I'm really not a Sanctuary Warlock.

Lynn's expression at that moment was priceless.

Because after saying that, Cat Bai Bai didn't even give him a chance to refute it before grabbing her backpack and dashing into the room.

......

What are you thinking about, meow?

The sound of the cat Bai Bai coming from in front of him interrupted Lynn's thoughts.

Lynn snapped out of her daze and looked down at the fluffy little head.

The little cat girl tilted her head, looking up at him curiously with her beautiful big eyes.

Bai Bai, the cat who slept alone all night, was in excellent spirits, with her two ears standing straight up and looking very energetic.

She looks completely different from her previous appearance, which was characterized by dark circles and a listless demeanor.

"Nothing," Lynn said expressionlessly. "Just thinking about what to eat tonight."

"Oh," the cat replied in a white voice, then turned its head away.

But Lynn clearly saw the smug little smile that quickly swept across the corner of her mouth.

This little cat girl.

It was absolutely intentional.

Lynn took a deep breath, suppressing the inexplicable resentment in his heart.

Never mind, there's always another day.

……

We walked for most of the day.

As the afternoon sunlight began to soften, the view ahead changed dramatically.

The farmland and scattered villages along the road gradually became denser.

The scattered farmhouses gradually coalesced into clusters of sizable villages, scattered across the plains in a well-organized manner.

The diverse crowds on the road were all converging in the same direction.

The cat's mood became noticeably high. It looked around, and its two ears bounced up as if they were springs.

"Look, look! There are so many people up ahead!"

"We're almost there, meow."

Her excited voice came from ahead.

Lynn looked up and gazed at the end of the avenue.

A majestic, enormous silhouette stretched across the edge of the field of vision.

That was a city.

No, it should be said that it was a giant city.

Even from such a distance, Lynn could clearly feel the awe-inspiring presence of that city.

The towering city walls, like a sleeping giant, lie prostrate on the earth.

The silhouettes of countless spires and clock towers peek out from behind the city walls, layer upon layer, like a forest made of stone and steel.

This is the royal city, Rivendell.

"So big..." Lynn couldn't help but exclaim softly.

In comparison, Windbreak City and Order City were practically small towns.

"Ravenhill is the capital of the entire Kingdom of Orentia, and it is said that the city has a permanent population of over 500,000," Cat White said with great familiarity, her little face full of pride, as if she herself were the master of this city.

"Including the villages and transient population outside the city, the total population of the entire royal city area may be close to one million cats."

One million people.

For a medieval-style fantasy world, this number is quite terrifying.

Lynn's gaze swept over the dense villages outside the city walls.

Unlike the rural villages he had imagined, these villages, though small in scale, were mostly well-organized, and some even had their own small shops and workshops.

The villages are connected by flat dirt roads, with wisps of smoke rising from chimneys and a cacophony of voices, making them even more lively than some small towns.

After all, they relied on the royal city.

Anyway, it's all good.

The unicorn continued its journey.

The closer they got to the capital, the denser the crowds became. Eventually, the stone-paved avenue became quite congested, forcing the unicorn to slow down and carefully navigate through the throng.

"The city gate is just ahead, meow..."

Cat Bai Bai stopped mid-sentence.

Lynn followed her gaze, her pupils contracting slightly.

The city gate was still in the distance.

But along the wide avenue leading to the city gate, a large open-air market had somehow sprung up.

All sorts of stalls, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, are densely packed together, stretching as far as the eye can see.

The sounds of hawking, shouting, and haggling mingled with the aroma of roasted meat and spices.

There was a dwarven blacksmith selling weapons and armor, who shouted his wares as he hammered red-hot iron billets.

An old wizard was selling magic scrolls and potions, with several glittering magic orbs floating above his stall, attracting curious passersby.

Merchants from the East spread out bolts of brightly colored silk, which shimmered in the sunlight.

There were burly orcs fighting shirtless on a makeshift arena, surrounded by spectators cheering and placing bets.

There were even a few elves sitting under the shade of trees, playing soft string music, their sounds like a clear spring in the bustling market.

Lynn even spotted a cat-person vendor, a member of the same race as Whitey, selling various dried fish and spices in a corner, wagging his tail more enthusiastically than anyone else.

"Wow...it's so lively, meow."

