13 A City Full of Life.

The group has finally reached their first destination. Their first destination was called Tri-Moon City. A city, which had a population of over a 100,000. Naturally the city was big.

The city lord himself was in terms of nobility title, had to be at least a Count to manage a city. Royalty was above nobility as a given. So in general, the rankings of titles of royalty and nobility from highest to lowest:

It was either a King or Queen who truly controls the kingdom at the helm usually. Princes and Princesses were merely recognized descendants of royalty.

Archduke, Duke, Marquess, Count, Viscount, and Baron. To be able to attain a title of nobility was all of a matter of either from inheritance or by contributing to the very kingdom itself.

A Baron only possess a small territory within the countryside. As long as one was sufficiently powerful enough, they could become a 1st-generation Baron. It was also known as the easy rank of nobility. Even foreign nobles from different kingdom would from migrating to one kingdom to another would need to begin at the Baron's title, unless they were to contribute something to kingdom that would made them seem more worthy of a grander title.

Both Tri-Moon City and the Baron's territory were actually both members or at least vassals for the Faulen Kingdom. But both properties were merely recently new expansion in the recent years. Therefore, not that many people besides nobles and merchants bothered knew such a thing. It also didn't help, that the Faulen Kingdom treat these mere properties as nothing much due to a lack of potential, therefore are a lot more undeveloped compared to Faulen Kingdom's more important cities and capital.

Linley, Melarue, and Fatty Wang simply made through city's gates after paying the fees for entry. Melarue paid for Linley and herself. While Fatty Wang paid through his own pockets. Linley was originally to abandon Fatty already if he couldn't pay for himself.

Like why would Linley pay for a bandit? Fatty was only a follower in name. Of course, Linley can't even pay for anything to begin with, since Melarue has all their money on her person.

"Young master, I will need to liquidate our carriage into money, since we're not going to be using it anymore. Where shall we meet up afterwards?" Melarue spoke of her intentions after entering through the city's gates.

"Is there an adventurer's guild to meet up at?" Linley got straight to the point about what he wanted to do next since he had realized they had arrived at Tri-Moon city at least a day earlier than planned

"My lord, there should be one branch within every city of the Kingdom." Fatty Wang said.

"Good, good. Fatty and I shall go there first, and you can just meet us there later Melarue." Linley spoke.

Naturally, Linley actually didn't think of much of his first follower and he also didn't expect Fatty Wang to be by his side right now. Since he was more akin to a stress ball for Linley to verbally abuse and release his pile of stress upon as a joke.

Linley still remember Fatty Wang was a bandit. A bandit was a thief, and a thief was like a ranger. But for cities and urban areas! So by his sense of logic, he already has a free guide for the city itself already.

Truth be told, Linley wasn't entirely right nor was he completely wrong. Most bandits are just people who rob, kill and other bad acts in lawless areas. Simply put, a bandit is a thug. A bandit wouldn't qualify for being of professional thief standards, but they can qualify as a street rat or a punk at the very least.

At another point view of view at the adventurer's guild, there was a young man at the age of 20 with black hair and average looks. This man was Neville, an aspiring young adventurer. He was merely waiting for an opportunity to shine, this was because Neville had always read knight novels from his youth and believed he too can become one of those famed character as long as he grasp the right opportunity. Therefore occasionally each day, he waited at the adventurer's guild for his moment.

"Damn it, fatty! Why did we take so long at getting here?! It was literally in the first direction we could have taken." A browned haired young man with a blue robe attire walked in through the opened the double doors of the guild that he had just pushed.

"I'm sorry, my lord. My eyes were simply inferior to even the blind." A fat dwarf walked through the doors multiple weapons on his body. This dwarf looked like a fierce mercenary or at least a weapon supplier at the very least.

These two were Linley and Fatty Wang.

Linley was carrying only 5 swords on his body. Four on his back and one by his waist. Seeing this Linley berate Fatty Wang, must means he was at least a superior to the dwarf.

