CHAPTER 50: ROSE CITY

We arrived at the gates of Wall of Rose City. There were two lanes leading in, one for merchants,which stretched endlessly with carts and shouting traders, and one for travelers and adventurers, much shorter in comparison.

The guards stationed at the gate wore full suits of silver mail. I couldn’t help but wonder, don’t they feel hot in that armor?

They stopped our cart for inspection. The cart owner, who had brought some wheat from Lily Town as gift from the mayor, gestured casually at the goods. The guards examined the cargo briefly, then turned their attention to us. We tried to keep our expressions calm and composed... well, I did.

But Bob?

Bob didn’t know the meaning of "normal face."

Suddenly, one of the guards pointed at him with a gruff voice.

"You! What are you doing in this city?"

We froze.

"Err... we... um..." I stammered, caught off guard.

"They’re my nephews," the cart owner jumped in smoothly, his voice flat but confident. "We’re here to visit their grandfather."

Both Bob and I nodded vigorously.

The guard narrowed his eyes beneath the visor of his helm. We gave him our best innocent smiles.

After a tense moment, the guard gave a quiet grunt and waved us through.

We exhaled in relief.

"Why did you make that stupid face?" I hissed at Bob once we were out of earshot.

"What? That’s my natural face! Is that a crime now?" he shot back.

"Your ’natural face’ looks like a suspicious pervert. I guess all those years of obsessing over waifus left some permanent damage."

"Hey! Don’t disrespect waifus," Bob said indignantly. "They’re the source of my inspiration and strength. Innocent normies like you will never understand."

"Inspiration for what?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He didn’t answer.

Before I could press further, the cart passed through the city gates. Sunlight suddenly poured over us. I raised my hand to shield my eyes and squinted.

As my vision adjusted, I slowly lowered my hand.

What I saw took my breath away.

It looked like a scene straight out of a fantasy movie.

A wide red cobblestone road cut through the heart of the city. Carts, horses, and carriages traveled along it, and we were right in the middle of it all. Lush trees lined both sides of the street, clearly well taken care of. Some even had fruits hanging from their branches.

Bob tried to grab one, but the cart owner snapped at him, warning that if the guards saw him, he might lose his hand. That shut him up real quick.

Beside the road ran a pedestrian walkway, tiled in clean white stone. People strolled leisurely or sat on beautifully crafted benches. Their clothing was elegant and colorful, nothing like the plain garb back in Lily Town. It felt like we stepped into a Victorian-era timeline. Everywhere we looked, guards in polished silver mail were patrolling or stationed in place, eyes alert. This city was clearly well-guarded.

Stalls lined the walkway, overflowing with goods such asfresh fruits, vegetables, steaming cooked food, and even luxury clothing. The city buzzed with activity, lively and vibrant.

In the distance, we saw a hill. Built along its slopes and at the peak were majestic houses, probably noble estates, given how stunning they looked from here.

Bob and I stared, awestruck, like a couple of country boys seeing a big city for the first time. Meanwhile, Linus just glanced around with no expression at all, like it was nothing new to him.

Eventually, the cart pulled into what looked like a station for carriages. Dozens of carts were lined up in neat queues. We hopped down and thanked the owner for the safe ride.

"I’ll be off now. Got a friend I need to meet," Linus said. Then, without another word, he slipped into the crowd and vanished, just like that. He had told us beforehand that he meeting someone here, so we were not surprised.

And just like that, we were left standing there, two guys from another world, in the middle of a bustling fantasy city.

"Do you really believe what he told us?" Bob asked, referring to what Linus had shared during the journey.

"He didn’t seem like he was lying," I replied. "I think I’ll trust him...for now."

"You’re too trusting."

"It is not like that," I said, shaking my head. "But Linus... I don’t know how to explain it. What he said felt real. But I also feel like he didn’t tell us everything. There’s something he’s still hiding."

We continued walking, lost in thought.

Then, suddenly, a familiar smell wafted through the air and hit our noses.

"This smell..." Bob’s eyes widened.

"So familiar," I murmured.

We followed the scent through the crowd, eventually stopping in front of a small street stall. The moment we saw what was on the pan, our jaws dropped.

"Burger!" we both shouted, practically drooling.

"Hello and good morning, sirs. Would you like to buy some meat bread?" the apron-wearing vendor greeted us cheerfully.

Ah, so that’s what they call it here, meat bread. Not wrong, honestly.

Chunks of meat sizzled on a hot pan, the aroma mouthwatering and nostalgic.

"Give me two," I said quickly.

"No, three," Bob cut in.

Right. I forgot this guy eats enough for two people.