The cat's white eyes instantly became incredibly bright.

Her cat ears stood up high, constantly turning amidst the clamor of the crowd, catching every cry of vendors coming from all directions.

For a traveling merchant, a market of this size was nothing short of paradise.

"Let's go, let's go down and take a look at the cat."

She patted Lynn's arm, urging him impatiently.

Lynn gave a wry smile.

He took the unicorn's reins and tied it to a stone post at the market entrance, a post specifically for travelers to tie their horses. The unicorn obediently rubbed against his palm and then stood quietly in place.

Cat Bai Bai couldn't wait any longer. She jumped off the unicorn's back and nimbly darted into the crowd.

"Hey, wait for me."

Lynn quickened his pace to catch up with her, passing through one crowded aisle after another.

Along the way, Cat Whitey was like a nimble little fish, freely weaving through the bustling crowds. Every now and then, it would stop and squat down in front of a stall, using its well-trained eyes to quickly scan the quality and price of the goods.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she were rapidly performing some kind of calculation.

Then, she would quickly get up, either shake her head and continue walking, or nod slightly, silently making a mental note.

The whole process was so smooth that Lynn was secretly amazed.

The current Mao Bai Bai is more like a businessman with a keen sense of the market.

The two strolled around for about half an hour.

Just as Lynn was feeling a bit dizzy from the noise of the market, Cat White suddenly stopped in front of a huge bulletin board.

It was a large wooden sign standing in the central square of the market, with dozens of notices and flyers of various sizes posted on it.

In the most prominent position, brightly colored propaganda posters are hung.

The painting depicts a magnificent trading hall within the royal city, resplendent in gold, with various precious treasures radiating dazzling light.

Above the painting, a large title was written in ornate cursive script: "[Rivendell - The 72nd Spring Trade Fair]"

Below is a densely packed list of detailed rules, including the time, location, registration method, and eligibility requirements—a long and detailed explanation.

Lynn was about to lean closer for a closer look when she discovered that Cat Whitey was already standing on tiptoe, carefully reading each line of text.

"Kittengirl?"

"Hmm?" she answered absentmindedly, her gaze never leaving the bulletin board.

"Is this trade fair really that impressive?"

Cat Bai Bai finally turned its head and looked at Lynn.

In her eyes burned a flame that Lynn had never seen before.

"Amazing?" She tilted her head slightly, a slow smile curving her lips. "This can't be described as just 'amazing' or 'not amazing,' meow."

She held up one finger and pointed to the poster on the bulletin board.

"The Ravenhill Spring Trade Fair is the largest trade event in the entire Kingdom of Orentia. It is held every spring and lasts for seven days."

Merchants, craftsmen, alchemists, and sorcerers from all over the mainland would bring their best products here.

"During these seven days, the royal city's trade zone will be open to all those with legitimate merchant qualifications, with no stall fees, no restrictions on the types of goods traded, and even the tax rate will be reduced to the minimum."

"It is said that the total transaction volume of the annual trade fair exceeds five million gold coins, meow."

Five million gold coins.

Lynn didn't really have a concept of this number. But based on his understanding of prices over this period, one gold coin could probably support an average person comfortably for about a month.

One million gold coins.

That's an astronomical figure.

"So?" Lynn looked at her.

Cat Whitey took a deep breath, puffed out her not-so-full chest, and revealed a confident expression.

"My purpose in coming here is to attend this trade fair, meow."

Her voice was clear and crisp.

"And then... I earned the most gold coins, meow!"

Cat White clenched his fists.

Lynn remained silent for a moment.

Then, he reached out and gently pressed the top of her head.

"come on."

Cat Bai Bai was stunned for a moment, then a faint blush appeared on her face.

But she quickly suppressed her shyness, raised her head again, and gazed intently at the giant city in the distance that was shining brightly in the setting sun.

Ravenhill.

The heart of this kingdom is opening its gates to them.

Lynn withdrew her hand from Cat White's head.

His gaze also fell upon that giant city.

However, unlike Cat Whitey, he didn't see gold coins and business opportunities.

He was thinking of Anna, and of the inextinguishable flames burning atop Mount Nikolay.

Surely he can find the answers he needs in this city.

"Let's go."

Chapter Seventy-Seven Entering the City