“What are going to do about the cat, Lady Nyssa?”
“…I have already sent a message back to the Union, and to your mother, but there is not much we can do at the moment. The Union is busy dealing with the sudden attacks of the Thralls. For now, they have asked your mother to secure the cat, and keep it safe, while they free up manpower to deal with any aftermath that might follow.”
“Are they preparing for the worst situation?”
“Fortune Devouring Cats are very special existences… Even the Union will have headache while dealing with them. Not to mention that there are Heterodox Wanderers involved in the situation. To keep it safe—
“Wait a minute,” Alnea said. “We saw the cat just a little while ago. How can you already have talked with the Union, and Lia’s mother?”
“…I have been following the movements of the Heterodox Wanderers in Rianra for a while. And it was also through my intervention that the cat sneaked here. Or with how big the Night Canyons are, what are the chances for the cat to lead the Heterodox Wanderers to your position?”
Leading the Heterodox Wanderers by their nose… While Cecilia, and Yuri were looking at his master with embarrassed smiles, Alnea felt awe at his master’s ability.
“You truly are omnipotent, and omniscient, master!”
“Stop fooling around,” his master said, shaking her head with a helpless smile, just as she flicked his forehead. “I hope that you will learn from your experience of fighting with the Heterodox Wanderers, and prepare for what you are going to face next.”
“…Is it finally time to deal with the Heterodox Wanderers, big sis Nyssa?”
“Not yet,” his master said. “I still need some time to lead all the Heterodox Wanderers to the special place I have prepared for their funeral. Besides, clearing up just some low level thugs will not be of any benefits to us. Only when I catch some big fish, will the Heterodoxy stop chasing Alnea.”
“…Is it the Lord Ghost Fire that the Heterodox Wanderers were talking about?”
“Ghost Fire… He is indeed a troublesome fellow. But he is not enough. I am planning to take down the Elder behind him. But it will take some time to complete all the preparations.”
“What are we going to do till then, master?”
“Train, of course,” his master said. “Or do you think that relying on chance to take down Heterodox Wanderers makes you strong enough to deal with an entire Heterodoxy?”
“…I mean, where are we going to train?”
“…A very special place,” his master said. “In the past few months, you have dealt with all sorts of Oren Beasts, and natural traps. Next, it is time for you to learn how to deal with other Wanderers.”
“…But didn’t you say that the Lotus clan is still looking for me? Even the Heterodox Wanderers are after me. If I just show up in front of other Wanderers, wouldn’t it lead to more problems?”
“That is why I said that you will be going to a very special place next.”
“…Where exactly are going next, big sis Nyssa?”
“I am not sure if you have heard of it or not, but Cecilia must a know a thing or two about it,” his master said. “There is a city lying at the border of Rian, Eun, and Caner province. It was said to be there even before the five Orthodoxies came to power, and holds a special place in Rianra. You can even call it as the oldest city of Rianra.”
“…Are you talking about the Lost City of Rianra, Lady Nyssa?” Cecilia said with hesitation, shock, and disbelief, all mixed in her voice, and face. “But isn’t that a legend?”
“…What city are you talking about?” Alnea said, scratching his head in confusion. “Why have I never heard of this place?”
“Because the city does not exist,” Cecilia said. “At least, that is what I know… But there is a legend that when the five Orthodoxies came together to create Rianra, there was already a city in place. You must know that back then, the entire Fifth Sector of the Lightning Region used to be wild area, with all sorts of Oren Beasts running wild in these lands. For a city to exist before even any human could come here…”
“A legacy from the Age of Gods,” Yuri mumbled, before turning towards his master. “Is there truly such a city in Rianra, big sis Nyssa?”
“You will find out when you get there,” his master said, smiling at Yuri with a hint of amusement in her voice. Seeing the white haired girl surprised, and excited, that was truly a rare sight. It was no wonder his master could not help herself from teasing her. Facing the pout on the latter’s face though, even his master had to relent. “The city exists, and can indeed be considered as a legacy from the Age of Gods.”
“They why have the Orthodoxies of Rianra not controlled it yet? Are they not aware of it?”
