The great merchant city of Catorrem. The first step on the Velvet Road and the final major city before entering the Lysium Theocracy. This is the second time I’m looking upon its imposing ramparts, and yet the awe I feel now is incomparable to the last. Seeing it in person is an entirely different experience to watching from the perspective of a donkey. For one thing, I can turn my head and truly admire the scale of this circular construct, and examine the intricate enchantments reinforcing its walls. A massive magic circle encompassing the entire city has been inscribed beneath its moat, intercepting the mana streams flowing towards its life well and distributing the energy across every district. The magic circle also doubles as a large scale defensive spell, and I can’t help but marvel at the magical engineering on display. Anticipation swells inside me for what lays within, as the top of grand structures peek over Catorrem’s already towering fortifications.

“Next”

We walk through the invisible membrane of magic projected by the gate and approach the guard on duty. I sense the anti-detection circles on my body clash with the city’s defences, and while they’re unable to gleam anything from their scan, they’re now well aware I have something to hide. A few guards observing our approach put down their bowls of stir-fried cabbage and quietly take position around us.

“Name and intention?”

“Enbos the Black. This is my apprentice, Hachirou Nomura. The purpose of our visit is to obtain a visa to enter the Lysium Theocracy.”

“Any permits or identification?”

“Will this suffice?”

We both reach into our cloaks to show our identification, but as soon as we do the surrounding guards suddenly raise their spears and take an offensive stance. Hachirou freezes midway upon realising their caution, but I take no heed and continue my action.

“Such insolence. Peel back your eyes and take a closer look!”

Several guards take a step forth and prepare to intercept me, but as soon as they see the seal clutched in my palm…

“I-it’s an emblem…”

“N-not just that, i-it’s an emblem of the Novuseus House!”

Well, it looks like I managed to fool the inspector, and while it’s nice they’re not attacking us, the expressions they have are more than I bargained for. I turn my head to the spearhead inches away from my body, and to the trembling guard still holding it. Realising their mistake, they hurriedly retract their weapons and immediately bow for forgiveness. Hachirou also takes out his own emblem, and likewise the guards around him withdraw and lower their heads.

“So tell me, will this suffice as identification?”

“O-of course! We’re deeply ashamed to have raised our arms against the very family that enchanted our city walls! On behalf of everybody on duty, we’re terribly sorry for our disrespect!”

Ah, so that explains their reaction. In any case, I’m already drawing the attention of the people waiting in line.

“There is no need to raise a commotion. If you wish to atone, then deliver us to a capable guide.”

“Yes, right this way!”

We follow the inspector-turned-escort out of the shadow of the gate and into the great city of Catorrem. Looking around, we seem to be standing in a tiled plaza, with dozens of horseback visitors entering and leaving the nearby stables and hundreds of shoppers wandering the adjacent bazaar. Not since my last life have I been to a place with so many people, and Hachirou appears especially overwhelmed by this unfamiliar sight. He shifts his gaze to the colossal buildings in the distance, and even while wearing a mask, I can tell he’s in complete awe. I also feel the same, and despite the fact I’ve seen buildings that actually scrape the sky, I still marvel at the creation of this majestic cityscape, one that substitutes magic for modern technology.

Keen to see more of the city, we follow the guard to a line of roofless carriages. The sight reminds me of a taxi lane and it’s more than likely they serve a similiar role. Interestingly, the carriages are not pulled by any steed and have magic cores installed underneath. They probably work by drawing mana from the energy streams distributed by the city wide magic circle in order to move. It won’t function outside the city but it’s a neat way of traversing the paved streets without having to tend to a horse. The guard takes us to the first carriage in line where a neatly dressed man wearing a blue cap is standing by.

“Hello, my name is Samuel and I’m the operator of this mana carriage. Is this your first time visiting Catorrem?”

“Indeed it is.”

“Then you two are in luck. Catorrem is great and beautiful city, one that is too large to truly appreciate on foot. However, as a special one-time deal, I can take you to anywhere within the city for a single fablar!”

