Chapter 278 Sigma City
The adepts flew for another seventy kilometers before arriving at the first city under the rule of the Silver Union– Sigma City.
As one of only two entrances into the Silver Union's territory, the magnificence and liveliness of Sigma City was beyond compare. Even adepts from prestigious clans in the central area would drop all their arrogance and pride and use their utmost effort to learn of all the rules and regulations within the Silver Union's territory.
Greem had gained a basic understanding of the situation on the way here.
The Silver Union's territory stood at the west coast of the continent, and there was one group of individuals you should never offend while you were here. The silver-robed Union adepts.
Of course, if you were confident in your ability to kill a silver-robed adept without being discovered... Greem saw plenty of those small watchtowers along the way. There were also numerous mysterious spherical constructs patrolling in the air.
All of these appeared to be part of a massive security system.
It was pure fantasy to even dream of killing a silver-robed adept without being discovered.
With the help of divination magic and image replaying magic, the murderer would easily be identified as long as a single clue was left behind!
The best way to ensure your own safety and prosperity here was to avoid conflict with the silver robes.
The second group of individuals that one shouldn't provoke were the esoteric adepts. It didn't matter how broke or how bad they appeared to be faring.
The Silver Union was an organization formed from a group of esoteric adepts. The silver-robed adepts were the executors of the Union, while the esoteric adepts were the very foundation of the Union. This was why the esoteric adepts had incomparable status within the territories of the Silver Union. There was already obvious oppression and bias against adepts of other branches.
Fortunately the authorities of the Silver Union weren't short-sighted fools. They would often take the side of the esoteric adepts in cases of conflicts and tensions between adepts. However, they would always ensure that the talented adepts of other branches were still well-treated and given due respect.
The floating ship finally ended its journey at Sigma City.
Travel within the safe territories was usually carried out using the smaller flying ships. The flying battleship was reserved solely for the journey through the Black Forest.
The adepts quickly went their own ways after they got off the ship.
Everyone had their own distinct reason for coming to the west coast. Even though they all had to visit the Castle in the Sky eventually, it was still a twenty day trip from Sigma City. Thus everyone went on their own ways, on their own errands as they headed towards the Castle in the Sky.
The Byron Clan also had an outpost here in Sigma City. However, the outpost was located in the west side of the city. Greem and Angus would have to walk through half of the city to make their way there.
Greem could see that Adept Angus was in a hurry. It seemed he was desperate to reach the outpost for an update on the situation. Greem, on the other hand, wanted to observe the local culture. After all, this was his first time in a territory controlled by one of the massive adept organizations.
The two had a quick discussion. Adept Angus settled on a meeting spot before hurrying to the outpost with the few clan members he had brought with him.
Greem, Alice, and Snorlax were left alone.
This was a completely different city. A unique city.
There were no towering walls around the city, or massive watchtowers built around its perimeters. Its streets were neat and orderly and its buildings were tall, large, and made of marble. Apprentice adepts wearing short grey robes were everywhere in the streets, along with muscular mercenaries and adventures.
However the loaded carts and carriages were even more numerous. There were also merchants, warriors, wanderers and civilians in the crowd.
Perhaps due to the humid and warm weather, most of the locals wore clothes made of thin and light cloth. They dressed in an extremely colorful fashion. All of their clothes were dyed in bright colors: white, red, blue, yellow, and so many more. The ordinary humans were wearing long sleeved tunics, loose pants, and leather boots. Their expressions were relaxed and joyful, unlike the dull and depressed expressions that the citizens of other human settlements so often wore on their faces.
Every so often, Greem would see some adepts walking through the streets, their massive stone golems and steel statues rumbling behind them. The crowd made way for them as they passed, but none of them seemed especially fearful of the adepts.
The adepts here seemed to have integrated with the civilians. There wasn't much mystery or obvious difference in class between the two parties.
If Greem was to give an evaluation of his own, Zhentarim was extremely large and rich in resources. However, there were too many clans within Zhentarim, causing countless conflicts and battles throughout the years. Even after the formation of a loose alliance of the clans, the ability of the Zhentarim Association was still limited. They could not restrain the clans or execute any of their laws in an efficient manner. There wasn't much they could do.
It was much different here.
This was a territory ruled and owned solely by the Silver Union. This was why law and order was very well upheld here. No outsiders dared to challenge to authority of the Silver Union here!
Moreover, the Silver Union's policy of welcoming travellers and encouraging trade resulted in a huge influx of outside adepts and elites. The arrival of these talents undoubtedly accelerated the speed at which knowledge and resources gathered about the Silver Union.
This place was clearly much more lively and much more peaceful when compared to the Zhentarim area!
