They were drawing close to Merchants Rest.
The trip turned unusually quiet.
Kin was in deep thought and couldn't believe how negative Crystal was. But he could not help but think back to what Crystal had said and how she had narrated the events of her life. Many of which Kin knew or heard about.
Was the curse of Fate and Destiny real?
Even Kin was confused, but another part of him refused to believe since it sounded too otherworldly.
And what was more was a bizarre plan that Crystal had told him to do. It sounded crazy, but Crystal said she wouldn't act on her assumption unless there was proof. And Kin would seek out that truth!
The light of dawn had appeared when they arrived in Merchants Rest.
"Are you… sure that this is the best option? Will this Raptor listen to me?" Kin clarified again.
"Just do it. Drop me down here…" Crystal ordered.
Kin followed.
"So… Beast Master Kin arrives in town with a rowdy Raptor that it caught and is trying to tame. This will be a very funny event if the Sword Quest investigates everything that happened in Riverbed and goes here." Kin sighed.
"They don't know that I've awakened my Ice power. And I've arrived here a day earlier. If what you told me is true, and that Brayvion killed the Sword Quest, then It's my luck. They won't make the connection that the ice beast woman was me and won't investigate this matter. Since I killed someone, they wouldn't openly fight against an Argus. Besides, they would think that it's impossible that the Arvus that appeared was me."
"I understand. Since the river had a crosspoint that would go to other towns, a random aspiring beast master that managed to capture a raptor won't be suspicious."
"Right. Since you hold the blessings of two of the three Arvus tests and have drastically changed from the little fatty I know, they won't recognize you. This could also mask your identity. If the Five has been in contact with you, they must be looking for you for taking away the Spirit of those Mystery Dungeons."
The boat stopped as Kin reached the shore.
Crystal stepped out, now wearing an entirely different outfit. It was an outfit that Kin had with him when he traveled to the far west. It was a desert-land outfit, and Crystal had to improvise and complete the outfit that desert-lander women wore.
She had her hair cut and had shorter hair. A veil was over her face and a warrior's helm.
Crystal stepped off and turned to Kin.
"I can find you through Wintress. Kin. Thanks. You're a good friend."
Kin smiled.
"Woah! I don't want you to start falling for me. It'd be hard if the curse reached me! God forbid that the sorrowful woman finds someone to rely on!" Kin laughed as he pushed the boat back and floated downstream.
Crystal couldn't help but smile as Kin floated off.
"I know it's been a sad life, Crystal. But please hope for a better future. You're far better now, anyway." Kin smiled as he floated off.
He turned ahead and began to think about how he could investigate it. But Kin wasn't new to this. He had been living in hiding and had grown better at investigations.
"Now… let's see if that Sword Quest group really does have a secret collection of women…"
On the other hand, Crystal was marching off towards the main road and began to follow the path towards the town.
The city of Merchant's Rest was a hub of trade that connected the Great Woods to the Savage Lands.
The city was built on the main branch of the Spreading Root River, which spreads down into the Great Woods.
Traders who mine quarry, wood, and other resources down the Great Woods would use the Spreading Root River to deliver the resources or the main roads.
But as the Savage Lands rest beyond Merchant's Rest, traveling from Merchant's Rest up to the Capitol of the Kingdom was difficult. Thus, the traders would rest in this city before finding a large escort traveling through the Savage Lands.
Crystal knew the protocol of the city and arrived with very little belonging.
She even had a haggard appearance as some parts of her cloak were torn.
Before entering the town, Crystal took some mud and used her fire magic to cover and harden the mud around her arms, neck, and shoulder.
It gave her a dark appearance, and Crystal intentionally made her shoulder look ugly.
She even used her ice to freeze these parts to stick on her shoulder.
She entered the city with a disguise that even covered her and made her look dark and black.
"Halt… Identification please…"
"Please, sir… I am a Dessert-Lander from Dune Hills. I was here as a mercenary when the earthquake hit… I lost… everything and made my march here."
"Another refugee, huh? Alright. Get inside and get some sorted. We have a few more headed towards the Dune Hills soon."
"There… there is?!" Crystal feigned surprise.
"Of course. You're not the only one. Recently, some travel by groups as they were rescued by the various mercenary groups hired by the collective teams, and others like you would travel alone."
"Thank you… Thank you…" Crystal sobbed as she made her way in.
As soon as she entered and disappeared within the chaos of the crowd, she began to slowly and secretly remove the mud and readied her coins to buy new apparel that made her look more like a noble.
As she removed the burnt and frozen mud, she began to purchase more clothing.
To those of Merchant's Rest, Crystal was a random, beautiful, veiled desert-lander buying new gears.
Crystal was careful and would buy at one shop and replace her gear from different shops. This ensured that she would not appear to suddenly make a drastic change in her appearance.
Crystal depleted all her resources but now had leather armor, a dagger, bows and arrows, and a new sword. She had to sell the sword of the Spear Blade as it had engraved marks.
With a new gear, she looked like a desert-lander mercenary.
"Now… To investigate my family…" Crystal began to gaze toward the central city. Adam had shown her how Fate and Destiny would keep her sorrowful. And that meant many people within her family and relatives would all be up to no good. Their family was doomed to mediocrity. Even though her father is the Mayor of Merchant's Rest, his authority, his position, and his capability are all limited and hindered by various factors.