Luciana had been sitting in the merchant wagon for less than an hour when she discovered something important.
Traveling by carriage was wonderful.
Her feet no longer hurt.
She wasn’t carrying her entire bag on her back.
And, most importantly…
She could eat her croissant without walking.
Luciana leaned comfortably against the side of the wagon and watched the scenery roll past.
“This is much better.”
The man driving the carriage laughed.
“I thought you’d say that.”
Luciana looked toward him.
She suddenly realized something.
They had been traveling together for almost an hour, and she didn’t even know their names.
She straightened.
“Wait.”
The man glanced over his shoulder.
“What?”
“I don’t know your names.”
His wife, sitting beside him, laughed.
“I was wondering when you’d notice.”
Luciana looked embarrassed.
“Sorry.”
“No need to apologize.”
The man smiled and held out one hand.
“I’m Alex.”
He nodded toward the woman beside him.
“And this is my wife, Sara.”
Sara gave Luciana a warm smile.
“Nice to meet you.”
Luciana smiled back.
“I’m Luciana Aldrick.”
Alex nodded.
“Nice to meet you, Luciana.”
Sara looked at her more closely.
“Seventeen?”
Luciana shook her head.
“Eighteen.”
“Ah.”
Sara smiled.
“Then happy birthday.”
“Thank you.”
Alex glanced back.
“So you’re traveling on your own for your eighteenth birthday?”
“Yes.”
“That takes courage.”
Luciana thought about it.
“Or poor planning.”
Alex laughed.
Sara covered her smile.
“I like her already.”
Luciana grinned.
After the introductions, Luciana became much more comfortable.
She rested her arms against the side of the wagon and watched the unfamiliar scenery.
“So, you’re both merchants?”
Alex nodded.
“We travel between several towns.
Mostly food, cloth, herbs, household goods, and whatever else people are willing to buy.”
Sara added,
“Sometimes we carry things for other merchants too.
It helps make the journey worthwhile.”
Luciana nodded thoughtfully.
“That’s interesting.”
“You’ve never traveled with merchants before?” Sara asked.
“No.
I’ve never really traveled anywhere.”
Alex raised an eyebrow.
“Not even to a nearby town?”
Luciana shook her head.
“Cresent Roseville is small.
Most things we need come through traveling merchants.”
“That explains your curiosity.”
Luciana smiled.
“I’ve spent my whole life there.”
She looked ahead.
“I wanted to see what was outside.”
Sara nodded.
“Then you’re going to have quite a shock when you reach Silvermere.”
Luciana’s eyes brightened.
“It’s really that big?”
“Compared with your village?”
Alex chuckled.
“Very.”
Luciana soon discovered that Alex and Sara were both very familiar with Silvermere.
The city was one of the busiest places in the region, with merchants and travelers constantly passing through its gates.
There were several large markets, countless shops, inns for travelers, food streets, magical-item stores, weapon shops, and even an adventurer’s guild.
Luciana became increasingly interested with every word.
“An adventurer’s guild?”
“Yes,” Alex said.
“Do people really take quests there?”
“They do.”
“What kind?”
“Depends on the person.
Escort work, gathering materials, dealing with monsters, searching ruins…”
Luciana’s eyes widened.
“Ruins?”
Sara laughed.
“Don’t get too excited.”
“Why?”
“Because you haven’t even reached the city yet.”
Luciana considered that.
“Fair.”
Alex smiled.
“Silvermere also has several magic shops.
If you’re interested in magic, you’ll probably enjoy wandering around the market.”
“I definitely want to.”
“Then be careful with your money.”
“I will.”
Sara looked at her.
“Don’t believe every merchant who tells you something is a rare magical treasure.”
Luciana nodded seriously.
“Of course.”
Alex laughed.
“You’re going to be easy to sell things to.”
Luciana immediately frowned.
“I am not.”
“You’re already excited about magical shops.”
“That doesn’t mean I’ll buy everything.”
Sara smiled.
“We’ll see.”
The carriage continued along the road.
Luciana watched unfamiliar creatures moving through the distant grasslands.
One had long ears and shimmering fur.
Another looked like an oversized rabbit with tiny wings.
She almost stood up to get a better look.
“Is that one magical?”
Alex glanced toward the field.
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
“There are quite a few magical creatures around this region.”
Luciana smiled.
“In Cresent Roseville, we hardly see any.”
“You’ll see plenty around Silvermere.”
She leaned farther out.
A colorful bird suddenly flew over the wagon.
Luciana followed it with her eyes.
Its feathers were pale blue, with a streak of silver along its wings.
“Another one!”
Sara looked up.
“A moon-feather.”
Luciana turned.
“A what?”
“A moon-feather bird.
They’re uncommon.”
Luciana stared after it.
“I’ve never seen one before.”
“Most villagers haven’t.”
