Chapter 352 The Northern Territory of the Empire
Luo Yan stayed for three days in Quartz City, the commercial and technical capital of the Kingdom of Rhodes. After admiring how the piano that was so popular in the empire was made by pairs of rough and steady hands, Luo Yan set off again to continue his journey north.
The carriage drove all the way north, away from the clanking of craftsmen and the hustle and bustle of merchants, and entered the hereditary territory of the Blackwood family, the Duke of the North.
The scenery here is completely different. The layout of the villages and towns is as strict as a military camp. The roads between the fields and ridges are as straight as a knife. Even the farmers working in the wind and snow have straight spines.
The air is filled with the atmosphere of discipline and steel, which is in sharp contrast to the glitz of the Holy City and the craftsmanship of Quartz City.
Looking at the continuous passes along the mountains, Tuff stretched out her little head to look out the carriage window and couldn't help but exclaimed.
"Unbelievable, I seem to...have been here before."
Luo Yan flipped through the "Travel Notes of the Kingdom of Rhodes" in his hand and took the time to reply.
One thousand years.
That was a long enough time.
According to the records of "Travel Notes of the Kingdom of Rhodes", this duchy in the north is a military center of the Kingdom of Rhodes. It was built five hundred years ago and was named after the Blackwood family.
In addition to the fortresses and castles that can be seen everywhere, what lies in front of them now is a city called "Dragon Vision City", which is said to be closely related to the dragon.
But rather than saying that this is a city, it is better to say that it is a "giant fortress" integrated with the mountains.
The entire city wall directly utilizes the rock walls of the mountain. Many buildings and passages are dug into the mountain. Rumor has it that its foundations were built directly on ancient dwarf ruins.
The buildings here are low, sturdy, with sloping roofs to withstand winter snowstorms and possible attacks at any time. The city is filled with the smell of fireworks and leather all year round, and the air is freezing and biting.
A huge city wall called the Unyielding Wall is 100 meters high and spans the entire canyon. It is covered with ballistae and trebuchet positions. The name of the defenders of the past and the year they resisted the invasion are engraved on the wall. Each brick and tile is engraved with a rich historical heritage.
In the Holy City, you cannot feel this solemnity.
...If Brass Pass falls, this will be the empire's second line of defense, and it should last longer than Brass Pass."
Luo Yan commented silently in his heart, and then continued to turn the page of the book in his hand, his thoughts following the rolling wheels through the wind and snow flying in the sky.
Before entering Longshi City, Luo Yan was still wondering whether Tafu's aura would attract her kind. Unfortunately, they didn't even hear a dragon roar after staying here for three days, but there were a few wolf howls from the distant mountains.
It seems that the Dragon Tooth Mountain Range is still too small to accommodate a real giant dragon.
During his stay in Longshi City, Luo Yan had nothing to do. He even registered his identity as an adventurer at the local Adventurer Guild using the name Colin. He even took Sarah and Taff on a few missions and went to a nearby maze to "interrupt" them.
It's a pity that the local demon king is not doing well in management, which is worse than the Dragon family in Thunder County. The maze is filled with low-level monsters such as slimes and skeleton soldiers.
…
The local lord left the maze without destroying it, probably for the sake of sustainable magic crystal income, as well as the consumption and taxes contributed by adventurers.
Luo Yanneng can probably feel that the demon general here is estimated to be on the same level as Sarah, and his strength is in the middle of the silver level.
As for the Demon King, I am afraid it is only at the level of gold, and cannot be any higher.
Without going deep into the deepest part of the maze, Luo Yan only lightly bombarded the fish pond on the surface, shocking a group of adventurers who were no more than bronze-level, and frightened the "comrades" who were huddled underground and the fussy Tuff, and then left gracefully.
The benefits of the adventurer's mission were better than nothing, but what surprised Luo Yan was that he had not spawned monsters for so long, but he unexpectedly upgraded after making two moves during the journey.
【
ID: Luo Yan
Race: Human
Soul level: Diamond (level limit LV130)
10)
Spirit: 235 (+3)
Although the increase in extraordinary power is insignificant compared to the increase in the power of faith, for Luo Yan it is still an unexpected surprise that is better than nothing.
