Chapter 18: North City

“Rustle——”

The long wind swept through the forest, its sound echoing loudly.

The setting sun hung in the distant sky, its flowing light dyeing the layered clouds. Two horses galloped through the forest.

Zhe Zilin looked ahead. Through the gaps between the tree branches and leaves, the walls of North City faintly came into view.

To prevent anyone from recognizing his identity, he had put away the Dragon Slayer at his waist. He wore only a plain robe and had stuck on a circle of fake beard. His appearance had changed quite a bit, though his tall and straight figure could not be altered.

Since they were here to pray for the King of the North, Ailia’s attire was also very particular. She wore a long black-and-red robe. The fabric was as dark as night, with dark red patterns resembling flowing flames wrapping around her body, giving off the mysterious and eerie aura of a witch.

The two rode at full speed and arrived at North City before the sun set.

The guarding soldiers recognized Ailia as a witch and did not stop them. They stood on both sides of the city gate and watched the two pass through.

Upon first entering North City, Zhe Zilin had originally thought it would be a prosperous city. But at a glance, aside from the massive castle at the very center, the houses lining both sides of the street were only two stories tall at most. Built from stone and wood, they had no aesthetic appeal whatsoever.

The road was a mix of wet, soft mud and dry wood ash. Every time the horses lifted their hooves, mud would splash up.

Prosperity and grandeur had nothing to do with this city. When the cold wind blew, the description of a bitterly cold place felt even more fitting.

The huge gap between his imagination and reality made many doubts rise in Zhe Zilin’s mind for a moment.

“Isn’t the North supposed to be the most powerful among the kingdom’s four regions? North City is a bit too shabby.”

Ailia gripped the reins and urged her horse closer as she answered, “The North is powerful because of the existence of the Ice Demons. To prevent the Ice Demons from moving south, the kingdom allocates money to the North to maintain troops. The King of the North also genuinely spends that money on the soldiers. That’s why North City looks somewhat shabby.”

Zhe Zilin exhaled a puff of hot air and pressed down on his hat. The cold wind was bone-piercing, and his face stung from the wind.

“The South Island has sea monsters, the Eastern Plains have man-eating dragons, and the Western Wasteland has brutal bandits and man-made disasters. Why does the kingdom only spend money on troops for the North? Are the Ice Demons more terrifying than the first three?”

Ailia nodded and explained, “In the past, the kingdom was reluctant to spend money. Those nobles and royals wouldn’t bother with the four regions. But three years ago, the High Priest of the Royal Capital left behind a prophecy on his deathbed — the Ice Demons of the North would move south and attack the Royal Capital.”

Zhe Zilin was amazed. The High Priest’s words carried so much weight that a single vague deathbed prophecy made the kingdom’s money-obsessed nobles and royals willing to pay for peace.

“Do you think the High Priest’s words will come true?”

The castle at the center of North City was getting closer and closer. Ailia gazed at a window on the third floor of the castle and pondered for a long time.

“The Ice Demons are reviving and the King of the North is about to die. At least for now, it seems the prophecy has a high chance of coming true.”

Outside the castle, there was also a simple barricade. At the entrance, the knight Airigo paced back and forth while gripping the sword at his waist.

Ailia dismounted first, holding the reins, and explained to Airigo.

“This is a sorcerer I saved not long ago. I’ve temporarily taken him in as a servant.”

Airigo had a rough appearance. Two sharp and suspicious gazes shot out from between his eyes as he walked up to Zhe Zilin and looked him up and down.

As the guardian knight of the King of the North, he had seen countless people. What he was best at was reading a person’s eyes.

“Take off your hat and look at me.”

Zhe Zilin did as he was told. Before coming here, he knew that Airigo had never been to the Royal Capital and would not recognize him.

Showing unnaturalness or worry right now would only make him more suspicious.

With a calm expression, he met Airigo’s scrutinizing gaze steadily.

Airigo stared hard into Zhe Zilin’s eyes. He tried to read Zhe Zilin’s current state of mind from them.

But to his slight surprise, unlike most people he had met before, these eyes were calm and clear.

