties."
Chevreuse nodded, then began dividing the team into groups of three, assigning each squad to patrol different areas — mostly the more remote corners and water routes.
After finishing the arrangements, she ordered them to move out, and the patrolmen quickly dispersed to their posts.
Soon, only Chevreuse remained on the training grounds.
She turned and walked back toward Nolan's group, saying,
"There's one last area that needs inspection — the route leading to the Opera Epiclese and the surroundings near it.
"The patrol zone there is fairly large, so I'll accompany you personally."
"No problem." Nolan and his companions agreed readily — as adventurers, they were used to following their client's direction.
Under Chevreuse's lead, the group made their way toward the Opera Epiclese.
Since this was an official patrol, they boarded a small inspection railboat — a vessel specifically designed for checking waterways — piloted by Captain Chevreuse herself.
"The route isn't too wide," Chevreuse explained as she steered. "You can see both sides clearly, so there's no need to split up for now. But once we reach the Opera House area, we'll divide into sections to patrol. By evening, your commission will be complete."
The commission slip had indeed specified that the job would only last for one day. Reinforcements were likely scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
In essence, this was just a routine patrol — nothing complicated. As long as they checked the area and passed the time, the task would be done.
Nolan nodded and said,
"In that case, Miss Chevreuse, when the time comes, you can assign us to the larger patrol zones. It'll give us a chance to get more familiar with Fontaine."
"Alright."
Chevreuse assumed he was simply trying to put in work worthy of the commission reward — after all, this task was quite relaxed unless they ran into actual crimes.
Still, she couldn't help but think: even though they were already the legendary adventurers admired across Fontaine, they still carried the same sincerity they had when they first set out on their journey.
Chevreuse felt a subtle warmth of respect toward them.
[Chevreuse Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.4 (20/400)]
The small patrol railboat moved slower than the large passenger ones, but that was intentional — speeding would make it harder to observe the waterways carefully.
On both sides of the canal, there were walkways for travelers. People heading to the Opera House didn't necessarily need to take the patrol boats at all.
If you didn't mind the walk, you could just go on foot instead — that was fine too.
Of course, the only ones who usually did that were people who wanted to clear their heads with a stroll. After all, the connecting railboats weren't expensive at all; everyone in Fontaine could easily afford them.
The vessels were powered by Oratrice-converted judicial hybrid energy born from the people's faith in justice, which meant their operating cost was practically zero. So the tiny fare they charged — just a few Mora — merely covered maintenance and workers' wages.
Such public infrastructure wasn't built for profit; it only needed enough to keep things running smoothly. That was when it brought the greatest economic benefit.
By about noon, their small patrol railboat finally reached the end of the route — Marcotte Station.
After docking the vessel, Chevreuse and the others stepped ashore.
She thought for a moment, then said,
"From here, I'll patrol around Marcotte Station. I'll have to trouble you three to check the area near the Opera Epiclese."
That should fit their earlier request for a broader patrol zone.
"Hehe, the Opera Epiclese must be Fontaine's most famous landmark! Paimon can't wait to see it up close!" Paimon said excitedly.
"That's just a bonus," Lumine replied with an amused smile. "Our main job is still to finish the commission."
Was it really alright to sound like you were planning to slack off — right in front of Chevreuse?
"A-ahem, right!" Paimon quickly corrected herself. "We'll definitely do a thorough job!"
"It's fine," Chevreuse chuckled. "It's only a simple patrol commission anyway. Feel free to enjoy yourselves while you're at it."
"Then we'll head over first," Nolan said with a nod.
From Marcotte Station to the Opera Epiclese would take a bit of time — they'd likely arrive around sunset.
After patrolling the area around the Opera House, they could finish up for the day, return to the Wonderland for rest, and then come back tomorrow morning for the trial.
So, while Chevreuse stayed to patrol near Marcotte Station, Nolan and his companions made their way toward the Opera.
The road was lively, with small groups of pedestrians strolling leisurely — most of them probably heading to the Opera Epiclese as well.
After all, though the Opera House didn't hold trials every day, it did host performances daily, making it one of the best places in Fontaine to enjoy the arts.
After some time, they arrived near the Opera House, and from afar, they could already see the grand plaza stretching out in front of it.
A closer look revealed rows of stalls selling all sorts of goods — souvenirs, children's toys, convenience items, even barbecue.
As Fontaine's largest and most renowned plaza, it was bustling with people; running a stall here must have been quite profitable.
Nolan couldn't help wondering if vendors had to pay booth fees.
The group began their patrol around the square. Since they weren't cursed with misfortune or anything, it wasn't as if crimes would happen the instant they arrived.
By the time evening came, the entire Opera district remained peaceful.
"Phew~ flying around all day is tiring! Let's go sit by that pool over there and rest for a bit. We can wait for Chevreuse to come by and wrap up the commission."
Paimon drooped her shoulders in exhaustion.
"Sure," Nolan agreed.
He noticed that a few couples were already seated along the edge of the fountain, but it was big enough that there was still plenty of space.
They walked over, found a spot, and sat down by the water's edge. Nolan, Lumine, and Paimon all instinctively stretched their arms and backs in unison.
"Va…che…" a faint voice drifted through the air.
"Hmm?" Nolan lowered his hands and frowned, glancing toward Lumine and Paimon. "Did you two hear something just now?"
(End of Chapter)
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