Arrival at the Destination, the Fortress City of Roa

After a somewhat dreary journey,

Cui Ciyou and Ghislaine finally stepped onto a solid stone-paved road. Ahead of them lay the sunlit outline of a town.

After traveling for several days, they had finally reached their destination:

The central city of Fitoia Territory—the major city of northeastern Asla Kingdom—the fortress city of Roa.

The scale of Roa was so stunning that it far surpassed even Cui Ciyou's expectations.

Its magnificent, enormous walls in particular gave Cui Ciyou a solemn and awe-inspiring impression.

Roa, this ancient city, had served as the final line of defense during the last war between humans and the Human God.

Even more than four hundred years later, it remained the largest city in Fitoia Territory, in the northeastern part of Asla Kingdom.

The first thing that came into view was its seven- or eight-meter-tall city wall, sturdy and majestic as it firmly encircled the entire city.

Built entirely from enormous blue-black stones, the wall was covered in weathered scars.

They were marks left by time, and medals left by war.

The sheer weight of the wall conveyed the city's deep historical foundations.

The city gates were broad and imposing, while traffic flowed endlessly around them in a scene of great bustle.

After paying the entry tax, Cui Ciyou and Ghislaine followed the crowd through the gates and entered Roa.

The moment they entered, a scene far more prosperous than Turan Town rushed to meet them.

The broad, smooth bluestone main road was wide enough for four or five carriages to travel side by side.

People in all manner of clothing brushed shoulders in the crowd:

There were merchants carrying enormous packs and hurrying along; nobles riding in lavish carriages engraved with family crests, their expressions haughty;

Adventurers in groups of three or five, carrying all kinds of weapons and laughing loudly; and ordinary citizens in plain clothes carrying vegetable baskets.

What interested Cui Ciyou even more were the occasional nonhuman races in the crowd, drawing curious stares from many passersby.

Stocky dwarves with thick beards carried huge battle axes or iron hammers, their steps steady;

Tall, handsome elves possessed an innate elegance; there were also several demons with dark skin and short horns.

Though few in number and mostly in a hurry, the very presence of nonhuman races showed how inclusive this city was.

These vastly different races together formed the city's vitality.

Buildings stood in dense rows along both sides of the streets, each in a different style.

There were tall, grand stone buildings with exquisite carvings, clearly temples, government offices, or mansions belonging to great nobles.

There were also far more shops, workshops, and homes made of wood or brick and stone, layered upon one another in orderly disorder.

The clanging of blacksmiths, the wheaty scent of bakeries, the din of taverns, vendors' cries, the rumble of carriage wheels, and the noisy chatter of crowds...

All kinds of sounds intertwined into a symphony unique to a city in another world.

The air was filled with an even more complex mixture of scents—the aroma of food, the fragrance of spices, the smell of leather and metal, the musk of livestock, and the sweat of the crowd.

There was also a faint, almost imperceptible scent of purer energy particles—mana.

As he walked, Cui Ciyou observed every bit of information this city had to offer.

He studied the architectural styles, people's clothing, the types of shops, and the guards' equipment.

He tried to infer this world's technological level, economic conditions, social structure, and cultural characteristics from them.

His enhanced senses allowed him to catch many details that ordinary people would struggle to notice.

Ghislaine followed silently behind him. Yet in those beast-like eyes of hers, there seemed to be a trace of barely discernible curiosity and... perhaps confusion toward this city, which was far more prosperous and... "noisy" than she had imagined.

Everything here was completely different from the forests, battlefields, or Sword Sanctum she knew.

In the forest, she could distinguish the meaning behind every whisper of wind; at the Sword Sanctum, she could trace the source of every thread of killing intent.

But here, the flood of countless meaningless bits of information left her sharp Perception somewhat overwhelmed.

Although Ghislaine had visited the more prosperous regions of Asla Kingdom, wandering and sightseeing came with entirely different states of mind.

Even the same scenery naturally felt completely different when seen in a different mood.

This city was also full of life and energy.

The inns, stables, vendors along the streets, and patrolling knights clad in armor and walking with steady steps all painted the typical picture of a medieval Western European city.

With every step, they could feel the city's profound sense of history.

Cui Ciyou looked at the groups ahead carrying large pieces of luggage, his heart filled with confusion.

Only when he saw a carriage take away passengers and their baggage did he understand.

So that was a waiting area for public carriages, and the place where passengers gathered was like a waiting hall.

He suddenly understood and inwardly exclaimed:

This is so convenient. It is practically the other world's version of a bus, except it runs on horses instead of gasoline.

Cui Ciyou looked over the shops lining the street, distinguishing weapon stores from taverns and branches of the Adventurers' Guild. He even spotted a few "suspicious" establishments, which he guessed were probably brothels.

He discovered that as they ventured deeper into the city, the scenery around them underwent subtle changes.

At first, the streets were lined with shops serving adventurers, with weapon stores, armor shops, and everything else one could need.

However, as they continued onward, the shops gradually became more ordinary, like commercial facilities aimed at the town's residents.

Cui Ciyou silently remarked to himself, It seems this city is very well planned.

As they moved farther into the city, Cui Ciyou noticed that its layout possessed obvious defensive functions.

Outside the city gates, stores and markets directly serving adventurers occupied the main areas.

They gradually entered the city's central district.

The buildings in these areas steadily grew taller and more extravagant, while shops selling high-end goods became increasingly common.

The shops here were more refined than those outside, and the buildings along the streets gradually became more spacious and imposing, creating a distinctly different atmosphere.

From jewelry to fine leather goods, even the decor of the restaurants and hotels felt completely different from the roughness and simplicity outside.

The central district of this city was undoubtedly where the wealthy and powerful gathered, with luxurious stores and upscale residential districts defining the area.

This reminded Cui Ciyou of the structure of cities on Earth—in any city, the closer one got to the center, the higher the prices became, while goods and services grew more refined and upscale.

The situation here seemed to share many similarities with urban planning on Earth.

The streets gradually transitioned into more upscale districts, displaying the prosperous side of the city.

Looking at the structure of Roa, Cui Ciyou thought:

The design of this city is like layer upon layer of defensive lines.

When enemies attack, the defensive forces on the outskirts can react first, while residents farther inside can retreat into the depths of the city or flee in the opposite direction.

As expected of a fortress city. The people who designed Roa were truly clever; they considered every detail thoroughly.

"Then, let us find an inn and get settled first!"

Planning to find a place to settle down, Cui Ciyou muttered quietly to himself.

Then he led Ghislaine off to find a place to stay in the city.