Clip-clop clip-clop creak creak
There were no other sounds except the wind, the horses’ hooves, and the turning wheels of the carriage. As far as the eye could see, there was only a vast stretch of green grasslands. Three horse-drawn carriages had departed from the city of Barqa toward the capital, Nuzantra, escorted by a group of adventurers. I wasn’t one of the escorts—I was just a passenger riding in a rchant’s carriage headed to the capital.
[One day earlier]
After a good rest, Elise, the others, and I returned to the city ahead of the rest. On the way, they talked a lot about what had happened before. They also asked about so of the magic I used when fighting the goblins. Since our bodies were sticky with sweat, we decided to go to the inn to wash up. After bathing, we went out for dinner.
"Everyone, there’s sothing I want to say."
"What is it, sis? You sound so serious."
"Yeah... I’ve decided to go to the capital."
"Ehh?!"
My sudden declaration naturally shocked everyone, especially Elise. Tears stread down her face. Her hands trembled as she tried to wipe them away, but the more she wiped, the more the tears flowed. Sooner or later, I had to go to the capital to search for Rima. Seeing Elise cry made my chest feel tight. Even though we’d only known each other for a few days, it felt like we’d known each other for a long ti. This farewell was harder than I had imagined.
After so ti, they finally cald down and accepted my decision. Since it was my last night in Barqa, we had a small celebration with lots of food and drinks. We shared stories, and Lynn and Phina—who usually stayed in another room—decided to join . It felt like a pajama party from a movie or comic.
The next day, I went to the Adventurer’s Guild in case there was a mission headed to the capital that needed escorts so that I could tag along. At the Guild, I was given a letter from a rchant who allowed to ride with him.
[Back to the present]
"Miss Luna, if anything makes you uncomfortable during the trip, please don’t hesitate to tell , alright?"
The man who asked this was Ekin, the rchant who owned the caravan. He was a young rchant, likely in his early thirties. He wasn’t wrong—this was my first ti riding in a horse-drawn carriage like this. The uneven dirt road and lack of suspension made the ride bumpy and nauseating. But that feeling quickly vanished when I felt warm mana flowing into my stomach.
"I’m fine."
"I see... but if you ever feel unwell, just let know."
"All right."
Since we left Barqa, we hadn’t encountered any trouble. The journey had gone smoothly. As the sun began to set in the east, we stopped in a large clearing to set up camp.
Everyone quickly got to work on their respective tasks. Ekin and his two subordinates were busy unloading goods. When I tried to help, I was politely refused—they said I was a guest and should leave it to them.
I saw a man giving directions to several people. He was the leader of the adventurer group hired by Ekin. His na was Tarma, leader of the Black Iron Spear adventurer group. Since I had nothing to do, I went into the forest to collect firewood.
After so ti, I returned with a few branches. Ekin was still unloading goods, and several mbers of Black Iron Spear were setting up tents.
I took the initiative to start building a fire for cooking. After a quick consultation with Ekin, he agreed to let use so of their supplies.
Under a clear, starry sky, I made a simple al: Pork and Vegetable Soup. As the na suggests, it was a soup made of various vegetables and a few chunks of pork. This warm dish was perfect for the cold night. Its delicious aroma seed to lure everyone closer.
"Mmm... that sll... Miss Luna, what are you cooking?"
"Oh, it’s just a simple soup... I hope you like it."
"Judging by the sll, it’s going to be delicious!"
Once the food was ready, I called everyone over. We sat around the campfire and enjoyed our dinner.
"Mm... this is delicious! Miss Luna, your cooking is amazing!"
"I’m glad you think so."
"Yes, Miss. We usually eat dried rations to save on costs."
We ate and chatted together. This warm mont reminded of my old friends. We fought together... adventured together... laughed and had fun together—such sweet nostalgia.
After dinner, we called it an early night so we could wake up early the next morning. Since I was the only woman traveling alone, I got a tent to myself. Ekin shared a tent with his two subordinates. The other two tents belonged to Tarma’s group.
In the middle of the night, I was awakened by a commotion outside.
"Monster attack!"
At the shout, everyone woke up imdiately. Tarma’s group quickly prepared for battle. When I stepped out of my tent, I saw three mbers of the group fending off a group of monsters—three orcs and four goblins. Tarma and the others soon joined the fight, while Ekin and his subordinates stood protectively in front of .
"Miss Luna, are you all right?"
"Yes, I’m fine."
"Thank goodness. Please stay behind ."
(Oh! Is he trying to protect ? How kind of him.)
The battle split into three groups—two groups of three mbers each fought one orc and two goblins, while Tarma faced one orc alone. Watching them, it was clear they were seasoned fighters.
The battle didn’t last long—Tarma’s group erged victorious. He finished his fight faster than the others. Despite the orc’s size and strength, Tarma easily dodged its attacks and countered with precision. After several exchanges, he struck the orc in the neck, ending it swiftly.
The rest of the group soon defeated the remaining goblins and orcs. I had planned to help if needed, but it wasn’t necessary. There were no serious injuries—just a few minor wounds.
