Is there any reason for this? Tetsuko asked her wielder, eyeing her from head to toe. The woman was dressed in a simple traveler’s cape with a hood. She wore no armor nor anything that could set her apart from a simple traveler.

“Maybe not, but it’s better than nothing,” Faela said in a soft voice, making sure her face was hidden. “If someone recognized me, it might alert the worshiper.”

Before they left Afonso’s castle, Faela asked Enrique for another favor; to inform the court she would be resting for a few weeks there to recover from her wounds before going to Itajubá. All in order to sneak into the city without too many people knowing.

Do you really believe there are people helping the worshipers from the inside?

“I don’t know. This Kingdom has been enemies for centuries, maybe millenniums. It’s not strange if some of them infiltrated before and is now in a position to help the others.”

And what? Even though they hadn’t even fought together yet, Tetsuko could tell her new wielder was thinking much more than she was telling her sword.

“Maybe other people are interested in the worshipers’ invasion…”

Like Lucky Chaos?

“Yes. Everyone always thought there was something suspicious about him. Now that you’ve told me what he can do, I need to be cautious about everyone.”

Who do you have in mind?

“Your mind is as sharp as your edge,” Faela said with a wry smile. “The new captain of the city guard, Sergio.”

What about him? How’s he related to Lucky Chaos? Did he get the job by some lucky coincidence?

“His brother was the captain until a few months ago. He was pointed by my master himself. Unfortunately, George got into a stupid knife game. The drunkard he was up against got mad and killed him. His brother, who once worked with Lucky Chaos, was promoted to Captain of the city guard even though there better people for the job.”

Lucky of him, Tetsuko projected her thoughts. The drunkard was probably under Lucky Chaos command. Even a drunk idiot wouldn’t kill a captain for over a knife game…

“Yes… So even if the new captain isn’t under Lucky Chaos grasps, he might be working for him. I’d rather investigate a few things before people know I’m here.”

Like what?

“The true state of the city… Even if those idiots try to pretend they got everything under control, my master can tell me the truth.”

Who’s your master? You said he pointed the old captain of the city guard.

“Yes. His name is Roberto and he was the one who taught me how do be a soldier after I left home…”

When the gates came into view, Faela stopped talking. There were two lines to enter. One was for people, or groups, on foot or horses. After a quick inspection of their belongings, they entered the city without any hassle. However, the second line was made of wagons and carts and each one had at least five mercenaries and rough-looking people guarding it. The city guards inspected the wares with much more attention, especially the ones with any kind of animals.

Is this usual? Tetsuko asked as her wielder entered the first line.

“No,” she whispered, eyeing the gates and the line of wagons. “But given the state of the kingdom, it’s expected…”

After a quick inspection of her bag, the soldiers let Faela in without realizing who she was.

Tetsuko couldn’t help but be surprised. She had been in a few cities back when she was human. As a sword, she hadn’t seen any in this different world.

Outside the walls, the city looked imminent, with a huge and tall castle at the center. The gray stone walls around the city seemed to be of an organized place. However, inside, the place had none of that. If she had to describe in one word, would be messy. The moment they passed through the gates, Tetsuko could see the truth.

According to Faela, the city had been built over a dried lake. The further they walked towards the center, they moved downwards. The buildings along the street were mismatched, with three, four stories houses next to one-room houses.

More than messy, the place was crowded. Even in the large main street, people had trouble to walk around without bumping into each other. There was no flow; everyone walked where they wanted, making a chaos. And they didn’t even care about Faela and her horse.

With this many people together, it’s bound to have annoyances… Just like I thought…

With her enhanced senses, Tetsuko noticed when a few kids were mugging a drunk adult. Though he tried to fight back, he missed the punch and lost his balance, falling on the trash in an alley. Instead of getting up, he was snoring.

Was it always like this? Tetsuko asked after she informed her wielder of what had happened. It wasn’t the only mugging she was sensing.

“No. It got worse… Ever since the Sand-Dwellers invasion…”

That was all Tetsuko needed to know. Even though she didn’t care, she knew the situation had gotten more dangerous after Fael let the Sand-Dwellers pass through the forest. The kingdom took care of that threat, but the surrounding countries decided it was time to attack as well.

Because of that, the lords had to send their armies to defend the borders and left the cities with fewer people to protect. In order to keep the order and hire more guards, they raised the taxes. Along with the people running to live inside walls, most of the cities had become chaotic.

Knowing all that, Tetsuko wasn’t surprised when she felt greedy eyes that contain malice aimed towards them, especially at her.

“I know. I can see them too,” Faela muttered after her sword informed her. Even after she left the horse in a stable, the eyes didn’t leave them.

She stood in the middle of the street and clicked her tongue. When she turned into a less crowded alley, two people finally approached her.

“That sword’s as pretty as you, lady,” one of them said, pulling a knife. The people around them saw, but when they realized it had nothing to do with them, they ignored.

“Yeah, and it’ll look better with my hands on it,” the other said.

One was a bit younger than Faela, but the other didn’t even look fifteen yet. They both were dirty, had knives and shared the same wild eyes.

The swordswoman casted Tetsuko a glance full of meaning and the sword understood. You’re being so gentle just because they’re young…

As Faela untied the weapon and held it before the bandits, Tetsuko flowed her energy. The instant she let go of the sword, Tetsuko made herself so heavy the older bandit came down along with the weapon, cracking the ground a little when the handle smashed against it.

Faela punched him in the throat and he went backwards, losing consciousness as he brought his friend down with him. Then she casually picked up Tetsuko and placed her back on the waist. Before the younger bandit could stand, she grabbed his wrist and twisted, careful to not stir her wounds

“Now instead of being stupid and try to rob me, can you tell me where Roberto is working nowadays?”

“Let me go!” The boy struggled to get rid of Faela. When she applied more force on his wrist, the pain was too much and he stopped resisting. “What the hell do you want with dad?”

“Dad?” With her face pale, she moved the bandit’s straw-colored hair to see his face. “Leo? What the hell are you doing?”

“How do you know me? Let me go!” He tried to take the chance to escape, but it was the same as nothing, and he stopped struggling again. “Who the hell are you?”

“It’s me, you stupid brat,” she said, pulling her hood down to reveal her face for a moment.

The bandit blinked as he tried to see her against the sun. “Faela?”

“Yeah, and keep it quiet. I don’t want anyone finding out about me yet,” she said pulling the hood back and letting go of him.

After she let go and helped him stand, the boy shook his wrist and arm, picked up and sheathed his knife as if nothing happened.

“Why the hell are you robbing people now?”

“I need to eat…”

“Eat? What’s going on? Your dad would never let you or your sister hungry.”

The boy grew quiet.

“Leo, what happened?”

He clutched his fist and tried to hold back his tears to no success. “He… he was attacked by… monsters…” The boy had trouble to continue. Faela didn’t press him and waited. “He’s in a coma… and no one knows why… or if he’ll wake up…”

Faela grew stiff and glanced down at Tetsuko.

I can check his blood. It’s probably related to the mad animals. If so…

“Take me to him, Leo.”