Following that worn path for about four hours, Raven and his NPC army had finally found more than rocks and dry grass, a small village on the edge of a forest.
Seeing that as a golden opportunity to obtain valuable information, Raven hurried to the village accompanied by fifty riders and Nike, leaving Freya waiting with the rest of the army for any kind of danger.
It was surprising for Raven to discover that this place was immersed in a level of development comparable to an early middle age. Definitely this was not his world, and it showed signs of not even being the world of CO, because Alexander world, despite the subject of swords and magic, visually, the cities were closer to the Renaissance than to the Middle Ages.
Conveniently, or disturbingly as annoying want to see it, there seemed to be no problem of communication with the inhabitants of the place, the words and their meanings seemed to be the same. Although this was a big question, Raven temporarily pushed it aside. The main thing was to find out as much as possible about where she was, other "why" and "how" could wait.
Finding no inconvenience in the village beyond the visible discomfort caused to the villagers by the presence of an army, Raven and his NPCs, they set out to set up a camp under the pretext of resting, the obtaining of information being their real objective.
There was a lot to think about, Raven had to choose well the subjects and questions to deal with the villagers in order not to expose himself. The least he wanted was for "this world" to know more about him than he did about this world.
"How long will it take them to set up camp?"
After finishing giving directions on how the camp should be set up, Raven directed that question to Nike.
"One hour, Raven-sama."
"If you wish I can make it happen in half that time, Raven-sama!"
The one who impetuously added that statement to Nike's words was a young man with reddish hair, emerald eyes and a martial gaze. Royner Londinium, one of those eight NPCs whose existence was a mystery to Raven, a 'Captain'.
"No, in fact, I would prefer that you take much longer to do so."
Both the two beautiful generals and the eight captains were extremely confused by Raven's response.
"Why would it be something like that, Nii-sama?"
Unlike the rest, who did not want to see themselves as undisciplined in questioning orders, in their position as Raven's supposed 'younger sister', Freya was the only one who did not hesitate to show her doubts.
"Such efficiency can turn against us."
"I-I see, nii-sama."
(In a surprise attack, information such as the time it takes to set up a camp might be more useful than a large number of reinforcement troops) –this was what was behind Raven's reasoning.
"But nii-sama, how can it be used against us?"
Raven was taken by surprise, it was the first time he had had to offer an explanation of his plans.
"If an enemy army were to mobilize to attack us when we were camping, knowing how long it would take us to set up the camp would be very useful information for them. And knowing how long it would take us to set up camp could be used to calculate how long it would take us to pick up it."
A big 'Oh!' was shown on the faces of several of the captains and Freya. To their minds quickly came the words; 'surprise attack' and 'misinformation'.
As for Raven, having to detail the reasons behind his plans was something new to him. After all, just a few hours ago, he simply had to give the orders and keep the explanations to himself. The NPCs would never question an order even if they were used as cannon fodder, but now they were thinking beings, something that Raven certainly had to take into account from now on.
After five hours of hard work, or at least that would have seemed to anyone who had seen the effort without knowing that it was something extremely feigned, finally the camp had been set up.
The camp had been set up in a perfect defensive circle, with the supply carts and the officers' tents in the center. All according to Raven's instructions.
"Now that we've finished setting up the camp, it's time to get back to our main objective, to get information.
After those cold words that showed no emotion, Raven was somewhat impressed with the NPCs, they had followed his orders to perfection.
Unlike in CO, where Raven had to manage everything, here, the NPCs were fully capable of performing any kind of task, which ended up dispelling the last doubts Raven might have about all of them being no longer simple NPCs.
"Raven-sama, do you wish me bring the village elder?"
Among the little over a thousand NPCs, there were ten that stood out notoriously above the others. Two of them were of course Freya and Nike, who possessed a remarkable efficiency in all aspects.
Each of them was quite capable of managing even the slightest aspect of the army, no doubt this must be something inherent in them because of their status as General.
As for the other eight individuals, these were the captains of the army, whose existence only increased the questions and doubts in Raven's mind, because in CO, such a military figure, did not exist.
"No, I will go to the village accompanied by a small escort and Freya."
After having put aside any concern about his situation, within a dream that had eluded the security of the VRID or other possibilities that were has better not posed, the only thing undoubtedly was that Raven was now surrounded by characters that until a few hours ago were simple graphic sprites. And on this last point, Raven found it somewhat uncomfortable to be treated with the utmost respect by these characters, although calling it adoration and idolatry was perhaps the most appropriate.
"Wait a moment Nii-sama, why should you humiliate to go to them?"
Freya totally disagreed with Raven's idea, she had no qualms about showing the derogatory way in which she looked at the villagers, for her, these were inferior beings unworthy even to be in the presence of her perfect elder brother.
