Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Marsha greeted him with vivacity, her pretty little face beaming with a smile: "Long time no see, Mr. Lynn. Our master has added some new features to the maze.

Follow me inside, please! The visibility isn't great right now, so you'll need to stay close, Mr. Lynn~

Master is waiting for you at the entrance!"

Hill, a bit concerned, stood at the entrance to the dimensional space, waiting for Lynn's arrival.

There's a slight difference between puzzle locks and mazes. The power of the two combined is not just doubled, and puzzle locks can easily induce hallucinations. Hill worried that if Lynn's attention strayed, he would be tempted away from Marsha's side by illusions.

However, Lynn seemed very alert. He must understand the various methods of a mage well, knowing that anything deliberately emphasized as unsafe signals danger to him.

"Good afternoon, Lynn," Hill greeted his long-absent friend, "Ready for another fruity vegetable feast?"

"Of course, that would be best," Lynn replied cheerfully, "Otherwise, why would I visit during lunchtime?"

Hill couldn't help but laugh, recalling the lodgers Lynn had kicked out of the pub, who had passed by this area in the morning.

They had been cursing Lynn for evicting guests so early in the day, convinced that he had gone mad to insist that guests get up and check out at dawn in the dead of winter.

Hill glanced at Lynn, who seemed completely indifferent to the complaints. Indeed, exclusive business can afford such swagger.

Those people valued not just the warmth and sustenance Lynn could provide, but most importantly, the safety of their lives and property.

As long as Lynn could ensure no major troubles arose in his inn, those adventurers would still choose to stay there through the winter.

No matter how hospitable a private inn might be, or how affordable, the reality of belongings vanishing in a second was enough to dissuade them from considering such establishments for long-term stays.

Hill knew that Lynn was concerned about safety, but the sheriff, who had entered without bringing it up, probably realized through the fog that Hill had other defensive means.

So, as friends who hadn't seen each other for over a month, their most important task was to share a meal and catch up on recent events.

Seeing the table filled with verdant greens and fresh fruits, Lynn completely abandoned the idea of chatting with Hill and instead buried himself in the meal.

After a satisfying meal, Lynn, holding the fruit tea Hill had poured for him, cozily nestled into the sofa to gossip with Hill.

"Maybe you can head to Silvermoon City earlier," Lynn said with a grin, "That great Silvermoon Dragon Queen, Velara Malendith, has taken action recently.

A trading house in Silvermoon City used some tricks while dealing with Evanelode, bribing some officials for a great deal of advantage and committing not few misdeeds, reportedly endangering the safety of some North residents.

They might be outsiders, perhaps from Deepwater City looking to develop in Silvermoon City, accustomed to the corruption and dirty hands of officials there; otherwise, they wouldn't dare make such moves in The North.

Before the onset of winter, in their recent trade, they employed a beautiful, delicate female mage."

Lynn said with deeper meaning: "It's said she's a girl of elven beauty, so even though she's only a level 3 mage, she was successfully recruited into the trading party's mercenary force.

Many are saying the leader of the trading party hired her to curry favor with a certain significant personage; otherwise, they definitely would not have hired a mage with such a ladylike demeanor.

To showcase their trade party's capability, they truly did a lot of things, which ultimately got them detained in Evanelode.

Velara Malendith, though usually benevolent, detests those who love to exploit loopholes in the rules, destroy public properties, and those who wreak destruction wantonly.

Then, that Golden Dragon went straight to Silvermoon City, and mind you, she had just elevated Elaströ to the leadership position of the Silvermoon Alliance, when this incident occurred.

Her consort, the Silver Dragon Diszedroten, had given no small amount of support to Elaströ.

Their only demand for Silvermoon City was not to cause trouble in The North, yet this incident happened just a few years after Elaströ stepped down from the position of Lord of Silvermoon.

Silvermoon City nearly burned in Elaströ's fury, and that trading house was directly expelled from the territories of the Silvermoon Alliance.

Those people left just before the Dead of Winter, and they were accepted because they had a few Archmages of level 14 or above in their families, but this meant nothing in the face of Elaströ's wrath.

There are now a few vacancies for lecturers in Silvermoon City's college.

I know you've just left home and wouldn't likely choose to settle in Silvermoon City, but even if you stay there just a few years, it would be good to serve as a temporary lecturer at the Ladies' Academy.

The college affords much enlightenment of thought, which suits magical professions that require inspiration.

I've visited that Bard College myself and became a follower of the Singers there. Even now, I feel it was a good choice I made back then.

Hill, such an open college can be of great help in making life's choices."

