Red sat in the inn at River Ridge. Some people looked at her oddly, probably because of her age and appearance. A few people would recognize the red hair and clothes and guess that she was a member of the Venfir family. There would be some who could gauge her strength, and she could see those people sitting the furthest away from her. The final group of people looked at her with greed in their eyes, obviously waiting for their opportunity to scam. Nobody approached her, as the person sitting across from her was well known in the city.

The person sitting across from her was a beastman who called herself Tilly. Red couldn’t know if they were really a beastman or if her orange fox ears and tail were something she gained from a class. In the past, she had believed that any of those features would identify someone as a beastman, but now she knew that people could change physically from classes. Even a person’s race could change.

It did pose a few questions though. Beastmen were treated poorly by most of the other races. She knew that it was caused by the difference in initial classes and stats a person had. Beastmen tended to have greater physical attributes but couldn’t quite match the other races in the mental attributes. Plus, beastmen tended to get classes that were inherently designed for labor. The strongest combat classes they could receive were generally frowned upon or hated like liches. It really wasn’t fair to them.

“You want to get into Krall. It will cost you a hundred gold.”

Tilly’s voice was breathy and seductive, and her clothes were obviously designed to showcase her body. Most of her stats had probably been put into charisma as well. All of that would only make her better at her job, and Red didn’t hesitate to slide her the money. In fact, Red doubled the amount. The gesture would reveal her relative wealth and earn some good favor from Tilly.

Tilly probably wasn’t her real name, but it didn’t really matter to Red. Without checking the amount, Tilly smoothly slid the coin purse into her dress and smiled seductively. Her smile was perfect, and the look she gave Red changed as well.

“Perhaps you would be interested in something more long-term? It is rare for me to receive the services of such a kind young girl.”

The way the fox spoke was filled with innuendo, but Red knew she was speaking very literally. She was going to dismiss it off-handedly but thought about it more carefully. She was planning to set herself apart from her family, and she would need several capable individuals to work for her in that case. However, if she wanted to do that, she would need to set up a house somewhere. The capital was probably the best choice for that.

“I will consider your invitation again after the job. I will contact you with the details. Care to share your real name now?”

Red was a little curious, as she reevaluated the lady in front of her. Initially, Red had judged her to be a basic smuggler or escort, but now she noticed the glint of intelligence in her eyes. The seductive looks and appearance were clearly something she planned specifically, and she was respected enough to stop any of the others from approaching their table.

The inn was grimy and filled with people who would be considered criminals in most other cities or towns. Despite the setting and the gruff-looking people, nobody tried to make any passes on Tilly, and few even glanced at her. More people dared to look at Red.

“Tilly will work for now. Afterward, you can call me anything you want.”

The way she spoke was impressive, her responses always adhering to her style. Red wondered if it was a skill. Her consistency and eloquence were something that could be explained by skill, though experience could explain it as well. Red didn’t push for information, and they moved on to discuss the real plan.

It wasn’t anything complicated. Tilly would take Red in as a slave. She should be able to enter freely, and Red would cause only a little problem. Apparently, Tilly had a skill that would let her hide the abilities of others. This included faking their level to analysis skills of any kind. It was rare, and Red guessed that she was currently hiding her abilities. The plan went a step further than Red expected and Tilly suggested that she would remain for a little bit. It would bring less suspicion on both of them if they did that. Although, that would require Red to work as a slave for a short time. Red didn’t mind and agreed. It would give her the opportunity to learn more about Tilly too. That also explained why the others in the tavern were so apprehensive of the woman.

Once the plan was set, they left without wasting any more time. If Red wanted to complete the mission in a few days, it would be a good idea to start soon. Tilly seemed of the same mind and rose from her seat. She indicated for Red to follow. Red found herself listening to the woman as she was led to a slightly worn carriage. It looked like something higher class than an average person, but not quite entering the realm of something a noble would possess.

“We are going to need to get some new clothes for you. That traveling gear is a bit too nice for a slave.”

Red looked down at her outfit. She had gotten used to forming her blood clothes into a full set of traveling gear. It comprised of a bodysuit with what looked like leather pads covering most of her body. On top of all of that, there was a loose shirt that reached the middle of her thighs. She didn’t think it seemed particularly fancy, but she changed it to be even more rugged. Now all she had on was a partially torn shirt and pants that would be more appropriate on a farmer. Red looked back to Tilly; an eyebrow raised in question.

“Perfect, now you look wonderfully helpless.”

The woman seemed like she was enjoying the situation. It felt like she wasn’t taking the situation seriously, but she didn’t know why Red was trying to infiltrate the city. It didn’t really matter though, as Tilly would leave at the same time that Red started her plan.

