At our pace, we probably could've caught up with the coach before it hit its destination, if need be. But Tina's stamina wasn't cut out for an extended gallop, and pushing myself too hard might have thrown her off balance, so we settled into a steady trot with occasional bursts for kicks. Even so, we covered quite a distance each hour.

The journey started off monotonously, the road mostly empty save for some occasional encounters with groups of travelers. Despite the road seeming relatively safe, scattered remnants of carts, carriages, wagons, and even bones along the roadside served as stark reminders that danger still lurked.

I couldn't engage in much conversation, having to rely on Lynx to translate whenever I needed to convey something, although Ju was sometimes adept enough to intuitively understand my intentions.

We took several breaks, mainly for the girls to rest, eat, and attend to their needs. While on the road, I half-listened to their conversation, occasionally responding with a growl. My mind wandered to my own concerns, one of which lay within my inventory: the remains of two and a half adventurers. Among them were the warrior, the mage, and half of the hunter. But what had become of the rogue and the priest? I possessed the rogue's daggers, her boots, and the priest's staff, yet these items provided little insight into the fate of their previous owners.

I avoided broaching the topic with my companions, as doing so would entail divulging the fate of the missing half of the hunter. Failing to dispose of the gruesome burden when I was alone, being now constantly in their presence, I had no chance to rid myself of it. Thankfully, it showed no signs of decay in my inventory, sparing me from any foul odor.

I sighed, realizing my musings wouldn't yield any answers. Instead, I focused on the road and the changing landscape, pushing those troubling thoughts aside for the moment. It intrigued me to observe how the jungle gradually gave way to a less hostile environment as we journeyed on.

During another burst of speed, we startled an entire caravan as we swiftly passed them, our soft-pawed steps making us almost noiseless. Naturally, our sudden appearance drew significant attention; it wasn't common for people to witness others riding such magnificent creatures.

As the day wore on, the road grew increasingly crowded, and the flat landscape transitioned into a sparser terrain with fewer and smaller forests, but more expansive fields. Along the way, we encountered numerous villages, appearing at intervals of about every two to four kilometers. At first mere clusters of houses with a single fortification, gradually evolving into larger walled settlements as we approached the provincial capital.

By now, each village we passed through had several hundred houses, indicating our closeness to the bustling city. However, this also created a problem as we had to significantly slow our pace due to the throngs of people, children, and animals on the streets.

In one of these villages, we had to stop and wait for a herd to pass. Trying to move through could have scared the cows and buffaloes, so it was better to stay put, but this cost us more than half an hour. Despite our hurry, it was fascinating to watch the cattle slowly making their way home—ten cows here, six there, each knowing exactly where to go. It seemed like the cattle had gathered in the morning to head out to pasture and then returned in the evening.

Some cows cast wary glances our way, but I had no intention of feeding on someone’s livestock.

As the suns began their descent towards the horizon, Ju's voice carried a sigh of resignation.

"We won't make it to Guarava today," she announced. "The gates are closed to ordinary folk at sunset. Only people who have special permissions are granted entry during the night. We should stop at one of the villages beforehand, and you should revert to your human form, Lores. As we approach the capital, we might encounter more guards, and a lone elf with a child isn't looked upon kindly. We certainly won't gain entry to a walled city or village after nightfall, unless we want to sleep on the field we should search for free rooms now."

“You can see the light reflecting from the Great Pyramid of Chiuso, even if that hill is blocking our view. We're close! Couldn't you rejuvenate us and let us run faster for the final stretch?” I suggested, eyeing Tina, who seemed to be the one in most need of a rejuvenation spell, though I wouldn't mind it either.

“Even if we ride faster, it won't change what I just said!” she objected.

“So, you're suggesting we walk to the next village? That'll take ages! And there's no guarantee they even have an inn there. Plus, it'll take us at least another day if we just walk from here. There has to be a better way forward,” I insisted with Lynx translating my growls.

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"Oh, well," Tina said, "We still have more than an hour until the suns set. We can keep going while keeping our eyes open for a good inn. Lores could transform back into her human form inside the barn and sneak her way into the inn. Or even just walk in?"

It was an acceptable compromise, so we continued our journey.

Eventually, the imposing silhouette of the giant Pyramid of Chiuso emerged on the horizon.

Despite being located almost on the opposite side of town, its gleaming surface was visible from afar, casting a radiant glow over the surrounding flats.

