After defeating Scorvath, our breathing was still ragged. My clothes were torn to shreds from Elfea's brutal attacks, my hair was a mess, and the smell of smoke still clung stubbornly to us.
"Phew… I need a shower," I muttered, staring at my tattered outfit.
Elfea chuckled softly, resting her chin in her hand as she looked at me. "You really don't have the look of a cool hero, Rey. But hey… you've got your own clownish charm, I guess."
I shot her a glare. "Clown?! I'm a hero with brilliant strategies, okay?"
Elfea just giggled. "Sure, sure… a hero who almost turned himself into a kebab thanks to his own 'brilliant' strategy."
We kept walking. The Moniyan Kingdom awaited us beyond the Orland Valley. It was the first time in my life I'd ever seen the Moniyan Kingdom up close.
I took a deep breath, trying to ignore Elfea's relentless teasing.
"If it weren't for me, you'd be Scorvath's snack by now," I defended myself, puffing out my chest—even though it was kind of hard with my clothes in such a sorry state.
Elfea glanced at me from the corner of her eye, a sly smile on her lips. "Oh, of course, Sir Strategist. Thank you for nearly getting us both blown up. Truly… an explosive experience."
She snickered and walked ahead. I grumbled under my breath, but my feet obediently followed her. As we descended the slope, the grand view finally unfolded before us.
The walls of Moniyan stood tall and imposing. Towering spires pierced the sky, and banners bearing the golden lion fluttered proudly in the evening breeze.
My eyes widened. "Whoa… that's Moniyan… for real… it's huge."
Elfea turned, her face just as awestruck. "First time, huh? Get ready, Rey. Cities like this are full of surprises… and trouble."
I swallowed hard. "Trouble? Come on… can we not? I just want to get the real Elixiran first."
As we approached the main gate, the atmosphere changed drastically. The road leading to the city was heavily guarded by soldiers in gleaming silver armor, reflecting the orange hues of the setting sun. Their cloaks fluttered behind them, adorned with an elegant rose crest. The gate itself loomed five meters tall, intricately carved with the kingdom's golden lion emblem.
I gulped, feeling my steps grow heavier. "It really… feels like stepping into another world," I whispered.
Elfea merely nodded, hiding her weary face beneath the hood of her faded cloak. But before we could take another step, two armed guards rushed forward, blocking our path with crossed spears.
"Halt! Identify yourselves! Where do you come from?" one of them demanded, his voice deep and commanding. His polished helmet gleamed so brightly I could see my own reflection… though it looked more like a pile of burnt charcoal than a person.
I tried to stand tall and spoke with as much confidence as I could muster. "We're… from Hago Village. We came to join the tournament."
The guard narrowed his eyes, scanning us from head to toe. His gaze lingered on my battered shoes, then moved to Elfea's equally pitiful attire.
"Hago Village, huh?" he murmured, exchanging a glance with his partner before continuing coldly, "Regardless, you're not allowed to enter."
I was stunned. "What? Why not?"
"You look suspicious. For all we know, you might not even be from Hago Village," he replied, his eyes full of suspicion.
I took a deep breath, trying to hold back my frustration, and hurriedly pulled out a worn piece of parchment from my old bag. I presented it with both hands.
"Here… look. A letter from Healer Uruan," I said firmly.
The moment their eyes caught the name written on the letter, both guards gasped. "W-What… did you say? From Healer Uruan?!" they exclaimed almost in unison. Their tone changed drastically.
I raised an eyebrow. What's the deal with this piece of paper? Was it really that important? But now wasn't the time to question it. What mattered was getting in and signing up for the tournament.
The once-hostile guard quickly straightened up, adjusting his helmet awkwardly as he spoke with a much more polite tone. "Apologies for our rudeness. If this is indeed from Healer Uruan… you may proceed."
Elfea and I exchanged puzzled glances. Well… I guess this meant we'd officially made it into the Moniyan Kingdom.
I swallowed hard once more. This world… was getting harder and harder to predict.
As we passed through the outer gate of Moniyan, I was instantly in awe. Wide streets paved with marble stretched out before us, lined with colorful shop signs. The aroma of freshly baked bread and smoked meats filled the air. People bustled about, some casting curious glances at us… looking, well, like refugees from a house fire.
"Geez… Rey… we look like beggars," Elfea groaned, pulling her hood lower over her face, which somehow was still intact.
I glanced down, finally realizing just how pathetic we looked. "Oh man… this is embarrassing…"
"Exactly, Rey. First priority: find an inn, wash up, and get new clothes," Elfea said, her tone unusually serious.
I nodded in agreement. But we'd barely walked a few meters when a loud voice called out, "Hey! You two! Stop right there!"
Elfea and I froze instinctively. "What now…" I murmured weakly.
A large man wearing a thick brown leather vest, a ridiculously bright red headband, and wild sideburns like overgrown bushes strode toward us. His sharp eyes reminded me of a hawk eyeing a sewer rat.
"Identify yourselves. Where are you from? You can't just wander around the city center looking… like that," he said in a booming voice.
I raised my hands halfway in surrender. "We just arrived, sir. From Hago Village. We entered through the west gate. We-"
"Doesn't matter where you came from," he cut me off firmly.
"I said I'm from Hago Village, the largest wheat supplier for the Moniyan Kingdom," I replied, my voice rising slightly.
"Hago Village?!" The man was visibly shocked. Everyone knew without Hago Village, all the lands connected to Moniyan would be on the brink of starvation.
"No need to be so surprised, Uncle."
"Can you bake bread?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
But Elfea nonchalantly cut in before I could answer. "No, Uncle. If you let him bake, you'll probably end up poisoned," she said, shooting me a mischievous smile.
The man frowned, eyeing Elfea, who looked like she'd just won a bet. "Hah? This kid can't even bake? And you're from Hago Village?"
Elfea tried to stifle a laugh behind me. "Yup, Uncle. He's better at causing chaos than baking bread."
The man nodded, either pretending to understand or actually buying it. He studied us more closely before letting out a sigh. "Alright, kids. I'm Percival, owner of an inn. This city's full of spies, thieves, and liars. So it's only natural I'd be suspicious. But… if you're truly from Hago Village, I suppose you're not lying about that."
I nodded quickly. "That's exactly what we need, sir. A place to stay."
By sheer coincidence—or maybe fate—we'd just stumbled upon the owner of an inn in the Moniyan Kingdom.