A very sunny day found Moirai praying over a corpse lying by the roadside, while Terresa sat nearby, watching him. After finishing his prayer, Moirai touched his halberd, causing sparks to flicker and dance. He then touched the halberd to the corpse, igniting it. The rotting flesh, blood, and bones quickly turned to ash.
"I'm done here, Terresa. Let's continue," Moirai said, turning to her.
"Alright... let's continue," Terresa replied, rising to her feet.
"We're not traveling for long. There's a big city ahead of us. We can rest and prepare our supplies for the capital."
"I see... thanks to you, everything is easier," Moirai said with a grateful smile.
"Well... it's okay. I'm not at a disadvantage either," Terresa replied, walking ahead on the path.
Moirai followed Terresa from behind. Occasionally, they stopped in front of another corpse lying on the road. Moirai would pray and burn the corpse to ashes, just as he had done before.
"Hey, Rai... can you help me?" Terresa asked.
Moirai, who was sitting in front of a burning corpse, turned around. "Hmmm?... What's wrong?" he replied, confused.
"Can you teach me how to pray for the dead? I... I just want to prevent anything bad from happening," Terresa said, bowing her head.
"That's all...? I thought there was something important, you know," Moirai said in a teasing tone.
"It's important to know. If I knew how to pray for them, I wouldn't have to fight my friends in undead form," Terresa explained.
"Is that so?... Well, there are no special conditions in praying. You just make your wish... and then let fate work. That's all," Moirai explained simply.
"Wait, it's that easy? I thought you priests had to say a prayer and do something," Terresa said, surprised.
"Your hope to the gods is a prayer. No matter what you believe, your prayers will be heard," Moirai assured her.
"Even for someone like me?" Terresa asked, skeptical.
"Even for someone as deep in the pit of evil as anyone," Moirai replied with conviction.
"The goddesses make the pages of our destiny. Whether we end up as kings or as lowly servants, it's all up to them. But gods and goddesses are not that cruel. In exchange for the destiny made, they give a glimmer of hope and a blessing that their prayers are always heard. There is no concept of punishment in the world, only a destiny promised by the goddess," Moirai elaborated.
"Alright, alright, I get it. I'm not strong with the philosophical statements you said. In the long run, I might become a freak like you," Terresa said, already confused by his words.
"Well... I learned this from someone..." Moirai began.
"Let me guess... that person is someone like you," Terresa interrupted.
"Hehehe..." Moirai chuckled.
"Hey... don't laugh. If the person who taught you that is a freak, you should feel ashamed," Terresa teased.
"Somehow my brain can still—wait, we're here," terresa said, noticing the large wall in the distance. Many carts, humans, and even demi-humans were lined up in front of the gate.
"We have finally entered the special region owned by the empire, I can finally rest well on a soft mattress. Hehehehe," Terresa said, a broad smile on her face.
Passing through the grass and trees, they began to walk towards the city gate. Beings of various races were lined up, waiting to enter the city. The two of them walked straight to the gate without queuing. Cynical and emotional gazes followed them, as the crowd saw their apparent disregard for the line.
Seeing those glares, Moirai tried to talk to Terresa. "Hmmm... Terresa... I think we'd better..."
"No... I'm already tired. And also, I have more rights than them, so just relax," Terresa said firmly, walking ahead with determination.
As they reached the city gates, guards dressed in black and carrying spears pointed their weapons at the two of them.
"Stay there... get back in line or we'll assume you're a hostile party," said one of the guards.
"Wow... calm down... here... this is my identification and border crossing permit," Terresa said, handing over a letter.
The guards took the letter roughly. One of them read it carefully while another produced a small grain of light from his hand and touched it to the paper. Instantly, a light appeared, forming a blossoming flower.
"This is the symbol of the Umo Federation. This paper is genuine, but... this letter says that you crossed the border from the Federation to the Empire, not from the demonic area to the Empire. Can you explain this, ehh... Terresa, right?" asked the guard.
"Yes, my name is Terresa. I had some business outside the border and only entered the Empire to pass through," Terresa explained.
"The transport ship from the Federation couldn't possibly dock in the demonic area, am I wrong? So, I docked at the Northern harbor and passed through the Empire until I got out of the border. Is that enough?"
"That's a bit... huh... that's enough. Welcome back, Terresa."
"Have we met before?" Terresa asked.
"No one ever forgets an eccentric mage like you. Since you are an envoy of the Umo Federation based on this letter, you may enter," said the guard.
