Chapter 1988 The Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon, the easternmost kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, is a country with a long history of knights and maritime traditions.
At its peak, the Kingdom of Aragon controlled most of the Apennine Peninsula, including the Balearic Islands, Corsica, and Sardinia, with its influence spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
After leaving the corrupted area, we traveled east and soon entered the border between the Kingdom of Aragon and Castile.
Since both countries were ruled by the Iberian Empire, they were considered one family. Moreover, at this time, there were not many restrictions on population movement, as it was long past the Middle Ages. Therefore, there was only a simple checkpoint with three to five soldiers on guard.
They didn’t even need to check documents. According to regulations, they should have checked, but perhaps due to the sheer number of farmers crossing the border to buy groceries or merchant caravans transporting goods, they had grown too lazy to check every time.
However, our horse-drawn carriage was quite large, and the man and woman sitting in the seats did not look like coachmen; instead, they resembled a Holy Knight and a Priest. This felt very strange, and attracted the attention of the soldiers, who questioned us.
“We are from the Imperial City. The corruption is getting worse there, so we thought we would come to the Kingdom of Aragon to take refuge,” Jayad answered.
The soldiers found nothing suspicious. This situation was common recently, with many refugees from corrupted areas fleeing to surrounding regions, and quite a few heading towards Aragon.
Furthermore, it wasn’t just people from corrupted areas; many from other regions, fearing conscription to clear out the corrupted areas, were also fleeing, so after questioning, they let us pass.
On the road in the Kingdom of Aragon, I once again felt the lively rural scenery. Along the way, there were small towns with windmills and water wheels. The towns had simple defenses and militias, but the people were warm and hospitable. We stopped a few times to replenish water and food.
There were also many merchant caravans on the road. They loaded their goods onto packhorses or Herbivorous Dragons and moved slowly along the main road. Due to the recent plague of monsters in the corrupted areas, even these merchant caravans had hired more mercenaries. Each caravan was surrounded by mercenaries armed with swords, shields, crossbows, or firearms.
Compared to Cando City, which was already overcrowded, and its twisted and corrupted outskirts, Aragon appeared so peaceful and serene. Encountering a merchant caravan every so often indicated how developed and prosperous the commerce here was.
After entering the Kingdom of Aragon, we turned southeast, our target being the second-largest city in the Kingdom of Aragon and the third-largest seaport in the entire Iberian Empire: Valencia.
After more than a day of arduous travel, we arrived on the outskirts of Valencia. In fact, we could have gone faster, but for two reasons: first, although the packhorses could run, I worried that the carriage would not withstand such a wild speed and would be damaged; second, traveling too fast would arouse suspicion. Therefore, we deliberately slowed down.
I could see Valencia from afar. It was an ancient and elegant city, one of the oldest ports in Iberia, said to have been founded by the ancient Romans.
The main part of the city was built on a mountain by the sea, a fortress-like city constructed on the mountainside. The houses were arranged in a tiered fashion, with the Lord’s castle at the top, and the residential and commercial areas, as well as the port area by the sea, below.
The city’s style was deeply influenced by the Renaissance culture across the sea. Many houses were built of white stone, forming neat rectangular shapes with gorgeous reliefs on the surface, and gargoyles or angels carved at the corners. This indicated the wealth of the city.
Valencia was both a city and the name of a Marquisate. The surrounding areas were all part of the Greater Valencia region, and the Marquis of Valencia was definitely a high-ranking official in Iberia.
We stopped on the outskirts of Valencia, where we could see the city’s clock tower. We decided to make our final preparations. Lorna asked, “Do you already have a plan? How will we get there, and under what identity?”
“Yes, I have an idea that will completely prevent suspicion or difficulty from the people here, while providing a perfectly natural reason to travel to the Apennine Peninsula. Once there, it will also be easier to blend in,” I replied.
“Oh? What is it?” Lorna asked curiously. Such a versatile solution?
“It’s very simple. Let Older Brother Jayad pose as a merchant, and a rich one at that,” I said. This idea had just occurred to me when I saw the merchant caravans.
“Huh? Pose as a merchant? I’ve never sold anything before!” Older Brother Jayad immediately refused, saying he couldn’t do it.
“No, it seems… it might work,” Lorna mused after a moment’s thought. “A merchant can reasonably travel abroad. Just say you’re doing business. Moreover, the Apennine Peninsula is a place where money talks. Money is God. This will indeed avoid many troubles.”
“But that’s impossible! I’ve never been a merchant, nor do I understand what a rich person is like. I’ll be exposed as soon as I try to act like one,” Older Brother Jayad waved his hands repeatedly.
“No, Older Brother Jayad, you’ve misunderstood something. It’s not about you acting like a rich person; it’s about you already being rich. As long as you have money, you’ll appear like a rich person no matter what you do. Even being a parvenu is acceptable,” I pointed out.
“That’s true. Compared to the formalities of nobles, posing as a merchant is indeed less likely to be exposed. After all, merchants come from all walks of life. As long as you are engaged in trade, you are a real merchant,” Lorna agreed with my statement.
Older Brother Jayad had no choice but to agree, as he had no better solution. I looked at the others and said, “Since we need to pose as merchants, we’ll need to change our attire.”
“Huh?” Everyone was bewildered as they watched me make one arrangement after another.
Some time later, at the west gate of Valencia, the soldiers saw a luxurious carriage pulled by four magnificent horses approaching. Driving the carriage were two identical young women dressed in elaborate lace maid outfits.
“Hey, a big shot has arrived,” a soldier nudged another soldier who was dozing off. Just by looking at the large carriage, and the gorgeous, intricate maid outfits adorned with lace and gems on the two maids, they knew the person arriving was either very rich or very noble.
“Who is it? Tsk, I haven’t seen this carriage before. I wonder if it’s a noble?” another soldier said.
“Probably not. I don’t see any noble crests. It’s likely a rich merchant,” a more experienced soldier remarked.
“Stop!” a soldier shouted, forcing himself to say, “Which distinguished person is inside? Please state your identity and your purpose here.”
It wasn’t the twin maids who opened the carriage door. Two female mercenaries dressed in white leather armor jumped down from the back seat. They respectfully opened the carriage door, revealing a young man dressed in traditional Catalan attire.
“My name is Everson, and I’m here for business,” the young man said with a smile.
