I Got Reincarnated a Chapter 426 - 423 – Silvermist

Chapter 426: Chapter 423 – Silvermist

The red sunset had fully sunk behind the western hills when the large caravan that had left Eldridge finally arrived at the main gate of Silvermist City. The tall, sturdy grayish-white stone walls rose majestically before them, their smooth surfaces reflecting the golden-orange light from the large torches burning along the defensive walls. The night air was beginning to turn cold, carrying the distinctive scent of a trading city: a mixture of baked bread, spices, horse sweat, and wood smoke from the residents’ stoves.

Because of the fairly large number of people and carts, perhaps more than a hundred souls, the process of entering the city moved very slowly. The gate guards, dressed in blue-gray uniforms with a silver moon emblem on their chests, inspected the caravan one by one with care. They collected a small entry fee of a few copper coins, occasionally asked about their origin and destination, and randomly checked belongings to prevent stolen goods or prohibited weapons.

Sylvia, Stacia, and Alicia waited patiently in their carriage, which was positioned in the middle of the caravan. Their two zombie horses stood calmly in front, their pitch-black coats faintly gleaming under the flickering torchlight. The six small children who had ridden on the horses’ backs all day had been taken down by their parents since the afternoon. The children waved their tiny hands toward the carriage before disappearing into their families, their eyes still full of gratitude.

The sky had turned completely dark and stars began to appear when Sylvia’s carriage finally reached the gate. Two gate guards approached. One of them, a burly man with a short beard, glanced briefly into the carriage filled with stacks of spice boxes, wool cloth, and other trade goods.

"rchants?" he asked curtly.

"Yes," Sylvia answered in a calm and gently cold voice. "We ca from Eldridge to trade here."

The guard nodded, accepted three silver coins as the entry fee for the carriage and two horses, then waved them through. "Welco to Silvermist. Keep an eye on your belongings. The night market is still busy."

The carriage rolled slowly into the city. Silvermist’s main street was wide and paved with neat stone, illuminated by hanging lanterns that emitted a warm golden light. Two- to three-story stone buildings stood neatly on both sides of the street, with so glass windows still lit. The aroma of evening als filled the air: buttered baked bread, spiced grilled beef, thick soup, and fruit preserves. Laughter, conversations, and night rchants’ shouts created a lively atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the tension in Eldridge.

"This city is busier and more orderly than I expected," Stacia muttered while peeking out from a gap in the canvas cover. The lantern light illuminated her beautiful face, which was still lightly disguised with a bit of road dust.

Alicia floated slightly inside the carriage to get a better view. "The night market is still open. This is a great opportunity to observe the city’s atmosphere before we start selling tomorrow."

Sylvia guided the carriage with steady hands, her red eyes sharply scanning the surroundings. They looked for an inn large enough to accommodate the carriage and horses, but not too luxurious so as not to stand out. After passing two inns that were already full, they found the "Silver Moon Inn" a two-story stone building with a spacious backyard suitable for parking the carriage and stabling the horses.

The innkeeper, a middle-aged, plump man with a worn leather apron, greeted them with a friendly smile at the entrance. Sweat glistened on his forehead from being busy since afternoon.

"Good evening, ladies! Two rooms for three people and a stable for two horses?" he asked while wiping his hands on his apron. "You’re very lucky. Today many groups from Eldridge arrived, almost all the inns are full. There are still two rooms on the second floor facing the courtyard."

Sylvia got down from the driver’s seat with graceful movents. "We’ll take them. How much for one night?"

"Eight silver coins for two rooms and the stable, including breakfast," the innkeeper replied.

Sylvia paid without bargaining, taking out silver coins from a small pouch at her waist. After carrying the important belongings to the rooms and ensuring the two zombie horses were placed in a clean stable with fresh straw, the three sisters decided to take a short walk around the city. The night was still long, and they needed information.

Silvermist felt very alive under the silver moonlight and hundreds of lanterns. The night market in the main square was still bustling even though it was late. Stalls of colorful wool cloth, cheap silver jewelry, street food like spiced at skewers, and spice rchants were neatly lined up. Small children ran around carrying tiny bells, while street musicians played lutes and flutes on street corners.

Sylvia, Stacia, and Alicia walked casually like ordinary rchants, their hoods pulled down slightly to appear more normal. They observed the flow of people, the locations of strategic stalls, and the conversations happening around them.

Sylvia approached an old spice rchant with a long beard who was packing up his sacks. The man greeted them warmly.

