The iron bell hanging from the carriage swayed, and accompanied by a crisp sound, the caravan slowly moved along the road on the hillside.
"That must be Cinderstone City, right."
Sylvia looked out the window at the city built against the mountain; just as the name implied, the stone bricks on it had quite a few charred marks, as if it had experienced a great fire.
"That's right, we will arrive at Cinderstone City shortly." The merchant Vandersea rode past the carriage Sylvia was riding in.
"After arriving in Cinderstone City, we will rest for a long time, replenish our goods, and also sell what we have acquired to the merchant guilds in the city."
"Mr. Vandersea, are you not selling directly to the citizens in the city?" Sylvia was somewhat surprised.
"This is different from the situation in the village." He shook his head.
"The market space fee in the city is not cheap. Secondly, if I were to dispose of so many goods, it would take a very long time, which is simply not cost-effective."
"Finally, the merchant guilds in the city are powerful. A wandering merchant like me cannot compete with them. To avoid conflict, selling the goods directly to them is the best choice."
"I see."
As they chatted, the caravan gradually reached the city gate to undergo inspection by the guards.
The process did not take much time. The guards simply recorded the number of vehicles and the general cargo, then let them pass quickly. As for the carriage Sylvia was in, they didn't even look at it.
"Let's go." Shaking the reins, the driver urged the packhorses forward.
Entering the paved road in the city, the carriage became steady, and Sylvia also observed the scenery along the street through the gap in the window.
The city was quite lively; many villagers and peddlers from the surrounding areas walked along the streets, and one could see them selling daily necessities and some local food.
At this moment, Sylvia also noticed several special people. They wore short cloaks and carried weapons on their shoulders, including double-edged axes, broadswords, long spears, and some carried bows and arrows. Compared to ordinary passersby, they were obviously more confident and flamboyant, and they were very generous when buying things.
"Those are adventurers." Seeing the people Sylvia was looking at, Talia spoke up.
"Grandpa used to be an adventurer. They take on tasks issued by the local guild and then complete them to earn rewards."
"How strong are these people?" Sylvia's eyes blinked slightly. Her Discernment Pupil told her that although these people had not yet reached the first order of essence, their strength was much greater than that of ordinary guards, and one of them even had a Breathing Technique that reached the second stage.
"The strength of adventurers varies. The skilled ones might be at the first order, and those even stronger are rare." Talia replied.
"But my grandpa used to be a second-tier adventurer; he was very strong."
No wonder that old man had such a big temper, and Frien didn't dare to talk back.
Being able to have second-tier strength when young made him a rare and impressive figure in this region. It was reasonable that he could be on good terms with the previous Baron Holin.
Arriving at a large inn in the city, after Vandersea communicated with the owner for a while, the carriage drove into the backyard to park. At this time, Talia and Sylvia also got off the carriage.
The stable was filled with a mix of damp forage, animal feces, and the body odor of livestock. Fortunately, it was open-air, so the smell was not too heavy. After Sylvia got off the carriage, she covered her nose slightly with her sleeve, and then her eyes beneath her hood looked around curiously.
Just as she walked out of the backyard and came to the inn's front hall, a member of the caravan came over.
"Ms. Tia, Lord Vandersea invites you to join him for dinner."
"Where is it?" Listening to the other party's tone, it seemed they were not dining at the inn.
"At the Geliya Restaurant in the city. I will escort you there." The other party bowed and made a gesture.
Afterwards, Sylvia and Talia followed the other party along the street. About two minutes later, they arrived at a restaurant by the street.
The arched windows here were decorated with stained glass, and the entrance was composed of glass and curtains, looking exceptionally elegant.
Pushing the door open to enter, several maids guarding the side of the door stepped forward to guide them, letting Sylvia go up to the elegant seats on the second floor. Here, several tables by the window were separated by curtains, and the environment was quiet, while Talia and the caravan youths stayed on the first floor to dine.
Walking into one of the compartments, Vandersea was already seated. He had taken off his felt hat and placed it to the side. His grizzly-bear-like body leaned against the back of the chair, giving a rare sense of relaxation.
"Ms. Tia has arrived." He half-stood to greet her, then sat back down.
Through the interactions over these days, he and Sylvia had become somewhat familiar, no longer as reserved and fawning as at the beginning.
"Sit down. The food here is very delicious; it certainly won't disappoint you." He guaranteed.
"Then I shall look forward to it." Sylvia smiled and bowed her head slightly in thanks.
Seeing the silver-haired girl opposite him smile, Vandersea was stunned for a few seconds, then shook his head.
"Ms. Tia's beauty is truly irresistible." He exclaimed.
Actually, he was not sure now if the other party was truly a noble, but this temperament and appearance were likely something even some heirs of great nobles could not compare to. This was also why he was willing to invest friendship in this girl.