I went around healing the wounded with magic. This surprised everyone. The mbers of Tarma’s group, who had previously kept their distance from , beca much friendlier. Because of that, the rest of the journey felt livelier until we reached the capital.
The days passed steadily—dusty roads by day, campfires by night. Eventually, the capital appeared on the horizon, towering majestically. The walls stretched far left and right. As we got closer, we saw a long line of people waiting to enter. Up close, the walls looked massive—perhaps 30 ters tall and 10 ters thick.
Unlike other cities, entering the capital required strict inspections—of both people and goods. After half an hour of waiting and inspection, we were finally allowed in.
Inside Nuzantra, everything felt different from Barqa. Many buildings had two or even three stories. People of all races were everywhere—Dwarves, Beastn, Elves, even Draconians. There were even Demonfolk, despite their dark history. It seed that after 200 years, people had begun to forgive—or forget.
After getting off the carriage, we said our goodbyes. Once I knew where to go, I headed straight for the Adventurer’s Guild.
After a few minutes of walking, I arrived. Just like before, I felt many eyes on , but I ignored them and approached the reception desk, where a brown-haired girl with a ponytail stood.
"Can I help you?" she asked, surprised when she saw .
"Are there any missions I can take?"
"May I see your identification card?"
"Here..."
"..."
"Please wait a mont, okay?"
"Sure."
She went into the back room and soon returned, guiding to a room on the second floor—the Guild Master’s office.
knock knock knock
"Sir, the guest is here."
"Please co in."
When I entered, I was surprised by the simplicity of the office. In the center were two long, dark green sofas facing each other with a glass table between them. In the corner stood a wooden cabinet filled with various items. On the opposite side was a wooden desk. Behind it stood a large, muscular man looking out the window.
"Please, have a seat."
"..."
"Let introduce myself. My na is Zetya, the Guild Master of this city. And this is Wynda."
"N-nice to et you."
"The reason I’ve called you here is because, according to a report from the Barqa Adventurers’ Guild, you’re eligible for a rank promotion. Thanks to your previous contributions, you can skip the exam and be promoted to Rank E."
"Oh! Really?"
"Yes, but the process takes a bit of ti. You can co back tomorrow to collect your updated identification card."
"Thank you."
"Do you have any questions?"
"...Nothing major."
"Feel free to ask."
"I want to know the way to Lake Dewata."
"Oh... just head to the east gate. From there, follow the road straight for about two hours on foot, and you’ll reach your destination."
"Thank you very much."
"No need to be so formal. Anything else?"
"I don’t think so... I’ll take my leave now."
"See you tomorrow, Miss Luna."
[After Luna leaves the room]
"What do you think, Chief?"
"What about you, Wynda?"
"At first, I couldn’t believe it when I saw her. If I hadn’t been told beforehand, I would’ve thought she was Lady Rimaria."
"Yes, even though they look so alike, their eyes are different colors. I’m starting to wonder who she is. I’ll head to the royal castle after this."
"Understood, sir!"
After leaving the Guild Master’s office, I returned to the reception desk to ask if there were any missions I could do in the anti. The staff offered several, but most required leaving the capital—except one: delivering a potion. I’d earn three silver coins for it. Not bad for sothing so simple.
I handed over a silvery-white potion from my inventory. At first, the staff hesitated, questioning whether it was safe. But after I reassured them, they accepted it.
Leaving the Guild, I decided to explore the capital. I reached a bustling market—stalls lined both sides of the street, selling everything from daily goods to combat gear.
One food stall caught my eye. It was selling sothing that looked like pork katsu in barbecue sauce—a dish from the modern world. I thought the seller might be a player like , but when I scanned him, he was only level 24. If he were a player, he’d be much stronger. Maybe he got the recipe from a player, or was a descendant of one.
After buying the dish, I sat on a bench under a tree to eat. Once full, I bought food for storage and browsed the equipnt stalls. Everything was basic starter gear.
Feeling satisfied, I headed toward the capital’s east gate.
When I checked the map, I was surprised. In the ga, this area used to be nothing but grassy plains. To the east was a dense forest that took two hours to walk through—or five minutes by flying. Beyond that was a beautiful lake. This was where I had last left my ho.
My heart pounded as I approached the lake. This was where I used to spend my ti. Back then, reaching the lake ant walking a dirt path. Now, there was a paved road made of stone blocks. Was this place being turned into a tourist spot?
Not far from the lake, I saw a familiar building I hadn’t seen in a long ti—a wooden cabin or villa. A few people stood outside, and so were inside. They wore neat, matching uniforms—like royal knights.
I walked to the lake’s edge, where there was a wooden platform. The view was breathtaking. The air was refreshing. I closed my eyes and felt the breeze on my skin.
Then soone called out.
"Lady Rimaria, welco back!"
(Rima?)
I turned around. A knight approached, flanked by three others.
"Sorry to bother you right after your return, but the royal family needs you imdiately. They say it’s urgent."
"I’m sorry, but who are you?"
"Lady Rimaria, don’t joke around..."
(Did he just call Rimaria?)
"Sorry, but my na isn’t Rimaria—it’s Lunaria."
User Comments
0 comments from readers