Chapter 34: Journey to the Imperial Capital

Early the next morning, while Rollin was still lost in sweet dreams, he was shaken awake by Mahler and the others. After a quick wash and a hasty breakfast, they left the dormitory.

“Farewell, Dorm 2015! When we come back, a whole month will have passed!” Bill sighed.

Soon, some rode horses, others donkeys, and one even a leopard. In no time, they arrived at the main gate of Porter Academy, where Karina was already waiting for them.

Karina was still astride her chestnut pony, but the little horse seemed fearful at the sight of Little Black. Only after much coaxing and tugging did she manage to ride side by side with Rollin’s black panther.

Hertz City, the Imperial Capital, was the largest city in the Europan Empire, with a population of nearly fifty million. Since there had been no wars for years, the citizens lived in peace and prosperity. As the political and economic center of the empire, the city bustled with life. Wide, straight streets were lined with stalls selling every imaginable good, from food and drink to amusements, all in abundance.

As they wandered, Rollin and his friends stopped to marvel at new and curious things, buying whatever caught their fancy. Luckily, the recent class competition had left their purses well stocked, so gold coins were not an issue.

Karina was particularly extravagant, buying something from nearly every stall she paused at. She had no concerns about carrying her purchases, for Rollin’s necromancer’s space functioned as a mobile warehouse, with ten cubic meters of storage—ample for all her treasures.

Mahler, who had a spatial ring, was a bit better off, but Gabbas and Bill soon found their mounts groaning under the weight of bulging bags. Both cast envious glances at Karina, thinking how wonderful it would be to have their own mobile warehouse like Rollin for the journey home.

“Rollin, now that you’re a Level Two mage, shouldn’t you buy a proper staff? Why don’t we visit the alchemy shop?” Having exhausted the stalls, Karina’s eyes sparkled at the thought of the alchemy store, where she expected to find all kinds of marvels. She decided to use Rollin as her excuse.

Of course, Rollin and the others saw through her little scheme, but under her gentle persuasion, they reluctantly let Mahler, the “host,” lead them to the largest alchemy shop in the capital—Cervantes Alchemy Store.

“This alchemy shop has three floors,” Mahler explained. “The ground floor is for basic magical items—plenty to choose from and reasonably priced. The second and third floors have more advanced goods, mostly for high-level mages and warriors, with first-rate quality and terrifying prices. My spatial ring came from here.”

“So, the master who crafts spatial rings works here?” Rollin asked.

Mahler nodded. “That’s right. My old man had to pull a lot of strings to buy my ring from this master. His name is Cervantes—this shop is named after him.”

They started on the ground floor. Rollin had not intended to buy anything, but Kus reminded him that he would need certain supplies for his journey to the Maya Mountains as a Level Three mage, so it was wise to stock up now.

Following Kus’s advice, Rollin spent two hundred gold coins on a staff with a sixty percent conductivity. A seventy percent mithril staff cost several thousand gold coins—far more than the thousand he had won as champion. Kus also had him purchase a sharp knife and several bottles of low-grade alchemical potions, bringing the total to nearly three hundred gold coins.

Karina’s purchases were even more extravagant: bottles, jars, crystal balls—a mountain of trinkets, all stuffed into Rollin’s necromancer’s space.

After thoroughly browsing the first floor, they ventured up to the second and third. But none of them bought anything there; the prices on the tags were dizzying, and none of them could afford such luxuries. Just as they were about to leave the third floor and end their shopping trip, a flippant voice called out: “Hey, miss, see anything you like? Just say the word, and I’ll buy it for you.”

Karina, who had been curiously examining a magical artifact, frowned and looked at the young man beside her—a youth impeccably dressed, his hair meticulously styled. Out of politeness, she replied, “Thank you, but I’m not interested in buying anything,” and turned to rejoin Rollin and the others. But the young man blocked her path with an outstretched arm, grinning. “Miss, it’s not every day you make it to the third floor. Isn’t it a shame to leave empty-handed?”

“Move aside, brat, if you know what’s good for you!” Mahler strode over, arms folded.

“Hmph, you fat oaf, who do you think you are to meddle in my business? Do you really think you can keep hanging around the capital?” the youth sneered.

“Oh? You want to drive me out of the capital? I’d like to see you try,” Mahler chuckled in anger.

“Do you know the Leo family? I’m from the Leos. Still want to interfere?” the youth scoffed.

Mahler pretended to wipe non-existent sweat from his brow. “The Leo family? The ones who control the Leo Trading Company? You must be a member, then?”

The youth snorted. “Now get lost!”

Without another word, Mahler pulled a golden token from his spatial ring and flashed it before the youth. “Now, who do you think should get lost?”

The arrogant youth glanced at the token and blanched in terror. “M-Moses family—you’re a direct descendant of the Moses clan? I—I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t recognize you! I’ll leave, I’m leaving right now!”

After the youth fled in utter disgrace, Rollin and the others stared at Mahler in astonishment. Gabbas stared unblinkingly at the golden token. “If I’m not mistaken, the Moses family is one of the three great houses of the Europan Empire—almost every generation produces statesmen, and the current head, Edward, is the Minister of Finance, controlling the empire’s economic lifeblood. Boss, what’s your relation to Lord Edward?”

Mahler grinned as he pocketed the token. “He’s my old man.”

Gabbas exclaimed, “Boss! We’ve been roommates all this time, and you never told us you’re the finance minister’s son!”

Mahler rolled his eyes. “Come on, only you and Karina come from normal backgrounds. Gabbas, aren’t you a core member of the Brooke family from the Ruan Empire? And Bill, you’re the heir to the Hohenzollern family, the top clan in the Aragon Empire. We’re all brothers in the same dormitory—what do our families matter?”

“Oh, and I didn’t go out of my way to investigate you. My old man just checked up on you all to make sure you wouldn’t lead me astray.”

The group fell silent, exchanging wry glances. Lead you astray? More likely you’d corrupt us.

Rollin realized that all the surnames Mahler had just listed were those of distinguished families, each granted a family name for outstanding service or achievement—unlike himself and Karina, who lacked such a heritage.

After leaving the alchemy shop and wandering a bit more, they bid each other farewell and headed home.

Rollin and Karina began their journey back to Borsang Town. Both spurred their mounts on at a gallop, eager to reunite with family after a year apart.

Images of his father—balding, with deep wrinkles on his brow—his dignified and gentle mother, and his adorable little brother in a wheelchair, all appeared vividly in Rollin’s mind. He wished he could leap home in a single stride, to pour out all the sorrows of their year-long separation.