As they drew closer, the towering gates of North Glory loomed into view. Several carriages passed steadily in and out, guarded by rows of armed soldiers. Two flags hung proudly above the entrance—one bearing the emblem of the Belinis Kingdom, the other displaying the crest of North Glory itself.
Emily studied the scene, unease creeping into her voice.
"This place looks more like a military fortress than a city."
Alferno listened carefully as he reached out and pulled her cloak higher, carefully concealing her cat ears beneath the fabric.
"Don't move your tail," he murmured. "If they see it, you'll end up like the people in that village."
Emily clenched her teeth and tightened her grip on her cloak.
"I know. You don't have to remind me."
They continued toward the gate, passing through a long line of guards—some with swords resting at their hips, others gripping spears with rigid discipline.
"So many guards…" Alferno whispered. "Someone important must be arriving."
Emily nodded, her eyes flicking across the gate and the watchful soldiers.
"Yeah… I think you're right."
A carriage rolled past the guards and into the city. Without drawing attention, Alferno subtly guided Emily to the left, and together they slipped in behind it, keeping their heads low and their movements careful. Their footsteps blended with the noise of the wheels and hooves, and before long, they were inside the city walls without raising suspicion.
Emily finally let out a breath she'd been holding.
"Did we really have to sneak in like that?"
"Yes," Alferno replied flatly. "If they check adventurer cards, I'll be fine. You won't."
Emily crossed her arms, clearly irritated.
"Right… ugh. This is so annoying."
As they ventured deeper into North Glory, the atmosphere shifted. The streets ahead buzzed with tension—people gathered in uneasy clusters, voices raised in scattered shouts. Guards marched through the roads, forcefully clearing paths, knocking over stalls, barking orders without hesitation.
As the streets emptied, the air grew heavy, thick with unease. Citizens cautiously peeked from windows and doorways. Some buildings lay charred and broken, their ruins standing as silent reminders of past battles. While a few cheered at the sight of marching soldiers, most watched in silence, fear and resignation etched into their faces.
Alferno and Emily exchanged a glance. With a small nod, they merged into the crowd to get a better view.
The sharp sound of hooves striking stone cut through the tension. A procession of high-ranking generals rode into view, mounted atop powerful horses. Their presence alone carried weight, authority pressing down on the crowd.
Above them fluttered a banner bearing the words Blessing from the Gods. The symbol rippled in the wind, and a murmur spread through the onlookers.
One figure stood out among them.
A woman clad in radiant gold-and-silver armor rode at the center. Her long golden hair flowed freely down her back, catching the light. An eagle-shaped helmet crowned her head, gleaming beneath the sun—a clear symbol of power and command. She stared straight ahead, unmoved by the crowd's reaction, radiating superiority with every step her horse took.
Alferno glanced at Emily. Anger burned openly across her face.
"You look furious," he whispered. "Is there a reason?"
She rolled her eyes, her voice sharp with irritation.
"Just look at that flag. She's one of them—one of the Blessings from the Gods heroes."
Alferno followed her gaze, watching the banner sway as the procession continued.
"I see…" he muttered. "Then she must be—"
"Valeria," Emily cut in, teeth clenched. "I hate her."
Alferno paused, the name settling heavily in his mind.
"Valeria…"
He could only see her from behind as the golden armor shimmered and disappeared deeper into the city.
As the crowd began to thin, Emily grabbed Alferno's arm and pulled him away from the street. She let out a frustrated sigh.
"This is so annoying… what is she even doing here?"
Alferno didn't answer immediately. Instead, he adjusted her cloak again, making sure her ears remained hidden.
"No idea," he said quietly. "But we'll find out soon enough."
They moved through the shattered city streets, buildings leaning dangerously from past destruction. Dust hung in the air, and broken stone littered the roads. Guards passed by at intervals, their heavy boots echoing against the silence left between distant cheers.
"This city might fall completely into the hands of Blessing from the Gods," Alferno said, his gaze hardening.
"I think it already has," Emily replied softly.
Without realizing it, she tightened her grip on his arm. Only when her face flushed did she seem to notice how close they were.
Alferno glanced down at her, a faint teasing tone slipping into his voice.
"You enjoying holding onto my arm?"
Emily froze. Her eyes widened as she released him instantly, her cheeks burning red.
"W–What!? N-no! Of course not!"
Alferno chuckled.
"Relax. No need to get that embarrassed."
Flustered, Emily looked down and stayed silent as they walked on. Suddenly, she stumbled and bumped into someone ahead of her.
"Ow—! Sorry!" she blurted out.
A young woman turned around, laughing lightly.
"Oh! It's alright. Are you okay?"
Alferno stepped forward at once and bowed politely.
"My apologies. She was distracted."
The woman smiled warmly, clearly amused.
"I figured. I'm Sophia—nice to meet you both."
Emily leaned in slightly, offering a playful grin.
"Sophia? That's a cute name."
Sophia blushed faintly.
"Thanks… I appreciate it a lot."
"I'm Alferno," he said with a nod. "And this is Emily."
Sophia tilted her head curiously.
"Where are you two headed?"
"We're looking for the guild hall," Alferno replied. "I need to update my adventurer card."
"Oh? You're adventurers?" Sophia asked, intrigued.
Emily suddenly reached out, running her fingers through Sophia's long brown hair, completely mesmerized.
"Wow…"
Alferno gave her cloak a small tug.
"Yes. We are. Could you point us to the guild hall?"
