After the two of them left, Lord Ivan turned to Lord Joseph and the two ladies. “Let’s go to the dining area and have something to eat. You all must be feeling hungry since we only had breakfast.” 𝚍ｏ𝚟𝚕.ｏｒｇ
Lady Eliza nodded enthusiastically. “Definitely!”
“Let’s not waste time then, shall we?” Lady Diana chimed in, already heading towards the dining area, her stomach audibly growling in hunger.
The others nodded in agreement and followed Lady Diana, making their way to the dining hall of the Silver Moon Inn.
“I wonder if the food here will meet our standards,” Lord Joseph grumbled quietly from behind as he trailed along.
Lord Ivan and the two ladies exchanged knowing glances, accustomed to Lord Joseph’s occasional complaints.
Meanwhile, at the village gate, another opulent carriage arrived. It was black with intricate golden designs along its chassis, bearing the golden insignia of the Kingdom’s Magic Academy on its door.
As the carriage approached, the two guards at the gate stepped forward, barring its way. One of them raised his voice, commanding, “Halt! You can’t enter the village with a carriage.”
The carriage came to an abrupt stop, and its door swung open. Two individuals emerged. The first was an elegant woman dressed in mage attire, a teacher’s badge proudly displayed on her robe. The second was a handsome middle-aged man, also adorned in a robe with a matching teacher’s badge.
“So, this is Pinebrook Village, huh? It’s actually much bigger than I thought, it even has a protective wall surrounding the village,” the woman in the mage outfit remarked in a pleasantly surprised tone, her eyes scanning the tall wooden fortifications.
“I’m also impressed. I never imagined a village of this size existed in our kingdom. It’s quite an eye-opener,” the middle-aged man agreed, his gaze fixed on the expansive village.
Following this, both of them approached the two guards. The middle-aged man inquired, “Is there a specific reason for not allowing us inside the village with our carriage?”
“You must have misunderstood my words. I only mentioned that we can’t permit carriages beyond our gates. You are most welcome in our village. While you can’t bring your carriage, you can safely park it within the walls. We also have a stable to accommodate your horses,” one of the guards promptly clarified, eager to clear up the misunderstanding.
“And why is that?”
“Well, the main road of the village, which connects both ends, is currently undergoing repairs due to severe damage from the recent monster attack. I trust you understand the situation.”
“Is that so?” The middle-aged man turned to the woman beside him. “Teacher Rowena, it seems we have no other choice but to proceed on foot.”
“It’s perfectly fine, Teacher Silas. After sitting in the same position for so long, I’m feeling a bit stiff. Walking will do us good,” the woman, identified as Rowena, affirmed with a nod.
“Very well, then we will continue the rest on foot,” Teacher Silas agreed with a smile.
Before entering the village, Teacher Silas turned to the carriage and instructed the coachman, “While we proceed from here by foot, you park the carriage inside the village in a safe location, and also don’t forget to take care of the horses.”
The coachman nodded dutifully. “I’ll do as you say, My Lord.”
Lord Ivan acknowledged the coachman’s assurance and then turned to Teacher Rowena. “Let’s proceed, shall we?”
“Why, of course. We shouldn’t waste time here or we will miss the best inn we can find in this village,” Teacher Rowena concurred, nodding her head. She led the way through the gate and stepped into the village.
Upon entering, both Teacher Silas and Teacher Rowena saw that the guards had spoken the truth—the road was indeed under construction.
“It seems they didn’t lie about the road being under construction,” Teacher Silas mused quietly, observing the workers diligently repairing the path.
However, Teacher Rowena was too engrossed in observing the streets of the village to hear his remark. Her face bore a look of apparent surprise.
“Is this really a village, and not a city? How is this possible? The inside of this village looks more like a bustling city than a village… I’m speechless!” Teacher Rowena exclaimed, her eyes wide with astonishment.
The atmosphere and the layout of the village resembled one of the most thriving cities within the kingdom.
‘With this kind of atmosphere, it’s pretty hard to believe that it’s actually a village and not a city,’ Teacher Rowena mused inwardly, her face a picture of surprise.
Teacher Silas, upon hearing her voice filled with amazement, took in the bustling surroundings. The streets were alive with people, and as it was afternoon, numerous vendors had set up shop on both sides of the road.
