The Clawed Embrace

Accompanied by the mage, the duo gazed at the dirty streets of Highvale. Filled with suspicious shops and hooded figures, they felt they were in a bandits' den rather than a city.

Noticing the boy's worried gaze, the mage shook his head and complained, "Haaa. Who would have thought a talented mage like me would end up manning the Gate of such a terrible place? Even I'm afraid of taking night strolls with all those scoundrels running free."

"Why don't you arrest them?" Julius asked, his hand resting on the pommel of his gladius and his eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Arrest them? Why bother? They practically rule the streets, killing each other in their rivalry. Ultimately, they crawl to us, coin in hand, to cover up their wrongdoings." The mage answered, a sly grin tugging at his lips.