As it turned out, the dwarf's small short legs were not suitable for tracking the enemy, and the mage had long since fled.

In addition to the cells, Siegel and Leah's van was also attacked, and their belongings were all rummaged through. At the same time, the dwarves' warehouses were also breached, and many valuable materials were stolen before they could be transported. The Potato Bags were furious, believing that this was a shameless challenge to the Dwarven Kingdom, which greatly accelerated the dwarves' "trial of the case", and Siegel was officially released two days later.

He retrieved his armor and weapons and put the wagon back in order. The two mules were scared to death during the battle, but only one mule and two horses survived. The two of them had to re-prepare dry food and water, and prepare the feed they needed for the rest of the trip. Then the Dwarf Gerald found them and said apologetically, "It turns out that you are innocent and implicated, and I am sorry for delaying your time." ”

The dwarf removed the baggage from his back, and when he opened it, he found a large bag of clothes inside. He said, "I understand that you are going to the top of Mora, and you have to pass through icy mountain roads on your way. Here are some warm clothes, including tunics, gloves, shoes, etc., which are all excellent products. Please accept it as a symbol of reconciliation. ”

Leah thought about it and understood that these were actually goods that Gerald had paid for out of his own pocket, so the Crucible Hall would not have such a kind style of doing things. She knew that there was no need to clash with the dwarves at this time, so she pretended not to understand anything and happily accepted these things.

"Dwarf, your name is Gerald Ore Pack, isn't it?" Leah confirmed, then she said, "I've been in contact with many dwarves, and you're the most flexible. Hope to see you again in the future and have the opportunity to get to know you. ”

The dwarf smiled, and finally peeked out from under his beard. He made a happy gesture, then shook hands with Leah and Siegel, and rode away on the Wild Dog.

The two of them need to continue westward, in the opposite direction to the dwarves. They are back to training and rushing. Leah suddenly noticed that Siegel was a little absent-minded while practicing archery, so she called him over.

"What's wrong with you, what's on your mind?" the elf asked with concern, "Is the matter in the cage still affecting you?"

"Not really. Siegel was a little sullen, and he paused for a moment before he mustered up the courage to say to the elf, "Master Leah, can I learn magic?"

"I don't know, Siegel. Leah said, "You may have the talent to learn magic, just as you practice martial arts. In my opinion, magic is a very strange and powerful force, and there are a few people who have mastered it that can be called legendary powerhouses. But magic, like other forces, such as the forces of nature, divine powers, and martial arts, is a type of power in this world. If you want to learn magic, of course, Sir Bill and I will support you. But that is not the case now. ”

"So how do you become a mage?"

Leah thought about it for a moment, then said, "I think your question is how to become a strong man. ”

Siegel smiled, and he nodded.

"Let's talk about becoming a mage first, or you'll always be worried. There are three pathways. One is to join the Mage Tower, start as an apprentice, and slowly accumulate knowledge. This method is the least expensive, but it only accepts children, you are too old. The second is to find teachers who are willing to teach you and can also receive a systematic education. But this is only suitable for powerful nobles or mage families, and commoners can't afford to hire teachers. The third way is to spend more money and study on your own by auditing the teachings of the masters. ”

"And how much more?" Siegel was surprised when he heard of such a thing for the first time.

"Studying and researching magic is probably the most expensive thing in the world, and I've heard that the Freedom Mage Guild in Waterdeep costs a hundred gold coins for a daily audit course, and it usually takes half a year to attend the course, and two years to study, before it is possible to become a full-fledged mage - and only a low-level mage. ”

"Oh my God! it's so expensive!" Siegel was almost stunned by the number, "Then don't I have no way to learn magic?"

"Not necessarily. Leah smiled, lowered her voice, and whispered to Siegel, "We're going to the top of Mora this time to make a fortune." The Elint Dwarves have discovered a dragon's lair from the past, which has been taken over by some guy after slaying the dragon. And that guy might die while he's out - the treasure is waiting for a new owner anyway. ”

"No wonder you're in a hurry to get to the top of Mora. Siegel said, "What about Sir Bill, will he be able to get there when he's done with the business at hand?"