Expensive! You’re acting exactly like a taxi driver! Well, at least you’re charging a flat rate, but a fablar is enough to cover our, or rather Hachirou’s, living expenses for a week. I cast a sidelong glance at my pal to ask for his opinion, but accidentally draw the attention of the guard standing by his side. He mistakes himself for the target of my gaze and inexplicably nods in one-sided understanding.

“Excuse me Samuel, I would like to cover the costs of this ride for Master Enbos. Please send the charges to our garrison later. It’s least we can do as compensation.”

“Very well. Let’s go, Hachirou.”

“Huh? Um, thank you for paying for our trip.”

The guard politely bows before briskly returning to his post. We hop on to the back of the carriage and wait for our driver to prepare the vehicle for departure.

“Master Enbos, Master Hachirou, where would you like to go for today?”

“Take us to the closest inn. Our greatest priority is to book a room for the night.”

“There is no need Master Enbos. I easily can arrange a reservation in your stead with the use of this magic tool. It’s but one of several services I can offer, but I’ll have to ask for an additional 25 penz.”

“Add it to the garrison’s tab.”

“Understood, Master Enbos. Where shall I take you instead?”

“Take us to the place in charge of issuing permits to enter the Lysium Theocracy.”

“That will be the Office of Passage. The closest inn to your destination is the Golden Griffon. It’s famous for its catering and I can personally assure you of its quality. Shall I make the reservation?”

I give a silent nod and sink back into the soft leather seats as the driver picks up an enchanted horn. Eventually, we begin to leisurely cruise along the broad, two-lane road that extends all the way to the fortress at the city’s centre. Looking at the passing marketplace, rows of vendors vie for attention and customers barter for every purchase. An innumerable range of goods are on display, and despite me having an inferior sense of smell, it’s like a kaleidoscope of sensations that enriches the entire district.

Soon, we leave the wooden stalls and cloth shades behind us and enter a district full of brick walls and tiled rooves. The atmosphere is just as busy as the last, with the shouting vendors and rural visitors being replaced with flashy signs and middle class locals. As we continue down the main street, the buildings become taller and more grandiose. The culture of the city is being proudly portrayed, and with every landmark we pass our capable driver tells a small piece of its history.

“The statue you can see on our left is of Telis Pen, the hero of the 11th Human-Demon war. He was born in this very city and like all who inherit the title of , he went to the Lysium Theocracy to study the ways of the hero and purge demonkind from the continent of Aren. This effigy was built to commemorate his victory 150 years ago.”

“Excuse me Samuel, but why is his statue holding a bouquet?”

“It is said that after fulfilling his sacred duty of slaying the demon lord, he immediately proposed to his childhood friend upon returning home.”

“Ah, I see. Oh, can you tell me about that building over there?”

“That would be Catorrem’s most venerable auction house. For many years…”

It seems Hachirou is having fun chatting with Samuel. Come to think of it, this is the first time he’s ever been to a human city. To visit a land filled with masonry instead of greenery. The difference in culture between his branch and Catorrem is clearly enrapturing him.

“… How long will it be until we reach the Office of Passage?”

“My apologies Master Enbos, but we’ll be there in a few moments.”

“I’m not dissatisfied, Samuel. In fact, I’m perfectly happy with this comfortable pace. Tell me, when will the Office of Passage close its doors?”

“It should remain open until sunset.”

“Excellent, we still have time. Do you provide tours of the city as one of your services?”

“Why, yes I do, and I am more than happy to oblige. It will extend our trip by no more than an hour, but I’ll have to ask for an additional-”

“Add it to the garrison’s tab.”

“Understood.”

"... Thank you, Enbos."

"It's not a problem. We may as well enjoy our brief stay as much as possible."

And so, for the next half an hour our guide took us around Catorrem and continued to offer his insightful commentary. From shopping spots to important facilities and even the gallows, we were kept entertained for the entirety of the ride. It was a worthwhile tour and I felt the city had more to offer, but we soon arrived at our final stop.

