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We stayed in the first city we entered on this continent for about a week. In case you're wondering why, there wasn't really a specific reason. We just decided to stay to try and gather more information before we moved on.

Unfortunately, in the end, we didn't manage to get much additional information. The people in the city rarely spoke about the patriarchs or anything we needed to know. It was just everyday conversations. After a week of not hearing anything relevant, Albert and I decided to move on.

By the way, during that week, Albert managed to gather quite a bit of money. Apparently, that's what he needed to do whenever we separated. He didn't really tell me the details of how he got all that money, but he assured me it wasn't dishonest. Honestly, I trusted him, so I decided to take his word for it.

With all this information in hand, we decided to take a carriage and head to the next city, which, according to our sources, was quite close to the imperial city. Our intention was to gather more information there and try to find a way to contact the leader patriarch. Interestingly, the carriage we got into was exactly the same one we had seen before, with just two seats.

The space inside the carriage was remarkably comfortable, and it was a bit faster than the carriages in our continent due to its reduced weight. The journey went smoothly, and before we knew it, we had already arrived in the new city.

Compared to the previous one, this city was considerably larger and more densely populated. Moreover, it was evident that, being a city close to the imperial one, it was significantly wealthier.

Upon arriving in the city, Albert and I followed our usual routine and immediately headed to an inn to secure a place to stay. After settling in, we could finally satisfy our hunger with a dinner, especially since we hadn't eaten during the entire journey.

"Do you have any idea what you're going to do tomorrow morning?"

Albert asked suddenly, causing me to stare at him over the fork I was about to put in my mouth. My eyes moved slowly around before I responded.

"I think I'll investigate the imperial city. We're in a nearby city, so we can probably gather more information. Anyway, I'll do it discreetly to avoid drawing attention. Once we manage to talk to the leader patriarch, we'll head back home"

Upon hearing my words, Albert fell silent for a moment, as if he was pondering his next words. I realized he probably had a lot on his mind, so I decided to let him reflect while I returned my focus to my meal.

"Do you think the leader patriarch is aware of the events between our continents?"

The question left me thoughtful for a few seconds. Although I had considered this possibility before, the truth was, I had no idea what we would do if the patriarch leader was really involved in all of this.

"To be honest? I have no clue, but... if what we've heard about him is really true, I highly doubt it"

I said. Listening to my words, Albert nodded, and we resumed eating. After dinner, both of us finished and went to sleep. The next day, after having breakfast, Albert and I bid farewell. While Albert would dedicate himself to earning money to cover our travel expenses, my mission would be to gather more information.

I decided to start my search for information in the local market, where people usually gathered to exchange news and rumors. The atmosphere was bustling, with vendors advertising their goods and buyers negotiating fervently. I approached an elderly merchant and, with a gentle smile, started a casual conversation about the imperial city and recent events.

Unfortunately, all I managed to get were slightly improved versions of things I already knew. After bidding farewell to the elderly man and buying a necklace from him, I continued to gather information for some more time until the sun was already setting on the horizon.

"Did you find any new and useful information?"

Albert asked after we reunited. We were currently in the inn's room, and, as expected, we shared the same room. There were two separate beds, so there wasn't really any issue with that.

"Not much. Most of the information is either things we already know or so dubious that we can't believe in them. Even the dubious information I investigated further turned out to be just rumors"

As I spoke, I let out a small sigh.

"Well, there is something I managed to find out. There will be a poetry tournament in the imperial city soon. Besides the cash prize, the winner will also have the opportunity to have an audience with the patriarch leader"

Listening to my words, Albert nodded and then glanced up at the ceiling, letting out a sigh.

"It seems like this will be our way to get in touch with the patriarch leader"

Though I didn't say a word, Albert could tell from my look that I shared the same idea. After all, it was precisely this line of reasoning that made me raise this possibility earlier.

With that, both Albert and I had a clear goal in mind. As the days passed, we devoted our time to hone our poetic skills, after all, we knew this would be the key to entering the tournament. Though I wasn't particularly proud, I had some references I could use. Given the urgency of the situation, I wouldn't hesitate to resort to these extra aids to ensure our participation in the event.

So, the day of the tournament finally arrived. Albert and I had arrived in the imperial city a day earlier, which allowed us to explore the area. Though it wasn't a surprise to us, the imperial city was like a detailed recreation of ancient China I had read about in magazines in my previous life.

The attire of both women and men also echoed ancient China. If I had to describe the imperial city in a single word, it would definitely be “breathtaking”.

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