As Archer walked towards Ravenna's northern gate, he passed numerous stalls selling a variety of goods.
Amidst the array of scents, a delightful aroma caught his attention, drawing him closer to its source.
Following his nose, he eventually arrived at a food stall that sold a mouthwatering dish.
Approaching the stall, he noticed two elderly individuals standing behind it, engaged in an argument.
The old man stopped arguing with the woman and turned to Archer, while the woman continued her rant.
''What are you looking at, boy? Do you want something?'' the man asked.
''What are you cooking?''
Just as the man was about to speak, the old woman answered, ''It's a sweet bread, young man.''
Archer smiled upon hearing that and placed an order. ''Can I have as much of the bread as you can sell?''
The old couple's eyes widened upon hearing his order, and they nodded eagerly, immediately getting to work to fulfill it.
As he waited for his order, Archer noticed a bookshop not far from where he stood. He turned back to the couple and said, "I'll be right back."
Leaving the sweet bread stall behind, Archer made his way to the shop named Delphi Spellcraft.
Its exterior exuded an ancient and mysterious aura, adorned with marble columns, mythical creature carvings, and Greek symbols.
The shop's name was written elegantly in golden letters on a wooden sign, hinting at the mystical treasures inside.
Upon entering, a gentle scent of aged parchment and herbs enveloped him. The dimly lit interior showcased shelves of spellbooks, scrolls, and vials glowing with magical energy.
The shopkeeper, a wise-looking elderly man with a long white beard and ancient runes on his robe, warmly greeted him.
"Welcome, young traveler," his voice carried the wisdom of ages. "How can I assist you on your journey?"
As the man spoke, Archer looked at him and said, "I'm looking to buy any rare spellbooks that you've got."
The older man rubbed his chin, then swiftly turned around and walked to the back of the shop.
After a short while, the old man returned with a book and placed it in front of Archer. He glanced down at the book and read the title, "Mana Manipulation."
Curious, he looked up at the old man and asked, "How much?"
"Ten gold, young man," the old man replied.
Archer paid the coins and took the book, making his way back to the stall.
When he returned, the old couple was still cooking and offered him a seat. Archer sat down and started reading the book.
After reading for a while a notification popped up.
[Mana Manipulation Learned]
Once he learned the spell he tested it out and cast it. 'Mana Manipulation'
Six little orbs appeared above his hand and made them fly around him. Archer realized he could control mana directly with this spell.
'With this spell and Anti-Magic, no magic will be able to harm me.' He thought to himself as he waited for the food.
After another hour it was done and there was a tray of bread on the side, he turned to the tired old couple and spoke. ''How much?''
The old man answered. ''Two gold boy.''
Archer handed over three gold coins as he stored the bread in his Item Box and thanked the old couple as he walked away.
The old couple were baffled by the boy's behavior but shrugged their shoulders as they got back to arguing.
As Archer strolled along, he noticed an Adventurers Guild nearby and decided to check it out. Upon entering the building, he made a beeline for the quest boards.
Scanning through the papers, he searched for bandit quests suitable for his journey northward.
After finding several bandit quests, he collected some of them and walked over to the counter. A friendly sun elf woman with light brown hair and blue eyes greeted him.
"Hello, adventurer. I'm Farissa. How can I assist you today?" she asked with a warm smile.
He returned her smile and replied, ''I want to take these four quests as I head north.''
Archer handed over the papers, and Farissa started scanning the requests. It took her a little while to read them.
Afterward, she looked up at the boy and asked, ''Let me see your guild card, please. And are you sure you want to take these on alone?''
He took the aqua blue card out of his Item Boxas and handed his card over for Farissa to scan while he answered. ''I'll be fine.''
After registering the quests to his card, she handed it back to him. Archer turned around and left the guild.
As he continued his journey through the Northern Gate, the guard recognized him and nodded in acknowledgment.
When Archer stepped through the towering gates of Ravenna City, he found himself greeted by a breathtaking sight.
Before him lay a vast expanse of rolling green fields, stretching as far as the eye could see.
The landscape seemed to go on endlessly, adorned with colorful wildflowers that swayed gently in the soft breeze.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the landscape, and the clouds painted delicate brushstrokes of white against the brilliant blue canvas.
In the distance, he could see the sparkling waters of a meandering river, glinting like a ribbon of liquid silver.
As he stepped outside the city, Archer was met with a refreshing breeze, carrying the scent of earth and nature.
The soft rustling of leaves and distant bird songs created a calming melody that filled him with wonder and appreciation for the natural beauty surrounding him.
As Archer left the city, he noticed a bustling gathering of merchants and their guards near the entrance. Paying them no mind, he embarked on his journey to the Lunaris Empire.
As he walked along the road, he decided to enjoy some bread. Suddenly, a carriage approached in the distance.
As it drew nearer, he realized it was a slave caravan, and his curiosity was piqued.
Intrigued by the sight of a pair of twins with lifeless expressions, Archer used his Blink ability to swiftly return to the road and block the caravan's path.
The guards immediately reacted, shouting at him to move aside. Not bothered by the men, Archer addressed them, "I want to buy the twins. How much?"
A tall, chubby man with short red hair, who resembled the typical plump nobles from the novels he had read, approached him.
The man introduced himself as Vylan Highglide, the owner of the Highglide Slave Warehouse in Larissa City.
Archer reiterated, "I want to buy the twins."
Vylan stroked his chin and nodded, "30 gold for each. They were acquired in the far north by a friend of mine. They belong to a noble vampire family, that's all I know."
Without hesitation, he took out a pouch of gold coins and tossed it to Vylan. The man began counting the coins and signaled the guards to release the girls.
The man threw something to Archer and it was a little silver plate, he looked up to Vylan as he started to explain. ''The plate is the for the owner, as long as you have it they will belong to you.''
As Archer observed the two zombie-like girls being dragged towards him by the guards, he noticed that they wore slave collars around their necks.
After the guard handed over the girls, Vylan and the caravan continued on their way, leaving the girls standing there.
Now, at a closer look, Archer could distinguish their features better. One girl had black hair and lifeless green eyes, while the other had red eyes and blonde hair.
The sight of the collars made Archer wonder if they were responsible for the girls' condition. Acting swiftly, he opened a portal to his domain and gestured for them to enter.
Without hesitation, the girls walked through the portal, and Archer followed, finding them standing motionless inside his domain.
He focused his attention on the collars and noticed mana entwined around them. To counter the magic, he cast Anti-magic and felt its effect wash over him.
Archer reached for the collars, crumbling them with his touch. Despite their release, the two girls remained still as he moved around to stand in front of them.
As he stood there, Archer decided to scan both of them and to his surprise, he found that the two girls were remarkably strong.
[Name: Thalia Von Carstein]
[Age: 27]
[Rank: Expert]
[Name: Xanthe Von Carstein]
[Age: 27]
[Rank: Expert]
As Archer observed the two girls, he noticed a spark of life returning to their eyes. A smile crept across his face as he realized, "The collar suppresses them."
When the girls regained their composure, they jumped back in panic and stared at him with narrowed and angry eyes.
The black-haired girl was the first to speak, demanding, ''Who are you, human? Where are we?''
Archer found their confusion amusing, but then he remembered that he had concealed most of his features until now.
Deciding to reveal his true self, he stopped hiding his four horns and scales, which startled the two girls once more.
With a calm demeanor, Archer clarified, ''I'm not a human; I'm Archer, a dragon. What are your names?''
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]
[I'll drop one chapter for a few days so I can stockpile chapters]
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