Every traveler has probably heard of a certain small city in the middle of the Laves Desert, which is famous as one of the ten wonders of the continent. The small city was chosen as one of the top tourist destinations along with the Mole Saint’s Cozy Sanctuary, which is where the honorary cardinal had embarked on his ascetic path.

However, the atmosphere of the small city of Laves is quite different from the sanctuary.

If you’re a traveler who is expecting to take the same ascetic path that the honorary cardinal had taken at the Cozy Sanctuary, you will be surprised by the small city of Laves.

Perhaps you will not be able to adapt to its environment, but I can assure you that you will never be disappointed.

It is said that the small city of Laves was built for the Sunset Swordsman and the Saint of Sacrifice and Revival. It is said that the Sunset Swordsman has personally completed an expedition to the Laves Desert to restore the health of the Saint of Sacrifice and Revival, whose condition was getting worse day by day.

The Sunset Swordsman was one of the builders of this city, along with many craftsmen.

…Omitted…

The largest oasis on the continent is considered a work of art rather than a work of nature, and there are other notable tourist attractions in addition to the oasis. For example… omitted…

— Excerpt from "A Guide for Travelers on the Continent"

“Welcome to the Laves Desert!”

“Welcome to the Laves Desert!”

“Welcome to the small city of Laves!”

“Laves!”

“Laves!”

‘I’m at a loss for words.’

I wasn’t the only one who was surprised.

The people who thought that this was just a fancy camping trip were looking at each other in disbelief. They looked like they couldn't believe that the city before them actually existed.

The Desert Elves and Lizardmen were famous for their wanderlust, so the fact that they had stayed here to greet visitors and put flower lei around their necks meant that they had to have been hired at a high price.

Were they also taught to act and talk in an exaggerated way?

“Laves!”

“Uh…

‘I thought this was just a simple picnic.’

The large oasis that surrounded the city stood out to me the most. There were trees that looked like palm trees and green grasses. The scenery was so high-quality that it couldn’t be made by humans.

The emerald water was so clear that I could see the floor beneath it, and there were edible fruits hanging from unknown plants. The fruits were bigger than normal fruits.

The oasis resembled a large lake, and I was not sure how it was done, but…

‘Why are there animals here?’

It was probably a natural phenomenon.

It was like the creatures that had been living in the harsh environment of the desert had decided to gather here. All the creatures were here except for the dangerous ones.

They were either drinking water from the oasis or were running around, which made me think this place really was heaven on earth. Of course, the Desert Elves and the other administrators had to be observing them to ensure that they wouldn't cause any trouble.

“It’s not hot… either.”

“That’s right. The climate and temperature of the small city of Laves are managed by the mages. We’re always doing our best so that all of you enjoy your vacation!” a guide exclaimed.

“

Ah

… I see.”

‘I really can’t get used to their energy.’

“The Laves Oasis is always open, so you can visit us whenever you want! If you want to eat the fruit from the trees, let us know!

Ah!

You can also set up camp around the camp, so if any one of you wants to spend time nearby…” a guide informed.

“

Ah

… we got it,” Park Deok-Gu said.

“How about we head inside the city?” a guide suggested.

‘It feels like we’re on a group tour.’

There were still people who had yet to arrive, and it truly felt like we were on a group tour.

For some reason, Kim Hyun-Sung was at the front walking with confidence. I almost smacked the back of his head upon getting reminded of the gold he had spent on this, but I understood where that confidence was coming from.

‘It’s understandable. It's like…’

It was like staring at a piece of artwork. I couldn't stop thinking about how the entire city was built really well.

The buildings had ornate and intricate patterns, and they were probably there to reflect the Ancient Desert Elves’ unique style.

Each and every building was different, but they all seemed to be the same because of those patterns. The roads were well-maintained, but it felt like they had never been used. I could see that they had emphasized convenience while ensuring that their ancient roots would remain.

It felt like we had truly discovered an exotic resort. This place was better than the ideal desert city I had imagined.

‘If this were built in ancient times, it would be one of the ten wonders of the continent.’

The others were busy looking around.

Hee-Ra noona was looking around calmly, but she came to a halt upon finding a huge tavern.

“There. What do they sell over there?” Cha Hee-Ra asked.

“It offers fruit wine and beer brewed by the desert elves and the lizardmen. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but the beer brewed by the lizardmen is just as good as the ones brewed by the dwarves…” a desert elf replied.

“I've heard of that,” Cha Hee-Ra said.

“That’s probably because the lizardmen are private in nature,” the elf said.

“

Hmm…

since you said they’re just as good as the dwarves, then I’m curious,” she said.

“Would you like to try?” the desert elf asked.

“No, I’ll just head there. I probably need to take a look around, anyway. It’s bigger than I thought… and there’s one over there,” Cha Hee-Ra answered.

“Yes. As you can see, Laves boasts the largest resort facility on the continent. There’s a total of three taverns inside the city and they all have different concepts and offer different menus. For reference, there are a total of fourteen restaurants, and they were all carefully selected based on Father Lee Ki-Young’s approval…” the desert elf explained.

‘When did I approve them? I've never approved any of them.’

Lee Ji-Hye following slowly behind me asked, “What’s wrong? You said you enjoyed and visited those places often. Those are the restaurants you personally approved. Don't you know that they're pretty famous? The restaurant that sells Rainbow Cotton Candy is part of those restaurants."

‘I want to remove that place from the list.’

