THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR-Chapter 305: "PLANS AND DISGUISES AT THE CROSSROADS INN

The Crossroads Inn lived up to its name in every sense. Situated at the junction of three major trade routes, the sprawling establishment served as a miniature city unto itself, catering to travelers from every corner of the Solarian Empire. Merchant caravans, pilgrims seeking distant shrines, adventurers between contracts, and imperial messengers all mingled in its common rooms and courtyards.

David led the way through the bustling main entrance, Luna and Elara following close behind. After days of isolated mountain paths, the sudden immersion in noise and humanity felt jarring. Elara, in particular, kept her head slightly lowered, her enchanted contacts concealing her distinctive red eyes as she adjusted to being surrounded by so many potential observers.

"Remember," David murmured as they navigated through the crowd, "we’re just travelers heading to the capital for work opportunities. Nothing special."

The common room was a cacophony of conversations in various languages, punctuated by the clatter of tankards and occasional bursts of raucous laughter. A trio of minstrels attempted to make themselves heard in one corner, their efforts largely drowned out by the general din.

David scanned the room methodically until his gaze fell on a peculiar pair seated at a table near the back wall. Even from this distance, it was impossible to miss Yue’s dramatic gestures as she berated a serving boy who had apparently mistaken her for a child.

"I’ll have you know I was drinking fine wines before your great-grandmother was born!" the elf was saying, her childlike appearance at complete odds with her imperious tone. "Now bring me a proper goblet, not this... this cup for infants!"

Beside her, Litty looked equal parts embarrassed and resigned, offering an apologetic smile to the confused server. Explore more stories with novelbuddy

"Found them," David said unnecessarily, navigating toward the pair.

As they approached, Litty spotted them first, nudging her mother who abruptly ceased her tirade. Yue’s expression transformed in an instant, childish petulance giving way to a smile that carried centuries of calculation behind it.

"David," she greeted, her voice honey-sweet. "What a pleasant surprise to find you here so promptly."

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Luna’s lips twitched slightly at the obvious falsehood—they had arrived precisely when scheduled, after all.

David made the introductions with practiced ease. "Yue, Litty, this is Elara, a... colleague from Lysora. Elara, these are the alchemists I mentioned."

Elara offered a polite nod, but her eyes narrowed slightly as Yue immediately rose from her seat and moved to David’s side, taking his arm with familiar ease.

"Any friend of David’s is a friend of ours," Yue said, though her evaluating gaze suggested something less than friendship. "We’ve secured a private dining room for our discussion. The walls are quite thick, and I’ve taken the liberty of applying a simple sound-dampening powder to ensure our privacy."

Litty, ever the diplomat, moved to Elara’s side. "Please forgive my mother’s... enthusiasm. She’s always like this after being mistaken for a child three times in one day."

"Seven times," Yue corrected acidly. "Seven times since breakfast."

The private dining room proved to be a substantial improvement over the common area. Well-appointed with a solid oak table, comfortable chairs, and a small fireplace, it offered both comfort and security. A window overlooked the inn’s rear courtyard, providing a view of a modest training area where off-duty mercenaries occasionally practiced their swordplay.

Once the door was closed and Yue had performed a quick check for eavesdropping devices, the formal veneer between them relaxed somewhat.

"The carriage is arranged," Yue announced, taking a seat uncomfortably close to David. "Merchant Hassim owes me several favors after I formulated a preservation solution for his exotic fruit exports. His caravan passes through the checkpoints regularly, and the guards know better than to conduct thorough inspections if they want to continue receiving their... gratuities."

"And your cover story?" Luna asked, her melodic voice drawing everyone’s attention.

"Mother and daughter traveling to the capital to establish an alchemy shop," Litty answered. "A common enough reason to bring unusual supplies and equipment."

David nodded approvingly. "And we’ll be provincial mercenaries seeking to register as adventures. Nothing noteworthy or memorable."

"About that," Elara interjected, her tone carefully measured. "I’ve been thinking about our disguises. Even with the contacts and powder, there’s a risk of recognition, especially at checkpoints where they’re specifically watching for certain... individuals, I guess."

Her diplomatic phrasing wasn’t lost on anyone present. As the Archon of Lysora, her face was known throughout the empire, appearing on official documents and imperial currency. The magical contacts concealed her distinctive red eyes, but her features remained the same.

David seemed to consider this for a moment before reaching into his pocket. "I nearly forgot," he said, producing a delicate silver chain with a small pendant. Unlike most jewelry, this piece seemed to shimmer slightly even in the subdued lighting of the room, the metal occasionally appearing translucent.

"What is that?" Elara asked.

Instead of answering, David slipped the necklace over his head. The effect was immediate and startling. His distinctive white hair darkened rapidly to a deep raven black, the transformation flowing like ink through water until not a single white strand remained.

Elara’s jaw dropped slightly. Yue leaned forward with unabashed fascination, her alchemist’s mind clearly cataloging the effect. Even Litty, normally composed, raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Only Luna showed no reaction, suggesting she had seen this transformation before.

"A glamour charm?" Yue asked, professional interest momentarily overriding her flirtatious demeanor. "No, the underlying mana pattern is different. This is an actual physical transformation, not an illusion."

"Something like that," David confirmed vaguely. "It should help with our disguises."

"And you’re only mentioning this now?" Elara asked, her voice tight with barely controlled irritation. "After I spent hours applying that foul-smelling hair dye?"

David winced, suddenly looking somewhat abashed. "I... ah... forgot I had it, actually. It’s been in my spatial inventory for some time."

"You forgot," Elara repeated flatly.

An awkward silence descended upon the room, broken only when Litty cleared her throat. "Perhaps we should discuss our route to the capital?"

The tension gradually dissipated as they turned to practical matters, reviewing maps and checkpoint procedures. Yue explained that they would depart at first light, joining Hassim’s caravan which consisted of six wagons and a complement of hired guards—sufficient protection against common bandits but not so large as to attract special attention.

As their meeting concluded, David glanced out the window at the training yard below. "We have some time before dinner," he observed. "It might be wise to assess our combat readiness. If we’re attacked on the road, we’ll need to respond without revealing our true capabilities."

Elara followed his gaze, understanding immediately. "A practice session, then. Limited to abilities that wouldn’t raise eyebrows from ordinary observers."

"The innkeeper rents the training yard by the hour," Litty offered. "I can arrange it."