The Small Border Town

"Hmm?" As soon as she thought about it, it seemed to come true. After crossing a hill, a large amount of smoke rising from chimneys appeared on the distant horizon.

"Finally, there's some sign of civilization."

Along the way, Selene was nearly driven mad by the lack of encounters with any Imperial residents, although she did run into a fair number of southwestern tribesmen. But they were nothing more than uncivilized savages, completely incapable of communication.

With no other options, Selene had to eliminate them. Otherwise, from the looks of it, those tribesmen intended to capture and cook her for a meal.

Thanks to her superhuman vision, Selene quickly located a small town approximately three kilometers away.

The town's buildings were old, but the sharp-edged stone walls and numerous watchtowers indicated that it was a small military town on the southwestern border of the Empire. However, due to apparent years of neglect, the structures were riddled with countless cracks and gaps.

The smoke was rising from a multitude of makeshift shelters haphazardly set up outside the town's walls. The shelters, in all sorts of colors and shapes, created a chaotic scene.

Perhaps due to the town's location on the border, it was crowded with refugees, and there were watchtowers at the four corners of the refugee area outside the walls.

At the moment, a few militiamen dressed in half-armor, some holding bows, others spears, were dutifully patrolling the area.

Suddenly, one of the militiamen with a bow noticed something and immediately drew his arrow, shouting, "Someone's ahead!"

Hearing this, the surrounding militiamen instantly became alert, all readying themselves as they focused on the approaching figures of Selene and Sebas.

It wasn't until Selene and Sebas, both distinct in their white and black attire, came close that the guards realized who they were dealing with. They quickly put away their weapons and stood up straight.

After all, Selene and Sebas, with their clothing and demeanor, were clearly not ordinary people—certainly not ones these guards would dare to offend.

And the idea that they might be spies from the southwestern tribes was simply out of the question. Those wild, uncivilized people couldn't possibly possess such a refined aura.

Although they didn't know who the newcomers were, nor had they received any notice of visitors, it didn't stop the guards from being overly polite. "What brings you two esteemed guests here?"

Perhaps out of fear of the typical behavior of Imperial nobles, these militiamen displayed an extra degree of humility toward Selene and Sebas.

"Nothing of concern, continue with your duties," Selene said dismissively, not bothering to engage further with the stunned guards, and proceeded to walk into the border town.

"Yes, of course, apologies for disturbing you! Please, my lady, continue." Seeing that Selene didn't wish to converse, the guards tactfully stepped aside, showing no signs of displeasure.

"Hmm."

"Whoo..." As they watched Selene and Sebas walk away, the guards couldn't help but exhale deeply. The aura Selene had emanated earlier had chilled them to the bone; they regretted even approaching her.

"Wow, that noble lady is really beautiful."

"Yeah, she must be from the capital."

"But what could she possibly be doing in a backwater like this..."

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Finally, the squad leader snapped out of it. Hearing his team's chatter, his face turned pale, and he immediately began slapping them. "Are you all out of your minds? You think you can gossip about a noble?! Get back to your patrols!"

...

After entering the refugee camp, the scene that unfolded before Selene's eyes could be summed up in one word—chaos!

In the cramped space of the camp, people were packed together like sardines. They wore tattered clothes and appeared emaciated, clearly living in conditions where food was scarce and their survival uncertain.

Taking it all in, Selene felt nothing—no sympathy, no disdain, just pure indifference, as if she and these people belonged to entirely different species.

Unlike Selene, Sebas, though silent, felt deeply uncomfortable.

Walking down the middle of the road, with refugees huddled in their makeshift shelters and staring at him with fear in their eyes, Sebas felt a strong urge to help.

But reason won over emotion—his actions had to align with his mistress's will.

Ignoring the refugees, they continued walking. As they passed through the city gate, the guards standing at attention gave them respectful nods, and Selene and Sebas finally entered the town, finding a stark contrast between the inside and the chaos outside.

Although it couldn't compare to Academy City, the town inside the walls was at least "clean and orderly" by local standards. It seemed the town's governor was somewhat competent.

Given that this was a region under Imperial control, Selene remarked, "Let's gather some intelligence."

In a medieval-like world such as this, what's the best place to gather intelligence? A bustling tavern frequented by all sorts of people? Or maybe an inn that caters to traveling merchants?

No, not quite. While those places do have a mix of people who might know more than the average citizen, the information they provide is often just rumors or outdated news. For accurate and timely information, the best place is—

The Imperial Government Office!

Selene quickly spotted the town's government office in the center. It was the tallest and most impressive building around, making it impossible to miss.

As they walked, Selene also noticed several interesting events taking place in the shadowy, narrow alleys.

These alleys were common in any town—formed by the gaps between buildings, they created dark, dirty corners hidden from the sunlight, where crimes festered.

Muggings, brawls, drug use, murder—countless stories unfolded in these corners every moment.

Selene found the comparison amusing: whether in modern Academy City or a medieval empire, crime seemed to be an inevitable part of life.

"We've arrived, miss."

Sebas's voice pulled Selene back from her thoughts. Looking at the open gates of the government office, she noted the quietness inside—a stark contrast to the noisy taverns in movies.

"Let's go." As the guards saluted, Selene stepped into the government office, instantly drawing the attention of everyone inside.

Bathed in the light from both the ceiling lamps and the sun outside, Selene stood at the intersection of the two, her silver armor gleaming like that of a Valkyrie, making her appear strikingly radiant.

"My lady, please have a seat. What brings you to our humble town?" It took a moment for the head steward in the office to recover from his daze. He quickly pulled out a chair, wiping it clean, and loudly called for other attendants to serve Selene, his demeanor excessively fawning.

However, this attitude was reserved only for those of higher status. If a refugee were to show up, the steward would quickly remind them of the authority of the Empire's officials.

As the head steward of the government office, he prided himself on his ability to treat people based on their status. He had dealt with people of various ranks before, but no one had ever pressured him as Selene did—not even the Imperial generals who had occasionally stopped by for supplies.

At this moment, he had only one thought: This person is someone important! I must ensure she is satisfied with the hospitality!

As she took her seat, Selene casually tossed a gold bar to the steward, saying, "Summon the town's governor, and bring me the latest documents from the Empire that have been delivered to your office."

Wherever there are human activities, money is generally useful, and this world is no exception.

Catching the gold bar with both hands, the steward's smile grew even more obsequious as he redoubled his efforts to serve Selene and Sebas. "Yes, right away, my lady. Please wait just a moment."

After instructing the attendants to take good care of them, the steward hurriedly ran out, presumably to fetch the town's governor.

Waving her hand, Selene motioned for Sebas to sit down and accepted the official documents from an attendant. "Let's make this our base for now," she said.