“Count of Morata, I am a Merchant from Rintle Kingdom. It is an honor to meet such a famous man.”
Because of the enormous Fame he had accumulated in the River of Lamentations, even NPCs from the Central Continent responded to him warmly.
“The apples have ripened beautifully in our front-yard. We've saved the most delicious apples for you, my Lord, so please be sure to try them.”
A woman handed him apples by the basketful! It was a fruit basket she had taken out to sell to the market, but when she saw the Lord, she had given it to him on the spot.
Weed received the fruit basket and took a big bite out of a ripe, red apple.
“Yellowy, you eat one too.”
He threw Yellowy a worm-eaten apple. The bull stuck out his tongue to lick it, then opened his mouth wide and crunched into it.
Weed solemnly proceeded to give it a lesson.
“Yellowy, the way people are, they help each other when times are tough. Don't you think things like these are all because of our daily actions?”
Yellowy didn't believe him at all, but he just nodded; he was busy eating the apples in the basket.
Morata had become very different from the last time he had come. Mystical figures were sculpted on the sturdy bridge on the crossway to the Lord's castle. Sculptors, Artists, and Painters had come to Morata and were enriching the city.
“We're building a shopping district!”
“I'm a Painter, please take me with you.”
“A Sculptor is participating, leave the ceiling to me!”
When a construction quest appeared, all the artists joined in to construct a beautiful building.
With its crystal clear river and lake, Morata's attractions continued to increase.
There was even a sizeable ornament hanging from Morata's spire, visible from the square.
Adventurer Spenson's hair ornament of Ankia!
Lady Ankia's Hair Ornament, City Ornament
Durability: 80/80.
A gold ornament with outstanding archaeological value.
Options:
The entire village's commercial development speed increases by 2 %.
Adventure related experience increases by 1.5 %.
Spenson was a very distinguished adventurer in Royal Road; the hair ornament he had excavated after coming to the North was displayed in Morata.
Adventurers could arrange or publicize a special kind of excavated item in a town. They sometimes sold such items for very high prices, but the adventurer received a massive increase in Fame if they donated it to a town. There was also the effect of their intimacy with the townspeople increasing instantaneously, and they could also buy goods very cheaply — at much better prices than an average Merchant would get. Moreover, their popularity with the employees at a tavern was the best! The residents would also go out of their way to find the adventurer in order to offer them quests.
Spenson had predicted that the future Morata would grow into the central city of the North and had left his excavated item here.
Returning to Morata after a long time, Weed could feel the vivid liveliness of adventure.
“It's beautiful.”
“Aren't you glad we came here?”
“Yeah. The ambience is good.”
One of the changes was the sight of many couples swarming like cockroaches in the vicinity of the bridge and buildings, which boasted great views. Ever since beginners began starting in Morata, many couples had formed. Love, which sprouted while hunting rabbits and foxes!
The consumption and sale of lots of goods by beginners became the pivot of Morata's economic development. There was no main cause for the influx of beginners that rivaled that of Versailles Continent's eastern Rosenheim Kingdom, and made Morata overflow with liveliness. It was a common sight to see beginners with their starting equipment and a wooden sword eating 10 pieces of barley bread sparingly while doing quests in the village.
Morata, a delightful city full of vitality!
The growth in Morata while Weed had been away was dazzling. As beginners appeared, the shops also multiplied quickly. They weren't sellers of cheap baubles, but decent, high class stores.
Merchants and people who wanted to build a house had been stingy with artwork at first.
“What help would such a thing be…”
“Just build it quickly, quickly. Make the warehouse a little wider as well.”
However, buildings with outstandingly artistic design boasted much better business. Even if they were the same general store, people gathered in the beautiful building, and so in Morata, investing in sculptures and paintings was no longer just a luxury.
Sculptors, Painters, and Architects gathered to make the city incomparably colorful.
“The song that will be played today is called 'A Night in a Goblin Dungeon'.”
Every street corner was decked out with a small stage for performances. In a narrow space, about five steps wide, Bards sang songs and played instruments. It was a sight that could normally only be found in the City of Artists, Rhodium.
In Morata, Artists, Bards, and Architects were respected.
It was the result of the haphazard investment of the money Weed had shed blood and tears for into art by the Village Elder. Other cities or castles spent 0 %, or maybe just 1 %, on cultural development, but Morata was committing several times as many funds.
There were many beginner Bards, and with the visits of Bards whose names were well-known throughout the Versailles Continent, the lively music became one of Morata's charms.
The tavern, smithery, weapon shop, and armor shop were crowded with beginners and players. There were many players in the streets, as though there was a festival.
“I wonder how much has changed while I away away. Region Information Window!”
Ding!
Morata Region
An area that once belonged to the Niflheim Empire.
This region is the most prosperous in the Northern Versailles Continent and continues to develop. Merchants actively carry out trade, and there are many customers in the stores. Art is spread throughout, attracting tourists. Due to culture, there is an influx of population and the creation of new jobs. The newly arriving population is showing boosts in all jobs.
Military: 47
Economy: 821
Culture: 1,130
Technology: 310
Religious Influence: 89
Regional Politics: 22
Influence on nearby regions: 41 %
The former Niflheim Empire's influence: 3.6% (Deeply influences areas related to military, economy, culture, technology, religion, population, and quests)
City Development: 106
Sanitation: 41
Security: 69 %
The water facilities have been cleaned, and new houses built. However, they are still inadequate to fulfil the needs of the explosively increasing residents.
New residents want a greater investment in security. They want to expand the village's territory to a wider region and increase the number of monster subjugations.
There are residents who vaguely remember the festival that took place a long time ago. The large number of sculptures are bringing happiness to the lives of the residents.
There is a slight insufficiency of paintings. The endless trust and support for Artists is heightening the village's dignity. The residents have become proud of having more artworks than other villages and want to continue to invest in related guilds.
The tailoring industry's techniques continue to be passed down. With the appearance of many new Tailors, the prospects for the future are bright.
Techniques for handling iron are still basic; Blacksmiths producing weapons or armor are very inexperienced.
The region believes in the Faith of Freya. The residents' faith is firm and will not sway easily. Moderate hedonism and fertility are increased as a result of the Church of Freya's influence; the people show a diligent nature.