“Oh, they are aware of it. And I am not talking just about the Orthodoxies of Rianra. The entire Fifth Sector of the Lightning Region is aware of the Lost City of Rianra. And most of the higher ups of these clans have been to the city at one point in time in their life. However, none of the clans dare to lay a claim to the city. Doing so will not only antagonise all the other clans, but the price paid to control city would be too heavy for one clan to bear.”
“…Is the city so dangerous?”
“It is a legacy from the Age of Gods, after all. It is only natural for it to have a certain degree of danger. Besides, the benefits that one can gain from such legacies are generally proportionate to the danger involved, so is it not better for the city to be more dangerous?”
“…Even if that is true, you just said that Wanderers from all the Orthodoxies in the surrounding region will be there. Would it not mean that the Lotus clan will also send their people there?”
“You do not have to worry about the Lotus clan,” his master said, teasing Yuri with her smile once again. “Where did I say the city was located at?”
“The border of the Rian, Eun, and Caner province.”
“Do I need to say anything else?”
“…The city is in the Black Desert?” Alnea said, as his heart sped up with just the thought of exploring another Forbidden Area. Just over a year ago, he did not even know what Forbidden area meant. And a year later, he was going to venture into the third, and last Forbidden Area of Rianra. “Is it hidden by all the sand, and dust storms?”
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“At least you have not lost your sharpness in the past few months,” his master said, nodding at him with satisfaction. “But your imagination is limited by your knowledge. There is still much you have to learn.”
“I know that my foundations are still lacking, master. But I haven’t had any time to learn anything lately… Why don’t you start by telling me more about the Lost City of Rianra?”
“Cheeky disciple,” his master said, stretching out her hands to pinch his cheeks. Only when he let out exaggerated cries of apologies, did she take her hands back to her side. “The Lost City of Rianra… It is not as simple as you think it is. Everyone knows that the city belongs to the Age of Gods. But no one knows exactly which God, or race built the city. They do not even know its original name. However, there is one thing that everyone agrees on. The Black Desert was formed by the Mysteries leaking from the city.”
“…An entire Forbidden Area was formed because of a city?”
“If the city is truly located at the centre of the Black Desert, then that should not really come as a surprise,” Yuri said, answering instead of his master. “Did you forget? All Forbidden Areas have a core. Like the Labyrinth of Night at the centre of the Night Canyons. I just did not expect that a city from the Age of Gods could be the core of a Forbidden Area… Is it an artificial Forbidden Area, big sis Nyssa?”
“Even the clans exploring the city for more than a million years have not been to completely unravel its secrets… Do you truly think I am omniscient?”
“Of course,” Alnea stated. “That is a fact. A rule—
A flick to his forehead stopped Alnea from further expounding on the greatness of his master.
“Stop adding to the chaos,” his master said, before turning back to Yuri. “Are you satisfied now?”
“…You still have not explained how the Lotus clan will not be able to pursue him in the Lost City.”
“…Do you know why the city was named as the Lost City of Rianra?”
“…Is it hard to find?”
“It is not just hard to find, but for True Wanderers, and below, it is practically impossible to reach the city. Even Mystic Wanderers, if they are not careful, can be le astray by the desert. And even then, Mystic Wanderers have to follow the rules of the city. Only Grand Wanderers can ignore the rules to certain extent. But even they would have to pay a certain price if they dared to act rampant in the city.
“Maybe, the Lotus clan might not care about paying such a price if they could get Alnea. But they would have to have a Grand Wanderer within their ranks first. As it stands, even if the Lotus clan discovers him, they would not be able to do anything to him in the city. Not to mention that even if they discover him, they will have to get word of his presence back to their clan before they can call for help.
“Besides, do you think I will be there to just watch the show? As long as they act within their rules of the city, I am confident that you will be able to take care of yourselves. And if they dare to break the rules… It would suffice to say that of the three Forbidden Areas of Rianra, the number of Grand Wanderers that have fallen in the Lost City is the greatest.”
“…There is a problem, master.”
“…What is it now?”
“You said that only Mystic Wanderers and above can find the city. But we are just False Wanderers…”
“…I also said that I will take you to the city myself, and not that you will have to find the city on your own. I know you are excited, but you should never jump to conclusions. Listen to what others have to say first, before saying anything yourself. And even then, it would be best if you stay silent, and observe others first… Forget it. Just telling you these things will not be enough. It would be best if you experience these things in the city for yourself.”
