Matthew withdrew his gaze.
The tavern was as lively as ever.
Some were clinking glasses.
Some were arguing over which mercenary group was stronger.
Others were gathered around the Grey Wolf mercenary group, asking for details about their latest mission.
The air was a thick mix of ale, stew, woodsmoke, and sweat. While it couldn't be called pleasant, it was filled with the authentic bustle of life.
Matthew didn't stay seated any longer.
His goal for coming out today was to understand the royal capital.
The tavern was just one stop along the way.
Most of what he could hear here was news from the mercenary circles.
Staying any longer wouldn't yield much more of value.
With that thought, he set down his glass.
“Let’s go.”
Aidan immediately stood up.
“Yes, Brother Matthew.”
The two of them walked out of the tavern.
The heavy wooden door slowly closed behind them, instantly cutting off most of the tavern's noise.
The sunlight outside remained bright.
The royal capital in the afternoon was even busier than in the morning.
The number of pedestrians on the street had noticeably increased.
All sorts of carriages came and went, their wooden wheels rolling over the bluestone pavement with a steady, rhythmic sound.
On both sides of the road, almost every shop was open for business.
Weapon shops.
Cloth shops.
Spice shops.
Leather armor shops.
There were even small stalls dedicated to selling maps and intelligence.
A cacophony of sounds intertwined, yet it didn't feel chaotic.
Matthew observed as he walked.
He had to admit that the royal capital’s management of the city far exceeded that of the county seat.
The streets were wide.
Freight wagons took the center.
Pedestrians stayed to the sides.
Occasionally, patrol cavalry could be seen passing through, and the crowd would naturally clear a path.
The entire process was orderly.
No one intentionally caused trouble.
Nor were there any local thugs blocking the road to collect protection money.
Matthew noted this, nodding inwardly.
Whether a city is prosperous can be seen from its buildings. But whether a city is truly powerful can be seen from its order.
The fact that the royal capital could maintain such a massive population while keeping such order said a lot on its own.
...
They continued forward.
Before long, the two of them arrived at a major crossroads.
The flow of people here was significantly denser.
In the center of the road stood a massive black stone tablet.
An approximate map of the entire royal capital was engraved on it.
Commercial District.
Artisan District.
Scholar District.
Noble District.
Port District.
Class Holder Plaza.
Materials Market.
Each area was clearly demarcated.
Many travelers visiting the royal capital for the first time would stop here to get their bearings.
Aidan looked at the map and couldn't help but marvel.
“It’s so huge.”
“I wandered around by myself all yesterday afternoon, and I feel like I haven’t even covered a tenth of it.”
Matthew nodded slightly.
“That’s normal.”
“The royal capital is the largest city in the entire kingdom.”
“It would be strange if you could walk across it in a single day.”
His gaze slowly scanned the map.
He began to silently build a mental model of the city in his mind.
No matter where he went in the future, at least he wouldn't get lost.
For a stranger, familiarizing oneself with the terrain was an advantage in itself.
...
Just then, a burst of arguing came from nearby.
“Are you kidding me?”
“The price went up again?”
A mercenary was standing at the entrance of an inn, looking dissatisfied.
The shopkeeper simply spread his hands helplessly.
“There are too many people lately.”
“Rooms are tight.”
“There’s nothing we can do.”
The mercenary cursed a few times but eventually pulled out gold coins to check in.
Seeing this, Aidan was somewhat puzzled.
“Why are so many people coming to the royal capital lately?”
Matthew thought for a moment.
“It shouldn't be a coincidence.”
“So many people wouldn't gather in the royal capital for no reason.”
“Either there’s a major event coming up, or there’s some kind of profit attracting a large number of Class holders.”
Aidan nodded, finding it logical.
However, the two of them didn't go over to ask. Such things would eventually become clear later on.
...
They continued on.
Not long after, a rhythmic sound of horse hooves came from the distance.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The sound was deep and synchronized.
The commoners on the street almost simultaneously moved to the sides of the road.
Matthew followed suit and stepped aside.
He saw over a dozen knights clad in silver-grey armor slowly passing by.
