Chapter 47

The city of Kilnarek is a fortress town surrounded by gray castle walls.

On the map, it is located near the border between the Kaelm Empire and the Kaum Kingdom, but this area is more like a free border zone, and the two countries have never engaged in warfare.

The reason Kilnarek has walls is simply because many of the cities built by the Kaelm Empire on the frontier are fortress towns, and this city follows that tradition.

The walls are about five meters high, with each side measuring slightly less than one kilometer. However, the stones, exposed to the elements for years, are mostly darkened.

At the city gate, which connects to the main road, about five soldiers stood with short spears.

It was around three in the afternoon, a relatively early time, and there were only a few carts in front of the gate, with no particular queue forming.

According to Gai, in the evening, caravans from the town of Bogwood would arrive one after another, forming long lines.

In front of the city gate, I dismounted, and Gai showed the orb and a magical device that served as identification to a soldier in his forties, who seemed to be in charge.

"It's unusual, isn't it, for Lord Jakes to bring a woman and a child into the city."

Gai bowed to me and then said,

"This is Zacharias Rockhart. He is the second son of my lord."

Because Gai introduced me in a serious tone, the soldier hurriedly bowed to me.

"Please forgive my rudeness, I was unaware."

I said, "It's fine," and the soldier, in a serious tone, replied,

"Then, if you don't mind, I need to confirm your orb."

To enter the city, it is necessary to have your orb confirmed and pay the entry tax.

I rolled up my left sleeve and showed the bracelet-like orb to the soldier. When I was younger, my orb was a pendant, but I had it changed to a bracelet because it was more convenient for travel.

The soldier confirmed my name and then checked Lidi and Sharon.

After saying, "There are no issues," the soldier cleared his throat and welcomed us, "Welcome to Kilnarek."

I was a bit at a loss for how to respond.

(Although we are from a knight's family and have a high status, I didn't expect this kind of situation. Our family isn't used to such formalities, so my older brother must have been confused at first...)

I managed to say, "Thank you for the welcome," and fumbled through the situation.

As we entered the city, I saw a mix of stone and wooden buildings, lacking a unified appearance.

However, the voices of street vendors were lively, and the city was bustling.

(It reminds me of a shopping street from the Showa era. The uncles and aunts are enthusiastically calling out. For Sharon, who only knows the village, this must be quite a shock.)

Sharon was bewildered when a spirited vegetable vendor called out to her and clung tightly to me. Lidi, not wanting to be called out to, pulled her hood deeper and walked with the horse as a shield.

I turned around and spoke to Sharon, who was wide-eyed.

"Surprised? It's very different from the village, isn't it?"

Sharon nodded vigorously but could only say, "Y-Yes..." before trailing off.

I, too, was fascinated by the city of this different world and looked around curiously.

Guided by Gai, we arrived at the inn after a few minutes.

The inn was a relatively large, three-story wooden building. Peering through the open wooden windows on the first floor, I saw a dining room and bar.

After Gai completed the check-in procedures, we led the horses to the stable in the back.

"You have to take care of the horses yourself at this inn. I'll do it, so please go up to your room, Lord Zach."

"No, I'll do it too. I'll have to do it myself from now on, so it's better to get used to it early."

When I said this, Gai shook his head.

"At least in Kilnarek, please don't. It could affect the reputation of the manor."

In Kilnarek, the Rockhart name is well-known, and it would be inappropriate for a direct male descendant to take care of horses at an inn.

"I understand, but I don't think my grandfather or father would mind... Alright, I'll do as you say."

My grandfather and father probably wouldn't care. In fact, they might even say that taking care of one's own horse is something one should do. However, for Gai, who takes pride in the Rockhart name, even a slight blemish on the reputation is unacceptable.

I understood his feelings and entered the inn.

As we entered the inn, a man in his fifties came out from the back.

"Lord Zacharias, thank you for choosing our inn."

"Thank you for the warm welcome. I believe Gai, or rather, Sir Jakes, completed the check-in procedures..."

"Yes, I understand. All that's left is to confirm the orb."

At the inn, they confirm the orb to prevent thieves and others using false names from entering.

I showed my left arm for the orb confirmation.

