They found the nearest inn from their starting location. It had two floors—the first floor was for regular rooms, while the second floor had special rooms. The only differences were the interior, quality, furniture, and room size.
Gideon booked one of the special rooms upstairs. It was spacious, with a large bed, its own bathroom, and a private balcony.
It was perfect for them, even though the price was quite steep for just one night—around five silver coins.
Lena stepped inside and looked around. The interior was fairly classic, with most of the furniture made of wood.
She didn't expect much more, considering this was a fantasy world with a time period similar to the medieval era.
Their purpose for staying here wasn't just to let the kitsune girl rest—they also needed a safe place where no one could overhear their initial plans. Gideon decided this room was perfect.
Lena let the kitsune girl soak and wash herself. The girl nodded, still wondering why a master like Gideon and Lena were being so kind to her.
When the bathroom door closed, Gideon remained standing in front of the bed, where Lena sat cross-legged on the edge.
"There's a chance other races are suffering the same kind of slavery," Lena said.
"Yeah, but there's not much we can do. To free them all, we'd need a huge amount of money."
Gideon sighed, glancing toward the balcony that faced the city's main street. The noise and bustle of the crowd reached all the way to their room. For some reason, Mischo City felt even more crowded than cities back on Earth.
"Let's set the slavery issue aside for now. We still haven't completed our objective," Gideon said.
"Are we splitting up?"
"No. That's dangerous—you can't walk around this city alone. I'm worried about you."
"I'm a soldier. Even though I specialize in medical work, I'm trained in hand-to-hand combat," Lena explained.
"Follow my orders, Lena. I'm your captain," Gideon replied, making Lena fall silent.
Honestly, I hate being underestimated like this.
She had always proven she was more talented than most men. But… this was different with Gideon.
For some reason, she obeyed, even though she didn't like the feeling of him underestimating her abilities.
To her, it didn't mean Gideon didn't trust her—it meant he cared about her safety in an unfamiliar place.
Her cheeks flushed. She lowered her head, not knowing how to respond.
Why does hearing him forbid me so firmly make my heart race like this?
"…I understand, Captain."
"When she's done, the three of us will go find a blacksmith," Gideon explained.
Lena smiled in agreement. She didn't mind waiting until the kitsune girl finished cleaning herself. Gideon kept watching the city's main street as if he were deep in thought.
The bathroom door opened. The girl stepped out, her face flushed. The sound made both Lena and Gideon turn to look.
To their shock, she came out completely naked, using her hands to cover her breast and private area.
Lena's eyes went wide. She quickly grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around the girl.
Gideon's eyes widened too, and he reflexively turned away, cheeks red, acting awkward. Lena shot him a sharp glare.
"What did you just look at?!" Lena demanded.
"N-Nothing!"
"Is she covered now?" Gideon asked cautiously.
"She is."
He took a deep breath and slowly turned back around. The kitsune girl was now sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching the blanket tightly around herself.
She had arrived wearing nothing but rags, completely unfit to wear. It was only natural she had nothing else to change into.
"We forgot to buy her clothes."
Gideon and Lena decided to head to the nearest boutique from the inn to buy something for her. She didn't need anything fancy—just something simple like what they wore.
The girl stayed in the room, ordered by Gideon not to leave until they returned. She nodded obediently and stayed seated in the same spot.
Luckily, Lena was there to help choose an outfit for her. Gideon bought it for 12 copper coins.
When they returned to the inn, Lena showed the clothes to the kitsune girl with excitement. Her eyes sparkled—this was the first time she'd ever received decent clothes like other townsfolk.
"What's your name?" Gideon asked.
"Aina," the kitsune girl replied.
"Aina… how did you end up in slavery?"
"Bandits kidnapped me when I was kid. They sold me at the slave market."
"Kid? How old were you?" Lena asked curiously.
"Seven."
"What?!" Gideon and Lena exclaimed in unison, eyes wide. Neither of them expected Aina to have been a slave since the age of seven.
It was horrifying. The people in this city were truly insane.
Lena felt a pang of sadness and pulled Aina into a hug, feeling her suffering. Aina was still in shock—she had never imagined she'd be bought by such kind masters.
Gideon stepped closer and gently patted Lena's shoulder, his expression full of optimism.
"Don't worry. You're safe with us."
Aina smiled and nodded, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks. She was truly rescued—and she could finally go home someday. Lena wiped her tears and promised to protect her from anyone.
Once Aina was taken care of, the three of them left the inn and headed toward the main street. Gideon still didn't know the exact location of a blacksmith shop in this city.
"Are you looking for something, Master?" Aina asked.
"Yes. I'm looking for a blacksmith shop."
"I know where it is. Follow me, Master."
Aina took the lead while Gideon and Lena followed. They walked until reaching a crossroad, where she turned right.
They stopped when they reached the adventurer's district—full of taverns, inns, brothels, equipment stores, and blacksmith shops.
Right then, Gideon and Lena noticed displays of magic equipment. Some adventurers were even showing off simple magic skills like water balls and fireballs.
"Can they all use magic?" Lena asked.
"Not all of them. Only those blessed with a dominant affinity can use certain magic," Aina explained.
"Seems like you know a lot about this city, Aina," Gideon said.
"Of course, Master. I've lived here for eleven years—I know the ins and outs," Aina replied.
This was lucky—getting Aina was like getting a treasure chest full of city knowledge.
Lena tugged on Gideon's hand, pointing toward a blacksmith shop to the right. Gideon nodded—they had finally found their destination.
"Welcome," said a tomboyish woman with red hair, standing behind the counter with a smile and a scar on her forehead.
"Can I help you with something?" she asked.
"Do you take custom orders?" Gideon asked.
"Custom? Like what?" she tilted her head in confusion.
Gideon reached into his holster, pulled out his handgun, and removed the magazine. He placed a single 9mm bullet on the counter, making her look even more puzzled.
The woman picked it up—it felt light and cold in her palm. She admitted she had never seen anything like it before.
"Father! Are you there? Come take a look at this!" she called out.
A moment later, a muscular man in a tight brown shirt and black trousers came out, carrying a hammer.
"Ever seen anything like this?" she asked.
The man squinted as she placed the bullet in his hand. He leaned in, studying it closely—it almost looked like a small bean.
"I have no idea. What can this thing do?" he asked.
Gideon glanced at Lena. She nodded knowingly, then pulled out her SIG M17 and attached a suppressor. Once it was secured, she aimed to the side, switched off the safety, and pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The suppressed shot sent the bullet flying into one of the iron armors displayed on the wall. Luckily, the projectile didn't go through the wall—it got lodged in the armor instead.
Both the man and his daughter looked shocked. There was now a small hole in the best iron armor they had ever made—all caused by that little "iron bean" in their palm.
"W-What did you just do?" the man stammered.
"Are you interested in helping us?"