Tepno, a city belonging to the Re-Estize Kingdom, sits on the border between the Re-Estize and the Baharuth, and is one of the closest cities to Sheep Horn.
Due to its location on the border with a hostile nation, Tepno is constantly preparing for war and burdened with heavy taxes, resulting in a struggling economy. Consequently, the rewards for adventurer missions in Tepno are slightly lower compared to other towns.
EeDeChi's plan was to head north next towards Yellan, a territory of the Sorcerer Kingdom. They intended to stay here for a day, scouting for any adventurous tasks along the way. Leading the "The Last Defender of the Way" adventurer squad, four of them, accompanied by four brown horses, and the twins Kuuderika and Ureirika, paid a hefty entry tax before entering Tepno.
At the city gates, due to the twins, the local sheriff mistook them for traffickers and subjected them to a thorough inspection. After all, an adventurer team with two little girls is indeed a rare sight.
EeDeChi, seeing herself as standing on the side of justice, prepared a long explanation of how she rescued the two girls from a brothel in the capital of the Baharuth Empire, and then journeyed through mountains, rivers, and across borders to reach the Re-Estize Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Barrett knew exactly what these checkpoint guards were after. He simply pulled out two gold coins and slipped them into their hands, promptly gaining clearance.
As for the adorable twin sisters, Kuuderika and Ureirika, Barrett always advised sending them directly back to their parents, or else to a church or orphanage.
However, these little rascals refused to find their parents and insisted on finding their sister, Arche. It was a childish and absurd idea, but Captain EeDeChi insisted on obeying the wishes of these little troublemakers and heading to the Great Tomb of Nazarick to rescue their missing sister.
Barrett didn't understand what kind of spirit supported EeDeChi in such a feat. Barrett had wanted to follow EeDeChi's practice of summarizing after each meeting, but lacking literary sensibility, he couldn't find the right words to encapsulate this spirit.
Strangely, EeDeChi rarely took care of the twin sisters. Stella was always the one responsible for looking after them. On the contrary, Stella, with her nurturing nature, fell in love with the blonde twins' cuteness and almost treated them as her own younger sisters, taking meticulous care of them along the way, unable to bear seeing them suffer even a little.
After settling in a small inn temporarily, Stella took Kuuderika and Ureirika to the local church to pray. Sean, concerned that as a Baharuth person, she might face bullying in the Re-Estize Kingdom, volunteered to accompany her.
EeDeChi was about to point out that Sean, being Baharuth himself, would face discrimination and hostility just like Stella and didn't need to go to the church with her, but Barrett quickly stopped her.
...
EeDeChi and Barrett walked down the street, preparing to go to the Adventurer's Guild to see if there were any suitable tasks to do. As they crossed a filthy alley with sewage flowing through it, they turned their heads and saw a group of ragged people gathered on the dilapidated street ahead.
In the center of the crowd was a fat man who looked like a nobleman, whipping something that looked like a rag on the ground. With each swing of the whip, the sounds of scolding, whipping, and miserable screams echoed clearly.
As they approached, they realized that the rag being whipped by the nobleman was a skeletal beggar. In the cold winter weather, this poor, frail beggar had gathered many dirty clothes and sackcloth from some garbage dump, layering them on his body. From afar, he looked like a dirty ball of cloth lying on the ground.
With each crack of the bullwhip, the beggar curled up, emitting a series of desperate screams. His collection of dirty and greasy clothes offered him no protection at all. The nobleman's sturdy bullwhip tore through his ragged garments, leaving bloody trails on his dirty skin.
"Are you begging for trouble with me? How dare you tug at my pants! My luck today is ruined because of you! Watch me beat you to death!" The stout nobleman swung his whip while cursing.
Seeing this scene, EeDeChi furrowed her brows in anger. She rolled up her sleeves and took a step forward, about to enter the crowd.
Barrett quickly grabbed her arm. EeDeChi glared, "Are you trying to stop me?"
Barrett trembled under EeDeChi's fierce gaze but persisted, "Captain, doing good deeds is great, but go easy on him. Don't kill him, or we'll end up on the run again."
EeDeChi shook him off, "Don't worry, young man, I know what I'm doing."
Just as the adventurer captain pushed through the crowd, and the fat nobleman's whip was about to strike the beggar, a sweet yet angry voice echoed from the other side of the street, "Count Kurar, you're really harsh on those beneath you."
Bashir Kurar froze his whip mid-air, turned his fat neck, and saw a young girl in a pink corseted dress and a wide-brimmed white hat.
The broad hat brim cast a shadow over her face, obscuring her features.
Used to bullying others, Count Kurar was about to retort but caught sight of the blonde, blue-eyed guard clad in silver-white full-body armor standing beside the girl in the hat.
His pupils contracted. The word "bitch" almost slipped out but was swallowed back. He dropped the whip, let his luxurious robe's hem fall, half-knelt on the ground, and pressed his chest with his hand, bowing his head, "Princess Reneer... Your Highness, why... why are you here? I failed to greet you; it's my negligence!"
The girl in the hat, addressed as "Princess Reneer," gently lifted the hat's brim. Underneath, there flowed elegant golden locks and a delicately beautiful face.
She smiled faintly, a smile that bewitched hearts and souls.
"Count Kurar was busy revising bills; how could he find time to receive me? I understand; you need not blame yourself."
Her angelic voice, to Kurar, sounded like whispers of a demon in his ear.
Did she know everything? I'm just a small count, I only gave a little gift to the Second Prince to show a little goodwill, the princess wouldn't actually move against me, right? When she said that line earlier, "you're really harsh on those beneath you," was she implying something? Could it be that the family's embezzlement of relief funds and tax evasion have been uncovered? And those other things...
Count Kurar, kneeling on one knee, sweated profusely on his forehead. He thought of the fate of those minor nobles who openly sided with the Second Prince, he thought of Princess Reneer's political maneuvers, both overt and covert, and he remembered the rumored cunning and scheming hidden beneath the princess's beautiful appearance. He almost couldn't kneel anymore.
In this cold early winter season, large beads of cold sweat oozed from his back, soaking his luxurious silk cotton robe.
No, our family's centuries-old legacy in this city cannot be destroyed. Perhaps if I go back now and destroy the evidence, there might still be time. Count Kurar gritted his teeth, reluctantly raised his head, and said to Princess Reneer, "Respected Princess, I suddenly remembered urgent matters that require my immediate attention..."
Princess Reneer's smile was gentle and charming; she nodded slightly. "Hmm, if it's something more important than beating beggars, then go attend to it quickly."
Count Kurar bowed his head and straightened his body, his corpulent figure stumbling as he turned and hurried away, followed closely by his two kneeling attendants in a panic.
Princess Reneer watched Count Kurar, who ran faster than a mouse despite his pig-like physique, with a tender smile on her face.
She knew what Count Kurar intended to do, but it was already too late for him. All the evidence of violating the kingdom's laws had been collected, and the noble officials who had grievances with Count Kurar were all united.
Soon, in just a few days' time, Count Kurar would lose his fiefdom and title, and this city would be taken over by nobles loyal to her.
Thinking of this, Princess Reneer's smile became even more charming and approachable. She turned her gaze to the young blonde, blue-eyed guard who never left her side. This tall and gallant young guard, clad in silver-white armor, looked at her with admiration and respect as always.
Beneath his sapphire-like clear eyes, there lay a deep affection beyond mere admiration.
Princess Reneer chuckled inwardly. Ah, my dear Climb, you must think I've done another act of chivalry and righteousness by helping the weak. The most loyal boy in the world to me, yet so innocent. I am truly blessed.