Through the dirt road, I kept thinking on how the settlers would react on our clothing, I am a man in a gray assault uniform with a large green camouflaged backpack with a girl wearing a colorful but dirtied dress, they’re obvious reaction would notice that she is a nobility or royalty immediately.

If I remember how the hierarchical system of the ages of castle and swords work, it would obviously mean that there is a chance that if a person wears clothing like Elena, it would immediately mean she is part of the nobility, which is both good and bad for me.

I need to get the planet’s geography along with its politics here, it’s been like four days since the drone’s deployment, I can’t make a move yet.

I was so deep in thought that I hadn’t noticed that we have already reached a large palisade on the side of the road, it was there as a defensive fortification for the Settlement.

It was roughly 4 meters high and behind it was a hurriedly created watch tower that almost look like it was going to break.

Me and Elena walked towards the town's gate, there I saw a guard who was another human, I was unable to calculate his height due to him being on the watch tower but he seems to be on par or a little taller than me, he looked like in his 50s and had a shaved beard, he also had a good physique for his age, he was also holding a crude spear.

“Who goes there?”

He suddenly shouted, I barely understood it but it seems he was asking for our identification.

“I am Arthur Kliest.”

I answered his question, he nodded in response and looked at Elena to which he asked a different question.

“Ms. Please state which family you’re from, I do not wish to offend you but we need to identify who ever goes to our small town, I hope you will understand Ms.”

“I understand, I but I am not a member of the nobility I am just the daughter of a merchant, my name is Bella Silva.”

The guard believed Elena and immediately apologized for mixing her with the Nobility. It seems to be a good name too, she must’ve been thinking about his for quite sometime now.

“I am very sorry, Ms Silva, it’s just that successful merchants rarely use this road, because of the civil war that is currently happening on the other kingdom.”

Civil war? What the heck happened?

Elena looked afraid and nervous as she heard the guard mentioning the civil war that was currently happening at another place.

“I, I see, well me and my escort had been suddenly attacked by monsters, that’s why if possible, may we settle in your town for a few days.”

Elena made an almost believable lie and even downgrading my background as a military officer to an escort in the process, but if taking the clothes as a factor and how I currently look like it would be a believable lie, as her dress was ripped and had dirt while I carried a large bag at my back and had multiple swords hanging on my waist.

“Yes, yes, Ms. Silva, you may settle at tour town for the few days.”

“Thank you very much.”

After Elena’s response the town’s gate opened, to where I saw the man coming down from the tower and walking towards us, maybe to escort us inside the town.

As the town’s gate fully opened there, I saw 4 other ill-equipped town guards most wore light or leather armor and were armed with a crude spear and shield.

Did they only use their defense budget on those palisades, I mean they could’ve at least bought some reliable equipment.

The man that that was in the tower earlier walked up to us and talked about the town.

“Good day Ms. Silva and Sir Kliest, please don’t be displeasured about our town, ever since that war broke out there had been multiple groups of stragglers raiding us here.”

“I see.”

I saw pity on Elena’s face as if she was almost to blame for the war that she didn't start, but her emotions immediately changed.

“But don’t worry, I have a feeling this war will be over, those stragglers you mentioned maybe they were part of the rebel nobles.”

“Oh, yes, you maybe right Afterall how could knights even steal from civilians like us, its like they don’t have any honor.”

“They’ve already lost it.”

Elena and the man finally finished their conversation, and soon began to escort us inside the town. As we reached a significant range from the gate, it was immediately closed.

“Ms. Silva, would you like to stay at the inn or....”

The man asked in a polite manner since she is acting as a daughter of a rich merchant.

“Anything is good.”

“I see, then Ms. Elena, I’ll talk with Ms. Picon to let you stay in one of her rooms at her inn. That will also be the same as your escort.”

“So, you mean both of us will share the same room?!”

Elena suddenly asked. To which the Guard shook his head.

“No, though the inn is small, Ms. Elena, you and your escort can have separate rooms.”

“Oh, I, I see.”

We continued our walked to the inn the guard said to us earlier, to which he finally introduced himself.

