PS. There was something today, so I updated early.
After a long five-day journey, the end was finally in sight. Standing at the end of the passenger ship, Laine saw the magnificent city clusters and towers appearing in the distance.
"They say Marinburg is a paradise for opportunists and a hell for the incompetent, where gold is everywhere. As long as you're strong enough, you can gain immense wealth," the captain said with a smile. "I've sailed this route many times, and this time we were lucky not to encounter any pirates."
Countless trade ships laden with goods sailed to the largest trade center in the Old World. In comparison, the passenger ship Laine was on seemed like a mere child, constantly dodging the passing cargo ships. Laine even saw trading ships from the Lizardmen in Lustria and massive ships from the High Elves of Ossuan at the port.
The towering cityscape appeared before the crowd like a new world, with brown towers and tall buildings as far as the eye could see. The city's sheer size stretched from the coastline beyond the horizon without a hint of desolation. Two wizard towers shimmering with arcane radiance stood on either side of the city, and the coastal batteries warned the passing ships:
Don't make any trouble!
"Wow~ It's really spectacular. If only our Justice Church headquarters could be established here," Alfred said in awe.
"I don't think that's possible. If your Justice Church sets up its headquarters in this city, the Ocean Church will definitely start a big fight with you," Laine retorted. Here is one of the two main bases of the Sea God Manannan, who would never sit idly by and let other churches steal believers on his turf.
Due to the agreement among the deities, faith is meant to compete fairly. However, Manannan would absolutely not allow another church to move its headquarters to Marinburg. That would be overstepping the bounds.
"Laine, do you see those two wizard towers?" Teresa pointed to the two tall towers on the coastline. "That's the work of the Wizard Alliance. The Wizard Alliance provides Marinburg Duke with two legendary wizards to answer his magic-related questions. In return, Marinburg offers these two wizard towers and an annual commission."
"Knights crave glory, nobles seek prestige, the church praises devotion, and nobody dislikes gold."
The Wizard Alliance is one of the three major human caster organizations, with a history longer than the Jialan Council and the Imperial Royal Wizard Academy. Before the Great Holy War, casters were considered heretics and dangerous within the Human Realm. If not for the intervention of the High Elf Great Mage Tygris and the Elf Wizard Corps to aid Ludwig, casters might still be considered dangerous today. Hence, the appearance of the Wizard Alliance predates the other two organizations. The current leader of the Wizard Alliance is Eric Williams, a Great Wizard of the Holy Sanctuary Peak who also doubles as a Berserker. During the Great Holy War, this Speaker of the Wizard Alliance could wield a sword while chanting spells, dueling the Chaos Great Demon.
He is, to this day, the only known human who can simultaneously cast spells and fight.
"I don't have my own wizard tower. I really hope that one day I can have a wizard tower of my own." The female sorcerer gazed at the shimmering arcane glow on the high spire of the wizard tower, her expression full of envy.
"Oh? Your family is so wealthy, yet they won't build you a wizard tower?" Laine teased, and the White Wolf Knight was quickly rewarded with a roll of the eyes. "The cost of a wizard tower exceeds your imagination. Didn't you receive three deity gold coins from Albert?"
"Exactly." Laine did not deny this and saw no need to deceive the female sorcerer.
"Those funds are only enough to construct a basic wizard tower, not even enough to fully furnish it," Teresa said as she held Laine's arm, letting her voluptuous figure lean on his arm. "So you need to work even harder."
"??? What does this have to do with me?" Laine expressed his confusion.
"Hmph!" Seeing the puzzled look on Laine's face, Teresa huffed with a hint of annoyance and then released his arm.
The lighthouse guided the ship's docking, and the people on board noticed the pier was filled with heavily guarded soldiers. The Iris Family Emblem on their attire indicated they were part of the Duke of Marinburg's private army, a few hundred strong, protecting the Duke himself, standing in the center.
"What's going on? Which significant figure is arriving that requires the Duke to personally greet them?" The people on the passenger ship murmured to each other, while only the female sorcerer had an inkling: The news travels fast in Marinburg.
As the passenger ship docked, the answer was unveiled. Follow current novels on novel-fire.net
The Duke of Marinburg, "The Lender" Van der Gubben-Schultz, laughed heartily as he approached the ship under the escort of guards, "Look, look! What great hero has arrived in my city? Which champion of the contest brings new glory to this city?"
"Ooh~" Laine's old face turned a bit red, and he hurriedly disembarked, bowing to the Duke of Marinburg. "Hello, Your Excellency Schultz! It is such an honor that you came here to welcome me."
"Hahahahaha~ Hello! Oh warrior against the barbarians, from the first moment I saw you, I knew we would be friends," the Duke of Marinburg appeared to be a slightly chubby middle-aged man in his thirties with shiny black hair and a bushy beard, dressed quite simply. He wore a magic ring crafted by the High Elf Great Mage Tygris himself, and a standard Imperial Great Noble silk attire adorned with the Iris Family Emblem. The Grand Duke walked with the pace of a dragon and tiger, exuding a frightening presence that Laine had only felt before in King of Nod.