historical

Northlake city had been rebuilt completely by the government since the cataclysmic attack by the high-level dungeon break, which destroyed the capital. The government of the 7th Nation built their own cities where they lived peacefully, without needing to fear another invasion again.

The city was protected by the city walls and the military. They were also protected by the magic barrier that the government erected around the city. The people of this city were free from the threat of danger, and they could live their lives happily.

Northlake was located at the center of the continent. It was the largest city in the 7th Nation, and it had a lot of things to offer to those who came here.

By the location alone, it had a strategic position. Northlake was near the vast lake on the eastern continent, where it was possible to utilize all the potential that the lake offered, such as fishing, farming, energy resources, tourist spot, and trade.

The city of magic, Northlake, was also a good place to live for those who were interested in magic. It had a very rich mana concentration. The military has no problems dealing with all dungeon threats around the city with ease.

The old and large castle that was once the center of Northlake city and a symbol of power became one of the busiest spots in the city. It became a place for a large open-air market, and the citizens would gather there every day.

It could be called a sort of flea market for all kinds of goods. This way, the people who worked in different fields could come together and make new connections among themselves, which might lead to possible collaborations in the future.

This was the same reason the young men of this city gathered here daily, which made this area lively even during the night.

"Woah...." Linda trotted in between the hustle and bustle of the city streets as she followed Nathan and Muramoto. "Oppa, Oppa... This is so much better than staying in a home all day." She said with a smile.

"Is this your first time, Linda?" Nathan asked her while looking at her cheerful face.

Linda nodded, " I have been to a lot of dungeons and fought a lot of monsters before. But not the capital, where there are a lot of fun things for sale." She replied while looking at Nathan with a sweet smile.

"I'm happy to be with you, Oppa." She continued.

They had reached the central plaza. It was a vast square surrounded by several buildings. The auction house was at the center of the plaza.

"Today's auction will start at night, Nathan-san. We have a few hours before then."

"I see. That's good for us." Nathan nodded and looked at Linda, "Do you have a place in your mind to visit before the Auction starts, Linda?"

Linda nodded and smiled. "Yes, I want to visit a shopping center to buy some new things."

"New things?"

"Yeah. For example, I want to buy a new dress, a new pair of shoes, and..."

"Well, I'll let you choose whatever you like. But don't spend too much." Nathan said and patted her on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Oppa. Don't worry, stupid Marco left me some money. I can pay for myself."

"It's payment for helping with the house chore the last few days. So please don't worry about the budget." He said, and then looked at his hunter device, "We can take some good food too."

They visited a hunter's clothing store, which sold a variety of fashionable clothes but made of the skins of monsters, so they had more durability while maintaining their fashion style. They bought some nice clothes, and then Linda chose a cute dress for herself. It was a white dress combined with silver and red metal shoes and a silvery chest protector.

"Wow! Your dress looks so pretty, Linda!" Muramoto said with admiration.

"I like red. And the combination of white and silver also matches the color of my new greatsword. It looks good on me, Muramoto."

Muramoto nodded in approval of Linda's words.

Nathan only took a few black outfits and some other accessories that he thought would benefit him, like gloves, a belt, and others.

"I think you have to be careful with your money, Oppa. You can't just spend everything you have."

"That's true. You have to be careful with your money, Nathan-san."

Nathan turned to them and smiled. "I know how to handle my money. I'll buy whatever I want. But don't worry about that. Money is not a problem for me." He smiled widely.

After they finished shopping, they went to visit a famous restaurant downtown. The place was so luxurious. It was a very extravagant place that had the best menu in Northlake.

The interior decoration was splendid, and the waiters were so elegant that they seemed like they were from a fairy tale.

"Woah...." Muramoto stared gapingly as a waitress in a fairy green dress approached and asked for their order. "So magical, like faeries."

"Muramoto, stop it, stupid."

Polly, who was sitting on Nathan's lap, peered under the table, staring at the waitress. "We Fae don't wear something like that. Muramoto, you stupid."

