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A four pronged mountain range was located in the center of the Earth Continent, with the Forest of Four Seasons in its middle. It was already summer, but the mountaintops were still covered with snow, creating a stark contrast between white and deep green.
The eastern arm of the mountain range reached higher than five thousand meters above sea level, and Mira’s wagon easily flew above it, carried by Garuda.
「That looks very cold.」
Mira muttered, watching the scenery out the window.
She was above a snow-covered mountain. Even though she was traveling at an altitude higher than five thousand meters, the wagon still felt comfortable. But that much was expected, the wagon had been purpose-built for life at any altitude.
Mira felt like she was in her own room, looking out the window at that breathtaking scenery with a feeling of superiority.
「I think it was around there.」
Mira raised her body just a little to look towards the west.
There was a basin at the spot where the four mountain ranges met, with the Forest of Four Seasons in there, housing the main base of the Fifty Bells, an organization founded by the wiseman Kagura
The Fifty Bells had been created to combat Chimera Clauzen, a different organization that threatened spirits, also known as the good neighbors of humans. Now that Chimera Clauzen was a thing of the past, the Fifty Bells had started pouring their resources into their public front, being an environmentalist organization.
(The news of Chimera’s defeat has reached the Station Cities already. I’m sure they still have work left, but they’re doing really well.)
The other side of the Fifty Bells, an armed organization, had split into many small groups which dispersed through the continent to hunt down any remaining members of Chimera Clauzen. The more the news and rumors spread, the busier they would get.
Mira looked in the direction of the Forest of Four Seasons, praying for the Fifty Bells’ success, and then opened the boxed lunch she bought at the Station City.
A pleasant smell that opened her appetite quickly filled the wagon.
「Ohh, what a marvelous sight.」
Mira took a deep breath before staring at her lunch, letting her nose and eyes enjoy the food first. The seller in the Station City had taught her that, saying it was the proper way to eat a boxed lunch.
A Summer Night’s Meal. That was the name of the lunchbox Mira had gotten. Lunchboxes with seasonal ingredients were common everywhere, but what made ones better than others was the cook. This one was made by Head Chef Braun, who had experience working in the royal court, and now tended to his own shop in the Station City. That was the only place where one could get A Summer Night’s Meal.
「It’s all high quality, but also very filling. What a perfect lunchbox.」
His experience in the royal court showed through, using common ingredients to their best, letting everything shine through. Mira was very pleased with it.
His shop was currently competing for the number one spot in that city, so Mira had to wait in line for half an hour to buy it. According to the workers of the shop, the lineup changed each season, so they recommended Mira come back regularly to try each variation.
(Though well, it still can’t beat the lunchbox from a loving wife.)
Mira had already eaten the magnificent lunchbox Mariana prepared for her. She had no one to gloat about up there, so she just stashed away the empty lunchbox, and looked away from the distant mountains and focused on what lay ahead, forests and grasslands.
「I really hope I can find him soon.」
Mira’s goal was to find a fellow wiseman, Soul Howl. She was currently heading to Gran Rings, the city with a Union branch that managed the Ancient Underground City Ruins. It was a large city with a long history, located on the northwest of Grimdart.
It had been four days since she left Arkite. After flying over countless cities and villages, she was finally getting closer to her destination. Most of the time she could only see grasslands and forests stretching into the horizon. That city with a rich story lay just after a short hill in the distance.
「It really is a breathtaking and fantastical place…」
Gran Rings, it was a large city structured like three overlapping circles in a triangular arrangement. That was why it also was known as the Tricyclic City.
As Mira got closer, the details of the city became more vivid as well. The closest ring was filled with buildings with tall chimneys. That was mainly the industrial district. The other two rings had around the same size. They were essentially a residential district, and a commercial district.
The central area covered by the three rings was populated by mansions of the dukes and nobles governing over the region. They were all old, but their colors had not faded, giving off a rather majestic appearance.
But the space above the city caught Mira’s attention even more.
There were shikigamis, summons, bodies of giant birds reanimated with necromancy, and similar beings flying around. After a closer look, Mira realized there were many other aerial travelers apart from her.
The Tricyclic City of Gran Rings housed the Ancient City Ruins dungeon beneath it, which offered areas for both novices and experienced adventurers, making it a perfect destination for many. It was also structured in a way that could be easily split according to ranks, making it unusually good for training as well.
Because of all that, this was the first city Mira visited that housed so many adventurers, some of which were powerful enough to travel through the air as well. Even summoners, who were rather elusive in this age, could be seen there.
「Ohh, that one is riding a Hippogriff, a fellow summoner! I knew I would find one soon enough!」
Mira was finally directly above Gran Rings, where she looked at the other spellcasters flying around, and rejoicing at finding a summoner amongst them.
This was a good place to find all sorts of adventurers. Not just summoners, but essentially anyone who had the means to fly. Mira looked down and noticed there were even designated landing spots.
Finding a good landing spot had always been a big issue for Mira, so this was a very welcome change in scenery, and Mira ordered Garuda to land in one such space.
There was one thing Mira had not noticed though. She was the only one riding in a wagon, which attracted an immense amount of attention.
Once Mira was on the ground, she sent Garuda away and quickly summoned Guardian Ash instead. The large bear pulled the wagon along and she headed out to a large street.
(This place really sets my heart ablaze.)
The street was paved with carefully cut stone bricks. It was also wide enough for large carriages to pass next to each other effortlessly. There were all sorts of people from all sorts of races on the streets, and even the carriages all looked different.
The buildings on both sides of the street were all built out of stone, wood, and bricks, creating a scenery that anyone who liked fantasy would appreciate.
It was a bit surprising how different it all felt now that everything was real. Mira reminisced the game days as she headed straight to the Union to ask if anyone had sighted Soul Howl.
The Union was located at the end of a complex network of roads, but Mira was able to reach it safely. That was thanks to a multitude of signs placed at every turn, and she always asked the guards she passed by, just to be sure.
Gran Rings’ Union was a single building for both Spellcasters and Warriors, so the building was at least two or even three times larger than the rest. It was built out of stone and bricks like the rest, but the entrance was very ornamented, giving it a striking appearance. The walls inside were beautifully carved as well, adorning most of the building.
A large number of adventurers constantly went in and out as well, befitting such a large building.
(I feel like I’m missing something.)
There was something fundamentally different about this Union. Mira stared intently, trying to put her finger on it, and then she seemed to finally remember she was on a wagon, and she drove it through a large gate nearby.
Past the large gate, she could see the entire Union building in all its glory. Its size and design rivaled that of a duke’s mansion, and the surrounding areas were kept clean forming a nice parking lot for carriages. To the side there were brick stables too.
The Union had a parking area. A sign to the side read ‘Carriages 3000 Rils a day, Horses 2000 Rils a day.’
「I’d like to leave my wagon here.」
Having read that sign, Mira went further into the parking lot and called out to a man in uniform stationed nearby. 「Oh yes, welcome,」 he replied politely.
He then proceeded to explain how the parking lot worked. The fees were not tallied depending on the time a carriage was left there, but at midnight every day. They kept watch over a carriage for up to ten days, before being removed if the owner did not return or pay, though it was possible to negotiate that in advance. There was a washing service for an extra fee, parking spots with roofs for higher level adventurers, and so on.
Mira listened to most of it, then showed her adventurer certificate to use a spot with a roof, where she was given a ticket with a number. She did not need the washing service, and discussed how long she would stay.
