Alex was heading towards Nikrim with Kragash, a small group of Gnoll soldiers, some maidservants, and both Elves, as the Leaves of Light were expected to arrive soon. The journey was relatively quick because Alex was traveling with the best Fheres, creatures capable of pulling the weight of the carts without any trouble. In just three days, they reached the city gates.

"Name and origin?" a guard stopped them. With many rival factions around, none had significant superiority over the others, leading to constant skirmishes. It was crucial to control who entered to avoid troublemakers.

"Alex, from the kingdom of Iretar, in the forest," Alex replied nonchalantly.

The guard raised an eyebrow. "The kingdom of Iretar? Never heard such nonsense. Besides, you’re traveling with Gnolls. There have been too many Gnoll attacks around here lately. You can't enter."

With a hand signal, the guard called his comrades, who drew their weapons and approached slowly.

"You'll have to come with us, and we'll confiscate your goods... for now," the guard added with a chuckle.

Alex simply raised an eyebrow and gave a slight nod to Kragash, who immediately understood. Along with the rest of Alex's initiates, they quickly disarmed the guards. It might have been six against twenty-five, but Alex's initiates were battle-hardened veterans, while these guards were green recruits who had joined for the promise of easy work.

"What's happening here?" the guard captain descended with a dozen seasoned warriors. Unlike the previous guards, these were clearly more experienced, maintaining discipline without drawing their weapons but ready to unsheathe them at any moment.

"It appears your guards slipped and fell while trying to take our goods," Alex replied with a smile.

The captain glanced at his soldiers, seeing them all bruised and beaten while Alex's group remained unscathed. He immediately understood that his guards had tried to rob the wrong party.

"So it seems... Please follow us to the hall for a security check."

"I should mention that I have no documents to certify my identity."

"I see. That could be problematic. Do you have any friends or acquaintances inside?"

"An associate works for me, a Dwarf from the Golden Pig Trading Company. His name is Bromir."

"I've heard of Sir Bromir. Some of his associates should still be in the city. Would you be willing to wait while we locate them?"

"Of course, we are law-abiding citizens," Alex agreed.

Alex smiled at the captain, who decided it was worth keeping things civil. The human exuded an aura of confidence that suggested he was not a nobody.

They moved to a nearby tower room to conduct the interview while the rest of the guards inspected the goods and unsuccessfully tried to identify the rest of the group. After all, identifying Gnolls was a first in history; no one really knew how to do it.

"Let's start again, Mr...."

"Alex."

"Mr. Alex, can you tell me where you come from and who your companions are?"

"Of course, I come from the forest of Iretar, where my Gnoll subjects and I have founded the Kingdom of Iretar. My companions are named..."

"I don't really need their names, but something else."

"Ah, I see. You want to know what magic controls them."

The captain nodded.

"They are not controlled by any magic, my good captain. The Gnolls follow me of their own free will."

"And why would they do that?"

"Because I rule them justly."

The captain wanted to get angry at Alex for mocking him so blatantly. That had to be it, because the alternative terrified him. The recent Gnoll attacks in the area must have been the cause of his fear, the captain thought.

"Do the recent Gnoll attacks have anything to do with you?" the captain asked casually, the question slipping out as he pondered the situation.

"Yes."

The captain was taken aback by the response. He didn't know whether to ask more or stay out of it, as he was just a simple guard captain and had already dealt with too much to get involved in politics again.

After reflecting in silence for almost five minutes, the captain still didn't know what to do. Fortunately, one of his soldiers arrived, running.

"Sir, we've found the Dwarf in question. He corroborated the story and confirmed that Mr. Alex is his patron."

"I see. So it's true. In that case, Mr. Alex, there's only one more thing to ask: what is the purpose of your visit?"

"I am looking for a place to open an alchemy workshop and some other large businesses. I want to see if Nikrim has the necessary potential."

The captain was surprised again. He pondered Alex and his words so far, then called the soldier at the door and quietly asked about the carriage inspection. He was severely impacted by the response, as all the goods were of great value, mostly materials found deeper in the forest than any city adventurer dared to go.

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"Mr. Alex, your words honor this city. Since we have respectable citizens vouching for you, the last thing I need is for you to swear an oath and sign some papers affirming that you will be responsible for any damage your, uh, companions might cause," the captain responded.

"Of course, captain. My companions will not harm anyone who doesn't seek a fight with them first, and I will be responsible for any damage that is entirely their fault," Alex replied.

The captain frowned at Alex's insistence on treating the Gnolls as equals. Although the guard captain personally had no problem with this, being a rare hybrid race himself, he still had to do his job. However, before arguing with Alex about the implications and minutiae of his words, he decided to do something more productive and pass the problem to someone else.

"Very well. I understand Mr. Alex is here for significant business. I know people who would be delighted to have the opportunity to speak with someone like you, who also have a say in the city's council."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Who is your patron?"

"Lady Sara of House Trelyn."

"House Trelyn, eh? Inform them that I would like a meeting in a couple of days. Meanwhile, I need to find lodging and a market to trade my goods."

"I'm sure that if you allow it, Lady Sara will be more than happy to help with those matters."

Alex noticed the captain's insistence as a plea for a favor. He could see in the captain's eyes that he was willing to compromise if Alex granted him this victory.

