Rethaz appeared on the horizon, its silhouette rising in the distance.

  Rose stared at the city with wide, curious eyes. She had never been to Rethaz before, but from what she knew, it was a relatively young city—founded less than twenty years ago by Lord Casper himself. Once, it had been nothing more than a small riverside village along the Rethaz River. Now, thanks to Lord Casper’s ambition, it had grown into one of the most important trade cities in the kingdom.

  Rethaz served as the kingdom’s primary river port—its maritime artery linking the western lands to the Eastern Continent. Through it, Lord Casper had gained not only wealth, but influence far beyond his borders.

  As the caravan approached the city gates, Rose noticed the sheer volume of traffic. Countless caravans were entering and leaving the city, forming long lines that stretched along the road. Their own caravan slowed and came to a stop as it joined the queue.

  Rose stood beside Mardukir and glanced ahead.

  “What now?” she asked.

  “We wait,” Mardukir replied calmly.

  “How long?” she pressed.

  He studied the line in front of them.

  “An hour, maybe.”

  Rose’s expression darkened immediately.

  Mardukir noticed and chuckled softly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Rose crossed her arms, barely hiding her irritation.

  “When are we leaving? I really want to see the Eastern Continent.”

  Mardukir placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair slightly.

  “You really are excited, aren’t you?”

  “Of course I am,” Rose said without hesitation. Then her eyes lit up.

  “Is it true there are scorpions the size of horses?”

  Mardukir burst out laughing.

  “Maybe not horses. But did you know there are crabs the size of wagons?”

  Rose froze.

  “…You’re joking.”

  “I’m not,” he replied seriously. “And their meat is delicious. They sell for absurd prices in eastern markets.”

  Rose tilted her head thoughtfully.

  “What do they taste like? Like the river crabs we catch back home? Even though those are barely the size of my fist.”

  Mardukir grinned.

  “They’re one of the finest things you’ll ever eat. Sweet, rich, tender. But don’t underestimate them—their claws can cut a man clean in half, and their shells are tougher than steel.”

  Rose stared at him.

  “Have you fought one before?”

  “A few times,” he admitted. “They’re cautious creatures. Rarely surface from the sand. That rarity is exactly why demand is so high in the Eastern Continent.”

  As they talked, the caravan slowly crept forward. By the time they finally reached the city gate, nearly an hour had passed.

  At the gate, Narishta stepped forward alongside Zamirah, speaking with the guards. She handed them an unfamiliar insignia along with a document.

  Rose leaned toward Mardukir.

  “What’s that?”

  “Every caravan entering through the river receives a passage token and travel document,” he explained. “It grants permission to cross Lord Casper’s lands. When leaving, the token is returned, and the document is checked for stamps from each city visited. It’s how they track caravan routes.”

  “Why all that trouble?” Rose asked.

  Mardukir shrugged.

  “How should I know? I’m a guard. Besides—you’re from these lands. Shouldn’t you know?”

  Rose snorted.

  “Sai probably does. He knows everything before it even happens.”

  Soon, the guards finished inspecting the wagons and signaled approval. The caravan began moving again, passing through the gates and into the city.

  Almost immediately, Rose noticed something strange.

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  Beyond the gate, soldiers stood watch—but their armor was different from that of ordinary city guards. Heavier. More disciplined.

  Legion soldiers.

  Why are legion troops stationed inside the city? That’s unusual…

  As they walked, Rose leaned closer to Mardukir.

  “Are we heading to the port?”

  “Straight there,” he confirmed. “Once the caravan is loaded, we leave immediately.”

  “Do we already have a ship?” Rose asked.

  “No,” Mardukir replied. “Master Karandash will hire one. And I doubt he wants to delay any longer than necessary.”

  Rose’s heart skipped with excitement.

  “Good.”

  As the caravan moved deeper into the city, Rose took in the wide roads and open plazas. Trade squares overflowed with goods—eastern spices, fine silks, jewelry, gemstones—all being unloaded amid loud negotiations. Traders crowded every corner, turning the plazas into living auctions.

  Some caravans stopped to sell their wares. Others passed straight through the city, heading onward.

  Mardukir noticed where Rose’s gaze lingered.

  “Some merchants sell everything here. Others deal directly with trade guilds—or clients they already know. And some,” he added, “continue deeper into the Continent.

  Without looking at him, Rose asked,

  “Where are we going?”

  Mardukir replied. “Master Karandash secured a contract to supply the wedding of a lord in the city of Sharudan with the finest wines.”

  Rose blinked.

  “So… that’s our destination?”

  “Yes.”

  She fell silent, still staring at the city around them.

  Now she understood why Rethaz mattered so much to Lord Casper.

  But the question lingered.

  Why were legion soldiers stationed here?

  She made a mental note to ask Sai later.

  Something about this city felt… important.

  After arriving at the harbor, Master Karandash and his assistant, Narishta, headed toward a large building overlooking the docks.

  Rose watched them go, then turned to Mardukir, who had sat down atop a wooden crate.

  “Are we hiring a ship from there?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Mardukir replied. “Every vessel that enters the harbor registers there.”

  Rose frowned.

  “Why?”

