Yao City may just be an important hub for north-south trade, where many merchants stop for a day or two before moving on, yet it still thrives with prosperity.
Walking along the wide, cobblestone streets, Fars appeared quite at ease, showing no signs of fear despite the recent stir caused by the vampire incident. In some situations, the more one tries to hide, the more trouble seems to find them. Truth be told, Fars wasn't particularly keen on wandering the streets during the day with two children and a more troublesome Yuna. However, the rotund merchant who had promised them passage north had yet to secure a suitable ship, leaving Fars with little to do. So, he decided to indulge Yuna's wishes and explore the bustling shops.
The docks are often the busiest part of a city that relies on water transport for its economy, and they are also the most vibrant. Visitors enjoy experiencing the unique atmosphere of life at the docks in Yao City. Besides the grand shops in the city center catering to the nobility, the docks are lined with numerous small shops, catering to the middle and lower classes, as well as miserly merchants who, despite their wealth, are stingy. These stingy merchants often invite influential figures from the docks to dine at the finest restaurants, resulting in a plethora of lavishly decorated establishments.
As Fars intentionally avoided the luxury shops in the city center, he found himself in the dock area adjacent to the Rhine River. He explained that he was trying to steer clear of the Magic Guild and the cathedral located in the city center, but judging by Yuna's slightly resentful expression, it was clear that this reasoning was somewhat flimsy.
Fars had originally arranged to meet the merchant who would allow them to board a ship at the Yao City Chamber of Commerce in the evening. This time was sufficient for a seasoned merchant to find a suitable vessel and negotiate a price. However, the cargo wouldn't be leaving that night; river transport was slower than overland travel, and the journey to the Roland Empire would involve several stops at major cities, with the ship rarely docking. This meant that the crew would need to prepare for a month or more on board. Therefore, both the captain and the crew would take a day to rest and relax in Yao City before embarking on their long journey, likely setting sail the day after tomorrow.
Fars had clearly communicated this to Yuna, Lilith, and Linte. Linte, having come from a difficult background, was accustomed to hardship and didn't mind spending long periods on a ship. However, both Lilith and Yuna pouted, appearing quite forlorn and somewhat dissatisfied with Fars's decision.
Traveling is inherently arduous, and often, the more one journeys, the more they develop a unique traveler's temperament—a sense of detachment that cannot be held onto, a longing for distant places that cannot be confined. Fars merely smiled gently at Yuna and Lilith's discontent. Their journey was still long, with over a hundred thousand miles to the eastern lands of the blood clan. It was difficult to explain all this to them; he just needed them to trust him and be willing to follow.
The vampire incident in Yao City hadn't caused widespread panic; after all, only Lady Osyka had been attacked, and the upper echelons of society rarely affected the daily lives of the hardworking citizens. However, it was common to encounter patrol soldiers conducting inspections along the way. These soldiers often took the opportunity to extort a little from unfamiliar outsiders, creating trouble for those who had no connection to the blood clan. When pushed, many were willing to part with a bit of money to avoid further issues.
Perhaps because Fars and his companions were dressed quite elegantly, with only Linte resembling a servant, the ordinary patrol soldiers dared not provoke them. However, there were still some noble youths, brazen and unafraid, who took it upon themselves to conduct inspections. Unfortunately, a few of these young nobles, mounted on tall horses and flanked by ordinary patrol soldiers, blocked Fars and his companions' path.
The leader was a handsome young man, around seventeen or eighteen, with golden hair that shone blindingly in the sunlight. He held a riding crop, which he used to block the path a few meters in front of Fars.
"Hey, you in the black robe, I'm talking to you," the young man said, deliberately pointing his whip at Fars.
"What is it?" Fars replied coldly, his tone clipped. Anyone would feel irritated when being pointed at with a whip. In handling such situations, one must not appear too weak; only by being ruder and more domineering could one intimidate these entitled young nobles.
