Chương 22: Ironheart Town

"Wake up, we've arrived." Kayzen rubbed his eyes after Vasser's whisper caressed his ear. The sky had brightened up, and they were already inside a bustling town. The duo thanked the driver and got off the carriage.

"Sure is lively," Kayzen yawned as he looked around the roads. It felt nice getting back to a civilized place.

"It's my first time here," Vasser was more excited than him. Unlike Kayzen who had been cooped up in Greenford for two years, she had been traveling all over Erde. It was fascinating to see different cultures and what they had to offer. Before they could make a trip around the town though, there were important matters to discuss. Such as where they were going to stay.

"Want to come with me to meet the Baron?" Kayzen asked as he jogged up his memory. If he recalled correctly, then the path right ahead would lead them straight to the town hall.

"You go ahead. I'll visit the shrine and see if there's any news. Need to inform the crusaders that I've cleared the rift as well. Can't work for free now, can we?" Kayzen chuckled and sent her off. He wasn't worried about her getting lost since as a crusader, she was well equipped with navigating anywhere, even outside the human governed territories. He stretched his limbs a bit and walked along the moving crowd.

There wasn't much of a cultural difference between Greenford and Ironheart, except that this place was much more focused on industry. The roads were wider and more polished since various caravans used this town as a supply point. The people also didn't seem surprised by his presence as there were a lot of new travelers, soldiers, and mercenaries moving around. The place was thriving, perhaps even more so than before the apocalypse.

Out of pure curiosity Kayzen stretched out his root-like perception, and immediately regretted it. There was too much information to take in. He reduced the range over and over again before keeping it at a comfortable distance of three meters. It wasn't really necessary, but he had found this to be a good practice. He marked a few places along the way, such as a bakery and an alchemy shop that he planned to visit on the return trip. Quite unexpectedly, Kayzen found something that made him pause his steps.

Seven feet on the left, there was a little shed set up by someone who looked like a haggard mercenary. Kayzen didn't look at his wares and instead squatted down before the man.

"What are you selling?" The bearded man looked up at him to see if he was interested in any particular product. Seeing Kayzen's indifference, he began showing off his wares one by one. There was a rusted sword that he claimed was a rift artifact, a bunch of trinkets which had no practical use except for being pretty, and lastly, a box of needles.

"This looks interesting." Kayzen picked up the box and asked the man more about it.

"It is a trap. Or, well, it was meant to be a trap. The needles are supposed to shoot out when something triggers it, but as you can see, they aren't budging no matter what. Bought this from a blacksmith apprentice." Kayzen didn't know whether the man was telling the truth or not, but he didn't care either way. He wasn't interested in the needles, but rather, the box. Seeing it had sparked an idea in his mind. Perhaps it was time to get a weapon for himself as well. This was the Ironheart town after all.

He didn't bother haggling with the peddler and bought the needles for two silvers. Once again he resumed his journey and crossed a bridge, arriving at the center of this town. Just like in Greenford, the place at the center of this town was paved with marble floors. Sandwiched between two giant industrial complexes lay a posh mansion. Its white walls weren't tarnished by the ever-blowing smoke from the chimneys, courtesy of the Ether barrier.

Just from a glace it was apparent that the defenses were a notch above that of Greenford. The hierarchy of Algasia Empire was rather simple. Mayors were at the bottom who presided over small settlements. Above them were Barons who took over notable towns and Viscounts who governed cities. Counts, Marquis, and Duke presided over even large areas. As Kayzen approached the entryway to the mansion, no one stopped him. It looked like the information network of Baron Huiyan wasn't to be scoffed at.

Large wooden doors engraved with swords and shields were wide open. Kayzen stepped on the velvet carpet and moved towards the hallway leading to the Baron's hall. The soldiers and servants greeted him along the way. Most were just being polite, but a few among them were old and knew his identity. As soon as he entered the main office, he saw a tall old man sprawled on his chair.

"Ah, look what Ruzgar dragged in." The Baron gulped a mouthful of beer and guffawed at Kayzen.

"What's there to laugh about?" Kayzen shrugged and took the seat in front of the wooden table. The old man dropped the bottle and leaned back on his chair.

"Why am I laughing, you say? Hahaha, I just heard the son of a renowned swordmaster is using... well, needles to fight…now Ain't that ironic?"

"You have too much free time."

"Nothing gets past my eyes, boy. Not in this town. Good job with the rift by the way. I owe you one." Kayzen waved his hand.

"Just doing my thing. The rift just happened to be on the way." This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The Baron nodded and placed his hands on the desk.

"Now, I'm sure you didn't just come here to meet an old man like me, right? I recall you didn't even visit when I sent you invitations for parties. Don't tell me you look down on your father's schoolmate."

"You know me. Never been a big fan of the crowds." Kayzen became serious and continued, "I need a place to stay and some information on the current affairs of Erde. I'm sure you know more than anyone in this region."

"Heh, as I thought. But information doesn't come cheap. Especially not in this changed time. However, consider my favor paid off now." Kayzen rolled his eyes at the baron's fake remark. He knew from the start that the words 'I owe you one' were full of crap. Baron Huiyan was a man who lived for wealth and trade. Stingy, but honest. A trait both Kayzen and his father appreciated.

"Now then, where do we start? Tell me what you want to know." Baron Huiyan asked as he took out a few scrolls.

"How safe is this town? Are there any immediate threats?" The baron tapped his desk and answered without hesitation.

