Chapter 48: The Royal Capital

The caravan's wheels crunched down over gravel. The road had changed from a packed dirt trail to one paved with small stones, indicating that they were now well within the vicinity of the capital.

The road had widened, and other travelers could be seen on foot and by carriage: adventurers, nobles with ornate carriages, and trading caravans much like Elliot's.

It was nearly dusk, but the sky was still bright. A brilliant sunset illuminated the horizon. Elliot had estimated that the rest of the journey would take a full day, but they had managed to cut short the travel time by half a day.

The speedup had been due to Wang Yu. He didn't want to laze around. Emmon had to help pull the carriages along since some of the horses had been killed, and Wang Yu decided to pitch in.

Although Elliot felt uneasy about having an honored customer like Wang Yu pulling a carriage, Wang Yu himself didn't mind at all. With both of them putting in effort, they'd made significantly faster progress.

Wang Yu wiped the sweat from his brow and set down the ropes in his hands. The way ahead was crowded with other caravans, forcing Elliot's own to slow down.

"Good work," the large orc said beside him as he lowered his ropes as well.

"It was nothing. We saved a good bit of time," Wang Yu replied casually.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

He turned to the road. They were just a few kilometers away from the capital. Wang Yu couldn't help but marvel at the sight of this majestic city from another world.

"This really is impressive, isn't it?" he murmured in genuine admiration.

Despite having seen the bustling skyscrapers of modern cities, the sight of this otherworldly royal capital left him in awe.

Even in a different world, humanity's power to reshape nature was as potent as ever.

This was a city so vast that it made everyone feel insignificant. Unlike modern metropolises, in which skyscrapers loomed over one and all, it conveyed a sense of diversity, complexity, durability—and size.

From his vantage point on a hilly stretch along the road, Wang Yu could look down on the capital. The road descended steeply from where they were situated, allowing only one team of horses to pass at a time. As a result, there was a rather significant jam in the area.

The capital was a magnificent city stunning even by Wang Yu's standards.

There was no moat or anything of the sort outside the city, just a set of towering walls with a width of over five meters and a height of a staggering ten meters.

It twisted around the contours of the city, like a giant serpent coiling protectively around it.

The city looked to be alive and bustling. A long line of carriages extended from the city gates to the hillside, indicating the outside world's immense interest in the capital.

From his vantage point, Wang Yu saw countless people and carriages bustling along the streets and city walls. The sunset bathed the city and its people in a charming, warm light that made the scene feel particularly vibrant.

Within the walls, the city was densely packed with buildings that extended all the way to the horizon.

The buildings filled the capital along a series of winding streets and alleys, a complex network that seemed like the arteries of a giant's body.

The buildings were largely just one or two stories high, and included inns, weapon shops, food stalls, brothels, and everything else Wang Yu could possibly imagine—and even more that he couldn't.

There were plenty of unexpected sights: high towers with magic crystals glowing on top, surrounded by shimmering runes; figures flying through the sky, elemental energy swirling around them, the hallmark of powerful magicians; academies formed from clusters of multi-storied buildings filled with uniformed students moving about; large training grounds reminiscent of schoolyards back in Wang Yu's world.

Wooden airships with slowly rotating propellers cruised along in the air in seemingly logic-defying maneuvers.

Some of the ships docked on a massive floating island that looked like a mountain lifted from the ground and suspended in the air, with a colossal castle perched atop it.

Around the central floating island were a few smaller islands, each inscribed with enormous and intricate magical arrays that shimmered in the sky. Wang Yu was awestruck by the sight of such massive, gravity-defying objects.

At the very heart of this grand city was a towering mountain. Beyond the haze of clouds was a peak with its top flattened.

An opulent palace complex was situated on the peak—the palace of Aleisterre, the king's residence.

The vast palace was hewn from stone, with the marks of time visible on its weathered walls.

Its labyrinthine pathways, staircases, and corridors were striking and hinted at incredible depths that lay just out of sight.

Above the palace was a top-tier defensive array, Themis' Shroud, that spun slowly. It was fueled by magical energy drawn from various nodes around the city.