Greem's tall figure of two meters in height was a curious sight when compared to two tiny fellows who were only one meter in height. They drew plenty of gazes as they walked down the street. However anyone that dared to come close to Greem would instantly feel an aura pressing upon them. This was the calm, wise and ruthless aura unique to adepts, as well as mental suppression from a being above them on the food chain.
Greem looked silently at the crowd as they panicked and hurriedly made way for him. The apprentice adepts were also looking over with expressions of shock. He was a little speechless at their reaction. In the end, he silently retracted his aura and tried his best to suppress his mental flux.
He was far too used to living in the Zhentarim area. He didn't need to consider the effect of his mental suppression when he went out in public. Greem still retained his beliefs from his previous life, and believed that all life was equal. He wouldn't ever treat the ordinary mortals as livestock and servants. However, the arrogant and prideful attitude of the adepts had subtly shifted his attitude as well.
In comparison, the Silver Union had intentionally created a much more equal societal atmosphere. This was a superior decision when compared to the Zhentarim Association, as so many more elite and talented individuals were still able to demonstrate their abilities, even though they weren't adepts. If Greem had the freedom of choice, he genuinely believed the environment in the Silver Union would be far more suited for him!
"Are we just going to stand here all day?" Alice tiptoed and tried her best to see over the crowd. She appeared to be extremely excited to go touring around the city, "That place seems really lively!"
Snorlax also spotted some creatures of other races mixed within the crowd. These were either the servants of adepts, or humanoid creatures that had obtained proper citizenship. They mingled with the apprentices, warriors, and the mercenaries, chatting happily as they carried the corpses of several magical creatures on their backs. They walked into store after store and arcane shop after arcane shop, trying their best to sell their spoils of war from hunting.
Greem cautiously removed Snorlax’s Spell of Concealment and he went back to his appearance of a goblin.
He stood in the crowd and looked at the people's reaction to him. It was only when he saw that no one was disgusted or shocked that Snorlax was able to let out a sigh of relief. For the first time in his life, he would be able to puff his chest and stand up straight. He was finally able to show his true appearance in a human city ruled by an adept with no fear for how he was treated.
"I love this place!" Snorlax screamed frantically at the bottom of his heart.
Greem felt the passion and joy from his two followers and couldn't help but let out a small laugh as he shook his head. The three of them quickly made their way into the crowd once more.
Having retracted and suppressed his mental flux, Greem looked just like a young noble with an extraordinary temperament. He was handsome and charming. Even without the suppression from his Spirit, his two-meter tall body was still an intimidating sight. All the pedestrians would naturally make way wherever he walked. No one dared to stand in his way.
Greem's gaze wandered about the shops by the side of the road as he walked.
A florist, tailor, grocery store, leather dealer, pharmacist, a pet store…
Greem even saw an interesting shop on the way. Tolson's Lost and Found. It was a small business that helped citizens find their lost possessions using divination magic. The owner of the store was an advanced apprentice. Clearly he was looking to use his magical talents to earn a little pocket money!
The florist shops, on the other hand, didn't sell ordinary flowers. It wasn't roses, tulips, or blue lilies that they sold. Rather, the products they offered were adept resources. These were things like Glowmoon Flowers, Solar Flowers, Golden Ginseng, and Dragonbone Grass. These plants were either useful for apprentices' meditation, cultivating and improving bloodline powers, or were just common materials used by potions apprentices…
The tailor’s also sold apprentice and adept robes with special magical enhancements. They even sold some adept storage tools within their shops.
The leather dealers bought the corpses and skins of magical creatures from the adventurers or apprentices. They also paid for the blood, bones, and flesh of these magical creatures.
The flesh of magical creatures was imbued with elementium. As long as the poison could be extracted from their flesh, the meat would be a perfect magic-infused material for cooking. The bones could be carved into simple decorative ornaments and accessories with the proper work put in. These accessories would have certain magical powers.
While adepts would never need such weak items, they were considered precious and valuable objects by apprentices and the nobles.
Greem finally understood, after a walk through the streets with Alice and Snorlax. As the eastern entrance into the Black Forest, Sigma City only sold resources targeted at the middle class. Ordinary citizens would never be able to afford these items.
Greem shook his head in pity after a quick tour.
These resources might be useful for Alice, but they were too ordinary and common for a true adept. It seemed there was probably a particular place where adepts went to trade when they were looking for resources.
Greem turned and looked at the massive adept's tower standing at the center of the city. He turned to leave some simple instructions with Alice and tossed a magic crystal card her way. Greem then left Alice and Snorlax to their own devices as he headed in another direction.