CHAPTER 30: QUAD TOWN — MARKETPLACE

Muna had shot me several glances as the demon trio obeyed and did as I told them to. As speculated, the Spirit Pouch was able to absorb their bodies. Yet, when I carried the bag, it didn’t feel any heavier.

"Vera?" I called.

"Vera is safe, young master," she replied from inside the Pouch.

I didn’t know it looked like inside the storage skill, but I seemed to worry about the remaining Mana Plants and the demon cores that were contained in it.

Anyway, that was the best way to transport Vera and her companions to wherever I went.

...

After half an hour of walking down the streets of Seafrost, we finally left through the borders once again.

We were on our way to the Quad Town.

Quad Town is a town that is designated at the middle of the four Duchedoms of Montana, but is believed to share a close boundary with Quadraxis, the Royal Empire.

Their main activities were those of trade. Hence, you can find different calibers of businessmen and their business, both those that indulged in illegal and legal transactions.

Their second name was Marketplace. Mention Quad Town to any mage of Montana, and if they become confused, resort to Marketplace, and their confusion would be cleared.

It appeared that this was the location where the forms for the Purity Academy Test were on sale.

A few minutes later, after taking route turns, we arrived at the Marketplace.

A barricade, with several spiral designs and single openings on it, was used as the gate of the city.

Outside, several mages were standing in line. Most were made up of an adult woman or man and a child, while there were singles of teenagers as well.

Looking at the teenagers who had come on their own, I reminisced about the days back on Earth when I had to struggle on my own to get things done for survival.

Shaking my head to get off the thought, I continued with Linda and Muna flanking my sides.

Soon, we arrived at the queue and stood with other liners. Muna complained that we were nobles and should just check in using our Duchedom insignia, but I advised against it.

She was not wrong with her reasoning since that was similar to how the world, Earth, worked.

If you needed something to be done with rapid alacrity, all you needed was to possess the contact of someone who worked in the referential office.

Not used to that life, I preferred standing with others in the queue.

Even that was not my absolute reason for not stepping forward to check in as quickly as Muna wanted.

I was carrying three exhibits with me, and wouldn’t want to risk getting their lives or mine endangered.

Quad Town was totally against the idea of having demons lurking at the edges of the Community, not to mention coming close enough to its gate.

"What was the last punishment given to someone who took a demon spy to this town?" I asked in a low voice, so that only Muna and Linda could hear me.

"Death," Muna replied indifferently, almost at the same time as the questions escaped my mouth.

"That is why we mustn’t consider your decision. We should stand in the queue and observe first," I suggested, and they agreed.

After thirty more minutes of standing in the queue, it was finally our turn to be checked into the town.

In front of the town gate, there were three chairs set into a linear formation. And on these chairs, three elderly guards with looks of years of experience were seated.

In their front, were three set tables just as their chairs, on which were glowing round balls that had all the primary colors mixed into a blend.

The round ball was called the Check-in.

It was enchanted in such a way that it could detect the least expected disguise, and has proven accurate over the many decades of its use.

’System, do you think my Spirit Pouch can be detected?’

« ... »

No response.

’Are you for real?’ I thought, letting out an unnoticeable exhale to calm my nerves.

I hit the bag crossed at my side three times and assured myself. "It’s just a bag. Nothing more."

The glowing round balls turned green as Linda and Muna placed their hands on them. They were successfully signed in.

Well, I seemed to have been caught.

The glowing round ball turned red immediately, even before I could place my hands on it.

The crowd gathered in the queue began to whisper murmurs as most of them began to stretch their heads to get a complete glimpse of the situation.

Those who recognized that I was the heir of Seafrost didn’t flinch with their words.

"So, that young boy is a disguise? What is he disguised as?"

"I mean, we shouldn’t be surprised, right?"

"He was already tagged a threat of Doom from birth."

"Was he here to get the Academy Test form as well?"

"Who knows? There might be some other dirty business he needed to take care of. I won’t be surprised."

However, the guard that was supposed to check me in on seeing the ball turn red, shot me a knowing glance and asked that I follow him.

The guard was broad-shouldered and had messy brown hair. Behind him, two swords were crossed across each other into their sword holders.

"I said to follow me," the deep voice of the guard caused little shivers to appear on my skin, but I braced myself and followed him.

By the other end of the gate, Muna and Linda became worried.

They saw that I had been caught.

’Young Master, did they identify the demons?’ Linda asked using her shadow link ability.

’Not yet.’

At my response, Linda looked at Muna, who nodded, her worry disappearing at the same time.

"Then, he isn’t caught yet," she assured, confidently. "Let’s go and get him anyway."

The road we trudged on was different. Theirs were on the right side after making entrance into the gate, while mine were on the left.

’Young Master, little lady seems to be familiar with this town...’ Linda was in between words when Muna interrupted.

Although she wasn’t saying it directly to me, I could hear her words since she stood beside Linda, who had activated her shadow communication link ability.

"Is not as if they can harm Big Brother," Muna muttered with a grunt. Then, after a brief pause, I added. "Let’s walk faster so that nothing happens to him."