"Who are you? We are acting on the orders of Marquis Osyka to inspect the comings and goings in the city," the mounted youth declared, trying to assert authority over the seemingly formidable figure in the black robe.
"A traveling mage," Fars replied, slowly producing his mage's badge and hanging it prominently on his chest. To emphasize his status, his mount, Danys, let out a loud neigh, causing the horse beneath the young noble to stamp nervously.
Even the most arrogant of nobles would hesitate to offend a mage in public, and upon seeing the newly displayed badge, the young men were visibly intimidated. The leader quickly dismounted, wearing a feigned apologetic smile, and expressed his understanding of the difficulties involved in their routine duties.
With that, the matter was settled. In Yao City, provoking the local aristocracy was not a wise move, and scaring them off to avoid conflict was not a bad outcome.
Not long after Fars left, a man in a white robe, accompanied by a knight acting as his guard, arrived at the spot where Fars had just stood. It seemed this white-robed man was quite famous and respected in Yao City, as anyone passing by would greet him. He was one of the two white-robed priests in Yao City, second only to the bishop, and being a local, he was more beloved by the people than the bishop who had been sent from elsewhere. This popularity stemmed from his frequent interactions with the citizens, earning him their goodwill.
"My lord, there is indeed a lingering aura of darkness here. However, that black-robed man appeared to be a mage. Could he be a practitioner of dark magic?" a knight standing beside the white-robed priest whispered, breaking the priest's deep contemplation.
Those who had long bathed in the light of the divine could easily discern the presence of dark energy. In recent years, the church's development in Yao City had been somewhat suppressed by the Magic Guild, prompting the church to mobilize its clergy to investigate the sudden appearance of the blood clan. As one of the church's leaders in the area, the white-robed priest felt a heavy responsibility, but he also knew that matters involving mages required caution.
"Go find the patrol team that just interacted with them and inquire about that black-robed man's specifics," he instructed.
The knight promptly ran off to catch up with the patrol soldiers who had just disappeared down the street. Shortly thereafter, he returned with the information the white-robed priest sought.
"A mage?" The priest appeared surprised upon hearing this news. Based on his instincts, the aura felt all too familiar, leading him to suspect it was likely a high-ranking blood clan member. After all, vampires bold enough to roam during the day were not to be trifled with, which was why he hadn't recklessly confronted Fars and his group.
"Yes, my lord. The leader of that patrol team is the nephew of Marquis Osyka. He wouldn't mistake it," the knight reported respectfully, relaying all he knew.
"Is that so? This matter is serious; I should report back to the bishop before making any decisions. Whether it's a dark magic practitioner or a vampire that can walk in daylight, it's beyond what I can handle alone." After contemplating, the white-robed priest decided it was best to return to the church for a discussion. He then asked, "Is the bishop still at the church?"
Although the knight was unsure why the priest inquired, he answered honestly, "The bishop left the city this morning."
"What? He left the city?" The previously composed white-robed priest began to show signs of panic. Why would the bishop leave? He had been preoccupied with another matter and was not fully aware of the bishop's whereabouts.
"This morning, Lord Berlaute said he had detected the presence of the blood clan that attacked Lady Osyka outside the city. As you know, the bishop is young and eager to seize this opportunity to strengthen the church's foothold, so he took Lord Berlaute and several knights outside the city."
The white-robed priest's expression darkened; things were starting to get chaotic. Whether the bishop truly captured the blood clan outside the city or if the black-robed man was indeed a vampire, both scenarios posed significant risks for him. If the former was true, he would miss a chance to gain merit and allow his rival to claim all the credit, leading to a difficult future in Yao City. The latter was even more dangerous; regardless of whether the black-robed man was a mage, the only one capable of suppressing him in Yao City was the mage from the Magic Guild.
"Return to the church." The white-robed priest resolved that ensuring his own safety was paramount. The church, fortified with divine magic, would provide strong protection against any vampires daring to intrude. With his strength as a white-robed priest and the knights stationed at the church, he felt confident facing any potential vampire threats that might emerge tonight.