Chapter 4

The rattling of the cart and the rhythmic sound of the horses' hooves marked the pace of our journey. Seri and I sat in the back of one of the caravan's carts, surrounded by goods and other travelers. The trip from our village to Melen would take about half a day, and with each kilometer, we moved further away from everything we knew.

"Do you think we did the right thing by leaving like this?" Seri asked softly after a long silence.

I looked at my friend, noticing the worry in her eyes. "Are you having doubts?"

Seri shook her head. "No, it's not that. It's just... everything is happening so fast. Yesterday we were in the village, and today..."

"Today we're on our way to becoming adventurers," I finished her sentence. "I know it's a big change, Seri, but we've been preparing for this for years. We're ready."

She nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "You're right. It's just that sometimes I wonder what the others would say if they saw us now."

"Probably Torn would say something like, 'What a pair of crazies! Leaving without me!'" I said, mimicking our friend's deep voice.

Seri burst into laughter. "And Mira would just look at us with her big eyes, as if she was trying to memorize every detail of us before we left."

We laughed together, the sound of our laughter drawing curious looks from the other passengers. For a moment, nostalgia and excitement mixed in our hearts.

As we traveled on, the landscape began to change. The familiar forests gave way to open plains, and eventually, we started to see the glimmer of water on the horizon.

"Look, Cris!" Seri exclaimed, pointing ahead. "Is that... a lake?"

I nodded, recalling what I knew about the geography of this world. "Yes, that's Lake Lolog. And the city you see on the shore is Melen."

"It's huge," she whispered, her eyes trying to take in the entire expanse of the lake. "I never thought I'd see something like this."

As we approached the port city, the scent of freshwater and fish filled the air. We could see boats of all sizes docked at the harbor, their masts forming a forest of wood and canvas against the blue sky.

"How do you think Orario will be?" Seri asked, her eyes still fixed on the horizon.

I thought carefully before answering, trying not to reveal too much of my prior knowledge. "It will be an impressive city, much bigger than Melen. Filled with people of all races, merchants, adventurers... And in the center, we'll see the Tower of Babel rising into the sky."

"It sounds incredible," Seri said with a tone of wonder. "How do you know so much about Orario?"

I shrugged, trying to seem casual. "I've heard many stories from the merchants passing through our village. Some of them were very detailed in their descriptions."

When we finally entered Melen, Seri and I couldn't stop looking around in amazement. The city was a hive of activity, with merchants of all races shouting their wares, sailors loading and unloading ships, and adventurers passing through on their way to or from Orario.

"It's... it's incredible," Seri murmured, her eyes trying to capture every detail.

I was also impressed, but I knew we had to keep our heads cool. "Remember, Seri, we can't stay here. Our goal is Orario."

As soon as the cart stopped, we got off with our backpacks. We thanked the driver and said goodbye to the other travelers before venturing into the bustling streets of Melen.

"Watch out!" I shouted, pulling Seri just in time to avoid a cart loaded with fish that almost ran her over.

"Thanks," she said, a bit shaken. "I guess we'll have to get used to this, huh?"

"Yeah, and quickly," I responded. "Come on, let's find the caravan to Orario."

It wasn't hard to find. It seemed like there was always one leaving or arriving. We approached a burly man who seemed to be in charge.

"Excuse me, sir," I said, raising my voice to be heard over the noise. "Is this the caravan going to Orario?"

The man looked us up and down, a amused smile on his face. "Yes, little ones. Are you thinking of going to the big city?"

"That's right," I replied firmly. "We want to become adventurers."

The man burst into laughter, but there was no malice in his laugh. "Wow! You've got guts, I'll give you that. Well, if you've got the money, you can get on. We leave in ten minutes."

As we climbed into the cart, which was larger and more comfortable than the previous one, Seri whispered to me, "Why does everyone look at us like that when we say we want to be adventurers?"

"I guess they're not used to seeing Pallums so young with that ambition," I responded. I didn't want to tell her that it just seemed ridiculous and funny that two kids were going to Orario to become adventurers.

The trip to Orario was surprisingly short, lasting only between 15 to 30 minutes.

"What if no Familia accepts us?" Seri asked at one point.

"Then we'll keep trying until one does," I responded with determination. "We've come too far to give up now."

As we got closer, we could see the imposing Tower of Babel rising on the horizon, touching the clouds.

"It's huge," Seri whispered, her eyes wide.