The massive runes glowed as they rotated, and were visible from every corner of the royal capital. They composed the city's ultimate defense: a barrier that afforded protection from even the highest-tier magic.

"That mountain is called the Throne," Emmon introduced. His voice interrupted Wang Yu's thoughts. He had a nostalgic smile on his face as he considered the view.

"Then is the palace called the King?" Wang Yu joked, shrugging his shoulders.

"A reasonable guess, but no—it's called the Crown," Emmon replied, shaking his head. "The throne endures, but he who wears the crown is not eternal. That's what Aleisterre's first emperor said. Wise words indeed. The mountain remains unchanged, whereas the throne has seen countless rulers over the centuries."

"It looks like that king was a wise ruler," Wang Yu said casually. "By the way, for an orc, you seem to know a lot about human cities. You're unusually friendly toward humans, too."

Wang Yu had been curious about this for quite a while. In many ways, Emmon seemed more like a human than an orc—not in appearance, of course, but rather knowledge and mannerisms.

Emmon paused for a moment. "Are you familiar with war slaves?"

Wang Yu nodded, though his eyes widened slightly in surprise. He hadn't expected Emmon to have such a background.

"Haha, did you think I was a war slave? I'm not," Emmon replied with a mischievous grin.

"Hm?" Wang Yu paused and blinked.

"My father was a war slave. He was a human who found me abandoned in the woods," Emmon began.

War slaves were at the very bottom of the military hierarchy, lower than even soldiers.

They were a disposable resource and frequently served no role beyond cannon fodder. They were typically captured invaders or civilians forced into service for resisting conscription, assigned menial labor, and sent on suicide missions.

It was harsh, but people didn't question it—prisoners of war didn't need luxuries, and civilians who dodged the draft were, at least in this world, considered no better.

In some cases, however, this system was heavily exploited with nobles in power.

Just like Decaphon's ploy to seize Avia's inheritance, some nobles had the power to bend the rules and designated whoever they liked as war slaves.

Emmon's father, a simple farmer, was a target of such abuse. During a famine, his village requested aid from the local noble, which he was required to provide by law.

Instead, however, the noble sent troops to declare that the entire village was composed of war slaves.

Not only did the noble not have to render any aid, he even managed to sell off the war slaves for a substantial amount of gold.

As a result, villagers young and old alike found themselves on the battlefield in their new role as war slaves.

They had little food and were subject to back-breaking labor. Within months, most of the elderly, women, and children had died, leaving just a few young men like Emmon's father.

It was then that Emmon's father found a baby orc in the woods.

Everyone else had objected to Emmon's father raising him. After all, the young men could barely feed themselves with what they earned from fighting in the army, and the orc would be a burden they couldn't bear.

Even so, when the fluffy little orc Emmon appeared before everyone, the villagers—who hadn't seen a newborn in so long—eventually gave in. They decided to set aside an extra portion of food for the orphaned orc child.

"That's how I grew up. Everything I know, from language to habits alike, I learned from humans. Life went on just like that. No one in the military questioned my presence. They accepted me as an unofficial slave among their ranks.

"I began to work alongside my father and the others. Then, there was this huge, brutal battle. See?" Emmon ran a finger along the long scar stretching from his left eye down to his jaw. "This is from back then. Luckily, we beastfolk heal fast, so I survived. But my father and the others—they didn't make it." A hint of sadness crept into Emmon's voice.

"Afterwards, when they were handing out war merits, because of how important victory in that battle was, all surviving war slaves were actually granted freedom and some gold to start new lives with—ha!" His tone was laced with bitter irony.

"It's kind of funny. I was never a real slave. When those officers saw me, they just skipped right over my name and told me to get lost. I even saw them pocket the gold I was supposed to receive—despite my name being on the list. I left the camp with nothing but some old, tattered clothes, with no idea where to go or what to do. It just so happened that Elliot was hiring guards that day, and, well, here I am."

Wang Yu nodded. He understood why the orc had such humanlike mannerisms now.

