The following day, on the outskirts of Valla-Glas, a black wagon moves along the main road, accompanied by four riders on horseback.
Gravel, Iris, Reave, and Kein. Early that morning, just before Diara, Gravel, and Iris were set to depart, Reave, nursing a hangover from the previous night, halted the wagon. Clutching his head, he argued that someone needed to stay behind to set up camp, perform minor repairs on the wagon, and tend to the horses. He convinced Diara that he and Kein would take on those responsibilities.
Reave's argument held weight, so Diara explained the situation to Count Tould and secured two additional horses and spare armor before they set out from Valla-Glas. Of course, Diara made it a point to emphasize to the others—more than once—that their purpose was not to sell the black reindeer furs loaded on the wagon.
"Diara, Are we heading straight to Levados Plains along this road?"
Kein asked Diara after taking a sip from the waterskin he pulled from his saddlebag. Perhaps due to the strong liquor and heavily spiced meat from the previous night, both Reave and Kein found their throats parched, reaching for their waterskins more often than usual.
"Yes. It's fortunate timing, as the Trea Caravan is holding a grand market at the crossroads of Levados Plains. Hundreds of wagon from across the continent will be there, which works in our favor."
"Oh! That's true. It'll be hard for anyone to single out our wagon among so many." Kein said, nodding.
"Still, stay vigilant. People like Gulick could still find us."
"Understood, Diara."
To the west lies the Norwan mountain range, to the south the Pestronak mountains, and to the east the Rowin mountains. To the north, the Katcrow Sea surrounds the Esteta Kingdom. In the northwestern part of this kingdom lies the vastest plain in the region: Levados Plains.
This plain is crisscrossed by major roads connecting various regions. To the north, the road leads to Grand Duke Vanas's city, Ves-Dinas. To the west, it reaches Count Tould's Valla-Glas. To the south, it stretches to Duke Kavil's Karobdiff. The longest and grandest road runs between the Rowin and Pestronak mountain ranges, leading to Drasnarr, the capital of the Esteta Kingdom at the heart of the continent. At the center of these converging roads lies a place known as the Great Crossroads.
At this Great Crossroads, a grand market is held, said to take thirty days to gather, thirty days to conduct business, and thirty days to disperse—a ninety-day spectacle.
Merchants from across the continent flock to this grand market with their wares. Outposts from Ixtarn, the continent's largest city, join southern desert kingdom traders, dwarves from the far east, magical artifact merchants from the Cobalt Archipelago in the northern seas, and Anthro traders from the distant island of Rondela, all converging at the market. For any merchant, the Trea Caravan's grand market is a name they've heard and a destination they dream of visiting.
"Ehehe! How much will we get for the black reindeer furs at the grand market?"
Reave let out a gleeful chuckle as he spoke to Kein.
"It's a gathering of master traders. They might try to haggle us down or slip in useless goods to reduce the gold they pay, so we need to stay sharp!"
"Hmm! You're right. We can't let them cheat us out of even a single coin!"
As Reave and Kein bantered atop their horses, Gravel's gaze drifted toward the distant walls of a fortified gate. One side of the wall bordered the Deure River to the south, while the other reached the northern foothills. The closer they got, the more the towering, sturdy walls loomed, showcasing their height and strength.
"That's the Tond Gate Fortress." Diara explained.
"To travel from the east to Valla-Glas, you must pass through it. Beyond the gate lies Levados Plains."
"A fortress built to connect the river and the mountains. Impressive."Gravel remarked.
As they drew nearer, the walls of the fortress seemed to grow even taller, forcing them to crane their necks to take in its full height.
Count Tould, who governs the westernmost territory of the kingdom, had constructed such a formidable gate facing east rather than toward external threats, suggesting complex circumstances. Gravel, silently pondering this, followed Diara's wagon toward the fortress gate.
At the entrance to the Tond Gate Fortress, Diara's wagon joined a long line of other wagons, merchants with packs on their backs, mules laden with goods, and traders of all kinds.
"Are they all heading to the crossroads?"
Reave asked, eyeing the length of the queue.
"Most likely." Diara replied.
"Reave, do you see any fur traders in the line?" Kein asked.
"Hmm… I'm not sure. I haven't been paying close attention. Why do you ask about fur traders?"
"If there's a fur trader heading to the grand market, they might know someone who'll pay well for our black reindeer furs."
"Oh! Good thinking, Kein! I'll check the front of the line."
Reave handed his reins to Kein, dismounted, and hurried toward the front of the queue.
