Chapter 28: Departure

  At the east city gate in the morning, Nitaan and Kiita stood in line while carrying their luggage. At the front of the line is a small building, which has a vast field covered with grass in the back.

  After a while, an Eight-winged giant bird appeared on the horizon. The giant bird flapped its wings, cutting through the clouds, heading towards the building. In a breath, the distant bird was now directly over their head.

  The massive bird slowed down before landing softly.

  The Eight-winged giant bird wore adorable socks and a hat. Small armor pieces thinly covered the tips of its wings, and a symbol was affixed to its hat.

  The symbol depicted a mountain of treasure and coins, perfectly complementing the shimmering gold and black of its clothing, hat, and accessories.

  This symbol belonged to Qianbao Trading Group.

  Atop the giant bird was a platform filled with numerous seats of various sizes, arranged in a flat sheet. Nitaan estimated there were more than 200 seats.

  The seats were arranged in three orderly tiers, with the front tiers appearing more luxurious than the back. A large seat was securely fastened around the neck of the eight-winged giant bird, with a rope securing its beak. The end of the rope was held in the hand of a woman seated in the seat.

  The woman controlling the Eight-winged giant bird was dressed in the gold and black uniform of the Qianbao Trading Group. A small hat with the trading group's symbol was worn on her head.

  "We, Qianbao Trading Group, are honored to serve all of you today. The destination of this Eight-winged giant bird is the Ratana City, the capital of the Firegan Kingdom," the woman's resounding voice echoed throughout the area.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, please form an orderly line. The elderly and young children will board first, followed by those with Gold Treasure Tickets, Silver Treasure Tickets, and Copper Treasure Tickets in order."

  The female captain arranged the passengers in an orderly fashion as the Eight-winged giant bird bent down, tilting its wings to serve as ladders for the passengers to climb onto its back.

  "We are extremely grateful to all of our precious passengers. Passengers who purchased Silver Treasure Tickets will have a high-quality windproof blanket made of Snow cat hide under their seats.”

  “Snow cats live in extremely cold areas and have high cold resistance. We are confident that everyone will feel warm and comfortable throughout the journey."

  "For all Gold Treasure passengers, your seats are equipped with Enchanted object: Sunbeam Turtle Shell. These are high-level Enchanted object that provide warmth to the interior of the shell. We have carefully upholstered the seats with leather so you can use the turtle shells as backrests."

  Nitaan, who had never traveled long distances before, knew nothing about the difference in tickets. He simply thought that cheaper is better. He assumed a three-hour journey shouldn't be too difficult. If it was a little hard, he could just endure it.

  No wonder my ticket and Kiita's were so cheap. They must be Bronze Treasure tickets. Nitaan muttered, his eyes twitching.

  With a Bronze Treasure ticket like mine, I have to endure the cold myself? What about the small children and the elderly?

  "For other passengers, if you feel uncomfortable due to the cold, we have high-quality blankets available for a limited price. Only 100 Gaia!" The announcement blared continuously and was perfectly timed.

  Damn rich... Capitalism is truly terrifying. Nitaan hiccups.

  Well, a Bronze Treasure Ticket costs only 500 Gaia. It would take three days if we went by carriage. Flying with this Eight-winged giant bird would only take three hours. It's worth it. Just three hours. It probably won't be that cold.

  "Kiita, Can I borrow your ‘Fortress’? At least it can protect me from the wind." Nitaan turned to look at Kiita.

  "Woof!"

  Kiita cold too!

  "You have your thick and fluffy fur, and you're still cold?!"

  "Woof! Woof!"

  Cold! No way! Kiita wants to use too!

  "But if you use ‘Fortress’, I won't be able to cuddle with your fur! It's too hard and rough!" Nitaan argued.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "Woof!"

  Nitaan skin also rough!!

  "Then let's take turns. One hour each! Buying a blanket will cost 100 Gaia! With that money we can buy 2 three-tusked boars!"

  "Woof!"

  Stingy! Then buy Kiita treats!

  While the two were arguing, a sweet sound of laughter rang out from behind.

  "I'm sorry," a sweet-faced young man apologized. "I saw you two having such a fun conversation and couldn't help but laugh."

  This young man was dressed in a beautiful long dress. His face is gentle and lovely. If it isn’t from smell and Kiita’s observation. Nitaan would think he is a girl.

  "You've never traveled far before, have you? Usually, people who bought Bronze Treasure Tickets will bring their own blankets," the young man smiled, pointing to the other people who had wrapped blankets beside them along with their luggage.

  "This is our first time leaving this city, so we don't really know," Nitaan chuckled shyly.

  "Are you adventurers? Most of the young and energetic people who want to go to the capital are adventurers."

  “Sorry for our loud voices. My name is Nitaan, and this is my companion, Kiita,” Nitaan replied with a smile. He swiftly changed her pronoun to match her demeanor and wording while dodging the question.

  "Oh, how impolite of me. My name is Ming. Nice to meet you two," Ming smiled, bowing politely.

  "Aren't you from around here?" Nitaan raised an eyebrow in curiosity upon hearing the name. Normally, the naming culture of the Firegan Kingdom was diverse, but some names reflected the origin or culture of their ancestor.

  A name like Ming seemed fitting for someone from the coastal area. That region didn't have a directly governed country but was divided into smaller administrative districts. Almost all of the area bordered the sea, so it was influenced by various pirates.

  Nitaan secretly observed Ming. Ming had a sweet face, delicate eyes, and sweet facial features. Fair and clear skin alongside smooth, long hair to the middle of her back showed that she took good care of herself. Although Nitaan also had fair skin, his frequent time in the forest had made it slightly darker, into honey-tanned.

