Chapter 96 - Visiting the Capital

He was back to killing monsters in the forest. No point in going farther away. The level range in that area was exactly what he needed.

It took him three more hours to finally reach level 25! Once he did, every single player in the whole game was shocked by how much he had improved.

And not just his improvement, but Eddy’s too. People were starting to notice his efforts.

"Who is this Eddy guy? How is he leveling up so fast?"

"Are people earning more EXP than me? This isn’t normal, bro, I’m telling you. They’re getting bonus EXP somehow."

"Maybe you’re just bad?"

"Bad? Come fight me one versus one, you dumbass. Suck my di**."

People were going nuts on the internet over that. Arthur checked some comments, but didn’t waste much time reading them. It was better to just focus on the game and not on them.

Eddy came to the surface to congratulate his brother.

"You did it," he said, only his head out of the water. "Level 25, damn. So fast. What are you going to do now?"

"Go to the capital. I have a quest that takes me there. Then I’ll head back to Snow Pine."

"Alright. I’ll wait for you here. Stop by when you’re coming back."

Arthur nodded, summoned his Pegasus, and flew away. Yuki, who had been silent during Arthur’s leveling process, had something important to say.

"I might have to hibernate in a few days. My body is evolving fast, and I might undergo some changes."

Kind of like what would happen to Arthur’s body once his bloodline matured, which was still a few days away.

"And?" Arthur asked, frowning.

"I need a safe place, obviously. That lake is pretty good."

It sounded like Arthur would have to go a while without his beast companion. Problematic, but not the end of the world.

He flew toward the capital, not far from that lake. The beautiful city, massive, with huge walls and a floating island above it, appeared on the horizon.

A magical place. The place where all the scholars and mages of the whole kingdom lived. The place where the discoveries were made.

At the front gate stood multiple guards, way more than Snow Pine had to offer. And most of them were powerful mages who could call upon the elements to kill their enemies.

Arthur gazed up at the floating island above the city. It wasn’t massive, but big enough to hold a castle. The King’s Palace.

A barrier surrounded the city and the island, but the island itself had another barrier. One more layer of protection to make sure the king and the rest of the royal family were safe.

Unsummoning his Pegasus, Arthur walked the remaining 3 miles. Only those with permission could just barge in flying. The king knew he was coming to meet him, but the guards certainly didn’t, so risking it didn’t sound worth it to Arthur.

He wasn’t the only soul trying to enter the city. Others were there, standing in a straight line, waiting for the guards to check their pockets for illegal goods. Arthur saw a few carriages passing by without the guards even looking at them for 10 seconds.

’Corrupt guards. No place is safe from them.’

An old man with barely any hair on his head, a wrinkled, tanned face, and a hoe in his hand chatted with Arthur while they waited in line.

"Is this your first time in the capital, young man?" the man asked him.

Arthur turned around to face the man. It was clear that he was a farmer who worked in the fields surrounding the city.

"It actually is," Arthur replied, smiling. "Such a beautiful place. I’ve heard stories about it, but seeing it in person is way different."

The man laughed. "Right? The floating island with the castle is just wonderful. I’ve always dreamed of visiting the castle one day, but not everyone can go there."

They chatted about mundane stuff, nothing too important. Once it was Arthur’s turn to speak with the guards, he didn’t say anything about meeting the king. The guards at the gate weren’t trustworthy, so maybe it was better to talk with someone else inside the city, just in case.

"What brings you to the city?" the guard asked him.

Arthur knew exactly what to say. It was already in his mind.

"I’m here for the Adventurers’ Guild. Heard they’re hiring."

The guard didn’t look surprised by it.

"Another adventurer, huh? Go in."

After going past the guard, Arthur could hear him yelling, "Next."

The next person in line was the farmer, who got through instantly because the guards already knew him.

Arthur took a deep breath the moment he stepped inside the city, taking in everything in front of him.

Clean cobblestone streets with crowds of people passing by, vendors yelling and calling customers to buy their goods, and, more importantly, a bright sun in the sky. It was way different from the vibe he got from Snow Pine during the harsh winter the city had to go through.

In the capital, everyone was livelier, eager to work hard for what they wanted.

The farmer stopped right beside Arthur.

"Are you really here for the Adventurers’ Guild?" he asked.

Arthur had no idea why that farmer had so much interest in him. It wasn’t like the capital didn’t get people from all over the kingdom. Why was he drawing so much attention? They couldn’t possibly know he was a player just by looking at him.

"Yes, I am. But if you’ll excuse me, I have some important things to attend to. If we end up meeting again, then perhaps we can go for a drink."

The farmer didn’t get angry about it.

"Of course, young man. You can always find me at Luke’s Tavern, the best in town."

He waved at Arthur and left. Arthur didn’t go to the Adventurers’ Guild. Instead, he went straight to the guards protecting the teleportation device that led people to the island above them.

It was at the far end of the city. Arthur took a few turns, not getting lost in that massive city. He had been there a few times, so it wasn’t new to him.

Some people tried to sell him stuff while he was walking. Items, services, and of course, a few scams. Arthur declined everything with a smile and just kept moving. No one pushed too hard. The capital was packed with guards, and anyone causing trouble would suffer the consequences.

Since it was the city with the highest population and a place lots of people visited, the security was tight, with the exception of the guards at the front gate. Arthur thought about them again.

’Maybe I should talk with the king about those corrupt guards...’

The closer he got to the teleportation device, the more guards were on the way. At one point, 10 guards stopped him and surrounded him.

One of the guards, a tall blond man who looked like a knight from a fairy tale, stepped forward. He had a sword at his waist and a shield on his back, with plate armor covering most of his body, the sole exception being his face.

"What are you doing so close to the teleportation device, if I might ask?"

Arthur was respectful toward them. He was in their home, after all.

"I’m here because the king wants me to. You can go up and talk to him. Tell him that Cinder is here."

All the guards frowned, not quite believing what they were hearing.