A NEW CAPITAL CITY

clip-clop clip-clop creak creak

There was no other sound besides the wind, the horses’ footsteps, and the wheels of the carriage turning. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but an endless stretch of green grassland. Three horse-drawn carriages departed from the city of Barqa, heading toward the capital of Nuzantra, escorted by a group of adventurers. I was not one of the guards. I was simply a passenger in a merchant’s carriage heading to the capital.

[One day earlier]

After resting enough, Elise, the others, and I returned to the city first. On the way, they talked a lot about what had happened earlier. They also asked about some of the magic I used when fighting the goblins. Since our bodies were sticky with sweat, we decided to head to the inn to wash up. After freshening up, we went for dinner.

"Everyone, there's something I want to tell you."

"What's up, big brother? You sound so serious."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"..."

"I’ve decided to go to the capital."

"Ehh!"

My sudden announcement, of course, shocked them—especially Elise. Tears flowed endlessly from her eyes. Her hands trembled as she tried to wipe them away, but the more she wiped, the harder she cried. However, sooner or later, I had to go to the capital to find Rima. Seeing Elise cry made my chest feel tight. Even though we had only known each other for a few days, it felt like we had known each other for a long time. This farewell was harder than I expected.

After a while, they finally calmed down and accepted my decision. Since it was my last night in Barqa, we had a small party with plenty of food and drinks. We shared stories with each other. As the night went on, Lynn and Phina, who had separate rooms, decided to join mine. It felt like a pajama party in movies or comics.

The next day, they accompanied me to the Adventurers’ Guild in case there was a mission to the capital that needed an escort, so I could join. At the guild, I was given a letter from a merchant who would be traveling there.

[Back to the present]

"Miss Luna, this journey can be quite rough. If you feel uncomfortable, please let me know, alright?"

The one speaking to me was Ekin, the merchant who owned this caravan. He was a young trader in his early 30s. He wasn’t wrong—this was my first time riding a horse-drawn carriage like this. Moreover, since the dirt roads were uneven and the carriage had no shock absorbers, the ride was quite bumpy and made me feel nauseous. However, that feeling instantly disappeared when I felt a warm mana flow into my stomach.

"I'm fine."

"I see… If you feel unwell, don’t hesitate to tell me."

"Alright."

Since departing from Barqa, we hadn't encountered any obstacles. The journey went smoothly. As the sun began to set in the east, we stopped at an open area to set up camp.

Everyone swiftly took on their tasks. Ekin and his two subordinates were busy unloading goods. When I tried to help, they didn’t allow me, saying I was a guest and should leave the work to them.

A man was seen giving directions to several people on what needed to be done. He was Tarma, the leader of the adventurer group hired by Ekin as escorts. Since I had nothing to do, I went into the forest to gather firewood.

After some time, I returned with a few branches. Ekin was still unloading goods from the carriage, and some members of the Black Iron Spear group were still setting up tents.

I took the initiative to build a fire for cooking. After consulting with Ekin, he agreed to provide some supplies for cooking.

On this starry night, I decided to make a simple dish—Pork and Vegetable Soup. As the name suggests, it was a soup consisting of various vegetables with a few pieces of pork added. This warm soup was perfect for a cold night. The delicious aroma seemed to attract everyone closer.

“Mmm… That smells amazing… Miss Luna, what are you cooking?”

“Oh, it’s just a simple soup… I hope you all like it.”

“Just from the looks of it, it seems delicious!”

Once the food was ready, I called everyone over. We sat around the fire and enjoyed our meal.

“Mm… This is so good! Miss Luna, your cooking is amazing!”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“Yes, truly, Miss. We usually just eat dried food to save money.”

As we ate, we chatted. This warm moment reminded me of my old friends. We fought together… we adventured together… we laughed and had fun together. So nostalgic.

After dinner, we prepared to end the day early so we could wake up refreshed in the morning. Since I was a woman traveling alone, I was given my own tent. Ekin shared one with his two employees, while the other two belonged to Tarma’s group.

In the middle of the night, I woke up to a commotion outside.

"Monster attack!"

Hearing that call, everyone immediately woke up. Tarma’s group swiftly prepared for battle. Stepping out of my tent, I saw three members of Tarma’s group confronting a horde of monsters. The monsters consisted of three orcs and four goblins. Tarma and the others quickly joined the fight while Ekin and his two employees suddenly stood in front of me.

"Miss Luna, are you alright?"

"Yes, I’m fine."

"Thank goodness. Please stay behind me, alright?"

(Oh! Is he trying to protect me? That’s so kind of him.)

The battle was split into three groups. Two groups, each consisting of three members, fought an orc and two goblins, while Tarma fought an orc alone. Watching them, it was clear they were experienced fighters.

The battle didn’t last long, with Tarma’s group emerging victorious. Tarma finished his fight the fastest. Despite the orc’s size and weapon advantage, Tarma easily dodged its attacks and struck back. After several exchanges, he finally defeated it by stabbing its neck with his spear.

The others soon defeated the remaining goblins and orcs as well. Initially, I was ready to step in if they struggled, but it turned out to be unnecessary. No one suffered serious injuries, only a few minor wounds.

I approached the wounded members and healed them with magic. Naturally, this surprised everyone. Those who had kept their distance from me before now became much friendlier. Thanks to this, the journey became more lively until we reached the capital.

Days passed with the same rhythm—dusty roads during the day, gathering around the campfire at night. Before I knew it, the capital finally appeared on the horizon, towering beyond the landscape.

