Darn, last night was crazy. The alcohol in that tavern was so hard it knocked Sarai in one gulp.

“Hahaha, I like it.” I’ll definitely come back there before I go back to Aswain.

“Like what, Miss Lea?”

I shut my eyes tightly when Gandi’s voice echoed in my head.

“It’s nothing. Can you go check on Sarai?”

She nodded and left the room we shared. This was the closest inn that was open last night after we visited the tavern and there were only 2 rooms left. Sarai took the other one.

Yawn~

Hmm. Where should we go first today? Straight up to the palace? Not a bad idea. We can always tour at a later date. It’s quite odd though. The capital is way too close to the borders, that is. Normally, they’d be located at the very center of the land for more security. Are they that confident that no one can invade them? Heh~

Well, for now, I should take a bath real quick because I stink like hell. I got really wasted last night.

clip, clop, clip, clop

I glanced outside the carriage as I signed Gandi to do something which she followed through immediately.

“Veil,” she murmured and seconds later, a bluish light covered our bodies. It’s a spell that blocks our voice so whatever we are talking about won’t be heard outside.

I pursed my lips before talking. Goodness, I can hear Adam’s eerie voice at the back of my head.

“Sarai, you’ll be acting as Gandi’s trusted butler.”

He looked lost but still agreed anyway.

“Noted, Miss.”

“What’s the plan, Miss Lea?” Gandi asked.

“Plan?” The corners of my mouth twitched along with my eyebrows. I flicked my fingers on the glass window of the carriage while watching the ladies in their absurd gowns waltzing around the town. Those corsets look painful but they could also serve as protection in case someone would stab them. Not bad.

“There’s no plan. We’ll head straight up to the den.”

…

Silence?

I turned my head and found them staring at me with wide eyes, vigorously shaking their head.

“T-that can’t be, M-Miss!” Sarai stuttered.

Hmm. I don’t see the point of planning honestly. I’ve been through multiple lives without any plan at all, just jumping right straight to anything and figuring it all out once I’m in the situation.

“Sarai is right, Miss. Cerres is not something to be underestimated. It’s the top 1 country for a reason!” Panic can be heard in Gandi’s voice and it made me sigh. This, ladies and gents, is the reason why I prefer working alone.

But I’m already here. Let’s just explain Adam’s ‘plan’. Hah…

“I’ll enter the palace as a maid, that way I wouldn’t be noticed. As for the two of you, you will be residing as a guest in the palace. Adam informed me that there’s an annual celebration in 3 days and he managed to forge an invitation for the two of you, making you two stay in the east wing of the palace, 4th floor, door 6. Anyway, Gandi will be Mrs. Kelani, a rich widower from the borders of Cerres, and only has Mr. Vinsoy– Sarai, a loyal butler whom his husband left. End of the ‘plan’.” I explained, ending with a shrug and open arms.

They both sighed.

“You could’ve said that earlier, Miss.” Gandi blurted out, relieved to hear the plan.

“Ha-ha. You think you can do it?” I joked and they only nodded as an answer.

I suddenly have flashbacks of our trip on the way here. Well, they’ve been quite helpful, I’ll give them that. They did pick the less burdensome people on my trip.

I scratched the insides of my ear with my pinky finger. Did something enter while I was asleep? Anyway, “I’m sure my officials bugged the shit out of you to stick to me like a damn fly.”

They nodded again so I sighed.

“No need to worry about me. Do not even come near me. We should never exchange conversations while we are inside the palace. At. All. Cost. Got it? That’s the only way you two can help me.”

Look at them nodding like a child. I let out a light chuckle.

“Well, the east wing is filled with important people- according to Adam, so gather any information you can.”

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I knocked on the window of the carriage to make it stop.

“That’s your task, focus on that. I’ll come to you in 3 days. Be careful.”

I jumped out and started walking to the inn to change my clothing. I need to change into clothing similar to the NPC’s here to blend in. I scratched my cheek and sighed. Dang, I keep forgetting that I am only inside the game these past few days.

“Welcome to Monique Boutique! How may we help you?”

My, look at the interiors of this place.

“A pair of your country’s clothing. Something that would fit me.”

They pursed their lips and exchanged quick glances. This reaction made me raise my eyebrows. What’s with these hostile vibes I get from them?

“Fine, fine, I’m from the small country, Vatisan. I actually came here when I received the invitation from one of my best buds.” I shrugged, closely observing their movements. That was a lie, obviously.

They looked at each other and then looked at me from head to toe.

“You mean, the Vatiskaan Guild?”

Vatiskaan? I haven’t heard of that guild. Is that a guild from Vatisan?

“No, no. I don’t belong to any guild.”

I raised my chin and crossed my arms. “I am simply a traveler who wants to explore every corner of this world. Is that something wrong?”

They let out mocking laughter after hearing my statement. I clicked my tongue as it is starting to get on my nerves. Do they have something against Vatisan or outsiders in general?

“Ah, so you’re that type of guy.” One of them said. Her voice sounded arrogant.

“Follow me, you can pick your new set of clothes in this room.” I rolled my eyes and followed her.