"Emmon, what're you talking about over there? Hurry up! We're almost at the city gates, so get ready to unload the cargo!" Elliot's sharp, shrill voice could be heard from the wagon.

"On it, boss!" Emmon quickly replied.

Wang Yu chuckled. He thought back to the vengeful wraith from yesterday. This really was a lawless world, wasn't it? Good people existed, sure, but so did countless scumbags. Strength was law. If you wanted to avoid being swept away by the tide or crushed by the rotten laws of the kingdom, you needed power yourself.

In his hand, he tossed a small bottle filled with a translucent powder up and down—the remnant of the wraith that had killed the family of scumbags before dissolving.

Perhaps things weren't so bad, after all. The supernatural forces in this world could send a message to scoundrels and scumbags. What goes around comes around, after all—vengeance might find them when they least expect it.

Wang Yu was hardly a saint. At most, he was an ordinary man with principles. He did wish for a few more good people in this world, if only to make his own life a bit smoother.

But thinking about all he'd seen, the filth and shadows lurking beneath this kingdom's prosperity, he narrowed his eyes. He would likely face countless challenges in the future.

As they neared the city gates, Elliot jumped down from the carriage and chatted with the haughty guards.

Seeing that Elliot was just an unimpressive gnome, the guards looked even more displeased.

But Elliot was an old hand at this. He knew how to flatter the guards; with just a few compliments and a little bag discreetly passed to them, the guards looked much friendlier than before.

They exchanged pleasantries again, and Elliot handed over a second small box. The guards smiled in satisfaction, clapped their hands, and allowed them in.

The gnome merchant's caravan had successfully made it into the city without any incident. Wang Yu glanced at Emmon, who was watching a group of refugees pleading with the guards to allow them to enter the city. They wore tattered clothes and looked pale and thin. Many were injured.

Noticing Wang Yu's glance, Emmon sighed and said, "I know I can't help them. They're probably refugees asking for assistance, but those guards won't let them in. I just..."

Wang Yu remained silent as Elliot stomped back over, grumbling. Seeing Emmon's dejected expression, Elliot promptly gave him a kick in the knee.

"You big oaf, what's gotten into you this time? You can't help everyone you see. Who do you think you are? You're not even human! And as for those guards—I've seen gnomes who were less greedy. Damn it, they wanted two bribes from me! I had to hand over one of my pieces of magical equipment. Good thing I tricked them with a one-use piece of junk, or I'd have been at a huge loss, damn it!"

Elliot cursed out Emmon, then started ranting about the guards. He took pride in the fact that he had tricked them with something shoddy.

Staring at the strange duo, Wang Yu couldn't help but wonder which one of them was truly the boss around here.

"Looks like it's time for us to split up. Elliot, do you know where I might be able to find a place to rent or buy here in the capital?"

Wang Yu interrupted Elliot's rambling. Since they were now in the capital, there was no need for him to keep tagging along with the gnome merchant and his guards.

He did like the three-person crew. If possible, he would contact them in the future again if he needed to handle any matters in the capital.

"Oh, honored customer, are you leaving already? I rarely meet such easygoing and wealthy clients like you!" the gnome murmured.

Wealthy? Wang Yu frowned. Murderers really were wealthy, he supposed. He had come into all his wealth just by taking down Decaphon.

"As for housing, let me think... There's lodgings on Whitestone Street, another in the western quadrant, one on Redmaple Street..." Elliot began to list the possible options aloud.

Wang Yu hadn't expected the gnome merchants' guild to be so well connected. He'd done his research and knew that just having a house in the capital served as proof of residency. Owning property meant that you would be a resident of the capital, but the price...

Suddenly, he heard a familiar name: Redmaple Street. That was precisely where he had to go to report to the Nightblades. That would work perfectly.

"Elliot, how much is that property on Redmaple Street?" Wang Yu asked.

"Oh, that one? To be frank, Mr. Wang Yu, houses here aren't cheap. If you don't mind, there are inns available through our merchant guild. As for residency, you won't have to worry. If you register with us, we can arrange the paperwork for you," Elliot explained.