"Thank you for the compliment." Regarding praises of her appearance, Sylvia had heard them countless times over these days. Even with mental preparation, she still felt slightly shy every time she heard it.
Come to think of it, being good-looking is indeed a happy thing, but it also brings some trouble occasionally. She had already considered whether to go out wearing a light veil in the future.
The two chatted briefly about their experiences over the past few days. Vandersea indicated that he would stay in the city for a period of time. He knew that Sylvia had just arrived in Cinderstone City and must have many places where she needed help.
"Ms. Tia, what are your plans for the future?"
"Me? Probably first find a place to live in the city, then prepare to find a job, and then learn some knowledge, and then plan for the future." Who can say for sure about the future?
Hearing this, Vandersea did not immediately make suggestions but stroked his large beard and thought for a while.
"I am a merchant and do not have much power in the city, but I can help Ms. Tia arrange a place to stay. That is a place I used in the past, but I rarely stay in Cinderstone City on weekdays, so it has been vacant."
"This is really troubling you. I will remember this kindness." Even knowing that the other party was investing out of self-interest, Sylvia still felt a surge of gratitude. Otherwise, given her current situation, it would be very difficult for her to settle down in the city on her own.
"Hahaha, these are all small matters." Seeing Sylvia express herself like this, he was also quite relieved; at least he could see some hope of return on his investment.
If Sylvia were the type with an indifferent, slightly arrogant, and picky attitude, he probably wouldn't dare to invest too much help to avoid losses.
Shortly after, the restaurant waiter brought the prepared dinner, placed it on the table, and opened the food cover. A burst of fragrant steam wafted out.
In the silver platter was a roasted goose, its skin golden and crispy. Below and around it were paired red berries and roasted parsley.
"Sir, do you need it cut now?" The waiter bowed and asked.
"Let us look at it for a while longer. Every time, I feel that the food made by Chef Martin is like art." He praised the restaurant's head chef highly.
The waiter understood the meaning of the other party's words, so he carefully turned the platter, trying to let the two admire the golden-roasted goose from all angles.
For Sylvia, even with the memories of her past life, this was a rare feast. Her eyes revealed a bit of curiosity, and information about this meal emerged in her mind.
[Roasted White Goose] (Quality: Excellent): After removing the internal organs, the goose belly is stuffed with bread, orange segments, and spices. Then, butter is spread on the goose skin before baking. Finally, it is sprinkled with pepper and brushed with a small amount of sauce. The flavor and texture are excellent.
After the viewing, the waiter took out a dining knife to cut open the goose belly, took out the bread inside in portions, paired it with the small pieces of goose meat cut off, and placed them into the two people's dining plates.
"Please enjoy." After finishing the roasted goose, the waiter left respectfully.
Sylvia used a fork to take a small piece from the plate and put it into her mouth. The heat was mixed with the sweetness of butter. After biting down, the first thing was the taste of pepper and meat, followed by the softness of breadcrumbs. Mixed together, the overflowing juices expanded in her mouth, and her taste buds were immediately activated.
Hoo... After finishing this piece, she exhaled in small breaths to cool down her burning tongue.
Seeing the cute appearance of this young girl, Vandersea had to divert his gaze again; otherwise, he felt he would melt into that strange charm radiating from her.
Even a princess of the kingdom would not be more cute and moving than this, he thought. If this girl were to enter the upper echelons of nobility, she would likely attract countless young talents vying for her. If he were ten years younger, he would probably join the group of suitors, even if the hope was slim. But now... the ambitions of his early years had long dissipated.
While enjoying the delicacies, Vandersea brought up Sylvia's age.
"About 15-16 years old."
She deduced her own age based on Talia's age. Currently, Talia was only just over 16, and there was not much difference in height between the two.
"16 years old, huh." Vandersea looked at Sylvia's appearance slightly. Her facial curves were slightly soft and not yet fully matured; she did indeed look around that age.
"At 16, it won't be easy for Ms. Tia to find a job." He pondered.
"There will always be a way." In Sylvia's past life, she had already left university and worked for several years, so she was not too worried about this.
At worst, she would live a simpler life and save expenses. In this world with extraordinary powers, what was more important was how to improve her strength.
"Mr. Vandersea, do you know where one can learn knowledge about the advancement of extraordinary essence?"
"I happen to know some about this, or rather, anyone with a little ambition would inquire about it, hehehe." He smiled and raised his wine glass, shaking it gently.
"If one is an ordinary commoner, the most common path is to join the army or the guards under a noble. They will teach knowledge related to the 'Castle' essence, as well as various combat techniques, etc. If you have excellent talent and can enter the second tier before the age of forty, even if your background is humble, you will gain the respect of many."
