After an entire night trekking through the desert—passing rocky terrain, dry bushes that gave way to taller grass, scorching winds by day, and freezing chills by night—at last, as dawn broke, a line of green stretched across the horizon.
Tall grass began to replace the brittle brush. The dry, cracked earth turned soft and brown. Even the air felt different—more humid, more alive.
Ravyn sniffed the air. "I smell… roasted chicken… and grilled meat."
Zeo and Alice chuckled. Fael said nothing, still unable to blend in with his new group.
Soon, the faint outline of city walls began to emerge beyond the morning mist.
Leymora City.
A central hub of trade, magic, and culture—this ancient city under the Romania Empire now stood as a haven for adventurers and merchants, especially those seeking access to the Forbidden Forest.
Their group stopped a good distance from the main gate, finding shade beneath a large tree just off the main road.
"We'll rest for a moment," Zeo said, lowering his pack.
"Get your IDs and gear ready. I don't want trouble during the inspection," Fael added as he stepped ahead.
His gaze pierced the tall, clean walls of the city. "It's been a long time… last time I saw this place, I wasn't… like this."
"This your hometown?" Ravyn asked, her tail flicking beneath the cloak she wore to hide it.
Fael gave a slow nod.
"Mine too," Alice said softly, inhaling deeply. "I… lived here for a long time when I was still an adventurer. This city… holds a lot of memories."
Her voice lowered, shadows of the past clinging to her tone.
From where they sat, faint conversations drifted over from nearby villagers.
"Is it true? They say… a prince from the Romania Empire will visit this week."
"They say it's the second prince."
"The second prince? The smart, handsome one who's great at magic…?"
Alice twitched slightly. "The second prince? Visiting here?"
Ravyn tilted her head. "What's a prince?"
"You don't know the royal family of Romania?" Fael asked, surprised.
Ravyn shook her head. "I don't even know what a Romania is."
"Huff. The Romania Empire controls most of the western region, including this city. The second prince—his full name is Elion Val Romanes. He's in his early twenties but already leads many magical reforms and development programs."
"He's the main rival to the first prince for the throne," Alice added quietly. "Rumor has it that many palace factions are starting to side with him."
While they talked, Zeo stood alone near a shallow pool. His reflection flickered softly on the water's surface. His hair was a mess, a thick unkempt beard shadowed his jaw, and fatigue filled his eyes.
He touched his chin.
A memory flashed—Kiara's gentle hands shaving his stubble while he slept. Her voice. Her smile. Her warm embrace.
His chest tightened.
Zeo clenched his fist. But before the emotion could overwhelm him, a cheerful voice pulled him back.
"Master Zeo, are we going yet? I'm hungry…"
Ravyn stood with one hand on her belly, trying to hide her tail beneath her oversized coat.
Zeo turned and gave a faint smile. "Let's go. We're entering the city."
Everyone got ready. Alice adjusted her hood. Fael pulled up a scarf to hide his face. Zeo made sure all was in order. Ravyn used minor illusion magic to hide her ears and tail.
At the main city gate, two guards in leather armor and engraved helmets stopped them.
"State your names and purpose for entering."
Alice stepped forward and removed her hood. Her soft hair flowed over her shoulders, and her eyes shimmered gently in the morning light.
Whispers rose from around them.
"Isn't that… Alice Marakhat?"
"She's alive? I thought she died in the Forbidden Forest…"
One guard stared in disbelief. "Miss Alice…?"
Alice nodded. "I've returned."
The guard stepped back and bowed deeply. "Forgive us! Please, enter. We'll alert the Guild and the city officials immediately."
The massive gate creaked open, groaning as its hinges turned and the reinforced wheels rolled. As the group stepped inside—
For the first time since their long journey began, Zeo and Ravyn walked into a major city.
For Alice and Fael, it was a return to somewhere filled with memories.
A city that might hold allies… or enemies… from their past.
Leymora.
---
The cobbled streets of Leymora greeted them with a buzz of activity—chatter from merchants, the creak of wagons, and the scent of freshly baked bread and grilled meat hanging in the air. Ravyn looked up at the sky, then down at the vibrant streets with wide eyes.
"Uwaaaah…" she whispered.
Tall white-stone buildings lined both sides of the road. Colorful shops displayed magical trinkets, clothing, and weapons. People bustled past, some carrying monster loot, others clutching spell scrolls.
Ravyn struggled to contain herself. Her fox ears almost popped out from under her illusion spell. She lowered her head and bit her lip.
"I can hold it… I can hold it…" she whispered, clenching her fists.
"And the food smells so good… I'm starving…" she added, hugging her belly.
Fael walked calmly, the most composed of them all. "Yeah, that's Leymora for you. Crowded, noisy, kind of annoying," he muttered. Without needing directions, he led the group toward the inn district.
Alice followed silently. Her face hidden by a hood and light mask, her slow steps and dulled eyes betrayed her troubled state. Still, she stood straight and drew a deep breath. "I can handle this."
After a few minutes, they stopped before a large building with a sign: Golden Branch Inn.
Fael pointed at it casually. "Popular with adventurers. Fair prices, solid reputation."
"Perfect," Zeo replied.
But once they entered and saw the price list, Zeo's expression hardened.
He'd forgotten—he hadn't touched any money in two years, and Ravyn didn't use human currency at all.
Even Alice sighed bitterly. "All my funds were lost during… that incident."
All three turned toward Fael.
Fael pulled out a few coins. "I have some. Not much. But… I'm your slave now, so technically this is yours."
He offered the money to Zeo.
Zeo shook his head. "That's your money. I won't take it."
Fael blinked, genuinely surprised.
Zeo then turned to Alice.
"We need a quick job. Something that pays today. Do you know a place?"
Alice hesitated.
But Fael answered, "In that case… let's go to the Adventurer's Guild. They usually have beginner quests. Decent pay."
Zeo glanced at Alice. She nodded silently. Though she knew the guild offered such jobs, a quiet reluctance clung to her heart. Still, the decision had been made.
They moved out immediately.
Minutes later, they arrived at Leymora Adventurer's Guild, a classic stone building marked with crossed sword-and-magic symbols above the entrance. Inside, the space buzzed with adventurers of all races and ranks.
Alice kept her face tightly concealed.
Ravyn drew attention like a magnet. Even though her demi-human features were hidden, her quirky but cute appearance had several male adventurers whispering and pointing.
Stares of jealousy, curiosity, and disdain followed them.
"This kind of attention is normal for newbies. Especially when there's a pretty girl," Fael muttered.
Zeo scanned the room. He didn't care. His focus locked onto the information desk.
A young woman stood behind it, wearing the guild's signature blue uniform. When she spotted Fael, she gave a faint smile.
"Oh, Fael? Long time—"
But then she noticed Alice. Though only part of her face was visible, her eyes widened.
She froze, nearly speaking—
BANG!!
A loud crash at the entrance shook the room.
"ALICEEEEE!!"
Everyone turned.
A thin man with brown hair stood in the doorway, his clothing tattered but clearly marked him as an adventurer.
Alice froze.
"YOU'RE BACK! YOU'RE ALIVE!"
He rushed forward. A few people began whispering, realization dawning.
"Erik…" Alice murmured, barely audible.
The adventurers who'd been gossiping now murmured among themselves with stunned expressions.
Meanwhile, Zeo and Ravyn exchanged a look.
"Who's that?" Ravyn asked.
"Don't you remember? He was one of Alice's old teammates," Zeo whispered.
---