He genuinely liked Wang Yu, who was wealthy but had no airs about him. Helping him out and making a friend seemed worthwhile to Elliot.

"Thanks, but it's alright. I'd like the house on Redmaple Street. How much is it? I suppose I can just buy it outright."

Wang Yu still intended to buy the property. He wasn't stingy with money. The gold coins he had were very useful—but only if he spent them.

Aside from his lingering attachment to having a home of his own from his previous life, he knew that having his own place would be valuable for hiding secrets, conducting research, and so on.

Doing so in an inn would be rather inconvenient. Perhaps this seemed like an incredible sum to many, but it was an investment for the future.

"Well, alright. Let me check... The market price is 1,750 gold coins, considering that it's in the central district. I'll give you a discount—1,500, no, I suppose I can do 1,400 gold coins," Elliot offered.

He didn't intend to push too hard; if Wang Yu really wanted to buy a place for himself, then he'd sell it. He genuinely wanted to befriend Wang Yu, so he was willing to offer it under cost.

Perhaps part of the reason that Elliot had been so successful was because he wasn't overly fixated on small profits and was sincere about making friends.

"Excellent. Thank you. Please deduct the funds from my mana crystal card directly." Wang Yu nodded in gratitude.

Kindness deserved to be repaid in kind. He'd spend more at the gnome merchants' guild in the future, perhaps—though he didn't know how much longer his gold would last. He shook his head with a bit of self-mockery and pushed the thought aside.

"You can head straight over to the house, then. Redmaple Street, District 8, No. 41. I'll file the paperwork in the goblin merchants' guild right away. Head to the Golden Azalea tavern and ask the owner for the keys," Elliot said, taking Wang Yu's mana crystal card and making a few adjustments on a crystal slab in the carriage. After it flashed with light, he handed it back to Wang Yu.

"Take care, honored customer. I hope I'll see you again soon!" Elliot waved farewell to Wang Yu, who did the same as he walked off with Avia.

Wang Yu and Avia strolled down the street, looking at the bustling crowds all around them. There were people from all sorts of different backgrounds, and quirky shops lining the streets. Now, he truly felt as if he had arrived in another world.

Up until now, he had been busy either struggling to survive or fighting for his life. But which of these locales—his present prosperity or past struggles—were at the heart of this new world? It was hard to say.

"Wang Yu, you must have spent quite a lot on that house..." Avia murmured.

"I did. It was quite a bit—the bulk of my two thousand gold coins, but it's no big deal. Originally, I planned to stay somewhere cheap near the city walls, but I couldn't let you live there with me. That wouldn't be right."

Wang Yu himself didn't really care about where he stayed, but he didn't think it would be appropriate for someone like Avia to be living in what was likely the slums. On this point, he was surprisingly thoughtful.

"Ah, is that so? Then I should give you some of my money..." Avia felt rather guilty upon hearing that Wang Yu had spent more because of her.

She took out her mother's old mana crystal card. It didn't have much—just about five hundred gold coins or so.

"No, no, there's no need." Wang Yu refused the offer, but he was touched. Avia was always so considerate.

"We've got something big to do," Wang Yu said. He took Avia's card.

"What?" Avia asked.

"Eat, of course!"

"What?"

"I'm serious. I don't have many hobbies, but eating is one of them. Now that we're in the capital, we finally get to experience the benefits of prosperity. We spent so long eating nothing but gruel and roast meat. Now, I want a proper meal!" Wang Yu really did want to eat; it was one of his few passions.

Being able to endure hardship didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy himself. Wang Yu didn't intend to be an ascetic—why not savor life when you could?

"I-Is that so, Wang Yu? I actually know how to cook as well. Maybe I could make something for you sometime?" Avia asked, blushing a little.

"Sounds great, but let's have a good meal right now."

He took Avia's hand and pulled her into what seemed like a restaurant by the roadside. Everything else could wait. At the moment, he was ready to enjoy his first real feast in this new world.