"But for the true upper echelons, I mean the rulers and upper-class figures of this country, entering the third tier is the real beginning."
"With the third-tier 'Castle' essence, you are qualified to pledge allegiance to a monarch or a great noble, become a knight under them, and obtain your own fief. At worst, it's a village; if you perform well, a town is also possible."
"Under the King, there is often a powerful armed force of a knight order, where every member is a knight of the third tier or above. A single one of them can slaughter a village or destroy a town, crusade against powerful monsters in the mountains, and they are also stars and powerful forces on the battlefield."
"Each knight is paired with 3-4 'Castle' second-tier Knight Squires, forming an iron legion of thousands, which can sweep across the entire battlefield, crush any defense line, and be invincible."
"The Regas Kingdom we are currently in, its founding monarch was known as the 'Knight King'. Hundreds of years ago, he led the 'First Knight Order' to fight twenty-seven consecutive battles. The ice-cracked swallow-tail banners fluttered, thousands of lances were like thunderbolts tearing through the cold mist, defeating countless enemies and local tribal forces, and finally establishing the capital at White Cliff City, carving out his own kingdom among these mountains."
"However, these are all things from a long time ago. The Regas Kingdom's strength today is far inferior to what it was before, and it has also been downgraded from a kingdom to a duchy." He shook his head slightly.
"Apart from this most common path, the next is to join various different guilds and organizations. Small ones include the 'Gourmet Guild', 'Gardener Guild', and 'Mason Guild'. These have knowledge and secret arts related to tiers 1-2. Larger guilds such as the 'Alchemist Guild', 'Blacksmith Guild', 'Thieves Guild', etc., have knowledge and secret arts related to tiers 1-3."
"Is that all? I heard Talia mention the 'Candlekeep School'." Sylvia was puzzled.
"Oh, right, that's true. Her sister Winnie once studied under Scholar Hyde." Vandersea answered while pinching his beard.
"The 'Candlekeep School' is different from the other guilds and organizations I mentioned before. They are a powerful organization that transcends nations; even many kingdoms need to rely on them to solve problems."
"Regarding the 'Candlekeep School', I don't know much. After all, I am just a small merchant. The only thing I know is that many noble aides and advisors in the current Regas Kingdom are from that school. Those scholars who have obtained the Candle Keep badge certification are highly respected in this land, and even nobles will treat them with courtesy."
"Thank you for telling me."
The two's meal also gradually came to an end.
After enjoying the rare delicacies, Sylvia and Vandersea went downstairs, and then together with the waiting Talia and the caravan youths, they boarded the waiting carriage and returned to the inn.
The night passed peacefully.
The next day, Vandersea had people clean up the long-unoccupied house and set up a new bed, handing it over to Sylvia to live in.
After getting the keys, Sylvia and Talia walked around the inside and outside of the house for a good while, touring and looking around.
"This is the East District. Although it is not as wealthy and luxurious as the West District, it is still a very good location." Talia introduced to Sylvia.
"The North District is where Viscount Snow's castle is located; ordinary people cannot enter there. The West District is where rich people and a small number of nobles live. The East District is generally for freemen and some Professionals. The South District is also called the Lower District, where many poor people live."
This house was not big. The first floor could be used for normal living, with a total of five rooms, including a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and two bedrooms. The upstairs was an attic, which could store miscellaneous items, but the space was not large.
Behind the house was a small courtyard five meters wide, where some flowers and plants were planted, but most of them had withered now, and there were quite a few weeds.
It was indeed not big, but Sylvia was very satisfied; it was much better than the house she lived in while working in the big city before.
The next day, the people Vandersea found helped clean up the entire house. Afterwards, Sylvia settled down, and Talia would also stay here for the time being; the two could be considered companions.
At night, after washing up, the two, wearing pajamas, sat in the small courtyard behind the house. The cool evening breeze blew, dispersing the remaining moisture on their bodies, and a sense of comfort washed over them.
Sylvia leaned on a high wooden chair. Beneath her white nightdress, her exposed ankles swayed gently. She looked up at the night sky; it was rare to see the moon today.
On the grey-white moon, there were faint dark markings and patterns, like flaws in jade, but these flaws made the moon appear more real and clear, no longer having an illusory feeling.
Bathing in the moonlight, the girl felt a faint sense of lightness, as if after relaxing her whole body, she could float up to the moon.
Unfortunately, after opening her eyes, she discovered that this was just an illusion.
"Tia, just now your body seemed to be covered with a layer of faint gauze, and the color was just like moonlight." Talia's eyes revealed curiosity at this moment.
"No, perhaps it was my illusion; it cannot be seen now."
"Hmm." Sylvia shifted her gaze back to the ground and looked at Talia beside her.
Perhaps she really did have a peculiar destiny with the moon.