A horse-drawn carriage was moving at a moderate pace along the dirt road. About a kilometer ahead, a tall and sturdy wall stretched out to the point where its end could not be seen.
Inside the carriage were dozens of passengers—men and women, young and old. Each of them wore clothing in various styles and colors, but all looked simple—made from plain fabric.
A grown woman, whose beauty had begun to fade from her face, appeared slightly tired. To her left, a sweet little girl, seemingly around twelve years old, was sleeping with her head resting on the woman's shoulder.
On her right sat a young boy who had just entered adolescence. His body was a little thin but strong, and he was watching the scenery through the open part of the carriage.
The carriage moved steadily toward the massive city wall that looked like a fortress. After several minutes, the middle-aged man driving the carriage finally stopped and shouted toward the passengers,
"We've arrived at the gates of Morlin City. Unload your belongings and line up to enter. Don't forget to prepare five iron coins per person."
The passengers began to exit with their belongings. The woman from earlier gently woke her sleeping daughter, then stepped down with her son.
As soon as they stepped outside, they were greeted by hot, stuffy air. Before them stood a gate ten meters high, with the city walls extending left and right—towering even higher than the gate itself. Countless people and carts were queued up in front of it.
The little girl's eyes widened at the crowded scene."Wooow, there are so many people…" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.
The teenage boy beside her was also amazed. All of them were from a village, and this was their first time visiting a city.
The woman was their mother, Catherine, a single parent. She had been very beautiful in her youth, but raising two children on her own had caused her beauty to fade more quickly than other women. Now, at the age of thirty-seven, she looked middle-aged, with dull skin and coarse hair.
Catherine held her children's hands and joined one of the lines. After waiting for more than half an hour, they finally managed to enter Morlin City.
Once they passed through the gate, the view before them changed drastically. The main road of Morlin stretched wide, paved with neatly arranged flat stones—completely different from the dirt roads of their village.
Rows of buildings stood to the left and right, most two stories tall, some even three. Their roofs were brick-red or deep blue, while the walls were made of smooth stone that reflected the sunlight. Wooden boards hung in front of many buildings, displaying symbols or writings—signs for shops, inns, clothing stores, restaurants, and more.
The bustle inside the city was far greater than what they had seen outside the gate. People moved about—some carrying sacks of grain on their backs, others pulling small carts filled with wooden barrels.
The sound of conversation filled the air, adding to the lively atmosphere of the city.
The little girl grew even more excited, feeling the city was far more magnificent than the village where they had lived before. Meanwhile, the boy gazed at the scene with many thoughts running through his mind.
She squeezed her mother's hand tighter, excited yet afraid of being separated in the crowd.
"Mom… there are so many people…" she whispered softly.
Catherine only gave a faint smile, though she too felt overwhelmed inside.
"Come on, let's find an inn first. We'll take care of other things later."
Catherine led them down the main street, then turned into a smaller road. They walked for dozens of minutes until the scenery began to change—no longer grand buildings, but houses and shops clearly more worn than those near the main street.
After a long search, Catherine finally stopped in front of a somewhat old two-story building. Inside, they found many wooden tables and chairs like a dining hall, but it was empty at the moment.
Behind the counter, a woman in her fifties sat watching them. She stood up and asked,"My name's Martha, the owner here. Would you like to stay?" Her tone was friendly, like an experienced shopkeeper.
Catherine nodded with a smile and asked,"How much is the rate here?"
The woman replied enthusiastically," Eight copper coins per day for a room. Meals are one copper coin per person per serving—just pay when you get your food. Hot water is five iron coins per bucket."
Catherine did a quick calculation in her head, then decided," In that case, we'll take a room for a week," she said, handing over three silver coins and five copper coins.
Martha took the money, asked for Catherine's name to record it, then gave her a wooden plaque and a key." If you need anything, you can ask me or my daughter if I'm not around."
Accepting the key, Catherine smiled and said,
"Alright then, I'll be counting on you."
The three of them went upstairs to the second floor where their room was located. Inside was a bed big enough for the three of them, though it would be a bit cramped.
Catherine sat with her two children and said,
"Evan, I'm going to try to find a job for now. You'll have to look after Reyna for me."
Reyna frowned, clearly unhappy at being treated like a little kid.
"I'm already twelve, not a child anymore! I can take care of myself, and I don't need big brother to watch me!"
Evan ignored his sister's protest, but disagreed with their mother.
"Mom, let me work instead. I'm old enough now—it's time for me to start earning."
Catherine was touched by her son's willingness to help but remained firm.
"I know you want to help the family, but we're still new to this city. Let me work first. Once we're used to living here, then you can work."
Seeing his mother's usual firmness, Evan could only shrug helplessly.
Afterwards, they fetched water from the well to bathe. The half-day journey from the village had left their bodies sticky.
That night, after dinner, they all squeezed into the bed and fell asleep—each with their own thoughts.