The adventurer at the bottom is fantasizing again.

After a short rest, the caravan set off again.

The sun had just risen above the horizon.

Orange-red light spilled over from behind the snow-covered mountain ridges to the east, painting the sky with layers of gradually changing colors.

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the trees, casting long shadows on the ground. These shadows intertwine with the tree trunks, weaving a vast net.

After Lorraine used magic to kill the goblin last night, he sensed a subtle change in the entire team's attitude towards them.

Most obviously, they no longer had to walk alongside the caravan as before, but instead rode in the only carriage used by the caravan.

That's right, the merchant Karl gave up his carriage.

After all, this is the esteemed spellcaster and his companion!

Didn't you see that after Sauron learned that he could cast spells, he just followed behind the caravan looking dejected, not even daring to come over and try to get close to him?

This is why Lorraine realized that spellcasters in this world held such a high status. If you were a spellcaster who had achieved a professional rank, you could almost certainly obtain a status equivalent to that of a nobleman in any country.

Although he didn't consider himself much of a spellcaster, he was quite happy with it.

When you're out and about, your identity is entirely determined by yourself. If you can have more convenience, why not?

The carriage was quite hard to sit in, so it wasn't exactly comfortable...

The caravan didn't need to venture deep into the Misty Forest; the road to Shallow Beach Town just happened to pass through its outskirts. So, after a short while, the caravan emerged from the forest, and the road beneath their feet became a dirt road winding along the foot of the mountain.

Lorraine looked back.

The azure sky stretched endlessly into the distance, and the pine forest that had almost swallowed their lives now looked as small as a splash of color on a canvas.

He suddenly felt incredibly small.

The group walked along the foot of the mountain for another two days without encountering any further problems.

When a convoy occasionally passed by, both sides cautiously kept their distance.

The road is much easier to walk on now; the dirt road has been replaced by a gravel road, and occasionally you can see traces of human paving.

Scattered farmhouses began to appear along the roadside, and white steam was rising from their chimneys as it approached lunchtime.

Several children were standing on a mound, looking at them from a distance, and a small dog wagging its tail could be vaguely seen beside them.

After a life-or-death struggle and several days in the wild, Lorraine's tense heart finally calmed down.

He breathed a long sigh of relief, already starting to look forward to it. Once they reached Shallow Beach Town, a casual evening stroll would bring in another considerable sum of money...

"Almost there!" Karl shouted from ahead. "Keep going, let's get into town before dark!"

A few weak cheers rang out from the ranks.

The convoy sped up, the road gradually widened, and the scattered farmhouses on both sides were replaced by wooden houses, becoming more and more numerous.

[Arrived in a new area – Shallow Beach Town, current exploration progress 1%]

[Reward: 50 Exploration Experience Points]

Current balance: 141 exploration experience points

Shallow Beach Town is a typical port town. The town is not large, but the roads are very neat and wide.

It is said that this place was just a small fishing village before. It just happened to be located on the banks of the Blackwater River. Grand Duke Kaspar funded the construction of a dock here to transport goods, and that's how it gradually developed.

"Let's unload the cargo at the dock first, then find a place to rest!"

The guards were scattered around the caravan, following the carriages toward the dock.

"Look over there." Piper gestured toward the docks.

Looking out the car window, Lorraine saw a brick building that stood taller than its surroundings on the west side of the dock. A sign hung on the building, depicting a crooked wine glass.

"Pip has a good eye, that must be a pub." He smacked his lips.

Lorraine gave him a disgruntled look.

The caravan slowly came to a stop at the dock, and the drivers began unloading the goods from the wagons onto a flat-bottomed boat. Lorraine and his companion got off the wagon, unsure whether to offer a helping hand.

He looked around for Soren, trying to see what the other was doing, but the two of them had already left sometime earlier.

Carl then walked over, carrying two tin cans, and handed them to the two men.

"Sir, that's all for our trip. I've asked the waiter to book two rooms for you at the tavern next door. You can get some rest for the night."

He pointed to the jar again and smiled sheepishly:

"This is sword oil I made myself. I thought you had a new sword, so you could use this to maintain it."

Lorraine accepted the jar and thanked the other person for their kindness.

He looked down.

Carl's Secret Sword Oil

[Quality: Standard (White)]

[Effect: Weapon temporary durability +15%]

One application lasts for three days, leaving your sword looking brand new!

......

Not bad. I didn't expect Karl to have this skill. I thought he was just a merchant.

After saying goodbye to Carl, Lorraine took Piper to the tavern.

Push open the door.

A wave of heat hit him, and the noisy, chaotic sounds mixed with the aroma of beer and roasted meat made Lorraine's stomach rumble involuntarily.

A young man dressed as an adventurer, his face flushed, boasted to the surrounding guests about his experiences; several porters who had finished their shifts listened with great interest, occasionally clapping and cheering; in the corner sat a middle-aged man with a stubble beard, drinking alone with his head down.

"Come on, let's have a proper celebration today!"

Piper pulled him to a seat against the wall, next to a stone fireplace with a roaring fire that warmed him up nicely.

The tavern owner was a burly middle-aged man with a full beard and messy short hair that looked like it had been chewed by a dog.

He placed two buckets of ale on Lorraine's table, then tossed down two keys, his rough voice making Lorraine's head buzz.

"Here you go, Carl's treating. The rooms are on the second floor, turn right, the two innermost rooms. There's breakfast tomorrow morning, so don't blame me if you're late."

Lorraine took the key, glancing at the wooden board on the wall covered with menus:

"Two servings of Masha's stewed beans with meat, and a grilled fish."

"Three silver coins, the grilled fish will take a while."

More than a month's rent, that's really expensive...

Lorraine reluctantly took a gold coin out of her bag and handed it to the shopkeeper.

"Wait."

The boss raised his thick, dark eyebrows, counted out seventeen silver coins from his apron and gave them to him as change, then turned and walked towards the bar.

After a while, he returned carrying two steaming bowls and slammed them onto the table.

"Come on, let's drink this!"

Piper couldn't wait any longer; he picked up his wine glass with both hands, but his eyes were fixed on the bowl of stew.

Lorraine raised her glass and clinked it against his.

"Dry."

He gulped down a mouthful of ale, the icy liquid sliding down his throat into his stomach. The aroma of malt exploded in his mouth, carrying a slight bitterness and a faint sweetness, making him shiver all over.

He put down the cup, picked up the wooden spoon, and scooped a spoonful of stewed meat.

The meat chunks were stewed to perfection; they crumbled at the slightest touch of a spoon, revealing the delicate marbling inside. The mutton's gamey smell was masked by the spices, leaving only a faint trace, which instead transformed into a unique aroma.

"Ah, that feels good..." Piper uttered a satisfied sound.

By the time the grilled fish was served, the stewed meat had already been cleaned up by the two of them.

The fish was grilled to perfection, with its skin golden brown and slightly curled at the edges. It was sprinkled with coarse salt and some unknown dried spices, and its aroma was irresistible.

After eating pig feed in the slums for months, Lorraine, who had tasted delicacies in her previous life, couldn't help but shed tears when she tasted this delicious food.

He leaned back comfortably in his chair, held his wine glass, and slowly took a sip.

That's what it means to live a decent life.