They rode tall warhorses, with longswords at their waists and lances on their backs.
Their armor was polished spotless.
A uniform emblem of a roaring lion was engraved on their chests.
Everyone looked extremely serious.
There was no chatter, and no one looked around aimlessly.
They simply kept their eyes on the street as they patrolled.
Only after the entire squad had moved off did the crowd resume its flow.
Aidan watched their retreating backs with a hint of envy in his eyes.
“So impressive.”
Matthew also took a look, but his mind went to something else.
These knights were at least at the Black Iron Rank. The leader’s aura had even reached the Bronze Rank.
Such a squad was merely responsible for daily patrols in the royal capital.
If placed in the county seat, they would likely be enough to sweep away many factions.
But here, they were just a part of maintaining order.
With that thought, Matthew suddenly realized that the true strength of the royal capital wasn't just having more experts.
It was the foundation.
It isn't scary for a place to have many experts. What is truly terrifying is that it can continuously cultivate them.
This was the biggest difference between the royal capital and the county seat.
Matthew let out a soft breath, the anticipation in his eyes growing stronger.
Coming here was where his path truly began.
Matthew didn't leave immediately. Instead, he stood by the street, watching the knight squad fade into the distance.
He only slowly withdrew his gaze when the last warhorse disappeared at the end of the street.
He had to admit that the royal capital’s foundation was deeper than he had imagined.
If any of these knights were in the county seat, they would be enough to serve as a guard captain or even become a significant force for a noble.
But in the royal capital, they were just a patrol squad responsible for daily order.
From that perspective, just how strong would the knights truly stationed in the palace, guarding the royal family, be?
And the forces secretly cultivated by the major families... they would likely be even stronger.
Thinking of this, Matthew didn't feel pressure. Instead, a long-lost sense of anticipation rose within him.
Only a place like this was worth staying in.
If it were still a small place like the county seat, even if he secured all the resources, his future path would be destined to be limited.
But the royal capital was different.
This place was like a massive treasure trove.
Resources. Talent. Opportunities. Dangers. Everything converged here.
As long as one had the ability, they could climb up step by step.
A smile couldn't help but appear on Matthew’s lips.
He hadn't made a mistake in coming here.
...
“Brother Matthew.”
Aidan suddenly spoke.
“Where to next?”
Matthew glanced at the map.
Then he reached out and pointed northwest.
“Let’s keep going.”
“The Materials Market should be just ahead.”
“I only went in to buy a sword yesterday; I haven’t had a good look yet.”
Aidan nodded.
“Okay.”
The two continued forward.
As they gradually approached the Materials Market, the surrounding shops changed.
At first, they could still see many ordinary shops selling clothes and food.
But the further they went, the more shops related to Class holders appeared.
Weapon shops. Armor shops. Shield shops. Potion shops. Magical beast material shops.
There were even small shops specialized in selling maps, wilderness intelligence, and commission information.
Almost everyone on the street carried a weapon.
There were brawny men with greatswords on their backs, thieves with several short knives hanging at their waists, and young knights in light armor holding spears.
Occasionally, a few elegantly dressed noble guards could be seen accompanying their masters to select equipment.
The metallic scent from blacksmith shops filled the air.
Clang— Clang— Clang—
The sound of hammers striking anvils echoed one after another.
Sparks constantly flew, and waves of heat rolled out from the open forge shops.
The entire district exuded a rugged aura belonging to Class holders.
Aidan couldn't help but look around, his eyes struggling to take everything in.
“It’s even busier here than yesterday.”
Matthew smiled.
“Our goal was very clear yesterday—to buy a sword. Naturally, we didn't notice other things.”
“Today is different. Today we’re here to broaden our horizons.”
He didn't rush into any shops. Instead, he slowed his pace and looked at each one as they passed.
Sometimes, just looking at the signs and the displayed goods could reveal a lot of information.
For example, at a shop selling potions, dozens of different colored potions were displayed at the door.
Stamina recovery, wound treatment, poison neutralization, paralysis dispersal, and even enhancement potions that briefly boosted strength.
Although the prices were high, there were still many customers in the shop.
