At first sight, Mei immediately abandoned her plan to return immediately.
"Good heavens, Mei... Mei!" Irina exclaimed in disbelief as she approached, grabbing her hand and pulling her to Knight. "My dear, do you know who she is? Miss Mei, the most celebrated actress at the Fortress Theatre! Spectators could line up from the theater's main hall all the way to the street!" Though the "dear" made Mei's heart skip a beat, years of acting instinctively curled her lips into a faint smile. "Hello." "Of course I know. You mentioned she's the most famous actress. Who in Noble Westlands doesn't know the name of the Theatre Star?" Knight sighed, apologizing. "My wife was impolite. I'm Philin, hello." He didn't introduce himself, didn't reveal his identity, even omitted his surname. A wave of sorrow surged through Mei's heart, yet she maintained her most elegant demeanor. "I know you. Sir Philin Hilt, the Knight everyone calls the First Knight of Westlands, 'Dawn's Glow. 'It's a pity I couldn't attend your wedding with Irina due to tight scheduling." "Those are past events," Knight said with a faint smile, shaking his head. "I'm now a teacher and no longer part of the Hilt family. No need for such formalities." With that, he waved to the others. "Let's go back. Your temporary lodging has been secured." Teacher? Mei froze in shock. Was this the court tutor? The town's Lord was indeed a Prince, but even the most destitute Prince wouldn't seek Knight for such a position. What does it mean to apply for temporary residence? Shouldn't Irene have taken the group to a safe and reliable local hotel for lodging?
Before she could process these thoughts, Irene had already moved closer. "Oh my God, I never expected you to show up here. If you were to perform Cinderella, it would definitely make waves!" "Really?" Mei couldn't argue. The name of this unknown play was probably written by some rookie playwright. Besides, she had no time for rehearsals—her only purpose here was to check on Dawn's progress, perhaps hoping to lend a hand.
Upon entering the town, Mei noticed something amiss. This desolate outpost, ostensibly a frontier outpost, shouldered no resemblance to a thriving city. The roads were paved with gray-black gravel, devoid of any mud, and the streets stretched so wide that two carriages could pass side by side.
"What kind of road is this?" Sam voiced his confusion. "It's surprisingly smooth to walk on." "Heh heh," Irene chuckled smugly. "It was all mud when I first arrived. This isn't even a proper road-the stonemasons say it's just a foundation." "They're bluffing," Roxia countered. "Only houses need foundations. Things lying on the ground won't collapse anyway. What foundation do you need?" "They mix gray powder with stones to level the ground, sprinkle water, then roll it with stone rollers until smooth. I thought it was some new road-building method, but the stonemasons said it's Your Royal Highness's order. It's called... water layers, whatever. Anyway, it's a foundation!" Irene led the way with her hands behind her back, her long braids swaying rhythmically. "When more people and vehicles come, they'll pave this area with stone slabs. That'll be the real road." The thought of stone slabs made Mei chuckle. "Apart from the capital's inner city, which other city could pave an entire area with stone slabs? Having such wide, smooth roads is already impressive. Even the Long Song Fortress still has plenty of muddy ground."
As she ventured deeper into the town, she noticed houses lining both sides of the road being demolished—some mud-brick, others wooden. Though not new, they were far from uninhabitable. "Did Lord drive them out for blocking the street?" "No, they all moved into the housing complex," someone replied. "Housing complex?" Mei asked. "What is it?" "A newly built residential area with identical brick-and-stone houses," Irene explained. "All original residents will get a share. Once that happens, the town will have no leaky, dilapidated houses." All residents getting brick-and-stone houses? Mei couldn't believe her ears. This was even more absurd than the cobblestone streets. Did she even have a clue about the cost of building such houses? Not wanting to sound boastful in front of Philin, Mei swallowed her words.
The street was crowded with pedestrians who would occasionally stop to greet Irene and Phil. Mei noticed that Irene also appeared to be a so-called teacher.
"Are you here to perform a play?" she asked. "Why do the townsfolk call you Teacher Irene?" "It's my job. Acting is just a side hustle. There's no theater in this small town," Irene explained, recounting her summons by Your Royal Highness. "Though it's an open-air performance with an ordinary audience, the pay is based on fortress standards. I suppose it's a good opportunity to hone my skills." "Yes, yes. Just getting on stage would be enough for me," Gait and Sam nodded in agreement.
Performing for civilians in the open air! Mei was completely speechless. Unlike Irene, she couldn't fathom what Your Royal Highness, the mastermind behind this idea, actually intended. Could people who live just to eat truly grasp the drama's love story and twists?
And so, the group arrived at the front of a two-story building.
"This is the faculty building. Border Town currently has only nine teachers, so there are still plenty of vacant rooms. Philin has secured temporary housing for you two. Stay here during the performance," Irene handed over two keys. "Gait and Sam share one room, while Roxia and Tina have another. Oh, Miss May's words..." "I'll stay with you," May said.
"But..." "I came here to check on my theater colleagues," she said with a smile. "After all this time working together, and since you probably won't be returning to the fortress, I wanted to chat with you. You wouldn't mind, would you?" "Of course not!" Irene said cheerfully, taking her hand. "I was just worried the room might be too small for you. I also have plenty of performance tips to share!" With that, she turned to the other four. "Let's put our luggage down first, then come over to my place for a cozy script reading." Mei climbed upstairs and followed Irene and Filing into their new home.
Her last hope was also dashed.
Though reluctant to admit it, the modest room radiated a sense of comfort and cleanliness. The tablecloth and curtains, newly acquired, were thin red-and-white cotton fabrics, while the floor was immaculately swept, and a linen carpet was laid in the living area. Several peculiar cups on the low table immediately caught May's eye. She approached one, examined it closely, and found its material hard to identify at first glance—lightweight and somewhat wooden, yet with a smooth surface and vibrant colors, far from the cheap items one might expect from an ordinary household. The cup was adorned with a design resembling two dolls embracing each other.
"What a gorgeous cup, isn't it?" Irene leaned in to say. "But it's way too pricey. At the convenience store, a silver wolf costs five coins each, and four make a set. The figures in the design are all in different poses. Philin insisted on buying it for me to celebrate payday, but ended up spending all his salary. What a fool." "Convenience store?" Mei deliberately ignored the latter part of the sentence.
"Indeed!" She nodded. "The Lord's market in the town square offers exquisite daily necessities, though the prices are steep. Tomorrow, I can show you around." Mei felt a mix of emotions—this was nothing like what she had imagined. She had assumed that as a defeated and captive Knight with no ransom, even if released by the Lord, his life would be extremely difficult. Irene had no savings, so she could only endure his hardships without offering any help.
Any help at this moment would be a lifeline for Filin Hilt. If she could leverage her influence to persuade the local Lord to redeem the first Knight, she might even win the Knight's heart.
Yet... she realized her assumptions were completely off the mark—the other person could manage just fine in Border Town without her help.
So you want to go back? You choose to leave this place, forgetting both the film and Border Town.
May was in a state of confusion.