"Why not? It won't hurt to meet your Lady. Is there a way to arrange this meeting quickly?"

"Of course. Let me quickly finish your paperwork and identifications, and I'll escort you to my lady's estate."

The captain gestured to a soldier, who promptly brought another soldier with legal papers and stamps, beginning to prepare the documents for Alex and his entourage.

Just like that, Alex and his company received their papers and were allowed to enter the city without causing further trouble or incidents. Not even a few bruised guards mattered compared to the prospect of commercial benefits, something Alex increasingly understood.

The captain stood up, gesturing for Alex to follow. "Before taking you to Lady Sara, I'll give you a brief tour of the city so you can familiarize yourself with Nikrim. Follow me."

Alex nodded, signaling his companions to stay close by. Kragash and the other Gnolls settled near the carts, guarding their belongings while they followed the captain out of the guard tower.

They started their tour at the bustling port. "As you can see, the port of Nikrim is the heart of our economy," the captain said, pointing to the docked ships and busy docks. "Goods from all over the world arrive here, and many major commercial deals are made."

Alex observed the ships of various sizes and shapes, and the diverse merchants and sailors speaking in multiple languages, exchanging goods and news.

"What is needed to trade?" Alex asked.

The captain eyed him for a moment. "Anyone can buy in the market," he replied, but he saw from Alex's reaction that this wasn't what he meant. "To set up your own shop, you need to acquire or lease property in the sector. That's the quickest way, as the city doesn't allow street sales of certain goods like alchemy products."

Alex wasn't satisfied with that answer and pointed to the ships, reflecting on the port.

"If you're interested in operating your own trading company, you'll need commercial licenses from the city council. I can't say much more about that, but I'm sure my lady can help you."

"I understand. Let's continue."

From the port, the captain led Alex to the Central Market. "This is where most imported and local goods are sold," he explained. "It's an excellent place to find rare ingredients for your alchemy workshop."

The market was a maze of colorful stalls filled with exotic spices, jewelry, weapons, and magical artifacts. Alex noticed buyers haggling animatedly with vendors, and the air was filled with the aromas of foods from around the world.

On either side of the streets, the stalls were luxurious, offering high-quality crafts. Naturally, the prices were much higher than those outside, but there was an almost unnatural balance where no one outside overlapped with the products of the shops.

Soon, they arrived at the Plaza of Accord. "This is the center of our public life," said the captain. "Here is where council meetings are held, and where people come to resolve disputes or just socialize."

The plaza was surrounded by statues of the city's founders, and in the center was a large fountain adorned with symbols of all the races that had contributed to Nikrim's founding. Alex noticed several people gathered around the fountain, discussing local matters or simply enjoying the day.

The plaza was surrounded by statues of the city's founders, with a large fountain in the center adorned with symbols of all the races that had contributed to the founding of Nikrim. Alex noticed several people gathered around the fountain, discussing local matters or simply enjoying the day.

Additionally, the government building was large and imposing, contrasting with the market below. Its design reminded Alex of ancient Greek cities, with the market below and the plaza, and further up dominating the city's view was the Acropolis, where the city's armory and the most influential temples were located.

Finally, they began traveling towards the Upper District, where the most influential and wealthy families of Nikrim lived. The houses here were larger and more elaborate, with well-kept gardens and ornate facades. "This is where you'll find Lady Sara," said the captain. "The Trelyn house is one of the most influential families in the city council."

As they walked, the captain continued explaining the political structure of Nikrim and the importance of the Trelyn house in the council's decisions. Alex listened attentively, storing the information for future reference.

They arrived at a large mansion with high stone walls and an imposing iron gate. Two guards from the Trelyn house were stationed at the entrance, and upon seeing the captain, they immediately opened the gate and let them pass.

The mansion was a reflection of the Trelyn family's wealth and power. The hallways were adorned with tapestries and paintings that narrated the family's history, and the marble floors shone under the light of the chandeliers.

"This way," said the captain, guiding Alex to a spacious hall where a woman dressed as a maid was standing. "I've brought the guest I mentioned to Lady Sara," announced the captain, bowing, "this is Mr. Alex."

The maid gave a slight bow, smiling warmly. "Welcome to the Trelyn household, Mr. Alex. I hope your journey was pleasant. I will soon take you to meet my mistress, but in the meantime, I would like to accommodate you and your followers."

Alex inclined his head slightly in respect. "Thank you for having me."

The captain took his leave, leaving Alex in the care of the house's servants. "If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask. Have a good meeting," he said before exiting the hall.

The maids attended to Alex's entourage, whom he noticed were treated with respect and served something similar to what Alex received. Of course, as the leader, Alex was given better quality sweets and tea. He wasn't exactly sure what they had been told to treat them this way, but it was clear they already knew something about him.

Since it seemed it would take a while, Alex began making small talk with his men. As they spoke in the Gnoll language, their responses were incomprehensible to the maids, who couldn't understand how Alex could communicate with them so perfectly if he spoke their language.

Finally, a man stormed out of a nearby office, slamming the door loudly and muttering "shrew." Alex noted that he was dressed in attire similar to the emblems hanging in some parts of the mansion, indicating that this person was also part of the main family.

"I suppose it's my turn," murmured Alex as he watched the angry man leave, cursing at all the maids.