“We have reached the Office of Passage, Master Enbos, Master Hachirou. Thank you for choosing to ride my mana carriage. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”

One hour later, we emerge from the large polished doors of the Office of Passage with our visas stashed safely within our bags. At first I was nervous about using a forged letter to obtain our permits, but in the end everything went remarkably well. I’ll have to thank Zur next time we meet, and now that our business here is done, me and Hachirou are making our way to the Golden Griffon Inn which is allegedly at the end of the street.

“Catorrem is a beautiful city! I never thought men would be capable of such architecture. Also, the culture and history here is truly fascinating, especially the tradition of sharing bread at the start of every month.”

“Indeed it was, and all the magic we saw today was just as impressive too. I’m really glad we had the opportunity to ride a mana carriage.”

“Speaking of amazing magic, what do you think about the teleportation nexus in the Office of Passage, the one that was being shared with the Catorrem Merchants Guild next door? Big Brother Takumi once tried making his own, but…”

“Yeah, I get the idea. Anyway, I was pretty amazed by how complex the enchantment was. This is just a supposition, but judging by the way it was drawing mana from the dispersed mana flow made by the city-wide magic circle, I think they plan to implement it around all of Catorrem in future.”

“Really? That would be an amazing achievement, to allow anybody to move about the city instantaneously. However, my only concern is it would hurt Samuel's job quite a fair deal.”

“He doesn't have to worry. The current level of “magical technology” is simply not good enough. It’s too inefficient and costly to become a widely implemented, but at least the groundwork is there.”

Teleportation is a mana intensive spell that consumes exponentially more energy the further the destination is and the larger the cargo is. In fact, it’s one of the reasons is such a short range ability and has such a high backlash when taking others. The only reason fairies like Si can easily teleport across vast distances is because they’re an existence closer to spirits and can hence readily traverse the World Stream. The only viable method for humans to achieve sustainable, long distance teleportation is to use a mana stream to extend the range of the spell, with multiple high quality magic cores to stockpile the requisite energy. However, even then it may only be enough to teleport a small load several towns away.

The reason I’m so knowledgeable on this topic is because my Necronomicon has a surprisingly detailed entry regarding the art of teleportation. Well, I guess it does make sense considering when I first came to this world, my conjurer summoned a pile of weapons.

Huh, now that I think about it, didn’t I experience teleportation recently at the underground guild? Zur deals in illegal goods and slavery, and if the mana stream running under the merchants guild and Office of Passage leads back to their hideout, wouldn’t that mean…

“What’s the matter, Enbos?”

“Huh?”

“You suddenly stopped and started staring into the distance.”

“Well, I think I stumbled on a terrifying conspiracy…”

“Eh?”

“N-never mind. Anyway, we’ve reached the inn Samuel booked for us before we left. Let’s confirm our reservation and spend what’s left of the evening-”

"Expensive!" was first thought that crossed my mind as soon as I locked my eyes on the fancy engravings and golden furnishings of the building front. I should have known that mana carriage service was in cahoots with certain establishments. Thinking about the price of our ride, it’s probably an arrangement targeted towards nobles and wealthy merchants. At this point, I’m definitely glad the city garrison footed our transport costs, and all in all, it’s definitely better than shelling out 30 fablars to Sepesh.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, there’s none at all! If we’re going to enjoy our brief stay, we may as well make the most of it. Let’s go!”

“O-okay?”

An internal switch goes off inside my cranium and I enter “Enbos the Black" mode. I walk into the Golden Griffon with false arrogance, and approach the wide-eyed innkeeper without minding my surroundings. Already, I start to hear familiar hushed whispers and realise there are other adventurers in the room. I let out an inaudible sigh and stand before the shrinking lady behind the desk.

“W-welcome to the Golden Griffon. How may I help you?”

“I’m here to sign in to a prior reservation made by Samuel the mana carriage operator. It should be under the name Enbos the Black.”