Judging that the fat dwarf was carrying a well-made, specially crafted hammer. While, Linley's swords in comparison looked like they gave a fierce impression for him as well.

But even rank 1 warriors could perform the same act of carrying multiple swords on their body and pretending to be a sword maniac in appearances.

Compared to Fatty Wang, Linley gave out an impression of a paper tiger at most. It was due to the fact, that Linley's well-refined and trained muscles were hidden behind his clothing. Of course, adding the fact that Linley had a lighter skin tone, smoother skin, and a handsome face than most people normally have. He didn't really look like a fierce warrior that one normally can imagine.

People with strong weapons meant they were at least strong. Or at least that's what Neville had believed from knight novels.

Neville simply assumed this young man was a noble and was practically leaving the comforts of his home for the first time and assumed the dwarf was his bodyguard whose his father probably paid and hired to guard him.

Linley had walked up to the front desk with Fatty Wang following right behind him. There were no line beforehand nor was the guild was even that busy. Perhaps it was due to the fact, that the guild's receptionist was a muscular lizard man.

"Hey, what do I need to do to become an adventurer?" Linley asked ignorantly.

"You'll need to pay a fee of 1 silver coin and do a test." The Lizard man spoke casually.

"Fatty pay for my fee and yours as well." Linley ordered Fatty Wang to coughed out more money.

Fatty Wang smiled as he pulled out 2 silver coins and his heart ache a bit more. 1 silver coin was needed to pay at the city's gates, now he needs to pay two more.

"Alright then, for your two's tests. Let me escort you guys into the backroom." The lizard man said. He would not do this normally, but the guild was virtually empty, beside Neville who liked staring at people.

"What are we going to do there?" Fatty Wang was curious, after all he was a bandit to begin with. If he knew the what test was already, he'd long be an adventurer already.

"It's simple fatty, we're going to fight against an elite adventurer in our field of specialization in the backroom. Not only that, there's probably an arena and that's where a long queue of people is completely at." Linley spoke as if he knew what he was talking about. Linley was basing this information based on how this trend typically went in novels and anime in his past life.

"Amazing, my lord. You are truly intelligent and wise." Fatty Wang was praising Linley shamelessly

"No, that is entirely wrong and please don't spread misinformation. All there was in the backroom is just some weight lifting equipment and some training dummies." The lizard man corrected and explained.

The lizard man had left his desk and was about to go take the two into the backroom. But then person has arrived here.

Melarue had just opened the doors of the guild and strolled in, with her green cloak covering most of her appearance. Of course, one can see her bow and quiver behind her back.

Neville was surprised at seeing at her appearance. She looks to be an attractive young elf ranger. Of course appearance can be deceiving, since elves can live for centuries. He had assumed this elf girl was at least older than his grandma.

"Young master, I have accomplished my task." Melarue spoke politely to Linley as she walks towards him.

"Hmm, then how much did it cost and what did you get?" Linley asked vaguely, because he felt like he was just going through the motions.

"Merely pocket change at most. Young master, here are some cookies." Melarue spoke normally as she then gave Linley a small bag of cookies.

To Linley, and most nobles in general. Pocket change typically refers to at least a few gold coins or something on the lines of that.

Linley who received it, didn't really think too much of it. Past Linley also received many bags of cookies from his elf maid as well throughout the years. So this was a common thing to get from her.

Of course Linley didn't know that Melarue had hidden intentions when giving out these cookies. Melarue had always personally baked cookies for her young master. Now she was wondering if the cookies bought from the city would be better than the cookies she made at home. If so, then she needs to improve her baking for her young master's sake. The reason why she didn't felt confident in her baking, because Linley punched his birthday cake which was personally baked by Melarue several days ago.

Neville who was observing this beginning from end. He had felt like he had a thorough grasp on Linley's character, who was clearly a sheltered, ignorant, arrogant son of a noble. He didn't even carry money, he insults his dwarf bodyguard, and most importantly he makes an another bodyguard of his to buy cookies for him. Neville truly looked down on this person.