(Even knights have to be confirmed. I wonder how nobles with titles are treated. Well, it doesn't matter to me...)

Lidi and Sharon also completed their orb confirmation and received their room keys. The innkeeper offered to show us to our rooms.

"Your rooms are at the end of the second floor. I'll show you the way."

The innkeeper took my luggage and said, "Come this way," leading us upstairs.

On the second floor, he said, "We have two double rooms," and opened the door for us.

(I'll be sharing a room with Gai. Personally, I'd prefer to share with Lidi...)

Inside was a typical twin room with clean sheets on the beds, a small closet, and a two-person table. The wooden windows were open, allowing a cool breeze to flow through.

"If you need anything, please let us know. Would you like dinner in your room?"

Considering Lidi's social anxiety, I nodded and said, "Yes, please."

After the innkeeper left, I stood by the window and looked out at the city.

(How should I describe it? There are a lot of tent vendors, so it might be close to a European market. It's still early, so there aren't many adventurers. But when I see a man in leather armor with a sword, it really feels like a different world. It's like a scene from a movie...)

As I gazed out absentmindedly, Lidi came over, followed by Sharon.

"See anything interesting?"

"Yeah. This is the first time I've seen a city in this world. It's the first time I've seen such a scene in real life. I'm a bit moved..."

"This world... I wish I could see the world you came from, Zach..."

As I gazed out absentmindedly, Gai, who had finished taking care of the horses, entered the room.

"Good work. Seeing the innkeeper, I understand what Gai meant."

He nodded ambiguously and said,

"Let's go sightseeing in the city."

I lightly tapped the sword on my back and asked, "What about the weapons?"

"In this city, it's not a problem to go without weapons. However, in other cities, it's better to carry them even inside the inn."

Lidi also nodded, indicating that the security in other places is generally poor.

"This area is quite safe because the previous lord hunted down the bandits. However, in other cities, outlaws and bandits can cause trouble."

Rasmoor Village had excellent security. Thanks to the efforts of the previous lord, children could play in the village without feeling unsafe, and there were virtually no bandits or outlaws.

I felt like carrying my sword and decided to go out into the city.

First, we headed to the guild to take care of Gai's business.

As we walked, Gai explained our plans for the next day.

"From tomorrow, we will travel with a caravan. I plan to find a suitable caravan at the merchant guild..."

We would get introduced to a caravan leaving tomorrow and negotiate to travel with them. However, caravans heading north don't usually arrive in Kilnarek until around five in the afternoon, so we would first gather information at the adventurer guild and the mercenary guild.

"What kind of information will you gather?"

"At the adventurer guild, we'll check for monster sightings. At the mercenary guild, we'll confirm the movements of bandits. The latest information should be available at the mercenary guild since the southbound caravans have already arrived."

(He understands the importance of information. Whether it's a common practice in this world or a Rockhart family tradition, I feel reassured...)

In the Rockhart family, the surroundings of the village are always carefully monitored.

Hector and Gai, who are skilled in reconnaissance, work with the hunters like Rob to constantly guard the village. Thanks to this, it's rare for monsters to wander into the village.

We arrived at the branch of the adventurer guild, a two-story wooden building, a few minutes from the inn.

The entrance looked like a restaurant, but inside, there was a wooden counter with several receptionists.

Adventurers who had completed quests were reporting, and all the counters were occupied.

I was excited to see my first guild.

(The classic adventurer guild of a different world. Ah! There's a beastman over there. Cat ears... and dog ears over there? Or are they wolf ears?... There's no beastman in our village... There's a bulletin board over there. Ah, there are quest postings...)

I looked around like a child, despite my age. Of course, I looked ten, so it wasn't out of place.

"Don't look around so much. Sharon is more composed than you."

Pointed out by Lidi, I suddenly felt embarrassed and apologized to Gai and Lidi.

Gai smiled and said, "It's your first time..." but Lidi was relentless, "Gai will be embarrassed."

Without a response, I scratched my head and tried to cover it up, but I was still curious about the beastmen.

(What are their ears like? Do they have tails?...)

Elbowed by Lidi, I finally came to my senses. She looked exasperated but said nothing.

A counter became available, and Gai took a seat.

Gai said, "I want to know about the monsters to the north," and showed his orb to a receptionist in her mid-twenties.

