Chapter 40

"Chamber of Commerce... there are three blacksmith shops... the layout is quite different..."

"The granary's location is also wrong, um... in 588, that was in the autumn of 590—what was it again..."

"That's not right... this area shouldn't be here at all."

Sally followed behind, listening to Roddy's words with some confusion, finding him a bit eccentric. Occasionally, her gaze would fall on the bustling market where magicians performed, but she didn't dare stop to watch.

In this era, the existence of magicians was widely accepted by the people. However, it's important to note that the "magicians" generally accepted by the public were not the terrifying beings who could throw fireballs or cast devastating spells as seen in other games. The so-called "magic" was not created solely for destruction and war.

More often, "magic" was used to improve and optimize society. Wealthy lords would hire magicians to use zero-level spells like "Mage Hand" to help with heavy labor, greatly increasing efficiency—zero-level spells, also known as "cantrips" in the classification of magic, included spells like "Sand Blast," "Light," and "Message," which were designed to make life easier and entertain the masses.

Circus troupes like the one Sally saw usually had one or two such magicians who would perform tricks, bringing a bit of novelty to the hardworking farmers and earning some hard-earned money. In a sense, they were also a form of labor.

Roddy had no particular feelings about these magicians. After the game launched, "magician" became a niche profession, perhaps due to the initial requirement for low-level magic users to engage in physical combat—since there were few zero-level spells with offensive capabilities, and after the arduous experience of leveling up and completing quests to advance to higher levels, the power of first and second-level spells was so disappointing that most mages lost patience and changed professions. Until the appearance of fourth-level spells, the mage class was almost always the weakest in the team, never gaining much popularity.

However, if a mage managed to reach the 30th level threshold for advanced classes, they would be rewarded with a pleasant surprise after a long period of frustration—now, Roddy wasn't interested in recalling the three-year blood and tears of those mages, but he was greatly puzzled by the appearance of this Kiger town.

He noticed that the Kiger town in his memory was quite different from the one before him. The most obvious difference was that the southeastern area was not empty as he remembered, but was filled with various craftsmen's shops, including a bustling market...

"In 590... Kiger town was auctioning off this land, what was the reason again?"

Roddy recalled the scenario after the game launched, where players with their first batch of funds began to purchase real estate. Corporations supported by studios went on a land-buying spree, and Kiger town, with its many vacant properties and low prices, became one of the hottest real estate projects... As for the reason, Roddy frowned and thought for a long time before finally remembering—

A fire.

A fire in the autumn of 589 burned half of Kiger town, which was before the game launched. For this reason, the Viscount Tranka was quite troubled. After the game launched, players in the area could receive tasks from the Viscount to quickly restore Kiger town's economic level...

Thinking about this, Roddy's thoughts shifted, naturally leading him to consider his next steps. Reviving the nation and fighting the orcs was not a simple matter of rallying a crowd. If there was something that could unite this rigidly stratified society, it was only one thing:

Interest.

If different classes of people were separate bricks, "interest" was the cement that could bind them together into a fortress.

Roddy, a tech-savvy loner, had an absolute advantage in combat, but he had never had much experience in business. As a lone ranger, he always relied on himself, occasionally teaming up for raids but maintaining a solitary and aloof demeanor.

In this life, he probably couldn't continue to wander alone as he used to. Roddy sighed and, when he looked up, noticed Sally beside him, looking at him curiously.

"I've always been curious... what do you think about when you're lost in thought?"

"Look," Roddy pointed to the shops in front of them, "I'm thinking about how to buy them and make money for myself."

This made Sally laugh—she found his way of speaking amusing rather than thinking he was boasting.

In Sally's... or anyone in this society's view, the concept of "buying" shops or markets like those in Kiger town didn't exist. Shops were part of commercial guilds, and markets were registered with these guilds, but ultimately, most of the profits went to the lords—apart from the lords, making money from these people was a pipe dream.

"You're a strange guy, I really don't understand why you have these ideas."

Sally pointed to the shops and continued, "These rules have been fixed for hundreds of years. The lords are always the biggest beneficiaries. You want a share? You'll need the Viscount Tranka's approval—though I doubt that stingy lord would agree."

Sally knew the nobles in the region well, and Roddy, remembering her status as a duke's daughter, scolded himself for forgetting her capabilities and humbly sought her advice.

Sally had never seen this studious side of Roddy before. The young girl, flattered by the compliments, couldn't help but feel a bit elated. After a few exchanges, she felt like a "teacher," a new and exciting role. They chatted about the feudal system and the commercial system as they walked through the town, and when they finally reached the last "supply station" before heading to Holier City, Roddy let Sally take a drink, then smiled and continued leading the way.

Sally realized she had talked too much and felt a bit annoyed, wanting to catch up and say a few "tough words," but just as they were about to leave the town in a relaxed mood, a sudden group of cavalry appeared, breaking the relaxed atmosphere.

Sally stopped, staring blankly ahead.

The good luck they had in the Silent Forest seemed to end here. Sally almost gasped, because... among the dozen or so cavalry, the leader was the person she was currently avoiding...

Francis Luciferon!

Roddy, of course, recognized Francis—though he knew him as the lord of Aiveta, who years later had a mustache and was eventually hanged by the order of General Soderlor. The Francis before him was much younger, with neatly trimmed golden hair and a well-tailored but not overly ornate leather armor, standing tall and proud among the soldiers.

It was getting dark, and Roddy knew the cavalry must have come from Vic Village to rest here for the night. The horses were clearly tired, and the soldiers' lips were dry—what worried Roddy most was that the cavalry, about fifty meters away, dismounted and led their horses into Kiger town, heading straight for Roddy and Sally!

This... this is just too coincidental!

Roddy had no way to turn back, as he realized there were no hiding spots on this straight street. Turning back? Even the slightest wrong move could make Francis, who was obsessed with finding Sally, extremely alert!

What to do?

Not only Roddy, but Sally's heart was also racing. Her mood plummeted because she knew her brother's capabilities—though she had tried to mimic a man's actions and demeanor, Francis, who had grown up in the duke's mansion and had the title of "Elementalist," had far sharper senses. In the duke's mansion, he could often identify Sally just by the rhythm of her steps.

Now, it seemed that Roddy and Sally were walking into a trap.

The atmosphere became tense,

Roddy kept walking, knowing that any abnormal behavior might draw more attention. He subtly moved to block Francis's view, trying to prevent him from noticing Sally behind him. But this wasn't the only solution, and he was desperately anxious... could he really just rely on luck?

Roddy was not someone who relied on luck. He thought for a moment, his lips moving slightly as he called up his skill bar—his usual approach in dire situations, as he knew that sometimes the most useless skills could have unexpected effects. But looking at the basic skills, his heart sank.

Wait!

Roddy suddenly noticed a glowing icon next to his basic skill bar. Since his rebirth, he had never called up the complete skill bar, and the "equipment skills" section, which should have been empty, had a skill he had never noticed.

His gaze fixed on it, Roddy continued walking, but his brow furrowed as he read the text displayed—

Mysterious Necklace

Unique

Use: Cast Stealth (Level 3), lasts 60 seconds.

Activation Spell: Ol'kahla

"This mysterious necklace seems to have endured many years, but the power it once possessed has not been lost."

This... this is like getting a pillow when you're sleepy?

Roddy was completely stunned.

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