As the raft gradually drew closer, the full view of the Carter Royal Capital unfolded slowly before the three of them like a magnificent scroll.
Theia's emerald eyes were filled with shock.
The first thing that caught her eye was a colossal city wall that seemed to connect heaven and earth, spanning the landscape like the spine of a mountain range.
And this was only the first wall.
Looking past it, she could see a second, a third...
Layer upon layer of giant walls extended inward like the rings of a tree, dividing the massive capital into several districts.
Within each ring of high walls, the architectural style and density were completely different.
The outermost ring was a bustling, chaotic sprawl of dense, low-rise residential houses and marketplaces.
Moving inward, the buildings gradually became more orderly and grand, with manors and training grounds appearing.
Deeper inside was the noble district, where spires and magnificent mansions stood tall.
And all of this guarded the very core and highest point of the Royal Capital.
A steep mountain peak that pierced the clouds.
Atop its summit and along its slopes, countless palaces and castles were built into the mountain.
Their white stone shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight, looking like the dwellings of the gods.
The sheer scale of the Royal Capital was unimaginably vast.
“This... this is the largest city I have ever seen...” Theia murmured.
“Of course it is!” Elvia puffed out her chest, her tone brimming with pride.
“The Carter Royal Capital is one of the best-preserved city-states on the continent!”
“Compared to this place, Caran can't even compare to a small town in the capital.”
She continued to list its virtues as if she knew them by heart.
“Furthermore, the Carter Royal Capital is the most important transportation hub in the borderlands!”
“All supplies entering the borderlands must pass through the Royal Capital before being distributed to the other southwestern city-states.”
“In terms of economic, cultural, and political influence,”
“the Carter Royal Capital firmly ranks in the top ten of the City-State Alliance!”
Elvia spoke proudly of the capital's prosperity and strength.
Beside her, Theia politely clapped.
Lin Gui merely cast a flat glance at the magnificent sight.
It was indeed grand and massive, but that was about it.
It was nowhere near as prosperous and powerful as the central regions, the primary gathering areas of humanity.
Lin Gui believed Elvia's words.
The Carter Royal Capital might rank in the top ten of the City-State Alliance, but the city-states ahead of it were each grander than the last.
Compared to those at the very top, the Carter Royal Capital really didn't amount to much.
Deactivating the raft's concealment, Lin Gui sat at the front and said,
“Alright, if you've seen enough, let's get moving. I have a lot of things to do.”
“And I don't have time to linger in the capital.”
After entering the capital, Lin Gui not only had to open a post office and deliver over five thousand letters to their respective recipients,
but he also had to find the Tomb of Catriona to obtain the Eyes of the Netherworld,
gather information about the forbidden zones—the Silent Sea and the Wall of Sighs—as well as their final destination, Avalon,
and prepare supplies for the journey.
The long-term commission to reach Avalon only had a little over three months left.
There was no time for Lin Gui to waste.
After instructing Theia to completely deplete all the demon energy in her body,
Lin Gui steered the raft, guiding the two women as they floated toward the Royal Capital.
The closer they got to the Royal Capital, the denser the flow of people, carriages, and horses became.
There were travel-worn adventurers and mercenaries heading out for missions,
as well as massive merchant caravans transporting various giant crates.
The auras of the escort teams were extremely powerful.
Their members were basically all Transcendent Rank at the very least.
One team in particular was exceptionally eye-catching.
They were escorting a steel-armored transport vehicle hovering in midair.
The leading escorts were actually all Legendary Rank!
Lin Gui did not conceal the raft.
As they floated through the sky, they attracted a fair amount of attention,
but it didn't cause too much of a stir.
After all, although mages who mastered 【Levitation】 were rare,
they weren't completely unheard of.
Anyone who had been to the Magic City
had seen witches and wizards flying around in the sky.
Steering the raft, they arrived outside the city gates.
Lin Gui was about to join the flow of people and queue up for the entry inspection.
The Carter Royal Capital had a powerful barrier, making it impossible for Lin Gui to fly over it.
Besides, with a princess in their group, they likely wouldn't face any trouble.