As soon as I finished changing into the preferred clothing, I quickly paid for it and left. Remind me not to visit that store again.

When I stepped foot outside of that clothing store, someone carrying a basket of tomatoes ran over me. Ah… too much is happening today, clearly.

“I apologize miss!”

He looks very apologetic so I shrugged and helped him put the tomatoes back in his basket.

“I- I, uh I sincerely—”

“It’s all right. There you go, the last tomato.”

I put the last tomato and turned around to continue my way to where my feet would bring me.

“W-Wait! Wait!” He shouted as he ran after me.

Geez.

“A-at least let me thank you. Truthfully, I can tell that you are not from here despite wearing our clothing,” he falls silent. He looked around before putting down his basket and started searching for something in his pockets. “…you can have my insignia. Just show this to anyone in case you will be in trouble. They should leave you alone.”

Should? Is he a powerful player? Hmm. Sus.

“Here, I won’t take no for an answer.” He then handed me his insignia and left. It’s the same size as my palm, quite big.

I pursed my lips as I stared at it. I got a bad feeling about this one.

Well, whatever. What’s the worst that can happen?

“To the palace?” The bearded man asked as he scanned my appearance from head to toe before checking the emblem I presented. Seems like it’s everyone’s habit to eyeball an outsider. Is it really that obvious?

Anyway, as for where I am currently standing, I’m inside the guild that most locals pointed me towards.

“Yes.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Miss, just because you tore down a job request from the guild board doesn’t mean you get to work on it automatically. You have to be registered first”

I raised my eyebrows. “I know, hence the emblem.”

He scratched his chin and sighed again.

“You intended to register?”

What the heck does he have in mind when I showed him the emblem?

“Uh, yeah?” Duh?

“You should’ve said that first.”

My eyebrows twitched upon hearing his mumbles. I held the corners of the countertop with my left hand and pointed the note attached to the walls on his back with my right.

“To register, please present your emblem. That’s what the note says.”

He looked at where I am pointing and laughed awkwardly.

“Ha-ha-ha, of course, of course. I will register you now.”

What’s up with the characters in this country?

“This emblem is from Aswain. What’s your reason for coming here?”

Oh, he can tell. This emblem was owned by Sarai and I asked him days prior to change it to something not from Aswain. Seeing how easy it was for him to tell apart, he must be a skilled magician. Fair enough.

“I see you tried to cover the origin of this emblem. What is the reason?”

Hmm. What should I say?

“Might be because I am ashamed of my origin that I went as far as to cover it only to find out that my pathetic attempts were in vain.”

I shrugged.

He stared at me for a second and sighed. “Smart choice on coming here. That country’s a goner in 3 weeks.”

In 3 weeks? Did this guy just drop a bomb on me?

“That wasn’t the reason I left that godforsaken country.” I crossed my arms and furrowed my eyebrows as if I am trying to think too hard about it. “But if that really is the truth,” I fake-shivered as I held my chin. “I can only say that I’m glad I followed my instinct.”

He chuckled. “It’s the truth. It’s a well-known topic here.”

“Aren’t you afraid that I might go back and tell this to the King of Aswain?”

Some of the people inside looked at us when his laughter echoed throughout the whole room. For a solid 3 minutes, only his laughter can be heard.

“The King of that land, you say?” His voice is full of mockery.

“I heard that a woman usurped the title. If it was a man, they might stand a chance. But a woman?” He wiped his tears as he continued laughing.

Wow, I wanna smack his head. You are actually talking to that woman.

“You’re quite a misogynist, aren’t you?” The tone of my voice made him stop his laughter. He raised his eyebrows at me and slammed my emblem on the counter.

I definitely hit a nerve.

“You have no right to say that to me, woman.” He glared at me and pushed the emblem close to me.

“Go back to your country and rot in there.”

Pfft.

“BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA” Gosh.

My laughter made him extremely angry. He slammed the counter again and shouted at my face to go back to Aswain.

I wiped a single tear that escaped from my eyes. I can’t believe he is willing to shut me down because of that.

I took the insignia that the boy earlier gave me and dropped it on the counter. Now, I have no concrete proof that the boy was indeed a powerful player. All I have is to trust my instinct that it was indeed a useful insignia. One way or another.

His eyes grew wide as he stared at it.

“Familiar?” I taunted. My peripheral vision caught some movement but I stayed still.

In a split second, multiple guards surrounded us and I was tied down by some men.

“At least give me my emblem back before putting me behind bars.”

He tossed it on my face and shouted. “Put her in jail!”

“What an ass,” I remembered your face, beard man.

A guard took the insignia from the counter and put it inside his coat. He nodded to the people holding me down and boom, we teleported.

“Where are we?” I asked. No one answered so I asked again.

“Stop asking!” One of the guards shouted as he pushed me inside the bricked wall room.

“Well, I am quite aware that I am in danger and might end up dying here. The least you could do is tell me where I am so I could be in peace.”

I rubbed my arms. “So?” I added.

He sighed in defeat. “You are in the dungeons of the castle. Not like this information can help you. Tsk.”

He slammed the doors and left along with the other guards.

“Good riddance,” I sat on the floor and started laughing.

That insignia was indeed useful!