Riftan took out his identification papers. “I am Riftan Calypse, commander of the Remdragon Knights. I am on my way to Livadon by order of the king, but I was separated from my party. Did the Remdragon Knights arrive here last night?”
The sentry immediately threw open the gate.
“R-Rosem Wigrew d’Calypse! It is an honor! The knights are currently lodging at Hanoa Inn. Please, allow me to show you the way.”
They followed the sentry through the village. It was bigger than Maxi had anticipated, and she took in the bustling street as they rode down the unpaved path. Modest wooden cottages flanked the road, and Maxi noticed laborers andarmed mercenaries raising a number of new houses from stacks of fresh lumber. Goats, pigs, and donkeys grazed freely, their manure dotting the road and filling the air with the stench of livestock. Merchant stalls lined the road, creating a makeshift market thronged with people.
Riftan furrowed his brow as he pushed his way through the crowds. “It is busier than I thought.”
“It is the monsters, my lord,” the sentry replied. “Not only do we have to worry about drakes, but red goblin and kobold populations are now on the rise, too. They have caused heavy damage to the nearby villages. With so many folks seeking refuge, the town is overflowing.”
“Do you have enough provisions?”
“We’re better off than most. Merchants frequently drop by on their way to Livadon.” The sentry stopped before a three-story wooden building at the end of a narrow road. “And here we are. Your knights should be lodged inside, my lord.”
“You have my thanks.” Riftan tossed him a silver coin, and the sentry broke into a wide grin and bowed his head. He darted toward the inn, calling for the innkeeper. Riftan and Maxi handed their horses over to the stable hands and followed him into the inn.
As soon as they entered, the lively conversations in the room ceased. Hiding behind Riftan, Maxi glanced nervously around the dimly lit lobby.
“You caught up faster than we expected, Commander!”
Hebaron grinned from where he sat with the knights at the closely packed wooden tables toward the back. Soon, the other knights were leaping to their feet and rushing over to Maxi and Riftan. Hebaron thumped Riftan on the shoulderwhen he reached them, but Riftan shook him off in annoyance and went to ask the innkeeper for a room.
The cold shoulder did nothing to dim Hebaron’s grin as he turned to Maxi. “I am glad to see you well, my lady. I knew the commander would find you, but I did worry that it would take awhile. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“N-No. I am perfectly well. I apologize…for worrying you.”
“No, my lady, it is us who should apologize for failing to protect you. We assumed that you would be fine since Gabel was with you…. It could have gone quite badly had the commander not gone after you. I know of no one better at tracking than the commander.”
Maxi smiled and glanced about the room. “Th-There…seem to be many missing faces. D-Did everyone get here safely?”
“Yes, everyone made it here last night. Gabel has gone to buy provisions, and the others are talking to the local mercenaries trying to gather information.” Hebaron looked her up and down, then lightly clicked his tongue. “You must be tired, my lady. We can save the greetings for later. Why do you not go rest in your room?”
Maxi blushed and ran a hand over her tangled hair. She did not need a mirror to know how terrible she must look. She hunched her shoulders in embarrassment and scurried over to where Riftan beckoned to her from the foot of the stairs.
As soon as they entered the room at the end of the third floor, he flung their luggage on the ground. Though Maxi sorely wanted to flop onto bed, she could not bring herself to do so with clothes soaked in sweat and dust. She opted toremove her boots and damp socks first.
Riftan watched her before slowly turning away. “I have asked the innkeeper to prepare a bath for you. Try to get some rest after.”
“Wh-What about you?”
“I must go check if there is any more news from Livadon.”
“But we have just arrived…sh-should you not rest a bit—”
He was already out the door before Maxi could finish her sentence. She blinked, her mouth agape. How on earth could he turn down the opportunity of sleep after a sleepless night? She thought of going after him, but instead heaved a sigh, knowing that it was pointless when he was like this.
A little while later, a plump woman hauled a wooden tub full of water into the room. With the door locked, Maxi stripped off her dirty clothes and immersed herself in the cold water. Scrubbing away several days’ worth of sweat and dirt was invigorating. She soaped her body twice and thoroughly rinsed off the lather. After that, she painstakingly washed her tangled hair, which was matted into a dense bush. When she finally used the clean water in the kettle to wash away the remaining traces of soap, her skin glowed as white as a newborn’s. Content, Maxi stepped out of the tub and dried herself with a towel.
The next part was more difficult. She rummaged through her bag with a grave expression. Miraculously, there was one clean undergarment. All her tunics and trousers, however, were hopelessly soiled. There had been no time to wash clothes during the journey, and they were all damp and dirty. Maxi wrinkled her nose. Just as she was accepting that shewould have to climb back into smelly garments after having washed, there was a knock at the door.
Wrapping the towel tightly around herself, Maxi asked in an embarrassed tone, “Wh-Who is it?”
“I was told to bring you a change of clothes, my lady.” It was the woman who had brought her the bathwater.
After making sure no one else was in the corridor, Maxi hastily took the clothes and dressed. The coarse tunic hung down to her knees, but Maxi was pleased enough at having clean clothes to wear. After tightening the belt, Maxi handed her dirty garments back to the woman and requested to have them washed.
“Where would you like your meal? Shall I bring it to your room?”