“This is… Is this really a village?” Teacher Silas couldn’t help but voice his astonishment at the lively scene.
Seeing Teacher Silas’ surprised expression, Teacher Rowena couldn’t help but chuckle. “It seems it caught you by surprise too. This is quite unexpected.”
Shaking his head, Teacher Silas replied, “Well, I didn’t expect a village to look like this from the inside… At this point, it can’t be called a village anymore. It should be called a city instead.”
“I couldn’t agree more. It’s too big to be called a village. Let’s keep moving and look for a good inn to spend the night before sunset.”
“Indeed! Indeed, let’s ask a local for directions to a good inn.”
“Definitely,” Teacher Rowena affirmed with a smile as they continued their way.
A minute later, they approached a local villager and inquired about the direction to a reputable inn where they could spend the night in comfort.
“Go straight from here and turn left after reaching the village square. You’ll find a building with a massive sign that reads ‘Silver Moon Inn,’ one of the best inns you could find within the village. However, do keep in mind that it might be a bit pricier than the others,” the villager advised, showing them the way.
“Well, that’s perfectly fine. Money isn’t a concern for us… Thanks for your help, by the way,” Teacher Silas graciously acknowledged before departing with Teacher Rowena.
‘They’re wealthy, no doubt. Rich folks have their own comforts. Well, I should probably head home, or my wife will be angry with me for no reason at all,’ the villager mused, letting out a resigned sigh before making his own way.
Meanwhile, as Teacher Silas and Teacher Rowena followed the directions given by the villager, they were met with an even greater surprise.
At the far end of the village, a tall and sturdy wall was under construction. It exceeded the height and thickness of the wall guarding the capital city of the kingdom.
It was evident that this village was undergoing a massive transformation, and it might even outshine the capital in a few years.
“They’re constructing a wall of this magnitude to safeguard their villagers… And it’s being built quite a distance from the current village border… This is truly unexpected!” Teacher Silas murmured in a daze, clearly taken aback by the colossal walls taking shape.
“Indeed, with a wall this colossal protecting the village, it’s hard to imagine anyone attempting an assault. Winning against this village would be near impossible, and engaging in a direct battle would be utter folly,” Teacher Rowena responded promptly, her gaze fixed on the monumental wall in wonder.
“Hahaha~ Given the sheer size of this wall, even contemplating an attack on this village would be sheer foolishness.”
“Well, that’s for sure. However, knowing the attitudes of the nobles, they will surely create some problems for this village out of jealousy.”
“Definitely, it’s quite normal for the nobles to behave in such a way. Greed is in their bloodline, after all.”
“I agree with you, Teacher Silas…” Teacher Rowena nodded with a smile as they continued to make their way through the bustling street.
Sometime later, they arrived before a building with a huge signboard reading ‘Silver Moon Inn’ in large letters.
“This is the inn that the village recommended us. Let’s go inside and book our rooms,” Teacher Silas said, looking at the imposing signboard above the entrance.
“Un,” Teacher Rowena nodded and entered.
“Welcome to Silver Moon Inn, esteemed guests. How can I help you?” The receptionist greeted them.
“We’d like to book two of the best rooms available in your inn,” Teacher Silas quickly stated, his tone carrying a hint of pride, as if he was displaying his wealth to Teacher Rowena.
“Esteemed guests, our best rooms will cost you 15 gold coins each night, 20 including the finest meal we can provide,” the receptionist replied with a warm smile.
“40 gold coins in total, it’s quite reasonable, actually…” Teacher Silas remarked with a slightly haughty tone. He took out his magic pouch, retrieved 40 gold coins, and placed them on the reception table.
Teacher Rowena frowned slightly at Teacher Silas’s arrogant tone and shook her head.
“Esteemed guests, here are your room keys. Please enjoy your stay,” the receptionist handed them the keys with a broad smile, keeping the gold coins aside.
“Go straight from here and turn left, and you will find your rooms there, room number 18 and 19. And please ring the bell if you need any help,” the receptionist added.
After receiving the room keys, Teacher Silas and Teacher Rowena proceeded toward their respective rooms.