Four Days Later.
"Ah, finally! I've arrived. That took forever."
Nevallis muttered, not accustomed to traveling long distances this way. He had hired a magic-powered carriage, which made the journey take longer than usual.
Of course, the trip would have only taken hours if he could have used the teleportation array in the main city.
If it were the old days, he would have gone and used it without hesitation. After all, he was the son of a well-known count family. But now, he was without an identity. Using teleportation arrays required two things: money, which he had, and identity, which he lacked.
Nonetheless, Nevallis never underestimated the magic carriage; it represented the pride and innovation of the Malfred family, the greatest magical dukedom in the kingdom. Without this magical innovation, traveling between cities would take days, requiring considerable effort. After all, not everyone could use the teleportation arrays scattered throughout the four major cities and the imperial capital.
Naturally, this was due to the high cost of the arrays, a barrier even the prestigious Malfred family could not overcome. Therefore, the only families capable of bearing the burden of this kind of travel were the imperial family, the four dukes, and his own family, which was another exception.
Moreover, the vast expanse of the continent made travel a challenge for everyone. Not all humans were aura knights or magic-wielding sorcerers who could shorten distances with their supernatural powers.
Even with all that, Nevallis was not surprised by the Malfred family's inability to solve this dilemma. After all, who could alter something created by the ancients?
Finally, after four days of travel with the magic carriage, Nevallis arrived in the city of Heras. He had never visited it before, but it was breathtaking, leaving him in awe.
He had read about the four major cities of the kingdom and their grandeur, but after seeing one firsthand, he realized the books did not do them justice.
Now, he stood in front of one of those four cities, which might be the most important one in the kingdom. The reason was simple: it overlooked two major battlefronts—one being the border with the kingdom of Esfilda, and the other the one of the most dangerous mountain ranges in the continent: the Nayharf mountain range.
The city loomed on the horizon like a giant castle spread over a vast area, surrounded by towering black stone walls, seemingly built to withstand the fury of time and the most brutal sieges. The walls were dozens of meters high, adorned with closely spaced watchtowers, resembling silent sentinels, equipped with large spears and trebuchet mouths ready to defend the city at any moment.
Simply put, it had earned the title "The Impenetrable Fortress."
From a distance, the city appeared like a giant sleeping beast, casting long shadows with its walls over the surrounding land, while its towers embraced the clouds. Dark clouds often gathered above it, adding to its majesty, as if warning outsiders to stay away.
Nevallis marveled at the view in front of him, eager to see the city from within.
He headed straight to the main gate.
The main gate was located to the east, a massive architectural masterpiece made of black iron, adorned with ancient engravings depicting wars and myths of the past. In front of the gate stood giant statues of knights with raised weapons, symbolizing strength and grandeur. Armies and merchants passed under it across a drawbridge extending over a deep moat filled with water.
The city was surrounded by a double moat, the first filled with water, and the second with iron spikes.
There were guards standing at the city walls, and their presence was terrifying. They stood ready, as if an attack could happen at any moment.
Nevallis proceeded without any worry toward the guards. They asked for his identity, and he knew this would happen, so he was prepared with an answer.
"I'm here to register my name at the Adventurer's Guild headquarters."
The guard gave Nevallis a glance, and though Nevallis tried to appear older, the guard still saw him as a young man. However, after inspecting him and performing the security check, the guard handed him a token and said:
"You have half a day to complete the registration. If you stay even one minute longer, you'll be arrested."
Nevallis was not surprised by the heightened security. This was normal given the importance of the city and its residents, not to mention the high-ranking generals and the most powerful military family in the kingdom: the Lanckros family.
After passing through several checkpoints, Nevallis sighed with some frustration, then entered. And simply put, he was amazed for the second time. Although he was used to palaces and grand cities, this one was something else.
Once Nevallis entered through the massive gate, he was greeted by wide streets paved with dark stones, designed to withstand the steps of soldiers and heavy carriages. On either side of the road were military-style buildings, a mix of dark stone and steel, giving the city an air of discipline and order.
The city was not adorned with statues or fancy gardens like the capital. Instead, it was filled with military barracks, training grounds, and weapon shops. Even the markets were not ordinary markets, but specialized in selling combat equipment, armor, and weapons made from the best materials. Everywhere, soldiers and adventurers moved between the shops, inspecting their wares or training in open arenas.
But in the midst of all this, two buildings dominated the skyline, imposing their presence over the entire city.
At the very center of the city stood the Duke Lanckros' palace, a colossal fortress-like building made of solid black stone, surrounded by high walls with watchtowers and armed guards. Its massive iron gate bore the Lanckros family crest—two crossed swords behind a shield, symbolizing power and authority.
The palace was the largest and strongest building in the city, not just because it was the duke's residence, but also because it was the military command center. No one could approach it without permission, and the guards surrounding it were the elite, specifically trained to protect the duke and his family.
The second largest building in the city was none other than the headquarters of the Adventurer's Guild, the only building whose size rivaled that of the duke's palace.
It was a massive fortress with multiple floors, its walls made of gray stone reinforced with steel to withstand any potential attack. Its windows were wide but protected by magical layers that prevented unauthorized access. Despite its military nature, the interior design was made to accommodate large numbers of adventurers.
"A city of war..." Nevallis muttered, walking through its streets, feeling the imposing atmosphere. Here, there was nothing for decoration or luxury—everything had a purpose.
Despite the rampant corruption in the ruling class and noble families, the military power of the kingdom had not been as affected, or at least there was no room for its decline. The reason for this was simple: the kingdom could not afford to neglect its army.
There were two main reasons compelling the kingdom to maintain a strong and organized military, at least in the west:
The border with the Kingdom of Esfilda and the Nayharf Mountain Range.
The border with Esfilda left no room for negligence, and as for the Nayharf Mountains, that was another story... The beasts and savage creatures there did not give anyone a chance to be weak. No matter how corrupt the nobles were, they could not meddle with the army, or else the kingdom would fall between the jaws of an external invasion and relentless monster attacks.
"At least here in the west, the military power of the kingdom is at its peak."