Chapter Forty-Two: Legal Status (Bonus Chapter for Reaching 1,000 Recommendation Votes)

Blackstone City has been anything but peaceful lately. First, Shivana murdered a noble, and now internal unrest has erupted following the Falling Stars incident.

Being a border city of the Kingdom of Aelno, Blackstone has always maintained strict control over the movement of people, even during peacetime. Now, the scrutiny has grown even harsher, with individual inspections for everyone.

At the city gates, there were two lines: one for commoners and merchants, and another for professionals. Merchant goods required meticulous inspection, while professionals typically carried weapons, so the procedures differed.

“Damn, my certificate has expired. I wonder if I can slip through,” exclaimed a merchant, slapping his forehead.

“Certificate?” Chu Yun asked curiously.

The merchant pulled out a document stamped by the merchant guild. “Yes, traveling merchants need certificates. The guild issues them with a one-month validity. I forgot to renew mine.”

“You can't enter without a certificate?” Chu Yun pressed.

The man glanced at the cargo behind Chu Yun’s carriage. “You’re new to the trade, aren’t you? If it’s only slightly expired, a little money can solve it. But if you have no certificate or it’s long overdue, they’ll check a lot more things.”

“What about adventurers? Don’t they bring in loot from hunting monsters? Actually, what’s in my carriage isn’t goods—it’s monster materials from a hunt,” Chu Yun said. He had no certificate and hadn’t expected entry to be so troublesome.

“If most of it is monster materials, just show your adventurer’s license. Those also have an expiry date, but last longer than merchant certificates,” the merchant explained.

“If you’re not carrying goods, all you need is a valid ID to come and go.”

In reality, most cities weren’t so strict; sometimes, documents weren’t even required.

Chu Yun felt a headache coming on. He had neither an adventurer’s license nor a merchant certificate. Bringing goods and Paimon in would be a hassle.

Although goods could be transported via the Mirror World, Paimon couldn’t, and Chu Yun would likely need these documents often in the future.

He remembered that getting legal papers as a fox-person cost ten gold coins, provided there was no criminal record. As a human mage, the price should be lower.

Chu Yun asked again, “If you don’t have any identification, how can you enter the city?”

The merchant, bored while waiting in line, patiently replied, “If you’re a foreigner or someone living in the wild, coming to Blackstone City for the first time, you’ll need to pay extra entry fees. They’ll take you to register.”

In this world, where information was scarce, such situations weren’t uncommon.

Just then, a man with shifty eyes approached Chu Yun. He tried to strike up a conversation with the merchant, who waved him off. Unfazed, the man turned to Chu Yun. “Friend, want to enter early? For just three silver coins, you can enjoy priority entry.”

“Oh? Really?” Chu Yun didn’t want to wait in line.

The man's face lit up. “We specialize in queueing for others. My partner’s already up front. For three silver coins, he’ll let you take his place.”

“Don’t worry, we’re on good terms with the gate guards, and this doesn’t break any rules,” the man quickly reassured, fearing Chu Yun might refuse.

The merchant nodded. “If you don’t have ID yet, cutting the line is possible. Otherwise, if the officials finish for the day, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

Chu Yun moved forward, swapped three silver coins for a spot further up the line, and the replaced man returned to the end. Naturally, this drew grumbles from those nearby, but the gate guards ignored it—likely because they’d been paid.

After inspecting seven or eight entrants, it was finally Chu Yun’s turn.

“Show your documents,” the guard said, his tone polite—probably because Chu Yun had cut the line and the guard could expect a cut.

“I’m a traveler visiting Blackstone City for the first time, and haven’t obtained any documents yet,” Chu Yun explained.

“First-timers must pay five silver coins as entry fee. After we check your goods, someone will take you to register,” the guard replied, then climbed onto the carriage to inspect the cargo. He wasn’t sure what kind of monster materials Chu Yun carried, but with so many monster types in this world, unfamiliarity was normal.

Finding no suspicious passengers or contraband, Chu Yun passed the inspection without trouble.

A soldier then led Chu Yun into the city. Part of the five silver coins, Chu Yun assumed, went toward the guiding service.

“Please follow me and don’t wander off, or you’ll be considered an illegal entrant,” the soldier warned.

Chu Yun nodded and began to observe the customs of Blackstone City.

Unlike Rock Town, where stone houses dominated, people here showed more taste. The architecture blended earth and wood, suiting the owners better, and even stone-based homes used finer materials.

The streets bustled with crowds; as a border city adjoining a neighboring country, trade flourished in times of peace, with everyone benefitting. If not for the recent string of incidents, it would be even livelier.

There were far more demi-humans visible on the streets than in Rock Town. Chu Yun even spotted dwarves and elves.

“In three days, it’s the annual Festival of the Goddess of Life. Every year, the goddess descends during the festival, granting miracles in response to prayers. Who knows what will happen this time…” The soldier, a nominal follower of the Goddess of Life, felt complicated after hearing rumors of the goddess’s possible demise.

The Blackstone Knights had returned to the city because of the festival. Should the festival fail, chaos would surely ensue, with believers pouring in from surrounding towns for the event.

The Church of the Goddess of Life had yet to make an official statement; preparations for the festival continued.

“Perhaps she’s watching everyone now, testing her followers’ faith,” Chu Yun said offhandedly.

“Let’s hope so…”

As they chatted along the way, it was clear the soldier’s faith in the goddess wavered. If the goddess truly failed to appear at such a crucial festival, the prophecy of the Fate Tablet might well prove true.

Soon, they arrived at the registration office. The soldier briefly explained the situation before heading back to the gate, leaving Chu Yun to be escorted to an examination room for a detailed inquiry.

The examiner asked, “Name?”

“Chu Yun.”

The examiner looked puzzled. “That name sounds like someone from Northmoon Kingdom. Where are you from?”

“I grew up in the wild. My teacher never told me such things. Also, I am a mage.” As he spoke, fire flared in Chu Yun’s hand.

This was a spell trick, derived from the Burning Hand spell model, allowing flames to hover in his palm—a dazzling display.

The examiner almost fell off his chair in fright, relieved that Chu Yun made no further moves, or else the nearby guard would have intervened.

“Ahem, wait until I ask before answering,” the examiner coughed, trying to cover his embarrassment.

“Our Kingdom of Aelno warmly welcomes distinguished mages to join us!”