Ravenwood Town

Emerging from the forest, Ronan and his companions were in a sorry state. Ronan's wooden armor was now cracked in multiple places. Having failed to find a water source recently, they'd been forced to collect dew after their water ran out. They hadn't been able to bathe at all, leaving everyone grimy and unable to wash the bloodstains from their armor.

Currently, Ronan's force consisted of only four Skilled Rhodok Spearmen, four Veteran Nord Archers, and two Vigia Riders. That's right, those two Veteran Vigia Soldiers had leveled up after the prolonged battle. However, Ronan knew to wait until they were out of the forest to upgrade them, as riding horses was inconvenient within the forest.

The two Vigia Riders' studded leather armor had been upgraded to chainmail shirts that protected their thighs, with slits on both sides. They wore chainmail gloves and rode warhorses equipped with breastplates. In addition to their initial longswords and shields, they now carried a long spear and a cavalry battle-axe, reaching level 21, much higher than Ronan's.

Ronan had also received his rewards from the Knight's Path quest. Instantly, an armored warhorse and a chest containing an armored greatsword appeared before him. Ronan had also been upgraded to the Guardian Template, gaining one point each in Strength and Constitution. The combat experience and weapon usage of the Guardian flashed through his mind.

It took Ronan a full ten minutes to recover. He first stored the armor and greatsword in his backpack. Then, with the help of his subordinates, he removed his tattered Wisteria wooden armor and mounted the warhorse. Patting the horse's head, Ronan said:

"From now on, I'll call you Carrot."

Waving his subordinates to follow, Ronan led the way, choosing a direction and riding off. Ronan and the Vigia Riders moved at a slow pace on their horses, while the other soldiers, without horses, had to trudge along on foot. Ronan had never ridden a horse in his previous life, but fortunately, the Guardian's experience included horseback riding. Combined with his Riding skill, which Ronan had leveled up to 6, he found riding to be quite manageable.

After about an hour, Ronan finally spotted a small path. He was overjoyed, eager to find a place to wash up and rest properly. He signaled his subordinates to quicken their pace and followed the path in a chosen direction.

Thank goodness, Ronan's chosen direction was correct. After about another half hour of walking, a small town finally appeared before his eyes. Seeing a human settlement at last, Ronan was so excited he almost wanted to gallop towards it. However, considering his subordinates' movement speed, he restrained himself.

The town ahead was not small and was surrounded by walls about three meters high. This was likely built to defend against monsters and beasts emerging from the forest. Two guards stood on each of the towers flanking the town gate, wearing leather armor and carrying short bows. Guards were also stationed by the main gate.

Noticing Ronan and his group approaching, and observing Ronan's armored warhorse and the bloodstains on his soldiers' equipment, the guards stepped forward.

"Wait a moment. This is Ravenwood Town, an autonomous town belonging to the Holy Cross Kingdom. Who are you?" a guard asked, holding up a hand to stop Ronan.

Ronan had anticipated this.

"Greetings, Officer. We are a small mercenary group, looking for opportunities to strike it rich in the forest." As he spoke, Ronan took out two silver coins from his pocket and handed them to the guard.

The guard accepted the silver coins, glanced at Ronan's group, and then stepped aside.

"Don't cause trouble once you're in the city. The gods are watching you!"

"Officer, I also need to ask, where is the town's inn?"

"Just follow this road straight in, and you'll see it. It has a sign, and its name is Mare's Hangover."

Having gotten the directions, Ronan didn't hesitate. He led his subordinates to the tavern named Mare's Hangover. After removing Carrot's armor and handing the three horses over to the stable attendant waiting outside the tavern, Ronan and his subordinates pushed open the tavern door and went inside.

Pushing through the noisy crowd, Ronan walked directly to the bar. He tapped the counter, catching the attention of the owner who was wiping wine glasses, and said:

"Boss, I need six rooms. Also, what food do you have, and can we take a bath?"

"We only have bread, mashed potatoes, and roasted meat left, and it's mostly cold. If you want hot food, you'll have to wait until 6 PM. Our rooms have bathtubs. If you want to bathe, you can have the servants fetch hot water for you, but it costs extra."

Ronan listened and placed two gold coins on the counter.

"Prepare a bit of each dish for me and send it to each room. Also, have the servants heat up the water. We plan to stay here for a while. You can hold onto this gold; let me know if it's not enough."

Upon hearing this, the tavern owner called over a servant and gave instructions. The servant then led Ronan and his group to the rooms upstairs. The soldiers shared rooms, two per room, while Ronan had his own. The rooms weren't large and were simply decorated, containing only two beds, a table, and a coat rack. In the corner sat a wooden bathtub. While the servant prepared bathwater for Ronan, he asked the servant:

"I'm new here. Can you tell me about the Holy Cross Kingdom and this town?"

"Certainly, sir. The Holy Cross Kingdom is a theocracy that worships the Goddess of Light Maya. Ravenwood Town is named after Ravenwood Forest. The town mayor also serves as the bishop of the church. Most of the town guards are composed of church escorts and local recruits."

"Ravenwood Town was named after Ravenwood Forest and also prospered because of it. Ravenwood Town is the only town within a hundred-mile radius. Ravenwood Forest is rich in resources, with many valuable medicinal herbs and animals. As a result, many adventurers from all over the world come here hoping to make a fortune in the forest."

"The area can be quite chaotic; monsters occasionally emerge from the forest, and there are many bandits on the main trade routes. Ravenwood Town's guard force is insufficient, so they often hire mercenary groups to drive out and eliminate monsters and bandits. This has led to an influx of mercenaries and adventurers in the town, making it a renowned adventure hub in the Holy Cross Kingdom."

"Oh, I see. Are there any notable places in town?" Ronan thought to himself that it made sense the guard had let him in so easily when he said he was a mercenary.

"The most famous places in town are the Grand Cathedral and the Mercenary Guild. The cathedral is in the center of town, and the Mercenary Guild was established by the mayor for easier management. It's located right opposite our tavern. Sir, the water is ready. I'll take my leave now and bring your food shortly. Call me if you need anything else."

Ronan responded and eagerly took off his clothes, walking over to the bathtub. He reached in to test the temperature; it was just right. Ronan immediately sank into the water.