"Leave him alone, talk about you first. The elf said, "This is what I think." You don't have a way to learn magic right now, and you don't know if you're fit to become a mage, let alone where you can go. But you do have a talent for martial arts - don't waste it. ”

Siegel nodded, clenched his fists and cheered himself up: "Master, what you said is very right, I think it affects the training too much." I'm going to try to become a knight first, at least when I have the wealth to support myself in my magical studies. ”

After this episode, they were all very safe all the way, reaching the foot of the mountain at the top of Mora. The city here is called "Yamashita Town" and is inhabited by about 3,000 people, mainly humans and halflings. There are hundreds of breweries in the area, so the smell of sake lees fills the town all year round. Most of the grain harvested in the Great Plains was transported here and turned into the favorite drink of the dwarves. The dwarves will give back with the gold and gems of the mountains, as well as the fine iron horses they have built. Caravans are constantly flowing, and here they depart with a load of goods. A lot of things will go all the way east, north, from Waterdeep to the New World.

In addition to wine and minerals, there is also a very famous commodity: sake lees meat. The vast amount of waste from the breweries gave rise to a thriving pig industry, and the dwarves were able to consume the product in close proximity. The pig town was separated from the liquor workshop by more than five miles, also to prevent the smell of the pigsty from affecting the tavern's business. Unfortunately, the cloak avenue from Fort Hub was about to pass through the 'Pig Village', which was a good exercise for Siegel's breath-holding ability.

The town of Yamashita has two gates, one facing the Great Plains and one leading to the mountains. The town is nominally run by its inhabitants, but everyone knows that the dwarves are the real influential managers. They kept guard at all times the gates to the top of Mora, scrutinizing every passing traveler and checking their carriages. This work began when the dwarves arrived here and continues to the present day.

In front of the gate, there were caravans, and hundreds of carriages formed a spectacular river. It was the time to purchase before the big festival, and all the merchants who heard the news gathered here, which immediately caused unprecedented congestion. The merchants were in good order for the sake of money, but the guards were impatient enough to wait and gather in groups next to the wagons. In order to better pass the time, they started two businesses: gambling and wrestling.

By the time Siegel arrived in a wagon, they had already understood that it would not be possible to carry the wagon up the mountain in a short period of time. The two of them basically spent all the money on the road, leaving only more than ten gold coins for the journey. Now it seems that the dwarf's promise to "treat everyone well" has become especially important to the lives of the two of them.

"Siegel, store the van first, let's walk up the hill. Leah thought for a moment and made up her mind.

Siegel asked several hotels in a row, but they were all full, and there was no room in the stable. The large number of foreign merchants has pushed the town's capacity to the limit, and it has become impossible to find a suitable place.

"Unless you're willing to pay a lot of money, you have to try your luck at residents' homes. The innkeeper told them, "But even then the swineherds will not be able to take care of your horses, especially the foals." Horse breeders have all found work in inns and are now busy. You've got to think about it. ”

"Since there is no way to take care of the horses, they can only take them up the mountain. The elf thought for a moment, then asked, "With so many caravans transporting goods now, the wagons should be able to sell for a good price, right?"

Sure enough, trucks are now as sought-after as inn rooms. Usually two-wheeled trucks can only sell more than ten gold coins, but now they can sell twenty gold coins, and they are still sold immediately. The two men sold the remaining mules and cleaned up some of the debris that could not be carried on their backs. In this way, the master and apprentice made a total of forty gold coins.

That's not enough for a day of mage classes in Waterdeep.

Things like tents, dry food, and fodder were placed on horseback, and the rest of the large and small bags were left to Siegel to carry. Fortunately, after training, Siegel is now as strong as a calf. Elf Leah is still lightweight, and she has to be ready to fight at all times.

Passengers who do not have cargo do not have to wait in line, they only need to squeeze through the occupied aisles. The human clerk in charge of registration at the gate shouted, "An elf and his servant, two horses." Please pay forty-five gold coins!"

"What does forty-five gold mean?" Leah's eyebrows furrowed, "The top of Mora has never collected a gate tax. ”

"No, it's not, let me explain. The clerk hurriedly said, "Forty-five wagons are now waiting in line to accompany them, and these forty-five gold coins are for them." In this way, those caravans have income and can stay honestly. ”

"Shouldn't the dwarves pay this money, this is their place, and if it gets messed up, it will only be their loss. ”

"The dwarves watch their gold very closely, and this path may not lead to it. The clerk had a very helpless expression: "Or you can take a number here to register, and then slowly follow the caravan forward." The fewer trucks in front of you, the less money you'll pay. ”