“Well? Were they right?” Ethan asked, drawing a sigh from Claire.

“No, they were not. This has been a debate for centuries between the churches worshiping various aspects and the Arcane Order. The consensus is that there are no sentient gods they claim to worship as no one besides the members of the churches has heard or seen any proof that they were real.”

“Hmm, that is kinda like back home,” Ethan said. “We also had a bunch of people claiming to know that a god or something exists, all to convince you to share your wages with them by paying a tribute of sorts.”

“Yes, that is the common practice in Morwhea,” Alice said.

“Then what about other countries? Is it the same everywhere?” he asked.

“I do not know,” Claire said, shrugging.

“Same,” Alice added. “The wider politics are not well known to us in Veer and is mainly why we want to go to the capital and learn more of the ongoings in the kingdom and the surrounding countries.”

Claire clicked her fingers, “Right; last I heard from Mrs.Latimer was that Morwhea was at war with the Dragoncrest kingdom. They are located south of the kingdom of Morwhea. Mrs.Latimer mentioned that their ruler had outright banned the churches and their teachings and took a more practical approach.”

“How so?” Ethan asked, pondering how a ban on religion would affect a country that was most likely going through its medieval period.

“Well, besides banning the preachings of supposed gods, they are well known for their military families that run the kingdom. Their first king, who established himself after the wars, proposed that the government must be run by those who can support it with strength, not words. Hence his law - to rule, one must prove they were worthy.”

“Yes, their children, once they reach coming of age, are all given an aspect power and then put forth to train in their academies. They are famous military schools that sometimes send their children to the surrounding countries in an exchange program,” Alice added.

“Exchange programs?” Ethan clarified with raised eyebrows, surprised that such a concept even came to the mind of those who ruled the kingdom.

Alice nodded, “Yes. The children from academies are put through vigorous training and seek any validation that they can to justify that their efforts bore fruit. I believe some of them will even travel so far as Veer to join the Aspect tournament that will be held this year.”

“All right, that is a lot to take in,” Ethan said, rubbing his forehead. “This Dragoncrest kingdom, the way you say it is as if everyone has equal opportunity. However, is it not the same as here? That the ones with money are those who can buy all the seeds required for such schooling? I doubt any street urchin can join such an academy,” Ethan said skeptically.

“That is true. However, they have extensive programs for supporting the local populace and sharing information that will help them gain an aspect seed, even a mediocre one, unlike how Morwhea and its rulers conduct their affairs,” Claire said.

“You mean, how the Guild and the Order do their business?” Ethan asked.

Claire nodded, looking ahead as relief flooded her face. “Look, we are almost there,” she interrupted, pointing a finger to the horizon.

Ethan peered through the carriage window behind him as they approached the sprawling city of Veer. The first thing that caught his eye was the sheer size of the walls surrounding the city. They looked at least twenty meters in height and were made from grey stone, which was evened out to make the wall look smooth and man-made as far as his eye could make it out.

The road leading up to the city changed from the uneven dirt they rode up until now to carefully laid cobbles, which smoothed out the ride, as Claire clicked a button on her side to slow down their approach.

Ethan looked to the sides and marveled at the cultivated fields of crops stretching out as far as the eye could see, bordering the city walls and the forest on the opposite sides. Several humanoid figures dotted the fields in the distance, working them and carrying packs of crops harvested in the evening light as the sun set.

“Is it not a bit early to harvest the crops already?” Ethan asked, turning to Claire.

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She shook her head and smiled, “No, Ethan. Not all aspect powers are about fighting and killing monsters. Some are about supporting the populace with utility. Such as the growth or the plant aspects. People you see around here are the farmers on the city’s payroll, who have absorbed one such aspect or another.”

“So they make their living and advance doing what? Growing corps?” Ethan asked, curious what would the farmers for Earth do if given access to such powers.

“Indeed. Their powers are well suited for streamlining the growth of crops, tending gardens, and large fields as these. That is how we can feed the thousands living behind Veer’s walls and even sell some crops south to the capital and the surrounding cities. In a week, at least a single harvest is conducted, with another being put in motion.”