"If they come here, they will get information about us which they could then hand over to others. It may sound paranoid; however, the slightest amount of information might tip the scales in our favor, or against us, and if we not even knowing where are, we are undoubtedly the most disadvantaged."
Before Raven's profound explanation, Freya's eyes, like Nike's, were filled with admiration.
"Nii-sama is impressive!"
"I totally agree, Freya-sama! I could expect nothing less from the man to whom I gave my sword."
Those sincere words and glances full of admiration caused a little discomfort in Raven, who was more accustomed to receiving a false recognition that masked jealousy and envy.
"Well, then Nike, stay alert in the camp and keep the soldiers ready for any sudden change of plans. If there are no problems, we will depart tomorrow before dawn, our destiny, hopefully the information we get today will help us trace it.
"Understood, Raven-sama!"
Accompanied by Freya, an escort of eight soldiers and two initiates in magic, Raven went to the small village to meet the elder village.
After being taken to a large wooden building, which probably served as some sort of temple for the village, Raven and his group were arranged in what seemed to be the best chairs in the place.
Though with some discomfort, the elder, two more men and a red-haired boy not older than fifteen, took seat in front of Raven and Freya.
Both the soldiers, as well as the initiates who served as escorts, refused to take a seat and in their place, they limited themselves to mount guard on the doors and windows of the place.
"A-as I mentioned before, I don't think we can be much help for you."
Raven could imagine that prior to this meeting, the villagers had had their own meeting with him and his army as a central theme. However, he could only guess at what was said at that meeting. The reality was that Raven was overestimating the intelligence of the villagers. They had not held a meeting, they simply left everything in the hands of the elder.
It was impossible to blame Raven for such a mistake, despite his vast knowledge of history thanks to his fondness for reading, he was unconsciously unable to accept that what he read was absolutely true. The villagers were that and only that, simple men and women whose main concern was to survive the day to day, any problem too complex, they preferred to leave it in the hands of another, that is how primitive feudalism was born.
"All right, as you can see, we are foreigners. So even the basic information will be of great use to us."
The old man, like his companions, smiled uncomfortably at Raven's words. Far from the intimidation caused by the escorts, the villagers seemed mostly concerned about the unusual appearance of Raven and Freya.
Those two central beings in front of them possessed a sophistication far greater than any nobleman they had ever seen in their lives. Their beauty was so dazzling that the elder and his companions came to wonder mentally if they had not already died, and those in front of them were none other than the messengers of the gods.
The only thing that prevented the elder and others from convincing themselves that the idea in their minds was a reality was Raven's gaze and the sensation it provoked upon them.
A cold look that seemed to see through their souls. A firm voice devoid of the faintest trace of empathy, and the irrational sensation that it projected, an undeniable desire to kneel and ask for mercy, or to run without looking back. In no way could a messenger of the gods cause these sensations.
As for Freya, the elder and the others did not have enough mental space to also worry about her, Raven's very existence was too overwhelming.
"First of all, could you inform us in as much detail as possible, where we are?"
"O-of course, this is the village of Rita in the lands of the Lord of Kard, in the Kingdom of Urd."
Although it was difficult for him to understand the intentions of the strange individual in front of him, the old man, determined to offer him everything in his hands, replied in as much detail as the nervousness allowed.
"I understand. Could you tell me the names of the cities nearest to this village, as well as the address at which they are located?"
Kard, Urd and of course Rita were all names that Raven did not remember hearing in Alexander, the world where CO developed.
"To the south, about two days' walk is the walled city of Kard, to the east, about four days' journey is the border with the Kingdom of Lorenz. To the west, about six days' walk along for the royal road, or three days' walk through the Dark Forest, you will find the walled city of Tolm".
The unknown names kept piling up one after the other. The idea that this might in some way be Alexander's world was slowly moving away from Raven's mind.
"What about the north?"
"To the north, across the Dark Forest is the sea, there is nothing there except for the cape where flows the Withe River.
Although the old man's nervousness did not diminish in the least, every mention of the forest in the north seemed to shake his shoulders slightly, and this did not go unnoticed by Raven.
"What about this Dark Forest you mention?"
For a couple of seconds, the old man lost his breath to such a question. This only aroused Raven's curiosity even more.
"It is an extremely dangerous place, a nest of orcs, goblins and other dangerous beasts."
"Th-there are also elves."
Overcoming his nervousness and fear with an impulse of youthful enthusiasm and recklessness, the red-haired boy timidly added those words to the old man's response.
"Elves you say?!"
Just like that young man, Freya, who had been silent until now, stood with his eyes full of expectation at that statement.