NOVPUBThe carriage wound its way along the serpentine mountain roads of the Nox Mountains.
Hyperion gazed quietly out the window, noting that whenever the vehicle approached a dead end, there would always be a sign by the roadside: "Turn ahead" or "Beware of sharp turns," and after rounding each bend, another beautiful vista would open up before them.
"The mountain roads twist and turn, with peaks and paths looping back on themselves."
Hyperion, dressed in a different outfit, murmured to herself.
The words "Turn ahead" struck her eyes repeatedly, much like Lanci had once opened her heart.
It turned out that it wasn’t that the road had come to an end, but rather it was time to hit the brakes and slow down.
Whenever she felt she was in dire straits, Lanci would appear like a hero and tell her that the sky wasn’t falling; a turn of fate was on its way.
"Hyperion, you’re thinking about Lanci again, aren’t you?"
Antanas nudged Hyperion suddenly.
"No, not at all."
Hyperion snapped back to reality and shook her head.
"..."
Antanas sighed with a helpless smile and said nothing more.
Hyperion’s eyes revealed everything.
But she was naturally shy and unwilling to admit it.
Now that they had reached the border of the Cerryti Empire, aside from Hyperion, in order to facilitate their protection of her on the road, Florence had gone to great lengths to secure identities for the four members of the Great Demon Clan.
At the border, it didn’t matter. They could keep a low profile and conceal their presence, unnoticed by anyone, but when entering core cities like Brilda, they would need to turn the whole Great Demon Clan into Magic Cards, to evade the intense scrutiny.
Antanas once again followed Hyperion’s gaze out of the window.
The Cerryti Empire to the south of the Hutton Kingdom.
In this northern part lay a city named Granweifley, one of the most prosperous capitals on the eastern front of the border.
Each autumn, this city’s natural and cultural beauty exhibited a unique charm that drew unending streams of visitors.
To the north of Granville City lay towering mountains, stretching up into the clouds akin to a natural barrier separating the city-state from the Nox Mountains to the north. The city’s high tiers were built suspended among a number of interlacing peaks, the architecture mostly in shades of deep gray or pure white in classical style.
Stone arch bridges spanned between peaks, linking the buildings into a magnificent ensemble.
"Hyperion, have you ever been here?"
Sinola, as if reading Hyperion’s thoughts, studied her cheeks and asked.
"I came here when I was a child; you could take a boat from the Nanwantina."
Hyperion nodded her head.
To the east lay the endless ocean, with waves crashing against the shores, sending up roars. In peak season, the harbor bustled with merchant ships constantly coming and going; sails flapped in the sea breeze, and seagulls circled the masts, their cries incessant.
But now, Granweifley, on the front lines near the eastern warzone, had become a primary city under strict guard by the Imperial Army, formidable as a fortress.
"I heard that Lord Noe’s Wilford Chamber of Commerce was originally in Granville City."
Antanas commented wistfully.
Compared to Granville City, the Hutton Kingdom seemed somewhat remote.
The lengthy Nox Mountains separated the two countries, impeding their communication.
Even transporting large quantities of goods from the southern border of the Hutton Kingdom to the Northern Border of the Cerryti Empire required detouring to the east, navigating the sea routes and merchant ships, which undoubtedly increased the cost and difficulty of transporting goods.
However, it was this isolation that endowed Granville City with its unique commercial advantage.
Like a glittering pearl, it sat nestled in the remote northern outskirts of the Cret Empire.
It was for this very reason that the Wilfort Family had grown wealthy and prospered, and even during wartime, they had access to special trade routes, purportedly left behind by a mysterious merchant over a decade ago. He had not only invested in the Wilford Chamber of Commerce but also helped build a secret route for the Chamber to travel covertly between the Kingdom of Hutton and the Cerryti Empire.
This secret, Lord Noe Wilford had not even disclosed to Lanci, as it was a guarantee of gratitude to their benefactor, not to be exposed to anyone other than the Family Head, apart from Noe only the steward left by the mysterious merchant, Hans, understood.
It was only when the Wilford Chamber of Commerce had started failing that Steward Hans mentioned the past to Pranay during a casual conversation.
Sinola, sitting on the other side of Hyperion, twitched at the corner of her eye upon hearing this.
She had heard that Lanci had initially been quite the rich second generation.
Through his disdainful efforts, he had finally succeeded in nearly bankrupting the Wilfort Family.
"It’s okay, don’t worry about money. My money can all be spent on him. Once the war is over, if the Wilford Chamber of Commerce wants to resume business, the Duke’s House will invest in Wilford Company."
Hyperion assured boldly.
"Rich lady, don’t abandon us when you become a Duchess."
Antanas, looking at Hyperion’s confident demeanor, couldn’t help but wrap her slender arm, gazing at her imploringly.
"Don’t forget us, your two good friends."
Sinola also leaned in, resting her head against Hyperion.
"You guys can stay as long as you like at the Duke’s Mansion."
Hyperion embraced them both, abashed.
She was used to bringing Antanas and Sinola back to the Duke’s Mansion for fun, and now she felt she might not be accustomed to living there alone anymore.
As they chatted, the carriage slowly approached a checkpoint guarded by the Third Division of the Seventh Border Defense of the Cerryti Empire.