She politely nods and reaches for a nearby tome, but accidentally knocks it off the bench. While she apologises profusely for her clumsiness, I wait patiently under the uncomfortable gazes of everybody in the room. Please, just let this end. Today was such a good day, and I don’t want anything happening now that will…

“I see, so you’re Enbos the Black, huh? You’re as stuck-up as the rumours claim you will be!”

… and immediately I trigger an event right after that flag. On second thought, it was bound to happen sooner or later, but I wish I didn’t have to occur on my first day in Catorrem.

I turn around to see a big burly man with a two handed axe on his back and two companions by his side. He has a nasty sneer on his bearded face and a short mohawk to finish his wild look; a look I’m not obligated to look at.

“Oi, why did you turn back you damn punk! Face me like a man!”

Well, I’m technically not a man, so case closed. Just let us get to our room already…

“Stop ignoring me, you arrogant piece of trash! Just because you’re getting some attention you think you’re-”

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience! I’ve found your name in the registry.”

“Good. Let’s get this farce over and done with. How much for the night?”

“HAH, FARCE!? Who do you think I-”

“T-that will be 42 Penz for a two-bedroom room. May you both sign your names here?”

“Right away.”

“I’m the great B-rank adventurer, Dion the Destroyer! Don’t get cocky you dainty little-“

“Here’s the pen, Hachirou.”

“Right. By the way, I already paid the receptionist while you writing your name.”

“Ah, I guess that explains why you have the keys. Also, is it just me or has your signature been getting-”

“HEY, STOP IGNORING ME!”

“Um, Enbos, there’s this person that’s been calling out to you for a while now. Shouldn’t you go talk to him?”

“Yes, that’s exactly right, Enbos’ apprentice! I want him to acknowledge his senior and-”

“Sigh, it’s no use for guys like him. He probably wants to publicly humiliate me just to raise his own status, or maybe he’s simply jealous. In any case, it’s far better for us to retreat to our room and avoid raising any trouble.”

“I-I see.”

“LIKE HELL YOU WILL!”

All of a sudden, Dion the so-called Destroyer bars our way with his axe while his two hatchet-wielding lackeys take position around us. In an instant, the tension of everybody in the room is raised to maximum. Hachirou also seems worried, but he doesn’t put his hand on his weapon unlike everybody else in the room. As for me, I can only marvel at this man's stupidity for causing trouble right next to the receptionist who has a communication tool, and then I wonder how I’m going to reach the stairs without causing a brawl.

“Hey, stop staring blankly over my shoulder, you dastard! I told you to listen to me!”

“Actually, that would be the first time you’ve said such a thing.”

“WHAT!?”

Whoops, I let my inner monologue slip. Conveniently, my little quip seems to have eased the tension in the air and stopped the receptionist from calling the guards. Unfortunately, it seems to have also further antagonised Dion and now I’ll have to listen to his childish rant.

“Listen here, you greenhorn. I know that you’ve been enjoying the recent publicity by playing it mysterious…”

Like hell I do!

“… but I’m here to remind you of how worthless you really are. I’ve met a penz-a-dozen official and unofficial mages like you, rising stars who think they got what it takes to handle being an adventurer, just because they can throw a . Well, I’m here to give you a friendly reminder.”

Yes, yes, very scary. I’m sure you have or like me, but frankly I couldn’t care less as I’m immune to such effects. Besides, compared to Zur you’re about as threatening as a puppy.

“So tell me Dion the Destroyer, what exactly are trying to accomplish?”

"What I want to accomplish... is this!" he says with a savage grin as he reaches out to grab me by my shoulder.

Sigh, so he’s seriously planning to start something. Does he have some kind of plan that will let him get away with it? No matter.

“.”

A dark miasma suddenly erupts from my body, enveloping the entire room in darkness. Several adventurers draw their weapons in response while Dion and his cronies take a step back at my unexpected spell. Several seconds later, the pitch black haze quickly dissipates, leaving a room full of confused faces.

“Ah, we can see again.”

“Did anything happen?”

“Wait, where did those two go! How did they get past us!?”

