The city of Dralmor lies in the central part of the western region. As one of the most developed cities, it naturally has a large population—even surpassing that of Droswen.

Its people live in prosperity, with a constant flow of merchants coming to the western region.

Aside from its wealth, this city is also known as the last stronghold of the west, thanks to its highly strategic location.

If the city were to fall, an invasion of the Kingdom of Aldoria's main territory would become much easier.

To prevent that, a sixty-meter-high wall was built to protect all sides of the city from possible attacks.

As a result, the citizens felt safer, and merchants grew even more confident about the city's future.

In addition to being the last line of defense in the west, the city also served another role—it was home to the Tharot family.

As a ducal family, it was only natural for them to live in a secure place, and the city of Dralmor was the perfect choice.

However, their residence was not located in the center but on the outskirts of Dralmor.

At that moment, the horse-drawn carriage carrying Merlin arrived at the inspection post.

Merlin didn't need to get off, as everything was handled by James. Sure enough, they didn't stop for even five minutes before the horse-drawn carriage continued toward the city.

When Merlin looked out the window, he was even more amazed by the view.

"The city is very advanced—even a little above Droswen," he muttered in awe.

Granted, in terms of layout, Droswen was better—especially after he had helped his father renovate things that were actually unnecessary.

Still, for a city in the medieval era, Dralmor's layout was remarkably good.

The roads were wide enough for two carriages to pass each other, though the sidewalks were rather narrow.

Considering that Dralmor had quite a large population, there should have been more space for pedestrians if viewed from a modern perspective.

"Young Master, do you want to go straight to the Tharot family mansion, or would you like to stop and rest first?" James asked respectfully.

Since last night, they had already been near the western region, and James had decided to keep moving without stopping at the nearest city.

As a result, neither of them had slept since then.

Merlin pondered for a moment before saying, "We'd better rest first, James. We haven't slept all night, and it wouldn't be appropriate to meet the Tharot family in this condition. Besides, the weather doesn't look favorable—it seems like it's going to rain soon."

He looked up at the sky through the window and saw the sun being slowly covered by dark clouds—a clear sign that rain was on its way.

"All right, young master. I'll find a fine inn for you," James replied.

With that, he pulled on the reins, and the two horses pulling the carriage quickened their pace.

In less than ten minutes, they arrived at an inn on the left side of the road. The building looked luxurious and well-maintained.

After parking the carriage, James stepped out first, followed by Merlin.

"The air feels so cool. Is it because this city is close to the mountains?" Merlin asked with a faint smile.

He looked ahead, where a range of mountains could be seen faintly in the distance.

"Yes, that's one of the reasons. The air in the western region is cleaner than in other regions because the forests around the mountains are well preserved," James answered casually.

Merlin nodded in agreement, and together they stepped into the inn.

James quickly booked the two best rooms, made the payment, and returned to Merlin, who was waiting in the lobby.

"Come on, Young Master," James said respectfully.

"Okay." Merlin smiled and headed straight to the top floor.

The inn had four floors, and their rooms were on the highest one.

When Merlin stepped into his room, he was surprised by the simple yet elegant interior. The bed was large, with a small nightstand beside it.

To the right was a wardrobe, along with a study desk and a chair.

A reading lamp sat neatly on the desk, perfect for reading at night.

Two windows on the left side of the room faced the main road in front of the inn.

"Hah... I really miss moments like this," he muttered with a small chuckle.

In his previous life, he sometimes stayed in five-star hotels to attend events related to the popular novels published by his company.

Because of that, moments like this made him feel a bit nostalgic.

Walking over to the bed, Merlin lay down and felt the softness of the mattress beneath him.

"Lyserra, can you appear?" Merlin called.

Whoosh!

A red light suddenly appeared above his stomach. Moments later, Lyserra emerged from it and landed right on top of him.

Fortunately, the little dragon wasn't too heavy, so Merlin didn't feel any pain from the impact.

"What's going on?" Lyserra asked lazily.

"We've arrived in the city of Dralmor. Would you like to join me for a walk?" he said softly, gently stroking Lyserra's head.

"A walk?" Lyserra raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Actually, I could use some fresh air after such a boring sleep."

Merlin smiled in satisfaction—but then remembered something.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot."

He connected with the system, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a red potion.

"Let's change your appearance first."

Lyserra: "???"

***

Although the weather was cloudy and a light drizzle had begun to fall, the crowds in the city of Dralmor did not thin out.

The streets were still quite busy with people—especially around the city center.

Merlin, who had changed his appearance, walked casually with Lyserra perched on his shoulder.

"How do you look now? Do you like it?" Merlin asked, glancing at her teasingly.

Lyserra was now in the form of a red cat, looking irresistibly adorable.

Upon hearing his words, she glared at him.

"If you weren't my master, I would've torn you to pieces, you know?" She growled angrily.

For her, a legendary dragon being turned into a cat was the greatest humiliation imaginable.

"Pfft! I'm sorry," Merlin said with a small laugh. "But this is the safest form for you. If people knew you were a dragon, it'd be very dangerous, you know?"

His words made Lyserra fall silent. Even so, she refused to show any weakness and merely snorted coldly, turning her face away.

Merlin smiled faintly and said nothing more. The two continued strolling through the city, enjoying the sight of the surrounding shops.

Lyserra asked for some snacks—like candy, roasted potatoes, and a few others.

Of course, Merlin granted all her requests—consider it compensation for turning her into a cat.

However, the farther they walked, the more Merlin began to sense that something was off.

The crowd around him gradually thinned until, before he knew it, he was alone in a wide area lined with narrow alleys.

"Oops! I think we're lost, Lyserra," Merlin said. "Let's find the main road and head back to the inn. The sky's getting darker, and the rain's getting heavier."

Lyserra didn't argue, quietly enjoying the roasted potato in her hand.

Just as Merlin was about to turn around, a sudden scream rang out from behind him.

"Let me go!"

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