Gate: Thus the Sorcerous Kingdom Fought There

CHAPTER 26: Tales From Rondel

The interior of the city was made of sun-dried bricks, mortared together with plaster. The roof overhangs were made of a single, solid piece of material. The spaces between them were narrow enough that two people could stick their arms out of the windows on facing walls and link their hands. In addition, the buildings were so old that the originally-white exteriors were now dirtied to the point where one might think they had been charred. The plaster chipped off the walls, revealing the bricks within. Sights like these could be seen all over the city. There were evident marks where masons had reapplied the plaster, and thus patches of different-looking colours everywhere on the walls. All of this made the run-down looking portions of the wall that much more apparent.

Most of the buildings were two or three stories high. The rare four-story buildings stood out from the others as they reached to the sky.

Above the narrow street, people hung laundry to dry from the second and third story windows, and their clothing swayed gently in the faint breeze.

The people on the street were a melting pot. It was much like the interior of a small inn in that both were basically exercises in how to cram as many people as possible into a small space. Because of that, the density of the people on the streets had pretty much reached its maximum point.

The road called the Central Avenue was in reality little more than five meters wide. The many people milling back and forth included Hags with baskets on their heads, Dwarves hauling lumber, aged elders (human), as well as apprentices from various species.

However, if one looked around, one would see wagons heaped high with vegetables, or mounted old folks on horses. The people did not understand the concept of traffic flow, and thus they moved in random, illogical ways — striding across the centre of the road, casually winding in and out from the side, standing and chatting where they were... Scenes like this were everywhere. The bigger cargo wagons and carts were slowed to a crawl by these chaotic conditions.

"I wonder if it always likes this here. It's neither planned nor logical." The female riding on her armoured rooster murmured, looking around unpleasantly. Her red leather coat billowing from the slight tremble as her mount shake itself. "Yet, it still better than E-Rantel was when we first arrived."

"Hmmm... Why do you say that? I think our little group is proceeding faster than others." the strange warlock like individual wearing a metal goat mask, and riding his Bicorn Warlord replied with a slightly snarky. Looking around pleased.

Indeed, compared to others. The little group proceeded faster.

Be it was because of the tight escort. That consisted of knights, wearing uniformised, but exotic looking armoured robes or heavy armour. Or the royal carriages cut their way in the crowd. Or, even more, the sight of the two threatening looking adventurer escorting the small caravan.

Whatever the reason was, the people did their best to keep their distance. Squeezing as much way as possible in the crowded street of Rondel.

In front of the escort, there was a wagon laden with vegetables which looked like pumpkins.

Its driver was an old man. In the back was a male Halfling and a young cat-eared girl, who sat together in a very familiar way, leaning their backs on each other. It was a scene which made people want to smile.

It was good to see so many familiarities between the races inhabited the Sorcerous Kingdom and the lands of Falmart. Like the two worlds made to be each other's copy. Just with different people, lands, regions, religion, magical system, etc.

The city of Londel architecturally especially resembled the old Capital of Baharuth Empire. Albeit, a lot dirtier, without paved roads or even traffic control. No, it cannot be compared to the shine of the Empire's capital. Yet, stepping in the city, eventually, the people's caught on with Londel's charm.