Watching Fratis’s departing figure, Luca couldn’t shake off a lingering sense of unease.
Why did he feel like things were heading in the wrong direction?
Luca instinctively shook his head to clear his thoughts.
No, it couldn’t be. He must be overthinking it…
After his conflict with Harvis, everything had been calm over the next few days.
Luca finished reading through all of Franklin’s notes and successfully mastered all of the Witch Doctor’s low-level skills.
In addition, he even learned a mid-level skill, Lich Fire.
[Lich Fire: Mid-level skill. Upon activation, this skill bypasses the target’s physical defenses and deals 180% mental damage. Consumes 2400 mana. Cooldown time: 20 minutes.]
Lich Fire was considered one of the Witch Doctor’s go-to offensive abilities. With this skill, Luca’s strength had taken another significant leap.
Another thing worth mentioning was Fratis.
Ever since that incident, she had become even closer to Luca, seeking him out to chat every day.
Although Luca didn’t want to get too entangled with her, he couldn’t bring himself to outright reject her.
Mainly because there wasn’t really anywhere to hide—after all, the four majestic wings’ back was only so big—so he just let her be.
Sensing Luca’s change in attitude, Fratis’s smile became noticeably brighter than before.
Seeing this, the Red Maple Academy students looked at Luca with eyes full of pity.
Their admiration for him deepened immensely.
Knowing how sensitive Fratis’s position was, yet still getting so close to her—this guy really didn’t take Finn seriously at all!
Meanwhile, the sneer on Harvis’s face grew wider by the day.
The way he looked at Luca now was as if he were staring at a dead man. He felt a strange calmness in his heart compared to before.
A man on the brink of death was hardly worth getting worked up over.
As for Kruse and Fred, they showed no intention of intervening in this matter.
Luca and Fratis, on the other hand, seemed entirely oblivious to everyone else’s stares, carrying on as if nothing were amiss.
Time passed slowly amidst this strange atmosphere.
Soon, a shimmering, winding river appeared at the horizon’s edge.
The water rushed turbulently, with waves crashing violently. Small boats that looked like tiny ants floated on its surface.
On the boats, shirtless fishermen held bamboo poles, skillfully maneuvering their vessels.
On the opposite bank of the river, an enormous mountain peak soared straight up into the sky!
From high above, waterfalls like silver ribbons cascaded down the peak’s sheer face, crashing into a vast lake below and echoing with a heartbeat-like, thunderous roar.
From the sky, the sight was spectacular. The massive mountain stood at the center, and a network of countless rivers branched out like veins, spreading across the land in all directions.
“We’re almost at Southwind City!” The Red Maple Academy students cheered excitedly, their faces lighting up with anticipation.
At that moment, the four majestic wings began to ascend higher into the air.
Upon reaching the clouds, Luca finally caught sight of a sprawling, bustling metropolis perched atop the mountain peak.
The silver waterfalls he had seen earlier were pouring out from several of the city’s massive gates.
The city itself was arranged in a circular fashion, with buildings rising in height as they moved inward, culminating in a towering spire that pierced the clouds, its tip out of sight.
At the very top of the spire was an enormous metallic wind turbine, slowly turning in the wind.
Above the city, numerous cloud-winged airships, ranging from simple to luxurious, floated in and out. From afar, they looked like swarms of worker bees, giving the city a distinct industrial touch.
As Luca observed this city atop the mountain, he felt a sense of surprise.
He hadn’t expected Southwind City to be built on a mountain peak.
It seemed as if an entire mountain had been carved away to create this grand city.
No wonder it was called the main city of the Southern Territory. Judging by its sheer size, Southwind City was at least ten times larger than Riverfall City.
The four majestic wings did not fly directly into the city. Instead, it hovered outside the city gate and began a slow descent.
“Flying is prohibited within Southwind City’s limits. This is a decree issued personally by Marquis Bronte. Violators will be detained by the city guards for seven days and fined,” Fratis said softly as she leaped off the gryphon, reminding Luca.
Luca nodded slightly, making a mental note of this rule.
The laws of such large cities were set by the nobility, and they had the authority to deal with offenders as they saw fit. It was not something to be taken lightly.
Harvis walked over and sneered, “A bumpkin like him probably won’t have the chance to fly for the rest of his life. Your Highness, why bother explaining?”
But to his frustration, neither Luca nor Fratis spared him a single glance, choosing to ignore him entirely.
“Enjoy it while you can!” Harvis’s eyes flashed with a chilling light. He would deal with this country bumpkin properly once they entered Southwind City!
Sensing the hostile gaze behind him, Luca narrowed his eyes slightly.
He hoped that this so-called noble wouldn’t push his luck. If not, Luca wouldn’t hesitate to send another person down to accompany Matthew…
After everyone dismounted from the gryphon, they followed Kruse and the others towards the city gate.
Upon seeing Kruse and Fred, the city guards immediately bowed respectfully and allowed the entire group to pass through into Southwind City.
As they crossed the gate, the view before Luca suddenly opened up.
