Verc travelled with Tatum and Jed.
The air felt lighter outside the forest, lacking the heavy mana and the scent of decay that clung to the deeper parts of the forest.
They only stopped when Bong and the other horses had to rest and eat. Verc was mindful of the animals, knowing that their journey depended on the stamina of their mounts. They would pull over near small streams or patches of fresh grass, letting the horses graze while they stretched their own legs.
The same was true for Onyx as well, of course. Whenever they stopped, Onyx would jump down from Verc’s arms and run around in circles, yapping at butterflies or sniffing at the unfamiliar plants of the plains.
Verc would watch him with a small, quiet smile, letting the puppy burn off his excitement before they had to move again.
Their group went like that for days, it became a routine—waking up at dawn, riding for hours, resting under the shade of a tree, and then finding a safe spot to camp when the sun began to dip below the horizon. They didn’t meet any people on the road, which was perfect for them.
And so, before they even knew it—
TAK!
The sound of hooves hitting the paved road outside the city walls echoed in the air. They had finally reached back to the city of Sionann; the place they had stopped at before entering the [Cursed Forest] weeks ago.
*****
The city looked exactly as they had left it, with its high stone walls and the constant hum of activity coming from within. The city has two gates, one is the main entrance where they entered before, which was always crowded with merchants and travellers, and the other one is at the back where they had left to head into the forest.
Verc decided to take the back gate. It was less busy, and he hoped it would be a faster way to get inside without causing a scene.
As they approached the massive wooden doors of the back gate, Verc, Tatum, and Jed slowed their horses to a walk. The area was quiet, with only a few wagons lined up for inspection.
But of course, a guard stopped them. He was leaning against the stone archway, looking bored until he saw the three riders approaching. He straightened his posture and held out a hand, signalling for them to stop.
"Halt! State your business and identity."
The guard called out, his eyes squinting as he looked at the three of them.
Verc was ready for this. He didn’t want to waste time explaining who they were or where they came from.
FWIP-
Without a word, he reached into his pouch and pulled out a small, wooden object. He just handed the plaque of the Adventurer’s Guild to the guard.
The guard took it, his gloved fingers tracing the symbols on the plaque. He turned it over, checking for the official seal. And after a few seconds, he confirmed that it was real.
"An adventurer, huh?"
He looked at Verc and the two companions behind him. Tatum and Jed were sitting tall on their horses, their high-quality clothes making them look like noble attendants.
They typically looked like a noble being accompanied by his servants—a common sight in a city like Sionann.
But the guard’s instinct was telling him otherwise.
There was something about the way Verc sat on his horse, and the way the two boys kept their eyes fixed on the surroundings with sharp, predator-like focus. Especially after seeing Verc covering his lower face with a dark cloth mask, the guard felt a prickle of suspicion.
"Why is your face covered?"
The guard pointed that out, his hand resting near the hilt of his sword.
Verc looked at him, his red eyes peering over the edge of the mask. And without batting an eye—
"It is a tradition of my family. We do not show our faces to strangers until we have shared a meal or a blade."
He stated that. He prepared this answer way before.
The guard frowned, clearly not satisfied with it.
"Tradition or not, I need to see who is entering this city. Take it off."
The guard’s voice became stern. He stepped closer to Bong, reaching out as if he intended to pull the mask down himself.
But instead of doing what he was told to—
WHOOOOOOOOSH!!!
Verc released [Dominion Aura]!
The air around them suddenly felt like it had turned into lead. It was a cold, suffocating pressure that radiated outward from Verc, hitting the guard like a physical blow.
"?!!"
And it was not just him too.
Tatum and Jed made their presence known as well. They didn’t use an aura like Verc, but they let their intent bleed out. Their eyes turned sharp as they looked at the guard, their bodies tensing as if they were ready to pounce from their saddles at a moment’s notice.
The air became chilly immediately. The guard flinched, his hand freezing mid-air. He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest as he had trouble breathing. His whole body was getting goosebumps, and his knees felt weak, as if they were about to buckle under the sheer weight of the presence in front of him.
The three didn’t do, they didn’t even move... but the guard felt like his life is in danger.
And in that moment—
"Is that necessary?"
Verc asked that.
His voice was calm, almost bored, but from the guard’s POV, he just felt like he was getting strangled by an invisible hand.
Every word felt like a mountain crashing down on his soul. He looked into Verc’s eyes and saw a depth of power that terrified him. He felt like a mouse standing before a dragon.
And instinctively—
"N-No... Y-You can pass."
The guard muttered that, shaking his head frantically. He took several steps back, his face turning pale. He wanted nothing more than for this terrifying man to be gone.
And as soon as those words left his mouth, the heavy pressure disappeared like it was just a joke.
Swoosh~
The air turned warm again, and the crushing weight on the guard’s chest vanished instantly.
"???"
This confused the guard. He blinked, looking around to see if anyone else had felt it, but everything seemed normal. The other wagons were still moving, and the birds were still chirping. It was as if the last few seconds had been a hallucination.
