Chapter 245: Dolan City

On a winding mountain road, Merlin sat inside a carriage, occasionally peeking outside at the mountains covered with fallen leaves, now turning yellow with the late autumn season. Strangely, instead of feeling the chill of the season, he felt an unusual heat.

"I've heard that the Flame City is located in a region of extreme temperatures, surrounded by what appears to be flames. That's how it got its name. If I get the chance, I'd like to see it for myself," Merlin murmured to himself.

He knew he had already entered the Flame City's domain, where the temperature was noticeably higher. This distinct characteristic marked the boundary of the Flame City's sphere of influence.

He could even feel the fire-based spells in his mental sea, such as **Fireball** and **Fury of Flames**, absorbing fire elements at a faster rate. His mana regeneration had also accelerated. The abundance of fire elements in the Flame City's territory was palpable.

Tracing his fingers over the map, Merlin stopped at a marked location labeled **Dolan City**.

"Half a day more, and I should reach Dolan City," he muttered.

Since leaving Floating City, Merlin had been traveling for nearly 20 days. Initially, he had estimated it would take just over ten days, but the mountainous roads were rough and often difficult to traverse. Travel was only feasible during daylight hours, with nights spent resting, leading to significant delays.

Fortunately, Merlin was in no hurry. During the journey, he had already consumed most of the Phantom Potions he had prepared. While the initial effect of the potions had been significant, their impact on his mental power was now diminishing, signaling that their utility was nearing its limit.

Luckily, Merlin had recently acquired the **Bell's Space**, a unique tool formed by the fusion of three magical artifacts. Inside it, his mental projection meditated tirelessly, steadily amplifying his mental power. Over time, the mental projection he placed in the Bell's Space had grown exponentially stronger.

"Once I allow the mental projection in Bell's Space to merge back with my mental sea, I may finally have enough power to construct the Tier 2 Dark spell, **Tide of Darkness**," Merlin thought.

Dark spells, especially those from the Abyss Fortress, were intricate and potent. While Merlin had initially hesitated to start with the complex **Tide of Darkness**, circumstances left him with no other options. If his mental power reached the necessary threshold, he wouldn't hesitate to attempt it.

---

After half a day, the carriage arrived at a city with towering walls—Dolan City. Merlin could feel the bustling energy of the place, with countless spellcasters and ordinary people moving in and out.

The sight was novel to Merlin. Spellcasters were inherently proud, viewing themselves as fundamentally different from ordinary humans. Yet in Dolan City, spellcasters and regular people appeared to coexist harmoniously—a rare sight indeed.

Merlin noticed a slight difference in attitude. Spellcasters dressed in mage robes were met with smiles and respectful bows from ordinary people, a sign of deference, though not fear.

"Interesting. A city where ordinary people and spellcasters coexist as equals. Dolan City is fascinating," Merlin mused, his interest piqued.

As the carriage entered the city, Merlin observed the bustling streets. Merchants and spellcasters alike loudly advertised their wares, and no spellcaster displayed an air of superiority.

The scene reminded Merlin of Blackwater City, but the subtle elemental energy emanating from some spellcasters reminded him that this was a unique place. Dolan City was unlike Floating City, a sanctuary exclusive to spellcasters, where ordinary people were virtually nonexistent.

Merlin's carriage driver, in fact, had been specifically hired from outside Floating City, as ordinary people had no place there. In contrast, Dolan City was home to a significant number of ordinary people who, apart from basic respect, treated spellcasters like anyone else.

Merlin was intrigued. "Once I meet Lorinka, I might stay here for a while," he murmured.

Turning to the driver, he instructed, "Find out where the Shadison family resides."

The driver soon returned with the information. "Sir Merlin, I've located the Shadison family's estate. It's just ahead."

"Let's go," Merlin said, lowering the carriage curtain as they proceeded toward the Shadison estate.

---

Elsewhere in Dolan City, a man and a woman with black hair stood before a modest courtyard. Their faces showed traces of fatigue, but upon seeing the courtyard, they visibly relaxed.

"This should be the place we arranged to meet. Haya, knock on the door," the woman, Siryn, said.

The pair was none other than Siryn and Haya, who had also arrived in Dolan City. They seemed to have prearranged a meeting at this location.

Haya nodded and knocked on the wooden door, calling out loudly, "Taffiel, Emily! Open the door, it's Haya and Siryn!"

The seemingly deserted courtyard soon came to life. Several young women, all spellcasters, emerged from the house with cheerful expressions.

"Haya, Siryn, why are you so late? We were just debating whether to head back or wait longer for the Shadison family to exhibit the **Book of Vastness**," a short-haired female spellcaster said, her tone excited as she flung the door open to welcome them.

Siryn, the most composed of the group, scanned the young spellcasters before her and frowned slightly.

"Taffiel, Emily, didn't we agree it would just be the two of you? This exhibition of the Book of Vastness in Dolan City will undoubtedly attract many spellcasters. If things get chaotic, I can't guarantee everyone's safety," Siryn said sternly, her gaze falling on a tall, beautiful stranger among them.

Emily stepped forward, linking arms with the unfamiliar spellcaster. "This is Emma, a spellcaster we met on the way. She's quite skilled—she's already constructed three zero-tier spells."

"A wandering mage?" Siryn asked, narrowing her eyes as she studied Emma.

The rest of the group came from established spellcaster families, bound by familiarity and shared purpose. Their venture to Dolan City was motivated by the Shadison family's rare decision to display the Book of Vastness. Siryn's cautious nature made her wary of outsiders.

Emma, sensing the suspicion, quickly clarified, "I'm not a wandering mage. I have a teacher who is a spellcaster from the Arcane Domain! I came to Dolan City after hearing about the exhibition, hoping to find my teacher among the crowd."

"A spellcaster from the Arcane Domain?" Siryn's curiosity deepened.

She had seen similar cases before. Some spellcasters occasionally took an interest in mentoring talented individuals but rarely brought them into their organizations. Most of these so-called students were left to fend for themselves.

"If that's the case, don't hold out too much hope," Siryn said with a sigh. "The Arcane Domain is notoriously secretive. Only those with an Arcane Ring can enter. Even their most powerful spellcasters cannot bypass this requirement to bring others in."

Emma's face fell slightly, but she bit her lip and said resolutely, "Thank you for telling me, Siryn, but I'm still determined to find my teacher. Just finding them will be enough!"

Emma vividly remembered the young spellcaster who had once saved her family. He had promised to accept her as a formal student if she successfully constructed three zero-tier spells within three years. Now, nearly three years later, she had fulfilled the requirement but had not seen him since. Her search brought her to Dolan City.

Seeing Emma's determination, Siryn decided to drop the matter. "Let's go inside. The situation in Dolan City is complicated. We need to strategize carefully."

With that, Siryn led the group into the house.