Tivian is located on the eastern coast of the Pritt Kingdom, where the Moonflow River, which spans a third of Pritt’s main island, flows into the sea. The inland river network connects the city to the rest of the kingdom, allowing goods from across the country to be exported abroad while continuously bringing in imports from overseas to various domestic regions.
This is the capital and most important city of the Pritt Kingdom. Buildings densely cover the vast land, stretching as far as the eye can see. The city is home to over five million people. To the east, the massive port along the coastline operates ceaselessly, bustling day and night. To the west, industrial zones filled with towering chimneys endlessly spew thick smoke beyond the horizon.
At the entrance of the Tivian train station, a dense crowd moves back and forth. Beside the towering station gates, dragging a large suitcase behind her, Dorothy finally stepped onto Tivian soil and let out a long sigh of relief.
"Phew… Finally arrived. And I managed to get out smoothly, without getting tangled up with the police or journalists. That’s the best outcome."
Dorothy thought to herself with relief. She had spent the entire morning finding an opportunity to retrieve Edrick, and by leaving the train discreetly, she successfully avoided being questioned by the authorities or the press.
To minimize trouble, Dorothy had deliberately instructed Edrick to leave a note in his compartment, suggesting that the train conductor and crew take full credit for capturing the culprit. To someone like Dorothy, who was used to staying behind the scenes, fame and trouble were essentially the same thing.
"That conductor and the train crew were decent people. They cooperated with me throughout. I hope they’ll like my little gift."
Standing outside the train station, Dorothy gazed at the unfamiliar city before her. Compared to Igwynt, the streets here were noticeably wider. Instead of stone bricks, the roads were paved with cement, and more horse-drawn carriages moved back and forth. The buildings were taller, and the sidewalks were crowded with bustling pedestrians.
Unlike Igwynt, Tivian’s air was filled with a faint white haze. Despite the clear sky above, visibility was limited, and there was a subtle but distinct odor lingering in the air.
"Looks like pollution here is quite severe—way worse than in Igwynt. I’ll have to start carrying masks from now on." Muttering to herself, Dorothy pulled her suitcase toward the telegraph office next to the train station. There, she sent a telegram to Gregor in Igwynt to inform him of her safe arrival. After that, she stepped onto the street and flagged down a horse-drawn carriage. Once the coachman had loaded her suitcase, she climbed into the carriage herself.
"Please take me to the Royal Crown University. Thank you," Dorothy requested.
"Which part of Crown University, miss? That place is huge. There are at least seven or eight campuses," the coachman replied.
"Um… Please wait a moment."
Dorothy reached into her coat pocket, took out an envelope, and pulled out a letter.
After glancing at it briefly, she responded, "Take me to the East Gate of the King’s Campus at Royal Crown University."
"The old campus? That’s quite far. This ride’s gonna be expensive, miss."
"That’s fine. Just drive. The fare isn’t an issue."
"Alright then, sit tight, miss. We’ll pick up the pace."
With that, the coachman flicked the reins, and the carriage, drawn by two horses, began moving forward. Dorothy took the opportunity to admire the scenery of the big city along the way.
As the carriage made turns through Tivian’s streets, the journey stretched on. It took so long that Dorothy grew tired of watching the scenery—wherever she looked, she saw only hurried crowds and towering, grayish buildings. The sight felt oppressive and stifling. Eventually, she found herself on the verge of dozing off. In Igwynt, she had never spent this much time on city transportation in one go.
Gradually, the buildings outside the carriage windows became less dense. Greenery and street trees increased in number, and the surroundings began to feel livelier, less suffocating. Dorothy realized she was slowly moving away from the city center.
At last, after over two hours of riding in the carriage, she finally reached her destination. As soon as she stepped out, she took a deep breath of the relatively fresh air, gazing up at the bright sky and white clouds above.
Before her stood an ancient, towering stone gate. Beyond it stretched an expanse of lush green fields. In the distance, clusters of classical buildings adorned with pointed towers and intricate stone railings stood proudly. Being somewhat removed from the industrial areas, the air here was significantly clearer, with far less haze and none of that lingering unpleasant smell.
