As he walked through the narrow streets of the fortress, where the fortress walls alternated with three-story houses and back again, this cycle seemed endless solely because the Solen Fortress was and still is a labyrinth. Many fortresses of the Republic were built in such a way that local Legion soldiers and knights of the orders had the advantage in defending the fortress.

Felix was looking for only one thing in these alleys - a tavern, where there often were also inns on the upper floors. Carrying Bernard on his back, he closely observed the new things around him. Although Felix had been here before, it was more than ten years ago, and now he only had vague memories of the already changed fortress, which made their gazes similar.

There were not many people on the streets. Even the merchants who had arrived in the city before Felix had disappeared instantly. But Felix tried to find someone or find a place for relaxation and gathering information on his own. He was lucky, and after twenty minutes of walking, he saw a sign: "Tavern Noule." The inscription had been roughly scratched on an old board with a knife, but the noise on the other side of the door clearly confirmed the truth of the sign. Upon entering, Felix looked around. Dozens, if not hundreds of people were in one enormous room. Inside the tavern was much larger than it appeared from the outside, as if the walls of neighboring houses had been demolished and tables installed here and there. No one paid any attention to the man with the child. Only some cast disapproving glances, while others were filled with disappointment and fear. Nevertheless, Bernard increasingly resembled the demon Tikou - not a single hair on his head, only sparsely visible eyebrows that were hardly visible in the dimly lit tavern. This reminded the locals of the legends of a demon who was born from a child's flesh and killed other children in the family and the village. It was all a legend spread in the east of Alius, but Felix did not believe in it.

One of the drunken tavern patrons unexpectedly drew his sword. He was one of the local knightly orders, with a badge of two enormous wings indicating his affiliation with the Great Winged Order, one of the five great orders of the Republic.

"How did a demon get into the city?!" exclaimed the knight, strengthening his body with mana. The thought that flashed through Felix's mind was correct: the knight was of the third rank, no more. Or at least, the opponent clearly underestimated him, and because of that, one could easily die.

The knight struck with a thrusting blow, the sword aimed at Felix's chest. However, Felix directed the sword to the ground with the index finger of his right hand, enhanced by mana, and with a swift blow of his left hand to the chin, he forced the knight to drop his sword. Immediately after that, he struck with his right hand at the ribs, his fist slightly extending the middle finger, and then with his left hand at the jaw. The knight fell to the floor. But as soon as it happened, Felix felt a thirst for killing. He felt someone manipulating mana, pressing on his body from the depths of the tavern. Someone was much stronger in mana manipulation than he was.