By the way, what makes Luo Yan happy is that his cat has also been upgraded, and it has been upgraded to a full 6 levels compared to when he was in Janna continent.
This progress can be said to be quite rapid.
：40 (+1)
Strength: 67 (+8)
Agility: 100 (+15)
Intelligence: 17
Spirit: 18
…
Through the well-disciplined territory of the Duke of the North, the carriage headed east and soon reached the pass at the southern foot of the Dragon Tooth Mountains.
The front is a knight's fief called Eagle Rock Territory, ruled by Sir Kyle Richter, who has been loyal to the Rhodes royal family for generations.
Although the Rhodes royal family probably cannot remember having such a loyal vassal, it is a quite famous place for ordinary people in Osland.
There is no other reason.
Just because this is an important hub from the Kingdom of Rhodes to the Academy, becoming a magician is the ultimate dream of countless ordinary people who think they have extraordinary talents.
Just like the boys in the Holy City all dream of entering the Royal Knights.
Although becoming a magician is far more difficult than becoming a knight or adventurer, the relative status and treatment of a magician are incomparable to the latter two.
And according to rumors, Xuebang has been trying to explore the boundaries of the soul and trying to obtain energy from outside the realm from the virtual realm.
Some magicians even transcended the shackles of their own souls and broke through bottlenecks that would have been impossible to break through!
A higher soul level not only means that you will have a broader sky in this life, but also means that you will have a higher starting point when you re-enter reincarnation in the next life.
Especially the latter, it is fatally attractive to young people born in civilian families.
Since a large number of young men suspected of being awakened go to the northern wilderness every year to try their luck, providing food and accommodation services to travelers who go to Xuebang for "interviews" has naturally become an important source of income for the Eagle Rock Territory.
Although the local lords, like other feudal lords in the Kingdom of Rhodes, extremely hate the magicians who steal young and middle-aged labor from their territories, at least on the surface they still acquiesce to the migrating people passing through their territories.
After entering Eagle Rock Territory, the road mixed with snow and water became increasingly muddy, and the number of pedestrians also increased.
They were in groups of three or five, dressed in different ways, but they all had the same look on their faces - longing for the future intertwined with fatigue from the journey.
These people are all "pilgrims" going to Xuebang.
Luo Yan had no intention of disturbing anyone, but his carriage itself was a silent "distraction".
The body made of precious wood is extremely rare in the north.
And whether it is the smooth driving posture or the two shiny horses pulling the cart, they all demonstrate the owner's extraordinary financial resources.
In this team of walkers and tired riders, it was like a white swan that strayed into a flock of ducks.
Soon, trouble came to the door.
Two young men, a man and a woman, riding two slightly tired pack horses, deliberately caught up from the rear of the team and kept pace with Luo Yan's carriage.
The man is handsome and the woman is beautiful. The clothes on their clothes can be seen to have been luxurious, but there are signs of wear and tear on the corners. It is obvious that this long journey has consumed a lot of their wealth.
But there is no doubt that they are definitely not from the Holy City, otherwise they would never fail to recognize what the Purple Moon Badge means.
"Good day, dear sir."
Handsome young man with a warm and business-like smile on his face, he said loudly in the direction of the carriage, "Julian, this is my sister Liana. We are from the Holy City, and we are also students going to Xuebang. In this bitter cold northern border, it is really refreshing to meet a traveler with such elegant taste like you!"
As he spoke, he glanced at the corner of the carriage that had no family crest but was carved with a complex purple moon pattern.
Although I don’t recognize that symbol, the families that can use purple as their family emblem have all become rich a long time ago.
Hunting for Luo Yan to respond, his sister Liana next to him let out a weak sigh just right.
She placed a red hand on her chest gracefully and frowned endearingly: "Oh, Julian, the wind is so cold. I really wish there was a place where we could escape this biting cold for a little while."
Her gaze was like a feather, lightly scratching the curtain of the car window.
This double act has obviously been rehearsed many times.
Their goal is clear: to use their outstanding appearance and knowledge from the metropolis to win the favor of this wealthy "scholar", so as to catch a ride, and maybe even gain a new backer.
