A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

At night, Levy had far more energy than Bray.

Actually, this is a good thing, at least Bray can sleep peacefully at night.

However, in the morning, Bray discovered something that gave him a headache.

"Brave, rabbit." Levy had a rabbit in her mouth.

Bray stared in astonishment at the various wild game pieces lying around him.

Levy had no idea what she did that night.

No, there are more important things than these wild game.

"Put the rabbit down first," Bray sighed.

We need to teach Levy to be less like a wild beast.

People come and go in front of the city gates of the imperial capital.

Seeing so many people, Levy habitually growled.

However, Bray quickly covered her mouth.

"Uh...uh..."

“Quiet down a bit,” Bray said softly.

After saying that, Bray began to look around at the magnificent city from outside the city walls.

It must be said that even with his head tilted back, Bray couldn't see how high the city wall was.

As for its width, Bree could not estimate it either.

Compared to this city, all the cities Bray had visited before seemed very small.

The stone bricks showed no signs of wear and tear, even though the city walls of the imperial capital were maintained very frequently.

Hanging high above the city wall was a blue flag with gold trim, embroidered with a golden flying dragon.

It is said that the creation of the land was related to a giant dragon.

However, for most people, dragons are nothing more than creatures found in old, worn-out storybooks.

There are many monsters that resemble dragons, and some are even given the name "dragon".

But in reality, people believe that real dragons cannot exist.

A creature that can destroy mountains and forests with a single breath?

That's something even the most skilled destruction mage can't do.

Flags fluttered in the wind, and the city, beneath its splendor, also exuded a sense of majesty.

Bray is now feeling a little nervous.

This country bumpkin is visiting a big city for the first time.

"Levy, take a deep breath." With that, Bray took a deep breath first.

"Why?" Levy asked expressionlessly.

"..." I can't very well tell Levy that I'm nervous right now.

This is terrible. What am I supposed to do after I get to this big city?

How can I avoid looking too much like a country bumpkin?

A thousand questions arose, giving Bray some trouble.

This is the trouble of country folk.

In contrast, Levy seemed very comfortable and didn't think about it at all.

Bray frowned and clutched his side.

My internal organs are starting to ache again.

While it's not to say that the pain will be particularly severe for Bray, it's definitely not a wise decision to let these injuries linger.

"Never mind, let's go into town." Bray put aside his own thoughts and took Levy's hand as they entered the city.

Of course, I was holding the left hand.

Bray wasn't going to be stopped and questioned just because the doorman saw Levy's right hand.

Security checks in the capital are very strict.

The two sides of this city gate can be engraved with magic arrays, which can detect high-energy items.

Items similar to explosives must undergo a series of checks before they can be brought into the city.

As for suspicious persons, the guards will not hesitate to stop and question them.

In any case, this is the imperial capital, the capital of the empire, so strict checkpoints are a must.

Otherwise, if people could freely enter and leave the capital, wouldn't that just be letting foreign spies use it as their backyard?

Although there are many ways for professionals to enter and leave the city, it always makes sense to create some obstacles.

On the other hand, the security in the capital is actually quite good.

If you cause trouble in the street, you'll definitely get arrested.

"gone."

"Ah."

The two entered the capital, but unexpectedly, the guards did not check them.

“Hmm, it seems we’re not suspicious at all,” Bray suddenly said.

In fact, that's exactly the case.

To everyone else, Bray and Levy were just ordinary people.

At most, Bray is like an adventurer, but a really bad one at that.

“Hmm…so many people…a place I’ve never seen before.” Levy shrank her neck, and the tail hidden under her coat drooped down.

"Is this the outer city?" Despite his calm demeanor.

In fact, Bray was even more curious than Levy, who was standing next to him.

Seeing is believing, and Bray, who grew up in the countryside, finally got to see what the imperial capital looked like.

The capital city was divided into an outer city, a middle city, and an inner city, with the imperial palace located within the inner city.

The outer city was where the lower classes of the imperial capital lived, and the environment was generally the same as in other cities.

Once you reach the middle city, you'll find it to be the most prosperous area.

This is where most of the people in the capital live, and most ordinary shops are also located here.

The main trading location was also in the central city.

The inner city, on the other hand, was where the wealthy and nobles lived, and its environment could only be described as elegant.

The entire inner city can be likened to a garden.

High-end clothing and jewelry stores targeting these customers will choose to open in the inner city.

There's not much to say about the palace.

Bray's sister, Lux, studied at the Imperial Academy in the inner city.

But first, Bray needs to get his injuries healed.

Seeing his sister while seriously injured is a terrible thing.

Churches are usually located in the midtown, although there are also some in the inner city.

However, the treatment costs in Midtown are obviously much cheaper.

There are many, and certainly not only, believers in the "Son of Light" within the Imperial Church.

However, the most powerful church is still the one under the "Son of Light".

This way, the journey from the central city to the inner city is completely roundabout.

"Levy, we're going to Midtown."

There's nothing particularly interesting or worth buying in the outer city.

There's no point in lingering.

Bray decided it would be better to hurry to Midtown.

"Hmm." Levy's words indicated that she didn't understand anything.

No, it should be said that Levy doesn't even know what to say.

Seeing the dense crowd, Levy was somewhat wary.

“Relax, it’s safe here.” Bray squeezed Levy’s right hand.

That's really tough.

"Mmm." Levy wagged her tail and hummed in response.

---

P.S.: ヽ(￣д￣;)ノ This is the first time I've asked for bookmarks in a book, but I'm really too lazy to write. I hope readers who are reading this book can add it to their favorites, because the number of readers is the motivation to keep writing. If no one reads it, this book might end very quickly. "Hey, young man over there, can you help this old man?" An old lady waved to me as I was about to leave.

So here's the question: as a country person coming to the city, should you respond to a stranger's greeting?

Bray struggled with this decision for a long time.

However, Levy had no idea what Bray was struggling with, and just kept wagging her tail.

Its tail was already sticking out of its big coat.

Fortunately, we had already entered the city, so no one questioned us.

People of all races can live in this prosperous city.

Levy was immediately mistaken for an orc.

Although Levy doesn't have the animal ears that orcs should have, she does have two pointed elf ears.

But how many passersby have the time to observe and think so carefully?

“Sigh…” Bray sighed deeply and walked towards the old lady.

The old lady's clothes were a bit old and not very bright.

People living in the outer city are mostly like this, so there's nothing surprising about it.

What surprised Bray was the old woman's skin tone, which was bronze, or rather, wheat-colored.

However, this skin tone is different from the skin tone of ordinary imperial people, and it looks more natural when combined with facial features.

It is undoubtedly a skin color unique to barbarians.

Humanity has many branches; within the Empire and the Federation, there are two races: Imperials and Barbarians.

This distinction was established based on the fact that different races lived in different places when ancient empires were unified.

Barbarians were a race that lived in remote areas, far from urban civilization.

Although the civilization of the barbarians later became quite advanced, the name had already been established.

Fortunately, the barbarians seemed to have given up and accepted the name of their race, without engaging in any fighting over it.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Bray sighed.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to actually come, young man," the old lady said with a smile.

In general, asking strangers for help in the capital is not a very successful thing.

After all, in a metropolis where all sorts of people mingle, the level of enthusiasm and initiative among strangers drops sharply.

"Well..." Bray didn't know how to answer.

"Come, come, could you help this old man carry these things?" the old woman said, pointing to something.

Ivory, herbs, animal hides, a jumble of random things.

After seeing this, Bray roughly understood why the old lady needed help.