Chapter 175 - 175. Capital
A carriage led by a rank 1 Four-horned bull moved at a high speed through the streets of Elbas city.
Inside, Noah was attentively studying a map while Ivor was snoring loudly.
After quite some time, Noah raised his head from the drawing and put it back in his space-ring.
'Twenty Credits just for this simple map, to live in the Royal city you would require a profitable profession.'
If he didn't consider the Credits that he had obtained due to the two inheritance grounds, his gains would be limited to the two Credits at which he had sold the body of the Three-eyed bat in Toottac town.
'I wonder if I really can live here without spending all my resources. As for hunting down rank 4 magical beasts, I don't think I'm quite there yet.'
Based on his recent improvements, he was confident that if he met again the starved Cloud eagle, he could make it bleed.
'Killing it though is another matter, and I don't even know what would be the situation with a rank 4 beast at its peak form.'
Unless his power advanced, he had to limit himself to hunt packs of rank 3 beasts.
'I'm overthinking, I don't even know how things will work in the guild.'
He had learnt the importance that rest had in his growth so he had decided to not cultivate on his first day in the city.
Yet, he didn't imagine that reaching the guild would have taken so much.
'It has already been half a day, don't tell me that it will really take another half to arrive there!'
The Royal city was enormous, more than one hundred kilometers wide.
For a country filled with small villages and sparse mansions, a city that big was an unusual sight.
However, the capital wasn't only the place where the strongest cultivators of the country gathered, it was also the first line of defense if an enemy invasion was to happen.
Most of the business in the city covered battle related topics, from inscribed weapons and armors to training grounds for soldiers.
There were even research facilities that, coupled with the academy, represented the apex of what the Utra nation could offer in the cultivation field.
Also, many quarters belonged to the different families tied with the Royal dynasty and to their different occupations.
Thaddeus and Lisa's family mainly provided soldiers to the ranks of the capital, with Thaddeus being an exception since he was talented in inscriptions.
These were information commonly known by the people in the Royal city and were also the best that Noah could learn from his short interaction with the attendant in the building renting carriages.
'This carriage mustn't be a normal one. I almost feel no movements from inside it.'
Noah thought, placing his attention on the transport.
'Maybe it's an inscribed item with rank 1 low tier power, no wonder they just rent them.'
Noah was feeling nothing but amazement for every aspect regarding the Royal city.
From its width to the facilities present inside it, everything seemed to belong to an entirely different world!
'That's the result of gathering most of the wealth of a nation in one big area.'
Noah concluded before deciding to imitate Ivor in his sleep.
As Noah predicted, it had to pass eleven more hours before they arrived at their destination.
It wasn't due to the bull's speed though but rather to the many stops that it had to make along the way.
Yet, a few hours after midday, Noah and Ivor jumped off their carriage, successfully arrived at their destination.
"The Hunters' guild entrance is right after turning that corner, I hope that you would advise our services to your friends!"
The coachman said with a wide smile on his face before going away.
Noah found himself in an ample road with three-story buildings at its sides.
They had gaudy colors and some of them had big banners in front of their entrances.
'Three thousand Credits to rent for one month, are they crazy?'
Noah looked at the prices listed on the banners and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Is everything in this city so pricy?"
He asked Ivor.
"This is actually an average cost. The closer you get to the Royal Mansion, the more the prices will increase."
'Average he says.'
"Do you know the usual income of a hunter?"
Ivor shook his head.
"No idea but with your forgings, you should be able to make quite a wealthy life."
He still had the seven Moon needles to sell added to his one hundred thousand Credits that remained from the rewards of the Royal inheritance, money wasn't an immediate problem for him.
They began to walk toward the direction pointed by the coachman and Noah asked more questions.
"Why is the density of "Breath" still quite high? This should be a normal area."
"Since the capital is so pricy, it must have its benefits. There are "Breath" blessings in every quarter of the city and there are even special houses that have other features. As you near the central area of the city, the things that are offered surpass even my imagination."
'For the academy to create flying devices, there should be even stranger things produced.'
"What about guilds? What can you tell me about them?"
"They generally detain control over certain businesses. The Hunters' guild satisfies the need for magical beasts both alive and dead for example."
"How do you know about that?"
"I am an inscription master. The guild for that profession has a strict connection with the Hunters' one due to its need for materials. You should pass there at some point to be acknowledged as an apprentice in that field."
'So, I also need some kind of certification. It makes sense, nobody would buy the products of a no one like me.'
They turned the corner and they found themselves in front of a big wooden door with a crest depicting a lion-type magical beast with its head severed.
Noah took out the token with that same design and the door opened by itself.
A wide room unfolded in front of his eyes, with many cultivators holding jugs full of wine.
The smell of booze filled the room and the atmosphere seemed lively and happy.
Yet, as they noticed the entrance door opening, all the cultivators turned and focused on the figure that was becoming visible.
Noah felt more than thirty wary gazes on him as he crossed the ingress.
'This really suits my tastes.'
He thought, suppressing a smile from appearing on his face.