Chapter 415: The Central Region

After Helag intimidated the crowd, the area quieted down, and he walked away undisturbed.

He waved down a carriage, and the driver approached. “Where to, sir?” the driver asked respectfully.

“To the Rose Inn,” Helag replied, stepping into the carriage.

Hearing the destination, the driver was pleased and eagerly took the reins.

The reason was simple: the Rose Inn was quite far, requiring at least four to five hours to reach.

This trip would earn the driver a good fare.

The driver wasn’t worried about Helag skipping payment; Helag didn’t seem like someone short on money.

Moreover, the Rose Inn was a high-end establishment, typically hosting distinguished guests.

Before arriving, Helag had done his homework, gaining some understanding of the Central Region.

The area was managed by an organization called the Wizard Alliance, composed of members from the six major wizard organizations.

The Wizard Alliance operated as a council, making decisions through roundtable discussions on important matters in the Land of Dawn.

However, not all issues warranted a roundtable meeting.

The Central Region was jointly managed by the six major organizations, suggesting effective governance.

After all, a place managed by the six organizations shouldn’t have many issues.

Yet, the opposite was true. The Central Region was chaotic, with particularly poor security.

In the Central Region, scams and theft were minor issues, while murder and robbery were common.

Initially, Helag wondered why the Wizard Alliance didn’t address the chaos.

Further investigation revealed that it wasn’t that the Alliance didn’t care; they simply didn’t handle minor issues.

Deaths, unless involving someone of special status, were considered minor and not addressed by the Alliance.

Only malicious, indiscriminate killings warranted intervention by the Alliance.

Personal vendettas, however, were not their concern.

The Central Region’s population was too diverse, including members from the six organizations and various other factions.

The Alliance wasn’t unwilling but unable to manage everything.

For instance, if members of Seranthiel clashed with those from the Eye of the Storm, resolving it required a roundtable meeting.

Large-scale conflicts could be mediated this way to maintain stability and prevent mass casualties.

But if every minor dispute required a meeting, the organizations would spend all their time in discussions.

The Wizard Alliance had an enforcement team for security but didn’t intervene in every matter.

As long as city operations weren’t disrupted, the team wouldn’t get involved.

Help was available if sought, but most issues were personal disputes resolved privately.

Local troublemakers often had some backing, and newcomers to the Central Region often fell victim before learning to navigate the area.

Helag, aware of this from tavern forums, avoided the plaza crowd and hailed a carriage outside.

The carriages outside had their own tricks, but they assessed customers before acting.

Helag’s request for the Rose Inn signaled to the driver that he was not to be trifled with.

The Rose Inn was backed by Seranthiel, though it wasn’t exclusive to their members, generally catering to wizards, with few ordinary guests.

As a formal member of Seranthiel, Helag enjoyed an 80% discount.

Participating in Operation Cradle on behalf of Seranthiel meant everything was covered.

Riding in the carriage, Helag observed the scenery.

The Central Region differed from the rest of the Land of Dawn, striking Helag with its chaos.

The population was diverse, including merchants, wizards, and knights.

While these groups existed elsewhere, here they all carried weapons.

In cities like Silvermoon and Crystal City, few carried swords, as security was decent and danger rare.

Helag noted the people’s demeanor differed, resembling seasoned adventurers.

The streets were lined with various shops, offering all kinds of goods.

Helag noticed a slave shop, with cages holding elves and red-skinned orcs.

These orcs were unfamiliar to Helag, likely brought from other planes.

After observing for over two hours, Helag found the area’s “simplicity” remarkable.

He witnessed countless street brawls, often escalating to deadly fights.

Heads rolled, blood flowed.

Yet, bystanders merely glanced before resuming their conversations.

This seemed to be the norm: settle disputes without involving others.

Thus, people continued chatting, unperturbed by unrelated events.

Thefts, robberies, and brawls became mundane to Helag, common in the Central Region.

So far, Helag hadn’t seen formal wizards fighting, only knights, grand knights, or wizard apprentices.

Apprentices fought without using spells that might harm bystanders, exercising restraint.