Without bringing much gear, Gideon and Lena walked away from the Kitsune village, heading north.
The night air blew cold, bone-chilling, but they were lucky—their tactical shirts retained body heat well, keeping them from getting cold too easily.
"What do you think the village will be like?" Lena asked.
"No idea. Maybe something that feels more familiar to us," Gideon replied.
The two walked side by side along the dirt road that cut through the forest, the sounds of nocturnal insects filling their ears, accompanying their journey to the village.
From a distance, Gideon saw a bright light beyond the trees. It wasn't from electric lamps—it was the warm flicker of fire from oil lamps.
Yes. It was a human settlement.
"Looks pretty much the same as the wolf village and the Kitsune one," Lena observed.
They both stopped walking and squinted forward. The houses were made from wood, stone, and simple binding materials.
Each house had at least one torch hanging in front—fifty-six torches for fifty-six homes.
The village sidewalks were lined with trimmed natural stones, carefully placed to prevent tripping. While the villagers knew how to plan their layout, they clearly lacked any sense of hygiene.
Piles of organic waste and animal carcasses were left just outside the village borders, attracting swarms of carrion flies and releasing a nauseating stench. Lena had to cover her nose with her hand.
"Are they stupid? Why don't they bury their trash and carcasses?" Lena asked in a low voice.
"This is the medieval era. Don't expect much."
Gideon continued walking in, passing a few villagers who threw them sharp and confused looks. It was their first time seeing clothing like theirs—strange, with unfamiliar patterns.
As they were wandering the area, they stopped when they heard the sound of a horse neighing from the forest trail. Gideon turned, and so did Lena.
A horse-drawn carriage was approaching, driven by a woman. She wasn't alone—an old man rode with her. Gideon looked shocked, speechless.
'So, that woman's from this village?'Gideon wondered.
"Mom… I was almost raped by Moko's soldiers," the girl said, stepping down from the carriage and standing in front of a house where a middle-aged woman in a simple brown house dress came out to greet her.
"What? What happened? Are you okay?" the woman asked.
"I'm fine. I managed to escape."
"Did you fight them off?" the woman—the girl's mother—asked.
She examined her daughter's body. Her clothes weren't dirty, and there weren't any serious wounds. She was completely safe, as if nothing had happened at all.
Still, the mother was curious. How had she escaped the Moko knights? To her knowledge, her daughter wasn't a knight or a mage.
"They died from something mysterious," the girl answered.
"Mysterious?"
"I saw them get thrown back and die. Their bodies kept bleeding."
"That's strange."
"Maybe it was some kind of attack magic that's hard to detect."
Lena listened to what the girl was saying. Everyone in the village was speaking the local language, but luckily, she and Gideon had become fluent enough to understand.
She turned and gave Gideon a sharp look. Gideon returned it with a slight smile. He figured Lena had already guessed who saved the girl.
"Was it you?" Lena asked.
"If I hadn't saved her, they would've found my position."
Hearing Gideon and Lena whispering to each other made the villagers suspicious. They turned toward them and took a few steps back, realizing there was something odd about their clothing.
"Who are you?" the girl's mother asked.
"We're newcomers. We're looking for a place that can help us get an entry permit plate," Gideon explained.
"Do you want to register as an adventurer party?" the woman asked, and Gideon nodded.
"To register for a party, you need to be an adventurer first," she said.
"Can you guide us?" Gideon asked.
The woman nodded. The villagers would help them as long as they were human. If they weren't, they wouldn't even lift a hand.
"The village office is closed at night. Come back tomorrow morning," she said.
Gideon stayed silent for a moment, then turned to Lena. She nodded in response. To avoid drawing suspicion, Gideon and Lena decided to spend the night in the village.
There was an inn offering rooms for newcomers. A regular room cost 3 copper per night, while a large one cost 5.
He chose the large room for 5 copper. Lena didn't mind, but her heart was pounding.
'Are we going to sleep in the same bed?'
Still, Lena reminded herself to stay professional. Even though she admired Gideon, she couldn't let her feelings override the mission.
Gideon and Lena arrived in the room. He immediately locked the door and cracked the curtain slightly to peek at the village.
