From the shoulders of Leroy, Hallie pointed at the large gray walls of the city of Roesha visible in the distance. Leroy was carrying Hellie out of guilt, that he dared questioned the validity of a little girl's statements, according to his friends. They had been walking for the past 3 days, eating whatever whatever they brought and fruits they could find on the trees.

She awed at the large wooden gate that acted as a bridge across the moat. Many people whether on foot or with their caravans and liras crossed in and out of the city. The city was built mostly of wooden logs and stone bricks with trees used for shade. It was the middle of the summer after all. The further they went into the city, the taller the buildings had gotten. However, they never went past 4.

"Wow! We are really here! Where are we going?" Hellie asked.

"We are going to get you something to wear. Don't you want to get off those torn ones for a brand new one?" replied Coline.

"I do!"

"Hey Hellie, can you get off me? We have arrived at the city, and I don't want people spreading rumors about me."

"Oh! Sorry Mr!"

Hallie got down and walked among the street with the adventures, who brought her to a cloths shop. The building itself was 3 stories tall. The wall facing the street was filled with racks of gowns, tunics and pants to buy. The owner, a rather old lady with rounded glasses had just sold off another pink gown to a mother.

"Come again! Oh, adventurers! How may I help you today?"

"We want some new cloths for our friend here." Milo pointed to Hellie with his finger. She turned her head to look at the child.

"Oh aren't you a cutie?" she remarked. The shopkeeper turned to Milo once again.

"I think I have just the thing for her. I just need her measurements real quick." she scooted over to the back of the shop, trying to find something. She came out with a brown measuring tape. After a few minutes, she takes out a small book, trying to find something that could work.

"Well, I think I have found something. Hold on." this time she went up the stairs. Hellie presumed that was where most of the cloths were stored. Once she came down, she held a nice berry blue gown, with white lining, hinted to the both of them of it's exorbitant price.

The lady leaned down, with the two meeting eye contact.

"Would you like to try this one on dear?"

Hellie simply stared at it. The temptation to try it on was extreme. She turned to Milo, who had a was also examining the grown in the shopkeeper's hands.

"No thank you miss. I think the price is too expensive for us."

"Oh don't worry dear. Trying it on doesn't mean you would have to buy it." she said with the sweetest face that they had ever seen. Leroy scoffed at it, believing it to be motivating for her to purchase something extravagant.

Hellie looked on to Milo once again. He smiled at her.

"I would like to see how it fits."

"Alright." she said. She went into a dresser room of some kind. There she took off her old cloths, and fitted into the new ones given to her. Once she came out for everyone to see, all were smitten by her cuteness, even Leroy.

"Well it seems to fit her perfectly. Don't you think?" She asked the team.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Well, it does go with her blue esthetic." Mark remarked.

"I sure agree with Wu here." Coline said.

"Do you like Hellie?"

"I do! It's just..."

"What is the problem?"

"I don't think we should spend a lot of money on it. We can try something else!" she suggested. Milo turned to the shopkeeper, to ask her for a price. She lifted 3 fingers.

"3 silver coins." she said with a smile. While Hellie had a near heard attack hearing the price. Milo took out his money pouch to pay for her gown.

"Wait Mr. Milo! You don't have to..." before she could finish her sentence, he intrudes.

"It's only 3 silver coins. Here you go..." he placed the three on her hands.

"Thank you young man. Come again!" The group then left the shop.

"By the way, do you happen to know for a shoe shop?" Milo asked one of the group.

"I think I know one over the corner. They have some of the best." Mark answered.

"Well yes, she needs some good shoes doesn't she? Need to find some to pair with that outfit of hers." Collen added.

...

Melvin enters the drone operator room of Group 2. Ever since phase 1 of Operation Troy was a success, he had been to countless boring meeting on other Operations to get a mole to the natives. Get valuable information on them. One operation had been completed.

He walked down to meet Simon, who stood there with a tablet in his hands, presumably holding all the information that he has gathered so far.

"What is the situation?" Melvin asked.

"Well sir. The agent has arrived to their destination. It is called to be the city of Ro..e...sha. They seem to be quite fond of the agent as they have purchased two expensive pieces of clothing; being a gown and boots."

"How much in particular?"

"4 silver coins. Unsure of it's native name. The agent's reaction to their spending indicates the amount to be significant for the common masses. The conversion rate is 100 copper to 1 silver. Unsure if this is the case with gold."

"That seems a bit excessive. For someone who they all just met."

"We could initiate a conversation to extract some info out of them."

"Sure, that will do. Anything about the adventurers themselves."

"We have learned a bit of their backstory. We are unsure of the one with his face covered. He seemed to be the most suspicious."

"I mean their profession itself? Is their earning the average or is it higher than normal?"

"From our reports, these specific group seem to be on the high end. Yet across the many samples we took, adventuring seem to be a lucrative profession. Most of them have garnered respect from the population, and they seem to be doing high risk tasks for high reward, on the surface that is."

"How much?"

"Unknown sir. We do not have the adequate information to make a proper judgement."

"Well then, try to get more info out of them. I want a report of the conversation. Can I trust you with it?"

"Yes sir. You can." Melvin smiled.

"Good, not if you excuse me, I have to be somewhere else."

"What is it sir?"

"Well, Marquise wants to talk about some other agent. Those pointy eared ones. So I have to supervise group 7 in order to make sure that operation would run smoothly."

"Where do I need to send the report to?"

"To my office."

...

The sun was starting to set on the village. The group had a lot of fun. Hellie was given a grand tour of the city by the group. Now it was time to go to sleep, and continue the next day. They arrived to a large inn, 4 stories tall and made of stone. A lot of rich people spend their nights here, and Hellie has the opportunity to experience it herself.

Milo returned to the lobby, holding two golden keys in his hand which he showed to his friends.

"I got the keys to our rooms. Now we need to know who should sleep with Hellie." he said.

"Since Leroy is soooo fond of her, we should leave Hellie with him?" Coline suggested half jokingly.

"I suggest two of us to be with Hellie, to protect her." Coline giggled.

"Sure buddy I will volunteer. Who knows what you would do to her." Though Hellie was blissed and grateful of their kindness, she pondered why these people went the extra step.

"Um..."

"Say what you need to say Hellie. Stop wasting our time. " Leroy responded, who was the first to notice.

"Oh! Sorry. Well... it's just... why are you all helping me this much? I am not that important. You all have brought me to the city anyway, you don't have to go this far..."

"Tell me Hellie. Can you eat without a guardian by your side for very long?" Leroy interrupted. Hellie was a bit intimidated my sudden aggression.

"No?"

"Can you find shelter to protect yourself from rain and dangerous animals?"

"Um... I don't think so Mr."

"Can you even hope to get into a magical academy without a proper guardian?"

"I heard they don't."

Leroy turned to Milo. Milo smiled.

"Listen Hellie, the reason why we are all here, alive and well, in this brutal and relentless world is because we people cared for one another, and showed us kindness. Have you ever heard of the 5th tale?"

"Yes. It is where a family fed their boy because he had no teeth."

"Exactly. That is why we are helping you. If nobody show kindness, then the Ferrian race will fall apart.