But before he could even do something or change his mind—
"Oh, I’m glad. Thanks."
Verc said that to him, his tone light and friendly.
Then without looking at the man again—
TAK!
He lead Bong inside the city, the horse’s hooves clicking rhythmically on the stone street. Tatum and Jed followed closely behind him, their expressions neutral as if nothing had happened.
The guard was left there all alone, his hand still shaking.
He looked at the back of Verc and the two boys as they disappeared into the city traffic. He swallowed hard and after that—he just shook his head, telling himself that he will just be minding his own business now. He didn’t want to know who that man was. He just wanted to finish his shift and go home.
*****
Once Verc and the two got inside, the atmosphere changed completely. The quiet of the road was replaced by the roar of a busy city. There were people everywhere—shouting merchants, playing children, and citizens going about their daily lives.
Verc didn’t head for an inn or the guild. Instead, they went into a shopping spree.
’I need to bring back things that will actually help the village grow.’
Verc thought. He had plenty of gold, and he wasn’t afraid to spend it.
... ... ...
Verc visited the city market first.
It was a sprawling area filled with stalls selling everything from rare spices to common farming tools. And there; he bought every material he saw that looked useful.
He bought high-quality iron, bags of rare seeds that didn’t grow in the forest, and even construction supplies that the gnolls could use to reinforce the castle.
He didn’t stop there. He bought every book he can find. He went to a bookstore and cleared out their shelves of practical manuals—books on architecture, agriculture, history, and even basic magic theory for the kids to study.
’Knowledge is just as important as strength.’
He thought, handing a heavy bag of gold to the stunned shopkeeper.
Then came the clothes. He bought sturdy fabrics for the orcs, soft linens for the gnolls, and better outfits for the kids back at the base. He even bought a few luxury items, like spices and sweets, thinking that a feast would be a good way to celebrate when they returned.
He was just using the gold he got from the dungeon, pulling out handfuls of coins without even counting them. He didn’t care about the price; he only cared about the quality.
And he’s making the two carry everything.
Tatum and Jed were quickly becoming buried under a mountain of packages. Tatum had five large sacks tied to his horse, while Jed was carrying a stack of books so high he could barely see over them.
"Lord Verc... I think we’re going to need another horse just for the luggage."
Tatum joked, though he didn’t complain about the weight. He was happy to see Verc so focused on providing for everyone.
Because of this, Verc quickly gained attention. It wasn’t every day someone walked through the market and bought entire stalls’ worth of goods without haggling. The civilians and merchants whispered to each other as they passed.
"Look at him... he must be a high-noble from the capital."
One merchant whispered to his neighbor.
"Or maybe a wealthy merchant prince. Look at the way his servants are dressed!"
They tried to get his attention, shouting out their wares and waving him over to their stalls, hoping for a piece of the gold he was throwing around.
"My lord! Look at these silks!"
"Noble sir! I have the finest blades in Sionann!"
Not that Verc noticed, though. He was just focused on getting things for his people. He ignored the calls and the stares, his mind busy calculating what else they might need before they left.
’The gnolls mentioned they needed better saws for the wood... and the orcs need more whetstones.’
He moved from stall to stall with a purpose, his red eyes scanning the items with clinical precision.
Tatum and Jed shared a look behind his back.
’He’s really going all out today.’
Tatum thought, adjusting the heavy bag of iron on his saddle.
’He acts like he’s just buying bread, but he’s basically equipping an entire army.’
Jed thought, nodding to himself.
Verc finally stopped in front of a stall selling high-quality leather. He looked at the material, feeling its thickness.
"I’ll take all of it."
He said to the merchant.
The merchant’s jaw dropped.
"All of it, my lord? But that’s over fifty rolls!"
"Did I stutter?"
Verc asked, his voice cold but calm.
The merchant quickly started packing the leather, his hands trembling with excitement at the massive sale.
"No! No, of course not! Right away, my lord!"
Verc watched the man work, his thoughts drifting back to the village in the [Cursed Forest]. He could imagine the gnolls’ faces when they saw the tools and the books, and the orcs’ reactions to the new materials.
’This is good. But we’re not done yet.’
Verc looked toward the upper district of the city, where the more specialized shops were located.
"Tatum, Jed. Let’s move. We still have the alchemist and the blacksmith to visit."
"Yes, Lord Verc!"
The two replied in unison, struggling to turn their heavily-laden horses to follow him.
As they moved through the streets, the legend of the "Silent Noble" began to grow. To the people of Sionann, he was a mystery—a wealthy man who hid his face and bought the world. But to Verc, he was just a leader making sure his people had everything they needed to survive in a world that wanted them dead.
He didn’t care about the fame or the whispers. He only cared about the power he was bringing back to his home.
"Next stop."
Verc muttered to himself, his eyes already searching for the next shop.
The shopping spree was far from over.