Or take a shop selling magical beast materials. Complete wolf skins, bear paws, and massive fangs hung at the entrance.
There were even a few feathers emitting faint elemental fluctuations.
The shopkeeper stood behind the counter, loudly introducing the origin of each material.
“Gale Hawk tail feathers! Top-grade material for making arrows! Only two left!”
Class holders immediately gathered around.
The sound of haggling was constant.
Matthew watched all of this quietly, and a judgment gradually formed in his mind.
The Class holder ecosystem in the royal capital was far more mature than in the county seat.
In the county seat, Class holders felt like a minority. But here, Class holders had formed a complete industry.
Some hunted magical beasts, some bought materials, some forged weapons, some brewed potions, some sold intelligence, and some posted commissions.
The entire market was like a giant machine, constantly running.
And all Class holders were just parts in this machine.
As Matthew was thinking, a circle of people suddenly formed not far ahead.
Bursts of exclamations occasionally came from the crowd.
“Look! Someone’s selling things again!”
“I heard they brought them back from the north of the kingdom.”
Aidan stood on his tiptoes, curious.
“Brother Matthew, it looks like someone is selling something rare.”
Matthew looked toward the crowd, and a hint of interest appeared in his eyes as well.
“Let’s go see.”
The two of them slowly walked toward the crowd...
Matthew and Aidan followed the flow of people.
There were many onlookers—mercenaries, merchants, and some idle Class holders.
The crowd formed a semicircle, leaving an open space in the middle.
A middle-aged man in his forties stood there. He was dressed simply and had dark skin, looking like someone who spent his years traveling in the wilderness.
A piece of coarse cloth was laid out at his feet.
A dozen or so items were placed on the cloth.
There were magical beast fangs, several recently harvested medicinal herbs, and a few minerals of various colors.
The quality of these items wasn't particularly high.
What truly attracted everyone's attention was a fist-sized black stone placed in the very center.
The stone was pitch black, its surface covered in natural patterns. Under the sunlight, it occasionally flashed with a hint of dark gold.
Many people were pointing and talking about it.
“Is this it?”
“Yeah, supposedly it was dug out of a mine in the north.”
“Doesn't look like ore.”
“Who knows.”
...
Matthew only gave it a glance before losing interest.
His panel had no reaction.
This meant the item was likely just a relatively rare mineral. Truly valuable items would always trigger some kind of prompt from the panel.
Since there was none, it meant it had no value, at least not to him.
Aidan, however, was still watching with great interest. A young knight was always full of curiosity about new things.
Just then, an old man with a goatee squeezed out of the crowd.
The old man wore a grayish-white robe, and a bronze badge hung on his chest.
Seeing the badge, many people immediately recognized him.
“It’s an Appraiser!”
“They actually called an Appraiser over.”
The old man ignored the crowd's chatter. He simply knelt down, took the black stone in his hand, and examined it carefully for a while.
A moment later, he shook his head.
“Ordinary associated ore.”
“There’s a bit of residual mana inside, but its value is limited.”
With that single sentence, many people around them immediately looked disappointed.
Some had thought they had found a treasure, but it turned out to be just ordinary ore.
The middle-aged man was also disappointed, but he still smiled and cupped his hands.
“Thank you, Master.”
The old man waved his hand, put the stone back, turned around, and left.
The crowd gradually dispersed.
Some shook their heads, some sighed, and most continued with their own business as if nothing had happened.
The royal capital was like that. Every day, someone thought they had found a treasure, and every day, someone's hopes were dashed.
...
Aidan was a bit disappointed.
“I thought it was something good.”
Matthew smiled.
“Truly good things won't appear so easily on the street.”
“Even if they do, they’re bought up by people who know their value long before we see them.”
Aidan nodded, feeling that was indeed the case.
But in his heart, Matthew silently added a line: The Blood-Veined Rapier from yesterday was an exception.
Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.
If it weren't for his panel, and if the shopkeeper hadn't misunderstood the sword’s true value, that Purple item would never have fallen into his hands.
Luck is sometimes a part of strength as well.
...
The two continued forward.
The Materials Market was getting more and more crowded.
...
Rate on N.U.