"Safe is a relative word. Is it safe for now? Yes. About a month later? I don't know. Nobody does. What I do know is that unlike the rift you cleared, the other one has broken out." Kayzen straightened his spine as he heard those words.

"What do you mean broken out?"

"Just as I said. The first team that went in to clear the rift failed. So did the one after that. Now, the rift has disappeared and monsters are popping out from it without any rhyme or reason. Monsters we've never seen so far."

"Can you tell me more about it?" Kayzen inquired further.

"Sure. It's not a big secret as you'll hear this at every pub and tavern. The aliens are comparable to strongest in the fiend class. A mix of wolves and spiders, nasty things. To rub salt on the wound the mines are also in that direction. Sooner or later we'll have to clear that area; or lose access to our metal supplies." Kayzen digested the information and asked if there were any other significant news. According to what the Baron said, nothing much had been happening in the Algasia Empire.

People were busy regrouping and rebuilding after the initial attacks.

"What are your plans in the future?" the Baron asked.

"Perhaps to go south after this. I'm sure you already know that I'm here with my friend, a crusader."

"Not a bad choice. Young people should be ambitious. Though, I suggest you make an expedition team or a mercenary group. Anything to give you an identity if you plan on going on this path." Kayzen shook his head, "Not a fan of tedious things, and I don't have any plans to expand either. I'd have gone back to my family had I wanted that." The Baron scoffed in return.

"Yeah, just go to any rift and tell the army to let you raid it. You know, despite the fact that they are royally screwed if you fail. Just say 'let me and my girlfriend enter!' and when they refuse, be a noble phallus and use your family names. Or you know, you could make a damn brand or something so people recognize you for who you are. I wonder which will be less tedious."

"Alright, alright, we'll make a team. What you said does make sense." Kayzen deflated as the words struck true. Indeed, if they wanted to avoid attention then the last thing they should do is throw their names around.

"At least you're not headless like those silk-pants. Once you settle down come over for a dinner, and bring your friend along as well." Kayzen thanked the old man and left the room. Outside, the suns were shining through the window. The Baron had given him lease for a good lakeside house, but before going there, it was time to do some shopping. He borrowed a carriage and made a short trip around the market. He stocked up on the supplies such as dried food, the chemical reagents he needed, and some spare utensils.

Just as the carriage turned a corner, he spotted Vasser who was exiting a jeweler's shop.

"Hey, done with the report?"

"Yeah, a while ago. I was thinking how to place this thing to good use, and the lady inside said she would help me with it." Vasser flexed the glowing green gem in her hand. Indeed, it made sense that a jeweler had earned records related to crafting gems. The duo sat on the back seat and observed the town as the carriage made way towards a quiet and posh area. The trees here were lush while the pedestrians were few and far between.

The most surprising thing was that each and every one of the houses here had an activated Ether ward. There was no lack of wealthy people in this town.

"Do you know any good places to eat?" Kayzen asked the coachman. It was the best idea to ask locals for things like these.

"You want to go there or order some takeout?"

"Takeout if it's far, we are kind of in a rush." The coachman gave him a thumbs up, "No worries then. There's a stall right at the corner that sells some good skewers. You'll love it." Indeed, as soon as the silhouette of a lake appeared in their vision, they saw a small crowd gathered in front of an open stall. Being wealthy didn't mean one didn't want to stuff their stomach with good food.

"Well then, have a great day!" the young driver waved them off and returned on the main street. Kayzen had given him double the usual fee. He missed Jeph.

"What's gotten you so gloomy?" Vasser poked his cheek, drawing him out of melancholic thoughts.

"Worried how those back at Greenford are doing. Things escalated so fast I didn't have the time to look back…No, I did actually. I chose not to do so."

"Don't beat yourself over it. Everyone has their own path to follow," Vasser slid her fingers over his palm and dragged him to the stall, buying a pair of veg skewers and a cup of apple juice. After finding an empty bench they looked at the other side of the pond.

"We're staying there?" Vasser asked as she bit on the soft and steamy potato. Her eyes fixed on the one story house on the other side.

"Yeah, nice isn't it?"

"Sure is. Did the Baron ask for anything in return?" Kayzen turned his head to look into her sapphire eyes, "None at all. He did suggest something though; that we should make an expedition team or a mercenary group." Vasser lit up at the idea, "Let's make an expedition team! Just the two of us for now, but if we find someone who's suitable then let's recruit them. Not too many though." The duo chatted along as they finished the skewers and crossed the wooden bridge.

After a short walk they arrived at the front yard of their house. The various flowers and Crape Myrtle trees were well-maintained despite no one having lived here for a couple of months. Baron Huiyan's thoughtfulness was to be praised since the house was cleaned from one end to another, with even the necessary furniture moved in. There were two bedrooms, a living hall, a kitchen, and a veranda at the back. Kayzen and Vasser didn't chat much further and proceeded with their own tasks.

Vasser needed to meditate and break through to become a Xin, while Kayzen had a lot on his plate as well. He wanted to work on his new weapon and process the materials acquired from the crows; but above all else, there was the core of the Hemogaster. It was about time he became a Warden. Kayzen placed his backpack on the dressing table and took out one thing after another. In just a couple of minutes the bedroom was turned into a makeshift laboratory.

He had a few of the Hemogaster's organs left which he planned to use right away. Now that he had some experience with the Angelica, he wanted to seize the records of the alien fiend at a much deeper level. After disinfecting the floor he took out the Hemogaster's brain, esophagus, and whatever was left of its blood.