Lord: I can see loyalty.

The carriage rumbled out of the old town and headed deeper into the capital. After an unknown amount of time, it finally stopped on a wide stone-paved road.

Vance lifted the curtain and looked outside, and was slightly taken aback.

What appeared before me was a huge manor, with gray-white stone brick walls. Every few steps on the top of the walls, there was an oil lamp, and the orange glow of the lamps blended together, illuminating the entire road as if it were daytime.

Two rows of servants stood at the entrance, dressed in uniform monochrome uniforms, with serious expressions and upright postures.

But what attracted the most attention were the guests who arrived one after another.

They weren't wearing the kind of ornate aristocratic gowns that Vance had imagined—those gold-trimmed, silver-embellished, floor-length dresses typical of aristocratic attire.

Most of the men wore simple knightly attire, some even wearing half-armor and carrying swords at their waists.

The women, who were less common elsewhere, also lacked the elaborate crinolines and jewelry often seen elsewhere. Instead, they wore smart, fitted outer garments, and some even carried swords at their waists.

"A knight's ball is different from a regular ball," Sir Leeson's voice came from behind. "Here, you see armor more often than dresses."

Vance and the others nodded and followed Lisson off the carriage.

The manor gates were wide open, and no waiters checked invitations; or rather, those who could come here were already recognized guests.

Passing through the gate, there is a tree-lined path paved with gravel, with neatly trimmed shrubs on both sides, and at the end is a brightly lit three-story building.

Inside the building was a spacious hall, now filled with people, and conversations had already begun.

Vance's gaze swept across the crowd, trying to memorize the faces.

On the left side of the hall, a group of people were gathered together talking.

Leading the group was a middle-aged knight, burly in stature, with a lifelike horse head engraved on his breastplate, flanked by golden ears of wheat and a crossed longsword.

His demeanor was calm and confident; he stood there like a mountain.

"Those are the real members of the Golden Saddle Horse family." Sir Leeson's voice was low, just loud enough for Vance and the other two to hear. "See the emblem? Horse's head, ears of wheat, longsword—that's the real mark. They're on a completely different level from that Gold Mountain Knight's collateral branch from a few days ago."

Upon closer inspection, Vance indeed noticed the difference. The lines of the horse's head were smoother, and the placement of the ears of wheat and the longsword was also very deliberate. The entire emblem exuded a sense of weight and gravitas that had been honed over the years.

At this moment, the Jin Anma family members are talking with another group of people.

The group of people were dressed in dark clothes, almost blending into the night.

The leader was a thin, middle-aged man with a stern face and sharp eyes. He had a uniquely designed sword hanging at his waist, with a black scabbard and a coiled snake carved on the hilt.

"That's the Black Serpent family," Sir Leeson's voice lowered further. "They're one of the oldest and most powerful families in the capital. They're always secretive, rarely appearing in public, and..."

He paused.

"Moreover, their relationship with several major families, apart from the Golden Saddle Horse and Golden Mane Griffin families, isn't very good. The fact that we can see them here shows that this gala is indeed extraordinary."

Vance was also amazed. He had only seen snippets of information about the feuds and entanglements of these great families in the Brotherhood's secret reports. Seeing it with his own eyes now, he truly felt the undercurrents of tension.

"However, these are not our focus." Sir Leeson withdrew his gaze and led Vance and the other two forward.

"They are at a higher level than us, and the things they exchange are basically useless to us."

Vance nodded, but couldn't help thinking of Count Vio. Was his strength at the same level as the Count's?

After passing through a stone arch threshold without a door, the scene suddenly changed.

If the area we just passed was the exclusive territory of a large family, then this is the gathering place of "commoner knights".

The place was bustling with noise, shoulder to shoulder, a mix of people in all kinds of clothes and with all kinds of personalities.

A woman in leather armor was leaning against a stone pillar, drinking large gulps of ale. Her face was mostly covered by her helmet, but from her exposed chin and neck, she could tell that she was not very old.

A short sword hung at his waist, its hilt wrapped with faded strips of cloth.

"A rare female knight," one of Vance's henchmen whispered.

Not far away, an old knight with one arm was talking to several young men.

His left sleeve was empty, but his posture remained upright, and he wore a gentle smile. The young men nodded frequently, their eyes filled with admiration as they looked at him.

"A man with a missing arm can still attend a party..." another underling exclaimed in a low voice.

Vance's eyes continued to search through the crowd.

Then, he saw a familiar figure.

At the edge of the crowd, a man with a full beard leaned against the wall, holding a glass of wine in his hand, drinking it casually, but his gaze was wandering around the room.

He wore the old but undamaged knight's armor, and the sword that had just taken a life hung at his waist.

Stern, that wandering knight.

He seemed to sense Vance's gaze, raised his head, and glanced in their direction. His eyes still held that nonchalant look, but he looked away in an instant and continued drinking his wine.

Vance withdrew his gaze, silently noting his location in his mind.

Just then, a slight commotion came from the large family area they had just passed through.

Someone spoke up.

The sound wasn't loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly. It was due to a special technique that allowed the sound to travel through an open space without distortion.

"Gentlemen."

All eyes turned in that direction.

The speaker was an old man standing on the steps in the center of the large family area. He was wearing a dark robe, and his beard and hair were all white, but his back was straight and his eyes were bright.

Behind him stood the same leading knights who had appeared earlier.

"We are the organizers of this party," the old man said in a calm yet powerful voice. "For various reasons, you have all gathered here tonight."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.

"Perhaps it's to savor fine wine and food."

"Perhaps it's to verify those rumors circulating in the market about us and this event."

"Perhaps... it's even because of the ulterior motives in some people's hearts."

A soft laugh rippled through the crowd, and the atmosphere eased slightly.

The old man's lips curled up slightly.

"But in any case, since you're here, please enjoy yourself to the fullest."

He raised his hand slightly.

"The Knights' Night Party officially begins."

Applause and cheers erupted.

Vance took a deep breath and gripped the letter from Count Vio in his sleeve.

The real work is just beginning. His goal isn't just to find a way to advance his breathing technique; he also needs to discover the Knight's Sword Technique...