Chapter 610: Traditional Greeting
Harbor Quarter.
Right as the sun was setting, a ship glided into the bustling harbor of Ravenfell, its wooden hull creaking under the weight of its cargo and passengers.
The anchor splashed into the water and the gangplank was lowered with a resounding thud onto the wooden pier. Passengers began to disembark, a colorful mix of adventurers, traders, and travelers.
A group of merchants stepped onto the gangplank, their keen eyes scanning the bustling docks with a mixture of curiosity, anticipation, and greed.
Behind them, a group of adventurers followed, nervously glancing around. They had heard that Ravenfell was a city rife with opportunities. A lot of money was to be made for mortals like them if they played their cards right.
If they were lucky enough, they could even be fortunate enough to step on the arcane path and become a mighty Magus. After all, Ravenfell was home to one of the Four Pillars of the Empire. There were Magi, young and old, found throughout the city.
As the passengers stepped foot on the wooden docks, children rushed up to greet them, offering to carry bags or guide them through the maze-like streets of this gothic city—for a fee, of course.
Just as the people on the ship had come to Ravenfell looking for opportunities, the residents of the city—especially those in the Harbor Quarter—were also the same. They were looking to work together with these outsiders and make a living.
As the last of the passengers descended, the dockhands began unloading crates and barrels, their motions precise and practiced.
Among the large group of passengers, a silver-haired elven woman and a stoic human man walked side by side, their eyes a mixture of curiosity and wonder.
"So this is Ravenfell?" The elf spoke in a pleasant tone. "How splendid!"
The next moment, she looked into the distance, specifically at the skyline of the city that loomed before her. She couldn't help but frown a little, "But why are there so many ravens here?"
The man beside her remained silent, gazing at the people working at the docks. He didn't utter a word, just observed. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed when he felt someone's gaze linger on them.
He looked in that direction and saw a well-dressed man holding a stack of parchment papers and gazing at them as if trying to confirm their identity.
"Liriel," said the man to the elf. "South-east."
"Hmm?" Liriel turned her head in that direction and her gaze landed on the brown-haired man who was walking toward them with a polite smile on his face.
But she could see the nervousness in his eyes. "A mortal?" She muttered. Then, her eyes lit up. "Perhaps, he's sent by him."
The man beside her nodded, once again slipping into silence. The duo patiently waited for the brown-haired man to arrive. They noticed that he was a middle-aged man and the sides of his temples had started graying.
The man arrived before them and politely asked, "Lady Liriel Aurvyndar and Lord Kael Statham?"
"And you are?" Asked the silver-haired elf with a raise of her eyebrow.
The man placed his hand on his chest and respectfully bowed, "I am Lord Constantine's assistant, Rowan. He has instructed me to escort you to the city." Stay updated through empire
"Hoh?" Liriel was amused. "You're his assistant?" She found it interesting that a Magus of Adam's caliber would hire an assistant who was nothing but a mere mortal with no mana running through his veins.
"Very well, Rowan, lead the way," she added.
Rowan displayed a curt smile. He could see the faint contempt in the elf's eyes, but he didn't act rudely. She and the man with her were Adam's guests, after all.
He handed one stack of papers to the silver-haired, Liriel, and another stack to the brown-haired, Kael. "My Lord, My Lady, these are your immigration documents. The other identification documents have already been expedited and will be ready by tomorrow."
"Not bad," Liriel praised. She thought they'd have to spend a considerable time dealing with all the paperwork. Ravenfell, after all, was a major city in the Empire and the security here was very tight.
But surprisingly, the paperwork had been almost completed. This indicated to her that Adam had quite the network in the city.
"Please follow me to the carriage," Rowan smiled, leading the way.
Liriel and Kael glanced at each other and then followed after the man.
…
Uptown Quarter.
Under the guidance of Rowan, the two Agents of the Brotherhood entered the compound and walked through the sprawling and well-maintained courtyard.
Looking at all the maids and servants, Liriel couldn't help but wonder just how much Adam was spending every year on the maintenance of the manor. But then she recalled that Adam was a Herbalist, a very skilled one at that.
She nodded, thinking to herself, He must be very wealthy then.
The two newcomers suddenly saw a gray cat with silky, wavy fur sitting at the doors to the manor, gracefully licking his paw. The cat looked at the duo behind Rowan and asked, "Who are these two?"
"Eh? A talking cat?" Liriel was a little stupefied, and even Kael couldn't stop his lips from twitching slightly.
Rowan chuckled, "These are the Lord's guests."
"Guests?" Valerian scrutinized the newcomers with his piercing topaz eyes. "Hmm, fine." He then went back to licking his paw, ignoring them.
Liriel couldn't help but cover her mouth and start to giggle. She crouched before Valerian and asked, "What is your name, little one—"
However, Valerian had already turned around with a 'hmph' and strutted inside the manor, leaving the silver-haired elf frozen in embarrassment.
"Ahem!" Rowan coughed intentionally to disperse the awkwardness. "Master is waiting for you in the library. Please follow me."
"…Yes." Liriel got to her feet and entered the manor along with Kael who was trying his best to prevent a chuckle from escaping his lips.
Rowan led the pair to Adam's library on the second floor. Standing before the polished oak doors, the man bowed once again, "He is waiting inside." With that said, he left.
Kael was about to knock on the door, but Liriel was one step ahead of him. She directly pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Adam was standing at the center of the library, surrounded by tall bookshelves and bathed in the warm candlelight. He had his hands clasped behind his back and was looking at the newcomers with a gentle smile on his face.
"I hope you two have had a pleasant journey to Ravenfell," he said as he started walking toward them.
He stood before Liriel and reached out his hand for a handshake. "My name is Adam Constantine. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Liriel."
Liriel looked at the raven-haired youth's hand with a slight frown. She found it strange that this is how Adam would greet another fellow Magus and not use the traditional greeting.
But she shook his hand nonetheless and replied with a smile, "Liriel Auvryndar. Thank you for your warm hospitality."
Adam's smile deepened. He then walked toward Kael and introduced himself again. The brown-haired man firmly shook his hand and kept his introduction brief.
"Please, have a seat." Adam gestured for them to sit at the study table.
As the pair took their seats, he shut the door to the library. Then, he walked toward his study table and took his seat as well.
He glanced at them and smiled, "Now then, shall we begin?"