In the midst of Argam City's hustle and bustle, which had begun to glow with the vibrant orange hues of the late afternoon, the three figures continued their stride through the crowd. Their goal was now a single point: the main gate located at the eastern edge of the city.
The shadows of the towering stone walls began to come into view. There, several fully armed soldiers stood guard, inspecting every horse carriage and pedestrian attempting to enter or exit. When it was their turn, a gate guard halted them. His eyes scanned them with deep scrutiny, particularly as his gaze fell upon Wolvin, who stood at Calian's side without any mark of ownership.
"Where are you headed at this hour, Young Master?" the guard asked, his tone laced with a hint of suspicion.
Calian met the soldier's gaze calmly. The purple-haired teenager's face remained expressionless, radiating a noble aura that instinctively caused the guard to bow his head slightly.
"We are continuing our journey." Calian answered coldly, his voice crisp and absolute. "As adventurers, it is our duty to visit places we have never been before. Is there an issue with that?"
Hearing such a firm and logical response, the guard swallowed hard. Moreover, he could feel a faint aura of intimidation being intentionally projected by Elara from behind Calian. The soldier realized he had no right or legal grounds to prevent, let alone forbid, the three of them from moving forward.
"V-Very well, Young Master." the guard replied, quickly shifting his tone to a more respectful one as he pulled back his spear. "I wish the three of you have a smooth journey."
"Yes, thank you."
After Calian offered a formal thanks, the three of them resumed their walk, passing through the thick stone gates and slowly distancing themselves from Argam City.
Once the rhythm of footsteps and the city's noise were left far behind, a long, deep sigh escaped Wolvin. The Night Wolf teenager closed his golden eyes for a moment, breathing in the free air deeply.
The air outside the city walls felt much fresher. But more importantly, his footsteps felt incredibly light. The invisible weight that had been crushing his chest was gone. There were no more sharp gazes, demeaning whispers, or fingers pointing at him with prejudice. On this quiet dirt road, he could finally breathe with relief.
Calian, noticing the change in his spouse's mood, turned to look. Seeing Wolvin's face glowing with joy once more, a sincere smile etched itself onto Calian's lips. He felt the same immense relief.
They continued to walk along the main road leading away from Argam until the city was completely out of sight.
Feeling they were at a safe enough distance, Elara suddenly changed direction. She led her son and son-in-law off the main path and deeper into the lush forest flanking the road.
"Stop here!" Elara instructed once they reached a small clearing surrounded by dense trees.
Calian and Wolvin halted their steps.
"Close your eyes, both of you!" Elara ordered with a serious tone. "No peeking. I will use high-level teleportation magic so we can reach our destination directly. This transition might make you feel a bit nauseous."
Without questioning her, the two teenagers did as they were told. Calian and Wolvin squeezed their eyelids shut, placing their absolute trust in their mother.
Seeing that her son and son-in-law were ready, Elara took a deep breath. Her hands extended slowly downward.
"Iauna Teleport!" Elara murmured with a heavy, resonant intonation that made the air around them vibrate.
Instantly, the ground beneath their feet seemed to tremble. A massive and complex golden-yellow magic circle suddenly emerged from the earth. The circle glowed with a brilliant light, adorned with rows of ancient script and unique geometric symbols that swirled around the three of them.
A massive surge of magical energy soared into the air, creating a fierce vortex of wind that swept away the dry leaves surrounding them. And at its peak...
Zap!
A flash of golden light exploded in the silence, blinding the entire forest area. In the blink of an eye, the three figures vanished without a trace. The wind suddenly ceased, leaving only a haunting silence in the heart of the border forest, as if they had never been there at all.
The strange pulling sensation in their stomachs lasted for less than a second. Once it faded, the air touching their skin felt different. It was cooler, cleaner, and carried a foreign floral scent.
"Open your eyes. We have arrived!" Elara said, her voice sounding relieved.
Calian and Wolvin slowly opened their eyes. The first thing that met their sight was a vast expanse of green meadow. And when they lifted their heads, the two teenagers were struck with shock and awe.
In the distance stretched a giant city wall made of pristine white stone, a stark contrast to the dark, grim architecture of the Yornvast Empire. Watchtowers stood tall with flags bearing unfamiliar emblems fluttering in the wind.
Calian looked at the ground beneath his feet, then back at the city walls. The teleportation magic his mother had just used left him in awe of its practicality and efficiency. A journey that might have taken a very long time by carriage was now completed in the blink of an eye.
"Come, let's head there!" Elara invited, stepping forward across the meadow.
The two hurried to follow. Every step that brought them closer to the giant city gates was filled with bubbling enthusiasm. Calian and Wolvin were eager to see what kind of city his mother claimed was an ideal place without discrimination for beastfolk.
Realizing they were now in a safe territory with no one else in the meadow, Wolvin finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Darling, what do you think the city will be like?" Wolvin exclaimed enthusiastically, his wide smile never fading. The affectionate address he had been holding back finally slipped freely from his lips. "I really can't wait to find out!"
Hearing that tender, pampered, yet spirited call, Calian's heart warmed.
"I feel the same as you, Wolvin." Calian replied softly, returning the smile. He reached for Wolvin's fingers and held his hand without hesitation. "I can't wait to see you feeling comfortable living in a place without the need to hide or endure discrimination. I hope this city truly suits you."
"Yes!" Wolvin replied, his face flushed and radiant as he tightened his grip on his husband's hand.
A few moments later, they arrived at the city's main gate, which was made of magnificent white steel. However, before they could step inside, the sound of clashing metal stopped them.
Four guards in gleaming silver armor immediately blocked their path with a wary but not demeaning attitude.
"Stop right there! Show your identification!" said one of the soldiers, who appeared to be the squad leader.
Without resistance, Calian, Wolvin, and Elara produced their Rank F adventurer license plates and handed them over.
The soldier received their identities. However, as his eyes read the origin of the cards' issuance, his brows furrowed deeply. He exchanged glances with his three comrades, their faces showing genuine shock.
Aside from their rank being the lowest possible, the main issue was geographic logic. The distance between the outer borders of the Yornvast Empire and their current position was immense.
"Wait a minute..." the soldier said, staring at the three of them with deep suspicion and extra caution. His hand gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist. "The three of you... walked here from the Argam City branch guild in the Yornvast Empire? With a rank this low?"
The soldier stared sharply at Elara. "It is completely nonsensical for rookies to cross dangerous monster zones that far without dying. Are you truly adventurers? Or are you spies from the Yornvast Empire using fake identities?!"
Calian was about to open his mouth to argue, but Elara gracefully raised her hand, stopping her son. She had fully anticipated the suspicious reaction from these gatekeepers.
With a thin smile that radiated absolute authority, Elara took a step forward.
"I understand your concern perfectly, Soldier." Elara replied casually, yet her voice carried the command of a superior addressing a subordinate. "However, rather than wasting your time doubting me here, you should call Rodaz to meet me at this gate right now!"