After waiting in line, Diara's wagon finally reached the eastern road beyond the Tond Gate Fortress. The rhythmic clopping of the four horses' hooves and the creaking of the wagon wheels blended into a pleasant cadence.
As the vast expanse of the plain came into view, stretching to the horizon, everyone instinctively turned their heads to take in the sight.
The sound of the wind whistling through the air, interspersed with the occasional howl of a plains wolf, caused the horses to pause. The rustling of the grass tickled their ears pleasantly. With no mountains to obstruct the view, the horizon where the sky met the earth was clearly visible.
Some travelers, slightly off the road, lit campfires and greeted passing merchants while preparing late meals or brewing sweet tea, watching a fox in the distance carrying its prey back to its den.
Yellow flowers bloomed in unnamed bushes, and a flock of large birds rested on nearby rocks, startled into flight by the approaching sound of hooves, their wingbeats echoing faintly to the group.
Feeling the monotony of the endless plains, Gravel asked Diara about the animals, grasses, and trees of Levados Plains. Diara, drawing from her travels across the plains and knowledge gained from the archives of the Temple of Hidden Moon, shared her insights with Gravel.
Now accustomed to writing on horseback, Gravel jotted down Diara's teachings as they spoke, transferring her knowledge onto paper.
As time passed and the sun set, they set up camp a short distance from the road. Across the plains, the red glow of other campfires dotted the landscape. In the quiet, the faint sounds of instruments, songs, laughter, and conversations mingled, creating the ambiance of a night on the plains.
The next day, after a simple breakfast of jerky stew made from reindeer meat and hard bread, Diara's wagon set off again.
The day began much like the previous one. Passing familiar scenery, they greeted merchants with heavy packs and a cart pulled by two donkeys laden with sacks of grain.
Hours later, Iris rode closer to Gravel and spoke in a low voice.
"Up ahead, a monster resembling a giant crayfish is chasing what looks like a merchant's wagon."
"Hm? Up there? I can't quite see it… maybe something?"
Gravel squinted, trying to make out a distant speck.
"Focus mana into the Centaur Vein. You'll see it."
"Oh? Right… I'll try that."
Gravel channeled mana into the mana veins point above his brow, about two fingers' width in length. The crayfish-like monster Iris described came into view. It wasn't like detection magic; it was as if his vision amplified, pulling the distant object closer for a clearer view.
"This is incredible…" Gravel marveled, observing the monster chasing the wagon. Its head and back, covered in a thick, rock-like yellowish-brown shell caked with dry dirt, looked sturdy. It reached out with large pincers, trying to seize the fleeing wagon.
"What's that? There's dust up ahead…"
Reave spurred his horse forward, trying to discern the cause of the commotion.
"It's a crayfish-like monster with a thick shell, chasing a wagon." Gravel explained.
"Huh? You can see it from here Gravel?"
Reave shielded his eyes from the sun, straining to see the distant wagon and monster, but it was too far for him to make out.
"From your description, it sounds like a Rock Scraper!" Diara said.
"I'll go help the person being chased. Please watch the wagon!"
Diara mounted the leftmost of the two horses pulling the wagon, untied the reins, and galloped forward, her staff—usually leaning against the wagon seat—now in hand.
"Iris! Please guard the wagon with the two soldiers!"
Gravel called, urging his horse to follow Diara.
"Diara, why not try the Fox Flame spell you learned through Spell Engrave last night?"
"Yes! I'll give it a try."
The Spell Engrave Gravel mentioned was a unique skill of his Arcanist class from Grand World Online, allowing him to transfer any spell up to level 5 to another person. For rare or difficult-to-acquire spells, players often sought out Arcanists to learn them, as the skill's utility was well-proven.
When Gravel first arrived in this world, he tried using Spell Engrave on Iris, but it didn't work, likely because she lacked a magic-related class. However, after Iris gained basic magical knowledge, the skill activated. The previous night, during their usual campfire discussions about this world's magic, Gravel and Diara talked about Spell Engrave. Eager to learn, Diara agreed to receive a spell through it. Gravel chose Fox Flame, a level 4 fire spell, believing Diara's proficiency with similar-level fire magic would allow her to master it.
The process was simpler than Diara expected. Gravel summoned a glowing orb of mana particles at his fingertips and touched it to Diara's forehead. Instantly, knowledge flooded her mind: the incantation, the magic circle's structure, its optimal size, and the expected mana consumption—everything needed to cast the spell surged into her like a wave.