Sophia laughed softly.
"Sure! I'll take you there."
She led the way, Emily eagerly walking beside her. Alferno followed close behind, alerted.
"You're an adventurer too?" Emily asked.
Sophia nodded.
"Yep. I even have a party."
Emily's eyes sparkled.
"Really!? Me too! …Well, kind of." She gestured back at Alferno. "Just that stubborn knight."
Sophia glanced back, amused.
"Is that so?"
"Very," Emily sighed dramatically, sticking her tongue out at him.
Alferno merely shrugged.
They soon arrived at the massive guild hall. It dwarfed the one in Beasts Town, though cracks and chipped stone told stories of recent conflict. Sophia pushed open the doors.
"Wow…" Alferno murmured. "Impressive."
"I know, right?" Sophia said proudly.
Emily stared in awe.
"This is amazing…"
Sophia pointed toward the reception desk.
"You can update your card there."
"Thank you," Alferno said sincerely. "We'd probably still be wandering the streets if not for you."
Emily crossed her arms playfully.
"He's just stubborn."
Sophia laughed.
"I like you two already."
As Emily continued chatting excitedly with Sophia, Alferno stepped up to the reception desk and placed his adventurer card down with a soft thud.
Alferno approached the counter with a composed, businesslike air.
"I'd like to update my card for two days."
The receptionist smiled warmly. "Alright, mister."
A few minutes passed as the guild hall buzzed with activity around him—boots against stone, voices overlapping, metal clinking softly. When the receptionist finally returned, she placed a new adventurer card on the counter, its surface marked with the shining silver crest of North Glory. Alferno took it with a nod of thanks.
As he turned back toward Emily and Sophia, he paused.
They were no longer alone.
Three others stood with them—two men and a woman.
Alferno slightly got curious as he approached. "Who are these people?"
Sophia brightened when she saw him. "Oh, hey! You're back. Let me introduce my—"
Emily cut in before she could finish, practically bouncing on her heels. "They're her party!" She pointed at each of them in turn. "The one with the shield is Jack, the spear guy is Owen, and the other one is Sophie!"
Jack and Owen gave polite nods. Sophie, however, stood stiffly, her expression unreadable.
Alferno glanced at the two women. "Sophie? Are you two sisters?"
Sophia grinned. "Actually, we're twins."
"I see," Alferno said, faintly amused.
Sophie crossed her arms, her frown deepening as she looked between Emily and Alferno. "Ugh. Who are these people? You're not seriously trying to bring strangers into our party, are you, big sister?"
Sophia sighed, her smile softening with apology as she turned back to them. "Sorry about her attitude…"
Emily waved it off, laughing. "No, no—I actually think her attitude's kinda hot."
Sophie froze.
A faint red crept across her cheeks as she looked sharply away. Jack let out a quiet chuckle, while Owen merely raised an eyebrow.
Jack turned his attention to Alferno. "Mind telling us your name?"
Before Alferno could respond, Sophia snapped her fingers lightly. "Ah! Right—I forgot. This is Emily and Alferno."
Alferno inclined his head. "Nice to meet you."
They nodded in return—Jack's expression friendly, Owen's relaxed, Sophie's hesitant.
Sophia clasped her hands together. "So, what are you two planning to do while you're here?"
Emily shrugged casually, but Alferno answered without missing a beat. "We're looking for quests. We're… financially broke."
Emily sighed, a hint of embarrassment crossing her face.
Sophia laughed softly. "In that case, you could join us if you want. We're heading to a cave in the Hasa Mountains. It's a bit far from here."
Jack nodded. "The pay's good, too. Since it's a long trip, having more people would help."
Owen agreed with a quiet nod—but Sophie clicked her tongue.
"We can't just trust them," she said sharply. "Look at him—full knight armor. And her?" She gestured at Emily's cloak. "She's clearly hiding something."
"Sophie," Sophia said gently, "be respectful."
Alferno lifted a hand, unbothered. "It's fine. We understand. Besides, we weren't going to—"
"I'm in!"
Emily suddenly skipped forward and latched onto Sophie's arm. "I like her already! Let's join them!"
Sophie stiffened completely. "H-hey! Get your dirty hand off me!"
Her face burned red as she tried—and failed—to pull away. Emily only grinned wider.
Sophia glanced back at Alferno with a knowing smile. "Emily's the only one who dares to do that."
Alferno sighed, though amusement tugged at his voice. "I'm not surprised."
Owen stepped forward. "So… you're joining us?"
Alferno watched Sophie continue struggling against Emily's grip, then shook his head. "Yes. Thanks for the invitation."
Sophia's face lit up. "Great! We're glad to have you. You're both… interesting."
As the group fell into conversation, Emily and Sophie remained locked in their ridiculous tug-of-war—Emily victorious and beaming, Sophie flustered beyond words.
After a moment, Sophia reached into her bag and pulled out a small pouch. She held it out to Alferno, her voice lowered. "You said earlier you're broke. Take this—just to prepare."
Alferno blinked, surprised. "That's generous, Sophia, but I can't—"
"Please," she interrupted softly.
Jack leaned in with a grin. "She'll cry all day if you refuse."
Alferno chuckled, then sighed in defeat. "Alright. Thank you."
Sophia smiled brightly as he accepted the pouch.
With the party now complete, a new road opened before them. Beyond the walls of North Glory, the mountains of Hasa waited—along with whatever secrets lay hidden within their caves.
And so, their next journey began.