Just then, Theia gently tugged at his sleeve and whispered,
“Lin Gui, I... I won't go in. I'll wait for you guys outside.”
Lin Gui turned to her in confusion. “Why?”
Elvia let out a gloating laugh and answered on Theia's behalf.
“Why else? She's afraid of being recognized and captured for her bounty.”
“What she did in the other city-states landed her on the wanted list long ago. It's five thousand gold coins!”
Theia gave an embarrassed smile, not denying it.
“No big deal. I'll hide you,” Lin Gui said.
He looked around to make sure no one was paying them any special attention, then gave a light wave of his hand.
In the next instant, Theia's figure vanished from the spot!
Elvia's eyelids twitched wildly.
Chantless casting?
Lin Gui clapped his hands, as if he had just done something completely trivial.
“Alright, problem solved.”
“Let's go. Once we settle down, I'll have to find a way to get you a Legendary-grade disguise accessory.”
“A Legendary accessory... I'm afraid those can only be found in the royal treasury~~”
Elvia replied casually.
Soon, it was their turn in line.
The Defense Force soldiers responsible for the inspection all had powerful auras and impressive strength.
But then again, who among those carrying large amounts of goods to this place was simple?
Thus, the soldiers merely smiled apologetically at the merchants, quickly registered them, and let them pass.
When the inspecting soldier saw Elvia's beautiful face,
his expression instantly changed.
The leading captain immediately dropped to one knee, balled his right hand into a fist, and struck his left chest heavily, performing a standard knight's salute.
The soldiers behind him also knelt in unison, bowing their heads deeply.
“Greetings, Seventh Princess!”
Elvia lifted her fair neck, resuming the typical reserve and dignity of the royal family.
“Rise. Let us in.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The soldiers quickly stood up, keeping their heads low as they hurriedly moved the roadblocks aside,
standing respectfully to the side.
However, the moment Elvia stepped through the gates of the Royal Capital with the invisible raft,
the respect on the captain's face vanished instantly, replaced by a dark, grim expression.
He lowered his voice and spoke urgently to a trusted subordinate,
“Quick! Go inform the Third Prince. That 'Lioness' has returned!”
Upon entering the Royal Capital, a warm and confident smile returned to Elvia's face, like a fish returning to water.
She asked Lin Gui, “Do you want to come with me to the palace at the center to meet my father, King Carter LVI?”
She invited him with a smile.
Lin Gui's flat voice drifted from the raft.
“No need. Let's part ways here. Go do what you need to do.”
“I will wait for you outside the city gates in half a month.”
“If you don't show up, Theia and I will set off for our next stop, the dwarves' Fortress City of Shield.”
“Mhm~ Alright then.” Elvia covered her mouth and giggled, then warned,
“By the way, the Royal Capital is different from Caran. If you want to open a post office here, there are a lot of palms to grease and rules to watch out for.”
“If you run into any trouble you can't resolve... come find me in the noble district of the First Ring.”
“I'm actually looking forward to the day you come to me for help.”
With that, Elvia leaned close to the raft.
She stuffed the treasures she had picked up in the Whispering Forest into her bag.
“I'll sell these off first. As for your share, half-demon, I'll pay you the equivalent value later.”
She waved her hand, turned gracefully, and blended into the bustling crowd.
Before her figure vanished,
several powerful adventurers of various descriptions appeared out of nowhere.
They immediately flanked her like shadows, protecting her.
Elvia smiled softly, finally disappearing from Lin Gui's sight.
After confirming that the surroundings were safe, Lin Gui deactivated Theia's concealment.
The elven girl revealed herself,
hurriedly covering most of her face with a cloth she had prepared.
“Will Elvia be alright on her own...?” Theia asked with some worry.
“A royal who was exiled to Caran suddenly returning to the capital...”
Lin Gui steered the raft to turn, heading toward the commoner district. Hearing her words, he merely replied flatly,
“You should worry about yourself instead.”
“At Eagle Fortress, you were set up by her without even realizing it.”
“Eh???” Theia was stunned, her pointed ears twitching in confusion.
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