Chapter 325:

Chapter 325:

TL: Etude

After a journey of nearly half a month, Will finally arrived at the Northwest Bay with the caravan, to his surprise. Contrary to his initial impression of desolation and ruin, the area was not as densely populated as the south but was far from uninhabited.

Upon entering a region known as Emden, towns became more frequent along the way, and the pedestrians they encountered no longer looked as haggard as before.

“This is one of the most prosperous territories in the Northwest Bay,” a leader in the caravan proudly boasted. “It used to belong to the Kent family. After their failed attempt to seize the Duke of the Northwest, the land came under the management of our Count Paul Grayman. The people here didn’t always live as well as you see now. The previous lord, Marltz Kent, was a cruel man. Now, our Count has relieved them of many oppressive taxes, allowing them to fill their bellies.”

During rest stops, Will heard about the noble deeds of the Count he was to serve for the next five years. It seemed this lord was a decent fellow, certainly better than the one who would imprison someone at the city gates for a minor offense.

As they traveled further north, the roads improved—wider and smoother, reducing the discomfort of the carriage rides. They encountered increasing numbers of traders and merchants.

Finally, the caravan reached its destination: Lakeheart Town. Though called a town, it was more like a small city. Many of the buildings were new, indicating recent development.

This small city completely overturned Will’s preconceived notions of the Northwest Bay as a remote and backward place.

The streets were clean and paved with blue stone slabs, with little litter and no foul odors—a contrast even to the royal capital, Crystal Shine. It was surprising to Will.

The streets were bustling with people from various walks of life, speaking different dialects and even foreign languages. There were even merchants from Horn Bay, a place Will considered remote.

“Why does Count Grayman need so much saltpeter?”

“It’s said to be for supplying his ice-making facility. Oh, speaking of ice-making, the Count also invented a delicacy called ‘ice cream,’ made from ice shavings, cream, and honey. You should try it. Selling it in summer brings in a lot of money for the Count.”

Will was puzzled. Could the income from selling snacks offset the cost of producing saltpeter? If large quantities of ice were needed, why not just collect and store it in ice cellars during winter? Was it necessary to produce ice using expensive saltpeter?

However, Will didn’t delve too deeply into these matters. After all, the Count was the boss, and it was his prerogative to use his resources as he wished. As long as Will received his salary on time, he was content.

Speaking of salary, Count Grayman was quite generous. Considering Will as a ‘highly skilled’ individual from the capital, he paid him three silver coins monthly. The saltpeter factory also provided food and lodging. It was said that the employees in all the industries owned by the Count were well-treated, leading to intense competition for these jobs.

Back when he ran his shop in Crystal Shine, Will wouldn’t have glanced twice at a mere three silver coins. But that ancestral shop was destroyed, and along with it, his reputation in the capital due to that humiliating public display.

Here in the Northwest Bay, three silver coins a month were more than enough for a comfortable life for a single man like him.

Will had no complaints about his current life. His long-term plan was to save enough money and open an alchemy shop in Lakeheart Town once his contract with the Count ended. He saw great potential in this small city.

Returning to the present, the reason Will was grumpily drinking in the tavern was related to another ‘insult’ he had just suffered at the lord’s manor...