“I think it would be best if you tell these things to me first, master. After all, your words are like the golden rules binding my Heart.”
“…If my words were truly so effective, you would have stopped being so cheesy with me long ago,” his master said, pinching his nose. She showed no signs of dissatisfaction on her face though. Rather, she smiled along with him, releasing his nose to caress his head. After a few moments of silence, she withdrew her hand, and put on a solemn face.
“The Lost City of Rianra… It may be the core of a Forbidden Area, but it is different from other core areas like the Labyrinth of Night. The city… it has dangers, but it is also like a proving ground for the younger generations of all the surrounding Orthodoxies. Serena has been there too. And if Cecilia was not with you, then her mother would have sent here there in couple of years anyway.
“However, this also makes the city as a gathering place for most of the younger generation of the Fifth Sector of the Lightning Region. You will meet with many people there. True Wanderers, Mystic Wanderers, and even some Grand Wanderers. But the greatest number of people you will meet will be those of your generation. Some may become your allies, while some may become your enemies. Some of them might even become your teammates.
“Yet, you must remember that all of them will be your competitors. If the interests are enough, they might betray you when you least expect them to. I am not saying that you should not trust anyone. That is not how the world works. Unless you show your trust in other people, they will not trust you either. Whom to trust though, and how to judge if someone is worthy of your trust or not, that is something that you will have to learn through experience.”
“…Don’t worry, master. I will make you proud.”
“I know you will,” his master said, gently patting his head with a smile, before turning towards the girls. “The things that I told Alnea, they hold true for you too. You may have made more contact with Wanderers than him, but neither of you are expert in dealing with other Wanderers. Especially those of your level, and age. Cecilia can still be said to have dealt with a few people, but you have barely had any contact with those of your age, Yuri. I am not asking you to make any friends, but try not to shy away from other people.”
“Yuri, and shy?” Alnea said in exasperation, only to feel Yuri’s piercing gaze. “…That is reasonable. You should truly not shy away from other people, Yuri. But don’t worry master. I will take care of her.”
“I will be satisfied as long as you can take care of yourself.”
“…Don’t listen to his nonsense, big sis Nyssa. I understand what you are saying. But you really have nothing to worry about. I know how to deal with other Wanderers.”
“…That is what I am most worried about. Forget it. Do as you wish. For now, let me bring all of you to a place where you rest with ease.”
“Wait a moment, Lady Nyssa,” Cecilia said, pointing to the cat on her lap. “What are we going to do about the cat?”
“…After your mother learned that I will be sending you to the Lost City, she asked me to let you keep the cat for now. After all, the Lost City would be the last place that the Heterodox Wanderers look for the cat. You do not have to worry about other Wanderers recognising the cat either. I will give it a couple of Glyph Devices to hide its true form. And though there are many dangers in the city, they will be aimed at you, and not the cat. As long as you take enough care, there will no danger to the cat.”
“…The problem is not whether I can keep the cat safe, but whether it will stay with me, or not. After all, it is an Oren Beast. And I cannot become a taming Scholar just so that I can control the cat.”
“…Even if you become a tamer, you will still not be able to control a Fortune Devouring Cat. They are a very special breed of Oren Beasts. Tamig Glyphs will have no effect on them. You do not have to worry though. Since it chose to help you against the Heterodox Wanderers, it means that the cat took a liking to you. And Fortune Devouring Cats are known to be lazy. As long as you keep plundering Fortune from your enemies, and feeding it to the cat, it will never leave your side.”
“…Was that a part of your plan too, master? Creating a situation where the cat would be forced to cooperate with Lia to deal with the Heterodox Wanderers?”
“…For some reasons, I think that sending you to the Lost City might not really be a good idea,” his master said after a few moments of silence. “Forget it. Whatever happens, it will be a learning experience for you.”
“…You are underestimating me, master,” Alnea said, faking dissatisfaction. His lips though, were curved in a smile, just the same as his master’s. There was no need to exchange words between them. Even though he did not have a Divine Treasure to communicate with his master, he still could understand what she was thinking. She was his mother, after all. And at the moment, she was wondering about his future. About the gains he would make in the Lost City of Rianra…
“I will show the world what your son is capable of.”