As the days passed, Rei arranged his belongings neatly inside Midgard. Books lined the small shelf in perfect order, his clothes were folded and stored inside the compact closet, and other essentials were placed within the drawers. The few remaining items that weren't immediately necessary were packed away in a wooden box and placed in a corner. Midgard, more than a mere vehicle, was now slowly becoming a home.
With his preparations nearly complete, Rei decided it was time to gather more information about his next destination—Gazai Town. He made his way through the town and arrived at the Hunter's Tower, a place buzzing with talkative adventurers, mercenaries, and wandering souls. Spotting a seasoned-looking hunter leaning against a wall, Rei approached and asked, "Hey, what do you know about Gazai Town?"
The hunter raised an eyebrow and said, "Gazai Town? Oh yeah, that's the new hot topic everyone's chatting about. Word is the prince himself is heading there. Turned ten just recently, apparently."
Rei frowned. "The prince? But why would he be going there?" Rei thought, "Didn't know that the prince is there, should I go there what if I offend the prince?"
The hunter let out a short chuckle. "Don't you know? In this kingdom, when a child turns ten—prince or peasant—they're sent out into the world."
"I thought that was only for village folk," Rei replied, his brow furrowing deeper. Rei thought, "What, even the princes are not an exception. I need to research this subject some more."
"Nope," the hunter said, shaking his head. "Everyone has to leave. It's part of the kingdom's custom. Builds character, they say."
Rei, curious now, leaned closer. "So then… how is the next king decided?" Rei thought, "This kingdom just got a whole lot complicated, it looks like this kingdom is made up of Meritocracy rather than Monarchy, but why Meritocracy? It does not make any sense."
The hunter grinned. "Ah, now that's the interesting part. When the princes and princesses return at a certain age, they don't just walk into the palace and claim a throne. There's a competition—one that tests the strength of the connections they've made while outside."
Rei asked, "Connections? Like what?"
"People," the hunter explained. "Followers. Allies. The young royals bring back those they've convinced to follow them—merchants, warriors, administrators. Then they all compete. Battles, trade, governance—you name it. Whoever proves they've built the strongest foundation earns the throne."
"That sounds dangerous," Rei muttered. "What if none of them come back? Or worse, if they die out there?"
"They're trained from birth," the hunter replied with a shrug. "And they leave with hefty coin purses. Most of them hire skilled bodyguards. Doesn't mean it's safe, but they're not helpless."
Rei nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "So, what about the bandits near Gazai Town?" Rei thought, "I could research the kingdom some other time, I need to stay focused and find information for travelling to Gazai town."
"They've shifted their focus," the hunter said, his voice dropping slightly. "No longer ambushing travelers on the roads—they've infiltrated the town. Word is they're after the prince's money."
"Can Gazai Town's administration handle them?"
The hunter nodded. "From what I hear, they're competent. Still, the prince's presence is going to stir things up."
"Thanks for the info," Rei said, offering a nod before making his way back to Midgard.
On the way, his mind raced. The arrival of the prince would undoubtedly be the center of attention. If Rei acted fast, he could pass into Gazai Town unnoticed. With the bandits preoccupied by a much larger prize, his own movements would be hidden in plain sight.
Meanwhile, in a shaded part of the forest beyond the town, Luc was making his own preparations. He searched the wilderness, moving silently among the trees until he found what he was looking for: a Ulicar. The beast resembled a massive black hound, its muscular frame and sleek fur more reminiscent of a predator than a pet. It stood tall, almost as large as a horse, with red eyes that gleamed with dangerous intelligence.
Luc approached the creature directly. The Ulicar snarled and lunged, only to be met with swift, precise attacks. Each time it moved, Luc countered, inflicting shallow yet painful strikes. Again and again he attacked, never trying to kill—only to dominate. The beast, exhausted and bloodied, eventually lowered its head in submission. Luc smiled, placing a hand on its head.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
The next morning, Rei opened Midgard's doors and stepped inside. The morning sun bathed the vehicle's wooden frame in golden light. He sat in the driver's seat, hands resting on the wheel. With a wave of his hand, he summoned his wind spell and activated the gear mechanism. The chains shifted, the gears rotated, and Midgard began to move forward.
The open fields leading to Gazai Town stretched ahead. Without the constraints of a crowded road, Rei allowed Midgard to pick up speed. Wind whipped past the windows, rustling his hair as he relaxed into the seat. He closed his eyes for a moment, smiling. The only thing missing, he thought, was an air conditioning system—but he could manage without it for now.
Rei said, "Hmm.. the Gazai town where the prince is, I just hope we never meet my prince, but something just got a whole lot interesting. This kingdom is built on Meritocracy. I can think of one thing why that is: it might be because the noble's current situation is volatile, and they want to suppress the noble, or it might also be because they want to abolish the whole noble system altogether. Whatever this is, it does not involve me, so I should not poke any deeper than I need to."
Far behind him, Luc urged his new companion forward. Even with the Ulicar's incredible speed, keeping up with Midgard proved challenging. The beast's powerful legs pounded against the earth, carrying Luc forward like a streak of shadow. Despite the speed, Luc's face remained expressionless, his eyes locked on the moving cart in the distance.
Inside Midgard, Rei pulled out a weathered map and spread it over the dashboard. His fingers traced a route through the terrain, eyes narrowing in concentration. The road to Gazai was long, but he was determined. The opportunity was too good to pass up.
Behind him, Luc watched with a quiet grin. "Let's see where this takes us," he murmured, as the Ulicar surged forward once more.