Luciana’s face lit up.
“So many new things.”
Sara smiled.
“That’s what traveling is for.”
By late afternoon, Luciana’s curiosity had turned into an endless stream of questions.
She wanted to know about Silvermere’s food.
Its markets.
Its magic shops.
Its adventurers.
Its festivals.
Its roads.
Its surrounding forests.
At one point, she even asked whether dragons had ever been seen nearby.
Alex nearly dropped the reins.
“Again with dragons?”
“What?”
“Why are you so interested in dragons?”
“They’re dragons.”
“That isn’t an explanation.”
“They’re dragons!”
Sara laughed.
“Let her dream.”
“I am.”
Luciana looked pleased.
“I might see one someday.”
Alex sighed dramatically.
“Please don’t make me explain to your grandmother why I brought you home with a dragon.”
Luciana burst out laughing.
“I don’t think a dragon would fit in your wagon.”
“Finally, some common sense.”
As evening approached, Alex stopped at a roadside resting area.
They fed the horses and prepared a simple meal.
Luciana helped Sara gather firewood.
“You don’t have to help,” Sara said.
“I don’t mind.”
“You’re a traveler now.
You’re allowed to rest.”
Luciana smiled.
“I’ve spent my whole life helping around the village.
Sitting still feels strange.”
Sara looked at her fondly.
“You really were raised by a village.”
“Yes.”
Luciana sat beside the small fire.
For a while, she watched the flames.
Then she looked toward the darkening road.
“How long until Silvermere?”
Alex answered from the other side of the fire.
“Tomorrow afternoon, if everything goes smoothly.”
Luciana’s face brightened.
“So soon.”
Sara smiled.
“You’re excited.”
“I’ve been waiting for this for years.”
She looked up at the stars.
“I wonder what it’ll be like.”
Alex chuckled.
“Probably loud.”
“Good.”
“Crowded.”
“Fine.”
“Expensive.”
Luciana paused.
“…Less good.”
Sara laughed.
The next morning, they continued their journey.
Luciana woke early and immediately asked how far they had left.
Alex gave her the same answer he’d given the night before.
“Half a day.”
That was enough to make her sit upright.
She spent the morning watching everything.
The road became wider.
The traffic increased.
More merchant wagons appeared.
Travelers rode past on horseback.
Groups of adventurers walked along the roadside, carrying weapons and heavy packs.
Luciana stared at every one of them.
Sara noticed.
“You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Looking at everyone like they’re characters in a story.”
Luciana smiled.
“Maybe they are.”
Sara laughed.
“You really are seeing the world for the first time.”
Luciana didn’t deny it.
She was.
Then Alex slowed the carriage.
Luciana looked up.
“What happened?”
Alex didn’t answer.
His eyes were fixed ahead.
The road had risen onto a gentle hill.
At the top, the trees finally began to thin.
Beyond them…
Something enormous stretched across the horizon.
Luciana slowly stood.
Her breath caught.
Silvermere.
The city was far larger than anything she had imagined.
Massive stone walls surrounded it, reinforced by tall towers that rose into the sky.
Banners moved above the gates.
Beyond the walls were layers upon layers of rooftops, towers, bridges, and distant buildings.
But that wasn’t what caught Luciana’s attention.
Above the city floated several enormous crystal structures.
They hovered high over the rooftops, glowing faintly in the daylight.
Luciana stared.
“…What are those?”
Alex smiled.
“Those?”
He pointed toward the sky.
“The mage districts.”
Luciana’s mouth fell open.
“The city has floating buildings?”
“Some of them.”
She couldn’t look away.
A flock of strange birds circled one of the crystal structures.
Magic shimmered faintly around the towers.
The main gate was packed with travelers.
Merchants.
Adventurers.
Nobles.
Mages.
People from places Luciana had never even heard of.
For the first time since leaving Cresent Roseville, Luciana felt the true scale of the world before her.
She whispered,
“It’s huge.”
Sara smiled.
“Welcome to Silvermere.”
The carriage continued down the hill.
Luciana gripped the side of the wagon, excitement racing through her.
She had wanted to see the world.
She had dreamed about adventure.
But standing here now…
She realized she had barely begun.
Then, just before the carriage reached the city gates, Luciana noticed something strange.
A faint silver glow flickered high above Silvermere.
Only for a heartbeat.
She blinked.
It was gone.
Luciana frowned.
“Did you see that?”
Alex glanced at her.
“See what?”
Luciana looked toward the sky again.
Nothing.
She shook her head.
“…Nothing.”
The carriage rolled onward.
Silvermere’s gates opened before them.
And Luciana entered the city for the first time.
She didn’t know it yet…
But the moment she crossed those gates, her quiet life in Cresent Roseville was truly over.
And somewhere within Silvermere…
Something had already begun to stir.