( Clop! Clop! )
Sitting in the carriage waiting in line as his escorts are getting ready to talk with the guards at the gate, Chan was feeling tired from the long journey and took a nap.
Half asleep, Chan could feel someone gently shaking him.
"Sir, we have arrived at the palace, sir," said one of the guards escorting Chan.
"Huh, yea yea," Chan quickly snapped himself awake.
Walking up the stairs of the palace, Chan was in awe of the spectacle he was seeing. The palace had looked just like the palace in The City of Forbidden, in Shina, back from his old world. He always wanted to go visit there but he never had the chance as he died before he was able to.
Reaching the top of the stairs, there was a huge entrance door to the palace.
( Creak! )
The huge door slowly swung open. Chan could see Ca standing behind the door. Also standing next to Ca were two guys, each carrying a sword.
"You made it," said Ca as he ran towards Chan.
Chan taught Ca a handshake from his old world and whenever the two met they would have their own handshake. The handshake consists of locking your right hand together while moving in closer to give a hug with the left arm.
"It's good to see you again," Chan replied as they did their handshake.
Talking and catching up, Ca also Chan around the palace before they had a serious talk about the letter Chan sent a week prior before showing up.
In the letter, it talked about how Chan wanted to join Biyou's army and also for Ca to be cautious of the people in the palace as Chan had a bad feeling about it.
"Can I have a private conversation with my friend?" Ca asked his guards.
"Yes, we'll be outside of the door," replied one of the guards as they walked out of Ca's room.
( Thumph! )
The door closed and Ca let a few seconds pass before he commented about the letter, "I read your letter, I'm happy to hear that you're concerned about me but I'll be ok as they don't seem like they want to kill, but I do have this feeling of some of my guards forcing their thoughts and opinion on me."
"Yea, just don't trust everyone blindly and stay on your toes," Chan told Ca.
"Yes I'll try, also about you planning to join the military, are you sure you don't want my help, as I can write a letter of recommendation for you?" Ca asked trying to help better Chan's future conditions.
"No I won't need it, as I don't want to become an outcast or gather extra attention," replied Chan,
Chan also didn't want any unnecessary drama if the royal family had any supporters in the military that might have any ill intentions for Ca.
"Welp, I shouldn't be here any longer than I already am, as I need to head off to register for the army," said Chan.
"Before you leave, take this," said Ca as he handed a little bag to Chan.
"What is it?" Chan asked as he had the bag in his right hand.
"It is my payment for you teaching me all of these years, I always wanted to repay you for your kindness but I never had any money until now," answered Ca.
Opening the bag and seeing what was inside Chan couldn't accept it and asked if he could give it back but Ca said if he gave it back Ca was going to write a letter of recommendation.
Ca ever since he was younger always knew how to push his agendas on Chan as he would threaten Chan and that Chan would always break.
The little bag contained 5 gold coins and 10 silver coins.
They gave each other their goodbyes as Chan headed out to the recruiting site in the capital. Before walking on his own to the recruiting site, Chan had to get his weapons and luggage that he had left in the carriage. What he brought with him were: Sword, Shield, Ken's knife, some ointments, the wooden comb his mother gave to him, and extra clothing.
Making his way to the recruiting site, Chan had to wait in line once again. Chan had built a habit of whenever he had to wait or when he was bored, he would pay with the metal pendant on his neck. He would either rub it or use his finger just to tap it back and forth.
The line wasn't as long, as there were only 6 people in front of him so he got to the front of the line pretty fast.
Reaching the front of the line two guys were sitting at the table, unlike his first time being at a recruiter's table, the two guys in front of him looked as thorough as they had never been on the battlefield once as they were too slim and had no scars visible.
"Name and experience?" asked the guy sitting on the left.
"Chan In, 0 experience as I had just turned 17," chan answered.
"So we have a newbie, so you're looking to join the guards then?" said the guy on the right in a mocking tone.
"No, I'm looking to be a soldier," Chan replied to the guy sitting on the right.
"Oh, a tough kid we have here, haha," The guy sitting on the right mocked Chan.
"We can do 2 silvers up front and 5 slivers if you return, additional rewards will be given based on your contribution, sounds fair?" the guy on the left asked.
"Yes, that is fair," Chan answered.
The guy on the left jotted down Chan's name and experience, while the guy on the right told him, "Come back here in the afternoon in 3 days and get ready to march, don't be scared and change your mind.".
Done registering, Chan looked around for an inn that was close by. Only walking for about 2 minutes he found an acceptable inn. The inn was an okay size, not too big or too small.
Walking up to the front desk, Chan asked, "How much for 3 nights?"
"33 coppers," the male front desk worker answered.
Chan handed him a silver coin and received 17 copper coins back.
The front desk worker showed him to his room before handing him his room key.
"Here you go, if your hungry go down to the dining area as we have delicious food, but we also specialized in chili glass noodles," the front desk worker told Chan.
"Thank you, if I'm hungry I'll come down," Chan thanked the worker as he made his way into his room.
Setting down his stuff, carrying only his money pouch in his shirt. Chan went out to explore the capital.
Walking to the main area of the capital, Chan couldn't help but see how many beggars there were. Knowing if he gave one person money the others would expect some money also, Chan just ignored them and continued walking.
Reaching the main market of the capital, Chan could hear plenty of vendors trying to sell their products.
"We have beautiful dresses that will make any girl happy!"
"Grilled fish, grilled meats, we have it all!"
"We got very cheap and useful knives!"
"We have the best dried goods!"
"Papers and ink for cheap!"
Chan thought to himself, "Now this is a market,". He could hear not only the vendors but plenty of conversation among the citizens of the capital.
( Sniff! Sniff! )
Everything smells good, Chan couldn't resist himself as he was getting hungrier and hungrier by the second based on the aroma in the air.
The first spot he was going to use his money on was a roasted pork belly over noodles stall.
The seating area was packed and there were only a few open tables.
Waiting behind a pair of brothers and sisters, Chan couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation with the cashier.
"Hey kids you are short 2 coppers since two bowls of noodles are 8 coppers and you only have 6. Now go away if you don't have the money." The female cashier shooed away the kids.
"It's alright brother, we can just share one bowl together," said the sister.
Chan butted into the conversation and asked the cashier, "May I have three bowls of noodles, 1 for me and 2 for the kids,"
"Are you sure about that?" the cashier asked back.
"Yes," Chan answered.
"That'll be 12 coppers," said the cashier.
Chan handed her the 12 coppers as she later handed him a wooden plaque.
"Come on let's go sit down and wait for our noodles," Chan said as he was insisting the kids follow him.
The three of them sat at the open table for 4, and the kids thanked him for buying them a bowl of noodles. Chan did it as he felt bad not only for the kids but for the situation earlier where he couldn't help the beggars on the street.
After waiting for about 5 minutes their bow of noodles was delivered to their table. The bowl of noodles had two thick cuts of fatty pork belly on top of it. The soup was a darkish brown, which was glistening from the fat of the pork belly being mixed in.
Chan quickly ate his bowl of noodles and finished before the two kids and said goodbye as he left after finishing.
( Sniff! Sniff! )
"Everything smells so good, might as well try everything before I leave," Chan said to himself as he spent the next few days going around trying everything.