After the meeting concluded, Brunhild and Gunther departed to return to the capital. Meanwhile, Renya and Greta stayed behind to help set up camp.
As the tents were pitched under the darkening sky, Paul busied himself with gathering the mid-level and high-level magic cores, as well as the Goblin King's massive greatsword. With practiced ease, he stored them into his spatial bag.
Once the tents were finally up, Greta silently slipped into hers with a blanket, drawing the cloth shut without a word.
Watching her disappear, Renya tilted her head and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe she's just exhausted," she muttered with a puzzled look.
Paul simply nodded, then turned to Kruger. "Kruger, I'll leave things to you."
Kruger responded without hesitation. "Leave it to me, Prince," he said with a sharp knight salute.
Paul gave a tired nod before heading into his own tent. Removing his exo-armor piece by piece, he wrapped himself in his blanket. Just before closing his eyes, he muttered softly, "Good night, Renya."
Morning.
Once everything was packed and ready, the group set off toward the east.
About thirty minutes later, as they emerged from the forest trail, the towering city walls came into view through the trees. The rising sun painted the stone in soft gold, and the city gates stood tall and bustling in the distance.
Stopping for a moment to admire the view, Paul muttered under his breath, "Handelsfurt..." Then, without waiting, he resumed walking toward the city.
As they neared the gate, Paul noticed the long line of travelers waiting to enter. Frowning, he glanced toward the horizon and asked, "Isn't there a north gate too?" His voice carried a note of genuine confusion. "Why's everyone queuing at the west gate?"
Beside him, Renya was busy pinning her identification badge onto her shirt just above her chest. Without looking up, she replied calmly, "Maybe because this gate's more convenient...."
She adjusted the pin precisely, her fingers working without pause even as she walked beside Paul.
Hearing Renya's words, Paul only looked more confused. "Convenient?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Noticing his clueless expression, Renya let out a sigh, then lightly slapped her own forehead. "The west gate of Handelsfurt leads directly into the Brasswalk district," she explained, stepping ahead of him. "That's the merchants' quarter—of course the traffic's heavier here."
Without waiting for a response, she passed through the Special Gate for Nobles.
As soon as the city guards spotted the noble crest pinned to her chest, they stood at attention and respectfully stepped aside. Renya nodded once in acknowledgment as she led Paul through the gate without a hitch.
Once inside, Paul glanced around, taking in the bustling streets, the carts overflowing with goods, the lively stalls, and the traders shouting to advertise their wares. The scent of spices, leather, and baked goods filled the air.
"So... this is the merchants' area," Paul murmured with interest, nodding as he finally understood. His gaze lingered on the organized chaos of commerce all around. "No wonder the queue was so long."
As they walked through the bustling Brasswalk district, Renya led the group toward one of the more luxurious inns nestled along a cobblestone lane. Its polished wooden sign bore a golden emblem of stacked coins beneath the name: The Coinkeeper's Rest. Paul and the others followed quietly behind, taking in the inn's refined exterior and clean surroundings.
Upon stepping inside, a wave of calm, perfumed air greeted them—cool, lavender-scented, and far removed from the clamor outside. The interior gleamed with polished brass lanterns, deep red carpets, and oak-paneled walls. Renya made her way straight to the reception desk, where a well-dressed man in his forties stood reviewing a ledger.
The man looked up as she approached and immediately straightened. "Welcome to The Coinkeeper's Rest. I am Eldrin Marrovale, the manager. How may I assist you?" he said with a courteous bow.
Renya offered a small nod and said calmly, "I need a special room.", placing her hand gently on the polished counter before sliding it to the side in a graceful motion. As she did, a discreet, engraved black card slid out from under her sleeve and came to rest before the manager.
Eldrin's eyes caught the card—his expression barely shifting, but his posture stiffened ever so slightly with recognition. Without another word, he smoothly picked it up.
"Of course, Lady Renya," he said with a measured tone. "Allow me to personally escort you."
He stepped from behind the counter and led the group up the staircase, their boots making no sound on the carpeted steps. They ascended all the way to the top floor, where the air seemed quieter, more exclusive.
Stopping in front of an ornate wooden door with silver filigree, Eldrin produced a key from his vest pocket. He turned it in the lock with a practiced hand and opened the door.
"This is our special room," he said respectfully, gesturing for them to enter.
After Renya, Paul, Greta, and Kruger entered the room, Eldrin gave a final courteous gesture. "If you need anything, please call us by ringing the bell," he said, pointing toward a small silver bell placed neatly on the edge of a side table. A thin rope extended from the bell and disappeared into a fixture on the wall—clearly connected to summon staff from below.
"OK," Renya replied casually.
With that, Eldrin gave one last respectful bow. "Then, I'll take my leave," he said, gently closing the door behind him as he exited.
The moment the door clicked shut, Paul turned to Greta. "Greta, you go with Kruger to the Adventurer's Guild. File a full report on the dungeon." He began pulling items from his spatial bag—one after another: a large shield, several goblin-forged weapons, dented armor pieces, and finally a heavy sack.
"Also, sell off everything we recovered."
Greta groaned, exasperated. "Oh come on, we just got here…" she muttered, eyeing the pile. Then she paused, furrowing her brow. "Wait—what about the magic cores?"
Paul, already organizing the gear, glanced up. "I've kept the mid to high-level ones. Just sell the rest. We don't need them."
After that, Paul added with a faint smile, "And if possible, exchange this for the highest-grade magic core you can get."
Greta let out a long sigh but nodded. "OK." She carefully gathered the pile of items, packed them into her own bag, slung it over her shoulder, and walked out with Kruger following silently behind.
Once the door clicked shut behind them, Paul let his body fall back onto the bed with a soft thud. Staring up at the ceiling, he muttered aloud, "They… are Father's subordinates, or Mother's?" His brows furrowed in mild confusion.
Renya, lounging lazily on the nearby sofa with one leg tucked under her, answered in a drawn-out tone, "Queen's… but now they're coordinated by the King…"
Hearing that, Paul looked confused and asked while still lying on the bed, "Why?"
Renya, resting her chin in her palm, answered in a dry tone, "Of course—because the Queen said, 'Too troublesome. My dear will arrange it.' That was her exact last word."
Paul immediately slapped his forehead and sighed. "Of course… Mom really hates hassle."
A short silence hung in the room. Then, as if something suddenly struck him, Paul shot up from the bed and exclaimed, "Oh yeah!! I forgot!!"
He turned toward the door in a hurry.
Seeing this, Renya blinked and asked in a puzzled voice, "Where are you going, Prince?"
Paul looked back at her mid-stride. "To make the iron parts I'm still missing for my invention, of course," he said with a serious tone. Then added, "Come on… while we're still in the city," as he opened the door and stepped out.
Renya let out a small sigh and shook her head, muttering with a faint smile, "Okay, Prince…" before following him out of the room.