"But you... do you have an identity?" the guard asked, looking at Moirai suspiciously.
"I don't have an identity, all I have is this..." Moirai showed a necklace he was wearing.
With a curious face, the guard asked, "Can I hold it?"
Moirai handed the necklace to the guard, who carefully examined every little detail.
"Can you... tell me who you are?" the guard asked, looking at him sarcastically.
"Hey, I can guarantee his identity. He's not a bad guy," Terresa said, stepping in front of the guard.
"Even if what you say is true... I can't let an unidentified person in. Can you tell me your name, wanderer?" the guard insisted.
"My name is Moirai... I am a Knightwalker."
"Knightwalker... it's been a long time since I've heard that term. I'm going to send you to a prison cell for a while. Until your identity is established, you should be there."
"Oh, come on..." Terresa said in a disappointed tone.
"Sorry... miss, rules are rules. This is the emperor's order."
Moirai patted Terresa on the back. "Don't worry, Terresa. They won't hurt me..." he said, starting to follow the guard.
"I'll get you out of there, so don't do anything wrong," Terresa promised.
Moirai followed the guard to the underground floor of the castle. Shortly after, they encountered another guard who was eating bread.
"Hmmm, who is he?" asked the guard with his mouth full of food.
"An unidentified wanderer. He calls himself a Knightwalker. Take care of him and make sure there are no unpleasant incidents, understand?" said the first guard before returning to his post.
"Sure, boss... you can count on me," the guard replied.
The guard looked Moirai up and down, noting every detail.
"And now, sir, could you put down your weapon and get into the cell?" the guard asked politely.
Moirai nodded and began to remove the halberd from his back, handing it to the guard, who accepted it with difficulty.
"Oh my... why is this thing so heavy? Where are you carrying this?" the guard asked, struggling with the halberd.
"It's not that heavy, I guess. I don't know..." Moirai replied.
The guard took the halberd and placed it in one of the chests. "I don't know... pffft... maybe I'm too weak for this."
Then the guard picked up the key on the table and started towards the cell. "Now follow me..."
Moirai followed the guard down the corridor, noticing many empty cells, with only a few containing any items.
"It's pretty quiet, isn't it? It's rare for people to be imprisoned here. Most of the prisoners are taken straight to a more centralized prison for security," the guard explained. "Don't worry, no one ever stays in this prison for long. Most detainees are transferred or released within half a day. I guarantee it," the guard said as he opened the cell door.
"I see," said Moirai as he entered the cell. Inside, there was a wooden bed and several buckets of water.
"I hope you're comfortable. It might be a little difficult, but... have a great day," the guard said, locking the cell door before leaving.
"Have a great day..." Moirai muttered to himself. He leaned against the wall, relaxing his body and closing his eyes. "When was the last time I slept in a prison?"
A few hours later, the sound of footsteps and the clatter of metal could be heard. The guard from earlier returned and began to unlock the cell door.
Moirai opened his eyes and stood up to face the guard.
"Now you can come out, mate. That was faster than I thought."
Moirai walked out of the cell. The guard returned the confiscated halberd to him and directed him out of the dungeon, where they met a knight on duty. The other guards immediately stood at attention and showed respect to the knight.
"Are you Moirai, the Knightwalker?" the knight asked.
"Yes, that's me."
The knight nodded and signaled to the other guards, who then dispersed and returned to their duties.
"Our ruler wants to see you in person. Please follow me."
The knight led the way, and Moirai followed. As they walked through the city, Moirai saw carts full of crops and goods passing by, guards on patrol, and troops marching towards the fort. People were bustling about with their own business.
"This way, Knightwalker," the knight said, pointing towards a building that resembled a fortress.
As they approached, the guards and troops gave respectful gestures to the two of them. The guard at the gate immediately opened it.
"My escort ends here, Knightwalker. My master is waiting for you inside," the knight said.
Moirai nodded and began to enter the building. Between the gate and the entrance, there was a garden that looked damaged and a fountain that did not contain water. Moirai continued to walk through the garden without any expression.
The guard at the door opened it, revealing an old servant waiting inside.
"Greetings, Sir Knightwalker. We have been expecting you. Please follow me," the old servant said, bowing.
"Okay," Moirai replied briefly.
Moirai followed the old servant through the hallways of the building, noticing how empty and freshly occupied it seemed compared to most noble houses. They stopped in front of a door.
"This is the master's room," the servant said, opening the door.
Inside, a man was seated, accompanied by another man standing beside him.
"Please come in, Moirai... I've been waiting for you," the seated man said.
