Castalla City

It took us about half an hour to walk out of the forest, estimating a distance of around four to five kilometers. We didn't encounter any wolves or other monsters along the way.

To my surprise, instead of finding a small village as I had expected, I was greeted with the sight of a large walled city, surrounded by a fortress wall over ten meters high.

"Livi, what is the name of this city?" I asked Livi, who was walking beside me.

"This is Castalla City, ruled by a Duke," she replied.

"Castalla city, huh..." I murmured as I looked towards the city.

There was still a few hundred meters of open land separating the edge of the forest from the city. It resembled a small savanna between the forest and the city, enhanced by the silhouette of the setting sun. The view was incredibly beautiful. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen such a natural and breathtaking landscape. Perhaps this was the first time I was experiencing such natural beauty.

After leaving the forest, we transitioned onto a public road. It was evident that the road construction was different from asphalt. It was made of earth covered with yellowish limestone of various sizes.

As we approached the fortress, I noticed a greater number of people with different appearances. Most of them were dressed in attire reminiscent of the classic Gothic era. I also saw a few horse-drawn carts and passenger carriages pulled by two horses in front.

Everyone had to wait in line to enter the city and go through the checkpoints. There were separate checkpoints for individuals and carriages.

"It's incredibly large when seen up close," I expressed my amazement as I observed the fortress from a closer distance. It was completely different from the view of an apartment building, despite being equally tall. Seeing such a grand fortress for the first time left a lasting impression on me.

"Vans, I'll go ahead to help you pass through the inspection," she said.

"Sure, no problem,"  I replied, agreeing with her suggestion.

Livi walked ahead, taking the lead and conversing with the guard, while I followed behind her.

"Miss Livi, you've been entering and leaving the city," remarked a silver-armored guard, appearing to be in his forties.

"Yes, sir. I had some tasks to attend to, and I was also looking for herbs as usual. Oh, by the way, sir, this is my friend who will be entering the city," Livi explained, pointing towards me.

The knight guard shifted his gaze towards me and asked, "What is your name, young man?" He scanned my body from head to toe, seemingly part of the inspection procedure.

"My name is Vans," I replied briefly, introducing myself.

"Do you have any identification card?" the guard asked.

"I don't have any identification card. I lost mine," I hoped he wouldn't become suspicious of my simple excuse.

As Livi had explained while we were walking towards the city, anyone entering the city had to show some form of identification, whether it was from a guild, a feudal lord, or a specific organization authorized to issue identification cards.

It seemed to be an exception for Livi since the guard already knew her well, perhaps because she was a resident of this city. She didn't need to show her identification card repeatedly. I had noticed earlier that some people showed a card to the guard while others were allowed to pass without it.

"If you don't have an identification card, then you'll have to undergo further inspection procedures," the guard said, pointing to a room that appeared to be the inspection area.

"Vans, I'll wait for you outside," Livi said to me.

I had made an agreement with Livi beforehand. I asked her to be my guide when we arrived in the city, and I offered her money as payment for her assistance. However, she declined, saying that the money I had given her earlier was sufficient. She even advised me not to be too quick to give money to someone I had just met, especially large amounts. Moreover, she taught me about the value of money in this world. It was clear that she was genuinely kind. If she had any ill intentions, she could have taken advantage of me at any time since we met.

I walked with the guard towards the inspection room, leaving another guard stationed at the gate.

I entered a spacious inspection room, about three meters by four meters in size. Inside, there were only two long chairs with seats and a wooden cabinet in the corner next to the door.

At the far end of the room, there was someone sitting and reading a book so intently that it seemed as if they didn't notice my arrival, or perhaps they simply didn't care.

It was a young man in his twenties with long brown hair that reached his shoulders. The front part of his hair was long enough to partially cover his eyes, and he wore glasses. He appeared to be a bookworm, completely absorbed in the book in front of him. It raised the question of why someone like him was stationed at the inspection post.

"Luth, do your duty," the guard captain commanded the young man.

"Alright, Captain Moris," the young man replied casually.

I didn't understand what his duty was, but he didn't move from his seat. Occasionally, he glanced in my direction. I was a bit curious and activated my assessment ability.

"A half-elf... Assessment and Spirit Sense," I murmured softly to myself.