"The King’s Campus is here, miss," the coachman informed her.
"Thank you, the journey was really quite long." Dorothy responded as she handed over the previously agreed-upon fare.
The coachman, after receiving the payment, smiled and said, "If you wanted to be faster, you could’ve taken the city railway or the subway. Those coal-burning trains run much faster than horses."
"There’s a subway and rail transit here?"
"Yes, but the trains don’t run frequently, and the waiting time is quite long. Plus, they’re always packed with people, overcrowded and chaotic. For a wealthy young lady like yourself, traveling alone on them could be dangerous—you never know what might happen."
"This is the oldest campus of the Royal Crown University, the very place where the university first started. The university’s core is still here, and many people come to visit every year. I hope you have a great time here, Miss."
After saying that, the coachman waved and drove his carriage off into the distance. Dorothy, standing still, silently thought to herself:
"I’m not here for sightseeing. I’m here for school."
With that thought in mind, Dorothy looked toward the distant campus—her new university.
Back then, Aldrich had told Gregor that he would recommend Dorothy to attend a better secondary school so that she could later get into a university. In reality, Aldrich had bypassed that step altogether and directly recommended her for university.
"Alright… time to go handle my ‘enrollment procedures’ now."
Muttering to herself, Dorothy began dragging her luggage forward. However, her destination was not the university campus, but a small town-like residential area across from the East Gate.
Walking through the town’s streets, Dorothy glanced around. She noticed that most of the buildings were wooden houses with simple yet elegant decorations. Every home had trees and flower baskets as part of their decor, making the surroundings feel fresh and lively. Street vendors lined both sides of the road, selling various snacks and foods. Many young men and women in their twenties wandered the streets, shopping, while others sat under the shade of trees reading books.
"So this is a commercial town built specifically to serve students. Aldrich’s contact lives somewhere in here…"
Taking out the letter Aldrich had prepared for her in advance, Dorothy read through it as she wandered the town. Before leaving Igwynt, Aldrich had given her this letter, instructing her to find a certain contact upon arriving in Tivian. This person would help her arrange everything that came next.
After searching for a while, following the address in the letter, Dorothy finally arrived at her destination—a stone-built house that looked quite ordinary, even somewhat old.
"Royal Crown University, East Gate, Green Shade Town, No. 37. This should be the place."
After confirming the address on the plaque, Dorothy stepped forward and knocked on the door, following the pattern described in the letter.
A few seconds later, a cold, mechanical voice came from behind the door.
"What is your purpose?"
"I was sent by an acquaintance," Dorothy answered, exactly as the letter had instructed. The voice quickly responded.
"Verification?"
Without hesitation, Dorothy slid the letter into the mail slot at the door. After waiting for a moment, the door in front of her automatically opened.
Dragging her luggage inside, Dorothy took a look around. The room was an entirely ordinary living space—sofas, a fireplace, a coffee table, bookshelves—nothing out of the ordinary. Just as she was about to explore further inside, the strange voice rang out again.
"Stand still. Do not move."
Dorothy froze for a moment, hesitated briefly, but ultimately chose to comply.
Then, behind her, the door suddenly shut on its own. A series of mechanical clicking sounds echoed around her, and the floor beneath her feet began to tremble. In the midst of this noise, the floor split apart and started descending.
Dorothy’s heart tightened as she looked up, only to see gears rotating and an intricate mechanical system activating below.
"There’s a hidden mechanism beneath the floor? The mechanism is making the floor descent?"
As she processed this realization, the platform she was standing on continued to transport her downward. Occasionally, it moved sideways, shifting left or right, as if she were cargo being carried along a conveyor belt. The sound of countless gears and mechanisms filled the air around her.
"Damn, is the entire house like this?"
With her heart pounding, Dorothy’s strange journey finally came to an end. After a hatch opened beneath her, she was delivered into a vast underground space.
Chains, gears, and all kinds of mechanical structures filled the area. Various disassembled devices were scattered throughout. The dim, orange glow of lamps illuminated the enclosed environment. A massive mechanical clock stood against the wall, ticking away.