An unassuming pair of connected carriages pulled by an ordinary-looking pair of horses made their way through the grasslands of the Kingdom of Paws just beyond the border, traveling toward the nearest city. The carriages stood nearly a foot taller than the average wagons on the road, but otherwise looked much the same. Their bodies, wheels, and undercarriages were made from Rank 1 wood, while the white arched tarps covering them were crafted from Apprentice-ranked materials. At a glance, they appeared no different from the countless merchant wagons crossing the kingdom, aside from their slightly larger size.
Inside, however, it was a different story. Bastion and the girls watched the passing scenery as they took in the Rank 3 Kingdom of Paws for the first time, all while comfortably aware that their hastily applied cover and illusions would shield them from any prying or covetous eyes.
"Half of the kingdom is essentially pastureland, made up of alternating stretches of lush and dry grass that shift throughout the year, while massive herds of cattle roam freely across it. The sparsely populated towns and villages scattered throughout the kingdom mainly exist to supply the herders with equipment and necessities, while also buying and processing cattle for meat, leather, and bone," Ariel explained. "The meat here is supposedly the best among the surrounding kingdoms, and it's ridiculously cheap too. We'll finally be able to move on from our mushroom-heavy diet. No offense, Elyra, but a girl needs her meat."
"None taken," Elyra replied. "I'm also looking forward to some variety."
"Why is it called the Kingdom of Paws, though?" Lilia asked.
"That's because the central region of the kingdom is a massive jungle inhabited by tribes of feline demihumans," Ariel explained. "They rely heavily on cattle as a food source. Apparently, the entire region used to be dense jungle before the God of Paws introduced large-scale domestication to support a larger population."
Far in the distance, beyond the towns and villages scattered along the horizon, stood a massive forest rising from the center of the kingdom. It was likely where the capital was located and the destination Bastion and the girls were heading toward.
Given their recent scare involving how well-connected the local bandits were, the group decided to forgo selling their goods as usual and instead head straight for the capital in search of the opportunity Bastion had sensed, though none of them had any idea what that actually meant.
Over the next week, they slowly made their way across the kingdom while following the steady flow of carriages traveling between the border settlements and the inner territories. Eventually, they reached the treeline, where the road shifted from hard gravel to compacted forest paths as the procession continued deeper into the woods.
Through the hologram of their surroundings, Bastion and the girls noted the incredibly diverse wildlife, much of which was tame enough to avoid attacking the carriages traveling along the path. Meanwhile, they occasionally spotted demihumans riding large wild cats through the dense forest, which felt even more humid than the evergreen Great Forest outside the Kingdom of Brilliance.
Massive trees towered overhead, their branches interwoven tightly enough to cast much of the forest road in shade while shafts of sunlight occasionally pierced through the canopy. Thick vines wrapped around ancient trunks, and the air carried the scent of damp earth, moss, and vegetation. Brightly colored birds flitted between branches while small creatures scattered at the sound of approaching wheels, only to reemerge moments later once the caravans had passed.
Despite the density of the jungle, the natural forest path posed little difficulty for the passing caravans. The ground was firm enough for travel, likely shaped over countless years by the constant movement of merchants, herders, and demihuman tribes through the region. From time to time, Bastion noticed elevated platforms hidden among the trees where armed demihuman scouts quietly watched over the trade routes, their presence subtle enough that most travelers likely never noticed them at all.
They traveled for three straight days until they finally reached a massive wall of ancient trees blocking the path toward the kingdom's capital. The caravans lined up outside the natural barrier, and after nearly an entire day of waiting, Bastion and the girls were finally allowed through.
Beyond the entrance lay an even denser forest city built directly into the colossal trees themselves. Doors and windows dotted the trunks at every level while suspended pathways, bridges, and rope systems connected the structures high above the ground. At the very center of the city stood a splendid castle woven into the second largest tree Bastion had ever seen.
The streets were filled primarily with feline demihumans of every variety imaginable. Lions, cougars, house cats, lynxes, panthers, tigers, leopards, and countless others moved through the city in a constant flow of activity, all of them fully anthropomorphic. Humans were present as well, though most appeared to belong to the lower class, mainly merchants, laborers, and occasionally slaves.
The slaves were easy to identify due to the collars around their necks, yet the atmosphere surrounding them felt strangely different from what Bastion and Seraphina had expected. There was no visible hopelessness or despair. If anything, many of them resembled content workers who took pride in their duties.
"We're in a slave-trader kingdom, huh," Lilia commented sadly.
"They don't look like normal slaves, though," Seraphina observed.
"You know what slaves look like?" Lilia asked in surprise.
"Let's just say I already had a certain image in mind. Or maybe an expectation."
"It isn't enough that they don't have freedom or autonomy?"
"Go ask Elyra if she feels the same way."
"Ugh, good point. She'd probably kill me if I even hinted at suggesting she have that contract removed."