He clicked his tongue and muttered, “Stinky outsider.”

Zhe Zilin was stunned.

What the hell? Why are you cursing at me!?

But soon, shock took over his mind.

He had only exchanged glances with Airigo for a short while, yet the other party actually knew he was not from the North. It was truly strange.

Airigo signaled for them to pass and watched as Ailia and Zhe Zilin entered the castle.

“How did he know I’m not from the North!?”

Zhe Zilin moved closer to Ailia and asked in a low voice.

“Because your eyes have no ruthlessness in them. Living in this bitterly cold land of the North, how could a northerner have no ruthlessness?”

Ailia stopped outside the castle and did not bring Zhe Zilin inside, to avoid unnecessary suspicion and trouble.

“Ed, I’ll be out soon. Wait here for me.”

Zhe Zilin hummed in response, took Ailia’s reins, and watched her walk through the courtyard and enter the castle.

The night in North City was even colder than the day. Snowflakes began drifting down from the sky, gently covering the entire city.

Zhe Zilin stepped on the accumulating snow and found a stable to feed the horses and take shelter from the snow.

Beside him, a stable boy feeding the horses turned his head. Perhaps because the snowy night was too quiet, he spoke up.

“You came from the south?”

Zhe Zilin frowned and looked at the stable boy, sizing him up.

“You can also tell where someone is from just by looking at their eyes?”

“I don’t have Sir Airigo’s skill. It’s just that your skin is delicate. You don’t look like someone who’s been through frost and snow.”

Zhe Zilin smiled and asked curiously, “You northerners seem to have very observant eyes.”

The stable boy replied, “The northern forests are full of half-orcs and ogres. Any northerner whose eyes aren’t sharp enough is already dead.”

He changed the subject and nudged Zhe Zilin with his elbow.

“I heard Princess Osha from the Royal Capital will arrive in North City tomorrow. Since you came from the south, have you seen her?”

Zhe Zilin tried to search his memories about Osha. He only vaguely remembered that Osha held the title of the kingdom’s most beautiful princess. Combined with her pure and kind personality and gentle way of handling things, her reputation was extremely good.

“I’ve probably seen her, but I forgot.”

“Forgot!?”

The stable boy had an expression of disbelief.

“Countless men in this world have spent all their savings to go to the Royal Capital just to see the princess once. And you actually forgot!?”

Zhe Zilin treated it as the other party using exaggerated speech and continued feeding the horse without much care.

“All I can say is that those men are idiots. Lust clouded their eyes. No matter how good-looking she is, she can’t be eaten as food.”

The stable boy laughed angrily and was about to argue with Zhe Zilin.

“No one in this world can see Princess Osha without being moved.”

Zhe Zilin glanced at him and teased, “Really no one?”

The stable boy suddenly remembered an exception and added, “That playboy from the Leibang family doesn’t count.”

Zhe Zilin chuckled lightly, patted the bits of fodder off his hands, and found a pile of hay to sit on.

The stable boy snorted coldly. “You think you’re Leibang Ed or something?”

After saying that, he left with an annoyed expression.

Zhe Zilin watched his back and shrugged.

“Maybe I really am.”

He raised his head and looked toward the third floor of the castle. It was quite noisy at the moment. Faint crying could be heard.

After a while, the crying gradually stopped, and Ailia also came out of the castle.

Zhe Zilin stood up and walked forward. He had already guessed what had happened.

But he did not mind. He raised his hand to block the falling snow for Ailia.

“It’s cold at night. Let’s find a place to stay first.”

Ailia lowered her eyes. There was a different kind of emotion hidden in them.

Zhe Zilin noticed and stopped walking.

“What’s wrong?”

Ailia raised her head. “Tomorrow, Osha will arrive in North City.”

Zhe Zilin knew Ailia’s worries and could see the melancholy in the girl’s eyes.

“Didn’t you say she has a terrible personality? Why can’t you be a little more confident?”

“Because she really… is very beautiful.”

Zhe Zilin lowered his head and met Ailia’s gaze.

“Is she more beautiful than you?”

Ailia had wanted to nod, but Zhe Zilin gently shook her head with both hands.