Moirai stepped inside, sensing the cold atmosphere and unfriendly gazes directed at him.
"Please, have a seat," the man said in a cold tone.
Moirai's eyes focused on the only chair in front of the table. Without hesitation, he sat down without any expression.
"You should thank your friend. He made a scene in various places just for you," the man began. "Well, the damage wasn't much, but I hope you're the one who deserves that treatment. You understand what I mean, right?" He smiled briefly before turning serious. "So, Moirai the Knightwalker, I believe this is yours?" He showed a necklace.
"This ornament has unique characteristics. I'm sure it's worth a lot of gold," the man continued.
"It will never be sold," Moirai said firmly.
"Of course. If I were you, I would never sell this cool thing. It must have a lot of precious memories." The man leaned back. "Alright, let's stop the pleasantries, Knightwalker. I am the new ruler of this region. My name is Hoffen Nava of the Wholstand family. What is your purpose in entering the empire, Knightwalker?"
"I want to get to the capital," Moirai replied.
"Why do you want to go to the capital?" Hoffen asked.
"I have a promise to someone, and that necklace is related to that promise," Moirai explained.
"Huh... I see. Unfortunately, that's a bit unlikely for some time to come. The empress herself ordered a complete ban on immigrants entering the empire," Hoffen said. "Of course, that rule does not apply to close allies of the empire, but you... you have no identity and no proof of citizenship to enter the borders. Maybe you'll be arrested and executed immediately on the charge of being a spy of the demonic faction."
Hoffen paused, examining Moirai's reaction. "I may give you permission to pass through this territory, because you are guaranteed by the federation and also my authority as the ruler of the special region. But entering other imperial territories requires permission from each ruler whose territory you pass through. They won't give you permission just because you are guaranteed by a federation person. Quite complicated, isn't it?"
"Fortunately, there will be a peace conference held here in a few weeks. The representatives of the southern demonic front will come to this city for negotiations. If this is successful, there is a high chance that you can travel to the capital with the guarantee given by your friend."
"What happens if the conference is not successful?" Moirai asked.
"Then... the world will burn once again," Hoffen said gravely. "You must know, Moirai, the demon lord was defeated ten years ago at great cost. Seven alliance heroes died in battle. This makes the war atmosphere more complicated. The people were told that the war was over, but in fact, even without their leader, the demonic army is still very strong. If a great war breaks out again, the world will never be the same. The final war might really wipe out everyone."
Hoffen placed the necklace on the table. "Here, I give this back to you. I'll give you a temporary residence. Of course, it's not free. Since you're technically an illegal immigrant, you'll have to pay a few coins. You can look for a job at the guild. There's a lot of demand for people like you. You may now leave. May the future smile upon us."
"May the goddess bless our destiny," Moirai said, standing up and picking up his necklace. "Mr. Hoffen, thank you."
"No problem," Hoffen replied with a slight smile.
Moirai left the room, finding the old servant waiting outside. "Come, sir, I'll take you out," the old servant said.
As Moirai departed, Hoffen and his companion relaxed. The serious face Hoffen had maintained transformed into a more relaxed expression
"Hmmm... Knightwalker, huh... that's a bit unexpected," Hoffen mused.
"Are you sure you want to let him go? He looks... suspicious," Andre asked.
"Do I have a choice, Andre? That female mage is making a scene just for him," Hoffen replied with a long sigh. "At least her identity is guaranteed by the federation."
"Are you sure about this conference? It's an independent action," Andre inquired.
Hoffen was silent for a moment. "I have no choice. The capital seems to want to go on a new expedition... a crackdown expedition, they say. They will not know what will happen to them."
"If this conference fails, we have no choice but to join the expedition."
"Killing is not an option, Andre."
"We kill for peace, Hoffen. If you want peace, you must prepare for war."
"So you're saying we have to go to war for peace? Look around you, Andre. Look at what that damn 100-year war has done."
"You're too naive, Hoffen."
"Then choose, Andre. Do you want to be led by a naive leader, or do you want to be led by a leader who wants to destroy everything he sees?"
Hoffen sighed. "There is no point in arguing here. The stakes have been placed, and the dice have been rolled. Only fate decides now."
"Andre, tell your men to tighten security in the city. I don't want any interference from the demonic faction or the empire. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord."
"You are the only one I can trust, Andre. Good luck," Hoffen said, patting Andre's shoulder.
Andre bowed in respect and then left the room.
"Ugh... what a day," Hoffen complained