I was also impressed. I'd seen the Tower of Babel in the anime, but seeing it in person was something completely different.

When we finally entered Orario, I felt a strange mix of familiarity and awe. It was exactly as I remembered from my prior knowledge, but seeing it in person was a completely different experience. The city was an orderly chaos of activity, with adventurers of all races walking the streets, weapon and armor shops on every corner, and the constant murmur of thousands of conversations.

We got off the cart, our heavy backpacks on our shoulders, and looked at each other.

"We made it," I said, a smile spreading across my face. "We're in Orario."

Seri nodded, her expression a mix of excitement and determination. "It's even more impressive than you described. What now, Cris?"

I looked around, aware of our situation. "Now," I said, "we need to find a place to stay. We can't start looking for a Familia without having a roof over our heads before nightfall." I doubted we'd find a Familia in a matter of hours, so it would be dangerous to stay out in the open without a place to sleep.

"You're right," Seri responded, adjusting the weight of her backpack. "But where? Everything seems so expensive here."

I remembered what I knew about Orario and its districts, though it had been a long time since I watched the anime and read the novel, so my memories were quite blurry. But thanks to noting all that information in a blank notebook and rereading it from time to time, it was easier to remember. "We should look in the more economical neighborhoods."

We started walking, carefully observing our surroundings. Orario was teeming with citizens of many races walking its streets: elves, dwarves, cat people, and other races. However, the atmosphere in some areas was a bit gloomy, giving me a bad feeling.

"It's incredible," Seri commented as we walked. "There's so much diversity here. It's so different from our village."

I nodded, aware of our situation. "It is. But we must be careful, Seri. Remember that we're Pallums who haven't even come of age."

"Is that bad?" Seri asked, a bit worried.

"It could be," I responded in a low voice. "Some might see us as easy prey to scam or deceive. We have to be cautious and not draw too much attention, so try to act like you're not new here and stay calm by my side." I gave her a small warning, and she didn't ask questions and did exactly as I said.

I guided Seri through the main streets, deliberately avoiding alleys and areas that seemed more dubious.

"Where will we look for lodging?" Seri asked after a while.

"We'll go to Daidalos Street," I replied. "They aren't luxurious, but they'll be perfect for us for now." I looked in the direction of the coliseum and used it as a guide because I remembered that Daidalos Street was near that place.

As we walked toward the district I had in mind, I noticed some curious and, in some cases, pitying glances directed at us. I guessed they saw us as lost children, orphans, or worse, as easy prey for people with bad intentions.

Finally, after searching for hours due to the complexity of Daidalos Street, we found a modest but clean inn in a quiet part. The owner, an elderly woman with a kind look, eyed us with a mix of surprise and concern.

"Are you alone, children?" she asked as we checked in.

"No, ma'am," I replied. "We're just waiting for our parents who will come to pick us up in two days or a week. They're adventurers who like to travel, so I'd like to pay for a week in advance for when they come."

The woman nodded, a sympathetic smile on her face. "I understand. A room with one bed for a week will cost 350 valis. If you want meals included for both of you, it will be 840 valis. A room with two beds costs 100 valis more."

I did some mental calculations of how much everything would cost and said, "I only have 700 valis, so I'd appreciate it if you could not provide the last day of meals until our parents arrive." I handed her the valis.

"Well, you'll be safe here. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Your room is on the second floor, the first door to the right after the stairs."

Once in our room, Seri lay down on the only bed. "That was... interesting, but why did you lie?" she asked me.

"We need to maintain a proper distance from strangers, and it's better not to let anyone know we're completely alone here," I replied, sitting down beside her and counting the remaining money, which was 2500 valis out of the 3550 from our combined savings from Seri and our parents.

"Tomorrow we'll start exploring the city in more detail, starting with the guild to find out if there are any Familias recruiting at the moment. But remember, Seri, we have to be careful. Not everyone in Orario is friendly, and many might try to take advantage of us if we're not careful." I didn't want us to end up with a fate similar to Lily's before she was recruited by the Hestia Familia.

Seri nodded, her expression serious. "I understand. We'll look out for each other, right?"

"Of course," I smiled. "We're in this together. Now let's rest; tomorrow will be a very busy and tedious day."

I needed to analyze the situation in Orario carefully and find out what time period we were in. I just hoped we weren't in a dangerous part of the timeline like the dark age of Orario, or we'd have a really hard time.