As the carriage departed, the lively scene came into view. It should be noted that this was Liser's first time outside the palace. He had never been permitted to leave, but recently, after appealing to His Majesty, he was granted permission to venture out.
Liser glanced at Lucas, his personal guard and the palace's security captain. He knew Lucas was a confidant placed by his cheap father to watch him. Today, he was being escorted by him.
"What is this Winter Solstice Festival? It seems quite lively," Liser asked, trying to gather information.
Most of Liser's knowledge came from books. Real cultural events like the Winter Solstice were barely recorded, as they were considered lower-class festivities. Despite that, Liser wanted to observe the lives of common people, which was why he made this request.
"Your Highness, the Winter Solstice is essentially a market for commoners. They do not always have money, but after harvest, they do. So merchants from distant regions come here to sell various goods."
"So, it is something like an annual market."
After that, Liser remained silent. There was little to say to a spy.
After some time, the carriage stopped, and Liser stepped out. The bustling scene before him stunned him. It looked like a medieval marketplace, with vendors in wooden stalls selling all kinds of goods. The atmosphere excited him.
He began browsing the shops and soon noticed a magic stall. Several grimoires and bottles of mana fluid were displayed. Mana fluid was necessary to cast magic above the intermediate level, as human mana alone was insufficient.
"Little fellow, are you looking for something?" an old woman asked.
"Madam, what is that?" Liser pointed at a glowing pendant not far away.
"It is a Pendant of Healing. It is quite valuable, as it was obtained from the elven continent. Young man, are you interested?" the old woman said enthusiastically. Liser did not look ordinary, especially with a personal guard behind him. If she pleased him, it would be a profitable sale.
"How much is that pendant?"
"Two gold yun," she said quickly, then added nervously, "It comes from the elven continent. It is a rare find."
From her behavior, Liser understood that it was indeed valuable, and the price was something no ordinary person could afford. But to him, it was nothing. He was born into a royal family. It would be a waste not to use that privilege.
"I will take this pendant. Also, give me a staff and some mana flude."
He planned to try casting magic. His body was still small, and he lacked sufficient mana. An external source was necessary.
The old woman's eyes lit up, and her attitude became noticeably more respectful.
After leaving the stall, Liser asked Lucas, "Is two gold yun too much?"
Lucas's mouth twitched.
"Your Highness, it is indeed quite a lot. A commoner earns about ten copper coins a month. Even I, as a noble by birth and a royal guard, receive two gold yun per month."
Liser understood.
Passing through food stalls, he saw various dishes, but none interested him. The smell alone was unappealing, and the food lacked refinement. If there was one thing Liser suffered most after coming to this world, it was the food. It was simply unpalatable.
As he walked through the street, he suddenly noticed a carriage driving recklessly toward a young boy.
In that critical moment, a girl pushed the boy aside. The carriage struck her, and she was thrown several meters backward.
The boy shouted, "Rozia!" and rushed forward to catch her.
It happened so quickly that Liser needed a moment to process it. Onlookers gathered rapidly, and the scene turned chaotic.
Suddenly, the carriage door opened.
A bald old man stepped out, his silk robes immaculate, irritation written all over his face. He did not look concerned. He looked inconvenienced.
"Damn commoners," he spat, inspecting the side of his carriage as if it had suffered a greater tragedy. "Do you know how much this costs? Are you blind?"
The crowd froze. No one dared speak.
He glanced briefly at the injured girl lying in a pool of blood. His eyes held no guilt, no anger, not even fear. Only annoyance.
"She ran into the road. Not my fault," he said coldly. "Disperse. You have seen nothing."
One brave commoner muttered, "She was pushed—"
The old man's gaze sharpened instantly.
"Careful," he said quietly, with the kind of softness that carried a threat far heavier than shouting. "Do you wish to challenge House Valric?"
The name alone was enough.
Silence swallowed the crowd.
With a dismissive wave of his hand, he stepped back into the carriage. The driver snapped the reins, and the carriage moved forward, rolling past as if nothing of value had been harmed.
As if a commoner's life weighed less than a broken wheel.
Liser's fingers tightened at his side.
For a split second, something dark flickered in his eyes. Not shocked. Not confusion.
Understanding.
So this is how it works.
He felt no childish outrage, no loud declaration of justice. Instead, his mind moved calmly.
Nobles do not fear consequences because there are none.
His gaze followed the retreating carriage. He memorized its crest. The wheel markings. The driver's face.
Then he snapped back to his senses.
"Lucas," he commanded, his voice steady but colder than before, "investigate that noble. I want his name, his house, and his standing."
Without waiting for a response, Liser stepped forward.
The girl lay on the ground, blood gushing from her head. She was severely injured. The boy was panicking, holding her tightly, unsure what to do.
Liser knelt. "Let me examine her. I can help."
He reached out, but the boy slapped his hand away.
At the sight of Liser's noble clothing, the boy's eyes filled with hostility.
"What are you trying to do? You nobles hurt my Rozia! What more do you want?" he shouted.
Liser's expression hardened for a moment. Then he reconsidered. From the boy's perspective, every noble was the same.
"She is dying," Liser said calmly. "If you refuse my help, she will die. Let me see her."
The boy hesitated. Looking at Rozia's fading breathing, he finally nodded.
Liser took her gently and began administering first aid.
"Lucas," he asked quietly, "where can we take her?"
"Your Highness, her injuries are severe. A commoner in this state has little hope of recovery. It is not worth the effort," Lucas replied evenly.
"I still want to try."
"If you insist, take her to the church. The priests may perform holy prayers."
"Prepare a carriage immediately," Liser ordered.
The boy looked at him suspiciously. "You will not harm her, right?"
"I will not. You may come with us. I know nothing about this girl."
After boarding the carriage, they sped toward the central cathedral. Rozia's face had turned pale, her breathing faint. She had lost too much blood.
Liser feared she might be beyond saving.
Suddenly, he remembered the pendant.
He quickly took it out and placed it around her neck. The pendant emitted a soft green light. Rozia's complexion improved almost immediately.
But then, with a sharp crack, the pendant shattered.
Liser understood. It had stabilized her, but she still required immediate treatment.
The carriage arrived at the central cathedral and stopped. Liser stepped out with the group.