I Have a Task Log

Perhaps because of the City Lord’s funeral, there were quite a few people on the streets.

After all, in a world like this, citizens didn’t have many forms of entertainment. This was a rare chance to be part of the excitement.

Thanks to Kase and Orelia’s influence, the group managed to find a table on the second-floor terrace of a Halfling restaurant.

Colin and Orelia only ordered simple fare like beer and oysters, not wanting to get too full.

Ale and Kase, however, insisted on ordering stew. Given their strength, they really didn’t need to save room.

Within minutes, several restaurant employees brought the food to their table.

"How big of an Ancestor Stone do you think your Chief will erect?" Kase asked before taking a gulp of thick stew from his bowl.

Colin swallowed a mouthful of gruel. "He’ll probably build a small stone hut. Who knows?"

Just then, a stir went through the crowds on both sides of the street. It looked like the procession was about to arrive.

Faint horns and military drums sounded in the distance, slowly growing closer.

Snow-white petals began to drift down from the sky.

Colin looked up. Thirty Griffin Knights were flying slowly through the air.

The Griffins carried enormous saddlebags, and as they flew, their riders scattered petals into the air.

As the petals fluttered down, the procession on the ground slowly came into view.

Two rows of the City Guard marched at the head of the procession, clad in Metallic Breastplates. They carried their Long Spears inverted in their right hands, the tips draped in wisps of black gauze. In their left hands, they held Shields bearing the emblem of Thousand Masts City.

They flanked the road, keeping the crowd in order.

Behind them came horn players and drummers playing a dirge. They kept in perfect step while still playing a harmonious melody.

Then came the hearse.

Two tall warhorses pulled the carriage bearing the coffin. The coffin itself was similar to those in the Elf Cemetery he had seen recently. An effigy of the City Lord in his prime was carved into the lid. Colin didn’t recognize the material, but it certainly looked expensive.

Priests holding Incense Burners and banners flanked the hearse.

The two Priests at the front held the Holy Emblem of the Deity of the Dead; they seemed to be performing salvation rites for the Undead.

The City Lord’s family and kin followed the hearse, heads bowed and faces covered. The sound of their wailing drifted on the wind.

After them came a line of carriages carrying representatives from the various powers. All sorts of emblems were painted on their doors. Colin identified the carriages for representatives of the Black Tower, the major Divine Halls, the City Guard, and the Griffin Knights, among others.

Colin also spotted the emblems of Five-Stringed, the Morninglord Sect, the Weston Clan, and the large Mercenary Corps from Rommon. They were all familiar faces, so to speak.

Bringing up the rear were more City Guards, signaling the end of the procession.

As he watched the procession recede into the distance, Colin had a strange feeling.

’It’s as if that wasn’t an Ordinary funeral,’ he thought, ’but the opening ceremony for some grand spectacle...’

"Is that it?" Kase said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"They still have to parade through the other districts. They’ll probably end up at the cemetery for the final blessing before the burial."

Colin stood up. "Come on, let’s head to the Overseas Coffee Shop."

The group made their way toward the Black Tower, arriving at the Overseas Coffee Shop near its entrance. The place was as spartan as before, with no changes worth mentioning.

Because Ordinary people preferred the convenience of tea, coffee was a drink mostly consumed by Mages.

Having been here once before, Colin played the part of the veteran and led the others in. The shop didn’t have many seats to begin with, so the appearance of a strange group like Kase’s wouldn’t affect business much anyway.

While they were drinking their coffee, six more strange-looking people approached.

These men and women, all human, were dressed in lavish formal attire.

The men wore double-layered, tailcoat-style robes with what looked like aristocratic crests embroidered on the chest. They wore breeches and knee-high Leather Boots.

The women wore long, black velvet gowns with round necklines, also embroidered with aristocratic crests. Their hair was pinned up in high buns and adorned with jewelry.

This was the traditional style of dress for the nobility of Thousand Masts City.

The six of them stopped nearby and looked around, seemingly waiting for someone.

’Why would anyone dressed like that be loitering around the Black Tower?’

Colin wasn’t the only one who thought so. A few passing Mages also gave the odd group a second look.

A moment later, another six people approached.

This group included only one human; the rest were Halflings, Dwarves, and Gnomes.

Three of the men wore formal attire of sapphire-blue silk, cut in a style that reminded Colin of a modern suit. Their cuffs and collars were embroidered with intricate yellow threadwork.

The women wore straight-cut velvet gowns in blue, pink, and purple. The fabric even had a gradient effect, which was quite beautiful.

The style of these six had the feel of the *nouveau riche*.

Just like the group dressed as old nobility, they simply stood on the street corner after arriving, looking around as if they too were waiting for someone.

"Those outfits are so impractical," Kase said in a low voice. "I bet if someone jumped out of an alley to stab one of ’em, they’d rip their clothes to shreds just trying to dodge."

"But no one would dare. They must be nobles from the city," Colin said nonchalantly.

Orelia asked worriedly, "Should we greet them, then?"

"You can if you want. By the way, you have to call them ’Mr. Big’ and ’Lady Good.’ That’s what the locals in Thousand Masts City call them," Colin said, unconcerned.

By the time they’d finished a cup, Dorn finally made his tardy appearance.

Colin, sipping his coffee, said to the Dwarf, "You’re late. The procession was fantastic."

"What’s so fantastic about a procession?" Dorn asked, sitting down and ordering a coffee.

"Yeah, I never thought I’d see anything like it in my life," Kase said.

"Like what? Tell me."

Ale spoke up. "You’d never see a scene like that in the Silver Star Court. The humans of Thousand Masts City certainly have vivid imaginations."

"Oh? What specifically?" Dorn asked.

"Look, Edwin’s here." Colin downed the rest of his coffee in one gulp. "Let’s go. Time to assemble. The promotion ceremony is about to start."

"Wait, what were you guys just talking about? Tell me!"

"The next rank should be ’White Blade’."

"The stipend should be bigger this time, right, Colin?"

"Let’s go, let’s go. I don’t like this bitter coffee. It’s like drinking medicine. I bet they put bat droppings in it!"

"Blech... Don’t say that, Mr. Kase."

The group drowned out Dorn’s question with their chatter as they walked over to Edwin.

Seeing that they really did have official business, Dorn could only mutter under his breath, "To hell with your secrets!"

Colin led the group over to Edwin.