Aurelion — Golden Palace Hotel
The next morning, Noah finished preparing for another day of exploration.
He had already visited several important institutions in the capital. Today, he wanted to see how the kingdom's aristocracy lived.
The Noble District was one of Aurelion's most prestigious areas.
It contained enormous estates, private gardens, noble residences, exclusive markets, and several organizations that operated through aristocratic connections.
Noah adjusted his black coat and left the hotel.
"Let's see how the nobles spend their money."
The Noble District
The district was separated from the commercial areas by an enormous decorative gate.
Unlike the crowded streets of the Merchant District, the roads here were wide, clean, and carefully maintained.
Beautiful gardens lined the streets.
Luxurious carriages passed through the roads, while knights wearing family insignias guarded the entrances of enormous estates.
Each estate had its own architectural style.
Some resembled ancient castles, others were built like elegant palaces, and a few incorporated elaborate magical structures.
Noah noticed several family crests.
Major Noble Families of Valtherion
- House Valtherion — The Royal Family.
- House Ashford — Dukes of the Northern Territory.
- House Veycrest — Dukes of the Western Territory.
- House Ravencrest — Counts with extensive military influence.
- House Evermont — Aristocrats controlling major trade routes.
- House Silveraine — A prominent magical research family.
These were only some of the influential families within the kingdom.
Many smaller noble houses also possessed considerable wealth and political influence.
Noah walked along the main road.
People occasionally glanced at his horns.
A few recognized his draconic appearance immediately, while others whispered among themselves.
An actual dragon walking through the capital was not an ordinary sight.
However, Noah wasn't particularly concerned.
He entered a luxurious establishment called The Celestial Gallery.
The Celestial Gallery — Private Marketplace
The building was known for selling rare artifacts, magical jewelry, enchanted clothing, and exclusive collections.
Unlike ordinary shops, customers required an invitation or sufficient financial credentials to access certain floors.
At the entrance, a receptionist greeted Noah.
"Welcome to the Celestial Gallery. May I ask whether you have an appointment?"
"No. I'm interested in browsing."
The receptionist briefly examined his appearance.
"Certainly, sir. May I see an identification card?"
Noah presented his Royal Mage Academy guest card.
The receptionist's expression changed slightly.
"Ah, a special guest of the Royal Mage Academy. Please follow me."
She guided him into the main exhibition hall.
Several rare objects were displayed behind magical glass.
Noah examined the collections.
Available Merchandise
- Enchanted Noble Coat — 180 Gold Coins.
- Advanced Mana Bracelet — 240 Gold Coins.
- Spirit-Resistant Necklace — 320 Gold Coins.
- Spatial Storage Pendant — 450 Gold Coins.
- Legendary Sword — 2,800 Gold Coins.
- High-Grade Elemental Crystal Set — 1,200 Gold Coins.
Noah wasn't particularly interested in the weapons.
However, the spatial storage pendant caught his attention.
He analyzed it.
[SYSTEM ANALYSIS]
Object: Spatial Storage Pendant.
Grade: Epic.
Storage Capacity: 120 m³.
Spatial Stability: 86%.
Condition: Excellent.
Noah smiled.
His Primordial Spatial Ring was incomparably superior.
Still, the craftsmanship was decent.
He continued exploring.
On the second floor, he found a collection of ancient books.
One title caught his attention.
The Lost Dragon Kingdoms of Aetherion.
The book was expensive, priced at 75 Gold Coins.
Noah purchased it.
He also bought:
- Ancient Racial Histories — 1 Volume.
- Noble Houses and Their Lineages — 1 Volume.
- Aetherion's Forgotten Empires — 1 Volume.
- Advanced Magical Geography — 1 Volume.
[Purchase Record]
The Lost Dragon Kingdoms of Aetherion ×1 — 75 Gold Coins.
Ancient Racial Histories ×1 — 28 Gold Coins.
Noble Houses and Their Lineages ×1 — 35 Gold Coins.
Aetherion's Forgotten Empires ×1 — 42 Gold Coins.
