Magic City Nolan

Joshua sat in a carriage, drawing back the curtain to look out at both sides of the road.

This carriage had been "borrowed" from the Bone Duke by Joshua. Zennas had initially served as the driver, but after entering the human world, Joshua had specifically hired a Villager to drive, leaving Zennas behind in the Bone Duke's territory to await orders.

After roughly three days, the carriage finally emerged from the snowbound mountain forest, and the number of travelers on the road gradually increased.

"Is Nolan always this crowded?"

Joshua watched the crowds passing along the road. Quite a few carriages were decorated so lavishly that they clearly did not belong to commoners, and along the way, Joshua had also spotted numerous merchant caravans transporting goods.

From the sights on this road alone, Joshua could already imagine just how prosperous a city Nolan was.

"Crowded? I believe they are envoys from various nations. Mr. Joshua, did you not come all the way to Nolan from another country specifically to attend the World Expo two months from now?"

Ma Linna and I Nuo sat opposite Joshua. As a competent businesswoman, she had quickly guessed the meanings behind some of Joshua's strange expressions.

The businesswoman glanced at the merchant caravans outside the window, then recalled how her own goods had vanished into thin air half a month ago, and could not help but sigh.

"No... Ciri and I are only going to Nolan to visit a friend. But perhaps I may take part in this expo after all."

Joshua remembered the name. There had been a similar gathering on Earth as well: England had held the first "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations" during the Victorian Era in 1851, when the empire on which the sun never set invited nations from across the world to take part.

"Then, though this may be somewhat abrupt, Mr. Joshua, could you reveal what you intend to exhibit? Of course, if it is inconvenient..."

Ma Linna instantly caught the scent of a business opportunity.

Ever since Nolan enacted a law called the Patent Law thirty years ago, the Mages of Nolan had realized that improving their own strength alone could not change the world. Many ambitious Mages had begun researching the manufacture of Magic Mechanical Devices, and places known as Alchemy Workshops sprang up throughout the country.

This allowed Nolan, already a world leader in Magic Research, to take another enormous leap forward.

Of course, this small country, built upon students and teachers, could not possibly stand shoulder to shoulder with the vast nations around it. Thus, Nolan had always maintained a neutral position.

The reason other nations did not dare act rashly against Nolan was that Nolan welcomed intelligent life from across the world to share knowledge with them.

This resulted in situations where the King of some empire might well be an alumnus of a Nolan school, while his father had once served as a professor at one of the country's higher academies.

Nolan's Mage Level Qualification Certificate was also the standard by which nations worldwide evaluated Spellcasters.

But the true reason Nolan could keep all the nations of the world in check was that it possessed simply too many great Mages of extraordinary existence.

Ma Linna understood a little basic magic herself. She knew perfectly well just how valuable a new type of Magic Mechanical Device could be. If Joshua truly possessed such a device, Ma Linna would have no need to care about the goods that had vanished into thin air.

But all of that rested on one condition: Joshua had to be willing to give her the technology to sell as a commodity.

"There is no harm in telling you. What I plan to exhibit is right here."

Joshua pointed at his own head, but the businesswoman looked utterly confused.

"Do not worry, Madam Ma Linna. When the time is right, I will discuss a business deal with you—a deal that will grant you inexhaustible wealth."

What Joshua meant, naturally, was the window floating before his eyes. Ma Linna had not learned the magic of the God of Order, so she could not see the programs Joshua had written.

"Then I shall await word from you, Mr. Joshua."

Ma Linna had originally planned to use this World Expo as an opportunity to find a way to make a fortune in Nolan, but that unforeseen disaster had utterly shattered her plans. Still, Ma Linna did not feel particularly dejected.

She reached out and stroked I Nuo's silvery-white hair. The succubus was now wearing men's clothing, with her hair tied into a single ponytail, but unfortunately, this did not lend I Nuo even the slightest heroic air. Instead, she looked even more like a delicate young girl.

However, I Nuo had already confessed her name and gender to Ma Linna. Even after learning the truth, Ma Linna had selflessly accepted I Nuo and intended to raise her.

To live in Nolan, having a house alone was not enough. Ma Linna needed a stable source of income. Business was the only thing she knew how to do, but without capital or merchandise, she had nowhere to begin. Joshua's answer, however, gave her a glimmer of hope.

As they spoke, the carriage slowly arrived at Nolan's entrance. The city had no walls; instead, a transparent magical barrier took their place.

"Nolan was built upon the ruins of an ancient civilization. The buried civilization constructed untouchable walls, turning Nolan into the strongest fortress in the world."

Joshua had once read this passage in "World History." Before entering the barrier, they had to undergo an immigration inspection.

Ma Linna was carrying no goods, so she only had to pay several Silver Coins in tariffs.

Yet even such a tariff was heavy enough for commoners.

After crossing the border and traveling for nearly another two hours, passing several small towns and villages along the way, the carriage finally entered Nolan—the most prosperous city in the world.

Joshua pushed open the carriage door and stepped down. The air around them was far fresher than that of the Demon Realm. The architecture throughout the city did indeed somewhat resemble that of the nineteenth-century Victorian Era, but the clothing of the pedestrians on the streets was a complete hodgepodge.

Sand People, Lizardmen, elves, Dwarves, gnomes, goblins... Joshua could easily spot members of all these races on the streets.

The most numerous people on the streets, however, were still the Mages clad in robes.

"This is the address of my residence, Mr. Joshua... If you have any good news, please come find me here."

Ma Linna handed Joshua a sheet of paper bearing a highly precise address.

"I will. I Nuo, I hope you can adapt to life in this city as soon as possible."

Joshua said those words in the tone of an order, even though they sounded like a blessing. I Nuo immediately nodded to show that she understood.

Joshua picked up the Suitcase and closed the carriage door.

"Where are we going next?"

Ciri stood beside Joshua, sounding somewhat listless.

During the journey, her Tennis for Two record against Joshua had been 1:210. Ciri had once suspected that Joshua had absolutely cheated, but unfortunately, no matter how much she protested, it had no effect.

"Didn't you say you came here to see your Elder Sister?"

The city was now at its most chaotic, a muddled mix of fish and dragons. Before going to find the theater the Bone Duke had mentioned, Joshua first needed to find a map of the city—but guidance from a local was far more useful than any map.

"Mm, I..."

Leaving the Demon Realm and returning to the human world should have been something worth celebrating for Ciri, but whenever she thought about having to see her wealthy Elder Sister in this state, she simply could not lift her head.

Ciri tugged at the 'collar' around her neck. She had gotten too carried away playing that game with Joshua on the road, to the point that she had nearly forgotten she was Joshua's prisoner.

"Alright, let me think... It should be this way."

This was not Ciri's first time in Nolan. She was extremely familiar with the surrounding districts, and under Ciri's lead, Joshua officially began this tour of Nolan.