Tilly produced a set of metal manacles and handed them to Red. The seemed to have just appeared in her hand. A storage skill? The shackles gave a slight feel of magic, and Red couldn’t just put them on.

“What are they?”

“It’s a slave collar. Simply put one manacle around your wrists and ankles, then put the shackle around your neck. Don’t worry they don’t actually work, it's mostly just used for foreplay. Speaking of which, I can make them tighter if you would like.”

Red didn’t respond to the prod at the end, and simply put the item on. Although, She didn’t really let the item touch her. She thinned her body where the metal pieces would go and held them in place with thin strands of blood. After evaluating Tilly’s reaction, Red guessed that she was being genuine about the item. Red wondered how common slave collars were for Tilly to expect that they would need it. She didn’t ask the question though. In the past, it was beastmen who were most often subjected to the device, although half-races faced a similar amount of discrimination.

The trip began, and only when they got close to the city did, she stop trying to adjust her body for the fake slave collar. If it was a trap, Tilly probably would have sprung it already. When nothing happened, she felt confident that the item was indeed a fake. The woman in question sat across from her, and another man drove the carriage. He was a random person, simply there to act as a transport. He wouldn’t be entering the city with the two of them. Red was seated so that she could casually look out the window.

The enormous gates of the city were ruined. The heavy doors had been something that had impressed her before, but now she saw that they had been destroyed. Large pieces of the door lay on the ground outside of the city. There were a few guards stationed at the entrance. She didn’t recognize any of them, though it probably wouldn’t matter if she did. Her appearance was very different from when she had last been here, and these people wouldn’t recognize her.

Once they got to the city gates, they stepped out of the carriage. Tilly had fully changed her aura, and she appeared as a somewhat pompous young lady. Something you would expect from a merchant’s daughter. She had even adjusted her clothing to be a bit more appropriate and it seemed like she had become younger too. She only looked a few years older than Red now. It was impressive. Tilly walked over to the gates, while Red followed behind. She carried a large suitcase that was filled with random articles of clothing. It wasn’t heavy for her, but she acted like she was struggling to even carry it. Her back hunched slightly as she pretended to struggle with the weight.

As they approached the guards stopped her. Red noticed that the guards were all wearing matching armor. The last time she was here the guards had mixed gear, not really conforming to a standard. It seemed like they care a lot more about presentation now. She guessed that Ellis was ruling with a firmer hand than the city’s previous leaders. The guards were inspecting everyone that arrived, and their group was no exception. Two guards approached them, both lowering the visor on their helms to reveal their faces. They had some scars on them that looked brand new. The skin was still a bit red around the wounds.

“Identify yourself!”

Red let Tilly handle the conversation. The woman straightened her back and glared at the approaching knights. It was the gaze that only someone important could manage. She was good at playing her role.

“I am Fera, I heard that this place would be a safe haven to all beastmen. Especially those who were well connected. “

The guard took a step back at the words. He seemed to be considering the validity but ultimately decided to drop the matter. He probably decided that it was above his purview and that two weak-looking women couldn’t cause that much problem. The other guard seemed to have something else in mind, and Red noticed the strange look she was getting from the man.

“Your slave, how much for her?”

The guard was apparently interested in purchasing her. She could guess why but continued to remain in disguise. Tilly seemed to have something prepared and responded coldly to the guard.

“She is not for sale, and you wouldn’t want her anyways. She is cursed, sickness constantly plaguing her body. You nor anyone else should try anything, else you fall under the same sickness. She is only good for helping me with more womanly needs.”

Jill was impressed with Tilly's improvisation, and it did seem to stop the guard in his tracks. The other guard seemed bothered by the other’s actions and roughly pulled him back. He looked angry and apologetic when speaking next, obviously trying to get into Tilly’s good graces.

“I’m sorry for this buffoon. He is new. You are free to enter, there will be several homes you can purchase once you enter. “

The guard waved for them to enter the city. Tilly walked beside Red, standing between her and the disgusting guard. That was the final thing Red needed to see from the women, to decide that she could probably be trusted enough to establish a longer-term contract. As they stepped into the city, Red heard the nicer guard apologize as she stepped by him.

“Sorry.”

He looked genuinely sympathetic, and she guessed that her sickly appearance was affecting the man. She nodded slightly towards him. Although her mind was elsewhere The difference between the guards’ attitudes probably meant that there were larger disagreements within the city. It clearly hadn’t unified very much, but she could have guessed that from the sorry state of the walls. She looked toward the city, remembering her last visit in vivid detail.