Comparable in size to the Pyramid of Giza on Earth, this one remained unscathed, untouched by the hands of greedy humans. Perhaps its accessibility, with its open structure deterred any attempts at plunder. There was nothing of value inside but the enigmatic images on the walls.

Unblemished, the white marble shimmered crimson in the light of the setting suns, casting a warm hue over the sky above Guarava.

"Wow!" Tina exclaimed in awe.

"It truly is beautiful," Ju admitted. "Sometimes, when the air is clear, you can see it shining from hundreds of kilometers away. Even from those distant mountains, it appears like a radiant jewel."

A trumpet blast jolted us from our reverie. People scrambled to clear a path as a cavalry company thundered down the road behind us, charging towards the city.

In the midst of the commotion, Tina nudged me with her knees.

"Hya!" she exclaimed, as though urging on a horse.

As unusual as that incentive was for me, I understood her intent and quickened my pace to match the company. Lynx and Ju followed suit.

"What on earth are you doing?" Ju scolded Tina, her tone sharp with admonishment. "This is highly inappropriate!"

A rider from the company rode closer to us.

"Your nanny is correct. What do you think you're doing?" he asked Tina, his amusement evident as he grinned beneath his mustache, eyeing her with amusement.

"Riding to the town gates as quickly as possible," Tina replied innocently, flashing a charming smile.

The rider shook his head sternly. "You're well aware that's not permitted! You can't impersonate or tail an army unit," he stated firmly, his tone serious. Then, his gaze shifted to Ju. "Especially not in such a company!"

Tina clicked her tongue in disapproval, turning to the rider with wide, innocent eyes.

"Oh, don't speak ill of my nanny! She's the sweetest person ever. And she could spread her aura over the unit to rejuvenate everyone!"

"That would be highly inappropriate and might be viewed as aggression," Ju interjected, approaching the pair. "It's impolite to impose your aura on others without their consent."

"But Aunt Ju, it would be beneficial!" Tina persisted. "I learned about it from my dad; he served in the military, and our healers would do it to boost health and morale during long marches!"

The young man's eyebrow lifted and he turned to Ju with newfound interest.

"Can you do that?"

Ju forced a smile, though it seemed a bit forced as she responded, "If I'm requested, and if my lady permits, certainly, I can do that!"

The lieutenant turned to Tina.

"Well, let's see what your nanny is capable of. We've had a long ride."

With determination, Ju focused, and a wave of rejuvenation swept through the group. It was as though she had restored us to our morning selves, rather than after a full day's journey. I could see the strain on her face as she extended her benevolent aura over the entire company, but she managed the task admirably. The lieutenant beamed with satisfaction, while the soldiers exchanged curious glances.

"Well done! Thank you for the refreshment; your nanny is quite talented!" he exclaimed, his smile broadening. "I'm Lieutenant Torres, but you may call me Bram. Might I inquire about your ladyship's name?"

I saw her in my domain as her face lit up with a smile as she responded,

"You can call me Tina!"

"Well, Lady Tina, if you can control your beasts so that they do not growl and scare our horses, you have earned the privilege to accompany us to Guarava's gates!" he declared. With a nod of respect to Tina and then Ju, he urged his horse back to the unit.

We maintained our brisk pace, now traversing a crowded paved street wide enough for two chariots to pass. Pedestrians and chariots meandered between villages, but the company's trumpet cleared the path for us.

Before long, the imposing white walls encircling the town came into view. Though still several kilometers away, their vastness was undeniable.

As we neared the walls, we found ourselves navigating through an almost continuous stream of people, with tents and temporary houses filling the plain.

"It seems we've arrived during market week," Ju remarked, scanning the bustling scene.

"Is this the market then?" Tina inquired.

Ju shook her head. "No, this is just part of it. There are several marketplaces within the town, but there's not enough space for all. This must be the market for the poor, those who couldn't or wouldn't pay the city's entry fee."

Despite the constant trumpet blasts guiding our way, we had to slow our pace slightly to navigate through the throngs. Nevertheless, we reached the gates before sunset.

And so it was that we entered the capital with an army company as our escort.

As Ju paid the entry fee to the guards, the young lieutenant approached Tina once more.

"It was a pleasure to meet you and your nanny, young lady Tina! If you ever visit the garrison, just ask for Lieutenant Torres, and the soldiers will guide you!"

As Tina engaged in conversation with the lieutenant, I felt a sneeze coming on. The dust I had inhaled during our hours of running was irritating my lungs.

Ju noticed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't ask for healing," she said wearily. "I'm completely exhausted and haven't been in ages so out of mana as now..."