Arcane Innovator

"Wow!" Ram exclaimed, staring in awe at the towering mountain before us. Yet, despite my reservations, I, too, had to admit that this was a sight like nothing I had seen so far.

The royal city of Weisberg stretched out majestically before us, its countless white buildings reflecting in the afternoon sun.

Built upon the steep slopes of the Silver Mountains, the houses, which were constructed out of the distinctive white limestone that gave the city its unique aesthetic, looked as if they were stacked atop one another, proudly standing on the many terraces carved into the bedrock.

Still, it would take a while before we could admire those magnificent structures up close.

First, we had to cross the narrow valley that we entered this morning following the main highway into the city, which then winded around Weisberg, continuing upward into the mountains and from there all the way into the Kingdom's capital.

Given its position, the city was thus not only a vital fortress protecting the sole mountain pass that led through the Silver Mountains but also an important center of industry.

As could be deducted from their name, the mountains boasted a significant source of precious silver alongside various other metals.

Even from the valley's center, I could see the countless mine shafts doting the countryside and hear the faint echoes of pickaxes hitting the stone.

"Hey, you two!" Vixen shouted from behind. "Stop daydreaming and get a move on. We still have a long way ahead, and I want to get into the city before it gets dark!"

"Sure, sure." Ram hurriedly replied, not wanting to attract Vixen's ire.

With a sigh, I, too, threw one last look at the beautiful vista before me before quickly joining the two as we continued along the myriad of other travelers all hurrying into the city.

Soon, we found ourselves standing in the shadow of the city's majestic walls. Raising my head to get a better look, I noted that they must have been at least twice the size of Ereneth's walls.

Joining the long line of people and carriages, all wanting to get into Weisberg before the gates closed, we patiently waited to be inspected.

When it was finally our turn, a pang of nervousness ran through my body as the bored-looking guard approached us.

As we all presented him with our badges, I had to constantly remind myself that there was no way someone could recognize me as Darian.

Nonetheless, I remained cautious, ready to run away at the slightest sign of trouble.

Yet my worries turned out to be totally unfounded. Either because it was a rush hour or because of our identity as beast hunters, the guards, after a quick glance, let us go without any fuss.

Stepping through the massive gatehouse, I exhaled in relief, a subtle smile playing on my lips. 'Alright, that's one problem solved...'

After asking around for directions, we then headed into the bustling city. The first order of business was to report to the local branch of the Beast Hunter Guild and then search for a place to sleep.

We slowly ascended the slope of the mountain, moving from terrace to terrace as we headed for one of the higher levels of the city.

Looking around, I immediately noticed that the higher we went, the bigger and more decorated the buildings became.

At the very bottom right, next to the city walls, the houses were tiny and tightly cramped together, most likely housing the miners and the lowly servants.

But as we moved upward, the houses grew both in size and magnificence. Each seemed to compete with the next, boasting extravagant balconies, ornate carvings, and soaring rooftops.

And all the way on the very top was the most grandiose mansion I had ever seen, which was probably the residence of the royal governor.

We dutifully trudged on, making our way up the narrow streets and various staircases that connected the towering terraces while navigating through the bustling crowds of people.

The air was filled with a cacophony of voices, merchants haggling their wares, and children laughing as they played in the alleyways.

It wasn't that obvious from the outside, but after getting in, I quickly realized that this was the most cramped and overpopulated city I had ever been in.

The fact that the city was built into the mountain itself didn't help, as everything felt even more narrow and tight, given the lack of space.

The scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, reminding us that we hadn't eaten anything since the morning as we wanted to make it here before nightfall.

Thus, we hurried, battling through the crowds as fast as we could, leaving us exhausted after we finally arrived in front of the imposing building that housed the local branch of the Beast Hunter Guild.

Looking at its richly decorated stone facade that bore almost no resemblance to the shabby exterior of the Ostengard's branch, we immediately become conscious of our worn-out outfits and rugged appearance after several weeks of travel.

So we hurriedly straightened our postures and tried to dust off our coats before pushing the heavy wooden doors open and stepping inside.

Surprisingly, the interior was well-lit thanks to the large windows that let in plenty of sunlight. But apart from that, it looked similar to the main hall of Ostengard's Guild.

Rows of long tables covered most of the ample open space in the middle, and almost every available seat was taken by various beast hunter parties, each busily discussing their latest jobs, filling the hall with a cacophony of lively voices.

A few hunters glanced up at our arrival but quickly returned to their tasks, at best acknowledging us with a curt nod.

Too tired to think about anything but a hot meal and a warm bed, we made a beeline for the counter in the back.

Given the size of the building, it was no wonder that there were multiple counters, each occupied by a dedicated receptionist.

We approached one of the currently free desks where a middle-aged woman with steely eyes and a no-nonsense expression looked up from her paperwork.

She observed us briefly before raising an eyebrow and addressing us with a reserved voice.

"I haven't seen you lot around here before... Are you here to register?"

To avoid any misunderstanding, we promptly showed her our badges, saying that we came here over from Ostengard looking for work.

She curtly nodded, writing down our names in her notebook before explaining the types of work currently available for our rank.

After she was done, we thanked her and quickly exited the building, heading for the reasonably priced inn the receptionist recommended. Since we were no longer Recruits, we no longer had the right to free lodgings, and therefore, we had to provide for ourselves.

It didn't take long to locate the inn in question as it was a pretty sizeable building a short walk from the Guild itself, and we saw plenty of hunters going in and out.

As it was an inn catered toward beast hunters, it mainly had four-person bedrooms, and smaller rooms came at a premium, so we all chose to get a single room to save our precious coins before settling in for a hearty dinner.

***

'Alright, time to get down to business...' I thought as I delved into the city.

It was another beautiful morning at the height of summer. After a good night's sleep, we all decided to take today off to recuperate from our long journey before we would take on any jobs.

I eagerly agreed with this arrangement as it worked perfectly for my own needs. I wanted to both familiarize myself with the city and continue with my search for Dominic and his gang.

Thus, after a late breakfast, I left Ram and Vixen to their own devices as I set off in search of the craftsman's quarter.

My only clue was the sole bottle of purified water safely tucked away in my pocket. Yet it was more than enough.

As an aspiring Alchemist myself, I knew for a fact that no bottle was ever the same, and each glassmaking workshop had its own distinct workmanship that could be easily identified if someone dug deep enough.

Since I also knew that it was customary to sign an exclusive contract with a given workshop, ordering exclusively from them in exchange for a small discount and preferential treatment, I only needed to locate the specific workshop that made this bottle.

From then on, it would be easy to learn which Alchemist workshops work with them, which would then significantly narrow the list of possible suspects.

After that, I could simply observe each Alchemist in turn and, by a process of elimination, find out the culprit.

Then all I need is to watch them closely the same way I did with the Sly merchant in Ostengard, and it would be simply a matter of time before they lead me toward Dominic and his gang.

Having come up with a suitable plan of action, I dutifully continued with my search, and after asking around a few times for instructions, I couldn't help but smile as I finally stood at the outskirts of what seemed like the craftsman district.

I was ready to get to the bottom of this, no matter the cost.