In Osland, for the nobles outside the Holy City, the name "Holy City" always makes them look high.
This is a trick they have tried time and time again!
Julian answered immediately after hearing this: "Yes, sir. My sister is weak and can't stand the cold. I wonder if we are lucky enough to be able to borrow your carriage for a while? Even if it's just to the next village... we will be grateful!"
He waited for a long time.
However, the carriage was still quiet, as if their performance was just dedicated to the air in vain.
Just when Julian's smile was about to freeze, Sarah, who had been driving silently, slowly turned her face and looked at them.
It was a pair of vertical pupils that were colder than the cold wind, as if the wind and snow flying all over the sky had stopped in an instant.
The noise around him seemed to have disappeared. The sound of wind, horses' hooves, people's conversations... everything fell silent, leaving only the cold silence.
The air became thick and heavy, making Julian almost breathless. All the words he had prepared were stuck in his throat, and his mind went blank.
Liana next to him was even more disfigured. It was a kind of fear originating from biological instinct, as if an invisible poisonous snake had strangled her throat, and she could not even scream.
After just looking at each other for two seconds, Sarah withdrew her gaze and looked forward again, as if nothing had happened.
ifier|
Watching the backs of the two clowns disappearing into the snow, Sarah glanced back with some worry, stretched out her hand to lift the door curtain, and whispered.
"Did I do the right thing... Your Highness."
The coldness that penetrated into the bone marrow seemed to have never appeared in her eyes. She carefully observed Luo Yan's expression, just like observing her master's big orange.
Although she sensed the Demon King's impatience, it was her decision to drive them away after all.
"It's not important, it's just a small thing." Luo Yan replied slowly and just turned a page of the book on his knees.
If he really needed help, that would be fine. He was a very talkative person, but those two people were obviously just here to eat and drink, and he didn't want to be the victim.
Taph turned over and continued to take a nap, completely unaware of what was happening outside.
Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, cheered up again, and scanned the surroundings with bright eyes. Not only those with ulterior motives, but also the guys who were just watching the fun and had no intention of approaching to strike up a conversation were frightened and sped up and ran away.
That night, at the "Adventurer's House" hotel on the roadside, a group of people parked the carriage in the backyard and stayed in the hotel to escape the wind and snow.
Luo Yan was sitting at the bar, tasting the local bitter ale, and listening to the scholars around him talking.
The person who poured him a drink was a bearded bartender who was used to the storm. A medium-deep scar on his face reminded him of his old friend in Thunder City.
"It's the 'examination season' again." The bartender wiped the glass and said to Luo Yan to himself, "Sir, you are also going to Xuebang, right? Judging from your bearing, you must have been recommended by a noble person."
Some nobles will also go to Xuebang to learn magic, and not only do these people bring letters of recommendation, but they often do not start as apprentices, and even need to be served by apprentices.
Therefore, for those who are eager to enter the academy, gaining the friendship of the nobles is also a way to pass the interview - although the apprentice selection of the academy is strict, it is not as strict as ordinary people imagine.
It is like the law of the Holy City. When the net is opened, of course it will turn a blind eye.
Luo Yan smiled and was noncommittal.
The bartender is used to it. He has poured wine for countless customers like Luo Yan who are of extraordinary origin at first glance, and he has also poured wine for countless poor boys with dreams.
He lowered his voice and pointed with his chin to the other end of the hall, where a girl sat alone in the corner with empty eyes.
"Have you seen her? Her name is Amy. She comes here every day, hoping to find an adventurer willing to give her a ride to pick up her brother in Dragon Vision City."
“What’s wrong with his brother?” Luo Yan asked casually.
"A genius, but also a fool." The bartender sighed, with a trace of pity in his eyes. "His brother's name is Catrel. He is the son of a stonemason. It is said that he has an unparalleled talent for runes. Last year, he really passed the preliminary examination of the school. Everyone thought that their family was going to be successful."
The bartender paused and lowered his voice: "But his family is too poor, and he doesn't make enough money on the road. He can't afford the high tuition fees at the Mage Tower, and no tutor is willing to accept him. The silly boy is unwilling to give up, so he is in the Mage Tower. He worked as an oddball at the foot of Tower Mountain for a whole year, trying to impress a mage with his own efforts. Later, a young imperial noble took a fancy to his talent and offered to sponsor him on the condition that he help complete a research project on ancient runes."
