Chapter 14 – Konola City

Konola City was situated in the borderlands of the Kamos Kingdom, yet its strategic location was undeniable. To the west lay encircling mountains, while to the east stretched the Aegma Barren Wasteland (the very wasteland Punk had traversed). With a canal running through it, the city enjoyed excellent transportation and freight advantages, making it a perfectly defensible stronghold. Though the Kamos Kingdom’s territory was barren and had seen no wars for many years, recent tensions with the Dillon Kingdom had escalated. Konola’s southern border directly adjoined the Dillon Kingdom, leading to a significant increase in garrisoned troops within the city.

Punk and Kane approached the city gate together. Above the gate hung an enormous crimson banner embroidered with a rather abstract griffin design, flapping majestically in the wind. The twenty-meter-high walls were constructed from massive granite blocks, bearing numerous deep gashes left by sharp weapons. Combined with the sharply angled stone bricks, the walls exuded a profound sense of history.

At the gate, a line of commoners and merchants waited for inspection by soldiers. These guards, burly and coarse, openly demanded bribes from those entering the city. One shabbily dressed old man was shoved to the ground for failing to provide a satisfactory “donation,” followed by a kick to his leg accompanied by the guard’s crude curses.

Beside the main gate stood a smaller side entrance, apparently reserved for Nobles and professionals. Unlike the noisy main gate, the side entrance was much quieter, with commoners keeping their distance. Only an elderly man dressed as a warrior sat on a wooden chair, seemingly the gatekeeper for this entrance. After a brief sensory assessment, Punk determined the old man sipping alcohol was an Apprentice Rank warrior around level one—clearly someone with no hope of advancement given his age.

“I ain’t waiting in this damn line forever. I want to get in the city and have a freaking huge meal right now. Let’s just go through there—that old fart won’t dare stop us.” Kane stretched lazily and pointed toward the side gate.

Punk had the same thought. Gripping his staff, he headed toward the side entrance.

Seeing a mage and a knight approaching, the gatekeeper quickly rose from his chair, pulling a Parchment from his robes. After taking another swig of alcohol, he positioned himself squarely in the gateway.

Punk’s expression darkened at the sight. The old man’s posture suggested he intended to demand a “greasing fee.” Though Punk carried five Gold Coins—enough to sustain an ordinary family for half a year—to him, eager to acquire knowledge as soon as possible, this amount was pitifully insufficient. He had no intention of wasting it on arbitrary bribes.”If that old man dares ask me for money, I’ll stab him with my spear and make a run for it!” Kane beside him wore an even more indignant expression. The money on him was nearly nonexistent, and a week of long travels had turned this impatient fellow into a living volcano. Now that they’d finally reached their destination only to be stopped by greedy guards, anyone would feel the urge to throw punches.

Punk didn’t think they’d be given trouble. After all, both he and Kane were Level 4 professionals (early leveling was still quite fast), and it would be very unwise for anyone to offend two Level 4 professionals over some petty cash. A seasoned veteran warrior ought to understand this.

Sure enough, the old man didn’t stretch out his hand for money like the soldiers at the gate. He merely asked Punk and Kane to register their professions and levels, not even bothering to ask their names. When he saw that Punk and Kane, both around fifteen years old, were actually Level 4 professionals, the old man was so shocked he dropped the parchment on the ground.

Seeing the old man’s “incredulous” expression, Kane swaggered through the city gate with pride, releasing his Apprentice Rank peak aura and deliberately making his armor clank loudly, completely ignoring Punk’s disdainful look.

Upon entering the city, a medieval-style urban landscape unfolded before Punk’s eyes.

As a “military stronghold,” Konola City had roads paved with crushed stones to facilitate troop mobilization. During the humid Tender Season, patches of moss dotted the edges of the stone paths, adding considerable greenery to the city. Directly opposite the city gate was a marketplace where many shops displayed straightforward names in large characters – typically the shop owner’s name followed by the goods sold, such as “Shibako’s Clothing & Hats” or “Gugo’s Fresh Meat.” Many merchants who couldn’t afford shop rentals set up stalls along the roadside, promoting their goods to every passerby. Though the distribution of various shops appeared chaotic, it gave off a vibrant, prosperous atmosphere.

“So buddy, what’s the plan now?” Kane slapped toward Punk’s shoulder with a “bros before hoes” intimacy, but Punk sidestepped to avoid it. “What about your plans?” Punk didn’t answer, instead throwing the question back at Kane.

“Me~? This lord is heading to the Adventurers’ Guild to begin the super~ magnificent adventuring career of Knight Kane!” After saying this, he turned toward the bustling food stalls. “But right now~ this lord needs to feast first to reward himself~.”

“Then, farewell.” Having said this, Punk turned and walked toward another, quieter street.

“Bye bye~~” Kane waved casually without looking back, then began happily haggling with a stall vendor.

————————Division Line————————Punk was actually quite pleased to part ways with Kane. Though Kane appeared unreliable on the surface—seemingly careless and “sunny”—he was in fact both intelligent and cold-blooded. Punk had a sharp eye for judging people, especially those like Kane, whose core nature closely resembled his own. While collaborating with such individuals meant not having to worry about a foolish teammate and guaranteed efficiency in joint tasks, it also required constant vigilance against one another. Otherwise, given sufficient incentive, two who were sworn brothers sharing life and death one moment could instantly draw blades to stab each other in the heart the next. Hence, Punk preferred cooperating with those of the good alignment, as putting on a facade of hypocritical benevolence sufficed to avoid backstabbing from allies. In critical moments, those “righteous warriors” might even pull off a “sacrificing oneself for righteousness” act, making them the highest-quality meat shields.

Punk was now heading straight toward a highly distinctive building—a grand hall with a towering spire, constructed from genuine “Green Bricks.” This structure was one of the Mage Guild’s countless branch halls. The flag atop its roof bore a nine-petaled purplish-red flower, the emblem of the Mage Guild—the Vimes Flower. Though it was unclear why the Mage Guild had painted this entire branch hall green, the blatantly conspicuous magical fluctuations allowed Punk to confirm from miles away: this was indeed the Mage Guild.

(End of Chapter)