A genuine curiosity, mixed with a tingling sense of excitement, began to grow inside her.She had only glimpsed the city in passing—through panic and disorientation—and then again during that brief walk with Mordred, but she had never truly looked at it with the intention of getting to know it.
As she crossed the threshold behind Alice, leaving behind the scent of old wood, dried roses, and secrets, a smile slowly formed on her lips.
This should be interesting, Mara thought as she stepped out of her new, small nest.
Once outside the protection of The Velvet Veil, Mara found herself once more in the alley she had barely registered during her chaotic arrival.Now, in the full light of morning, she could see the details clearly: stone walls stained with dampness, worn wooden-and-stone buildings, and lingering puddles from the last rain.
It was the same place Mordred had dragged her through, but without the rush and blinding desire of that moment, it felt grimmer—more real.
"Are you ready, dear?" Alice's voice came from a few steps ahead.She was already standing on the packed dirt road, her posture upright and patient against the distant bustle.
"Yes, let's go," Mara replied, quickening her pace to walk at her side.
As they moved forward, she couldn't help but notice how different it felt from her first trip through the area.Where before there had been suggestive shadows, half-naked bodies, and whispered offers, now there was only the calm of early morning.
The alleys were nearly empty, save for the occasional early merchant setting up their wares or a few tired-looking people heading home.
Maybe it's just too early, Mara thought as she looked around. Those more… intimate services probably don't start until midday.
Alice guided her confidently through a maze of narrow passages until, suddenly, they emerged onto the main avenue.
And there, beneath the clear daylight, the city she hadn't bothered to investigate revealed itself in all its chaotic, vibrant splendor.
The impression was just as powerful as the first time, but now she could truly appreciate the details.It was a living jumble of races and trades: dwarves with braided beards hauling barrels, lizardmen with gleaming scales haggling at fish stalls, knights in dented yet polished armor, and mages leaning on their staffs.
The market stalls formed an intense carnival of scents—unknown spices, roasted meat, and sweet fruit mingled in the air.Vendors shouted their offers: strangely shaped fruits in vivid colors, caged animals that looked like chimeras, weapons ranging from delicate daggers to massive two-handed swords, fabrics that shifted color in the light, and potions bubbling inside glass flasks.
It was, quite literally, everything one would expect from a fantasy world.But experiencing it firsthand—with the sun warming the back of her neck and the sound of overlapping conversations all around—was a little overwhelming for Mara.
"Are you all right, dear? I can tell you're feeling a bit anxious," Alice asked, abruptly interrupting her thoughts. Her gentle voice carried a note of genuine concern.
"Haha, don't worry, I'm fine… I'm just not used to crowds," Mara replied.Though the answer was partly meant to reassure Alice, it wasn't a lie. The density of people, races, and sensations was something no game or book had fully prepared her for.
"I understand. If you feel too uncomfortable, you can hold on to me, dear," Alice offered, slightly extending her arm toward her.
Even though she was nowhere near panicking, Alice's presence was an anchor of familiarity amid the chaos.So Mara took her arm, feeling the soft fabric of her sleeve and the calming firmness beneath it.
"They really sell way too many things," she murmured, more to herself than to Alice, as her eyes jumped from one extravagant stall to another.
"That's normal. After all, the city of Ariandel is a major trade nexus between the Holy Kingdom and the Lorena Federation. Nearly everything that moves on this side of the continent passes through here."
So I'm in the city of Ariandel… a trade hub between a kingdom and a federation, Mara thought, mentally filing away the name.I should really get more information out of Alice. I've been here for days and I know less than a lost tourist.
Just as she was about to open her mouth to ask—perhaps about the Holy Kingdom or what the hell the Lorena Federation was—a sharp sound cut through the market's murmur.
"Please, stop! I'm getting up already!" a young voice cried out, thick with panic and pain.
"Shut up!" another voice roared—harsh, dominant, and nothing like the first.
The shout had come from what appeared to be the main intersection of the avenue.