Chapter 34: Triandum

I had been traveling with Pero for several days before we finally reached another settlement. According to the people we encountered along the way, this place was called Triandum, a settlement belonging to another human community.

The moment I saw it, I realized just how small my understanding of the world had been. Unlike my hometown, where most of the buildings and structures were made from wood, Triandum was constructed with far greater care.

Tall stone walls surrounded the settlement, rising high enough to make the wooden defenses of my hometown look almost laughable by comparison. Numerous buildings stood beyond them, and the settlement seemed busy even from the outside, with merchants, travelers, and ordinary people constantly moving around the streets.

Most surprising of all were the guards stationed at the main gates. They carefully inspected every person entering the settlement, including Pero and me, before allowing us through.

Strangely, the guards did not simply ask for our names or belongings. Instead, they presented us with a peculiar stone known as a Bloodstone.

"Is it your first time being inspected?" Pero asked after noticing my confusion. "They show us the Bloodstone to verify whether we’re human."

I stared at him. "Why would they need to do that?"

Pero’s expression became more serious.

"The werewolf race has apparently been going on a rampage again. Just a couple of months ago, they slaughtered an entire human settlement."

I was taken aback.

I knew that werewolves consumed humans. That much had been taught to me during my training, but I had always imagined them as a relatively small race that lacked the numbers and courage to openly attack human settlements.

Apparently, I had been wrong.

"That’s scary," I muttered.

"That’s why they inspect everyone," Pero explained. "I’ve heard that if a Bloodstone is placed in front of a werewolf, their true nature is exposed and they transform immediately."

I glanced back at the stone in the guard’s hand.

The fact that something as simple as a stone could potentially expose a werewolf made me realize how much I still didn’t understand about the world beyond my hometown.

Fortunately, neither Pero nor I had anything to hide, and after successfully passing the inspection, we were finally allowed into Triandum.

The moment I stepped inside, I became even more aware of how limited my previous experiences had been.

There were merchants everywhere, travelers from distant settlements, craftsmen displaying their work, and people carrying goods I had never seen before. The streets were filled with conversations, footsteps, and the constant movement of people going about their lives.

Who knew how many other settlements existed beyond this place?

That evening, Pero and I stayed at a building that provided both food and shelter in exchange for gold pieces. The meal was surprisingly good, and the bed was far more comfortable than anything I had expected to find outside my hometown.

"Gold really is convenient," I remarked as I examined one of the coins.

Pero simply laughed.

The following morning, Pero opened a small stall of his own. He arranged his belongings carefully and placed a sign in front of the stand that clearly displayed his business.

TRADING GOODS FOR GOLD OR GOLD FOR GOODS

I had no interest in spending my time helping with merchant work, so I told Pero that I would explore the surrounding area instead. Perhaps I could find some way to spread the name of the Entity while traveling through different settlements.

But the moment I began thinking about it, I realized I had absolutely no idea how I was supposed to accomplish that.

I could not simply walk into the middle of a settlement and announce that everyone should worship the Entity. I barely understood how the people would follow religion myself, and I certainly had no idea what would happen if I suddenly began preaching about a mysterious being I had never actually seen.

There was another problem.

I had almost no gold.

I could not rely on Pero forever. Eventually, our paths would separate, and when that happened, I would need some way to survive on my own.

With that thought in mind, I began walking through one of Triandum’s busier streets.

Numerous merchants had established stalls along the road, each displaying their own services.

EXCHANGING FOOD FOR GOLD

CLOTHING SERVICES FOR GOLD. MATERIALS NOT INCLUDED.

BUYING SCALES OF ANY KIND FOR GOLD

I stopped. "Scales?"

I stared at the final sign with curiosity.

What could anyone possibly want scales for?

Back in my hometown, I had always thought of scales as nothing more than protective coverings found on certain animals. Whenever I hunted creatures for food during training, their scales were usually discarded unless someone wanted them for basic armor or decoration.

Yet someone here was willing to pay gold for them.

My curiosity finally got the better of me.

I approached the woman standing behind the stall.

"Do you know where I could hunt for scales?"

At first, she barely paid attention to me. She seemed more interested in arranging the materials scattered across her table. However, the moment she finally looked up and noticed my physique, her expression changed.

Her eyes briefly traveled across my refined muscles before she smiled.

"Oh? A warrior like you must be from somewhere far away. It’s my first time seeing you around here."

She pointed toward the distance.

"You can hunt for scales of all kinds over there. Just be careful, though. I wouldn’t want to send a handsome warrior like you to his death."

I followed the direction of her finger.

Beyond the settlement stood a mountain. Unlike the surrounding mountains I had seen during my journey, this one was strangely dark, almost completely black beneath the sunlight. Its enormous silhouette dominated the horizon, and even from this distance, something about it felt unsettling.

Still, I wasn’t particularly worried.

Even if it was my first time going there, I had something that most ordinary warriors could only dream of.

The daggers of divinity.

As long as I still possessed them, I had no reason to believe that an ordinary mountain could pose much of a threat to me.

I looked toward the distant black mountain. "Well, I suppose that’s where I’ll be going."