"You're Gai Jakes, a fourth-class adventurer. Understood. There have been no reports of monsters of fourth-class or higher since spring. A gray bear wandered in, but there have been no major incidents from monsters so far..."

(Gai's orb is for adventurers. I remember Lidi mentioned that there are "classes" for adventurers...)

Adventurers registered with the adventurer guild are given a "class" from one to ten based on their contributions. Starting from ten, the class gradually increases as they complete quests ranked by the guild.

Generally, classes one to seven are considered beginners, five and six are considered competent, and four is considered experienced. Classes three and above are considered elite adventurers and are rare in provincial cities.

The class of the adventurer guild is based on contributions to the guild and is not directly related to combat ability.

The mercenary guild also has ten classes from one to ten, but unlike adventurers, the class is determined by combat ability, such as swordsmanship or archery.

Gai, a fourth-class adventurer, was one of the few experienced adventurers in a provincial city like Kilnarek.

Gai waved to the receptionist and returned.

"There are no signs of dangerous monsters. We'll head to the mercenary guild next."

We followed Gai to the mercenary guild, which was a bit away from the adventurer guild, next to the merchant guild.

The building was larger than the adventurer guild, a three-story stone structure.

The wooden door was open, and several large, armored mercenaries were entering and exiting.

(They look strong, but how strong are they? Gai was around level forty in swordsmanship and level forty-seven in archery. Are the mercenaries stronger than Gai?)

When I asked Lidi,

"Probably... For mercenaries guarding caravans, the squad leaders are around Gai's level. Gai is just below third-class, so he's at a level where he can work for elite mercenary companies."

"Come to think of it, my grandfather was around third-class. So, how strong is a first-class mercenary?"

Lidi chuckled at my question,

"A first-class mercenary is a monster, and you might not even see one in a country."

While talking, we entered the mercenary guild.

It was more crowded than the adventurer guild, with people lining up at the four reception counters.

I muttered, "There are a lot of people,"

"This is the time when caravans arrive. Especially tomorrow, they have to travel a long distance, so they often hire temporary mercenaries."

According to Gai, the route from Kilnarek to Bogwood is a 35 km journey through a dense forest, so they often leave early in the morning. Therefore, they gather necessary information and hire additional guards the day before, making this time particularly busy.

Gai spoke to nearby mercenaries to gather information about the road.

The mercenaries around us were looking suspiciously at the two children and Lidi, who had her hood pulled down.

No one approached us, but our presence seemed to pique their curiosity. They might have thought we were clients looking to hire guards.

After talking to a few people, Gai returned.

"There are no signs of dangerous bandits. However, this area is known for bandit activity, so we can't be too careful. I'll go to the reception to get information about the caravans. Please wait a moment."

Gai bowed to me and joined the queue at the reception.

Since it might take some time, the three of us went to a meeting table in the lobby.

A few mercenaries were sitting at the tables, still glancing at us.

(In a typical novel, there would be some troublemakers, but professional mercenaries wouldn't do that. They're just curious, probably wondering if we're clients looking to hire guards.)

From their perspective, Sharon and I might look like well-off children, and Lidi might be seen as our caretaker, with Gai as the leader of our guards. Especially Sharon, with her beautiful blonde hair and fair skin, and the fact that she bathes almost every day, doesn't look dirty at all. She's wearing a leather outfit like mine, but to an outsider, she could easily be mistaken for a noble's daughter in disguise.

(I look good too, so we might be mistaken for a noble's travel party. That could be a bit troublesome...)

If we're seen as a noble's travel party, the rumors could attract bandits, especially since the journey ahead is dangerous.

(If Lidi takes off her hood, it would be even more problematic. With such a beautiful woman accompanying us, we'd look like easy targets...)

Gai returned after about fifteen minutes.

"There's no significant increase in danger. The northbound caravans are starting to arrive, so let's head to the merchant guild."

I nodded and shared my thoughts with Gai.

"Do I and Sharon look like rich children?"

Gai thought for a moment with a serious expression but then smiled to reassure us.

"Yes, you do. It would be best to blend in with a large caravan. But don't worry. If I and Lidi offer to guard for free, any caravan will accept us."

We headed to the merchant guild.