That meant he was also an inspector in this place, albeit in a somewhat covert manner. This could be dangerous for me, considering my status had numerous hidden pitfalls. In a situation like this, I had no choice but to activate my camouflage assessment ability as a precaution.

"You can sit over there for now," Captain Moris commanded, pointing to the table and chair in front of me. He took a white crystal ball from the cabinet.

"You just need to place your hand on this crystal ball," Captain Moris instructed, placing the crystal ball on the table.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, it will turn red if you have a criminal record," he explained.

I immediately placed my hand on the crystal ball in front of me. After a few moments, its color remained unchanged. That meant I was in the clear.

"It seems there's no issue here," Captain Moris said, returning the crystal ball to the cabinet.

"What about you, Luth?" Captain Moris shifted his gaze and asked the man named Luth.

Luth simply gave a thumbs-up without saying a word. Whether that meant there was no problem or not, I wasn't sure. He just continued reading, without uttering a single word. Not a friendly person at all.

"Captain Moris, if I may ask, how does the assessment crystal ball work?" I inquired, curious about its mechanism.

"Simply put, the ball can also be called a Soul Essence Crystal. It can assess the crimes you've committed. For example, if you were a bandit, the crystal ball would turn red. However, it does exclude cases of self-defense or tasks such as executioner duties," Captain Moris explained at length. Essentially, the orb had a highly advanced mechanism, surpassing the metal detectors found at an airport. It could even assess the actions of one's soul.

"I see... So, is my inspection finished?" I didn't want to linger in this place any longer, as Livi was waiting outside.

"Yes, there's no problem at all. You can go now. Once you enter the city, you can obtain a new identification card from the Adventurer's Guild, the Expeditionary Guild, or the city hall. If you're an adventurer, you can get a replacement for your identification card at the Adventurer's Guild," Captain Moris advised me.

I took note of his suggestion. Perhaps after entering the city, I would go to the Adventurer's Guild.

"By the way, do I need to pay any kind of fee to enter the city?" I asked to clarify if there were any tax-related rules regarding that.

"You just need to give ten crypto coins to enter the city, and once you're registered as a member of the Adventurer's Guild, you'll be exempt from further payment," he explained.

With that information, I handed ten crypto coins to Captain Moris. After finishing all my business, I exited the room to meet Livi, who had been waiting for me outside.

"So, any issues?" Livi asked me.

"No issues. I was just advised to get an identification card from the guild," I replied.

After that, I entered the city. It was bustling with people of different types and ages, resembling a classic medieval European setting. The buildings had wooden frames combined with yellow limestone, and most of them had two stories. It was truly a sight that I had only seen in paintings, pictures, and virtual fantasy games. Now, I was experiencing firsthand what it felt like to be in a classic medieval European setting.

"Vans, where do you want to go now?" Livi asked.

"hmm... maybe an inn. Do you have any suitable recommendations for me?"

I was already quite tired for the day, and it was getting late. It would be better to rest and continue tomorrow. After all, it was only my first day in this world, so I decided to take it easy.

"The Red Moon Inn might be suitable for you if you're going to become an adventurer since it's affiliated with the Adventurer's Guild."

"Alright, let's go to that inn."

"Oh, Vans, I can only accompany you to the inn. It's getting late, and my family is probably waiting for me at home. Also, thanks for the money you gave me today."

"Well, that's alright. Will you still be able to accompany me tomorrow?"

It would be inconvenient to find someone else to accompany me, as there were still many places I wanted to visit. At least until I became familiar with this city. However, I didn't want to force her if she couldn't, as she might have her own commitments for tomorrow. Another solution could be to buy a map of the city.

"I don't know about tomorrow. I'll meet you directly if I don't have any work."

"Sure, that's fine."

After walking for a while, I finally arrived at the front door of the Red Moon Inn, while Livi headed straight home.

It was a large inn with three floors. As I entered, I was greeted by a female attendant at the reception desk.

"Welcome to the Red Moon Inn."

"I'd like to stay here. Are there any available rooms?"

"We still have plenty. A single room costs thirty crypto coins for a 24-hour stay, or fifty crypto coins with three meals included."

I headed straight to the room I had reserved for seven days. I decided to rest early for tonight since I was already quite tired, and there would be many things to do tomorrow.