Advanced Magical Geography ×1 — 30 Gold Coins.
Total: 210 Gold Coins.
Noah stored the books inside his ring.
Before leaving, he noticed a small exhibition displaying ancient coins.
Some were thousands of years old.
A few bore symbols associated with civilizations that no longer existed.
Noah examined them briefly but didn't purchase anything.
An Unexpected Encounter
After leaving the gallery, Noah continued towards the central Noble District.
A large carriage approached from behind.
Several knights accompanied it.
The carriage slowed near Noah.
A young man wearing expensive clothing stepped out.
He appeared to be around twenty-five years old.
His expression was confident, but not arrogant.
He approached Noah.
"Excuse me. Are you a dragon?"
Noah looked at him.
"Yes."
The young noble smiled.
"My name is Adrian Ashford. I'm the second son of Duke Ashford."
Noah nodded.
"Noah."
Adrian glanced at his horns.
"I apologize if this sounds unusual, but encountering a dragon in Aurelion is something I never expected."
"I've heard that before."
Adrian laughed.
"I suppose you have."
He then gestured towards a nearby building.
"My family owns a private garden restaurant nearby. Would you be interested in joining me for a conversation?"
Noah considered the invitation.
He wasn't particularly interested in aristocratic politics, but learning about the kingdom from someone familiar with its upper circles could be useful.
"Sure. For a little while."
Adrian smiled.
"Excellent."
The Ashford Garden Pavilion
The restaurant was an elegant building surrounded by beautiful gardens.
A small lake occupied its center, and magical lanterns illuminated the walking paths.
Adrian led Noah to a private pavilion.
Two attendants served refreshments.
Adrian sat opposite him.
"May I ask where you came from?"
"Silverbrook Territory."
"Silverbrook? That's quite far from the capital."
"I've been travelling."
Adrian nodded.
"Are you staying in Aurelion for long?"
"Not sure yet."
They began discussing the capital.
Adrian explained that House Ashford controlled several northern trade routes and maintained defensive forces along the kingdom's mountain borders.
He also described the political relationships between the major noble families.
House Veycrest possessed considerable military influence in the western territories.
House Silveraine had connections with the Royal Mage Academy.
House Evermont controlled several commercial networks.
The royal family maintained authority through the central administration, military command, and direct control over the capital.
Noah listened without interrupting.
"Sounds complicated."
Adrian smiled.
"Aristocratic politics usually are."
Noah took a sip of water.
"Do you enjoy it?"
"Not particularly. I prefer travelling and exploring."
"Then we're somewhat similar."
Adrian laughed.
He seemed genuinely interested in speaking with Noah.
Eventually, he asked something more serious.
"May I ask whether dragons still possess their ancient territories?"
Noah considered his answer.
"Some may. I haven't explored enough to know."
Adrian nodded.
"Historical records mention several ancient dragon territories. Most disappeared from modern maps. Some scholars believe they were destroyed during the Great Dragon Era."
"Interesting."
"Unfortunately, the surviving records are incomplete."
Noah made a mental note.
Ancient dragon territories were worth investigating.
A Noble Family's Invitation
After their conversation, Adrian stood up.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Noah."
"Likewise."
Adrian hesitated before speaking again.
"My father will be interested to know that a dragon is visiting Aurelion. Would you be willing to attend a private dinner at our estate?"
Noah raised an eyebrow.
"Your father?"
"Yes. Duke Richard Ashford. He's a reasonable man, and I believe he'd enjoy meeting you."
Noah considered the invitation.
Meeting a duke could provide access to historical records and information unavailable to ordinary travelers.
However, he wasn't interested in becoming involved in political obligations.
"One dinner is fine."
Adrian smiled.
"Excellent. I'll arrange it."
He handed Noah a small invitation card.
HOUSE ASHFORD — PRIVATE DINNER INVITATION
Guest: Noah.
Host: Duke Richard Ashford.
Location: Ashford Estate, Aurelion.
Date: Tomorrow Evening.
Adrian then called one of his attendants.
"Please prepare a formal invitation for our guest."
