The Free City of Vertas, Part 2
The Free City of Vertas.
It was one of the "Four Great Cities" located northeast of Midtemple.
Known as both the hub of trade and the cradle of adventurers, it was a region where countless guilds and merchant groups had established their roots.
As befitted such a reputation, an endless queue of people waiting to enter stretched out before the city gates.
"There are so many people," Adelia murmured to herself, peering out of the wagon.
The crowd buzzed with noise.
From the ornate carriages of wealthy merchants to grim-faced bands of adventurers, and travelers who had journeyed to Vertas for their own various reasons—all sorts of people were mingled together, waiting to pass through the inspection gates.
Perhaps they had heard the news of the Silk Road's collapse, for an undercurrent of tension hung palpably in the air.
Adelia frowned slightly and spoke again. "At this rate, it looks like it would take days just to get through the line."
"Do not worry. We will be using a different passage," the bald merchant leader replied.
With a rattle and a clatter, our wagon smoothly bypassed the long queue.
Before long, another gate came into view.
Unlike the bustling main gate, this entrance was relatively quiet.
Looking at it, the bald merchant leader continued his explanation, a hint of pride slipping into his voice. "This is a special passage reserved only for those with verified identities. The inspection and customs clearance are much faster here."
"Oh..." Adelia murmured, looking thoroughly impressed.
It was only natural. Having spent her entire life in the holy city of Midtemple, this was her first time visiting the Free City of Vertas since leaving her home.
For someone who had been locked in a cage all her life, everything here was bound to feel novel and wondrous.
"Halt the wagon and present your identification," a guard commanded.
As we approached, the guards crossed their halberds, blocking the entrance and bringing us to a stop.
Numbers floated above their heads.
Their levels ranged from the high thirties to the mid-forties.
In truth, individuals of that level were strong enough to hold their heads high anywhere.
After all, the average level of the mercenaries hired by the bald merchant leader was only in the mid-twenties.
Yet, looking at these guards, I felt absolutely nothing.
It seemed that ever since I woke up in this world, I had encountered far too many monsters, skewing my perspective.
"Here it is," the bald merchant leader said, smoothly detaching the emblem pinned to his chest.
He then pulled a bronze token from his inner pocket.
The guard examined them closely, nodded, and raised his halberd, clearing the path.
"Special-grade merchant, Hakun Durdamel. Identity confirmed. Please report your imported goods to the association by tomorrow, and..."
The guard mumbled through the rest of the formal procedures before finally waving us through into the city.
He didn't even bother to inspect the passengers or the cargo.
It was a clear demonstration of the trust and prestige accorded to a special-grade merchant bearing the emblem of the Silk Road.
Vertas is a city built on the blood and sweat of merchants.
Since trade was the very heart and lifeblood of the city, the authorities treated influential merchants with the utmost respect.
Of course, to receive such treatment, a merchant had to deliver outstanding results.
"...Damn, what a creepy monster," a guard muttered behind us as we passed.
Their eyes were glued to the corpse of the Heavenly Dragon Bird.
Come to think of it, even outside the city walls, people had been staring at us with wide, shocked eyes.
"Whoa, what the hell is that...?"
"I've never seen a monster like that before."
"Look at the size of it... It's bigger than most wyverns..."
Well, it made sense. Where else would they ever see a beast larger than a wyvern?
Even if they did cross paths with one by chance, it would mean an immediate trip to the afterlife. Ordinary adventurers and merchants had no way to stand against a corrupted Divine Beast.
They would either die trying to run, or freeze in terror and die anyway. Either way, death was the only outcome.
...Unless, of course, they had the astronomical luck of being rescued by a Sword Master-level powerhouse who just happened to be wandering the uncharted territories.
Anyway.
Even after entering the Free City of Vertas, the attention on us did not fade. Passersby stared relentlessly at the corpse of the Heavenly Dragon Bird.