"Good evening, Miss. Looking for spices? I still have a stock of dried ginger and imported saffron."

"We are also new rchants," Sylvia said. "What are the trading rules in Silvermist like?"

The old man chuckled while tying a sack. "Ah, you’re from the Eldridge group, right? The rules here are quite strict, Miss. There’s the Silvermist rchants Guild that regulates everything. You need to get an official permit at the licensing office near the city hall. They decide the stall locations which ones are strategic, which are on the outskirts. Good spots are of course more expensive, but safer and busier with custors."

Stacia raised an eyebrow. "Don’t ordinary rchants mind a system like this?"

"They don’t like it, but it’s better than before," the old man replied with a shrug. "In the past, without rules, the market was often chaotic. Bandits disguised as rchants, black market traders selling stolen goods, even fights over spots. Now at least it’s more organized. The guild also provides night guards for licensed stalls."

Sylvia nodded in understanding. "Thank you for the information, sir. May your goods sell well tonight."

After observing enough of the market atmosphere, the three of them headed to the licensing office, which was still open until late. It was a simple but sturdy stone building with large lanterns in front of the door. Inside the room brightly lit by candles and lanterns, a middle-aged female receptionist sat behind a wooden desk while writing in a thick ledger.

"Good evening," Sylvia greeted politely. "We would like to apply for a trading permit. We have high-quality spices, wool cloth, and so simple household items."

The woman looked up, smiling professionally as she pushed a wooden form forward. "Please fill out this form, Miss. There are three stall spots still available."

She explained while pointing to a small hand-drawn map on the desk:

"The first spot is the most strategic, right in front of the main square near the large fountain. The highest foot traffic all day. Usually the highest turnover, but also the most expensive."

"The second spot is on the east side of the market, near the eateries and inns. Quite busy, especially during dinner ti. Moderate price."

"The third spot is a bit hidden on the southern edge of the market, cheaper, but buyers have to look for it or pass by there on purpose."

Sylvia listened carefully, her eyes narrowing slightly as she considered. After thinking for a mont, she pointed to the first spot. "We’ll take the first one."

The receptionist nodded in approval. "A good choice for confident new rchants. The fee is 15 gold coins for the first month, including the official permit, guild stamp, and guild-provided security."

Sylvia paid calmly, taking out a pouch of gold coins from under her robe. After receiving the official trading permit scroll with the red wax seal of the Silvermist rchants Guild, the three of them left the building.

"A good decision," Stacia said with a faint smile as they walked back to the inn. "With a pri spot like that, we can sell our goods faster and gather more information from custors at the sa ti."

Alicia nodded slowly, her silver hair gleaming under the street lantern light. "Tomorrow morning we’ll arrange the goods neatly. I can help set up the display to make it more attractive."

They returned to the Silver Moon Inn. The dining hall on the ground floor was still busy even though it was late at night. The aroma of thick deer at soup, buttered baked bread, and spiced grilled at with sauce filled the entire room. They chose a sowhat hidden corner table that still allowed them to hear the surrounding conversations.

They ordered dinner: warm at soup with carrot and potato pieces, fresh hot bread, and a glass of weak beer for Stacia along with herbal tea for Sylvia and Alicia.

At the surrounding tables, conversations from various caravan groups flowed freely and informatively.

"...Eldridge is truly no longer safe," said a burly rchant at the next table while taking a loud sip of his beer. "The ruler is getting crazier after that big explosion. He’s started forcing more people into the dinsional rift without decent pay, just to get strange artifacts."

His companion nodded while chewing at. "Silvermist is much better. Sure, the rchants’ guild likes to squeeze with permit fees, but at least there are clear rules. No one dares to rob or cause trouble here. The city guards are quite strict."

A middle-aged woman from another group chid in. "I heard a new dinsional rift appeared north of Silvermist about two weeks ago. It’s still heavily guarded by a local noble family. They say the rift emits strange purple mist and occasionally releases weird small creatures."

Sylvia, Stacia, and Alicia ate calmly while listening to every word. They occasionally exchanged glances, ntally noting important information without changing their expressions.

"A new rift to the north... very interesting," Stacia whispered softly after making sure no one was suspicious.

Alicia smiled faintly behind her bowl of soup. "Tomorrow after selling, we’ll find out more. Maybe there are adventurers or hunters with information."

Sylvia sipped her black tea elegantly, her eyes cold but sharp. "For now, rest well. Tomorrow we start selling and gathering as much information as possible. Silvermist could be a good starting point."