As we got closer, the massive walls of the capital stretched left and right. When we neared the entrance, I saw a long queue of people waiting to enter. The walls, once distant and unclear, now loomed high—about 30 meters tall and 10 meters thick. Unlike other cities, strict inspections were conducted on anyone entering the capital. After waiting for half an hour and passing through security, we finally entered Nuzantra.

The capital looked vastly different from Barqa. Buildings were two to three stories tall, and people of various races filled the streets—Dwarves, Beastmen, Elves, and even Draconians. Surprisingly, even Demons were present, despite their dark history. It seemed that after 200 years, people had either forgiven or forgotten.

Upon arrival, we bid each other farewell. Following the given directions, I headed straight to the Adventurers’ Guild…

Upon arriving at the Adventurers' Guild, I walked straight in. Just like before, I felt many eyes on me as I entered the building, but I ignored them and headed directly to the reception desk. Behind the counter stood a young woman with brown hair tied into a ponytail.

"Can I help you with anything?" she asked before pausing in surprise upon seeing me.

"Are there any missions I can take?"

"May I see your identification card?"

"Here it is."

"..."

"Please wait a moment."

"Alright."

The receptionist disappeared into a back room. After a short while, she returned and gestured for me to follow her to a room on the second floor. This was the office of the guild master.

knock knock knock

"Sir, I've brought the guest."

"Come in."

As I entered, I saw a relatively simple room, considering it belonged to a guild master. In the center were two long dark green sofas facing each other with a glass table in between. A wooden bookshelf stood in the left corner, filled with various items. In the opposite corner, a wooden desk and chair sat near a large window, where a burly man stood gazing outside.

"Please, have a seat," he said.

"..."

"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Setya, and I am the guild master of this city. And this is Winda."

“N-Nice to meet you,” Winda, the receptionist, said hesitantly.

"I called you here because, based on the report from the Adventurers' Guild in Barqa, you are eligible for a rank promotion. Due to your previous contributions, you can skip the exam and advance directly to Rank E."

"Oh! Really?"

"Yes, but the process takes some time, so you can return tomorrow to collect your updated identification card."

"Thank you very much!"

"Do you have any questions?"

"..."

"Nothing too major."

"Go ahead, ask."

"I want to know the way to Dewata Lake."

"Oh… For that, you just need to head east from the capital’s gate. Follow the road for about two hours on foot, and you’ll reach your destination."

"Thank you very much!"

"No problem. Anything else I can help with?"

"I don’t think so… If that’s all, I’ll take my leave now."

"See you tomorrow, Miss Luna."

[After Luna Left the Room]

"What do you think, Winda?"

"At first, I couldn’t believe it when I saw her. If I hadn’t been told beforehand, I might have mistaken her for Lady Rimaria."

"Yes, exactly. They look incredibly similar, but their eyes are different colors. Now I’m curious… who is she really? I’ll head to the royal palace after this."

"Understood, sir!"

After leaving the guild master’s office, I returned to the reception desk to ask if there were any available missions I could take on immediately. The staff handed me a few tasks, but most were too troublesome since they required me to leave the capital—except for one: a simple delivery of a potion. The task only required handing over a single potion and came with a reward of three silver coins. Not a bad deal for minimal effort.

Since there were no better options, I handed over a silvery-white potion from my storage. At first, the guild staff was hesitant and questioned whether it was still safe to use. However, after I reassured them, they accepted it.

After completing that, I decided to explore the capital for a while.

Wandering through the streets, I eventually found myself in what seemed to be a marketplace. Stalls lined both sides of the street, selling everything from basic necessities to combat equipment.

One food stall in particular caught my eye. It was selling a dish that seemed to come from the modern world—pork katsu. It was coated in a barbecue seasoning, an unusual touch. Seeing this dish made me wonder if the seller was a fellow player like me. However, after scanning them, I saw that they were only Level 24. My hopes were shattered. If they were a player, they wouldn’t have such a low level.

But then… how did they know this recipe?

The possibilities were limited: either they learned it from a player like me, or they were a descendant of one.

After purchasing the meal, I sat down on an empty bench under a tree to eat. Once I was full, I continued exploring, buying some food and storing it in my inventory. I also browsed the weapons and armor on display, but everything seemed basic—nothing more than standard beginner gear.

After I was satisfied with my walk, I headed straight toward the eastern gate of the capital.

Looking at the map, I was surprised by the location of the new capital. In the game, this area used to be just open grassland. To the east was a dense forest, which could be traversed in two hours on foot or five minutes by flight. Beyond that was a breathtaking lake. This was where I had last left my home—close to that very spot.

As I approached the lake, my heart pounded. This was where I used to spend my time.

Back when this was still just a game, you had to walk along a dirt path through the forest to reach the lake. But now, a proper stone road had been built from the capital’s eastern gate, leading directly to the lake. Was this place turning into a tourist attraction?

Not far ahead, I saw a familiar building—one I hadn’t seen in a long time. It was a wooden lodge or villa. Nearby, several people were gathered outside, while others were inside. They all wore matching uniforms, looking neat and disciplined, just like royal knights.

I walked to the lake’s edge, stepping onto a wooden pier. The scenery here was breathtaking. The air was incredibly fresh. Closing my eyes, I let the wind wash over me.

Then, I heard someone call out.

"Lady Rimaria, welcome back!"

(Rima? Has she already returned?)

Turning around, I saw a knight approaching, accompanied by three others.

"Forgive me for disturbing you after your travels, but the royal family requests your presence immediately. They say it is an urgent matter."

"Excuse me, but… who are you?"

"Lady Rimaria, please don’t joke like that…?"

(Did he just call me Rimaria?)

"I’m sorry, but my name isn’t Rimaria. It’s Luna."