"What's wrong?" Lena asked, sitting on the bed.
'Is it just my imagination?'Gideon wondered.
He sighed and closed the curtain. He told Lena there was nothing to worry about—it was just his gut acting up.
"Should we inform Lyra and Luke?"
"No need. The two of us can handle it," Gideon replied.
"Get some rest. I'll shower first."
Lena nodded. She took off her jacket, leaving only her tactical T-shirt. Then she removed her boots and sank into the bed—it was comfy and just the way she liked it.
Gideon washed up in the bathroom. From outside, Lena could hear the running water and her face flushed red.
Not long after, Gideon stepped out wearing cargo pants and his tactical shirt. Lena quickly went into the bathroom, head down.
He didn't know what was up with Lena. That sharp-tongued woman was acting strange tonight. Still, Gideon didn't dwell on it.
His focus was on getting the Entry Permit Plate so he and his team could get into the city.
They each took care of their business. Lena had fallen into a deep sleep on the bed, alone. Gideon dozed off in a sitting position, slumped on a single-seat sofa.
As night deepened, the entire village fell into a quiet stillness, with nothing but their breathing audible. The cool temperature, comfortable bedding, and peaceful setting made for a good night's sleep.
Until something woke them.
BLAST!
A loud explosion shook the village, startling everyone—Gideon and Lena included. They instinctively jumped up and grabbed their SIG Sauer M17s.
"What's going on?" Lena asked.
Gideon walked over and peeked through the curtain. His eyes widened in shock, mouth slightly open. He could clearly see a group of people entering the village—armed with weapons and magic.
"Chaos. Enemy count: 15. Twelve with weapons, three with magic."
"Mages, huh?" Lena asked, suddenly energized.
"Focus on evacuation. Get the villagers out of here."
"I'll handle them," Gideon replied.
"Understood, Captain."
Gideon and Lena left their room. One of the inn staff tried to stop them, saying it was too dangerous. Lena smiled, trying to reassure her.
"We'll be fine."
"Handle the evac, Lena," Gideon ordered.
"Copy, Captain!"
She focused her eyes forward, lined up her sights, and Gideon started pulling the trigger.
BANG!
The shot landed right in their legs. Gideon wasn't trying to kill—better to capture them and get answers.
He glanced to the side and spotted a house on fire. His presence drew attention from the villagers.
"Men, put out that fire! Women, follow my partner!" Gideon commanded.
BANG!
Another shot hit its mark, striking legs again. One shot was enough to disable. Seven were downed. The rest fled, unable to fight back. Gideon scanned the area, then called it.
"Sector clear!" he shouted.
Lena heard Gideon's voice loud and clear. She came out from hiding and joined him. The men were still trying to put out the fire.
In about thirty minutes, they succeeded. The villagers were grateful. It was the first time they'd seen a fight like that—no magic involved.
Lena smiled, seeing that no villagers had been hurt. She tore cloth from the bandits' clothing and wrapped their injured legs.
"Who are they?" Gideon asked.
"Bandits. They've been raiding our village for years," one man replied.
"Then why did they attack tonight?"
"Because we hadn't paid tribute yet," the man admitted.
Gideon went silent, then slowly nodded, realizing the village had a serious problem. The bandits came every month to collect tribute. If they didn't get it, the village suffered.
It was the same pattern as gangsters back in his world—offering protection in exchange for monthly payments.
"So they were just here to intimidate you. Am I right?" Gideon asked, and the villagers nodded.
"Did you ask the kingdom for help?"
"We did. They didn't care."
Gideon nodded again. If the kingdom wouldn't help, the only solution was to train the villagers in self-defense.
Lena stepped closer and reported the seven bandits were secured. Gideon nodded, turned around, and stood in front of the bandits, now sitting on the ground with injured legs.
"Tell me. How many of you are there in total?" Gideon asked.
"Tch! You're not getting anything from us."
"Hm… stubborn."
Gideon turned and walked back to the villagers, stopping beside Lena.
"I'll leave the interrogation to you. You're the best at making people talk," Gideon said.
"Of course, Captain. I'll handle it."