At this moment...
Raven Eltharion donned the stylish blue cloak Lefiya had once given him.
Then, together with Ryuu, he stepped into the City of Magic.
Unlike the Dungeon City, the Magic Kingdom was something else entirely.
It wasn't filled with the bustling noise or massive walls of Orario.
Everything here radiated brightness and nobility.
The wide streets were paved with polished white marble, smooth as mirrors.
Traces of mana glowed faintly in the natural stone veins—
as if the entire city was built upon a grand, ancient magic circle.
The pedestrians were mostly elegant, beautiful elves.
They walked with upright postures, graceful steps, and quiet, melodic voices.
Their every movement seemed to carry a natural rhythm.
A few demi-humans and humans passed by quickly, heads lowered with humility.
Their eyes held deep respect for the elves and their authority in magic...
...and also—
A faint, nearly imperceptible sense of oppression.
"No wonder it's called the Magic Capital. So many elves. Pretty impressive."
Raven strolled leisurely, taking in the exotic scenery.
Ryuu said nothing, but her sky-blue eyes were constantly scanning their surroundings.
As they followed the flow of the crowd, the street suddenly opened up.
Before them stood the grand central district—
the most prosperous avenue in the entire city.
The road was wide, lined with towering ivory-white buildings.
Intricate magical patterns etched in mithril adorned the facades,
alongside elegant elven-style carvings.
The shopfronts sparkled with magical light.
Staffs embedded with elemental cores floated, slowly rotating in displays.
Crystal balls displayed miniature weather systems within.
Ancient runic scrolls sat atop velvet cushions,
silently exuding an aura of arcane knowledge.
The air was filled with a crisp scent of mana dust.
This mana was sustained by thousands of hidden slaves working behind the scenes.
Yes—
The Magic Kingdom of Altena practiced slavery.
In the lower world, slavery was deeply rooted in many regions—
but ironically, Orario, the City of Adventurers, was one of the few places that banned it.
It was part of the gods' vision to make Orario a sacred ground
where heroes could be born.
They firmly opposed any form of injustice in law.
"Come on, that's the shop."
"Whoa… it looks so luxurious."
Raven's eyes sparkled as he quickly led Ryuu forward.
The shop was called Mystic Asterium.
It was one of the grandest buildings in the city, resembling a miniature temple.
The dome was carved from a single piece of magic crystal,
casting rainbow lights in every direction.
The massive mithril doors slid open silently, revealing an even grander interior.
The floor was dark star-patterned stone—
so polished it reflected the slow-moving galaxy illusion above the ceiling.
Soft elven chants played as background music, echoing throughout the hall.
Female elf clerks stood still like art pieces, dressed in white robes
embroidered with silver moonlight patterns.
Their gazes were sharp and distant, silently evaluating every guest
who entered their sanctuary.
The sheer opulence of the place left Raven in awe.
Rows upon rows of top-tier grimoires were displayed in glass cabinets,
each lined with gleaming gemstones.
And in the center of the hall…
A legendary magic staff stood within a crystal pedestal—
one of the five greatest magic staves in the lower world.
One such staff belonged to Riveria Ljos Alf, the [Nine Magic Princess].
Loki had commissioned its creation at an outrageous price.
As for the remaining three—
Raven had no idea where they were.
His eyes swept across the price tags—
each grimoire costing no less than a billion valis.
"These are crazy expensive…"
Raven sighed inwardly.
"But it's fine…"
"I'm not short on money anymore."
"Might as well buy it all."
Ryuu furrowed her brow slightly.
The looks from her fellow elves were not only ones of partial approval
towards her pureblood status—
but also tinged with disdain toward the human walking beside her.
Thinly veiled contempt.
"Sir, lady elf—may I ask what kind of item you're looking for today?"
A smiling elf clerk approached politely.
"I want to buy grimoires," Raven said plainly.
"Sir, we only offer high-grade and top-tier grimoires."
"Which would you prefer?"
"Top-tier, of course."
"And that magic staff—I'll take that too."
Yes, money could buy anything.
The elf clerk raised an eyebrow, then smiled wryly.
"Sir, that staff is our store's prized treasure."
"To purchase it, you must not only pay the price—
but also meet the eligibility requirements."
Eligibility?
"What kind of requirement?"
Raven looked at her oddly.
You needed qualifications to buy things now?
"Well, sir…"
"We need to determine whether you have enough strength to wield it."
"If you're serious, please follow me—we'll measure your mana output."
Raven nodded casually.
"Sure."
That legendary magic staff—he would claim it today.
Soon after…
Guided by the clerk, they arrived at a spacious and luxurious VIP hall.
At its center stood a massive crystal orb.
And…
A tall elven woman with silver hair like moonlight stood silently by it.
Her name was Calliope, captain of the Herte Familia.
Her level—Lv. 5.
(Note: Since Fels is Lv. 4, a Lv. 5 mage from the Magic Kingdom is plausible.)
Ryuu glanced around and whispered softly:
"Raven…"
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
"It's fine."
"What's there to worry about?"
Raven patted her shoulder and gave her a reassuring look.
...
Author's Note:
Sorry, this scene really feels like a mess.
As soon as Raven finishes flexing, I'll wrap this arc up.
Original content is just too painful to write...
The numbers haven't gone up in days, I'm seriously about to cry.
Please, dear readers—flowers, monthly votes, reviews…
Any support or encouragement helps.
Even urging updates or donations will keep me up all night writing 😭
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