Hill sat there stiffly, feeling as if he had returned to the past.

He didn't need anyone to tell him how good the college was for learning; he knew everything but just didn't want to listen.

Trying to muster a sincere smile, Hill said, "Thank you for the advice, Lynn, I'll definitely check out the university, but I'll have to think about the temporary lecturer position.

Some insights of the Nature System are quite difficult to teach."

Lynn nodded in agreement, "I know it's difficult, which is why I only mentioned it in passing.

Although they are willing to accept mages above level 8 as special students, no one would take in mages above level 14.

However, taking advantage of their staff shortage to become a guest professor who doesn't teach is also an option.

This is just a title, hoping that high-level mages like you would lend a hand when you see students traveling abroad in danger.

Elaströ is very generous, and once you become a guest professor, many resources will be open to you!

But that is not the most important thing."

Lynn suddenly sat upright, his tone serious, "Hill, do you know how many immigrants have come to Silvermoon City since Elaströ became the leader of the Silvermoon Alliance, and to what extent the prices of farms outside the city have soared?

And even if you have money, no one is selling! It's so difficult to obtain a land permit in Silvermoon City now!

But with this incident, a piece of land was cleared at once!

I think you wouldn't be interested in those large farms or small castles, but taking the opportunity to acquire a small farm that supplies daily fruits and vegetables is the key to a worry-free life in Silvermoon City.

In that place, when winter comes, sometimes even with money, you can't buy the freshest fruits."

Hill asked in surprise, "Why? There are so many mages!"

"That's precisely because there are too many mages! It's hard enough for small farms to provide for their own consumption, and the slightly better produce from large farms is mostly reserved by the Temple, the universities, and the libraries.

Seasonal fruits are no problem—the forests near Silvermoon City have plenty of berries to sell, and they taste quite good.

But it's different during the long winter.

Hill, the magical energy required to keep fruits in their freshest state is not low!

Not many merchants can afford such consumption, and those who can usually don't sell to the public but supply them especially to certain entities.

The general populace eats fruits stored in cold storage, like the ones I sell at my tavern.

It has nothing to do with affordability; that's the only kind of fruit available on the market!

Can you tolerate fruit of that quality?

You can't just run back home every time you want a tasty fruit, can you?"

Hill's expression changed as he listened.

He controlled the urge to clench the pendant and sincerely thanked the World Will of Teraxil and that turtle Bex.

Even though the World Will gave the benefits initially for him to take care of Agleya, at least it satisfied Hill's craving for good food.

Then he realized the eerie familiarity: in his past and present life, though the universities were entirely different, both were located in places where land was worth its weight in gold!

Hill nodded resolutely, "I'll go buy a farm first. Can I get one as long as I have the money?"

"This is Elaströ's command," Lynn smiled, "The money from selling these items is supposed to compensate the Silvermoon Dragon Queen. Who would dare to reach into this matter?

Even though Velara Malendith and Diszedroten are kind, they are still dragons!"

"Approximately when?" Hill felt relieved. If someone really had the nerve to compete with two Ancient Dragons for money, he could also wait for more land to come up for sale.

"The news I received is it will be on the seventh day after the dead of winter," Lynn said cheerfully, "I'm going too!

I don't need a farm, but I heard that the family collected many musical instruments, some even from other continents, even other worlds, and they will be auctioned off as well. Although Diszedroten will take away some of the particularly good ones, I couldn't afford those anyway."

Hill paused for a moment, "Then when do we set off? With this weather, shall we take a carriage? I have an Alchemy Carriage that won't get stuck in the snow."

Lynn sighed, "In four days, I can't be away from Quelva for too long."

Hill couldn't help but glance at Lynn, "Don't you have a deputy who could hold the fort for a while?"

Lynn laughed bitterly and shook his head, "Hill, to put it bluntly, this is an Adventurer Town. Most professionals come here with the intent to make money.

They don't mind joining the City Guard as long as they get their pay, but they don't plan to stay in this town forever. Even if they plan to remain in The North, many aim to settle down in Silvermoon City.

Over the years, my subordinates have been replaced one batch after another. It's not that there haven't been exceptional individuals, but such people eventually head to Silvermoon City.

I've practically become a training center for Silvermoon City's City Guard! These past few years, I've gotten too lazy to manage this, and just hope that those who settle down here will soon birth someone capable, hardworking, and not eager to leave!"

Hill awkwardly smiled, the rural-urban divide is an unspeakable issue everywhere.

"Then I'll pick you up at the tavern's entrance first thing in the morning." In the end, he could only sidestep the topic entirely.