The stone walls of the ancient city of Czitu grew like a giant with every step taken. The giant stones were stacked adjacently and on top of each other to a remarkable precision. There were few cracks that could be seen between them. From Ada's the vantage point, the angle of elevation to the top of the wall is quickly approaching 90 degrees. Doing a quick mental calculation, she estimated the wall's height to be 50 meters +/- 1.2 meter. The error interval wasn't due to a calculation error but rather due to missing pieces of the wall. The original wall was quite sturdy and tall but the later rulers have not kept them well-maintained. Whatever wealth this city has accumulated since the rebuilding in the last century has not gone into reconstructing this part of the wall.

The impressive gate was shaped like the stereotypical rectangle with a semicircle on top of the rectangle. The gate had two giant wooden doors about ten meters high and two meters thick made of solid wood which surely been sturdy when first made. Yet, like the wall, it hasn't been maintained either and there were paint chips as well as conspicuous burn marks. The hinges and nails were shiny and new though and the door looked like it could stand an assault. Presently, they were both ajar slightly and she could see the residents and visitors within the city dashing about conducting their affairs. There were pedestrians, wagons and ostrich-driven carts. Ada called them ostriches since that was the closest animal they resembled though their face looked like that of a duck with a round knobby horn. She saw no horses and realized that there might be no horses on Urth. Though she was still far, she could see that the city was a beehive of activity.

Ada was impressed by the edifice but she still leaned more towards complaining than praising, "Two hours have felt like two weeks here waiting in line. This really reminds me of going through international customs in Atlanta," Ada complained aloud after checking her watch. She wasn't physically tired but she had enough sense to know that Leanne was. She would have conjured a chair for her to sit in but that overt display of divine powers would be the opposite of a low profile.

"Do you want to present the ID or do you want me to?" Leanne had a slight pause on the word ID. Ada had just taught her the word which was an abbreviation for identification document. Ada was amused that though Leanne's English vocabulary was excellent, there were some common words she didn't know.

"Since you have both of our papers, go ahead and do it. I can't speak the confounded language anyway," Ada answered.

Leanne opened her mouth but then closed it and just nodded.

"What did I tell you? If you're thinking something, just say it."

"I would gladly purchase a book on Exicozan grammar and spelling for you once we find a bookseller inside," Leanne said with a gulp. "I deeply apologize that this one could not fully teach you the language."

"No need to blame yourself," Ada sighed. "And do you really think I'm the type of deity who would punish you for this? Don't worry about it. Yes, a book would be helpful but I can probably still use your help. Language was never my strong point."

The last part was not a lie. Ada remembered getting a low B for English in her senior year of high school. This wasn't because she was linguistically challenged; she just didn't have any motivation to read the classics -- books which though her teacher found extremely riveting while she found them exceedingly boring. The foreign language courses she was forced to take in high school was another black mark on her otherwise impeccable grades. Once again, severe boredom was the culprit. Thankfully, with the current circumstances, Ada felt that she has more than sufficient motivation to study the local tongue. A thought arose in her head on the question of why although recent happenings in her life resembled the plot of an isekai web serial, knowing the local language somehow was not part of the trope. Superpowers check. Medieval world check. Magic check.

At least since she was a girl and not a high school male student from Japan, her life here was unlikely to become that akin to a harem series. Speaking of which, she wondered if she still had any sex drive. Though eating, peeing and a few other bodily functions were absolute necessities for a human, having sex was enjoyable but it was not necessary for survival. What if her libido was completely gone? That thought was a tad bit terrifying to Ada. She would have liked to experience something with someone but that has yet to transpire due to her tendency to stay in her room most of the time. Staring at a computer during most of her waking hours was not a conducive means to meet real people. I'm pretty sure I can't get a STD or get pregnant, she mused.

The raucous sound of shouting mixed with a lot of unintelligible cursing shook Ada from her pointless musings. She noticed the shouting mostly came from the three guards that have surrounded the poor peasant family in front of them. The baker has already gone through the gate which left all the focus on them. From the shouting and the gesticulations, Ada guessed that these people were not wanted there.

"What are they shouting about?"

"The head guard is saying that useless peasants should just go back to their homes and not infest the city like rats. The previous mayor was kind enough to take some of them in but the new mayor is not taking any more riffraff. Those who bring no value are not welcome here."

"Is the head guard the one with a face that really looks like that of an angry hippo?"

"What? What is a hippo?" Leanne inquired with evident confusion.