Ethan looked back through the windows and saw that the crops being cut down were being replanted by some manner of seeds that sprouted as soon as they were dropped. I wonder what rank those farmers are and how quickly they can grow those fields. Their powers must have long cooldowns to grow the crops like that, Ethan thought.

“No dimensional bags for them?” Ethan asked, still looking outside, observing the changing scenery as they approached the city’s walls and the sole gate to which the cobbled road was leading.

“No,” Claire said. “As you can imagine, such a product is of limited availability due to the specific materials, ritual, and craftsmanship required to make them. As such, a few people in Veer own them. Sadly none of the farmers of craftsmen, as far as I have seen.”

“Common, Claire,” Alice interrupted. “What use does a farmer have of a dimensional satchel? What are they going to do with them? Collect more wheat and grain? If everyone had them, the people would be out of jobs.”

Unwilling to debate how an optimized logistics chain could change the nation’s course with a network of good roads, Ethan watched the sizeable wooden gate they were slowly approaching.

Through it, he could see the houses stretch endlessly in the distance, with tall buildings towering above the stone wall and busy streets teeming with people right behind the gate.

As they drew nearer, Ethan could faintly make out the intricate details of the city's architecture. The buildings were a mix of old and new, with towering spires and ornate facades alongside sleek, modern designs. Their colors were vibrant, with warm red, orange, and gold tones dominating the skyline.

Once some hundred meters from the large gate, Ethan noted that their pace slowed as Claire directed the carriage with a swipe of her hand to the right.

“What are you doing?” Ethan asked.

“Ah, right. I am directing the carriage to the priority entry to the city. As you can see, the line on the left is used by the people entering the city on foot, simple workers, some guilders without appropriate stations, and so on. Lots of questions, fees to pay to enter the city, and inspections the guard performs. The priority entry is how you get in without many questions.”

“Lucky that you found us,” Alice said with a wink.

Ethan observed the line of people dressed as simple farmers, workers carrying various tools and bags, and some other warrior-looking types carrying glinting armor and large swords on their backs. This is like a fantasy fare all over again, he thought as the carriage came to a stop next to the gate.

A guard dressed in simple chainmail with a spear in his arm walked up to the carriage and knocked on the window, prompting Claire to lower it and address the man, “Hello, captain. How is the city doing on this fine evening?”

“Good evening to you as well, Miss Shelford. As good as any might ask. People are returning from their jobs to rest for the night, the usual. Some eagerly await the news from the latest guilder excursion—the biggest one yet. You came from Willow, right?” he asked with a straightforward question in his mind.

“Indeed,” Claire nodded.

“Maybe you already met some of them on your way back? My nephew left on his first mission, and I am eager to see him back in one piece. Some nasty business the people keep whispering about. Some say that the sect is involved,” he said, lowering his voice and leaning forward at the last part.

Claire shook her head and answered, “No, we did not meet anyone from the Guild on the way back, captain. We were forced to leave early due to some bandits. Unfortunately, not everyone does such good work as you in Willow.”

The man straightened and smiled at the flattery Claire was giving him. Ethan looked between them, barely sniffling a snort, and waited for the guard to give in and ask about him.

To his surprise, the guard did not do much as glance at him and nodded to Claire, collecting himself, and said, “Thank you for your kind words, Miss Shelford. Please pass your father my regards.”

“I will; thank you again, captain,” Claire said before adding, “and have a nice evening.” The guard captain nodded to her and motioned for the others behind him to let the carriage pass unimpeded.

Ethan looked nervously at the glances cast by the other guards in his general direction and asked Claire in a low voice, “He did not ask who I was or for any documentation. No search of the carriage, nothing. Is it always like this?”

Alice laughed, “Who do you take us for? Some smugglers or criminals?”

Ethan gave her a flat look but said nothing as they entered through the massive archway in the city proper.