“Ah, I have been talking to you without introducing myself, how rude of me, my name is Wallon. I act as the town's chief.”

“Nice to meet you, Wallon.”

Elena greeted the guard that finally introduced himself, but I didn’t, though if I keep doing this my newly instated reputation will drop, but as long as I don’t do anything stupid, the town won’t have any problem with me.

We kept walking in a slow manner as if he was our tour guide in the town, I also noticed that the town had quite a significant number of houses and inhabitants.

“Here we are, Ms Silva, Sir Kliest, At Picone’s Inn. This is the town’s inn.”

He extends his arm in a displaying like manner at a large wooden building, it was a two-story high building, and I could tell that it was recently renovated by the wooden planks on the side of the building, though it may look bad, it was good enough to live in.

The man Noticed my reaction to the Inn, and asked if I had any discontent about it.

"Is there something you dislike, Sir Kliest?"

“No, I don’t.”

“I, I see, shall we enter?”

He asked to which Elena Nodded. And so, we finally entered the Inn, inside I saw tables that were clean and some that were not, as if the owner had lost the motivation to keep the place clean since there was barely any customers entering, and in the left part and far back of the building was the stairs to the second floor.

“Wait a minute, it seems that Ms. Picon isn’t here yet, I’ll just call her.”

Wallon said to Elena, and immediately ran towards the middle part of the room, placing both his arms around his mouth and shouting.

“Picon! Where are you! We have guests!”

After he yelled, there was a bit of silent before a reply was finally heard.

“I hear ya’ Old man! Don’t yell at me in my Inn!”

I heard the muffled voice of a young female, maybe through one of the doors or at the second floor. We waited for this so called ‘Picon’ to show up, but she was taking her time.

That was until she finally entered our sights, she entered the inn through a back door located behind the counter.  

She had short brown hair, and freckles on her cheeks, her skin color was also the at the right tone, not too dark and not too white, her frame was thin and her chest were at medium, I could tell that she is just a teenager somewhere between 15 to 18, maybe taking her parent’s place.

“Old man! Who’re this two.”

“They are Visitors, She is Ms, Silva, a Merchant’s Daughter, And Sir Kliest, Her escort.”

“I see, then 1 room cost 4 copper duols.”

Elena seeing that she doesn’t have any pockets or anything to place the said currency. Immediately started an excuse.

“Well, Ms. Picon, we were currently attacked, but I promise you that I’ll pay you back.”

“Somebody already did that, if you can’t pay then you can leave.”

The teenage girl surprised me about her response, she neglected Elena's fake background as a merchant's daughter, it only means that she’s mainly focused on the profit. But If Elena were to find another excuse then maybe we might be successful in grabbing a room.

“I see, then Ms. Picon, can we trade?”

“What can you trade? Didn’t you lost everything when you were attacked?”

Picon seems to be both undermining Elena’s Fake identity as a merchant’s Daughter and Insulting her and her fake background in the process.

“Though my dress is all dirtied up, my uncle bought it for an original 15 gold duols, since it’s all dirtied up I can fetch it for you for 3 silvers.”

“Hmm… 3 silvers… I’ll keep the change.”

It seemed Picon literally planned on stealing all of Elena’s Money.

“Wait! But what will I wear?”

“I’ll give you an outfit at the back, it’ll be okay Ms. Silva, it doesn’t show much skin, and it will definitely suit you, where else can you get an offer like mine? I gave you a reasonable offer, it’d be a shame if you won’t accept it.”

“Then let me get the contents straight, clothing, and 2 rooms for 3 silvers, no change?”

“Yes.”

Elena thought carefully about it, but she finally conceded their negotiation as she needed to rest and a place to sleep in. I just then noticed that Wallon and I were just watching them, doing nothing to stop nor help them.

“Fine, I’ll take it.”

“Then, Pleasure doing business Ms. Silva, here are your keys for your individual rooms at the second floor, it has your room’s number engraved on it.”

She dropped the two keys at the counter, before looking at Elena with a sinister look.

“Then, Shall we get started with the measurements, Ms. Silva?”