The sky had begun to darken by the time they reached the front of Torain— a walled city with tall watchtowers rising at each corner. Its main gate, made of thick steel, was partially open and guarded by several fully armored soldiers. A long line had formed in front of the gate: merchants, travelers, and locals waited their turn to enter, carrying goods, wagons, or simply backpacks.
Darwin patted Ciel's neck, who was now slowing down and eventually came to a stop a few meters from the line.
"You did great, Ciel. Time to rest," Darwin murmured.
He placed one hand on the large wolf, and in an instant, Ciel's body was cloaked in a bluish-black aura and disappeared into Darwin's necromancy storage.
Liriel, dismounting beside him, pulled the hood of her cloak up, covering her long ears and hiding most of her face. "Alright. We'll walk from here."
They began to make their way toward the line. Darwin looked toward the crowd and whispered, "Should we get in line too, or is there another way?"
Liriel answered quietly, "We can head straight to the front… and bribe the guards. A few silver coins are usually enough."
Darwin nodded. "You ready?"
Liriel took a deep breath. "I am."
They confidently walked toward the front of the line. Some people glanced at them, but no one dared to protest—perhaps due to their imposing appearance, which hinted at them being skilled fighters or minor nobles.
When it was their turn, a large guard wearing a steel helmet eyed them suspiciously.
"You two, what's your business in Torain?"
Liriel answered in a calm voice, though there was a slight tension in her tone. "We're here to visit my sister who lives in the city."
The guard frowned. "Show me your identification cards."
Liriel lowered her head slightly. "Mine was lost on the journey…"
The guard's expression hardened. "Is that so? No proof at all? That's suspicious."
He waved his hand, and two additional guards approached, ready to search them. "Search them. The girl too. Remove her hood."
Liriel immediately stiffened, her body beginning to tremble slightly. Darwin stepped closer and asked in a low voice.
"…This okay?"
But Liriel didn't answer. Her face had gone pale. One of the guards reached out, ready to lift her hood.
Before the hand could touch her—
Click.
Darwin grabbed the guard's wrist firmly, locking eyes with him—his gaze cold but composed.
"Sorry," he said softly, "but that hood stays on. She's recently suffered a serious head injury… and she's extremely sensitive to light and air."
The guard was about to protest, but Darwin discreetly slipped a gold coin into the palm of his hand, gripping it as if offering a simple handshake.
When Darwin let go, the guard's eyes widened slightly at the glint of pure gold in his hand.
"…Of course, of course," the guard said quickly. "Apologies for the rudeness. Please, go right in, and enjoy your stay in the city!"
The other guards backed off without question, following the signal from their superior.
Darwin glanced at Liriel. "Let's go."
He took her hand and led her past the great steel gates. The city of Torain now spread out before them—clean stone streets, multi-story buildings made of wood and stone, and the lively noise of a marketplace ringing out in the distance.
Liriel pulled her hood back slightly once they were safely inside, then looked up at Darwin.
"…How much did you give him to change his mind so fast?"
Darwin smiled faintly, eyes still looking forward. "We'll talk about it later. For now, let's find your sister."
Liriel gently clung to Darwin's arm, leaning against him slightly. "I keep owing you more and more, Darwin."
Darwin shook his head softly. "Don't worry about it. You can repay me later. Right now, let's focus on saving your sister."
Liriel gave a warm smile, her usually sharp eyes softening.
"Mm."
As soon as they passed through the grand gates of Torain, Darwin and Liriel were greeted by a scene bursting with life—city streets filled with people of various races and clothing styles, like something out of a living fantasy world.
Vendors shouted about their goods from behind carts and wooden stalls, selling everything from exotic fruits and colorful gemstones to scrolls of magic. Half-human and elven children ran around laughing. A young man in a long robe sat reading beside a fountain, while city guards stood nearby, chatting casually.
Darwin stopped at the side of the road, eyes wide in awe.
"…This is insane…" he whispered. "I really feel like I've entered an RPG world…"
Suddenly, a familiar, annoying voice echoed in his mind:
"Right, yeah..."
Liriel turned to him. "Hm? What did you say?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just a voice in my head."
Liriel frowned but chose not to press further. She pointed at a row of brick buildings in a western style along the street. "Let's find an inn first. It'll be easier to make plans once we have a place to rest."
Darwin nodded. "Agreed."
A few minutes later, they arrived at a modest two-story inn called "Rest Dawn Inn." The building looked simple but clean, with a wooden sign swinging gently in the breeze.
As they stepped into the lobby, they were greeted by a portly man in his forties with a thin mustache. He looked busy jotting something down in a large ledger.
"Welcome," he said politely. "Need a room?"
Liriel responded immediately, "We need two rooms."
The man paused his writing and raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, only one room left."
Liriel looked annoyed. "Only one? This is a royal city, not some backwater village."
The innkeeper replied calmly, "There's a major parade coming up to celebrate the King's 52nd birthday. Lots of out-of-town guests—every place is packed."
Liriel opened her mouth to say something… not very polite, but Darwin quickly covered it with his hand.
"Don't. Seriously. Don't. This is not the place to insult the kingdom," he whispered in a panic. "They can have our heads just for saying the wrong thing."
Liriel grumbled from behind his hand.
Darwin turned back to the innkeeper. "Is there… any other inn nearby?"
"Plenty," said the man, "but I doubt you'll find a free room. The parade starts the morning after tomorrow."
Before Darwin could ask again, the innkeeper looked at them coldly. "If you're not taking it, please move aside. Others are waiting."
Liriel growled softly and slapped a silver coin onto the counter. "We'll take it. Three days, two nights."
The man nodded quickly, took the coin, and handed them an old wooden key carved with the number '3'.
As they walked toward the stairs, Darwin looked over at Liriel. "You sure you're okay with us sharing a room?"
Liriel replied without turning, her tone flat. "It's fine. We can look for another inn later if something opens up."
Just as they reached the second floor and were about to open their room door, the innkeeper called out behind them with a sly grin.
"Enjoy your night, lovebirds…"
Liriel stopped dead in her tracks, spinning around quickly. "What did you just—?!"
But Darwin quickly pulled her into the room with an awkward laugh.
"Don't kill him, don't kill him, he's just a dirty old man, not a threat," Darwin muttered as he shut the door and held Liriel back from storming out, dagger already half-drawn.