A wide avenue stretched out in front of him.
The cityscape was somewhat different from what he had imagined. The road was paved with gray stone slabs—barely clean by his standards—and flanked by rows of dilapidated houses that had clearly seen better days.
Ordinary residents in plain clothing walked along the streets. While they weren’t exactly gaunt or haggard, their spirits seemed dampened, and dark circles shadowed their eyes, as if they hadn’t rested well in a long time.
This place… wasn’t nearly as picturesque as he had envisioned.
Fratis seemed to notice Luca’s confusion and softly explained, “Southwind City is divided into three districts: the Outer District, the Inner District, and the Noble District. The Outer District is home to the lowest-class residents, who make up the majority of the city’s population.”
“They’re quite unfortunate. They’re no different from the people living outside the city, and sometimes they have to work even harder just to earn the basic necessities for survival.”
Luca instinctively wanted to ask why they didn’t just live down below, but then it suddenly dawned on him.
The reason these people chose to stay here was precisely for the status of being a Southwind City resident.
Even though life in Southwind City was far more grueling than in the villages and towns at the mountain’s base, they would never choose to leave.
Because down there, they were just commoners. But here, even as the lowest rung of society, they were still residents of Southwind City.
He shook his head. Life is about choices, and there was no point in dwelling on it.
After they entered Southwind City, a luxurious carriage slowly made its way toward them.
The carriage eventually came to a stop in front of Harvis.
A servant stepped out from the carriage.
With a sycophantic smile on his face, he addressed Harvis, “Welcome home, young master! I’ve already prepared a change of clothes and a meal for you. Everything will be ready for your enjoyment as soon as you return.”
Harvis nodded in satisfaction. He glanced at Luca, sneered dismissively, and then boarded the carriage.
Once he returned, he would report everything that had happened here to Finn. Letting Luca live even one second longer was a torment to him.
Watching Harvis’s carriage disappear into the distance, Luca’s expression remained unchanged.
Since he had already made an enemy, there was no need to think about making amends. He would just have to find a way to deal with this problem later.
Fratis lowered her head, her delicate face filled with guilt. “I’m sorry for causing you trouble. I’ll write to my sister later and ask her to help you. She’s very capable and will definitely have a solution.”
Luca smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t take this matter to heart.”
Fratis looked up, realizing Luca wasn’t just saying that to comfort her. Seeing the sincerity in his words, a smile slowly reappeared on her face.
As they approached Southwind City, Kruse and Fred had already contacted the people from Red Maple Academy to come pick them up.
It didn’t take long before several carriages from Red Maple Academy arrived to escort the group.
Although they were called carriages, the creatures pulling them were not horses. Instead, they were monsters that resembled bears—massive creatures with jet-black scales covering their bodies. They had a lumbering appearance, but their sheer size and strength allowed them to pull carriages larger than a bus with surprising speed. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
The carriages were spacious enough to comfortably accommodate everyone for the trip back.
Everyone boarded the carriage together, and it began moving toward the Inner District.
As they rode off, the surrounding residents watched their departure with eyes full of envy.
Within that envy, there was a deep sense of longing and desire.
Peering out of the carriage window, Luca observed many residents of Southwind City along the way. There were destitute vagrants, prostitutes flaunting themselves in back alleys, and affluent merchants adorned in fine clothing, their faces beaming with prosperity.
From their mannerisms and attire, it was clear that the atmosphere in this city was vastly different from that of Riverfall City.
The city was filled with trade in wealth and flesh, indulgence and greed—it was like stepping into an entirely different world.
However, this disparity quickly diminished as the carriage passed through a gate separating the Outer District from the Inner District.
The streets in the Inner District were not only cleaner, but the houses were also arranged in a more orderly fashion. Even the residents appeared healthier, dressed in neatly tailored clothing with rosy complexions.
The people here were indistinguishable from those in any ordinary prosperous city—living stable, comfortable lives.
The carriage continued to move through the Inner District until it finally came to a stop in front of a massive, old academy.
The architecture of the academy seemed out of place compared to the surrounding buildings. It resembled something from the medieval era, with flying eaves, interlocking brackets, and towering spires that gave it a weathered, historical feel.
Outside the academy was a vast plaza spanning thousands of square meters. The plaza was filled with people, many of whom were teenagers around Luca’s age. Among them were also a few players, making the plaza lively and bustling with activity.
Luca guessed that these were probably the ones Susie mentioned—those who had come to take the entrance exam. He glanced around and noticed quite a few prodigies among them. Many had already reached Silver Grade at such a young age, with some of them even being higher in level than him.
It was clear that riding a carriage through the crowded plaza would be impossible, so everyone had to get out and proceed on foot.
As they stepped down from the Red Maple Academy’s carriage, many of the young people in the plaza turned to look at them with admiration and longing.
The academy’s students were long used to such attention and continued chatting and laughing as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
From the expressions on the faces of the people around them, it was obvious that those from Red Maple Academy held a very high status in Southwind City.
Naturally, being among them, Luca also attracted quite a bit of attention.