  Mardukir shrugged.

  “I don’t know, girl. Maybe to keep track of ships. Or to coordinate traffic. Are you sure you’re from these lands?”

  Rose scoffed.

  “How would I know? I’ve never traveled like this. And you—haven’t you gone on countless journeys? How do you not know?”

  Mardukir blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her tone. Then he laughed.

  I’m just a guard,” he said. “I know little of caravan—or the laws of Lord Casper’s lands. And honestly… the Eastern Continent works very differently.”

  Rose tilted her head.

  “How so?”

  Mardukir looked at her seriously.

  “Kings and princes here rule cities and the lands around them. But being a king doesn’t mean absolute power. Merchants and trade guilds often hold more authority than the rulers themselves.”

  Rose stared at him.

  “How is that possible? Don’t they have soldiers? Armies?”

  Mardukir chuckled.

  “They do. But they don’t always trust their loyalty. Meanwhile, merchants—through alliances and coin—can easily raise mercenary armies larger than any standing force.”

  Rose fell silent.

  She had spent her entire childhood in the training yards of Lord Casper’s castle—surrounded by soldiers and knights who had sworn loyalty to their lord. She understood oaths. She understood devotion.

  But this…

  The Eastern Continent sounded like a world beyond anything she had imagined.

  She remained lost in thought until she sensed Sai approaching. Turning her head, she saw him waving as he walked toward them.

  Rose smiled and waited for him.

  When Sai arrived, he glanced at Mardukir.

  “I hope Rose hasn’t caused you any trouble.”

  Mardukir smiled.

  “On the contrary. I think I’ll enjoy her company.”

  Rose shot Sai an annoyed look.

  “Why would I cause him trouble?”

  Sai simply smiled and ignored her glare. Turning back to Mardukir, he said,

  “Kaveh asked me to give you this.”

  Sai pulled out a round shield engraved with unfamiliar symbols. Rose couldn’t read the letters, but the craftsmanship was beautiful.

  Mardukir rose at once.

  “Finally—it’s been repaired.”

  He took the shield from Sai and examined it closely, running his fingers over its surface.

  “Excellent,” he murmured. “I can feel my energy flowing through it again.”

  Rose leaned closer.

  “What happened to it?”

  Mardukir nodded toward the shield.

  “It took a devastating blow. The magic core inside cracked—but it saved my life.”

  He looked up at Sai.

  “Thank you.”

  “No need,” Sai replied. “I only delivered it.”

  He paused, then asked,

  “Did Master Karandash go to the ship registry?”

  “Yes,” Mardukir said. “He went with Narishta.”

  “Good,” Sai replied. “Then all that’s left is to wait.”

  Rose looked between them.

  “What’s that building anyway? Do all ships have to be hired from there?”

  Sai nodded.

  “Yes. All commercial vessels register at the harbor. Transport contracts are logged there—the agreed price between captain and client, the cargo value, everything. Taxes are calculated and paid before departure.”

  Sai noticed Rose watching the soldiers stationed throughout the city.

  “Did you notice?” she asked quietly. “There are soldiers from Lord Casper’s legions here.”

  Sai followed her gaze and nodded.

  “Yes. I did. It’s unusual—but given the magical phenomenon, and the city’s importance, they may have deployed a legion to secure it.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Rose said after a moment. “How much longer do you think it’ll take before we leave?”

  Sai rose to his feet.

  “I don’t know. It depends on ship availability—and negotiations with a captain. It could take some time.”

  He paused, then added, “Just sit tight and wait. I’ll go check in with Kaveh.”

  With that, Sai turned and headed back toward the caravan.

  Rose sat beside Mardukir, her eyes lingering on the large harbor office building.

  Without a word, Mardukir reached into his pack, pulled out a strip of smoked meat, and handed it to her before taking one for himself.

  He bit into it casually, then glanced at her.

  “So,” he said, “how long have you been an adventurer?”

  He wasn’t asking out of curiosity alone—he had noticed that Rose rarely spoke unless spoken to, often remaining quiet unless someone drew her into conversation.

  “About a year,” Rose replied.

  Mardukir froze mid-chew.

  “A year?” he repeated. “You’re telling me you reached rank five in a single year?”

  Rose’s expression darkened instantly.

  “I’m not rank five,” she said sharply. “I’m rank three. Sai is the one who’s rank five.”

  Mardukir stared at her in disbelief.

  “Even rank three is impressive—especially at your age.”

  Rose didn’t respond. The irritation was clear on her face.

  Mardukir sighed softly, then opened his pouch again and offered her another piece of dried meat.

  She accepted it—and just like that, her mood visibly improved.

  They sat in silence after that, chewing slowly, watching ships dock and depart across the harbor.

  As the sun slowly dipped toward the horizon, the harbor grew louder—creaking wood, shouted orders, fluttering sails catching the wind.

  Rose watched the ships in silence, her fingers tightening slightly around the strip of dried meat.

  Somewhere beyond that water lay lands she had only heard of in stories… and dangers she could not yet imagine.

  Whatever awaited them across the sea, one thing was certain.

  Once the caravan departed, there would be no turning back.

  And Rose’s heart raced at the thought.

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