CH98
Helag didn't plan to stay in Brown City for long due to its complex and unstable border environment.
He needed to travel further into the Kingdom of Doris, and Ed was the perfect coachman for the journey.
Helag intended to settle in a suitable place to conduct potion experiments and search for Moonstone Grass.
Like Dragon Beard Grass, Moonstone Grass was a rare high-grade potion ingredient.
He knew it was produced in the Kingdom of Doris but didn't know the exact location.
The kingdom was vast, and he wasn't sure where to start looking.
The entry inspection queue moved slowly, and it took Helag over half an hour to reach the front.
"Geralt Logan?" The middle-aged man in charge of the inspection carefully examined Helag's identification and entry documents before looking up at him.
The age and physical characteristics matched, so he stamped the documents, allowing Helag to enter legally.
In this era, there were no photos, and identification relied on general physical descriptions. As long as the basic features matched, the check was considered complete.
Geralt's appearance was similar to Helag's, especially their black hair.
Black hair was rare in this world, and it was clear that Miro had found a black-haired noble.
So, Helag's identity was easily confirmed by his distinctive black hair.
"I also have a slave," Helag said, showing Ed's slave identification and pointing to Ed behind him.
The middle-aged man glanced at Ed and, without checking the documents, said, "One slave is fine. If you had more, it would involve slave trading, which requires extra taxes. You can go in."
Helag took his stamped identification and returned to the carriage, telling Ed, "Continue driving."
"Yes, sir!" Ed excitedly jumped onto the carriage and took the reins.
The carriage slowly entered Brown City. After buying some supplies from the shops, Helag left the city.
Sitting in the carriage, Helag held a map of the Kingdom of Doris, showing various cities and main roads.
His destination was Ryan City, located at the intersection of several major routes, making it a transportation hub.
Due to its strategic location, Ryan had always been a large city.
The Kingdom of Doris was currently stable, with little unrest.
A stable kingdom meant a growing population and thriving businesses.
Ryan had a permanent population of seventy to eighty thousand, with various goods available, making life convenient.
Brown City was not far from Ryan, and the carriage would take six to seven days to reach it along a main road.
Helag occasionally lifted the carriage curtain to observe the surroundings.
He noticed that the Kingdom of Doris was quite prosperous, with few vagrants.
Villages near the main roads seemed well-off, with villagers looking healthy and well-fed.
This might be due to their proximity to the main roads, ensuring basic living standards.
"The Kingdom of Doris is under the jurisdiction of Dream Island."
Helag recalled the information he had gathered before setting off. The Kingdom of Doris was within the territory of the Dream Island wizard organization.
Dream Island was where Dino's wizard organization was based, and Helag had traveled to the Karag Continent on Dino's ship.
He had spent several months on the ship and had a good impression of Dino.
Dream Island's main activities were in the sea, with little interaction with other wizard organizations like Moonlight Forest and Green Cottage.
The Kingdom of Doris's west coast had a long coastline with many ports, making maritime trade prosperous.
Countless ships departed from the west coast daily, though not all returned safely.
Seven days later, Helag heard the bustling sounds of a marketplace from afar.
He lifted the carriage curtain and saw a lively scene.
Ryan City had high walls, with markets on both sides of the main road outside the walls.
Countless people were selling goods, creating a noisy and bustling atmosphere.
Helag observed that the people wore different styles of clothing, indicating they came from various regions.
As the carriage approached the market area, some merchants came over, trying to sell their goods.
"Sir, take a look at this fine fabric!"
"Brother, how about some fine wine from Green Peak County?"
The merchants crowded around, forcing Ed to slow down to avoid running them over.
Besides fabric and wine sellers, a sleazy-looking man with a towel wrapped around his head approached and whispered, "Young man, I have beautiful girls here. Want to take a look? All kinds of styles!"
Helag chuckled, pulled down the curtain, and lay back in the carriage.
Seeing Helag retreat, the merchants stopped pursuing him, knowing a slave wouldn't buy their goods.
The carriage stopped at the city gate, and Helag jumped down, presenting his documents to the guards.
After a thorough check, the guards allowed him to pass.
Inside Ryan City, Helag's first impression was of wide streets, wide enough for three carriages to travel side by side.
Helag found an inn and settled in. He initially wanted two rooms, but Ed insisted on staying by the carriage.
Ed claimed he was worried about the carriage being robbed, but Helag suspected he felt unworthy of staying in a room, given his status.
In this era, many beliefs were deeply ingrained. Helag knew insisting too much would make him seem odd, so he went along with it.
Helag went downstairs and saw the innkeeper.
The innkeeper, a thin middle-aged man, greeted him warmly. "Are you hungry, sir? Tell us what you'd like, and we'll bring it to your room."
"Just make two dishes and bring them to my room. Also, prepare something for my slave," Helag said.
The innkeeper listened carefully, quickly jotting it down, and handed the note to a servant. "Please wait a moment. It'll be ready soon."
Leaning against the table, Helag continued chatting with the innkeeper. "Do you know where I can rent a house?"
"Looking to rent a house? I can help. I know many people in that business," the innkeeper said with a smile.
Helag nodded. "I'd appreciate it if you could make some introductions."
TL/n -
Guys, you can check out the new novel -
[ Scientific Wizard ]