"Alright! Three meat breads coming up! That’ll be 30 silver," the vendor said with a smile.

Bob dug into his pocket and pulled out a gold coin, one of the loots from the bandits, and handed it over. The vendor nodded and gave us 70 silver in return.

So 100 silver equals 1 gold. Got it.

We found an empty bench facing the road and sat down to eat. The meat bread was amazing, juicy, fresh, and way better than the processed stuff we had back in our world. We also grabbed some fruit juice from a nearby stall. It was berry-flavored and unbelievably refreshing.

As we were happily munching, the atmosphere around us suddenly shifted.

Guards began shouting and forming a tight line along the cobblestone road.

"Don’t cross the road! Move aside!"

People were being gently pushed toward the walking paths, and within moments, hundreds, maybe even thousands, had gathered on either side of the street.

"What’s going on, dude?" Bob asked, his second burger halfway gone.

I shrugged. "No idea."

Then, the crowd started screaming.

"Ahhh! Princess, look at me!"

"Prince Reymond! Marry me, please!"

"Princess! You look so beautiful!"

"Princess Reikaaaa!"

It felt like we were suddenly at a celebrity concert. I stood up, trying to get a better view, but the crowd was too dense. With no other option, I stepped up onto the bench.

That’s when I saw it.

A majestic black carriage rolled down the red cobblestone road, etched with intricate golden patterns that formed a beautiful design across its body. The top was crowned with a golden ornament shaped like a royal crown. Four pristine horses pulled the carriage in perfect rhythm.

It was like something straight out of a fairytale.

Inside the carriage, I saw the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on.

She had fair white skin, long golden hair that flowed over her shoulders, and striking yellow eyes that gleamed like polished amber. She waved to the crowd from the carriage window, her smile radiant and graceful.

Then, for the briefest moment, her eyes met mine.

It lasted only a second, but for me, it felt like an eternity. She smiled at me. And then, just like that, she turned to wave at the other side of the crowd.

Sitting beside her was a man with the same golden hair. He sat with his arms crossed and eyes closed, giving off a commanding aura.

That had to be Prince Reymond.

Behind the carriage marched over a dozen men clad in shining silver armor far more polished and ornate than the city guards. Each of them bore a black feather in their helm, walking in synchronized steps that radiated discipline and power.

After five minutes, the convoy disappeared through the city gate, and the noise faded. The crowd slowly dispersed and returned to their business.

But I... I was still stuck in a daydream.

That look... those eyes... was that love at first sight?

As I drooled over the thought, Bob suddenly shook me by the shoulder.

"Hey Alan. Look over there." He pointed across the street.

Snapping out of my fantasy, I looked where he gestured, and my eyes widened.

Across the cobblestone road stood two very familiar girls: one with golden hair, the other with purple.

Bob pressed a finger to his lips and motioned for me to follow. I nodded, playing along.

"Ahhh, I really want to be a princess too," Evelyn sighed, stretching lazily.

"Then go for Prince Reymond. Seems like your type," Maya teased with a smirk.

"Ewww. Prince Reymond’s way too rough. He’s a total battle freak," Evelyn grimaced, then broke into a dreamy smile. "I prefer Prince Reid."

One second later...

"Waaaaa!"

"Kyaaa!"

The girls screamed in surprise as Bob and I popped up behind them. Maya instinctively threw a punch, stopping just inches from my face.

"A-Alan?" she stuttered.

I had both hands up, shielding my face like a scared little puppy.

"You guys!" Evelyn shouted with pure joy. She launched herself at us, hugging both Bob and me so tightly that we almost blacked out.

"You’re safe!"

"Yeah, yeah... but we’re gonna die if you don’t let go," Bob gasped, his face turning blue.

"Oopss! Sorry, hehe~" Evelyn giggled, finally releasing us.

"You guys made it!" Evelyn exclaimed, beaming. "We were really worried after we heard what happened in Lily Town. Maya even wanted to go there to save you two!"

"I never said that!" Maya snapped, her face turning red.

Evelyn giggled mischievously.

Maya crossed her arms, trying to act composed. "But seriously... what actually happened in Lily Town? We’ve heard so many versions, we don’t even know what’s true anymore."

"Actually, it was really scary. We were up against—" Bob started.

"Wait, Bob," Evelyn interrupted. "Let’s go somewhere better to talk. Maya, can you lead us to that café that sells strawberry cake? I think you owe someone a treat." She teased with a sly grin.

Maya started blushing. "F-Fine. Follow me," she muttered, walking ahead.

Bob and I looked at each other and smiled.

And just like that, we joined our familiar companions and made our way toward the café, in a new city.