“Look, over there!”

Ah, damn it, we couldn't slip to the second floor. After casting , I grabbed Hachirou and used to reach the foot of the stairs. Unfortunately, with over a dozen pairs of eyes scanning the room, it seems using was too much to hope for.

“Come back here you coward!”

“I refuse. You can wrestle with a pig in the mud, but the pig will enjoy it.”

“Who are you calling a pig, you craven! I know why you only accept monster subjugations! You’re nothing but a glorified hunter!”

I shouldn’t stop. I should ignore his words and make my way to our room... and yet I don’t.

“What are you trying to imply?”

“Finally got your attention, eh? I know. I know exactly why you never meet with your clients. After all, they’re usually escort quests where you have to confront other people. You're scared of getting a little blood on your hands. You’re nothing but a coward! A weak hearted slime posing as an adventurer!”

“And you’re supposed to be my better, Dion the Destroyer?”

“Enbos, don’t-”

“What’s wrong, did I strike a nerve? Can’t face the truth? Well, unlike you, I’m a REAL adventurer, and only a real adventurer has what it takes to face anything that comes their way! You're naive! You're spineless! You can keep chasing animals and pretend to be a man, but you’ll never be-”

“Silence! You’re nothing but a lowly mercenary!”

The already silent audience become even quieter as the tension in the air changes to a deathly chill. Apart from Dion, nobody is moving, everybody is holding their breath as if trying to make themselves as scarce as possible. Even the innkeeper who's holding a magic tool to her mouth is too frightened to call for help. It takes me a second to realise I’ve subconsciously activated , and I’m half impressed and half appalled by the man who’s still trying to challenge me. This man who thinks it’s okay to equate a life to a few digits. This man who thinks you have to be a murder to be an adventurer. Worse, it's not his logic that truly sickens me, but the fact that everybody watching is treating it as a given fact…

I take a step back down the stairs, but as I do so I notice Hachirou is clasping onto my sword arm, which is hovering directly over the hilt of Bloodletter. I don't need to turn around to see the concern on my friend's face. Why did I instinctively reach for my sword? What was I planning to do?

“So you want a fight! You think you’re man enough can take me on, little slime?”

“… Sigh, today was such a good day. I guess it was my fault for ruining it.”

I release the effects of and as soon as I do, everybody watching the debacle breathes a collective sigh of relief. To my luck, the lady behind the desk hasn’t called the guards, but she’s still holding the phone. So, how do I deal with this idiot without making things worse? He clearly wants a fight, but if I beat him at his own game it will only sink my already pitiful reputation after what I just did.

“… You know Dion the Destroyer, you shouldn’t drink so much alcohol.”

“Hah? What are you tal-”

At the very moment he blinks and when his tongue is safely behind his teeth, I activate and all the way to his feet. Then, using the of my equipped soul, I perform a powerful uppercut right into his jaw and send him flying in the air. While everybody watches his graceful descent, I cast to slow his fall and avoid breaking any furniture. Everybody then turns their stupefied expressions back to the C-rank mage who managed to one hit KO a B-rank fighter.

“B-bo-BOSS!”

"H-how!? How did you...?"

“He’s clearly had too much drink. After all, a dainty little mage like myself managed to knock him out in a single blow.”

“B-but he barely touched a-”

"He had too much to drink. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes!"

“Good. Now, please take him to his room, companions of Dion. Also, I wish to apologise for my misconduct, innkeeper. I’m truly sorry for causing a ruckus under your roof.”

“I-it was not a problem at all. Instead... I should be thanking you for ending his drunken rage?”

“That’s right. I was only trying to keep the peace... Let’s go Hachirou.”

(Sigh, you know, I sometimes wonder if you enjoy playing the role of Enbos the Black...)

We leave the first floor and make our way to room 24. A crowd of witnesses look after my retreating form in equal parts fear and admiration. I have no idea what kind of rumours will spawn from this incident, but all I want to do now is to spend the night studying in the corner of our room.