"I'm sorry, Polly. I was just joking. You're the cutest Fae I've ever met in my life." Muramoto apologized while scratching his head.

"You need to wait until you see her true form, Muramoto. You will be surprised." Linda told him while giggling.

"No!! I am even cuter in my human form. Even Master Nathan couldn't hold himself and kissed me the first time he met me." Polly said while shaking his white furry head.

"Yeah, right?" Nathan replied while looking at Polly. "You need to remember, that was only an illusion."

Polly looked up at Nathan. "We can do it directly if you force me, Master."

"What?" Muramoto asked.

"I'm saying I can become a real girl, like a human girl." Polly said while showing his teeth. "I can't do it right now because I'm still recovering."

Nathan smiled as he watched the two of them. It was a good thing that Polly could joke around with Muramoto like this.

They ordered the best food that they could find there.

Linda was very satisfied with the delicious meal she had just eaten with Nathan and Muramoto. She wasn't used to eating in a restaurant where everything had been prepared for them and served immediately after they placed their order, but she loved every bit of what she had enjoyed here today.

Muramoto was then curious about most people who seemed to be interested in one thing. He turned his head in the direction the others were pointing at. "Elves?" he asked Linda, who followed his gaze and nodded slowly.

A group of people with pointy ears sat at one table in the corner of the magnificent restaurant. The atmosphere inside the restaurant became more exciting than before as all eyes focused on those elves who didn't seem to care about anyone else's attention.

The elves were seen in their teens, the same as Nathan and the others. There was only one adult male among them. His long, dark blue hair was tied by some sort of small cloth that looked like a bandage or something similar. His skin looked darker than Nathan's white skin. He wore an outfit covering him from the top down except for his neck and arms, exposing his pointed ears that moved constantly to the world.

"Dark elves." Polly whispered under his breath so softly that no other heard it.

"Those are called the Dark Elves?" Muramoto asked curiously. "However, their skins weren't as dark as I had imagined. They look more like light blue, just like the Avatar in the movie, but they are a lot lighter. Most of them are females and they are fascinating and beautiful."

Nathan glanced at the dark elf, the only adult in the group. "Will they also take the CEHA entrance test?"

Muramoto nodded slowly. "I guess so. They probably live somewhere around here too... If you ask me," he continued while looking around carefully, "I think there are many other races too around here..."

"Muramoto!" Polly suddenly interrupted while raising her head to look straight ahead at Muramoto. "Don't stare at them too long. They are not friendly to humans. Do you understand?"

"Even if they were in the human world?" Muramoto said quickly and lowered his head. He was a little embarrassed by the fact that he was staring at the elves because he couldn't help himself when the opportunity was given to him.

"Don't tell me you're horny seeing those dark elves girls, Muramoto." Linda giggled.

"No, what did you say? The only beautiful girl in my life is Olivia-chan, you know."

Linda then stared at Nathan with playful eyes. "You've never seen any elf girl before, right, Oppa? Not even one?" she asked with teasing eyes.

Nathan looked back into Linda's eyes with a smile on his face before answering, "Yeah. That's true. I haven't seen an elf girl until now. Well, what makes me curious is how many types of elves are there in Yunatea?"

"There are four different kinds of Elf species living in Yunatea, Master." Polly answered instantly. "High elves, forest elves, faery elves, and dark elves."

Nathan didn't expect Polly would answer him so fast and clearly like this. The way that she had named the four types of elves made it seem like they belonged to completely different worlds. "So, which elf species does Queen Avaris, the apostle of Pride, belong to?"

"She's a High elf. The most powerful race of the elves, or even the most powerful race in Yunatea." Polly answered simply as if nothing could be more obvious than that.

"The high elves are the strongest and most dominant race in Yunatea. They even have their own kingdom, a vast and strategic area in the central continent of Yunatea." She continued.

Nathan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then opened his eyes again. His voice sounded rough but calm. "I see. I guess we need to visit their kingdom someday soon..."