Chapter 454 - 306: Conflict with the Holy Sith Kingdom

The city walls, soaring into the clouds, were built from ancient giant stones. Their surfaces were covered in the mottled traces of time, as if recounting a thousand years of legends and secrets.

Flanking the city gate stood two iron statues of Dragon-men, each several dozen feet tall. Their eyes were inlaid with glittering Magic Gemstones, making them seem as if they could awaken at any moment.

Legend had it that these were the handiwork of a Legendary Alchemist. Once activated, these two Iron Men would transform into ancient Samurai and slay their enemies.

The gate itself was forged from heavy black iron, inlaid with a complex Magic Array that emitted a faint blue glow.

A huge banner hung above it, embroidered with the city’s emblem—a Griffin with its head held high, surveying all with pride. Its satin-like feathers danced in the wind, seeming as if it might take flight at any moment.

At the city gate, dust filled the air, and the sounds of hooves, wheels, and footsteps mingled into a cacophony.

Farmers pushed wooden carts laden with grain, their faces marked by the elements. Their rough hands gripped the handles tightly, as if afraid the grain on their carts would be stolen the moment they let go.

Wagons of a merchant caravan rolled by slowly, their wheels rumbling dully over the stone-paved road. The wagons were piled high with goods from distant lands: silks, spices, gems, and other strange, unknown items that emanated an alluring aroma. The merchants sat at the front of the wagons, false smiles plastered on their faces.

Knights in armor rode tall warhorses, Lances in hand, their gazes sharp and focused. Mercenaries sized up the crowd with calculating eyes, looking for someone to hire them.

One could occasionally spot Half-Beastmen, Elves, Dwarves, and Minstrels. Some traveled in groups, others hurried along alone, all adding a splash of vitality to the heart of Debei.

The Guards at the city gate wore Silver Armor and carried Long Halberds, their gazes lazily sweeping over everyone who entered and exited.

"Wow, the Royal Capital is amazing! They even have Half-Beastmen here. It’s ten times livelier than Bailiu City." Masha was dazzled just by the sight of all the different humanoid races.

There were Elven, Dwarven, and Gnome merchants, and one could even see Beastmen and Panda People.

"Actually, ever since His Majesty the King built the Ten Thousand Flower Garden over a decade ago to collect the rare beauties of every Race, a policy regarding the ’Acceptance of Good Intelligent Races’ was introduced."

The Lord was staring at a Half-Elf Physician in a red Mage Robe.

’Individually, her features are just alright,’ the Lord thought. ’Among the women I know, she’d probably rank near the bottom. But put them all together, and she’s utterly bewitching.’ Especially with that chest of hers; the buttons on her loose Mage Robe looked ready to pop. Every step she took was a living demonstration of the phrase "billowing waves."

Paired with the beauty mark at the corner of her eye, she gave off an air of being both innocent and sultry. She was like a kitten, making one’s heart itch with desire.

The Lord noticed he wasn’t the only one staring. The Silver Armored Guards were stealing glances from the corners of their eyes, and even old Fu Jin took a second and third look. At last, seeming to realize his own moral failing, he started muttering, "Public morals are in decay. How improper."

The well-endowed Half-Elf Physician seemed to notice these gazes, which were hot enough to curdle milk. She hastily clutched at her chest, covered her face, and vanished into the crowd with her companions.

This elicited a collective sigh of disappointment from the crowd.

"So, what happened next, brother-in-law?" Mier had been waiting for him to continue and looked over in confusion when the Lord fell silent.

"What happened next?" The Lord discreetly pulled his gaze away, his expression becoming serious. "Next, the entirety of Debei became extremely tolerant of other good-aligned Races. People like Dwarf Blacksmiths, Elf Rangers, and Beastman Warriors are now a common sight."

"That Half-Elf Physician from earlier, for instance, is part of a small team with her companions. They usually take on missions to earn reward money."

"Things like clearing out Goblins and Magical Beasts, or searching for certain Magic Materials."

These groups often call themselves Adventurers. A typical team consists of a Physician, a Warrior, a Swordsman, and an Archer. A slightly more powerful team might even include a second-rate Magic Apprentice.

When he first arrived in this world, Levi had tried his hand at this line of work. But after discovering he could take down all those Goblins and Magical Beasts on his own, he decided to go solo.

’Somehow, I ended up on this irreversible path to becoming a Lord.’

’Otherwise, I could have at least made a name for myself among Adventurers as the ’Elegant Blood-colored Waist-slicing Hand’.’

’The "Elegant" part referred to my exceptional good looks, and the "Waist-slicing" part described my signature move.’

"My Lord, we should enter the city," Si Kai said, interrupting the Lord’s reverie. "I see the Prince’s party up ahead. If we speed up a bit, we should be able to catch them at the gate."

"Alright," Levi agreed.

He also wanted to meet this Prince for himself and see just how reliable he was.

Just then, however, another party began to enter the city. At their head walked a towering, burly man encased in iron armor, carrying a massive white banner.

On it, exquisite embroidery depicted a naked man holding a set of golden scales in his left hand and a silver Scepter in his right—the human guise of the Alchemy God, Lex Primus.

The scales represented the balance of all things, and the Scepter represented absolute authority. This deity was said to be the personification of the Law of Alchemy, governing the universal truth of "as above, so below."

Whether or not they had truly Mastered this principle, the Holy Sith Kingdom’s recent achievements in Alchemy had indeed surpassed those of the other Seven Kingdoms.