After an uneventful half a day, Arthur had gone back to the carriage and learned something quite interesting.
According to Scarlet, if they had continued on the normal trade route toward the Vampire Kingdom, it would have taken an estimated twenty four hours to reach the border tower of Valek.
However, since Sir Thomas had made detours against potential ambushes they went North West instead of North which would have led to Valek city.
Instead, they found themselves in the territory of the Holy Light Theocracy.
More accurately they were in the territory of a cardinal who watches over the border between the Vampire Kingdom and Holy Light Theocracy.
"Sir Thomas please forgive me for being rude, but isn't this even worse than a potential ambush?" Arthur said not wanting to question Sir Thomas' decision, he was just confused.
Wasn't this the same as sending themselves to the enemy?
"Haha, young Arthur, you are not being rude at all. Normally, you would be right; however, Cardinal John is a long time friend of mine. If he finds out what has happened to us, he would even send out his army to protect us."
"It sounds like Cardinal John is trustworthy and a great friend!"
"Indeed he is!"
====================================
After just an hour they finally arrived at Durank City or more precisely were outside of its twenty feet tall gate walls.
As it was his first time here and surprisingly Scarlet's too, Sir Thomas took the liberty of explaining a bit about the majestic city in front of them.
"The beautiful grandiose city in the front with its twenty feet high city walls is called Durank City, most notably the City of Peace. It has a population of two hundred thousand!"
"City of Peace?" Arthur asked, clearly confused by that term.
"Though I have never traveled to the City of Peace. I have heard many stories about it from my father and Uncle Thomas. It is named the City of Peace because it is situated in the middle of the border between the Vampire Kingdom and the Holy Light Theocracy, yet both sides coexist as one."
"Scarlet, what do you mean both sides coexist as one?"
"It is exactly as I said the City of Peace contains citizens from both the Vampire Kingdom and Holy Light Theocracy."
"I see that makes more sense, but I still don't understand how can Vampire Kingdom's citizens accept being under the Theocracies rule?"
"But they aren't! Arthur, where did you hear that?"
"Young miss, if I recall correctly the information was provided by you. However, young miss is not entirely incorrect with her information either, it is that the City of Peace is currently ruled by Cardinal John and next month Great General Balthazar will take over."
"Wouldn't that cause trouble if one of the acting leaders had ulterior motives during their one month tenure?"
"Arthur you are right, but according to my father both Great General Balthazar and Cardinal John do not actually have any power within the city. The city is in a sense run by itself with the two acting leaders overseeing it to make sure the city continues to stay peaceful."
Arthur didn't understand, even after the lengthy explanation from Scarlet, Uncle Albert, and Sir Thomas, how the City of Peace had not fallen.
A city run by two nations sounded ludicrous to him.
If they were allies, then it would make a bit more sense, but from what he had heard, the two nations were lukewarm at best in terms of relationships.
But at the same time, his curiosity to see inside the City of Peace grew further.
Not only would he finally see something other than trees ever since coming to this world, it would be a city that made no sense to him.
====================================
As if on cue just as they were finished explaining to Arthur it was their caravan's turn to be checked before entry, but unlike what he had heard earlier.
"That will be one copper coin!"
"That will be one copper coin!"
"That will be ten copper coins!"
Scarlet, knowing that this would be Arthur's first time entering a city said [Anyone who wishes to enter a city must pay an entry fee depending on the size of the transportation and the amount of people wishing to enter."
However, Scarlet had misunderstood Arthur's wry smile, he had already anticipated an entry fee.
His smile was for a different reason: earlier they had lined up behind other travelers, some were on horses, some riding weird looking animals presumably magical beasts, some were on foot, and some in carriages.
And without exception, they were all checked for documents, and asked to pay an entry fee by the guards stationed at the front gates.
[Scarlet, why do we not have to pay? Also, they didn't even check our caravan. What if we were smuggling illegal goods or had ulterior motives?"
Arthur couldn't help but ask a bit disappointedly he had expected City of Peace to be run a bit more equally otherwise peace would be hard to maintain.
[Well, are you?]
[What?]
[Are you smuggling illegal goods?]
[... Of course not! What I mean is how do the guards know we aren't when they don't check our carriage?]
[That is due to the trust they have in the Heartfilia Royal Family which extends to those whom they endorse. Not only that, Uncle Thomas is a frequent visitor to the City of Peace. In fact, before my family supported him he was already quite well known within this city for his reputation.]
[Though it is clear favoritism, it can also be attributed to their trust.]
[Yes, exactly!]
[But I must admit this city is beautiful!]
[Heehee, then how about we stroll around for a bit before leaving?]
[Scarlet, I would like to, but-]
[No buts!]
[Uncle Thomas and Uncle Albert I have decided, let us disembark for a few hours. Everyone must be tired from our long journey and a good rest would do them well.]