"To each their own, Lilia," Seraphina said, hugging the shorter girl. "You'll eventually learn that all kinds of people beyond your wildest imagination exist. I bet that even if you live a thousand years, you'll still meet truly unique individuals capable of surprising you."
They followed the carriages toward an open market near the Merchants Guild and parked. Before opening for business, however, they still had other matters to settle, specifically their mounting unpaid taxes. Ever since they left the Kingdom of Spores, they hadn't been able to stop and square away their debts, mostly because they were focused on fulfilling their end of the contract.
The first time they had tried to stop, they ended up wiping out an entire fort before continuing on toward a Rank 3 kingdom. Now, they finally had enough time to address what they owed.
As for any potential trouble caused by paying such a large sum in taxes, Bastion believed his newly developed Fortune vision would help them avoid the worst of it. It was reassuring, in a sense, knowing they were unlikely to get into trouble so long as Bastion was with them.
They made their way to the Merchants Guild as a group before requesting a personal accountant, an individual with the Accountant class who could tally up all their taxes in a single sitting. As for delayed payments, there was no such thing. What mattered was voluntarily reporting their earnings before being caught and audited, which would likely incur significant fines.
After a moment, they found themselves in a room with an accountant, a stern-looking woman in a professional business dress, the standard attire for Guild merchants.
"My name is Brina, and I will be your personal accountant for the day," she said. "Please rest assured, I am legally bound by the Merchants Guild to keep all our discussions private from the general public. The only authorities you need to be concerned with are the Empires and Guilds. Now, shall we begin? Who would like to go first?"
"Do me!" Ariel said.
Brina took a single glance before responding. "You have no outstanding taxes owed. All work completed through the Adventurers Guild is automatically taxed upon quest completion, and it appears you have no additional sources of income. Next."
"What about me?" Lilia asked.
After another glance, Brina's eyes widened. "You owe approximately 10 magic crystals, 14 mithril coins, 42 platinum coins, 17 gold coins, 83 silver coins, and 26 copper coins. Impressive, though understandable if you are Rank 2 and have never paid taxes before. Normally, this would incur penalties, but it has been less than a decade since you began generating taxable income, so the fines will be waived for this session. Would you like to pay now or wait until I finish with everyone?"
"We'll wait," Lilia replied.
"Very well. Next."
"Me," Elyra said simply.
Brina glanced at her before frowning. "You are legally classified as a slave and are therefore not subject to taxation. Who is your owner?"
"That would be me," Bastion said.
"In accordance with the laws of the Kingdom of Paws, she is required to wear an officially issued slave collar for the duration of her stay within the kingdom. I can process one for a fee of 1 gold coin and 25 silver."
"Add it to the total."
"Very well. Shall we do you next?"
"Sure."
Brina looked over his records, nodded once, and said, "You are owed 3 magic crystals, 18 mithril coins, 74 platinum coins, 21 gold coins, 9 silver coins, and 47 copper coins in total."
"Wait. Owed?" Bastion asked.
"Yes. It appears you overpaid your taxes during your time as a duke of the Kingdom of Brilliance. After applying that toward your current total balance, you as a group owe 6 magic crystals, 95 mithril coins, 67 platinum coins, 97 gold coins, 98 silver coins, and 79 copper coins. Next."
"I guess it's just me," Seraphina said.
Brina took one cursory glance before her eyes suddenly widened. "You owe 35 magic crystals, 61 mithril coins, 88 platinum coins, 43 gold coins, 12 silver coins, and 6 copper coins!" she said before taking a more careful look at her records. "Skill scrolls? I see. That certainly explains the exorbitant amount. Your total comes to 42 magic crystals, 57 mithril coins, 56 platinum coins, 41 gold coins, 10 silver coins, and 85 copper coins. How will you be paying?"
Bastion handed over the document guaranteeing 40 magic crystals worth of tax exemptions from the Kingdom of Spores, along with the remaining balance of the total. Fortunately, he had demanded more than what they originally owed at the time he dealt with the envoy.
During their journey, they had continued trading with passing merchant caravans, accumulating additional taxable income amounting to over 10 magic crystals. Thankfully, the surplus taxes Bastion was still owed from his time as a duke nearly balanced everything out, leaving them with only a little over 2 magic crystals to pay in total.
"I have received the full amount as stated," Brina said before handing over a receipt. "With this, you are officially cleared. Will that be all?"
"Yes."
"Very well. You may see yourselves out."
Bastion and the girls left the Merchants Guild with lighter hearts, knowing that the money they had on hand, totaling roughly 480 magic crystals, was no longer at risk and could now be spent freely. It was just in time as well, as they had plenty of shopping to do in this kingdom.
Elyra was excited to stock up on high-quality meat. Seraphina was eyeing the cheap leathers, while Lilia wondered what she could do with the inexpensive bones. Bastion, meanwhile, was considering another kind of purchase. Specifically, he was wondering if he should shop for some slaves.
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