I Received System to Become Dragonborn-Chapter 1281: Leanor City

The carriage rolled steadily along the dirt road, its wooden wheels creaking rhythmically as the horses pulled them forward.

Because the carriage had no roof and was usually meant to carry harvested crops or trade goods rather than passengers, the sun beat down on them without mercy.

Heat settled across their shoulders and dust occasionally lifted into the air when the wheels struck uneven ground.

Erend rested one arm along the wooden edge while quietly scanning the passing landscape.

Eccar leaned back, appearing relaxed, but his eyes constantly measured distances and movement.

Aesa sat upright, her gaze sharp beneath her calm expression. Her cold power gives her a little bit of respite despite the heat.

They all knew why they were truly here.

Somewhere in this world, there had to be something wrong. A distortion, a hidden corruption, or a clear trace of the missing Creation. Somewhere in this world there was a being who was powerful enough to twist the usual portals and gave them those warnings. And that thing would not leave a world untouched forever. They simply had not seen the cracks yet.

"Are you lost?" the driver suddenly asked without turning his head from the road.

The three of them exchanged quick glances. In their minds, silent understanding passed between them about who should answer. They had never discussed a cover story in detail.

Erend sighed softly. "We… uh, don't really want to talk about that."

The driver glanced back at them for several seconds, his eyes quietly judging, measuring their expressions. Then he faced forward again and nodded.

"Oh… so it's like that. Don't worry. I'm not a nosy man. I won't dig too deep into your business or origins. Everyone has their own past they want buried, after all."

Eccar released a quiet breath of relief. Aesa felt the same, though her cold face revealed nothing.

"Thank you, sir. We appreciate it," Erend said with a small, polite smile.

"Hm." The driver nodded. "Leanor City is the right place if you want to lay low for a while. If you meet the right people, you can get anything you want there."

Erend's interest sharpened. "Is there someone good? Someone who knows how to obtain information?"

"Of course," the driver replied. "There are people who sell information about everything like weapons, artifacts, forbidden spells, even the slave market. I know someone. An old friend. I'll recommend him to you. He's good at digging things up. His name is Dave."

The three silently memorized the name.

As the driver continued explaining the city's layout and where to find Dave, they understood this world clearly.

It was a medieval fantasy realm saturated with Magic energy, structured around trade, power, and quiet dealings in shadow. It felt familiar with the Eternal Earth. That familiarity eased some of their tension.

They avoided asking too many questions, careful not to invite suspicion.

Eventually, small villages gave way to wider roads and sturdier buildings. The walls of a large city rose ahead. They were grateful the driver had taken them directly here.

At the gate, the driver smiled at the guards, who allowed the carriage through without issue even with three unknown passengers aboard.

Soon, they entered Leanor City.

Stone structures stood tall along cobblestone roads. Markets bustled. The city looked prosperous, with only light patches of dirt between paved sections. It was an ordinary medieval city on the surface.

The carriage slowed near the inner side of the city gate, and the driver pulled gently on the reins until the horses came to a stop. He climbed down first and motioned for them to follow.

"This is as far as our business goes, strangers. Farewell. I hope you find what you're looking for. It's not hard to find Dave, just like I explained."

Without waiting for a reply, he snapped the reins lightly. The horses moved forward and the carriage rolled away, leaving the three of them standing at the edge of the road amid the steady flow of city traffic.

"Huh. That went more smoothly than I expected," Eccar muttered under his breath.

People still walked around them. Merchants, laborers, and guards watching from a distance, so they kept their voices low.

"I still don't feel at ease," Aesa said quietly. "Why did the portal behave like that if we only needed to enter a world that appears normal like this?"

Erend kept his gaze forward, scanning the streets without turning his head. "Whatever we're looking for is hidden. If something powerful enough to distort a portal exists here, it won't reveal itself openly. Let's start by finding this Dave."

They blended into the movement of the crowd and made their way through the main streets.

Leanor City bustled with activity. Vendors shouted over one another, advertising their goods. Blacksmiths hammered steel in rhythmic bursts. The scent of baked bread, roasted meat, sweat, and dust hung thick in the warm air.

As they followed the directions toward the eastern side of the gate, the city gradually changed.

The clean cobblestone became cracked and uneven. Buildings leaned inward as if burdened by age, their upper floors casting long shadows over narrow alleys below.

The crowd changed as well. Families and well-dressed merchants disappeared, replaced by hardened faces and watchful eyes.

Cloaked figures lingered in corners. Quick exchanges happened in half-hidden gestures. Laughter sounded rough and edged sharply.

They had entered a slum district.

Wooden structures pressed tightly against aging stone walls. Torn cloth hung between rooftops. The smell of cheap alcohol and neglect lingered in the air. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Conversations dropped to murmurs when strangers passed.

"This is exactly where forbidden information would be sold," Eccar said quietly.

They walked with steady, controlled confidence. Neither hurried nor hesitant. In places like this, weakness invited trouble.

According to the driver, Dave operated near a potion shop that served as a cover. They scanned the crooked storefronts until they found a narrow building with a faded wooden sign hanging loosely above the door.

Dusty glass bottles filled the small window, each containing differently colored liquids, some faintly glowing.

The shop looked forgettable.

Which made it ideal.

They entered the shop and the bell above it rang, announcing their departure.

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