Neville recalled in his novels, these fools are truly stepping stones for main character to step upon. And Neville realized this was his opportunity to shine now.

"Hey, you there. I bet you 1 gold coin, that I can beat you in an arm-wrestling match, for that bag of cookies of yours." Neville attempted to challenge Linley.

"..." Linley and the rest were all feeling speechless at such a scene. Even Linley who didn't know the price of cookies, at least had enough common sense to know that a single gold coin could easily buy multiple bags of cookies.

Of course, only Neville himself knew his own train of thoughts. First it was a bet with the cookies, then next it was the noble's money, and then lastly the bodyguards. After all, betting should begin when the stakes are low. And after provoking the noble's ego and anger, the noble would be irrational from losing and tries to bet everything against him.

Linley on the other hand, didn't have time to bother with mentally handicapped people. Instead of following the other side's demands, he opted out just to shame him with verbal abuse to teach this guy a lesson in life.

"Ha? A single gold coin for my bag of cookies. That's a ridiculously low price for my cookies. I expected at least a dozen times that." Linley spoke arrogantly.

"Yes, yes! That's right. My lord's hands are blessed, therefore the cookies are now something all commoners desires. Even countless women and children couldn't resists my lord's great and peerless cookies." Fatty Wang misunderstood Linley's intentions and assumed he wanted to rip off the wealthy retard for more money. Therefore he had boasted and made it even more exaggerated.

"To me, gold coins and cookies are practically the same thing. Merely things to gave to children to play with and eat." Linley spoke even more fiercely than before. "My time is worth countless times more than that. Do you even have what it takes to waste my time?!"

"B-but a gold coin can feed a family well for a year." Neville tried to defend himself, as he never imagined this to happen. He had worked so hard for months to gain a single gold coin.

"Melarue, please pull the pocket's money out and throw it near my feet." Linley ordered his elf maid.

Melarue with one hand, pulled out a bag of coins and made it rain at Linley's feet. The bag in Melarue poured out several gold coins.

"Praise yourself well for being lucky, for you see I am a magnanimous person. Now, I will grant you a equal and fair opportunity to all for you peasants. If you were to kneel and beg at my feet. You can pick up as many gold coins that was here as you desire." Linley spoke.

Neville didn't know what to say to this. But Fatty Wang did!

"Yes, my lord. Yes, my lord. Yes, my lord." Fatty Wang shamelessly grabbed onto this opportunity as soon as he could. Each gold coin was worth a hundred silver coin. According to him, only a fool wouldn't do this.

Neville felt like his mental state was damaged, since he had assumed that Fatty Wang was a bodyguard of Linley. He did realize now how shameless people can be.

"I see you didn't pick up any. Maybe you believe your pride and self-worth is worthy of my time." Linley was looking down on Neville so hard, that some people might mistakes his eyes to be on his forehead.

"My time. My time. My time! Shouldn't be wasted with you. I'd rather waste it with her." Linley spoke so casually as he pull an arm over Melarue's shoulders and pulled her towards him. Melarue simply blushed at this. Linley also smack his lips and make a relieved sound with it.

Neville felt like he wanted to cry, but no tears couldn't come out. Linley didn't even know that Neville was a virgin and had an inferiority complex when it comes to romance with women. That's why Neville didn't mind being by his lonesome self in the adventurer's guild.

Linley then did a finishing blow to Neville. As Linley's face neared Melarue's. He licked her cheek. That's right, he lick her. And then he turned towards Neville.

"Have you tasted an elf before? Well I know I did." Linley spoke haughtily intentionally being vague.

Neville at the sight of this, soon ran home and cried to his grandmother.

Of course, Linley immediately detaches himself away from Melarue as soon as Neville had left. Melarue's face which was turning red soon waned, as she seen why her master did such a thing.

The lizard man receptionist who witness all of this was pitying Neville, while shaking his head.