Chapter 73: The Country Bumpkins of St. Lawrence

The solid cement road gave these destitute mages the motivation to keep moving forward and piqued their strong curiosity about Idar Territory.

Arnel had not described in detail what kind of place Idar Territory was in his letter.As a result, ever since they had set out, their imaginations and speculations about Idar Territory had never ceased.

Along the way, these mages, who had no experience in life, had endured many hardships and difficulties. What they had seen and heard had broadened their horizons so much that they had, more than once, felt hesitant about continuing toward the distant Idar Territory.

It was understandable. Ever since they left St. Lawrence City, the farther east they traveled, the rougher the roads became, and the more impoverished the commoners' lives were.

They simply could not imagine what kind of scene awaited them in Idar Territory, located at the farthest reaches of the continent.

Would they find people barely clothed?Would they have to sleep in the open, exposed to the elements?

This anxious uncertainty reached its peak when they crossed through Thorn Valley.

However…

As soon as they stepped onto the land of Idar Territory after crossing the valley, their previous worries and distress instantly faded.

A noble's domain reflected its strength in many aspects, and just from the roads paved before them, it was clear that Idar Territory was vastly different from other noble lands.

Watson knelt on the road, sniffed the surface, and knocked on it with his hand. Then, in astonishment, he said, "This is a building material I've never seen before!"

That confirmed it!A place with roads even St. Lawrence lacked only such a remarkable land could attract a grand mage to stay here! (See Chapter 46.)

The nine people and their donkey hurried along the cement road. Even Wright, who had twisted his back earlier, now looked eager to press forward.

After all, they had left St. Lawrence for months. Now that they had officially entered Idar Territory, it was only natural that they were filled with excitement and anticipation.

They trudged along the newly built road, panting as they moved forward. Who knew how long they had been walking when they finally spotted a camp set up beside the road?

The various tents were pitched close to the road, with faint cooking smoke rising beside them. It was already nearing dusk, and the camp was lively, with the sounds of people chatting filling the air.

Upon seeing the smoke rising from the camp, the stomachs of the mage apprentices rumbled involuntarily.

"Wright, let's go ahead and ask for something to eat," Watson suggested, clutching his stomach.

They had been walking all day without a single meal, and hunger gnawed at them.

"But…" Wright was just as hungry but hesitated. "Don't you remember the lands we passed through? Commoners treat their grain as more precious than their lives. Even if they want to help, they have to ensure their own survival first."

With that, he fished through his pockets and finally pulled out two copper coins from his jacket.

"I only have two copper coins left…" Wright said with a bitter expression.

The others searched their belongings, and after much effort, they managed to gather a total of sixteen copper coins not even enough for a single silver shilling.

"Let's go check it out. Maybe we can buy some food from the locals," Sibelle said as he led the way toward the camp. "If we can just make it through tonight, we should be able to reach Idar City tomorrow and find Arnel."

"Hello, we're from St. Lawrence and on our way to Idar City to visit a friend…" Sibille stopped a serf who had just stepped outside to relieve himself. As he spoke, he held out the copper coins they had painstakingly gathered. "We haven't eaten all day. Would it be possible to buy some food here and rest for a bit?"

"St. Lawrence?" The serf was stunned for a moment before shaking his head. "Never heard of it."

He continued, "I'm just a serf here. I only know about Idar Territory. As for food… that's not up to me. You'll have to speak to our production team leader that guy over by the bonfire, eating bread."

The group turned their gaze toward the bonfire…

There, a large pot was set atop the flames, filled with vegetable soup that even had a thin layer of oil floating on top. Beside the fire, several large baskets brimmed with black bread.

Around the bonfire, a large group of people sat, eating their evening meal heartily.

Seeing the sheer number of black bread loaves stacked in the baskets, the mages felt like something was… off.

For commoners in St. Lawrence, such food was considered excellent and would be eaten indoors with great care.

But here? They were casually stacked outdoors, without a worry that anyone might steal them…

At that moment, the so-called "team leader" stood up and walked toward Sibelle and the others. "I am the leader of the fourth production team in Idar Territory, responsible for managing the serfs here. If you need anything, you can talk to me."

"Serfs? You mean… everyone here is a serf?" The mage apprentices were utterly shocked.

"That's right! I'm a serf too," the leader said with a smile.

What was going on?!

A group of serfs… camping in the wild without soldiers watching over them?

And… they had so much food?!

Since when did the lowest-class serfs of the Norman Empire enjoy such treatment?!

A flood of questions rushed into Sibelle's mind.

He looked at the team leader's bowl of vegetable soup and black bread, realizing with a jolt that even a serf in Idar Territory was eating better than he was!

Sensing their astonishment, the leader said, "If you haven't eaten, just take some for yourselves. Our Earl has ordered that we provide convenience to travelers heading to Idar City."

"We only have sixteen copper coins…" Sibelle hesitated, feeling embarrassed.

"Keep your copper coins," the team leader replied. "According to the Earl's orders, all visiting merchants must obtain an entry permit at the southern gate of Idar City. Each permit costs three copper coins. From the looks of it, you don't even have enough to get the required permits for your group…"

Sibelle: "…"