"Cartelel gave all his research results to that imperial guy. What was the result? The guy took his results, got a promotion in the mage tower, and then threw him away like a used rag. Catrel was angry and wanted to argue, but his legs were broken by the golem guarding the mage tower."
The bartender finished wiping the glass and put it down heavily. On the bar: "Now it is said that the man has given up on himself in a town in the northern wasteland that is affiliated with the Mage Tower, and he does not know whether he is alive or dead. His sister Amy is here every day, hoping that someone can take her to see her...brother who was ruined by dreams."
His eyes had a hint of encouragement, as if he hoped that this distinguished gentleman could help the girl with empty eyes.
But Luo Yan knew very well that if he couldn't help with this kind of thing to the end and took the person there himself, it would harm her.
In the vast northern wasteland, looking for an ordinary person whose life or death is uncertain is tantamount to committing suicide.
At least he can still get a job here. When one day her brother wakes up, stops giving up on himself, and realizes that there are more important things worth pursuing in life besides studies, he might meet her on the way home.
If her story is true.
After the bartender walked away, Tuff, who was huddled under her cloak, muttered softly.
"This is too much."
Luo Yan took a sip of ale and said casually.
"Is your Holy Ankylosaurus empire any better?"
Tuff's face stiffened and her nostrils dilated slightly.
"I, my idea is good, who knows them..."
"Is the execution more correct?"
"You guy!!!"
Looking at the grinning Taff, Luo Yan smiled faintly, left a silver coin on the table, and asked the bartender to order a dinner from her hometown for the girl he had never met before, regardless of whether she had eaten it or not.
Today’s teasing ends here, he doesn’t want this kid to be so angry that he foams at the mouth and turns into puffs...
…
Due to many unplanned interruptions along the way, the second half of this trip to the north was much slower than before.
Luo Yan didn't think there was anything wrong with it. He wasn't in a hurry anyway.
Whether it is the layout of the empire, hell, or the continent of Janna, it takes time to ferment, and during this settling time, he can just use it to observe the customs and customs of various regions in Osland, and read the books he collected along the way.
By the way, in the past half month, he has finished reading "Travel Notes of the Kingdom of Rhodes" and is now reading through the history of Xuebang, the origin of the thirteen magician towers and the magicians who currently rule there.
out of curiosity about the "Demon King's Academy" in the empire, he planned to take the so-called magic apprentice exam as an ordinary person without taking out the recommendation letter written for him by Count Sylfen, and see where the top students from the Demon King's Academy could get in the examination.
However, perhaps because he was too high-profile when he was in Longshi City, the news of Prince Colin's arrival in the northern part of the kingdom still spread like wildfire.
This news soon reached the ears of Sir Kyle Richter, the lord of Eagle Rock Territory.
Since the news of Prince Colin's journey north came from the Holy City, this lord who was extremely obsessed with the empire's elegant culture fell into almost fanatical expectations.
That is His Highness Colin!
Although he did not know who His Highness Colin was or the history of the Colin family, this did not prevent him from respecting every distinguished guest from the Holy City.
Him in his dreams, he longed for someone to bring the stories here to the Holy City and make the name Richter a legend in the Holy City.
In the castle, Sir Richter was pacing back and forth anxiously.
Suddenly, he stopped in front of an icon of Saint Sith hanging on the wall, and devoutly made the famous cross on his chest and prayed.
"Holy Saint Sis! Thank you for sending your envoy to this bitter cold land! I will definitely entertain him well and never let down the mission you gave the Richter family!"
He ordered people to clean the castle early, polished the piano that no one knew how to play, and even spent a lot of money to order several barrels of priceless wine from the Sylfen family winery from merchants.
However, it is obvious that not everyone "values tradition" as much as he does. For example, his wife often criticizes his vanity.
"Mission? Master Kyle, you have spent half of this year's tax on expensive wine and ceremonies!"
A slightly mean female voice came from the fireplace, with a trace of undisguised sarcasm in the voice.
