Pera—the heart of the North. That was the title bestowed upon the city, home to a staggering one million souls. For this world, that number was extraordinary. In fact, it was likely one of the most densely populated cities here.
But the label wasn't about numbers alone—it was about the diversity of its inhabitants. Humans weren't the only ones who called this place home. No, there were other races, ones I'd only read about or dreamed of before. And my first encounter with them?
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"We're here," Markus declared, gesturing outward with a nod of his head.
I followed the direction of his finger and froze, awestruck. Towering ahead was a colossal wall, easily over two dozen meters tall.
"That thing's enormous," I muttered. And it oddly reminds me of a certain show back on my Earth.
"The wall? Yeah, it's been here since the fourth Progenitor built it. Stood strong ever since," Markus replied casually.
"How long ago was that?" I asked, curiosity creeping into my tone.
"Not sure. But it was already here a century ago."
A century. That's no short span. My thoughts wandered to these so-called Progenitors. One had built this formidable wall, while another apparently governed the city.
"Must be one hell of a wall to last this long," I remarked.
"Oh, it is. Practically indestructible, from what I hear."
"How'd the fourth Progenitor manage to build something like this?"
"That… no one really knows. Most of what we know about the Progenitors is guesswork or myths. Very few people have ever met them, and even fewer have seen them in the past hundred years."
"Are they… long-lived?" I ventured.
"Maybe. The sixth Progenitor's definitely old, though that could be because of his race."
Race? My mind raced. Could it be—?
"What do you mean by race?" I blurted out, a little too eagerly.
"He's an elf—or so I've heard."
Holy shit. Elves exist.
My earlier disappointment about the limitations of my creation powers faded in an instant. I'd been worried I wouldn't get to experience the thrill of interacting with other races. Now, it felt like every fantasy was back on the table.
Before I could press Markus further, the truck slowed to a stop. From my seat, I couldn't see what lay ahead, so I stood for a better view.
There was somewhat big gate. It was illuminated by all sorts of lamps. On top of the gate, there was something written in a language I failed to recognize. And then I saw them.
"No way…" I muttered, staring at the figures guarding the gate. Human torsos, horse-like lower halves, and muscles that could rival a tank. Centaurs.
They were dressed somewhat similarly to Markus and his company. Though, there were a few key differences.
In any case, that was my first encounter with the other races, and it was a memory that would stay with me for eternity. While I didn't get to interact with these ones in particular directly, the sight alone was more than enough.
Focusing, I picked up on their conversation.
"Who's with you? New recruit?" one of the centaurs asked gruffly.
"A noble. Calls himself a traveler," Markus replied.
"Oh, Supreme…" another centaur sighed deeply.
Supreme? Markus mentioned him earlier too. A local deity, maybe?
"Well, let's not keep you and our guest waiting."
The gate began to creak open, its movement slow and deliberate. Unlike the wall, the gate itself was underwhelming—constructed of plain stone(?), with no advanced mechanisms in sight.
As the truck rumbled forward, I braced myself for what lay beyond the walls. Nothing could have prepared me for it.
A long road stretched ahead, leading to the bustling heart of the city. Once we arrived, I was amazed. The scene was a whirlwind of activity—vehicles zipping by, pedestrians of every race imaginable strolling along, and the skies alive with aerial vehicles and winged beings.
This was nothing like the empty, lifeless city I'd woken up in. This place was alive. Vibrant.
Assuming it had just turned dark, this amount of activity was to be expected… or so I judged based on my standards that originated from my Earth.
"Sir, we'll be taking you to the City Center now, as per protocol," Markus said.
"Sure," I replied absentmindedly, my gaze still glued to the mesmerizing chaos around me.
Within moments, I'd spotted humans, elves, dwarves, and beast-people—or whatever they were called here. But what truly caught my attention were the orcs and trolls, races I'd always considered hostile.
Were they the same as the stereotypes I'd grown up with? Or was this world different?
"It's a pretty harmonious city," I observed aloud.
"It is," Markus affirmed. "The most peaceful in the North."
"What about other cities?"
"There aren't many left," he said, his tone darkening. "Only four remain."
"That's… grim," I said, trying to sound empathetic.
"It is," he muttered. "Pera's the capital. It's where most normal folk prefer to live."
The way he said normal struck me as odd.
"Southwest of Pera, there's Argao. Small population—fifty thousand at most. Everyone there's a natural-born soldier, and most belong to the Malformed races."
"Malformed?" I echoed, confused.
"They're the offspring of normal races and the Nightmares," Markus explained, his expression tightening.
I should've been disgusted, but instead, my thoughts drifted to a demoness I'd encountered. Call me whatever you want, but I would definitely consider it.
"Sounds like they face a lot of prejudice," I remarked, watching his face for any reaction.
"That's putting it lightly," he scoffed. "The hatred for them is worse than for the Nightmares themselves."
Racism, alive and well—even here.
"How do Pera and Argao get along?"
"Politically? They're on good terms, thanks to the sixth Progenitor. Socially? That's a different story."
"Well, it's better than open conflict," I commented. Markus nodded in agreement.
"What about the other cities?" I questioned, curious about what the two cities could be like.