The attendant bowed.
"Understood, young master."
Noah accepted the card.
The Noble Market
Before returning to the hotel, Noah visited the Noble Market.
It was an exclusive commercial street where wealthy aristocrats purchased rare goods.
Unlike the Grand Exchange, most shops here specialized in luxury merchandise.
Noah entered a magical accessory store.
He examined several items.
A bracelet capable of regulating body temperature.
A cloak resistant to extreme weather.
A ring that could detect poisonous substances.
A necklace that improved magical communication.
He purchased a few useful accessories.
[Purchases]
- Supreme Weather-Resistant Cloak ×1 — 95 Gold Coins.
- Advanced Poison Detection Ring ×1 — 65 Gold Coins.
- Enchanted Communication Bracelet ×1 — 110 Gold Coins.
- Elemental Resistance Pendant ×1 — 180 Gold Coins.
Total: 450 Gold Coins.
Noah stored the items.
He didn't need most of them personally, but useful equipment could always come in handy.
He also visited a bank branch to check his remaining local funds.
His Silverbrook account had been linked to the capital's banking network.
The clerk confirmed his current balance after previous purchases and deposits.
Local Bank Balance
Approximately 212 Gold Coins and 54 Silver Coins.
Noah nodded.
He still had enough ordinary money for basic travel expenses, though his recent purchases had reduced his local balance considerably.
His System Gold remained separate.
Evening — Personal Dimension
After returning to the hotel, Noah entered his Personal Dimension.
The vast landscape stretched beneath a beautiful sky.
The lake reflected the surrounding mountains, and the mansion stood peacefully beside the water.
Archivist-07 approached him.
"Welcome back, Master."
"How's the research?"
"Environmental monitoring remains stable. The research laboratory has completed the preliminary classification of the First Architects Technology Fragment."
Noah's attention sharpened.
"Anything interesting?"
"Yes. The fragment contains a damaged identification sequence. Its original function appears to be related to ancient transportation infrastructure."
"Can you restore it?"
"Not completely. Additional information and energy components are required. However, I can recover approximately 11% of the damaged data."
"Do it."
"Understood."
Noah handed over the First Architects fragment.
Archivist-07 connected it to the laboratory's analysis system.
A series of golden symbols appeared above the research platform.
[RESEARCH RESULT]
First Architects Technology Fragment.
Recovered Data: 11%.
Original Classification: Transportation Network Component.
Possible Function: Coordinate Synchronization.
Additional Data Required: Yes.
Noah nodded.
"Keep working on it."
"Understood, Master."
He then took out the Ancient Dragonheart Fragment.
Its faint red glow reflected in his golden eyes.
"Any progress on this one?"
Archivist-07 scanned it.
"Preliminary analysis indicates that the fragment contains ancient dragon energy and a damaged spatial imprint. Its spatial signature may correspond to a location outside the currently mapped territories."
"Can you extract the coordinates?"
"Not yet. The data is incomplete."
"Keep it safe."
"Understood."
Noah stored the fragment inside a protected research chamber.
[SUPREME DRAGON SYSTEM]
Daily Mission Available:
Explore Aurelion's Noble District.
Objectives:
- Visit an influential noble establishment.
- Acquire information about one major noble family.
- Discover one historical record related to the ancient dragon race.
Rewards:
- Evolution Points ×3,000.
- System Gold Coins ×75,000.
- Random Knowledge Chest ×1.
Noah smiled.
"That's convenient."
He checked the mission details and accepted it.
Tomorrow, he would attend the Ashford family dinner.
Perhaps Duke Ashford possessed some old records worth examining.
Noah returned to his mansion and sat beside the lake.
The capital was becoming more interesting than he had expected.
He had discovered ancient technology, acquired a fragment connected to the First Architects, and now received an invitation from one of the kingdom's most influential noble families.
Still, he wasn't in a hurry.
Aetherion was enormous.
There were countless cities, continents, civilizations, and secrets waiting to be explored.
Noah looked towards the distant mountains.
"One step at a time."
End of Chapter 18