"Is that... Arden?"

  Chiel asked wide-eyed. The party had stopped their track in the nearby hill, a half-hour walk away from the glorious Arden, capital of Ardenia. The size itself were something to be marveled at, thousands square of farmland were stationed within one city itself. Even from this far, a hustle-bustle of the merchant's trade could be heard as clear as the faint hummed of the chirping bird.

  "Hahaha, welcome to Arden, guys." said Leon stood proud.

  "Let's go! Let's go!! The last one arrived is a rotten egg!!!" shout Chiel, who began running excitedly.

  "Hey no fair!" shout Leon began to running also.

  "But it's look like Ev and Mi are the rotten eggs, no?!" Shout Leon playfully.

  "Yups! Mia and Ev so sloow!"

  "Whaat?!"

  "Cheater!!" pout Leon and Chiel.

  "I'll get you for this EVEEEL!" shout Leon, sluggishly trying to move his feet faster to no avail

  "See ya." said Evel running past them, obviously buffed with haste.

  "See you at the gate~" said Mia, using wind step to hasten her footing.

  "Mia Cheater!!"

  "Shockwave!"

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  "No way, Slow!"

  "Quagmire!"

  "Shockwave!"

  "BOOM!"

  ****

  "Haah, hahh.... I win..."

  "You're hah... tota..lly.. not..hah. winning.. cheater.."

  "Let's... neveer.... do.. haah.. this..again."

  "Agree.."

  "Ehm!"

  The party were startled, they could see a bemused city guard grinning ear to ear in from them.

  "Now, now, little lass and lad, it quite amusing what you did there, but do you want to enter the city or not?"

  "Ah! Of course, sir." answered Evel hastily.

  "Alright! State your identity and business."

  "Leon Nemm, Adept Warrior of Common Adventure Guild, I'm here to renew my citizenship." said Leon showing a stamped parchment to the guard.

  "Ah, an adventuring citizen, welcome back young lad, thank you for your hard work." said the guard.

  "Mia Applechecker, Apprentice Magician of 7th Branch Academy, I'm here accompanying my friend."

  "Academy Magician are always welcome, please make yourself feel at home."

  "Evel Einthward. Apprentice Acolyte of Ecclesial Order of His Grace, I'm also accompanying my friend.

  "Welcome young acolyte."

  "Chiel Ennelac, Starter Merchant of Central-Southwest Trade Association, I'm here to trade."

  "Ah, yes, merchant, okay. Alright all of you, welcome to Arden."

  ****

  Leon sighed, next week were the deadline of citizenship renewal in Arden. With so many immigrant influx, applying to be citizen, a late renewal means pay a heavy fine or be nullified from his citizenship. Dejectedly, he stood in the last of the line, looking at the seemingly never-ending queue before the municipality.

  Ardenia were special --a blessed kingdom, Leon thought. The exact of the history lost to him, but as far as he remember citizen of Ardenia were granted with a special blessing. The All-Encompassing Regeneration. It enable a instantaneous health regeneration, mind you it's not like all powerful heal, but still a miraculous magic that could regenerate the sliced wound from sword under two minutes. The All-Encompassing Regeneration use all the inkling unspent mana of it's citizen, for example a hunter with 0.25 mana/second regeneration could donate 0.1 mana/second regeneration to The All-Encompassing Regeneration, then when the hunter wounded, she would regenerate to her maximum health until her repository (-25% tax) were spent. The conversion about 1 mana for 9.3 health. Not much, but certainly help. Thus, becoming citizen of Ardenia were coveted, a sick person could held weeks until the healer arrived . Certainly, saving a many great deal of life.

  But perhaps the one who benefited most from becoming citizen of Ardenia were the Adventurer, with the regeneration overtime they could be less worried about death, it still possible to be killed with damaging the vital organ, mind you. But overall it were a great deal. However, sometimes the adventurer who "adventuring" too often, diminished their repository very fast, which became a lucrative niche market for certain merchants, who brokering the repository transfer between the "less dangerous" job to adventurer for quite sums of gold.

  The King not really mind the development, however the Council of Common were advocating 15% repository tax between transfer, so not to lost too much the healing energy within The All Encompassing Regeneration supposed there were need for emergency. The King were reluctant at first, but signed the law anyway.

  The Council judgment proven true when the calamity happened. The Royal Scholars and the High Anointed of the Grace were proposing to use The All Encompassing Regeneration prowess to invoke a purifying shield that shall kept the dark of calamity at bay. So when the world were drowned within the darkness, Ardenia becoming a safe haven of the remaining sentient, until with the interference of the Council of Concern, the chosen champions were given power to contain the calamity. Since then, Ardenia always hold a special place in the heart of sentient as the holy land.

  It is said the travelling acolyte and magician could still felt the remnant of the purifying shield around Arden, giving a calm, tranquil atmosphere that reminding them to the day when it had become the welcoming city of refuge.