The streets buzzed with whispers.
However, most of their reactions were limited to simple curiosity and awe. They were merely amazed by the monster's massive size and bizarre appearance.
It seems no one recognizes it as the Heavenly Dragon Bird.
Every now and then, merchants bearing the Silk Road emblem passed us by, but their reactions were no different from the average pedestrian.
This only proved how exceptional the information network of our bald merchant leader, Hakun Durdamel, truly was.
I suspected he was something special when he recognized Adelia's identity at a single glance...
In the game Lost Elder, I never had the chance to gauge Hakun Durdamel's abilities. By the time the player arrived in Vertas, he had already passed away, mentioned only as the deceased husband of a widow NPC.
But meeting him in person now, Hakun Durdamel was a far more capable merchant than I had anticipated.
With this level of resourcefulness, it would be highly beneficial to build a relationship of trust and entrust him with future transactions.
"We have arrived," Durdamel announced.
After traveling a bit longer through the bustling streets and past the flashy shops of Vertas, we finally reached our destination.
A golden sign attached to a three-story building gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.
It read: Durdamel's Golden Merchant Group.
There was a large entrance designed for cargo wagons to pass through, flanked on both sides by imposing statues of octopuses standing proudly.
Adelia stared at them, utterly bewildered. "An... octopus?"
Yes, it's a bit random, isn't it, Adelia?
I had the exact same reaction when I played the game.
Usually, people decorated such entrances with statues of gargoyles, dragons, or lions.
But...
I glanced sideways at the bald merchant leader.
...Now I understand why.
Everyone has their own favorite animal, after all.
"See you next time, then! Let's go, Wilson!"
Hee-haw!
Dangno set off with his loudly braying donkey, heading his own way.
In the massive warehouse directly connected to the entrance, the merchant group's employees rushed over the moment they saw Hakun Durdamel arrive.
Deep concern was etched onto their faces.
"M-Master! What happened to the carriages? How did you get so injured...?"
Durdamel replied calmly, "Do not worry. There was only a minor incident in the uncharted territory."
"...!"
"There should be some cargo left along the path leading to Dawnguard. Assemble a team immediately to retrieve it."
"...Yes, sir. We will handle it right away."
The employees moved with swift efficiency. The leader's orders rippled through the merchant group, and a special team was quickly assembled and prepared to set out.
I watched the scene quietly. The organization was remarkably well-structured.
"Young master," the bald merchant leader addressed me cautiously.
"Would you happen to have a moment to speak...?"
"What is it?"
"It is nothing major, but I would like to discuss how we should handle the corpse of the Heavenly Dragon Bird. And if you do not mind, I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my merchant group."
Oh. So he was taking the initiative.
I had been wondering how to bring it up myself.
Feigning brief contemplation, I nodded. "Lead the way."
"Yes. Right this way, please."
Our footsteps echoed as we followed the merchant leader deeper into the building.
Passing through the warehouse and entering the main facility, we were greeted by an even more luxurious interior.
Red carpets lined the floors, exquisite chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and display cases filled with rare and precious items lined the walls.
Employees could be seen bustling about everywhere.
...So this is what the Durdamel Merchant Group was like at its peak.
I couldn't help but be impressed. It was night and day compared to the Durdamel's Golden Merchant Group I had seen in the game.
Back then, the ownerless building had been left to gather dust in lonely abandonment, but its current state was the very picture of prosperity.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable," Durdamel said as we reached his office on the top floor.
We sat down on the sofa.
...Wow, this is incredibly soft.
It was the first time I had experienced such comfort since sleeping at the hotel in the dark city of Dawnguard, and drowsiness immediately began to wash over me.
Well, the past few days had been incredibly grueling. Once this matter was settled, I planned to check into an inn and rest for a few days.
"First of all, you two," Hakun Durdamel began.
"Do you have identification tokens to use in Vertas?"
