Mysterious Place

Mysterious Place

"Damn echidna. Greed is the original sin. Even a Servant of God will be cast out of the Kingdom of God after death."

Walking out of the church, Karl muttered curses under his breath, full of resentment. Seeing someone approaching from across the street, he hurriedly lowered his head and said:

"Merciful Lord of Dawn..."

The Lord of Dawn was merciful toward His followers, so Father Vic gave Karl time to demonstrate his "devotion."

Thirty Gold Coins!

That was no small sum.

The Bergman Family had no talent for managing money.

On the contrary,

every one of them was exceptionally skilled at squandering it.

His grandfather had been a Baron. To maintain his lavish lifestyle while alive, he had even sold off his territory.

Karl's father had brought him to Signo City many years ago, yet had failed to leave behind even a single property. They had always rented in a rather run-down district.

And in order to become an inspector and secure a respectable job, Karl had nearly drained all their savings.

"Ugh!"

With a sigh, Karl chose not to take a carriage and instead walked to the bustling Rouen Street.

This was the largest Champagne Market in the city and the biggest distribution center for goods among several nearby Marquis territories.

September,

the Month of Abundance.

If the master of an estate was generous, even serfs would have a little spare money in their hands. The market was naturally packed with people.

Where there were many people, cleanliness was impossible.

Dirty water flowed through the streets, filth littered the ground, all kinds of smells mingled together, and cries from vendors rang out without pause.

"Seafood from the Gulf of Puglia! All kinds of sea fish..."

"Flower cakes with soft bread spread with cheese! Six Penny a serving, a favorite among the elderly and children!"

"Fresh vegetables and fruit! Cheap and good value!"

"Bordeaux wine! Essential for noble banquets! One sip, and you'll never forget it for the rest of your life!"

Karl carefully avoided the crowds, his eyes vigilantly sweeping the surroundings. He kept one hand tightly over his pocket the entire way.

There was no shortage of thieves here.

Especially for someone like him, dressed smartly yet without an attendant at his side, he was the perfect target for such people.

Only when he arrived at a familiar shop did he relax his guard slightly.

"Udil, is your father not here?"

"He went out to restock."

Udil was a young man of fifteen or sixteen, dark-skinned and somewhat shy when he spoke.

"Give me a barrel of milk." Karl pointed, then thought for a moment before adding:

"The cheapest kind."

"Huh?"

Udil froze for a moment before saying:

"Mr. Karl, this kind of milk isn't fit to drink. Um... of course, some people do drink it."

When conditions were difficult, people could even swallow sewage. Naturally, poor-quality milk could be drunk as well.

It was just that this kind of milk clearly did not suit the status of the customer before him.

"I know."

Karl smiled.

"Also give me ten pounds of cured meat strips. The cheapest kind as well."

"This..." Udil shrugged.

"All right."

"That'll be two Crown and three Penny."

Several decades ago, people had called the Crown a Silver Coin, though it was not actually made of pure silver.

One Crown was equivalent to twelve Penny.

One Pound was equal to ten Crown.

The Pound was also known as the Gold Pound, as it contained a certain proportion of gold.

These were the currencies people commonly used for trade. Above the Pound was another, less commonly used currency.

Gold Coin!

A currency made of pure gold, bearing the portrait of the first king of the Kingdom of Gondo. Aside from being used to purchase goods, it also held considerable collectible value.

One Gold Coin was equal to ten Pound.

Inspector Karl's wages were settled every half month. In one month, he could earn a little over twenty Pound.

That was just over two Gold Coin.

Put that way, thirty Gold Coin did not seem like much.

But he still had expenses.

The previous "Karl" had never been in the habit of saving. His monthly income often failed to cover his spending, and he needed his father to support him from time to time.

At present, all the savings in his possession barely exceeded one Gold Coin. Thirty Gold Coin was undoubtedly an enormous sum to him.

He casually ate something on the road to fill his stomach. By the time he returned home, Mrs. Mary had already gone out to work. She was a long-term employee at a bakery.

Jenny was practicing her voice.

Her voice was exceptionally special, like the song of a lark outside the window. It was a rare talent.

If she passed the Barrow Troupe's test after some time, Jenny's future would be different as well.

A singer,

in this era without schools, where commoners could not receive an education, could cross class boundaries.

For that reason, Mrs. Mary had made Jenny stop all her other work and focus entirely on practicing singing at home.

Karl listened for a while, soothing his restless mood with the music before slowing his steps and returning to his room.

Reading the error-free version one chapter at a time!

"Thirty Gold Coin!"

Setting down the milk and cured meat, he pondered briefly before stepping forward and taking down the sword hanging on the wall.

It was a Knight's Broadsword.

It could be wielded in one hand or swung with both hands.

The broad blade gleamed with a cold light. It cut through the air with a fierce whistle when swung, clearly no mere decoration.

Its nearly three-kilogram weight seemed ordinary, but wielding it for a long time was absolutely no easy task.

Generally speaking, only a rigorously trained Knight Squire possessed such strength.

"Ha!"

Karl gave a low shout and fiercely chopped forward with both hands gripping the sword. The blade stopped steadily one foot above the ground.

A vertical slash!

A simple move, yet it displayed his solid fundamentals.

The Bergman Family had risen through military achievements. The Gale Swordplay passed down through the family was knight-level swordsmanship with formidable power.

Unfortunately,

his grandfather had been illiterate. Though he became a Baron, he had not obtained the Breathing Technique that could activate a Life Seed and evolve the human body. Otherwise, Karl would already have become a Knight Squire.

Perhaps

he might even have had a chance to become a knight!

In this world, knights possessed strength far beyond ordinary people, as well as status.

After changing into Light Armor and practicing swordsmanship for a while, Karl finally stopped when beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. A fierce look crossed his face.

"If they push me too far, there's nothing I won't do."

As he spoke, he hugged the broadsword to his chest, carried the milk and cured meat, closed his eyes, and lay down on the bed.

Even if he were pushed to the brink, he probably could not bring himself to rob travelers on the road. But becoming a bandit was not necessarily the only way to obtain thirty Gold Coin in a short time.

He could also...

travel through worlds!

As a faint glow flashed past, Karl opened his eyes again and found himself in a wondrous place.

Endless stars floated around him. Beneath him was a stone seat carved with ancient patterns and filled with an air of mystery.

The broadsword remained in his arms, while the milk and cured meat were still in his hands.

Yet the surroundings

had changed drastically!

It was as though he had arrived in Outer Space, yet also as if he were seated upon some Divine Throne, looking down upon endless stars.

It was not only the environment that had changed. The instant he appeared here, the unease, worry, and excitement in his heart were all suppressed by absolute rationality.

At this moment, Karl's expression was solemn and indifferent. His brown eyes were without ripples, and every thought was completely under his control.

At this moment,

he was like a "god"!

Whoosh!

The broadsword slashed out again.

The same vertical slash, but this time it was clearly steadier. Its power, speed, and precision had already reached the level of a Knight Squire.

"Sure enough..."

"Here, I possess absolute rationality. Even my ability to control my body has improved to a certain extent."

"What exactly is this place?"

After pondering briefly and failing to find an answer, Karl stepped forward. As he took that one step, the scene before him changed once more.

Traveling through worlds!

That was right.

Karl was not only a transmigrator; through that mysterious place from before, he could also travel to another world.

(End of Chapter)