Chapter 84: Last big city on the road

"Thanks for everything. If not for you guys… I don't even want to think what would happen to me."

Shaking the hand of the cook that over the last few days managed to get a little bit closer to becoming if not one of the first Fen's friends, then at the very least the very prime confidant! 

With not only the two of them but almost the entirety of their caravan dissolving into the crowd of the city, Fen's former means of travel was no longer accessible. Given how for the sake of once again changing his persona he finally got his hands on a proper suit, something that according to the cook's words any free-working arcanist would wear, right now the young man was someone completely else from all the other people he pretended to be.

"It's nothing. To be frank, we are using you just as much as you are using us, so you could say it was a mutual beneficial agreement."

Clearly displeased with Fen's open expression of his feelings, the fat man only swung his head in an attempt to push this topic aside. Once done with this motion, his hand suddenly landed on Fen's shoulder, forcing the young man to look right into the eyes of his lone friend of the last few days.

"Listen up. This city… Is slightly different from a lot of reasons. While I can't explain it to you to save you the trouble down the line, all you need to do to travel north is to go to the main plaza in those clothes. Free arcanists that are willing to take the northern route all the way till its end are always in a short supply."

For some reason, despite how composed the fat man was while speaking those words, Fen was almost certain that the little twitch of the corners of his eyes indicated that in reality, his newly made friend was actually worried!

"Thanks for the advice. As long as I can stay on the move and find a means to earn myself some gold, I'm willing to take up any challenge."

Caravan's cook didn't reveal the reason behind his worries, so it would be extremely untactful for the young man to pry deeper or do anything more than just slightly suggesting that he noticed Fat man's worries just like he did right now.

"May all the guardians act like your patrons. You should better get used to this sentence if you are going to Kinar. And with that, using more common language…"

To say that Fen's acquaintance tone was full of amusement would be akin to saying that a barrel of water was as big as an ocean. With his lips curving upwards and eyes shining in joy, it was clear that this last remark was nothing but some kind of local joke.

"... I wish you safe travels."

Shaking the hand of the fat man once again and for the last time, Fen quickly followed his advice. Form the very moment their caravan passed by the gates of the Kharag, the young man could see how nearly everyone instantly abandoned their posts, sinking into the various alleys and shops that made up the insides of the city.

What was the most surprising about this entire situation, was that the master of the caravan didn't seem to be bothered by that fact at all! Yet the real shock awaited Fen once his legs finally carried him all the way up to the plaza mentioned by the friend he just said his goodbyes to!

'What the heck…'

Even though Fen never really bothered to pay any real attention to the other participants of the now terminated caravan, it didn't escape his attention that some of the faces of in the groups of people screaming offers and requests at each other were actually quite familiar to him!

'So their job went as far as Kharag only… I wonder where they will go next…'

Thinking about this, Fen couldn't imagine this kind of lifestyle. Even though most of his life so far happened either at the outskirts of the forest or inside the forest, he always had a place to go back to, even if it was only a shabby shack!

But if the young man's guess was right, then the people that he travelled with over the last few days, actually turned this kind of job into their lifestyle!

This guess was soon confirmed by the sight of some of the better-earning mercenaries that accompanied him recently, instantly causing some commotion in the proximity of a pink-coloured building. Given how light and mostly see-through clothes started to fly over their group soon after, Fen didn't have to be a genius to guess what kind of building was nearby.

'I guess men will always be men…'

Shaking his head, Fen attempted to push the sudden idea away from his head. Even though visiting a brothel and wasting a bit of the gold he saved on a night of pleasure didn't seem like a bad idea per se, the time that he would end up wasting on this kind of activity could very well be the last nail that the inquisition required to bury him in his coffin.

Even if currently his pursuers were quite far away, if he ended up staying in Kharag for even a moment longer than necessary, then he would be giving up a huge chunk of the advantage that he managed to gain thanks to the help of the descendants of the second Phoenixian army!

'Even if this is ultimately my life at the stake, I can't just spit at their sacrifices.'

Giving up on the pleasant idea of spending the night in the rosy-coloured building, Fen picked up his pace. In just a few more steps, the entire plaza finally revealed itself to the young man's eyes, instantly awestriking him with its simplistic glory.

For the construction part alone, it would be hard to make it any simpler. Outside of a huge well right in the middle of the huge square that made the plaza, the rest of this place consisted of just the huge stones making up the floor. But even with so little, the locals somehow managed to use simple stalls and wooden stages to turn this would-be empty piece of land into one of the busiest areas that Fen has ever seen!

"Mercenaries! We are looking for the mercenaries!"

"Free slots for the caravan to Birkaz! Only two silvers!"

"I'm looking for a caravan to Nabil!"

"Do you want to be rich? Do you want to conquer the northern path? If you have arcanist qualifications, come and join us!"

One by one, the voices shook the air around Fen, as if there was some kind of hidden order to which everyone abided. Not even once did two people shout at the same time, turning what would be otherwise just a noise, into an actual means of promotion and communication!

"Excuse me!"

Hearing the last proposition, Fen decided that there was no point in waiting. No matter what the path about conquering the norther tracks meant, even if he would have to travel through monster-filled areas, Fen was quite sure that he would manage somehow! After all, if there was a place so dangerous that people had to privately look to explore it, then there was no way that any outpost of the official power would be there!

"How can I help you, dear sir?"

Turning his eyes towards Fen, the man who just promoted the caravan to the north smiled to the young man with clear hints of expectations in his eyes lit up by the sparks of excitement. 

"I wish to sign up for that journey of yours. But before that, am I right to assume that you will travel through Narakzah?"

That was the most important point of any caravan that Fen would look up to joining. Given how it would be his last stop before forcing his way through the border no matter what, as long as he would manage to reach that city before the people chasing after him would alert the border guards!

"Narakzah? Oh, dear sir! We are going to go far further than that! While ultimately this caravan will aim to reach all the way to the north, as long as you are willing to go no less than up to Ganua, then you are welcomed abroad our group! Or rather… Are you sure you can prove your capabilities as arcanist? There is a reason why no sane man takes this road to Kinar anymore!"

Laughing right into Fen's face, the announcer quickly changed his attitude when met with Fen's lethal stare. While this kind of intimidation should be more than enough to stop all the jokes of the man, Fen sighed out all the air from his lungs before raising his hand and igniting a small fire right on top of it.

"Will that be enough for a proof of my capability?"