I shook my head, and Adelia, stealing a glance at me, did the same.
She undoubtedly possessed the token of a Holy Family, but it seemed she wanted to take this opportunity to assume a new identity.
Hearing our response, Hakun Durdamel nodded as if he had expected it. "In that case, let us go and get your identification tokens issued right away. If I sponsor you, they will be issued quickly without any special screening."
"I appreciate it," I said.
"It is my pleasure. Ah, and on a side note..." Durdamel trailed off.
Durdamel hesitated for a moment before finally getting to the point.
"...How do you plan to dispose of the Heavenly Dragon Bird's corpse?"
Before I could answer, he quickly continued.
"Normally, the most profitable route for rare monster carcasses is to put them up for auction. However, the Heavenly Dragon Bird is a special case. Very few people know the true nature of a Divine Beast, and there is no precedent for one ever appearing on the market. Most importantly, since you killed an agent of the Elder, there is a possibility of an investigation..."
He went on and on.
To summarize his lengthy explanation: disposing of the Heavenly Dragon Bird's corpse would inevitably involve a lot of red tape, but if we left it to him, he promised to handle all the procedures himself.
And of course, he guaranteed we wouldn't have to lift a single finger.
"I do not mean to rush you, but carcasses rot, so it would be best to make a decision quickly. We will also keep our commission to an absolute minimum..."
"That is enough," I interrupted.
"Pardon?"
"I will trust you with it. Go ahead and take the Heavenly Dragon Bird's corpse."
"...!"
Hakun Durdamel's eyes sparkled.
He immediately brought out the paperwork and finalized the contract with us.
The terms were incredibly generous—so much so that I wondered if the merchant group would make any profit at all.
Of course, his intentions were obvious. Rather than the immediate profit from the Heavenly Dragon Bird, he wanted to secure a connection with a Holy Family through this opportunity.
"Young master, do you have a place to stay?" the merchant leader asked once the contract was signed.
"If you do not have a destination in mind, I can escort you to lodging as soon as your identification tokens are issued. My wife happens to run a large inn here in Vertas."
I nodded.
We would need to meet frequently regarding the disposal of the Heavenly Dragon Bird's corpse anyway.
Until then, it would be more convenient to stay at a place where we could easily contact him.
"Let us do that," I replied.
After finishing our conversation, we headed straight to the guild.
Just as Hakun Durdamel had boasted, the identification tokens were issued in the blink of an eye.
The administrative process was so fast it made me wonder if this was even legal.
Usually, Vertas is known for having some of the strictest screening processes in the world of Lost Elder...
Once again, I felt the sheer weight of the influence a special-grade merchant held in this city.
"Darling!"
Upon arriving at the inn, I came face-to-face with a familiar person.
The widow NPC... No, Mrs. Durdamel, who had now escaped her fate of widowhood.
Mrs. Durdamel welcomed her lifelong partner with the happiest expression I had ever seen on her face.
"By the way, who are these guests...?" she asked.
"Ah, where are my manners?"
Once the emotional reunion settled down, the merchant leader introduced Adelia and me as his saviors.
Hearing this, Mrs. Durdamel bowed deeply to us repeatedly, her face filled with profound gratitude.
"Y-You saved my husband's life! Thank you so much...!"
Thanks to that, we were able to rest comfortably for a few days under the lavish hospitality of the Durdamel couple.
"Here! Please eat this too!"
"...I thought the meal was over?"
"Oh, don't be like that! There is still plenty of food left."
"..."
It was a level of kindness that felt a bit excessive, but well, whatever.
Our footsteps crunched on the ground.
Four days had passed since our arrival in the Free City of Vertas.
Having fully recovered my strength, I walked out to the inn's backyard with Adelia.
"Adelia."
"Yes, young master."
"Show me your swordsmanship."
The sealed talent [Sword Lv. Max] has been unlocked.
It was finally time to test the performance of this 179,312,341-point talent.