  Ming was dressed in a light red dress. This type of dress was another thing that made Nitaan realize Ming wasn't from around here.

  "I was born in Wei City on the southern coast. This time I have business in this area, so I'm here as a representative," Ming smiled.

  "Woof! Woof!"

  Nitaan! Nitaan! Kind and Pretty Sis!

  Kiita wagged his tail, his eyes sparkling. He extended his large head towards Ming, sniffing curiously, as if wanting to play with the pretty lady in front of him.

  Nitaan chuckled at Kiita. He wants to play with Ming so bad, but he still remembers how to be polite, so Kiita only leans his head in to sniff.

  It's a good thing Ming isn't afraid of a big dog.

  "I apologize on Kiita's behalf. He said that you look pretty and kind.” Nitaan gently held Kiita back.

  "You're so sweet, Kiita, right? Hello, my name is Ming." Ming crouched down slightly, but because of Kiita's size, when Ming crouched down, Kiita's head was higher than Ming's.

  Ming reached out and stroked Kiita's head, then gestured for a handshake. Kiita responded enthusiastically, extending one paw, then the other.

  Ming laughed heartily at Kiita's cleverness, unable to resist stroking Kiita's thick, soft, and fluffy fur.

  While they were talking, the line in front quickly shortened. Nitaan handed three Bronze Treasure tickets to the captain in front of him. Ming immediately pulled out a gleaming gold ticket and asked.

  "Captain, are there any Gold Treasure tickets left? I'd like two more for my friends," Ming said to the captain with a smile.

  "No no! We can’t accept it!" Nitaan waved his hand frantically. When the captain responded with a nod, Ming quickly handed the captain a pearl-inlaid card and led the way inside. "It's alright. Consider it a welcome gift."

  "Besides, a good merchant always wants to build relationships with potential future clients," Ming winked.

  "Isn't that right, Mr. NitaanKiita, the former genius of Silalai town?"

  Nitaan paused for a moment, then smiled and followed obediently. He put back his own Bronze Treasure tickets. Nitaan walked through the Bronze and Silver Treasure areas, entering the luxuriously decorated seats in the Gold Treasure area.

  "So we're quite famous, aren't we? Even a big merchant recognizes us," Nitaan said, starting a conversation.

  "Actually, I've heard your names before. Hearing you introduce yourself, and with that large black dog, it wasn't hard to guess," Ming smiled slightly.

  The seats in this area were clearly more luxurious and spacious than in the other area. The Bronze Treasure area Nitaan had passed consisted of small, cramped seats with little legroom. Although he had never flown before, Nitaan expected that, given Kiita's size, two seats would be needed.

  The seats in the Gold Treasure area, however, were much more spacious than he had anticipated. He could recline comfortably, stretching his arms and legs fully. The backrest was a large turtle shell that Nitaan thought could easily seat two people.

  The turtle shell backrest radiated warmth and comfort, lined with fine leather. When Nitaan reclined, he found it even more comfortable than his bed at home.

  "Woof!"

  Nitaan, Nitaan, it's so soft!

  Kiita jumped onto the seat next to Nitaan. It stomped its legs a little and circled around before settling down to sleep, its ears perked up slightly in relaxation.

  Ming settled into the passenger seat next to Nitaan, arranged her small belongings in the side compartment, fastened her seatbelt, and leaned back to relax.

  After a while, Nitaan heard an announcement from the front:

  "Thank you for choosing our Qianbao Trading Group Eight-winged giant bird as your transportation. I, Captain Mekha, will be safely taking you to Ratana City, the capital of the Firegan Kingdom. The estimated travel time is three hours. Please keep your seatbelts fastened and relax."

  The resonant voice echoed throughout the giant bird. Nitaan couldn't help but wonder how Captain able to yell that loud. This Eight-winged giant bird was so enormous it could carry over 200 passengers on its back.

  Ming, noticing Nitaan's expression, turned to explain:

  "Captain of every Eight-winged giant bird must be at least a First word Engraver. There are also conditions that they must be able to fly so they can rescue passengers in case of emergencies."

  "If Captain is too weak, they won't be able to handle the situation in an emergency, especially in the sky," Ming explained, glancing at Captain Mekha, who was stationed at the neck of the eight-winged giant bird, her hands gripping the collar tightly.

  Nitaan's eyes widened at what he heard. First word Engraver, while not rare or exceptionally strong, had fewer than ten in a small town like Silalai. Normally, a town of this size and this rural would have even less. Silalai town is quite special since it is a border town, so manpower is required for patrolling the border.

  Most rural towns don’t need a lot of strong Engravers since Enlightened in the surrounding larger cities possess incredible speed. Upon receiving a help signal, they could reach those rural towns within just 20 minutes or less, so there was no need for them to be stationed in remote locations.

  Although not exceptionally strong, Engraver of Silalai town held many important positions, such as healer or head of the Patrol Unit.

  The others Engraver in town would be adventurers that accept missions that require them to enter the border forest.

  Engravers that Silalai town barely had, Qianbao Trading Group only uses them as an Eight-winged giant bird captain.

  "But Captain barely has to fight by themself." Ming continued. "Since Eight-winged giant bird is a devil beast that can contend with most Second word Engravers."

  Is this bird as strong as or even stronger than Elder Grai? And doesn't the Qianbao Trading Group have thousands of it? Nitaan shuddered.

  Eight-winged giant birds are a very popular service that spans across the Grand Continent. Major cities and towns always have flying stations for them.

  Nitaan suddenly felt a chill down his spine as he imagined the power of the Qianbao Trading Group.

  Nitaan is no doubt a genius, yet when he finally departs from his small town, he starts to realize how big the world really is. He himself is nothing more than a genius from a rural town.