After around an hour, Jessica was finally able to get out of bed. There was a massive struggle. As a Grade E, her body could easily take the beating she had just experience. Many of her issues had already slowly healed with minor adjustments.

Those, not fixed automatically by her body, only needed small number of things she could do on her own. Thinking of the doctor in the past. She couldn’t really argue with him back then, even now she knew it still held true.

Regardless, since it happened. Making something good out of it, was the best she could do. For that reason, it could be said a good thing her basic medical treatment had made it to a level, she could go without seeing a professional for a lot of things.

Still, to be careful. Jessica planned to see a medical professional to ensure that there were no mistakes. Injuries that healed could become worse, if not treated correctly. However, mana gave a person a vastly higher sensitivity that allowed them to feel these things.

Making her way downstairs, Jessica once again saw Joe sitting at a table. Thinking more into it, she didn’t know what exactly he did. He only took rent in the same sense of Mercury City. It was a timetable that was not something anyone should run a business with.

Looking up, he met her gaze, “Good to see you’re back. Saleh was hoping to meet you. He went out and should be back in a day or two. He was hoping you would stick around. In his exact words, if possible.”

Not sitting down, she left to look for a nearby restaurant. Walking out into the chilly weather. Unlike with human cities, Mercury City was strange. She could clearly feel mana throughout the city. Something was flowing through the city, different from what it was like outside of winter.

Even still, snow could be seen, with only a small amount. It didn’t change the fact that nobody was taking care of it. Only being an inch or two. This struck her as odd. Dwarves didn’t need to be talked about, they had tools to stop the weather from affecting their cities.

There, a tornado or earth-shattering thunderstorm with thunder the size of a human thigh. Under such conditions, the city would experience a gentle breeze, while the latter would be experienced as a light drizzle. Dwarves could be seen as a bit excessive.

As people who mainly delve into these technologies. Those that have such interest also stay around people of their own kind. Dwarf or not. In a sense, open mindedness, or acceptance, could explain the lack of such people in other cities.

Human cities do their best to clean up the streets. Only the largest cities, possibly one or two big cities with big powers, could afford to pay someone to set up something similar. Though, paying for someone to stay and deal with maintenance would require a unique individual that wasn’t interested in social gathering with like-minded people.

That or they could offer something so large that they had no choice but to accept the commission. Since she spent a decent amount of time in dwarf kingdom, it wasn’t surprising she understood a bit about it. Having heard from her uncle. Something he often said was, “Creativity leads to innovation.”

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So why was it that Mercury City was this way? Clearly, it had enough to apply a formation or array of some sort. If it was in the northeast, went without question, there was something in the other four parts of the city.

There was something here to make it so that the worst winter had to offer was dispelled. While not everything was removed. As if, the Adventurer’s Guild didn’t want its members to get too comfortable.

As if to contribute to this theory, Jessica had to head through a large number of people moving to and from. Almost like winter was not here yet. The city as a whole didn’t seem to slow down at all as everyone continued to go about their business.

Then again, feeling the mana from almost everyone, it could be said that outside of a normal city. Mercury City was a place with the highest percentage of graded beings. So it doesn’t necessary for them to go that far out of their way.

Being a place recommended by Joe himself. Jessica was coming here for the first time. Usually she could just send an order in or have it delivered later. However, delivery had an extra fee. She was thinking of just eating here. Seeing the packed restaurant, she ended up just picking up her food and returning.

Sitting down at the table, she couldn’t help but look at Joe. He was sitting at the same table. Quietly sitting there reading a newspaper. This wasn’t a normal newspaper, written in some obscured language she wasn’t familiar with.

Center of the continent, in fact, did mean that the newspapers being sold here were sort of crazy. A number of each power had their own newspapers. From a few unreliable newspapers claiming to be news outlets of animal kingdoms and elven forests.

Official dwarf, goblin, and human newspapers could be seen on different corners. Mercury City also had an official newspaper. There were many unofficial newspapers too. As for the one being read by Joe, Jessica couldn’t tell as she couldn’t read any of the words.

Taking a bite, she hesitated before swallowing her food, “If it isn’t too personal. Joe what do you do?”

Pausing as he was flipping pages, he peeked to the side as he saw her clear interest in what he was doing and himself. He didn’t wait too long before answers, “I run this place.”

Seeing a frown, not on her lips. Her brows furrowed as her mouth continued to chew. She didn’t bother asking anymore. Seeing this, Joe smiled slightly before putting the newspaper down.

“Unlike other places, I don’t have to pay taxes or anything. Land here is owned by the individual. So long as they follow the rules, nothing else is required. That also means that you must pay for the land in a singular payment.”

Folding the paper once more, “There are massive advantages to this. While the cost of land here is extremely expensive. If one runs a business that is advantageous to Mercury City, you are given payment for just doing business.”

Frowning, “That doesn’t sound like good business for Mercury City.”

Shaking his head, “No, you’re wrong. Many places here sell lodgings. After a certain number, they won’t accept anymore. Meaning, if you run it, it's out of pocket. No help will be given. That means the number of adventurer’s will be an acceptable range below the numbers of rooms available.”

Without pausing, “Only things that are seen as useful will be encouraged to stay. For instance, I run a high level, high maintained lodging. This isn’t the same as a normal lodging. There are only three other places in the northeast that are on the same level. It doesn’t matter how little we accept tenants. So long as it is above the lowest threshold set out.”

“Encourage diversity, while offering everything that is needed. Offering a little of everything. Are the other zones the same?”

“More or less. To the Adventurer’s Guild. They can use our four buildings to say they offer the highest level lodging even to the lowest level members. Even though we only provide a very tiny portion of beds for those in the northeast. The Adventurer’s Guild has always been about quality over quantity. To them, you being unable to qualify to stay just means you should get better.”

“Conveniently, the fastest way to do that is through them.” Joe didn’t reply to Jessica’s retort, he only smiled and shrugged his shoulders.