Chapter 179

Chapter 179: Tivyán

Tivyán is located on the eastern coast of the Prit Kingdom. The Moonflow River, which covers one-third of the main island of Prit, flows into the sea here, connecting inland river networks for shipping, making Tivyán a hub for exporting goods from across the nation to foreign countries and also facilitating the continuous supply of imported goods to various regions domestically.

This city is the capital and most important city of the Prit Kingdom. Vast expanses of land are densely covered with buildings stretching as far as the eye can see. Over five million people live in this city, with large ports bustling day and night on the eastern coast. To the west, industrial chimneys stand tall, emitting thick smoke year-round.

At the entrance of Tivyán Station, a dense crowd was coming and going. On one side of the tall gate, Dorothy, who had been dragging a large suitcase, finally stepped onto Tivyán’s soil and sighed deeply.

“Whew… Finally arrived, and it went smoothly. I wasn’t bothered by the police or reporters. This is the best outcome.”

Dorothy thought to herself, relieved. She had spent the whole morning looking for an opportunity to leave after boarding the train with Edric, successfully avoiding the police and reporters.

To avoid trouble, Dorothy specifically left a note in her compartment for the train conductor and crew, suggesting they take credit for catching the real culprit. In her opinion, fame and trouble could be considered equivalent.

“The conductor and a few attendants were quite nice, cooperating with me throughout. I hope they’ll like my gift.”

Standing at the station entrance, Dorothy looked at the unfamiliar city before her. The streets were much wider than those in Igewent, with roads paved with cement instead of stone bricks. More carriages were moving about, and the buildings were taller and more crowded.

Unlike Igewent, a light white mist floated in the air in Tivyán. Although it was a clear day, visibility was limited, and a faint odor could be detected in the air.

“It seems the pollution is quite severe, much worse than in Igewent. Looks like I’ll need to carry masks around.”

Muttering to herself, Dorothy first dragged her suitcase to the telegraph office next to the train station. She sent a message to Gregor in Igewent to inform him she was safe, then hailed a carriage on the street. After instructing the coachman to load the luggage, she sat inside the carriage.

“Please go to the Royal Sacred Crown University. Thank you,” Dorothy said to the coachman in front of her. The coachman responded:

“Which part of Crown University, miss? It’s quite large, with seven or eight branch campuses.”

“Hmm… Please wait a moment.”

Saying this, Dorothy took out an envelope from her pocket, opened it, and pulled out a letter. After reading it, she replied:

“Please go to the King Campus East Gate of the Royal Sacred Crown University.”

“Old campus? That’s quite far. This fare will be quite expensive, miss.”

“That’s fine, just drive. The fare isn’t an issue.”

“Alright, ma’am, please sit tight. We’re going to move quickly.”

The coachman whipped the reins, driving the two-horse carriage forward. Dorothy took the opportunity to admire the scenery of the big city along the way.

The carriage turned through the city streets for quite some time. Dorothy grew tired of the scenery, seeing nothing but busy crowds and tall, gray buildings that felt oppressive and dull. She was almost dozing off, as she wouldn’t spend so much time on urban transportation in Igewent.

Gradually, the buildings on both sides of the carriage window became sparser, with more green belts and trees lining the streets. The surroundings started to look more cheerful and less stifling. Dorothy deduced she was slowly leaving the city center.

Finally, after nearly two hours on the carriage, Dorothy reached her destination. As she stepped down, she took a deep breath of relatively fresh air, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds.

Before her stood an ancient and towering stone gate. Behind the gate was a vast green area, with rows of tall, ornate buildings in the distance, their spires reaching high into the sky. Likely due to its distance from industrial areas, the fog here was much thinner, and there was no trace of the faint odor in the air.

“We’ve arrived at the King Campus, miss.”

“Thank you. This journey really was quite long,” Dorothy responded, paying the agreed fare. The coachman smiled and said:

“In fact, if you want to get there faster, you can use the city rail and subway. Those run much faster than horses.”

“There’s a subway and rail system here?”

“Yes, but since there are fewer trains, you have to wait a long time, and it’s very crowded. Someone like you, a wealthy young lady, traveling alone would be dangerous. Who knows what might happen.”

“This is the oldest campus of the Royal Sacred Crown University, where the university originally began. The core of the university is also here. Many people visit every year. I wish you a pleasant stay, miss.”

With that, the coachman waved and drove away. Dorothy stood silently, thinking:

“I’m not here for sightseeing; I’m here to study.”

Looking toward the distant campus, she saw where her new school would be.

Originally, Audric told Gregor he would recommend Dorothy to a better middle school so she could eventually get into college. However, Audric actually took a shortcut and directly recommended Dorothy to a university.

“Alright… Now it’s time to handle ‘enrollment procedures.'”

Muttering to herself, Dorothy began her journey with her luggage, but her destination wasn’t the university campus but rather a residential area opposite the East Gate of the campus, resembling a small town.

Walking through the streets of the small town, Dorothy noticed that most houses were made of wood, decorated simply yet elegantly. Each house had potted plants and flowers, making the surroundings fresh and bright. There were many stalls along the streets selling snacks and food, and many young men and women were shopping or reading under the shade of trees.

“It looks like this is a commercial town specifically for students. Audric told me to find a contact person living here…”

Taking out the letter Audric had prepared for her before she left Igewent, Dorothy read it while wandering through the town. Audric had given her this letter before she left, instructing her to find a contact person in Tivyán upon arrival, who would help arrange everything else.

After searching for a while based on the address in the letter, Dorothy finally arrived at her destination—a seemingly ordinary, even somewhat old, stone house.

“Royal Sacred Crown University, Green Shade Town 37, East Gate, should be this place.”

Confirming the address, Dorothy approached the door and knocked, following the instructions in the letter.

After a few seconds, a slightly cold, mechanical voice came from behind the door.

“Why are you here?”

“A friend recommended me,” Dorothy replied, as instructed in the letter. The other party responded quickly:

“Proof.”

Without hesitation, Dorothy slipped the letter through the slot at the door. After waiting for a moment, the door in front of her opened automatically.

Dragging her luggage into the room, Dorothy surveyed the surroundings. It was a typical living room with a sofa, fireplace, coffee table, and bookshelves—nothing particularly different. Just as she was about to enter deeper into the house, the strange voice sounded again.

“Please stay where you are and don’t move.”

Hearing this, Dorothy hesitated for a moment before standing still.

Then, the door behind her suddenly closed automatically, followed by a series of clicking sounds. The floor beneath Dorothy began to tremble, and the entire section of the floor split and sank. Dorothy was startled and looked up, seeing gears and mechanisms rotating beneath the floor.

“There are mechanisms under the floor? And they triggered, causing the floor to sink?”

Thinking this, Dorothy was carried downward by the sinking floor. At some points, the floor moved horizontally to the left or right. Dorothy felt like cargo being transported to an unknown place, surrounded by countless moving gears.

“d*mn, is the entire house like this?”

In her heart, Dorothy’s journey finally ended when a trapdoor opened, sending her into a spacious area filled with chains, gears, and various mechanical structures. Orange lights illuminated the enclosed space, and a giant clock stood on the wall, ticking away.