"Don't be naive, even if His Highness Colin appreciates your bravery, the Senate of the Empire will not change your territory to the rich south."
"Shut up! What do you know!" Sir Richter turned around and scolded like a cat whose tail was stepped on, "A woman's opinion! This is a top priority related to the honor of the family! What does it have to do with the territory?"
Doesn't it matter?
Honour belongs to the empire, the kings, and the great nobles. Only gold coins and land belong to them.
The wife glared at him without showing any signs of weakness, but after all, the master was the head of the family, so she finally became sulky and stopped talking.
Sir Richter's chest heaved violently, like a frog caught in the belly, making his sideways growth look even more comical.
Although the Rhodes people strongly deny it, they may indeed have a little bit of dwarf blood in their bodies, which can be seen from their obsession with swords and forging.
Affected by the dwarf bloodline, both men and women are generally under 170 in height.
The men here have broad frames and strong muscles, which are not obvious even if they don't practice martial arts. Once they practice martial arts, they will evolve in the direction of "buckets." As for the women here, although there are a lot of buckets, but after all, they are influenced by the imperial culture, and waist corseting is generally popular in the upper class, which makes them appear petite and exquisite but broad-minded.
At this time, a servant ran in from the door and shouted excitedly.
"Master! Master! The sentries at the border have just sent news that they saw the purple moon badge! The prince's carriage has entered the country! He is here!"
Sir Kyle's anger disappeared instantly and was replaced by great ecstasy. He waved his hand suddenly and ordered loudly: "Quick! Everyone, follow me out to greet you!"
After saying that, he immediately led a group of servants and hurried out without even having time to put on thicker robes.
The biting cold wind rolled up the snowflakes and whipped the hills outside Eagle Rock Castle mercilessly.
Sir Kell stood at the front of the team with his head held high, wearing a gorgeous dress custom-made from the Holy City that clung to his bucket-like figure.
Although his nose was red from the cold, he still stubbornly straightened his chest like a city wall, holding on in the cold wind with a row of trembling servants.
Time passed bit by bit, and the snow on the ground spread from the ankles to the calves.
However, the expected gorgeous carriage carrying the distinguished prince never appeared, not even a shadow.
The anticipation on Sir Kyle's face was gradually replaced by impatience and disappointment. The servants behind him exchanged miserable looks, but did not dare to make a sound.
Finally, when the sun began to set in the west and the sky became darker, the noble knight could no longer maintain his ridiculous majesty.
It's no joke to wait any longer. Even if he is an extraordinary person, he cannot stand that his servants are just ordinary people.
He stamped his feet which were numb from the cold, and declared loudly to the empty snow field and the servant behind him in embarrassment.
"It's all the fault of this damn heavy snow! Yes...it must have been too heavy a snowstorm, which froze His Highness Colin's horse and delayed that gentleman on the road! Let's... go back first!"
After saying this, he turned around angrily and brought his frustration and annoyance, which had nowhere to vent, back to the warm main hall of the castle.
As soon as he sat down by the fireplace, before he could take a sip of hot soup, a servant ran in with a panicked expression.
"Master! Master!"
Kyle was suddenly startled and stood up.
"Your Highness Colin is here?!"
His clothes have not been taken off yet and he is ready to go at any time!
However, the servant was breathing heavily, but he could only manage to say one sentence.
"It's not Colin... Your Highness, it's the village of Pompeii! Your village! The undead attacked there and kidnapped several children!"
Sir Kyle was angry because he didn't see the big shot, and he became furious when he heard such trivial things. He slammed the table, waved his hand impatiently and shouted: "Don't bother me with this kind of thing! Let them find adventurers on their own! They can't even see the undead, what do those guys in the guild do for food!"
If he lost the horse he raised on the farm, he would probably be excited, but when he heard that it was just a few farmers' children, his face suddenly fell.
The servant stammered in response and left with a grimace, not knowing how to face the miller who was crying outside the audience hall.
At this moment, the respected Lord Kyle was making the famous cross on his chest and praying for His Highness Colin devoutly.
"Honorable Saint Sis... Please don't let your esteemed Highness be exposed to the snow and wind. I will send someone to find him as soon as the snow outside lightens up!"