“

Ah.

”

“Of course, there are completely new restaurants waiting for you. If there are people who enjoy cooking, there’s a kitchen in your rooms, so feel free to use them!” the desert elf said.

“I-I’m glad. Aren't you glad, too, Sora?” Jung Ha-Yan asked.

Sora didn’t look happy, as she still had to cook for Jung Ha-Yan even on this trip.

“Do you want to read books? In that case, I recommend visiting the public library! Not only does it have books that are popular on the continent, but it also has rare books that were discovered during the Desert Laves Expedition!

"You’ll see when you get there, and you can also get a preview of the books that have yet to be released,” the desert elf suggested.

“...”

“

Ah!

You can go shopping there,” the desert elf said.

“Shopping?”

“Yes. Just like the library, famous brands on the continent are here, along with brands from famous designers. In addition, you can try on rare items and outfits that are normally worn here. There are still more…” the desert elf trailed off.

‘There really are a lot of things here.’

I could tell that they had put a lot of thought into building this city. They had no idea what people would like, so they included everything. It was a city that claimed to provide a huge variety of entertainment for visitors to enjoy.

‘The park is also pretty big.’

They even had a large trail along with a museum and large statues.

There were so many things around us that I couldn’t get a proper look at them.

After walking for a while, I heard music playing on the streets.

Dancers started singing while dancing; the desert elves also turned on their instruments and played along. The lizardmen slammed their tails on the ground to match the rhythm, and our desert elf guide promoted the city with exaggerated movements.

“Whatever you guys want to do, it’s all possible at the Laves Desert!”

Boom!

“Do you want to relax and unwind? Or do you want to enjoy a thrilling moment? Do you want to eat delicious food? Or do you want to see a view that will make your eyes?!” the desert elf yelled.

Boom!

‘Ah, what’s with this performance?’

'I don’t really like this. It’s like I was watching a parade. That desert elf has to be a part of a traveling theater. Otherwise, they can't possibly move like that.'

Perhaps it was because of the desert heat, but my face was getting hotter and hotter. I glanced at Kim Hyun-Sung and saw that he looked satisfied.

The music was nonstop.

The lizardmen raised their tail and struck the ground at once.

Boom!

Fireworks exploded in the distance…

Crackle, crackle, crackle…

“This is pretty awful, don’t you think?” Lee Ji-Hye asked.

‘Don’t say things like that. They have really good hearing, and you’ll hurt them.’

“What is all of this, oppa? I think this city is better than I thought and can be pretty useful, so please tell them to get rid of that performance. Why are they ruining it when everything is already so great?” Lee Ji-Hye questioned.

“...”

‘Yeah, I think it’s best if they don’t do that.’

Thud!

“Or do you want to go swimming in the oasis? Do you want to celebrate your friendship with your loved ones under the sunset?” the desert elf asked.

“...” “The city of dreams! The city of fantasy! A city overflowing with entertainment! Welcome to the desert city, Laves!” the desert elf exclaimed.

“Wow!!!”

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

“This is great!”

‘But the reactions are varied...’

Park Deok-Gu was already drinking beer with Choi Young-Ki.

‘There are people into this kind of thing.’

Sun Hee-Young and Elena looked like they were clapping out of courtesy, and it was the same thing with Lee Chang-Ryeol and Park Lian.

‘I knew they were going to react that way.’

Hwang Jung-Yeon seemed to be enjoying it.

Yoo Ah-Young and Ahn Ki-Mo were just smiling.

Meanwhile, Jung Ha-Yan's eyes were sparkling.

“

Wooooow!!!

” Jung Ha-Yan exclaimed while clapping.

‘Our Ha-Yan…’

Alps holding tightly onto Shiro was also clapping while shouting.

Most importantly…

‘Ye-Ri…’

Kim Ye-Ri wasn’t screaming, but she stared agape at the performance.

‘Yeah, when will she get another chance to see something like this?’

Kim Ye-Ri was so engrossed that she couldn't worry about what others thought of her.

‘This might work on the children as well.’

I was sure that Dialuria, Max, Thronus, Cherubim, Dominions, and Seraphim would really like to see this. Of course, Dialugia would like it as well.

“All right! I’ll guide you to your rooms! Afterward, enjoy Laves however you want!” the desert elf said.

With that, the show ended.

“I’ll notify you of the group activities later. Unpack your bags first and enjoy your time here. Mr. Ki-Young, I need to go prepare…” Kim Hyun-Sung said.

“

Ah

, go ahead,” I said.

Since there were so many people, I was sure there was a limit to the things we could do as a group. Kim Hyun-Sung had to have realized that as well, as he made time for group activities.

After the announcement, a few people split up from the group. Cha Hee-Ra and Park Deok-Gu were already running toward the tavern, while Sun Hee-Young and Elena were heading toward the shrine together.

‘What should I do first? Maybe I should start with the business plan…’

And that was when I saw an unfamiliar figure…

“Miss Jo Hye-Jin!”

“Mr. Elias! You’re here,” Jo Hye-Jin greeted.

‘What the heck?’

'Why is

he

here… Who invited him?'

“I’m sorry for making you wait,” Elias said.

“It’s fine. I just got here—”

“Have you eaten yet?” Elias interrupted her.

“No…”

I saw an elf scoundrel having fun talking to Jo Hye-Jin.

“Oppa…” Jung Ha-Yan muttered.

“...”

“Who invited that scoundrel?” I questioned.