After finalizing their plan for the upcoming actions, Lynn turned to Jenny and spoke.
"We may have successfully escaped the Church's pursuit this time, but in doing so, we've disrupted a crucial trade route. When we reach the Iyeta Sea Port (Iyeta Harbor), we might face some scrutiny. I'll handle the explanations."
Jenny realized the magnitude of their predicament, but seeing Lynn's unwavering composure gave him a modicum of reassurance.
Next, they pondered the potential troubles they might encounter upon entering Iyeta Harbor and roughly discussed strategies. Eventually, Lynn hesitated for a moment and spoke again.
"By the way... from now on, please address me as Lynn. It's a new alias I've come up with. Since we've become wizards, it's best to leave our past identities behind to avoid implicating our families in any future problems."
***
The massive warship drifted on the sea for a full half-month before finally emerging from the shroud of mist. The outline of a vast island was now visible at the horizon's end.
"Hurry, give it your all! We're almost there. The Iyeta Harbor is just ahead!" Lame Laut shouted loudly, and the sailors on the ship pushed harder, eager to escape the accursed fog.
Lynn stood on the deck, gazing into the distance. As the ship drew closer, the city's harbour was clearly visible.
However, several patrol boats were quickly closing in on the sea.
These boats had a peculiar appearance, appearing relatively flat overall. There were no masts on their hulls, and instead of the tall sails, there were cylindrical structures emitting smoke.
Steamboats? Lynn observed with interest, and Lame Laut, standing nearby, provided an explanation.
"These alchemical ships are a unique creation of the Wizard's Land. They are much faster than our sail warships, and they aren't as affected by strong winds."
As he spoke, the warship, escorted by a few alchemical ships, slowly approached the shore.
The sailors skillfully lowered the rudder and gangplank, and a wizard in a blue robe was already waiting at the dock.
"It's been a while, Theodore, my old friend!" Lame Laut descended from the ship, warmly embracing the wizard and then turned to introduce the two people behind him.
"This is Lord Lynn and Miss Jenny!"
"Rare indeed. It's been quite some time since foreign wizards set foot here." Theodore scrutinized Lynn and Jenny for a moment before speaking. "Nevertheless. Welcome to Iyeta Harbor. I believe it won't be long before you both grow fond of this place!"
"Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Theodore!" Lynn replied confidently, and Jenny offered a respectful bow.
Theodore exchanged a few more pleasantries before turning to Lame Laut. "By the way, Old Lame, why did you personally come this year? And with a warship? Has something happened?"
If he hadn't used his alchemical eyepiece to spot Lame Laut on the deck, the crystal cannons in the harbor would have been activated long ago.
"The situation is even more complicated than you might imagine. We need to meet with Master Heralm personally to explain everything," Lame Laut said, his tone grave.
Upon hearing Lame Laut's solemn words, Theodore's smile immediately faded, and he furrowed his brows. He spoke, "Master Heralm is not at the academy right now. Let me take you to find him."
Lame Laut understood the procedure, so before leaving, he instructed all the sailors to remain on the ship and await inspection.
As the distance wasn't great, they decided to walk, following Theodore into the city.
The inner city of Iyeta Harbor presented a stark contrast to the Imperial territories. The black road was clean and smooth, the streets were wide enough to accommodate three carriages side by side, and the rows of white-walled, red-roofed buildings were laid out meticulously. Even the trees and flowers by the street were trimmed to perfection, exuding a rich Western classical style.
While Jenny and Lame Laut had been to the Wizard's Land before, revisiting it still left them deeply awed.
Lynn almost felt like he had time-travelled. If the people of the Sekas Empire were still living in the wicked medieval era, the Wizard's Land had leapt ahead to the 17th or 18th century.
"Oh, look over there. Isn't it beautiful?" Walking on a cobblestone path that led further into the city, Theodore pointed to a large fountain and a group of sculptures of various shapes and sizes within the city. He introduced them with a sense of pride.
"The entire Iyeta Harbor was designed by Master Raphael. He's the most renowned architect and sculptor in the entire Wizard's Land."
"He must be a perfectionist..." Lynn couldn't help but comment silently.
All the buildings in Iyeta Harbor were perfectly aligned, and there was no discernible difference between the left and right sides of the streets. If there was a decorative flower bed on one side, there would inevitably be an identical one on the other side!
However, after experiencing the city's scenery, Lynn understood why most wizards preferred to stay in the Wizard's Land. Anyone who experienced this environment wouldn't want to return to the dirty, disorderly, and foul-smelling Sekas Empire.
Along the way, Theodore boasted about everything in Iyeta Harbor, from the road surfaces to architectural designs, and even the materials used for crafting each sculpture. He enjoyed observing the surprised and awed expressions on the faces of Lynn and his companions.
Whenever someone from outside the Wizard's Land arrived here, he couldn't help but feel a strong sense of superiority.
Lynn surveyed the unique harbor city with great interest, his gaze passing over each building. He had only seen such an ancient architectural style in black-and-white photos from the database. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a bit perplexed. Were there too few people on the streets?
After entering the inner city, they encountered no more than a hundred people in total.
Just as Lynn was contemplating this, a sudden commotion and clamour ahead caught his attention. He looked up to see that the massive square at the city center was already filled with a crowd, and it seemed to be growing by the minute.
"Is there some sort of celebration today?" Lynn asked with curiosity.
Theodore opened his mouth but hesitated, ultimately shaking his head with a hint of resignation. "Not exactly. It's probably just a farce!"