Ada sighed before she replied, "I should have realized by now that some animals don't exist here or maybe you just haven't heard of a hippo. This world is quite big. Even on Earth, they're only in Africa you know. Anyway, what is the farmer saying?"

"He is saying that after the last failed harvest with the early winter storm, his family has no way to survive and that his brother has told him there's work in the city. I think he is lying since the guard just asked him a question on where his brother lived and he did not provide a good answer. The farmer said a street on the northwestern part of the town near the docks but the guard told him that part of town is reserved only for wealthy merchants and ship captains. He does not believe that such a destitute family knows anyone that wealthy."

"If we don't do anything, they're not going to be allowed in. Does that mean they will die?"

"They could travel to Pedra to the south which is close enough. But with no mounts, it would still take them days."

"And with no food or money, they'll probably starve," Ada finished the thought for her.

Leanne nodded sadly.

"That sounds terrible. We have to do something!" Ada twiddled her thumbs in agitation.

"But ... what can we do that don't draw attention to who we are?"

"I could create a thick fog that would roll in but that would make it impossible to find the farmers as well. I can make them slip on ice but then they'll think it's sorcery. No, I think the easiest way is to convince the guards to let them in somehow."

"I have an idea."

"Shoot!"

"Shoot?" Leanne looked confused.

"Translation: go ahead and tell me your idea," Ada said to Leanne and then muttered quietly to herself, "I think I'm going to have to avoid even the most basic slangs here with Leanne. Did the term shoot come only after guns were invented? I have no idea."

"Since we are already acting, we can continue acting. Why do we not simply just tell the guards that we know his brother and that he is telling the truth?"

"Are you sure that the guard won't just know the merchant's name?"

"There are hundreds if not thousands of merchants and seamen in this town. Even if some of them are well-known, most would not be. I would also like to add that although it's very unholy, we do have enough gold for to bribe them if needed."

"Bribing is more acceptable than killing in my faith. A life is more important than undeserved money."

Leanne nodded. Then, she gasped, "Oh no! The guard is drawing his sword."

Ada looked and saw that Mr. Hippo has drawn his sword and was pointing it at the farmer. Ada was no expert on swords but anyone could see that it looked deadly with a shiny gleam in the afternoon sunlight. She was quite sure that one thrust would be enough to kill the unarmed farmer. The farmer took a step back while his wife and kids followed suite. They all stared wide-eyed.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Leanne? Let's save this man and his family's life. I may be a goddess but until I learn the language, you'll have to handle this!"

Ada was about to give Leanne a gentle shove but the girl has already darted off towards the action. I really hope this haphazardly thought-up plan works, she thought. She doubted that Leanne knew anything about swordfighting even if Ada had given her one. With nothing better to do, she stood there and tried to decipher the exchange. The great thing about not understanding the language was that she could starting making up the dialogue.

"I will kill these measly peasants like the rats they are," hippo guard said.

"Yeah! You go, boss!" guard lackeys one and two said.

"Wait! We will leave. Just don't kill us!" the farmer screamed.

"We will kill you still for annoying us," hippo guard said and a nasty grin formed on his face.

"No! They are telling the truth," Leanne interjected. She was only slighting huffing from the jog.

"Who are you?" hippo guard asked and his grin turned back into a frown.

"I am a friend of this man's brother," Leanne said.

"Bullshit! What would a woman of your stature be doing with this bunch?"

"Yeah, total bullshit!" the guard lackeys chimed in again in chorus.

"I am not bullshitting. How about this?" Leanne asked.

"How about what?"

Leanne reached into a bag tied to her waist and took out a few gold coins. She shoved them into his hand.

"Hmm, I haven't seen these kinds of coins before," hippo man looked at them curiously. He bit into each one and checked to ensure they were real.

"Well?"

"These are real gold!" the hippo man's face lit up.

"What about us, boss?" lackey one said.

"Quiet! You guys have done nothing to deserve it," the hippo man growled to his subordinates.

"Here's one for each of you for your understanding," Leanne said and gave each lackey a coin.

"Alright, I believe you. Move along!"

"Thank you! My companion there is with me as well," Leanne replied and pointed her finger towards Ada.

"Alright, everyone go ahead. We don't have time all day to dawdle," hippo guard said.

"Thank you for believing us!" the farmer and his family all chimed in.

Seeing that the action was over, Ada started walking towards them at a moderately fast pace. She sincerely hoped the guards won't be changing their minds about letting them through in the next minute. She thought aloud, "Hmm, how interesting, I haven't lost these objects. I still own the gold. I wonder why?"