908 Chaotic History Three months later, Vicente and his companions arrived at their destination, following the line of the mainland coast.
After months of challenges and slow travel, avoiding several confrontations, the group was now in the far northwest of the Polaris Realm, not far from the former home of the Blacksmiths' Association.
The area they were carefully traveling through was now the former home not only of the continent's blacksmiths, but also of alchemists, doctors, training masters, and various other professions.
In the continent's past, the Magicians Alliance had created an independent territory, without kings or nobles, ruled by the alliance, which comprised humans from all over the Polaris Realm.
The alliance had achieved its goals of defeating the monsters and securing human territories in cities across the continent, and had existed for tens of thousands of years as a remnant of the past.
In over 100,000 years of history, the Magicians Alliance had only moved once, a few years before The Purification.
Throughout its 100,000-year history, however, the organization existed only in name. But its independent city and territory have kept their characteristics, having become the place of choice for all the continent's scholars and professionals.
For tens of thousands of years, the technologies of the Polaris Empire, the best professionals, and the best resources had been developed and produced here.
As they entered the area the size of Scott Province, Vicente and the others couldn't help but look at the place with regret.
"Sigh... This place was once the pride of the continent." Tenglin said, shaking his head with closed eyes. With a sigh, he added, "This place was once one of the most peaceful on the continent. Here, mankind truly developed magic. Even beasts benefited from the things developed here."
"It is said that at the height of the Citadel, an Archmage Archon commanded the place and guaranteed peace and freedom of study and creation for all the scholars of these realms." Acidbelly nodded approvingly, looking out over the wooded area near the coast and seeing in the distance a huge bare rock where the Citadel—the capital of the magicians-free area—was supposed to be. Updated chapters at novelhall.com
"This is impressive. Archmage Archon is a level almost unrivaled on the continent. Someone like that must have ruled with ease." Vicente said as he looked at the place, which didn't look natural at all.
The entire magicians-free area had been manipulated by magicians of many professions. Nothing in this place had been natural for a long time. The entire area had characteristics that would be beneficial to blacksmiths, alchemists, doctors, and so on.
10:43
After Vicente had already checked that there was no one around, he couldn't help but form a wagon, not understanding the situation of the place.
He expected to find more difficulties for his group there, with powerful monsters, vampires, traps, or maybe a group using the place as a base to enslave human survivors.
But there was nothing. The place seemed to have been abandoned after a battle.
"How strange... The city seems untouched in many parts. But if something caused the entire population to disappear, why leave things behind?" Vicente opened his mouth, having already felt many materials, resources, artifacts, and books left behind in houses and buildings around the area where they were.
Tenglin sighed as Vicente's robotic armor emerged from the human's spatial ring and began to move around the area.
The Qilin said, "This is because of the protection of this city. It's impossible for a powerful monster or vampire to infiltrate this place."
"Huh? But if that's the case, why did the local population disappear? What about the battle that took place here?" Vicente didn't understand.
Tenglin shook his head, not knowing what had happened there.
But Acidbelly had his theories. "Maybe the vampires got traitors from this city. Even though the formations protecting it are good and still active," he said, looking around and feeling the mana move in a very specific way. "They are not perfect. Look, we're beasts, but we're here, even when we shouldn't be. It's because of you, Vicente. Your presence on our side makes us 'friends' to the city.
It's possible that some traitors helped the monsters and vampires. But even with traitors on their side, when they acted against this town and its people, the formations went into action, which means that the monsters didn't have time to destroy and collect everything in this place. They probably concentrated on the living beings before they had to flee from their prey.
What happened next was simply that it was impossible to enter the area to destroy the human heritage. That's what I think."